Nineteen
Luke wondered if he’d gone too far in asking Rachel to help him with a Christmas tree. He’d been aware of her hesitation, but she had agreed, and he knew he had to make every effort to spend time with her before Christmas, before they both became embroiled with family. He had no idea for how long Rachel’s family celebrations would continue, or how long Josh and Abby intended to stay. And he had the distinct impression that if he allowed matters to slide, it would be more difficult to pick up their friendship again after the holiday season. The clinic would no doubt become busier with the influx of tourists, and Rachel’s B&B guests would be demanding her attention. It would be all too easy for one or both of them to find excuses not to meet.
‘She’s special, Nelson,’ he said to the dog who was giving him a puzzled look. ‘I don’t want to mess things up.’ Nelson nodded his head as if to agree.
Luke had spent the morning on the beach, swimming and lying on a towel with a book, while Nelson lay by his side, wandering off from time to time to splash in the waves, before returning to shake seawater over Luke. He didn’t complain. It was refreshing.
Now, after a lunch of a fresh roll from the bakery spread with avocado, tomato and topped with bean sprouts, washed down with a can of beer, he was ready to go.
Luke tried to stifle the tingle of excitement he felt as he drove around to Rachel’s home. He felt like a teenager on his first date. Only he was sixty-two and far from his first date, and it wasn’t even his first with Rachel.
She was waiting for him in the doorway wearing one of those loose things he’d seen her in at the clinic, the sort of garment Ness had sometimes worn around the house. Rachel had looked so good at Crossings , and again last night. He wondered why she chose to hide her beautiful, voluptuous figure under an outfit that looked like a tent. Not that she didn’t look good in it. She did, but he suspected she’d look good in a sack which, come to think of it wasn’t much different from what she was wearing.
‘Hey,’ he said, getting out of the car to help her into the passenger seat. ‘How’s Molly today?’ Luke remembered how asking about Molly the previous evening had relaxed her. It helped to relax him too.
‘She’s good. We went for a short walk this morning, but she misses the beach. Do you think maybe… if I carried her down the steps?’
‘Maybe, but better to wait a bit. If she’s anything like Nelson, she’ll go mad in the water.’
‘Mmm. Maybe if I kept her on a leash?’ Rachel tipped her head to one side. Did she know how irresistible that made her look? In any other woman it would be flirting, but he would bet Rachel never flirted.
‘Maybe,’ he agreed. ‘You’ll have to give me directions,’ he said as he started up the car, ‘I have no idea where the Christmas tree farm is.’
Rachel chuckled. ‘It didn’t exist when we were growing up but does a roaring trade at this time of year. It’s outside town, in the hinterland. It should take us over an hour to get there. And, before you ask, they deliver… and pick up.’
‘That’s a relief. I had envisaged driving back with a large tree tied to the top of the car.’
Rachel chuckled again. It was good to hear her so relaxed. She’d been tense for a large part of the previous evening.
Luke tuned the radio to the local station which was playing Christmas carols, and they sang along like a couple of big kids as he drove, making the trip go quickly. It was a surprise when he saw the sign bearing a painted Christmas tree, and Rachel said, ‘We’re here.’
Once inside the property, it was easy to see why it was so popular. They joined a group of people selecting trees and before long, Luke was paying for a tall tree and giving the assistant his address.
When they were on their way back, Luke saw a sign at the side of the road which he hadn’t noticed earlier. Crossing Craft Beer was the brewery Bob had told him about, the one he’d been meaning to visit. Luke slowed the car and pointed to the sign. ‘I’ve heard it’s an interesting place to visit and I like their beer. Fancy stopping?’ He threw a glance at Rachel, unsure if visiting a brewery was her thing.
‘Sounds good. I’ve heard about it from Steph and Chloe. They went to some beer tasting event there and raved about it… but I thought it was for a younger crowd.’
‘I’ve never been one to let that stop me. What about you?’
‘Absolutely not! I’m up for it.’
Luke drove in and parked beside a number of other cars, utes and motorbikes. It was clearly a popular spot on a hot Sunday afternoon. Once inside, the sound of voices echoed in the large open area. There was a bar at one end, the rest of the room being filled with small round tables, most of which were occupied by groups of all ages. At the far end of the room, a man dressed in shorts and a bright flowered shirt sat on a raised section, strumming a guitar and singing Australian ballads, his voice almost drowned out by the noise of chatter.
Making their way to the bar, Luke enquired about the beer tasting. He was directed outside again where he saw the sign he’d failed to notice earlier pointing to another building.
Inside, they were met by a young man who introduced himself as Brett, one of the owners and master brewer, and indicated they should follow him to a large shed where there were huge vats of beer and a strong yeasty aroma permeated the air.
As they made their way through the brewery, Brett explained the process of malting – drying and cracking the grains, extracting sugars and flavour from malt and other substances to make the sweet mash that became beer, followed by the addition of yeast to ferment it, then the bottling and aging.
At the end of the tour, they entered the tasting room where both he and Rachel were provided with wooden paddles, each containing five glasses of different brews. Each was numbered and they were given sheets on which they could comment on various aspects of the beer.
‘This is fun,’ Rachel said, when she had sipped two of them. ‘It’s nicer than many of the beers I’ve had in the past. I’m not really a beer drinker – I prefer wine – but I could become addicted to this one.’ She pointed to the glass marked 2 on the board.
‘It’s a pretty good drop.’ Luke had already tasted all four and found number 3 was his preference.
‘Shall we go back and find a table, or have you had enough?’ he asked, when they had completed their tasting and filled in the charts.
‘Probably enough for now,’ Rachel chuckled. ‘It’s not like wine tasting where you only take a small sip then spit it out – or you’re supposed to. We’ve already drunk four small glasses of beer, and we still have to drive home.’
‘You’re right.’ Luke always drank responsibly. ‘I just want to buy some to take back with me,’ he said, heading for the sales section.
The worst of the heat was over when they left the brewery, and a slight breeze had blown up. Luke stacked the carton of beer he’d purchased into the boot, and they headed for home. On the way they chatted, comparing beer and wine tasting experiences, and talking about their plans for Christmas. Luke was surprised how detailed Rachel’s were and vowed again to make more of an effort this year than he had in the past. The purchase of the tree was a good start. He felt guilty he’d let things go after Ness’s death and was glad Josh had found Abby. She was such a compassionate person, a lot like Ness had been when they first met.
The road passed Bob’s house and the clinic before it reached Rachel’s. On an impulse, Luke slowed at his gate. ‘It’s getting late. I have a couple of steaks in the fridge and the makings of a salad. Want to have dinner?’ He held his breath as he waited for her reply.