Page 39 of Outback Secrets

‘These eggs are so good,’ Liam said after taking his first mouthful.

‘Bunyip Bay’s certainly pretty lucky,’ Henri agreed. ‘With Frankie for breakfast and lunch and Macca for dinner, all meals are covered. So, tell me about your woodwork?’

‘What do you want to know?’

‘How did you get into it? Who taught you? I never clicked you’d made all the furniture in the pub until I saw you in your studio. Did you train as a carpenter or something?’

‘No.’ Liam shook his head. ‘It’s just a hobby—took me a while to finish all the pub stuff. I liked the subject at school, but it wasn’t until I moved here that I got properly into it. A lot of what I do is self-taught. I slowly built up my tools and it’s kind of addictive. The more I made, the more I wanted to.’

‘If you weren’t into pubs and you weren’t making furniture, what did you do before you came to Australia?’

‘Are you sure you’re not a journo?’

‘Why?’ She winked. ‘You hiding something?’

‘No,’ he scoffed. ‘You just ask a lot of questions.’

‘It’s called conversation, Liam. Aren’t I allowed to be interested in the man I’m …’ She glanced from side to side and lowered her voice. ‘Supposed to be sleeping with?’

His lips flickered at the edges and their eyes met in a way that made her insides warmer than the coffee. ‘Fair enough. I studied business at college, and I worked in retail. Both come in handy at the pub.’ He pointed his fork at her. ‘What about you? Any hobbies? Besides surfing, I mean.’

Henri took a quick breath. ‘Don’t laugh, but, when I’m not flying, I like geocaching.’

‘Geo-what?’

‘It’s sort of like a global treasure hunt. People leave what are called geocaches, or just caches, at specific locations and then they record the coordinates on the website, so that other members can go find them.’

‘What are in these so-called caches?’ he asked, frowning slightly.

‘Well, usually it’s a plastic container or a tin and there’s a little logbook in there with a pen so people can sign that they found it. Some of the small ones don’t have much else, but others contain little items people have left as a bit of fun, you know, like Happy Meal toys, novelty erasers, tourist keyrings, that kind of thing. The idea is you leave something as well.’

‘I see. And what exactly is the point of this?’

She smirked at his condescending tone. ‘What exactly is the point of a lot of hobbies?’

‘Well, knitting provides things to keep you warm, woodwork things to sit on or use in some way, painting is relaxing and can also provide joy to others, sport keeps you fit, reading informs the mind and entertains, photography—’

‘Okay, okay.’ Henri held up a hand and smiled. ‘The point is it’s fun and you get to go visit places you might not have been or thought to go. And it makes you feel part of something.’

He nodded as if conceding they were reasons enough. ‘Are there any near Bunyip Bay?’

‘Yep. I’ve planted a couple on my last few trips home and tourists have left some too. I think there was five in the surrounding region last time I checked.’

‘Maybe you’ll have to show me,’ Liam suggested.

‘Maybe I will,’ she retorted, before popping a spoonful of beans into her mouth.

By the time their plates were empty, and their coffees drunk, Henri felt they’d put on a good show for the other locals in the café and once again she’d truly enjoyed chatting with Liam.

‘Will I see you tonight?’ Liam asked as Harriet came and cleared away their dishes.

‘Possibly not. I’ve promised Mum I’ll go with her to the Christmas concert at the school. You got anything interesting on your agenda today?’

‘Got some bookwork to do …’ He made a face. ‘And I need to order stock, but hopefully I’ll get some time in the studio as well. Anyway, I better go rescue Sheila, but thanks so much for the surfing lessons. I’m having fun and you’re a very good teacher.’

‘Thanks.’ Henri felt herself blush. ‘It’s the least I could do, considering the way you’re putting yourself out for me.’

‘Ah, it’s not that bad,’ he said with a grin.

After a quick goodbye to Frankie, they left the café and Henri bid farewell to Liam and Sheila as they crossed the road to walk back to the pub. Then she climbed into Cecil and headed home, feeling oddly bereft.

As much as she loved working on the farm, she couldn’t help wishing her breakfast with Liam could have gone on just a little bit longer.