Chapter 12
Her first glimpse of Spencer in a week almost had Clem jumping back in the Jeep and hightailing it back home, but after the shemozzle she’d made of reversing the coffee van into her designated spot at the market, Clem was loath to draw even more attention to herself.
He’s probably forgotten all about the kiss anyway, she told herself, focusing her attention on the job at hand.
The October long weekend was the coffee van’s maiden voyage, and parking aside, Clem was delighted with how eye-catching it looked.
A stellar run today would set the precedent for her new side hustle.
Selina raised an eyebrow. ‘Grammy Jean would never leave it parked like that. Even Mum could do better, and she’s terrible at reversing.’
‘Not everyone’s perfect on their first shot,’ Clem said brightly. Or the first few months, right, Selina?
Ian stepped out from the bright marquee next door, waving.
‘Need any help, Clem?’
‘All good,’ she replied. ‘Once we get the power connected, we’re right to go. How’s business this morning?’
Many of the stallholders were still setting up their gazebos and tables. From the look of the early birds already carrying laden shopping bags, the starting time was more of a loose guideline than a firm thing.
‘Can’t complain,’ Ian said. ‘Though I suspect it’s more to do with our local celebrity than our fine fare.’
Spencer emerged from the tent then, shaking his head. ‘Cut it out, Ian. One little magazine article and everyone kicks up a fuss. How are you this morning, Clem? Looking good there.’
He inclined his head towards the coffee van, but held her eye with a smile.
Yowee! The zing of chemistry swept a wildfire path through Clem’s body.
‘Good thanks,’ she said, feeling shy now. The grin he’d given her didn’t feel like a ‘thanks but no thanks’ brush-off. If she was the gambling type, she’d bet it was more of an ‘I haven’t forgotten about that kiss and I wouldn’t say no to another one’ type of look.
‘Roll up, roll up! I bet you’re here for the fabulous coffee, folks,’ Ian said, resting a hand on Clem’s shoulder and gently turning her in the direction of her first customers.
She snuck a look over her shoulder at Spencer—yep, he was definitely checking her out—and with a smile on her face that had nothing to do with coffee, she forced her mind into business mode.
Thankfully, Selina was more competent in the coffee van than she was in the cafe, and as the markets swung into gear, so did their rhythm.
‘You’re crushing it today,’ she told Selina when there was a break between customers.
It was the wrong thing to say, and after a morning of smooth sailing, Selina’s good mood soured. ‘I practically grew up in this van.’ And while the teenager was polite to the customers, there was an edge every time she directed a question Clem’s way.
‘We need more soy milk. Do you want to head to the shops, or can you handle things while I duck out?’
The look Selina gave her could have seared a steak.
‘Right, well, I felt like a walk anyway,’ Clem said. ‘Back in a moment.’
Clem rushed through the supermarket and was on her way to the checkout, her arms full of milk cartons and a Cherry Ripe gripped between her teeth, when Spencer appeared at the end of the aisle. Unlike her, he’d taken the time to grab a basket, which he offered to her.
She deliberated for all of a moment before unloading her goods. ‘Thanks. I was only planning on getting a couple of cartons, but my favourite brand’s on special.’
‘Sounds like something I’d do,’ he said with a smile that made her toes tingle. ‘How’s things? I keep meaning to call into the cafe, but school holiday mode hit me hard. Didn’t realise how much I needed the break, I’ve barely left the farm all week.’
He’d been meaning to call in? She smiled. ‘I’ll try not to be jealous about holidays. And if it puts your mind at ease, I promise the thing at the cafe last week was—’
A flush spread up her neck and onto her cheeks as she searched for the right words.
A mistake she’d regretted ever since? Or a sample of things to come?
‘It was totally random,’ she finished, looking up to see his expression dancing with amusement. ‘Don’t laugh at me,’ she said indignantly, her face hardening. ‘It was a mistake. One that won’t ever happen again.’
How dare he mock her? And how had she been so stupid to think he might have spent the week deliberating on how to take the next step?
She grabbed the basket. ‘I need to skedaddle, if you’ll excuse me.’
He put a hand on her arm and she shook it off. ‘Clem, sorry, I’m not laughing at you, honestly. In fact, I was kinda hoping it might happen again. Maybe somewhere more private than the supermarket or the cafe driveway …’
She looked up, searching his face for any hint of jest, and was relieved to see he looked as genuine as he sounded. Spencer leaned closer, lowering his voice even further.
