being drawn a parallel to him was not exactly a
compliment, and by Adam’s standard, it was not meant to be.
This could end up being a disaster of epic
proportions, or a very funny and enlightening move.
“All right … let’s do this.” I conceded
defeat.
Adam smiled broadly. “I’m going in.”
Chapter Thirteen
Mel
There was one thing that could be said
about being the new girl: I could be whoever I wanted to be.
I wasn’t Bluey Sheehan’s daughter, or the
girl who was in that car accident. I was a no one, and aside from Max
knowing me and my history, the difference was he didn’t really care. He didn’t
even so much as talk to me; in fact, aside from the link within our families,
he didn’t really know me at all. We had been in unexpected good spirits in the
kitchen. From a rather disastrous beginning to my shift, Melba seemed to have
thawed somewhat since Amy swept on into the kitchen, injecting her enthusiasm
into helping out, and then began the questions.
How old are you?
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Have you lived in Ballan long?
Do you have a boyfriend?
I hadn’t set out to be a liar, but somehow
what short-clipped responses I had given about my rather dull life in Ballan
had me answering the last question as a rather unexpected,
“Yes.”
Even unexpected to me.
Amy spun around. “Oh, really?” she asked,
eyes wild with excitement. “Do tell.”
Oh, crap. Why did I say yes?
“So what’s his name, what’s he do?” asked
Amy.
“Is he from Ballan, too?” added Heather.
It now seemed that I held a captive
audience; even Melba looked over at me as she appeared from the cool room.
I was at a loss with what to actually say
about my mythical boyfriend and as if by some miracle I was interrupted by the
swinging of the kitchen door. At first I feared it might have been Max
returning, but instead there stood a rather smug-looking Adam.
“Is it me or are the women in here getting
better and better looking?” he chimed, winking at me.
Amy rolled her eyes at her cousin. “Get
lost, creep.”
“That’s not very nice, Amy,” he deadpanned.
“What do you want?”
“Relax, I come in peace.” Adam held up his
hands. “Max sent me in to see if you needed a refill?” His eyes dipped to the
empty jug near the stove.
“Oh,” said Amy.
Heather smiled, almost as if embarrassed by
Amy’s treatment, as she grabbed for the jug and passed it to Adam. “That would
be lovely. Thanks, Adam. Soda water?”
“Coming right up. What about you, kiddo?”
He turned to Penny who blanched under his scrutiny.
“Oh, um, Coke, please.”
“Soda water, Coke, Scotch on the rocks,
Melba?”
“Don’t tempt me,” she said, flicking him
playfully with her tea towel, which he skilfully dodged.
“Amy?”
“No thanks.”
Adam turned to me now, curving his brow in
question.
“Raspberry lemonade, please,” I said.
Adam’s lips twitched as he nodded. “Fine
choice,” he said, as he pushed through the door. “Back in a flash.”
I had regretted it the moment it came out.
Raspberry lemonade. How old are you – five?
How I wished I could change my order to
something less juvenile for Max to make for me. Ugh.
“I might just go to the ladies,” I lied.
Wiping my wet hands on my tea towel, I excused myself from the kitchen. “Won’t
be a sec.”
I made my way at a fast walk to catch Adam
before he hit the bar with the drink orders. Maybe he would just make them
himself. I wasn’t sure, but as I rounded the corner, I came to a sliding halt
and then dove around the corner out of sight as Max stormed into the restaurant
bar with Adam following behind.
“I was bloody waiting by the phone like a
love-sick teenager,” said Max, who I could hear plunging a spoon in the ice
cube recess and tinkering them into glasses.
“Yeah, well, stand by, I’ll hit it this
time,” said Adam.
“Isn’t it mounted by the door or something?”
“It’s on the wall. I’ll hit
compliment, and by Adam’s standard, it was not meant to be.
This could end up being a disaster of epic
proportions, or a very funny and enlightening move.
“All right … let’s do this.” I conceded
defeat.
Adam smiled broadly. “I’m going in.”
Chapter Thirteen
Mel
There was one thing that could be said
about being the new girl: I could be whoever I wanted to be.
I wasn’t Bluey Sheehan’s daughter, or the
girl who was in that car accident. I was a no one, and aside from Max
knowing me and my history, the difference was he didn’t really care. He didn’t
even so much as talk to me; in fact, aside from the link within our families,
he didn’t really know me at all. We had been in unexpected good spirits in the
kitchen. From a rather disastrous beginning to my shift, Melba seemed to have
thawed somewhat since Amy swept on into the kitchen, injecting her enthusiasm
into helping out, and then began the questions.
How old are you?
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Have you lived in Ballan long?
Do you have a boyfriend?
I hadn’t set out to be a liar, but somehow
what short-clipped responses I had given about my rather dull life in Ballan
had me answering the last question as a rather unexpected,
“Yes.”
Even unexpected to me.
Amy spun around. “Oh, really?” she asked,
eyes wild with excitement. “Do tell.”
Oh, crap. Why did I say yes?
“So what’s his name, what’s he do?” asked
Amy.
“Is he from Ballan, too?” added Heather.
It now seemed that I held a captive
audience; even Melba looked over at me as she appeared from the cool room.
I was at a loss with what to actually say
about my mythical boyfriend and as if by some miracle I was interrupted by the
swinging of the kitchen door. At first I feared it might have been Max
returning, but instead there stood a rather smug-looking Adam.
“Is it me or are the women in here getting
better and better looking?” he chimed, winking at me.
Amy rolled her eyes at her cousin. “Get
lost, creep.”
“That’s not very nice, Amy,” he deadpanned.
“What do you want?”
“Relax, I come in peace.” Adam held up his
hands. “Max sent me in to see if you needed a refill?” His eyes dipped to the
empty jug near the stove.
“Oh,” said Amy.
Heather smiled, almost as if embarrassed by
Amy’s treatment, as she grabbed for the jug and passed it to Adam. “That would
be lovely. Thanks, Adam. Soda water?”
“Coming right up. What about you, kiddo?”
He turned to Penny who blanched under his scrutiny.
“Oh, um, Coke, please.”
“Soda water, Coke, Scotch on the rocks,
Melba?”
“Don’t tempt me,” she said, flicking him
playfully with her tea towel, which he skilfully dodged.
“Amy?”
“No thanks.”
Adam turned to me now, curving his brow in
question.
“Raspberry lemonade, please,” I said.
Adam’s lips twitched as he nodded. “Fine
choice,” he said, as he pushed through the door. “Back in a flash.”
I had regretted it the moment it came out.
Raspberry lemonade. How old are you – five?
How I wished I could change my order to
something less juvenile for Max to make for me. Ugh.
“I might just go to the ladies,” I lied.
Wiping my wet hands on my tea towel, I excused myself from the kitchen. “Won’t
be a sec.”
I made my way at a fast walk to catch Adam
before he hit the bar with the drink orders. Maybe he would just make them
himself. I wasn’t sure, but as I rounded the corner, I came to a sliding halt
and then dove around the corner out of sight as Max stormed into the restaurant
bar with Adam following behind.
“I was bloody waiting by the phone like a
love-sick teenager,” said Max, who I could hear plunging a spoon in the ice
cube recess and tinkering them into glasses.
“Yeah, well, stand by, I’ll hit it this
time,” said Adam.
“Isn’t it mounted by the door or something?”
“It’s on the wall. I’ll hit
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