Tam’s phone had been ringing almost continually this morning with hopeful brides trying to secure a venue. It seemed like everyone was keen to get married this year. They tried hard to fit new bookings in but they were fully booked for the next six months, with the first reception happening this Saturday at 2 p.m.
Maddie sat back in her chair and blew out a long sigh. ‘Are we all set for Saturday?’ she asked.
‘As far as I know,’ Tam replied. ‘Let’s hope it goes off without a hitch.’ She was scrolling through the Carrington Farm website. ‘Did you see that Lix has rejigged the website and added some more seasonal photos?’
‘We’re so lucky to have him,’ her aunt said. ‘He’s so talented.’ Then she changed the subject. ‘I just had an interesting conversation. A couple of local writers are toying with the idea of doing some in-person classes and maybe even a writing retreat.’
‘That could be beneficial,’ Tam said, ‘especially in the quiet season.’
‘That’s what I was thinking,’ Maddie replied. ‘Only problem is that Kangaroo Ridge doesn’t have a lot of accommodation. There’s only the motel and a couple of bed and breakfasts.’
‘Maybe we should refurbish the hotel—it used to have guests there back in the day, so why not again?’ Tam mused.
‘I’ll have a chat with Seb later and maybe even crunch some numbers,’ Maddie said.
‘I meant to ask, how was the barbecue last night? Did Rori have fun?’
‘She had a great time playing with Katie. Those two are inseparable,’ Maddie said.
‘Was it just you guys and Katie’s family?’
‘No, there were a few other kids and parents from Rori’s class, as well as a handful of other friends.’ Maddie started to toy with some of the documents on her desk.
‘Oh yeah, like who?’ Tam asked.
‘You know, the usual crowd. Jenny and Bill were there, so was Josie and her hubby and Luke Miller,’ Maddie said with a shrug.
‘Oh, Luke Miller was there, huh?’ Tam raised her eyebrows and slowly nodded. Luke Miller had moved into Kangaroo Ridge about three years ago when he took over the veterinary clinic. He was single, dashing and somewhere in his late thirties and his gaze had been lingering on Maddie for quite some time.
‘Oh shut up,’ Maddie said with a laugh. ‘We’ve barely said two words to each other.’
‘You don’t need to, staring is enough communication,’ Tam teased.
‘It’s not like that,’ Maddie responded.
‘Sure, of course not.’ Tam pretended to rearrange her desk. ‘Just keep telling yourself that,’ she said before bursting into laughter.
‘Stop it.’ Maddie laughed. ‘There’s nothing going on.’
‘Isn’t it about time that you had a little fun?’ Tam replied with a pointed look.
Maddie gave her a bright smile. ‘I’m happy as I am. And I have enough on my plate with the business and Rori. I don’t need another distraction, even if it is a cute one.’
‘So you think he’s cute?’
‘Tam!’ Maddie laughed again. ‘Seriously though, I haven’t got time for anything else in my life at the moment.’
Tam looked at her. Maddie had the dark hair and light eyes that ran through the entire family. She possessed a pretty face with delicate features but what made her beautiful was her selfless heart. In all these years after the accident she’d never put herself first.
‘When was the last time you went out and enjoyed yourself?’ Tam asked.
Maddie frowned as she tried to recall her social calendar. ‘Well, Shelley and I took Rori and Katie to the waterpark just before Christmas. The kids had a great time.’
‘When was the last time you had fun?’
‘Oh—I don’t know. Maybe when I took off for a day of shopping in Melbourne.’
‘That was back in June. But I’m not talking about shopping, when was the last time you went on a date?’
Maddie shrugged. ‘It’s been a while,’ she answered as she suddenly took a great interest in her computer.
‘Oh my god, you haven’t had a date since you came back to Kangaroo Ridge,’ Tam said as the situation dawned on her. ‘Am I right?’
Maddie hunched in her seat before she straightened up and looked across the room at Tam. ‘I was way too busy to think about things like that,’ she said simply. ‘If you remember, we had a family to keep together.’
‘You put your life on hold—’ Tam started to say but Maddie didn’t let her finish.
‘We all did,’ Maddie said quickly. ‘And I don’t regret it for a second.’
Tam nodded. ‘Okay, neither do I, but I seem to remember you telling me that this is the time to live my life. Perhaps you should start taking your own advice.’
* * *
As Tam drove down the main street of the town, she saw that it was quite busy. Well, at least busy by Kangaroo Ridge standards. As it was still school holidays, there were a lot of tourists in town, which was always a good thing. The whole region was filled with interesting little towns with their own special flair and Kangaroo Ridge was no exception. It was sheep country around here but the town had at some point branched out and become a magnet for artists. Some came to find inspiration in the countryside and enjoy the slower pace, while some discovered a close-knit community that welcomed blow-ins with open arms. There were some interesting shops that showcased the talent of the town’s inhabitants and Gekko Gallery was one of these little gems, and it had plenty of parking at the back.
Tam was on her way to grab lunch at the bakery. Dylan had cancelled their lunch booking due to an unexpected call out, but the idea of a ham and cheese croissant and caramel latte could not be ignored. Walking briskly down the footpath, she told herself to keep walking and not glance into the gallery’s window. She had a weakness for interesting earrings and Yvette always stocked ridiculously desirable things.
She noticed a movement from the corner of her eye and she saw Yvette, the temptress, waving at her.
Tam waved back and, with a sigh of resignation, headed towards the store, knowing how this would end before she’d even opened the bright green door. The shop was fairly small, there was a little counter by the far wall with a vase of white flowers sitting on one corner. The rest of the store was filled up with several large display cases and a few shelves. A small table in the middle was covered in a stack of interesting books and a few knick-knacks.
‘I’m glad I caught you, Tam,’ Yvette said brightly. ‘I just got another consignment in and I thought you’d like to have a look.’
‘How are you going, Yvette?’
‘Business has picked up quite a bit—so that’s great.’ She brushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes. ‘How about you?’
‘We’re about to kick off with our first wedding this weekend. So, what fabulous things are you going to entice me with today?’
Yvette grinned. ‘I’ve got these new earrings and I thought of you as soon as I saw them.’ She reached under the desk and drew out a small box. ‘I figured that I should show them to you before I put them out in the store.’
‘You know my earring collection has expanded exponentially since you opened,’ Tam mused.
‘And I appreciate your support,’ Yvette answered with a smile as she unboxed a pair of beautiful, dangly earrings. ‘I thought they were your style as well as being in that shade of blue that you like.’
Tam stared at them. ‘They’re gorgeous.’
‘I know,’ Yvette agreed. ‘Turquoise, blue topaz, a couple of pearls and some Mediterranean blue glass all suspended on some lovely sterling shepherd hooks. They’ve got your name all over them.’
Tam laughed. ‘You know I’m buying them. It’s already a done deal.’
‘Really? You haven’t even heard the price—although it’s mate’s rates as usual.’
‘Thanks, Yvette. Wrap them up,’ Tam instructed. ‘It looks like lunch is going to be more expensive than I thought.’
Tam pulled out her wallet as Yvette started to wrap up the earrings.
‘So, I heard a rumour that you’re going out with Dylan Petersen—is that true?’ Yvette asked.
Tam was a little taken aback by the question. ‘Um, well, yes it is. How did you …’
Yvette handed her the prettily bagged earrings and took Tam’s card. ‘The girls next door in the bakery,’ she explained. ‘You know how this place is?’
‘Right.’ Tam held on to the bag, not really sure how to deal with this information. Why the hell was everyone so interested in her private life?