Outback Dreams Read online

  ‘Of course,’ Jenni nodded, her expression softening. ‘Well, if Daniel won’t come visit us, we should go to him.’

  ‘Good idea.’ Stuart returned to his breakfast. ‘This is fabulous.’

  ‘My pleasure’.

  Faith finished cooking her own omelette as the Montgomerys continued digging into theirs. Just as she switched off the gas hot plate, Will strolled into the kitchen. He was wearing neat jeans and a National Geographic t-shirt with a massive red-back spider on the front. Faith cringed at the image but smiled for Will nonetheless. His ash blonde hair—a shade closer to his mother’s than to his father’s—was combed back perfectly. He looked a lot like Monty—except Monty never combed his hair. Luckily, the mussed-up look suited him just fine.

  ‘Hey, Will.’ She crossed the kitchen to give him a hug. His response was stiff, but just the fact he now let her hug him made her smile. It had taken a long time and a lot of support to get Will to the functioning adult he was today, but still only those closest to him could get away with something as personally invasive as this.

  ‘Hello, Faith.’ Will extricated himself and crossed to the cupboard.

  Even though she stayed here only a few times a year, she knew his routine by heart. He’d had the same microwave porridge—the type that comes in a one-serve sachet—for as long as she could remember. He made it himself, waited exactly one minute after it was cooked before eating it then stood immediately to clean away all evidence of his breakfast. In many ways, he was the perfect child. Except that he was twenty-five.

  Giving Will space to make his porridge, Faith took her plate to the table and sighed as she took her first bite. This house was her favourite place in Perth. The Montgomerys were the only people in the city she always made the time to visit. Like Monty, they made her feel special just as she was.

  When Jenni finished eating, she put her cutlery down and said, ‘So, Faith, you haven’t said much about the dinner?’

  ‘There’s not a whole load to tell,’ she said, choosing not to mention her pledge to enter the contest just yet. She wanted to give it more thought—work out a charity and game plan first. ‘Mostly it was catching up on who’d married who in the last decade and how many babies had been born. You have no idea how many photos I had to look at. I lost count of the number of times I said, “Ooh, isn’t she just divine”.’

  Jenni and Stuart laughed, and Faith continued her breakfast, answering a few more questions between mouthfuls before the conversation waned. ‘What’s new in your world?’ she asked her hosts.

  ‘I have a job,’ Will announced as he stood to clean his plate.

  ‘That’s brilliant,’ she said, genuinely pleased. ‘What do you do?’

  ‘I work in the library at the university.’ He positively grinned.

  ‘That’s awesome.’ Faith grinned back, fighting happy tears. ‘You’ll be fabulous at that.’ Not only did Will know the English alphabet back to front, but he could write and speak seven other languages and tell you the history of each.

  She’d been seven or eight when Will was diagnosed with autism. He was three years old and rattled off his alphabet constantly, but wouldn’t—or rather couldn’t—communicate with his family, never mind anyone else. As Jenni and Stuart did everything they could to learn about Will’s condition and enhance his development, they’d travelled back and forth to Perth for treatments and to seek advice from specialists. There wasn’t much funding or government assistance available back then, but that didn’t stop the Montgomerys doing the best they could.

  Not wanting to disrupt Monty’s schooling too much, they’d left him with the Forresters on many of their city visits. Faith loved having Monty around, but could tell he missed his family more than he let on.

  Eventually, when the trips and treatments had become too expensive, the distance too much of a hassle, Monty’s parents had sold the property that had been in Stuart’s family for generations. They’d packed up their whole life in the back of a Budget rental van and moved to Perth. Until then, she and Monty had been inseparable. They’d seen each other almost every day of their lives. She’d taught him how to fish, and he’d taught her how to hold her breath under water in the dam. Wherever one of them was, the other could usually be found not too far away. Twin terrors, their mothers called them. And Faith had missed her best friend more than anything.

  Having never been much of a student until then, she’d spent hours after school penning letters to Monty. They barely saw each other until she went to Perth for boarding school three years later, but the connection never faded.

