Chapter Twelve
Piper stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips as her keen eyes scoured the shelves of the storage room.
She’d followed Maddie’s instructions to the room that held shelves of props and racks of costumes.
It was hidden down the hallway to the left of the stage, down the handful of stairs beneath it.
There was no missing it, though; the space was so large Piper thought the whole town could probably fit in it—and their pets—if there hadn’t been shelves.
She could get lost in time down here. Feather boas, sequinned capes, and hats in any size, shape and colour she could ever imagine.
It was like a stage-show fantasy, if she’d ever had one.
If she ever got stuck in this place, she wouldn’t be unhappy.
‘Ah, there it is.’
She snatched the missing shepherd’s staff that towered above her head from the duck-shaped umbrella stand and headed for the steps.
Maddie had won their bet when the choir’s third song had been cut in half by the debacle over tent placement.
At least the ice argument had held out a little longer than normal, or so she’d been told, thanks to the promise of the extra bag of ice she’d told them Emmett was bringing.
Thankfully, he hadn’t forgotten it. But then they’d been sucked into helping the children from the Nativity play get into their costumes.
At least there’d been no beards to craft.
The excited voices of children carried from the verandah and Piper picked up the pace.
‘I’ve got the staff!’ she announced, breaking up the sword fight the other two shepherds were engaged in.
‘Let’s not break these, okay, guys? I really don’t think Gloria would be okay with that.
Why don’t you go and get to know your lambs?
’ She nodded to the local at the edge of the concrete stage at the bottom of the hill, who held the leashes of three lambs that tugged against their restraints.
She swallowed quickly at the sight of the chairs and microphones all ready for them to sing behind, and the single one set up in the middle of the large space. Please don’t let me forget the words.
Movement and a flash of green on the hill caught her attention as Emmett and Stef locked the first aid tent into place.
She shouldn’t be staring at him. No matter how good he looked in his QAS polo and uniform pants.
Walking away from him this afternoon hadn’t been a good feeling, but it had been necessary.
She wasn’t anyone’s little sister. Well, technically she was.
Gah! She was more than just someone related to her famous football-playing brother.
She was her own person, and she wanted to be loved and cherished for it all on her own because she was enough.
Emmett’s head turned in her direction and she quickly returned to the seat she’d been in beside Maddie, who was fixing a braid into an angel’s hair.
Maddie’s wild red hair was pulled into a bun on top of her head with the green of a wreath surrounding it and gold nutcracker earrings hanging from her ears.
She’d tried to convince Piper to wear matching reindeer antlers, but Gloria had intervened with a lecture on staying classy.
‘Are you ready for your solo?’ Maddie asked with a wicked grin, adjusting the angel’s wings before letting her run off to join the Virgin Mary, who was chowing down on a cup of popcorn.
Piper groaned and beads of nervous sweat pricked the back of her neck. ‘No. I’m not a stage singer. I’m an under the shower where no one hears me, hiding among a big group, road trip playlist singer.’
‘Oh, please,’ Maddie said, rolling her eyes. ‘You’re wasted in a passenger seat, and you are going to show the world—and one painfully ignorant man—that. You’ve got this.’
Piper gave her a smile. ‘Where’s your ignorant man? I’ve bored you endlessly with my love life, or lack of love life, and I’ve never once heard of who you’re interested in. I’m actually a terrible friend for not asking.’
‘What are you talking about? You’ve asked me every time we’ve been on shift together. I’m happily single and not looking to settle or tie myself down.’
‘You’re right.’ Piper fluttered her eyelashes. ‘I’m a terrible friend for not sitting on you until you tell me the truth.’
Maddie laughed then sighed. ‘I grew up in Rush Creek, Piper. There’s not an endless pool of eligible men within my age range and who I don’t already know the full medical history of. Plus, I’m not the only single lady. New men get snatched up pretty quickly.’
‘Wait, why is Emmett still single, then?’
‘That man is a hot version of Oscar the Grouch minus the rubbish bin. A few girls tried to flirt when he first arrived, but he barely looked at them, let alone asked them on a date. You’re the first one to elicit a smile from him.
Actually, that’s a lie. He gets along really well with Stef in a purely platonic way, because she’s got a man back in Brisbane that she’ll probably marry one day. ’
That wasn’t what Piper was expecting. The Emmett she remembered in high school had had one fling after another, breaking the heart of every teenage girl in Euronga. If he can grow and change, why can’t he accept that I have too?
