Chapter 17
William
“Seriously, mate, it sucks to be you.”
William laughed at Mikayla. “It’s not bad, is it?”
As their final stop in the tour of the compound, William, Juniper, Billy, Mikayla, Rafe, Callum, Leah, Nora, John, Violet and Jasper were all squished into the top of the lighthouse, gazing out at the turbulent sea.
Thick clouds hovered, creating an oppressive atmosphere that begged for the relief of rain.
William just had to hope it held off long enough for the barbecue.
Once he’d mentioned the idea of hosting a barbecue, almost as a joke, to Juniper, he’d realized how much he would enjoy it.
Never one to muck around once he’d decided on something, he’d gone online and ordered a grand, stainless steel six burner monstrosity that had arrived within forty-eight hours.
Feeling a little odd, he’d casually mentioned it to John, relieved that he’d jumped on the idea with enthusiasm.
Once the invitation had been passed on to Nora, it was a done deal with snacks, salads and desserts organized amongst the group.
With a BYO chair policy instituted by Juniper and a table made of sawhorses and long lengths of unstained flooring, all that was left for him to do was order the meat.
“I’m going to head back down and get the barbecue on.
” William squeezed through the group and down the spiral stairs, smiling to himself when he heard Juniper’s footsteps behind him.
He moved through the door, turning quickly to grab her as she came through, pressing her up against the warm sandstone wall of the lighthouse.
“We didn’t get to say a proper hello.” She’d arrived with Billy, Violet and Jasper so all he’d been allowed was a chaste peck on the cheek.
She smiled, understanding exactly what he meant, before wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her lips across his in a passionate kiss.
Their tongues entwined and he felt the hot stirrings of lust, pushing her hard against the wall as she buried her fingers in his hair.
He heard the stomping of multiple pairs of feet on the iron staircase and pulled back abruptly, seeing his regret mirrored in her eyes. “God, I can’t get enough.”
“Me either.” She linked her fingers in his as they walked to the little cottage and through the sliding doors to the kitchen. “Maybe I could come back tonight after Billy goes to bed. I’m sure Nana won’t mind, but I’d want to be back home before he wakes in the morning.”
“Okay.” He pulled the meat out of the fridge, smiling at her when she took it from him, and he followed her back out to the patio.
“Nana’s probably going to head back to Byron Bay soon, so we have to make the most of it.”
He sighed as he turned the barbecue on. He wanted to ask what would happen after Violet left but as they stepped out, the rest of the group was ambling across the lawn from the lighthouse.
“Jeez, mate, you sure know how to buy a barbie.” Callum grabbed three beers from the ice box, handing one each to Rafe and William before taking the seat Rafe folded out for him.
William laughed at Callum, looking at the giant barbecue.
“Yeah, I might have gone a bit overboard.” He waved his hand over the hotplate, judging if it was hot enough and started throwing the sausages and meat patties on, getting a kick of satisfaction as they instantly sizzled and in no time at all, the mouthwatering scent was wafting on the air.
John approached the barbecue, a harried, flushed look on his face. “Jesus Christ, give me a beer.”
Concerned, Callum reached into the icebox nestled against the window and pulled out a bottle, handing it to his father. “What is it?”
“Violet’s talking to your mother.”
William and Callum glanced over, seeing Nora and Violet in their fold out chairs facing the sea, heads bent close, engaged in an intense conversation.
Jasper was alongside them, leaning back contentedly, his gray hair blowing softly in the breeze.
The chair John had been sitting on was knocked over on the grass. “So?”
“Well, it’s Violet. What do you think they’re talking about?” William had a few ideas, but Callum shrugged, bewildered. He obviously hadn’t had much experience with Violet. “They’re talking about sex.”
“Oh,” Callum shifted his shoulders uncomfortably.
“Tantric sex.”
“Ooh,”
“Which means I’m going to have to—”
“Okay, Dad, I get the picture,” Callum interrupted hastily.
His attention was diverted by Mikayla, coming back from the car with a music dock under her arm.
She plugged it into an external outlet just near where they were sitting, blue toothed her cell phone to it, then watching her brother carefully, pressed play.
Callum swore at her as the first strains of a One Direction hit split the air.
