‘We are glad you could come and speak to us, Miss Lewis. Maddie McRae is one of our most promising students. I was delighted when she approached me with her proposal to invite you to speak.’
Lydia Forsyth represented everything Sarah imagined a high school principal might be. Neat appearance, no-nonsense manner, warm and friendly yet firm, of an indeterminate age, Lydia radiated confidence and a quiet power. Sarah felt herself respond to it, a sort of falling into line she vaguely remembered from her own high school days.
‘No problem at all. It coincided nicely with my research trip and it’s an honour,’ she said. ‘Please call me Sarah.’
They stood outside the school hall. Lydia wanted to show Sarah where she would be speaking. This was probably a bad time to mention that she’d never spoken in front of such a large group before. Public speaking wasn’t exactly her thing. She’d avoided it like the plague through university and no one had ever asked her to do it during her journalistic career. Leave that to those media tarts, the TV and radio journalists.
‘We don’t get many opportunities for the children to engage with professionals outside of town,’ said Lydia. ‘The local media are wonderfully supportive, of course.’
‘Life as a journalist in Sydney is nowhere near as glamorous as it sounds,’ said Sarah, sensing something in Lydia’s tone she couldn’t quite pin down. ‘It’s easy to get lost in all the noise. I imagine life as a journalist out here, living in a close community, would be quite rewarding.’
Lydia smiled. ‘Perhaps. Small towns can be too small, if you get my drift.’
‘Do you ever think of going back to the coast to teach?’
‘Personally, I like living here. People know who I am and respect the position. Like you said, it’s easy to get lost in the noise of the big city.’ Lydia pushed open the hall door. ‘Come in out of the heat and take a look around.’
The hall, which doubled as a basketball court, had a cosy vibe to it. She imagined homegrown theatre productions, assemblies and awards nights playing out inside these walls as they did all over the country.
‘Many of our children will leave Longreach for further education. Some will return.’ Lydia looked around as if seeing the ghosts of students past. ‘Work can be hard to find out here.’
‘So I gathered.’ Sarah didn’t have a clue about how a place like this worked. If you didn’t want to follow your family into farming, what were your options? Mining? Maddie and Levi had plans to go to Sydney to study, but then what? She had the sense young Miss McRae had no intention of being either a farmer’s wife or a miner for that matter.
‘Maddie is a very enterprising young woman,’ said Lydia, as if reading her mind. ‘How did you two cross paths?’
Good question. She never did get to the bottom of how Maddie came to know about her. Some garbled story about a piece she’d done on animal coffee tables. Seems as if everyone in the Southern Hemisphere had read that one.
‘Apparently she’s a fan of my work.’ Sarah shrugged her shoulders at Lydia’s surprised expression. ‘Go figure.’
‘That girl is a constant source of surprise,’ Lydia said. ‘I never know which direction she’s going to go in next. Come and have a cup of tea. I’d like to hear about your research.’ She turned and led Sarah out of the building, carefully locking it behind her.
Sarah noticed the force of the heat immediately as if someone had thrown a woolly blanket over her.
‘I’m doing a series of articles on finding love in the outback.’ Sarah wished she’d worn something a little more professional. Her khaki shorts and t-shirt were presentable, and with her bag slung across her body like a school girl’s satchel she had the whole neat casual thing going on. Next to Lydia’s trim, businesslike skirt and white blouse she looked like she might be on vacation.
‘Really?’ Lydia looked interested.
‘I’m looking for people to interview about how they found love if you know anybody with a great story.’ Sarah fell into step beside the principal.
‘Everyone out here has an interesting story. The most fascinating people wash up in the outback.’ Lydia held the door open to the administration building. Another delightful blast of cool air enveloped Sarah. ‘I have a dear friend over at the radio station who might be able to help you. Let me get in touch with her and, if you’re open to it, see if I can set up a meeting for you.’
The familiar buzz of adrenaline kicked in, something that happened whenever a story started to come together. She loved this moment, like the spinning of a compass needle telling her she was headed in the right direction. This buzz was one of the things she loved most about her job.
‘Thank you, that would be fantastic.’
For the moment, any guilt or unsureness she’d harboured about coming out here dissolved in the certainty she was about to uncover some really great material. Her phone vibrated in her pocket as they made their way to Lydia’s office. Sarah snuck a quick look at the screen. Sam Costello, calling as he said he would.
A warm tingling sensation started in the pit of her stomach at the thought of spending time alone with him. Perhaps it hadn’t been a mistake to come find a handsome stranger based only on a whim of her heart, and everything would fall into place after all. Maybe it was fate.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said to Lydia, ‘I need to take this call.’
He walked out onto the front porch and back inside again for the third time in a row. Sam couldn’t settle. All he could think about was Sarah Lewis and her effect on him. The marrow of his bones felt agitated as if something primeval had entered his bloodstream and wouldn’t let him be. He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since Michelle.
Monday morning dragged on with tormenting slowness made worse by the excitement fizzing in his veins.
He should call her.
No, too soon. He only met her on Saturday night.
Why was it too soon? He raked his hand through his hair. It had been such a long time since he dated that he no longer knew the rules. Might not be any rules now for all he knew.
Levi might know. He should ask him. Sam opened his mouth to call out to Levi who was home sick from school and abruptly closed it again.
How’s his form, a grown man asking dating advice from a boy barely into puberty. He had to get a grip. She probably had a boyfriend back in Sydney, some handsome bloke with sophisticated habits. Someone who knew how to make a latte and cook with kale. Then again, she hadn’t been wearing a ring.
