Chapter 22
Nothing seemed to run as planned on the morning of the sunflower field open day.
The mayor tripped on the microphone cord and had to use her silk scarf as a temporary sling for her injured wrist during the event welcome.
A chocolate-brown Labrador wriggled out of her collar and knocked a tray of egg-and-bacon rolls to the ground, and then a gust of wind caught the gazebo where visitors paid their entry fees and sent it sailing down the road and into the Jenkins’ yard.
‘At least we pegged the picnic rugs down,’ Harriet said, feeding Dolly a sliver of bacon and checking that the other rugs and picnickers were all intact.
The roadside running parallel to the Rail Trail was bright and colourful, with the field of radiant sunflowers framed by the blue February sky and the lush grass Kev kept bowling-green perfect.
And the dozens of picnic rugs they’d hired had been consistently filled throughout the day with customers.
‘That was a smart idea,’ Clem said, waving to Arthur and Ian, who were happily debating the merits of Aussie Rules football versus ice hockey.
Clem glanced at Kev and Sebastian, who were seated in camping chairs beside Louisa. Like Clem, they were proudly wearing their Sunny Cross Farm Gate Cafe t-shirts, and they’d picked bunches of sunflowers before everyone got there, for the customers who weren’t agile enough to pick their own.
It was only the second occasion where Clem and Spencer’s families and friendship circles had overlapped, and Clem hoped there would be many more.
‘It’s so much easier being around everyone now that things are out in the open,’ Clem said, shuffling across the rug so she could relax into Spencer’s arms. ‘How did you go with Pop before? Was he pumping you for information?’
Spencer laughed, and the sound rumbled through his warm chest. ‘A few questions about Love on the Land, and dating his favourite granddaughter—his words, not mine.’ Spencer grinned, dropping a kiss on her head.
‘But he was more interested in telling me about the big dust-up at the coffee shop in town this week.
‘There was a dust-up?’
‘According to Art, Marco fired his barista after he heard a customer took one sip of his take-away latte, tossed the cup straight in the bin and warned every person in the main street they were wasting their money.’
Isobel joined them, nodding eagerly.
‘I heard that too. Doesn’t he realise nobody likes his tasteless plant-based alternatives? I saw half-eaten veggie brekky burgers in the main street bin too, still in their Brew Haven wrappers. I don’t think anyone will be surprised if he shuts up shop.’ She grinned.
‘Now now,’ Clem said. ‘We don’t need to throw shade on other businesses, especially when they do a good enough job of that all by themselves.’
She finished the coffee Selina had made her and checked her watch. ‘Harri, can you please give me a hand to fetch some picnic hamper top-ups?’
‘As long as I can wear my apron when I’m handing the food out, like a proper waitress,’ Harriet chimed, scratching a drip of egg yolk from her yellow Sunny Cross Farm Gate Cafe t-shirt.
‘Absolutely,’ Clem said.
‘Don’t be long,’ Jack called, tapping his phone.
‘Lauren’s mate at the radio station will be calling to do the live cross in half an hour.
A girlfriend with an award-winning podcast, endless media contacts and a sister with a show-stopping cafe.
We really need to pull our finger out, Pop,’ he joked.
‘Luckiest blokes in the Limestone Coast,’ Arthur replied. Clem headed to the house, her daughters’ hand in hers, smiling as she heard Spencer challenging Arthur for the title.
‘Mummy, are you sure we can’t come to Sydney for the TV show next week? We’ll be really good,’ Harriet said, opening the cafe’s back door.
Before Clem could respond, she spotted a suited man hurrying in her direction.
‘Miss Crossley, err Clem, can I see you for one moment, please?’
He came closer, and Clem groaned inwardly as she recognised Percy Gregurkie, the president of Cockatoo Cove Area School’s parents and friends committee.
The one who had torpedoed her pitch to cater for the school canteen when she started promoting South Giddi Giddi honey.
Was he going to dig the claws in and list the reasons why she hadn’t won the contract?
She forced her shoulders back and lifted her chin a fraction as he drew to a stop. ‘We’re closed, I’m sorry,’ she said, prompting Harriet to step ahead. ‘How can I help?’
He wiped his hands on his slacks, leaving sweaty marks.
‘I’m afraid there’s been a hiccup with the current canteen provider and we had to part ways.
Are you still interested in tendering for the contract?
