Sixteen
To Rachel’s surprise, she slept well, wakening later than usual to the sound of Molly whining from the study. She jumped up to let her out and, as she stood in the doorway waiting for her to return, she remembered the previous evening. Had Luke really said those things, invited her to dinner? Her phone pinged with a message.
Don’t forget. 7 tonight. Luke
Her heart raced. It was true. He really had.
Glad this was the last day she’d have guests for breakfast until after Christmas, Rachel prepared her usual meal, managing to snatch a cup of herbal tea in the process. She was pleased to see Molly looked better and planned to take her for a short walk around the garden later.
Breakfast over, Rachel farewelled her guests. The honeymooners were still starry eyed and, when they thanked her, vowed to return as they’d enjoyed their holiday so much. She was surprised to receive a basket of goodies from the family, who thanked her and apologised for the behaviour of their teenagers. Signs of appreciation like this made it all worthwhile. But she’d be glad to take a break. It was always slightly nerve wracking to have strangers in her home, regardless of the money it brought in, and the company she always said she enjoyed.
It was good to relax with her own breakfast – a tortilla wrap of eggs with mushrooms and tomato – and Molly lying in a pool of sun at her feet, knowing it would be Christmas in a few weeks with all that entailed – and Alexander was coming home. She was still none the wiser about the surprise he’d promised, but they were all agreed he must have met someone special and be bringing her home to meet the family. With that in mind, Rachel had already bought a gift for her, along with those for the rest of the family.
And there was dinner with Luke tonight. Rachel felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of seeing him again, of going to the yacht club with him. Then she felt a curl of apprehension. On a Saturday evening, the yacht club would be packed. There would be a lot of people she knew there. For the first time, she realised how her friends – particularly Liz and Gill – must have felt appearing there with Finn and Joe respectively. It would be a little different for her, since Luke was practically a stranger in town. It was over forty years since he’d lived here. Many of those who’d known him back then had left Pelican Crossing or had passed away. But there would be some who’d remember him, one of whom was her friend, Lou.
Thinking of Lou reminded Rachel she hadn’t passed on the latest news about Becky. Last time she’d spoken to Andy he’d said he might be forced to put her sister into a nursing home. It sounded so final. And Rachel experienced a twinge of guilt about the fact Becky was facing this, while she was looking forward to dinner with her sister’s first boyfriend. She picked up the phone and called Books and Coffee , only to discover Lou had taken the weekend off.
The feeling of guilt persisted, so after taking Molly for a short walk and settling her back in the study, Rachel called her friend at home. ‘It’s not like you to leave the bookshop in Zoe’s hands on a weekend,’ she said when Lou answered, ‘so close to Christmas too.’
‘That’s why,’ Lou said. ‘I need to get some paperwork completed before the big Christmas rush and if I didn’t do it this weekend, I don’t know when I would get round to it. But I’ve already been at it since the crack of dawn and need a break. Why don’t you drop round for coffee? I can promise you one of Ron’s blueberry muffins which I brought home yesterday.’
‘That’s an offer too good to refuse. I’ll see you shortly.’
Rachel checked in on Molly, who was sleeping soundly, then headed off, throwing a glance at the vet clinic and Bob’s house on the way. But there was no sign of Luke. He was no doubt busy with his animal patients.
Lou lived on the far side of town in what had once been a fisherman’s cottage, one of many such buildings which had been renovated over the years. This one had views of the ocean and a pathway leading down to a stretch of beach which was rarely discovered by tourists. Her large ginger cat greeted Rachel at the door, then slunk off into the garden.
‘Don’t mind Tilly,’ Lou said. ‘She doesn’t like strangers. Come on in.’
Once inside, Rachel was struck, as she always was when she visited Lou, by how comfortable her friend had managed to make this small dwelling. At one end of the open-plan room, a large picture window looked out onto the ocean, with a sofa and two armchairs positioned to take full advantage of the view. At the other, was a neat modern kitchen and dining area, the two sections divided by a low bookcase. The floor was tiled.
Lou had already placed a plate of blueberry muffins on the low coffee table facing the window, so Rachel took a seat on the sofa, knowing Lou preferred her favourite armchair. She sat there admiring the view until Lou brought in two mugs of coffee.
