Chapter 26
‘There’s money on the bar,’ Issy announced to the crowd assembled in the small annex reserved for them off the main bar.
It was fine, although the whole place smelt of stale beer, which no one else seemed to notice.
The turnout was strong, twenty-five or thirty she supposed, including Warwick, Cathy and most of the subcontractors who’d been on site that day.
‘Grab yourselves a drink, then I’d like to say a few words. ’
Warwick gave her a strange look as most of the subbies headed to the bar.
‘What?’ she said.
‘I don’t think you need to make a speech.’
‘I won’t make a speech, Warwick,’ Issy said. ‘I’ll literally just say a few words.’
He sighed. ‘Righto. What can I get you?’
‘I’d love a glass of bubbles, thanks, Warwick.’
‘Same for me,’ Cathy added.
Once everyone had drinks, Issy stepped up onto a raised platform in front of the fireplace so she could be seen above the crowd.
‘Okay, thanks all,’ she called out, waiting for attention.
The voices fell as the eyes of the room turned to her.
‘I’ll keep this brief so you can get back to your conversations.
I want to say thank you to each and every one of you.
We’re all under a lot of pressure. It’s a busy time of year with Christmas just around the corner.
When everyone else is winding down, we need you to work harder than ever.
Every single one of us needs to pull together if we’re going to get this done, but I have total confidence we can do it. ’
As she scanned their faces—pleased to see some nods and a few smiles—her eyes were drawn to a man beyond the group in the main bar. Hugh! What? When did he arrive in town? Frowning, she looked back at the group, who were waiting for her to go on.
‘So thanks again.’ She raised her glass. ‘Here’s to getting it done together!’
Glasses clinked and voices rose, the small space instantly humming again with conversation.
‘Good speech.’ Warwick gave her a wink. ‘Everything okay?’
‘Yeah, fine, I just saw Hugh in the bar. He didn’t tell me he was coming.’
‘He must’ve got down early. Stopped in for a quick one.’
Issy looked out to the main room again, straining to see between the subbies.
‘Didn’t you see him as we came in?’ Cathy asked. ‘I thought you knew he was here.’
Issy shook her head, feeling her face flush. ‘He must have forgotten to tell me. He’s been working on a big deal.’
She excused herself and went to the main bar, looking for Hugh, finding him in a corner, deep in conversation with a man with a long, dark ponytail and a full-sleeve tattoo covering his arm.
When he saw her approaching, Hugh’s brief frown was replaced with a broad smile. ‘Issy, babe!’ He pulled her towards him and kissed her. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Me? I’m having drinks with the construction team.’
Hugh gestured to the man sitting with him. ‘Issy, this is Deano.’
‘G’day,’ Deano said, unsmiling.
‘Hello,’ she said, trying not to look at his repulsive earlobes, which had large holes in them created by those black circles that stretched the skin.
‘Deano used to live up the road from me,’ Hugh said. He prided himself on his strong network, although he took it a little far sometimes, in Issy’s opinion.
Issy nodded as Deano looked at his phone. ‘I didn’t know you were coming,’ she said quietly to Hugh.
‘You didn’t? I thought I told you.’
‘No, pretty sure you didn’t tell me.’
He shrugged as though it was of little importance.
‘When did you get here?’ she asked.
He waved a vague hand. ‘I don’t know. Half an hour ago?’
‘Were you going to call me? Or just hope to bump into me at
the pub?’
‘Babe, settle down. I’m here. It’s all good.’
Issy sighed. ‘I’ve got to get back to the team. I’ll stay for an hour or so, then we’ll go, okay?’
Hugh gave her a nod and turned back to Deano.
Issy went back to work the room. If there was one thing her mother had taught her, it was how to make small talk.
This was her chance to get these guys onside.
Over the next couple of hours, she had an animated conversation about the cricket, put a young sparky in touch with the right person to get his beautician wife a job at the Ashworth Park Hotel spa, listened as one of the head carpenters talked about losing custody of his kids after his ex told lies at the family court, and even tried to make rudimentary conversation with Cathy, who was just about the only person she couldn’t talk to.
When she heard herself say, ‘Who’s looking after your cats while you’re away?
’ she realised she’d hit a low point and managed to move on gracefully.
At around seven, she decided it was time to go.
‘You’re a lucky man, Warwick. Dani sounds delightful,’ she said, putting a hand on his forearm.
He’d just told her the very romantic story about meeting his wife at their one and only meditation class.
‘You’ve just made me remember I have a fiancé in town who I’ve barely spoken to, so I’m going to head off. ’
She slipped out into the main bar, but Hugh wasn’t at the table by the window. She glanced around, locating him at the bar, and slotted in beside him. ‘Are you ready to go?’
He looked up, with heavy-lidded eyes. ‘Now? I’m getting a round.’
‘Who for?’ she asked.
‘Deano and a few other guys I haven’t seen in a while.’
‘Can we go after that one?’
‘I reckon I’ll stay for a bit.’
Issy swallowed, trying to remain composed. ‘But you just got here. We haven’t seen each other.’
‘We’ve got the whole weekend, baby.’ He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and pulled her in close. ‘We’ve got our whole lives.’
‘I guess,’ she said. ‘I just … I’m tired.’
‘Go home and get some sleep, babe. I’ll head over in a little bit.’
‘You don’t even know where to go.’
‘Oh, yeah.’ Hugh laughed. ‘Where do I go?’
‘You go up the stairs on the right side of the—’ She stopped.
There was no chance he’d find it. ‘Actually it might be easier if you just call me when you’re leaving and I’ll meet you outside the entrance to the jail.’