‘The timing isn’t great and I totally understand if you’re not interested, given the ridiculous TV thing, but I don’t think it was a mistake. In fact, it’d be more of a mistake to pretend I only like you for your coffee. And your amazing honey-flavoured creations.’
She smiled, the heat in her cheeks fading a little.
‘If you’re not at all interested, and you really do think it was a mistake, just tell me and I’ll shut up right now and get back to the honey stall, and the only time you’ll see me is when we’re dealing with amateur actors and swashbuckling pirates.’
Clem shook her head, liking the way his lips tugged up at the corners. ‘I’m good with ridiculous.’
He carried her bags, along with his, back to their stalls and she just about floated up the steps and into the coffee van.
‘That took a while,’ Selina grumbled, passing her three orders. But the teenager’s pointed comment barely dampened Clem’s spirits. She even found it amusing when a group of teenage girls lingered by the honey tent, whispering and giggling.
‘God, they’re lame,’ said Selina, rolling her eyes as the girls posed for a photo with a reluctant Spencer. ‘He’s not even a C-grade celebrity, and he’s ancient. They’ve obviously got nothing better to do.’
As the markets drew to a close, Clem noticed more women passing by the honey tent. She didn’t find it quite as funny when the pair of ladies asking him to pose for a photo were closer to her age than the bossy teenagers.
Was she prepared to compete with random strangers in a game she had no idea how to play? Spencer waved off the women and turned, catching Clem staring at him from her van. A sheepish cringe crossed his face, then was quickly replaced with a warm smile just for her.
Ready or not, she was prepared to step up to the plate.
‘If a magazine article leads to this much attention, what’s it going to be like when the show airs?
’ Louisa asked from the back of the marquee, where she was stacking up the last of the honey.
‘That minx who wanted her t-shirt signed was a little too friendly for my liking. Hasn’t she heard of decency? ’
Spencer bundled up the gazebo tie-downs and stowed them in the bag with the tent pegs. ‘It was probably a dare,’ he said. ‘At least we sold a bumper load of honey today.’
They were taking home fewer than half the boxes they’d brought, and he was pleased his blip of attention had at least had a positive roll-on effect for South Giddi Giddi.
‘Maybe a new branding direction wouldn’t hurt. But perhaps wait for us to leave the country before you launch an advertising campaign in your budgie smugglers, like the ladies suggested earlier.’
‘Enough of this talk of leaving the country,’ Spencer said, his amusement evaporating. ‘The only way I’d even entertain the idea of you leaving is if the producers and editors cast me as a villain in the final edit. In that case, book me a ticket and I’ll come with you.’
Louisa set down a bundle of beeswax wraps and rested a hand on his shoulder. ‘Anyone who knows you won’t believe an iota of whatever rubbish they serve up.’
Spencer gave her a grateful smile. He was ninety-nine per cent sure they’d be in his corner no matter what, but that one per cent of doubt was a weighty presence.
He looked at the neighbouring site, catching a glimpse of Clem’s fine derrière as she checked the van’s tyres and chassis.
She was swiftly becoming one of the main reasons he was concerned about the TV show airing next month, and he could only hope she’d be as forgiving as Ian and Louisa if the producers portrayed him in a negative light.
Clem suddenly straightened and looked in his direction, and from the mischievous glint in her eye, he suspected she’d caught him gawking.
‘Safe travels home,’ he called.
Yep, that’s how you impress the gals. Wave and speak like an old grandpa. But she smiled and waved back before checking the trailer hitch one last time and driving out.
Spencer was putting the last of the beeswax candles into his ute when he spotted Selina among the teenagers outside the popcorn stall.
She’d been one of his drama students at Narradarra Secondary, before he’d taken the job at Penwarra Area School.
While there wasn’t much evidence of the cheery tween he remembered from that time, it certainly looked like she’d retained her dramatic flair, with all that stomping around and glaring at Clem.
‘Reckon there’re a few actors and actresses among that bunch?’ Louisa asked, following his gaze. ‘We’ve got one more role to fill, I could do with a strong male lead.’
Spencer didn’t recognise the boys in the group, but there was something familiar about the teen with dark hair and even darker, heavier eyebrows. He wasn’t a student from either Penwarra, Narradarra or Cockatoo Cove—at least not in Spencer’s time.
‘I think we’ll wait for someone to come to us. We can always rewrite the role.’
He was happy to get home and stretch out on the couch, and was checking his emails when his phone exploded with a barrage of texts and an incoming call.
‘Are you watching?’