  When she exchanged Bunyip Bay for boarding school, Monty and his family had become a lifeline. Due to distance, Faith couldn’t return to the farm most weekends, but Jenni would break her out of boarding-house prison, and Faith would do things with the Montgomerys—movies, Adventure World, trips to the beach… If it was fun, Jenni and Stuart would give it a whirl. Like her, Monty never made many friends at school in Perth, but they were happy with each other’s company.

  Faith wondered if the Montgomerys ever thought about returning to the country now that Will was grown and didn’t need as many specialists. Then again, what would such a move achieve? Will was happy and settled in the city. Wasn’t that what his parents had spent his whole life working towards?

  After breakfast, Faith insisted on cleaning up. While Stuart, Jenni and Will went off—the first two to dress for the day, the latter to tend his pet spiders—her gaze drifted again to the brochure on the table. As she read about the special dogs, raised, socialised and trained to be companions to children with autism, the ideas started bubbling.

  She finished the cleaning and headed to the spare room to throw her things into her overnight bag. As much as she’d have loved to spend the day hanging out, she had a long journey ahead. Although it was Sunday, that didn’t mean a day of rest for farmers.

  Ryan and her dad would be expecting dinner when they came in from work.

  The Montgomerys came out onto the driveway to wave her goodbye. She hugged them all and climbed into her dirty once-white four-wheel drive.

  ‘So, we’ll see you soon?’ she asked through the open car window.

  Jenni nodded as Stuart wrapped his arm around her shoulders. ‘Definitely,’ they said in unison. ‘Tell Daniel to clear out the spare room.’

  They all chuckled, because everyone knew that as hardworking as Monty was, his efforts didn’t stretch to housekeeping. Faith made a mental note to clean the room herself. With a final wave, she reversed the car out of the Montgomerys’ Bayswater driveway and headed for the highway that would take her north. Home to Bunyip Bay.

  Chapter Three

  Faith made good time up the Brand Highway and arrived in Bunyip Bay mid-afternoon. There was plenty of time to make the roast dinner her dad and brother would be expecting, but she wanted to see Monty first. The night before had been surprising in more ways than one, and she wanted to tell him all about it. Besides that, the drive had helped consolidate her choice of charity, and she wanted his opinion.

  Four and a half hours drive north of Perth, not far south of Geraldton, Bunyip Bay was only a small town—about two thousand people—but thanks to thriving agricultural and crayfish trades, its population was on the up. City builders were flocking to the region to cope with the housing boom, yet Bunyip Bay still had that small-town vibe that Faith adored. Its people were friendly and down to earth, from the farmers to the shopkeepers to the fishermen who practically lived on the jetty, and she loved them all.

  She smiled as she drove through the familiar town—deserted today except for a few fishermen on the beach—then continued past the turnoff to her family property, heading instead for Annadale, where she knew Monty would be working.

  She turned into the long gravel drive, passed Adam’s recently built house, his parents’ impressive homestead, and continued on to the old cottage at the far north of the property. Although the land here was much the same as every other farm in the district
, there was something eerie about this place, something cold. She and Adam had dated briefly just after she’d left high school, but they’d spent more time at Forrester’s Rock than Annadale because, quite frankly, his farm gave her the heebie-jeebies.

  This was the last place his sister had ever been seen, and Faith could only imagine how painful living here must be for her family.

  The old cottage came into view, and Faith smiled as she laid eyes on Monty’s ute parked out the front. She got out of her vehicle, stretched, and headed up the weed-ridden garden path. Although the yard—fenced with faded old pickets—looked like a jungle, and not a very pretty one at that, she immediately noticed the improvements on the actual building. Last time she’d seen it, the posts along the small verandah had been so rotten they’d been barely holding up the roof, and the exterior walls had looked like they hadn’t been painted since 1955, but now everything was shiny and new.

  ‘Wow.’ She glanced around as Monty stepped into the open front doorway. ‘And hi.’

  ‘Hi yourself Monty smiled his typical smile—a cross between Bad Boy and Boy Next Door, of which he was actually neither.