We’d also like to explore the other suggestions you mentioned, particularly the barista training program for our senior students.
No need to nut it out now, but I wanted to check if you’re still interested.
We’ve heard nothing but good things about your cafe, Clem, and we may have been too hasty in dismissing the application. ’
She nodded, unable to contain her happiness, and promised to be in touch the following week, when she was back from Sydney.
‘Does he want you because you’re going to be famous, Mum?’
‘He wants me because our cafe’s the best in town, and he’s only just realised it,’ Clem said with a wink.
Spencer felt inordinately proud as he helped pack away the stalls and rugs after the inaugural, highly successful pick-your-own sunflower afternoon.
In a few short weeks, the paddock would be harvested. A portion of the seeds would be saved for next year’s crop and the remainder would be sold.
They hadn’t decided whether the funds would go towards new props, set pieces and costumes, or upgrading the hall’s sound and lighting, but either way, the fundraiser would be a great boost to the community group’s coffers.
He was still smiling when he was unloading his trolley in the supermarket car park that evening, filling his car with all the fixings for an easy dinner at Clem’s farmhouse.
Agatha Angelino fell into step beside him as he headed back to his car after returning his trolley.
‘Spencer, love, I hardly chatted to you at the sunflower picnic. I was so sorry to see things didn’t work out for you and Emily, though I wasn’t surprised to hear you’d found someone closer to home.
Clem’s lovely. And what a go-getter, with her cafe.
Now, have you started jotting down ideas for next year’s play yet, Mr Director? ’
Spencer shook his head with a chuckle. ‘I’m not sure I’ll take it on. Co-writing a play’s one thing, I don’t think I can manage to write a whole script myself and direct it.’
Agatha clapped him on the shoulder. ‘You can do anything you put your mind to, I have absolutely no doubt. Especially with a good team behind you.’
Spencer’s next stop was the park, where he was greeted by the sight of Clem and Hazel in the playground, their heads tipped back in laughter as they pushed their young daughters on the spider swing.
Harriet waved from the sandpit, where she was building a tunnel while baby Cormac watched on in his pram.
It was a sight he looked forward to seeing, again and again and again.
‘Higher, higher,’ Indi cried, calling him over the moment she spotted him. ‘Spencer, can you push us?’
‘Sure, just a minute,’ he said, closing the gap between him and Clem and pulling her into his arms. Her sunflower-print dress fluttered around his bare legs, tickling his knees.
‘Hey handsome,’ Clem said, pressing a kiss onto his lips.
‘You wouldn’t believe the chat I just had by the slippery dip.
The mayor’s daughter and her family are in town for the weekend.
They loved the picnic yesterday and she said I’d be crazy not to nominate it for the council’s annual community awards. ’
‘You know what, my Sunflower Queen? I think she’s dead right. With a few tweaks, I’d bet my new beehives we can build up the sunflower paddock and bolster the picnic to become the most successful community fundraiser in the region.’
‘Get a room, you two,’ Hazel grimaced. ‘Just because you got the okay from the TV network to go public doesn’t mean you have to inflict public displays of affection, or your own personal version of business-related sexy talk, on everyone.’
‘At least there’s no one splicing our dialogue to produce malicious soundbites.
What you see is what you get,’ Spencer said, landing one last kiss on the top of Clem’s rosemary-scented hair before moving to the swing, where the giggling girls were holding on tightly, their eyes wide with anticipation.
‘And yet you’re about to fly to Sydney and put your faith in those very same producers and editors,’ Hazel said, shaking her head. ‘I still don’t know why you agreed to be involved in this follow-up reunion episode, Clemmy.’
‘You’re just jealous I didn’t take you up on the offer to carry my bags so Spencer could introduce you to the heartbroken contestant from Rockhampton.’ Clem laughed.
‘You’ve got me there,’ Hazel said sheepishly. ‘He looked alright.’
‘Spencer and I are the only good news story to come from this season. We’re like the Steven Bradbury of Love on the Land, getting gold because everyone else fell over.
Besides, it’s worth it. As well as giving Sunny Cross Farm Gate Cafe a good plug, the producers have promised to make a generous donation to the Penwarra Hall. ’
‘Absolutely nothing to do with getting a weekend away in Sydney or seeing the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House for the first time, right?’ Spencer grinned, sending Alma and Indi soaring above their heads, squealing with glee.
‘Definitely not,’ Clem said, struggling to keep a straight face.