She grinned mischievously. “Just jokes.” She quickly flicked through her phone, found her seventies playlist and pressing play, slapped Callum on the back as she grabbed a beer from the icebox and moved away to her seat next to Juniper and Leah.
William found their byplay hugely entertaining but felt a frisson of alarm as Mikayla bent her head to Juniper’s and they quickly engaged in an intense conversation, shooting him glances every now and then.
“They’re talking about you, you know.” Rafe gestured with his beer bottle.
“I’m aware.” William looked away, turning the sausages absently.
He could only imagine what they were saying.
Leah, for her part, seemed to be more focused on playing with Billy as he sat in her lap than listening to the conversation.
He was grateful for that small mercy, at least. Then he saw Juniper nod enthusiastically and look over at him, a beatific smile lighting up her face.
Well, it wasn’t terrible, whatever it was, he thought as his heart thumped hard against his ribs and he smiled back at her.
He flipped the burger patties, listening idly as the conversation around him turned to the upcoming football season, surprised to find that they were all Sydney Swans fans.
Usually, when he traveled south of the border, he was the odd one out, since most Victorians barracked for one of the local teams.
“I think this might be Franklin’s last season.” John leaned back further in the chair, taking a swig of beer.
“Yeah, you might be right. Not sure who’s around to step up once he’s gone,” Callum said thoughtfully.
John chuckled. “We’ll be right for this season at least. I reckon we’re looking the goods for a finals berth.”
“Cheers to that.” Rafe leaned over and clinked his beer bottle against John’s.
“If we do get in, you guys should come up to Sydney for a game. We’ve got a corporate box at the SCG.”
As one, John, Callum and Rafe turned to stare at him then John’s face split into a wide grin. “I’ll hold you to that offer, son.”
William laughed. “See that you do.” He switched the barbecue off and moved the sausages and patties onto a wide tray, taking it over to the makeshift table.
“Lunch is up,” he called, stepping back as everyone came over, grabbing plates, napkins and cutlery before descending on the table.
The flow of chatter never stopped as they all piled their plates with bread rolls, garden salad, potato salad, sausages and meat patties and settled into an informal circle to eat their lunch.
It was all just so easy and relaxed, such a far cry from the types of gatherings his parents arranged.
They were usually formally catered and nearly always used for networking.
You’d never see anyone take something from someone else’s plate, like Mikayla was just now doing to Rafe, or a toddler having a minor meltdown because his mother demanded that he eat something green, like Billy was doing, or someone eating lunch while sitting in their lover’s lap, like Violet was doing with Jasper.
There certainly wouldn’t have been any Led Zeppelin blaring.
Observing it all, William recognized that he loved every second of it.
“Is there something wrong with this meat?” Mikayla asked loudly.
William started. “I don’t think so, why?”
“You’re the only one not eating it.”
“Oh, right.” He piled up a plate and took the empty chair next to Juniper.
“All good?” She asked, rubbing his arm.
“Yep,” he replied with a smile.
She looked at him for a long moment, then seemingly satisfied with what she saw, turned back to make sure Billy was eating his lunch.
Once lunch was finished, Mikayla leaned back in her chair, stretched her arms above her head and declared, “I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” Nora said. “I could have a nap right now.”
“No time for that, Mum! We gotta work off lunch.”
Rafe groaned. “You’re joking.”
She slapped him on the thigh. “This is hardly a joking matter.” Then she jumped to her feet and strode off around the edge of the cottage.
“She’s not serious?” Callum sighed.
William looked at Juniper inquiringly, but she just shrugged.
She didn’t know what was going on either.
William was even more mystified when Nora and John picked up their chairs and walked off.
John paused, before rounding the corner of the cottage.
“Violet, Jasper. You’ll want to bring your chairs. ”
More than curious, everyone rose to their feet and followed. William laughed when he saw Mikayla stepping away from her car with a football under her arm.
“I’m the first captain. I pick William. Rafe, who you got?”
“Why does Rafe get to be captain?” Callum protested.
“Oh, okay then. Leah, you can be captain. Who you got?”
“No way! Leave me out of it,” Leah replied with a quiet laugh.
“Okay, you can be goal umpire, then. Go with Dad, he’ll set you up. Juniper, you can be umpire at the other end. Unless you wanna play?”