  He stepped back and gestured for her to follow him inside. She took in the freshly plastered ceilings and walls as she did so. The floorboards beneath her feet looked beautiful, and the window frames no longer buckled and flaked white paint. A smile stretched across her face at the changes. She’d been inside only once before— Adam’s uncle Tom, known locally as Old Man Silvey, had lived here until he died—and it had smelled and looked exactly like the man himself: smoky and bespeckled with yellow stains.

  ‘This is amazing. You going for some kind of speed record though?’

  Monty shrugged his impressive shoulders and ran a hand through his mussed hair. ‘Nope. But I’ve got a few seeding jobs lined up in the next few weeks, and Adam’s keen to have it finished so his mum can start the decorating.’

  She nodded. ‘I see.’

  ‘Anyway, while you’re here, why not make yourself useful.’

  ‘Sure.’ Faith tucked her hair behind her ears, ready for whatever he needed her for. ‘Do you need me to help hammer something?’

  His expression deadpan, he said, ‘No, but I’d kill for a cup of coffee.’

  Rolling her eyes, she thumped him hard. He was only ribbing her. Monty knew she hated the way her dad and brother didn’t think her good enough for anything more than cooking and housework.

  ‘My boyfriend doesn’t demand I make coffee for him. He lovingly makes it for me. And he brings Tim Tams.’

  Monty screwed up his face in confusion. ‘Sounds like a great guy. When can I meet him?’

  ‘I’m looking at him right now.’ Faith smiled sweetly as his face contorted even more.

  ‘Did they put something in your drinks last night? What the hell are you on about, Faith Marie Forrester?’

  She wiggled her eyebrows at him. ‘Do you want the long story or the short, Daniel James Montgomery?’

  He smirked. ‘Something tells me I don’t want either. Anyway, I’m almost wrapping up for the day here. Let me do one more thing.’

  He turned and headed farther into the house.

  While she waited, Faith had a bit of a snoop around. Although being a builder wasn’t Monty’s life-long ambition—odd jobs and building were just a means to an end for him—he was a damn fine craftsman.

  When most school leavers were dead-set on partying, Monty had left home and thrown himself into the workforce as soon as he’d graduated. Not fussy about the kind of work he did, he’d returned to Bunyip Bay, bunking on couches in Faith and Adam’s houses until he could afford to rent a small place of his own. From that day on, he’d had one goal in mind. To buy himself a farm like the one his parents had sold all those years ago.

  His skills had been very much sought-after, and along the way he’d learned a little about a lot of trades—building, farming and fishing. While friends of theirs went off on Contiki holidays or bought flashy cars, Monty worked, watching his bank balance grow as he waited for the right place to come onto the market.

  If only Faith knew what she wanted out of life.

  She met Monty coming out of the kitchen. ‘Your mum says hi. She asked when you were going to come and visit.’ He opened his mouth, but she continued over the top of him. ‘Don’t worry, I think she’s given up waiting. They said they’ll come visit you very soon.’

  Monty snorted as they headed back outside. ‘Like that’ll ever happen. Not with Will.’

  Before she could comment, he offered her a Tupperware container. ‘I don’t have any Tim Tams,’ he announced, gesturing to the front steps, ‘but Mrs O’Neal brought some Anzacs over the other day.’

  Faith sat down next to him on the top step, the afternoon sea breeze drifting towards them. She peeled back the lid and breathed in the sweet biscuit smell. ‘Is there any old dear in town you don’t have wrapped around your little finger?’ It wasn’t really surprising considering all the odd jobs he did for the local widows. She took a biscuit and passed him the container.

  He shrugged and swiped a couple for himself. ‘I’ve stopped counting. So, what’s this about a boyfriend?’

  ‘Not any old boyfriend. You.’ She poked him in the tummy and felt a sting like an electric shock. She snatched her hand back and shook it, her finger tingling. Wowsers, how had she never noticed he had such an impressive six-pack? Despite his height, she’d always thought of Monty as having a lanky, slightly scrawny build, but somehow he’d filled out while she hadn’t been looking. Oh, boy, had he filled out.