‘Now,’ Lou said when she had settled down, her mug clutched in both hands, ‘you sounded worried on the phone. Is it Becky?’
‘Yes and no.’ Rachel took a sip of coffee and eyed the muffins, wondering if she dared have one, remembering the number on her scales that morning. ‘The news from Andy isn’t good, Lou. Becky’s deteriorating more rapidly than we anticipated. Andy’s finding it difficult to cope. He’s considering a nursing home.’
‘No!’
‘I know. It’s what I feel too. But it’s easy for us to say, when we’re not living with it every day. It’s his decision, even if I don’t agree with it.’
‘I guess. It’s just so sad to think of the Becky we knew…’ She shook her head.
Rachel nodded. It was doubly sad that her sister had developed a type of Alzheimer’s which had a rapid progression.
They sat in silence for a few moments, the only sounds the calls of seagulls outside the window and the distant roar of the waves.
Then Lou said, ‘You said yes and no. What’s the no?’
Rachel bit her lip. This was the hard part, but Lou was the only person she could share it with. ‘I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the new vet – the one who’s taking Bob’s place – it’s Luke Findlay.’
‘I had heard. Not much gets past us in Books and Coffee . Strange to have him back here after all this time. You’d remember him of course. Have you met him this time around?’
‘Yes. Molly had a tick and I met him then.’
‘And? Something tells me there’s more to it.’
‘It’s difficult, Lou. Back then, when he and Becky were dating. I was only fourteen, but Luke was kind to me, sometimes including me when he and Becky were together. I had the most enormous crush on him.’
‘You and just about every girl in Pelican Crossing. All the girls were swooning over him, but he chose Becky. So, what’s so difficult?’
‘We met again at the fundraiser at Crossings last night and… he’s invited me to dinner.’
‘Good for you. It’s about time you found another special someone. I know how close you and Kirk were, but you can’t grieve for ever, Rach.’
‘Thanks, Lou.’ Trust Lou to put it bluntly. ‘The thing is, although I’m thrilled he’s noticed me, wants to see me again, I can’t help feeling a little guilty. He was Becky’s boyfriend first.’
‘Listen to yourself, Rach. All that with Becky was over forty years ago. She’s moved on since then, you have too, so probably has Luke. He’s been married too, hasn’t he?’
‘Ye…es. He’s widowed.’
‘There you go. And from what you’ve told me, sad though it is, Becky’s past caring. And, even if she wasn’t, she married Andy. Do you really think she’d worry about a little thing like you dating Luke Findlay?’
‘When you put it like that…’ Rachel began to feel a little better, so much so that she picked up a blueberry muffin and bit into it, savouring the sweet taste. Lou was probably right. She was getting her knickers in a knot for nothing. If she knew, Becky would probably laugh at the thought of Luke dating her little sister.
‘So,’ Lou took a bite from a muffin, ‘when are you seeing him again?’
‘Tonight… at the yacht club.’
‘Wow! He doesn’t mess around, does he?’
Rachel blushed. ‘It can’t come to anything, Lou. He’s only here while Bob’s gone… three months, I think.’
‘A lot can happen in three months – especially at our age. It doesn’t pay to hang around.’ She chuckled. ‘So, the yacht club. What do you plan to wear?’
‘Wear?’ Rachel hadn’t even thought about what she’d wear. Definitely not the outfit she wore last night, the one which showed all her curves. She sighed, looking at the half-eaten muffin. She knew she shouldn’t have…
‘Not one of your caftans,’ Lou said before Rachel could suggest it. ‘How about that outfit you wore to the Melbourne Cup Luncheon last year? You looked great in it.’
‘I did?’ Rachel pictured the cream wide-legged pants topped with the calf-length tunic. She’d bought it on a trip to Brisbane with Jess, worn it once, then stuck it into the back of her wardrobe and forgotten about it. She seemed to recall it had been flattering to her fuller figure. ‘Hmmm. I might see if I can still get into it.’
‘Of course you can. I often think you exaggerate your size and try to hide your lovely curves with those loose shirts and caftans.’
