Page 23 of What Did I Miss?

In ten minutes, Beau will arrive at Makayla’s house, so she’s doing what any woman does before a date – push-ups. None of that on-your-knees business. Proper ones. She huffs and puffs, building a rhythm, waiting for her arms to fatigue.

‘Oh-my-golly-gosh, you’re nervous.’ Cece sifts through Makayla’s wardrobe.

‘No, I’m not.’ Makayla balances on her forearms, moving into plank position. ‘It’s just Beau. We’ve hung out plenty of times.’

‘This isn’t hanging out. It’s a date. Don’t make a face. Yes, I saw it. I grew eyes on the back of my head when Tilly started crawling. It’s a mum thing.’

That’s something Cece says a lot.

Makayla leaps up and then shoots straight down, repeating the movement twenty times. Burpees are the devil. Not today. A niggling energy consumes her body, and no amount of exercise can extract it.

Yes, Makayla agreed to go out with him – might’ve even suggested it – but after sleeping on it, she sent him a text with explicit rules.

Rule Number One: No sex.

Sex leads to feelings. Feelings lead to relationships. Relationships lead to Warren getting Gertie. No climax is worth that.

‘Please tell me you’re changing out of that top?

You’ve got sweat stains from leaping around like a jack-in-the-box.

’ Cece wades through the garments on the floor to reach a chair buried under a pile of clothes the laundry fairy missed.

‘Black, white, grey. Black, white, grey. Don’t you have anything with colour?

’ Coming up empty, she sighs, handing over a Led Zeppelin tee.

Rule Number Two: No dressing up.

Veering from the usual attire sends the wrong message. Makayla tosses her dirty top back, frowning as Cece nosedives into it like a sniffer dog.

‘Perfume? You don’t even wear that at work,’ Cece says.

‘Piper knocked over the bottle, that’s all.’

Curled up inside a pair of jeans, Piper raises her eyebrows. They both know Makayla dabbed a little behind her knees and along her décolletage, hoping the tree moss scent will go undetected.

Cece stands in front of the full-length mirror, turning side to side, losing her sunny smile.

‘Have you spoken to Jimmy about all that stuff?’ Makayla asks. ‘He’s not the one making those silly comments, is he?’

‘Jimmy? No. He tells me I’m beautiful every day.’

‘Bastard,’ Makayla jokes, leading them over to her unmade bed. This topic requires sitting. ‘Where is this all coming from then?’

‘I used to be flirty and vibrant, and now I’m tired and frumpy.

Jimmy and I used to do it ALL THE TIME. Everywhere!

Now, whenever he touches me, I pretend I’m asleep.

Do you know how terrifying it is getting naked when you’ve got stretch marks?

Or when your child has sucked the life out of your boobies? ’

Makayla holds in a chuckle. Only Cece would refer to breasts that way.

‘I don’t recognise myself anymore. It’s like I’m walking around in someone else’s body. You wouldn’t understand.’

‘Why? Because I’m not a mum?’ Makayla snaps.

‘No,’ Cece says gently. ‘Because you can eat whatever you want and still have legs for days. If I were you, I wouldn’t bother with pants, ever.’

Makayla won’t let herself get sucked into the comparison game. Body talk is tiresome. Legs are for running, not showing off.

‘It sounds like you two need to reconnect. I bet if you broke your dry spell, you’d feel better in your own skin.’ Makayla sure did. It even made her hair shinier. ‘Why don’t you book an adults-only getaway?’

‘That could work.’ Cece uses her people-pleasing voice.

‘It might also be a good idea to chat with a professional. A psychologist, perhaps?’ Makayla’s not one to throw that advice around lightly, but a dirty weekend won’t solve all her friend’s problems.

‘I’ve been thinking about that. Have you ever seen one?’

Makayla shakes her head so hard it might fall off. ‘I don’t have any issues.’

‘What about your divorce? You could talk about that.’

‘Pffft. That’s ancient history and I’ve moved on. Look at me, getting ready for a date.’ She flicks her hair over her shoulder dramatically.

‘Wow. You’ve stopped calling it a casual catch-up.’

‘See, progress.’ Makayla grins extra wide.

Lying on a couch sharing sob stories would help someone like Cece, whose emotions pour out like a tap. Not Makayla. Her well has dried up. What’s the point of taking a shovel to it and digging up what she’s worked so hard to bury?

Piper springs to life and zips out of the bedroom before the doorbell sings.

‘This convo isn’t over.’ Makayla squeezes Cece’s shoulder, hoping the gesture conveys something she’s too hypocritical to say – more talk, less secrets.

As previously agreed, Cece hides. Wouldn’t want Beau to think they did the whole girlie date-prep thing. That’d make it seem like a big deal. Makayla rounds her shoulders before opening the door.