  ‘Huh?’ Monty said, looking at her with a bemused expression. ‘What are you talking about?

  She took a quick breath, tried to forget the muscles. ‘Well, it all began last night at the alumnae dinner. You know how you told me I’d regret going? That is, if I didn’t die of boredom while there?’

  He nodded.

  ‘Well, it was actually a fun night in the end. People were really friendly. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to see me again after all these years.’

  ‘So they should be. You’re awesome.’ He bit into an Anzac.

  Her heart swelled at his compliment. ‘That’s why I keep hanging around you,’ she said. ‘You’re good for my ego. It’s also why I told the girls that you were the love of my life.’

  Half-chewed oats spurted from Monty’s mouth. He quickly recovered, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. ‘You told them what?’

  She was torn between laughing at his reaction and feeling offended. Was the idea that appalling? ‘What’s wrong with me? I should be a bloke’s dream woman. I like sport, I like Star Wars, I drink beer.’

  ‘Nothing’s wrong with you. I’ve just finished blowing your trumpet.’

  ‘Still, the offers of marriage aren’t exactly rolling in.’

  ‘It’s just…’ He stopped for a moment. ‘Oh never mind. What else happened?’

  She wanted to tell him about the pledge, the contest, her ideas and about breakfast that morning with his family, but she’d just twigged what his issue with being her boyfriend was. ‘Oh Lord, you’re worried word will get back to Ruby that we’re together.’ How tragic!

  He had the good sense to look sheepish.

  ‘How would that happen? She went to St Hilda’s and moved in totally different social circles than mine. Besides, the girls might have been interested in my love life last night, but they’re unlikely to give me a second thought now the party’s over. You’re safe.’

  A grin erased the look of horror on Monty’s face. ‘So, what did you say about me?’

  ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’ Just to irritate him, she turned all her attentions to her biscuit.

  He was quiet for a moment, chewing on his Anzac, then his tone turned serious. ‘Does not having a boyfriend really matter that much to you?’

  Faith sighed. To anyone else in the world, she’d laugh off this question, but Monty would see right through her. ‘It matters a bit.’

&nb
sp; He raised his eyebrows.

  ‘Okay. It matters a lot. I didn’t realise it until last night, but…’ She sighed and tossed the remains of her biscuit to the ants. ‘Don’t you get sick of being alone? We’re not getting any younger. I want to have a family, don’t you?’

  He stared off into the distance. ‘Haven’t given much thought to the family bit, but it’d be nice to have someone to come home to. Hopefully when I buy the farm, Ruby will see I’m serious about her. And that I have something worthwhile to offer.’

  Argh. Faith could no longer hold her tongue. ‘If Ruby can’t see how fabulous you are now, if she doesn’t want to go out with you when you don’t have land to offer, do you really want her when you do?’

  ‘She’s not like that. Just because you two don’t like the same things, doesn’t mean she’s not a good person. She’s offered to help Adam’s mum with decorating this place.’

  Of course Monty would think that. He couldn’t see the bad in anyone. The way Faith saw it, Adam Burton had land, looks and a good lifestyle to offer; Ruby probably had her eyes on that. But this wasn’t a battle she was going to win, so she decided to let it rest. ‘Anyway, don’t stress,’ she told him. ‘I’m sure Ruby won’t hear anything, and when I see the alumnae girls next year, I’ll say I dumped you or something. By then I won’t have to hide behind a mysterious boyfriend, because I plan to wow them with me.’

  Monty smiled at Faith. He wasn’t really mad at her for pretending he was her boyfriend, he was just annoyed at those stupid women for making her think she wasn’t good enough without a husband on her arm. Faith was amazing. She was better than good enough.

  Instead of reiterating this—he could tell her till the cows came home and she still wouldn’t believe him—he clicked the lid back on Mrs O’Neal’s container. The fact she planned to return to another old girls party surprised him, but it was the ‘wow plan’ that piqued his interest.

  ‘You’re going back next year?’