Page 30 of Outback Secrets

He chuckled. ‘Think you scared him—Rex isn’t used to pretty girls paying him attention.’

‘No one’s in earshot right now; you don’t have to call me pretty,’ she said, lifting her glass to her mouth, hoping it would hide her blush.

‘Just getting into character.’ He winked. ‘So, how’d you go telling your mom about us this arvo?’

‘Didn’t have to. Eileen had already done the honours by the time I got home.’

‘Why am I not surprised? And how did she take it? Your mom I mean. I bet she’d prefer you were with a farmer or something.’

He was quite possibly right—everyone knew there was still a class system in the country and farmers generally thought townies a rung (or two) below them on the ladder—but if her mother harboured any such thoughts, she hadn’t mentioned them. ‘She was ecstatic. But then again, she’d probably be happy if I hooked up with Sexy Rexy if it meant there was a possibility of me coming home for good.’

‘Let’s hope he remembers to wear his false teeth to the wedding.’

Henri snorted. ‘How’s your day been?’ After all, girlfriends were supposed to show such interest, weren’t they?

‘Good,’ he said. ‘I’ve been working on Dolce’s rocking chair. Almost finished. Just a little sanding and varnishing to go.’

‘That’s awesome.’

Sexy Rexy returned to the bar and Liam was refilling his pint when Frankie arrived. She leaned in and gave Henri a hug.

‘Sorry I’m late.’ She didn’t give an excuse. They both knew she was never on time and Henri was used to it.

‘No worries. What do you want to drink? My shout.’

‘I think you mean my shout,’ Liam said.

‘Way to go, girlfriend.’ Frankie grinned at her. ‘Didn’t we always say growing up we should either marry someone rich or someone who owns a pub?’

‘We did?’

Frankie nodded. ‘We’ll have a bottle of sav blanc, please. You can’t drink Guinness over dinner, Hens.’

Henri smiled—Frankie was the only person she’d ever allow to make decisions on her behalf.

They ordered Bunyip Burgers, because it was Macca’s night off and therefore the only thing on the menu, and then carried the bottle and glasses over to a table.

‘I’m so excited about you and Liam,’ Frankie said as they sat down. ‘What happened after we left on Saturday night?’

This was where Henri meant to tell her friend that it was all an elaborate ruse to get her mother off her back, but something stopped her. Maybe it was that she couldn’t help thinking about the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her, or maybe it was that suddenly admitting the game she was playing felt immature and desperate.

‘We …’ She shrugged and twirled the wineglass between her fingers. ‘We just got chatting. We hit it off and …’

‘One thing led to another?’ Frankie grinned as she took a sip of wine. ‘Oh, I remember that first flush of attraction. Don’t get me wrong, I still can’t get enough of Logan, but we’ve been together for almost two years … things change. I was so tired of waiting for someone, I thought I’d be alone forever, but now the thought of never experiencing that thrill of the chase again … well, it’s a little depressing.’

Henri smiled. ‘The way I recall it, yours and Logan’s chase was rather complicated.’

‘Oh boy, damn straight, but I guess that was also part of the fun. Anyway, enough about me. What was it like?’

Heat rose in Henri’s cheeks. ‘I don’t kiss and tell.’

Frankie snorted. ‘You don’t need to. The expression on your face tells me everything. I guess you’ll be staying at the pub again tonight?’

‘Probably.’

‘And your mum’s okay with that? I bet she gets a bit lonely now your dad’s gone?’

‘Yeah.’ Henri swallowed. ‘The house feels so weird without him there, but she’s got Macy staying over tonight. I’ve been crafting a bit with her, but the shows she watches in the evenings bore me to tears. She’s happy for me and Liam so …’