He should call her. No harm in a friendly chat, see how she’s settling in at the motel.
Only he’d never been any good at small talk. What would he say? Chances were he’d end up sounding like an idiot, some country bumpkin without a clue. He wanted her to like him, and that posed the problem. What if she didn’t like him? She seemed to think he was alright at dinner Saturday night. Laughed and smiled at all his jokes. Good start. He’d got a friendly response to his follow-up text about showing her the sights. What if she wasn’t attracted to him the way he was attracted to her? Maybe he could tell by her voice on the phone. You could tell a lot by the tone of someone’s voice, especially when their looks weren’t there to distract you.
He should call her.
Ask her out on a date. That’s what he really wanted to do. Just her and him somewhere nice. He might as well borrow Maddie’s suggestion and take her out on the Thomson River cruise, touristy but lovely all the same. The river looked beautiful at sunset and the stars filled the sky in such a way that took the breath of every city dweller who saw them. Still took his breath away and he’d grown up out here.
He should definitely call her.
Sam took a deep breath and let it out slow. He was getting nowhere fast. Wearing a new track in the carpet from all the pacing he’d been doing was all he’d managed to achieve. Nervous anticipation ballooned in his chest.
Just call her.
Get it over and done with. She’d either say yes or no. Yes, they’d go out and have a nice night. By the end of it he’d be sure if she liked him in a way that mattered. No, and he’d see her around town while she was here then that would be the end of it. Life would go on. He’d survive.
Call her.
He picked up his phone off the kitchen bench and opened the contact list. Press dial, that was all he had to do. His thumb hovered over the green call symbol. A sensation of being pushed up against some kind of invisible barrier overtook him, a barrier he didn’t seem able to push through.
Make the call.
He wanted to scream with frustration. This was ridiculous. He was a grown man. So why did he feel like his seventeen-year-old self all over again?
Do it.
Sam scrunched up his eyes and shook his head. One … two … three …
He pushed the button and somewhere in town Sarah’s phone rang.
‘Hello?’ She sounded as breathless as he felt.
‘Hi.’ He cleared his throat as his words caught. ‘It’s Sam here.’
She laughed softly. ‘I know. Your name comes up on my phone.’
Good start.
‘I thought I’d call and see how you’re doing and if you’re up to anything tonight.’ He swallowed hard. Now he’d started he had to keep going.
‘Tonight? I think my diary is pretty empty at the moment.’
‘Miss Maddie made a great suggestion at dinner. They do this sunset drinks cruise down the Thomson River and I thought you might like to go on a paddle boat.’ God, he sounded lame.
‘Like the ones you see in movies about the Mississippi?’
‘That’s the one.’ He tried to gauge the level of interest in the tone of her voice, suddenly deaf to everything but the pounding of his own heart.
‘Sounds like fun.’
‘That’s a yes?’ He was compelled to check in case his own enthusiasm caused him to misjudge the situation.
‘That’s a yes.’
Suddenly, the tightness in his chest which had been plaguing him for the last couple of hours dissipated to be replaced by the sensation that someone had pumped helium into his lungs. He could swear he floated above the ground. A Luna Park-sized grin plastered itself across his face.
She’d said yes.
‘Okay, then.’ While not the pithiest of responses, it was the best he could do under the current circumstances.
‘I can’t wait until tonight.’
That was the moment he knew. The space between her words carried all the meaning he needed to hear. She liked him. She wanted to see him and saw this as a proper date, not some kindness offered a stranger visiting town. This would be him and her getting to know each other.
Anyone watching might say there could be no future in it, with her from the city and him planted firmly in the country. They’d be right, or maybe not. He was happy to go along for the ride, see where it took them.
All he cared about right now was that she liked him. Sam hung up the phone and let out a whoop of sheer joy. Whoever Sarah Lewis might be, she was the first woman since his wife had died who made him feel alive. His body tingled with possibilities. Suddenly his day got a whole lot better.
Notes for ‘Finding Love in the Outback’
Interview #3
Miria (25) and Dave (28). Met at the Mount Isa rodeo.
David: I’ve been on the circuit on and off for about ten years now, working my way up. Rodeo is a tough gig and the Isa Rodeo is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. I never miss it. Even if I’m injured, I’m there.
Miria: I’ve known Dave since I was a kid. He was best mates with my brother Jed when they were growing up. Dave went away to follow the rodeo circuit so I only really got to see him once a year and only if Jed let me tag along.
Dave: She’d always been as cute as a button but she was me mate’s little sister, you know? Can’t cross that line. There are rules about that stuff.
Miria: I always thought those rules were stupid. Jed doesn’t though. Still not talking to us, is he, love?
Dave: Nah, but that’s okay. He’ll come around.
Interviewer: What changed? What happened to get you two together?
Dave: I got pretty badly injured and laid up in hospital. Broke my leg in three places. Not for the first time. They had to screw my leg back together with plates.
Miria: Jed suggested I visit him in hospital because he was bored. He needed the distraction. So I went.
Dave: We spent hours talking and watching TV. Nothin’ special on the surface of things but she got under my skin.
Miria: I always had a crush on him so falling in love was pretty easy for me. I think it might have been harder for you, because of Jed, right?
Dave: Yeah, I didn’t want to lose a good mate. The problem was, I’d never met anyone who got to me like she does. What’s a bloke supposed to do?
Miria: Run away with me and get married.
Dave: Don’t worry, honey, as soon as I can walk unaided, I’m planning to do just that.