Rachel flinched, but she knew Lou was right. Luke had said she looked lovely… and he had made arrangements to see her again. Maybe it was time she changed her style, bought some clothes which fitted her, as Jess was always urging her to do.
‘Thanks, Lou,’ Rachel said when she was leaving. ‘Thanks for listening and for your advice… about my outfit too.’ She chuckled. ‘You should become my stylist. Jess would approve.’
Lou only laughed and, now that Rachel was leaving, Tilly, the cat, reappeared to curl around Lou’s ankles.
*
Lou was right, Rachel thought, as she admired herself in the mirror. She did look good in this outfit which skimmed her curves and made her look slimmer. And she’d left it languishing at the back of her wardrobe for more than a year. Maybe she should make a trip to the boutique in Bellbird Bay where she knew both Poppy and Liz shopped. They always looked good.
‘What do you think, Molly?’ she asked the little dog, who she’d permitted to join her in the bedroom to give her a change of scene. Molly gave a bark of approval.
Rachel heard Luke’s car before she was emotionally prepared. She was trembling with a combination of fear and anticipation. Not only was she about to go on a date with Luke, but this was also the first time she’d dined alone with a man since Kirk had passed. She had a brief attack of nerves. It was too soon. She was making a mistake . Then there was a knock at the door, and shepherding Molly back into the study, she went to open it.
When she saw Luke standing there, looking incredibly handsome, his pale blue shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow to reveal his tanned arms, his cream chinos a neat fit, his deep blue eyes twinkling down at her, what felt like an army of butterflies started doing cartwheels in her stomach. ‘Hello,’ she said, suddenly feeling shy.
‘Hi there. How’s the patient?’
‘Oh!’ For a moment Rachel was confused. ‘Would you like to see her?’
‘Why not?’
Rachel led him inside and opened the study door, whereupon Molly, showing more energy than she had since she came home, padded over to greet him, her tail wagging.
Luke crouched down beside the little dog, talking to her quietly and gently examining her. ‘Looking good, Molly. Won’t be long before you’re back to normal.’ He stood up again and met Rachel’s eyes. ‘She’ll be right pretty soon. Ready to go?’ He took out a tissue to wipe his hands.
‘Yes, of course,’ Rachel said, as Molly settled down on her bed again. ‘Thanks.’ She seemed to be always thanking him for something.
As she’d anticipated, the yacht club was busy, it being Saturday, but they were shown to a table at the far side of the restaurant, overlooking the marina. It was one of Rachel’s favourite spots and highly sought after. She wondered how Luke had managed to snag it. ‘You booked?’ she asked.
Looking embarrassed, Luke nodded. ‘It seems the club’s now owned by one of the guys I went to school with. Came in handy.’
‘Phil Cook, of course.’ How could she have forgotten? Another of Becky’s old friends… and Lou’s.
If Rachel had thought the evening might have been awkward, she’d have been wrong. Starting with a conversation about their dogs, they soon discovered they had a lot in common, sharing a love of books and movies – even the same ones. As a result, Rachel found herself relaxing and enjoying Luke’s company even more than she’d anticipated. It was strange, she thought, how she and Luke had more in common than he and Becky ever had. Did it mean she was more compatible with Luke than her sister had been? She decided not to delve too deeply into that idea, but to enjoy her time with him.
As the evening progressed, Rachel found herself sharing amusing anecdotes about her B&B guests and laughing at some of Luke’s experiences as a vet. It was almost as good as watching Bondi Vet , one of her favourite television series. She’d always been interested in the life of a vet. Perhaps if she and Kirk hadn’t met when they did, it would have been a career she’d have pursued. It was almost a surprise when, after sharing a sumptuous seafood platter, followed by a chocolate brownie with vanilla curd ice cream – she’d start that diet tomorrow – Luke said, ‘Coffee or are you ready to leave? They appear to be packing up.’
Glancing around, Rachel could see that most of the other tables were empty, and staff were stacking chairs ready for closing. ‘Oh, I guess we should leave. We can have coffee at my place.’ As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Rachel wished she could take them back. It sounded as if she was in the habit of inviting men back for coffee after a first date, and coffee sometimes meant… more, or it had done when she was younger. She felt the heat rise to her face.