Stop caring!
She looked out at the families that were finding places on the hill and others who were lining up to get their faces painted.
The smells wafting down from the barbecue made her tummy rumble.
Looking at the Christmas crowds was distracting her from Emmett but not from the nerves of having to sing in front of them.
‘Back to you! I can’t believe a man hasn’t fallen head over heels for your stellar personality and fiery hair.’
‘Oh, they fall. I head into Townsville every now and then for a bit of company and leave them begging for me to stay.’ Maddie gave a little shimmy. ‘But my Emmett, the guy I’ve crushed on since high school, doesn’t live in town anymore. I just haven’t found anyone who’s measured up yet.’
Piper stuck her bottom lip out. ‘That sucks, but at least we can hang out with each other until you do.’
‘You’re a good friend, Hendrix.’
Piper was about to return the kind words when Gloria popped up.
‘Maddie, Piper, it’s time.’
Once she started singing, Piper quickly forgot about any nerves. It was fun. More fun than she’d ever thought, and gratitude to Emmett for signing her up in the first place softened the hurt and frustration from earlier.
After they’d sung half of their songs, Gloria gave them the cue to clear the stage and Mayor Briggs walked on dressed as Santa, with a ‘ho, ho, ho’ on his lips.
‘We’ve got a twenty-minute break before we’re back on,’ Gloria told them. ‘Don’t be late.’
The group dispersed, leaving Maddie and Piper blinking at their quick departure.
‘Didn’t need to tell them twice.’ Piper pulled the hair band from her braid, shook out her hair and tied it all back in a ponytail.
The small breeze against her sweaty neck was instant relief.
The humidity was so thick and heavy. She glanced up at the first aid tent, as she had multiple times throughout the performance, to find Emmett sitting with Stef, looking hot.
‘I better find Mum and Nanna and check in. They’ll be on the hill somewhere. Want to come?’
Piper smiled but shook her head. ‘Thanks, but I’m going to wander. It’s my first bonanza and I’m going to take it in a bit.’
‘Meet back here in twenty?’
‘Or Gloria will be hunting our arses down.’
Piper picked her way to the back of the crowd and skirted the bushland behind them before making her way through the different tents.
She entered the gingerbread house display and stifled a giggle as she found Emmett’s.
The pattern of Smarties still made her smile, but her heart skipped and warm butterflies filled her stomach at the little sign held up by a toothpick.
Leaning House of Ginger. Sweet and cold, caring and grumpy.
That man was such a contradiction, but she couldn’t help falling a little more every time he did something like this.
Heading out of the tent, she detoured past the sausage sizzle to purchase three cans of soft drink then, with a deep breath, headed for the first aid tent.
Emmett jumped from his seat when he saw her walk in. His hair was pulled back in a man bun that made her glad the wind was stronger up here.
‘Piper, hey. How are you? The choir sounds great.’
‘Are they for us?’ Stef asked, eyeing the drinks in her hand.
‘Sure are,’ Piper said, handing them a can each and taking a sip of her own lemonade.
‘You’re the angel here,’ Stef said.
Piper grinned at Emmett. ‘Congratulations on your participation award. Gotta be happy with that.’
‘If you’re not first, you’re last,’ he growled, holding his drink up to her in thanks.
Piper burst out laughing and relief washed through her when a smile stretched his lips.
Stef rolled her eyes then cracked her can and took a long mouthful. ‘That was so needed.’
A shout came from the barbecue a couple of tents over as flames rose above the hotplate at an impressive height.
Stef grabbed a small red pack with a white medical cross on it. ‘I’ll go.’
They watched her progress as more men gathered around the barbecue. Piper hoped their intention was to save the sausages not laugh at the amount of flame.
‘Look, Piper …’ Emmett ran a hand across his stubble. Why did he have to do that? It was so incredibly hot. ‘About before, in the kitchen. I didn’t mean it like a bad thing. I don’t just think of you as Carter’s little sister. I mean you are, but you’re also more than that.’
Piper raised her brows. ‘So, you do think of me as Carter’s little sister?’
‘Yes … no … shit. I’m doing a terrible job of this.’ He took a breath. ‘You are Carter’s sister but that’s not the only way I see you—’
‘Piper!’
She turned at Maddie’s call.
‘We’re back on.’
Piper flicked her gaze to the darkening sky above her. Saved from further rejection by Maddie. ‘Maybe we should pick this up later? I’ve gotta go.’
‘Yeah.’