‘Good evening.’ The words confidently sail out of Beau’s mouth.

His beard is thick and rugged, reminiscent of a man living in the wild, foraging his own meals. Rule Number Three: No manscaping. Why did she include that? Every time she looks at him, she’ll picture them going at it in front of a fireplace in a cosy cabin.

‘These are for you.’ He hands over a six-pack. ‘I figured you’d hate flowers, so I went with cider.’

‘Naaaw,’ Cece says from her hiding place.

Makayla coughs to cover the sound. ‘Thanks. I’ll put these in the fridge.’

‘You might want to grab a warm jacket and a blanket. It’s supposed to get chilly later,’ he says.

‘Why? Where are we going? I thought I made it clear there’d be no sleepovers. Didn’t you get my text?’

‘The one with twenty-seven commandments? I’m familiar with it.

’ He sucks in his lips as if to stop himself from laughing.

‘I won’t disclose our destination, but rest assured, it complies with Rule Number Sixteen, which mandates that the date takes place beyond a ten-kilometre radius of Goldbrooke.

I assume that’s to avoid staff and students. ’

‘Correct.’ No point telling him it also eliminates being spotted by Warren or Quinn. ‘What’s that got to do with bringing a blanket?’

‘What I have planned is sort of outdoors. That’s all. I won’t make a move, if that’s what you’re worried about.’ He puts both hands up in surrender. ‘All I want is to spend time with you.’

‘Naaaaaaaw,’ slips from Cece’s big mouth.

‘G’day, Cece.’ Beau smiles like the smarty pants that he is.

Cece emerges from hiding and keeps him company while Makayla collects her things. For a split second, she contemplates packing a change of underwear, just in case. Stay strong. She zips up her duffle bag, minus the undies.

‘I’m ready!’

The sky darkens as Beau veers off the freeway and onto an unfamiliar dirt road. They pass rows of towering trees and go deeper into the forest, moving further away from civilisation. It’s basically the set-up of every true-crime docuseries.

‘Do you plan to murder me?’ Makayla asks.

‘Why do you think I brought a shovel?’

Makayla doesn’t bother looking over her shoulder. He’s one of the few people who appreciates her morbid sense of humour.

‘Don’t be fooled by Cece’s sunny disposition,’ Makayla says. ‘She will come after you if she doesn’t hear from me tomorrow.’

‘Oh, I know. She gave me the “if you hurt my friend, I’ll bust your kneecaps” speech earlier.’

Makayla grins, loving Cece more than ever for threatening violence, even though she’s the type of person who cries when stepping on ants.

Beau turns into a paddock filled with cars parked in front of a giant screen lit up by festoon lights.

‘The drive-in?’ Makayla states the obvious.

She’s always wanted to go – what could be better than kicking back in your own car, shoes off, munching on snacks?

But Warren never saw the point. Her excitement drains once Beau kills the engine, however.

The last time they were in a stationary vehicle, they got busy in the back seat.

What if she mauls him again? This is why she needs to refocus on her list and keep out of trouble.

Understandably, Cece’s accountability coach duties have slipped, so Makayla will have to take the reins. She sends her bestie a text.

Lingerie shopping tomorrow?

Makayla needs a quick win to get back in the game.

I take it the date’s going well?

Her phone dies before she can explain the two events are unrelated.

‘What’s showing?’ Makayla asks, praying it’s not something sappy like The Notebook .

‘It’s a movie marathon, actually. Classic nineties only. Do you remember that film I told you about with the teacher who wears a leather jacket? Dangerous Minds ? That’s on first.’

She nods, and neither of them mention that he also said they’d watch it on their next date. It’s quite the coincidence. He didn’t pay someone to play it, did he?

Beau continues. ‘ Cruel Intentions is the second, and the last is a slasher,’ he checks his phone, ‘ Urban Legend . Thought you might enjoy that.’

Makayla loosens her grip on the passenger door.

‘These seats fold down. Shall we sit in the back?’ Beau asks innocently.

‘No! I mean, I get car sick. The front is much, much better.’

‘Okay,’ he says, grinning.

She knows people don’t get motion sickness in parked cars. And he knows she knows that.

While they watch Michelle Pfeiffer’s character win over the rough students in her class, Makayla does her best to ignore the irresistible man beside her.

Not only did he save her yesterday, but he’s also brought top-notch goodies to share.

How did he know she’s been craving Bluebird chips ever since Rongo brought them into the office three years ago?

They’re not available in Australia. She has to wait until a care package from New Zealand arrives and hope Rongo’s feeling generous that day.

Beau has put in a lot of effort (with short notice) for this so-called low-key get together.