Read Online Novels 02 Red Dust by Fleur McDonald - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Fleur McDonald
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are you, Gemma? It's lovely to see you out and about.'
'It's looking like a great night. I'm here with Jess Rawlings, my friend from school. She thought I should get out more, so she dragged me along. Not really like the B & S's we used to go to, but I guess you have to grow out of them sometime!'
Bidding them farewell, Gemma hurried back to Jess. She handed Jess her plate, then moaned with delight through a mouthful of pork. 'I haven't eaten like this in so long.'
'That's 'cos you don't eat,' Jess retorted as the spotlights flashed on and off to signal the start of the show.
The chatter of the audience died away as the jazz band started to play. Gemma felt all the worries of the last few months begin to disappear as the musicians' fingers flew over keyboards and guitar strings.
At the interval, Gemma volunteered to refresh their drinks. While she waited for the queue at the bar to lessen, she stood looking into the embers of a dying fire, lost in the memory of the music. She didn't realise Ben was behind her until he spoke.
'Didn't recognise you without your work clobber on,' he said quietly. She spun around, and found herself staring straight at his chest. Looking up, she found his brown eyes regarding her curiously.
'G'day,' she managed. 'What are you doing here? Do you like jazz?'
'Not really, but I thought it would be a good place to meet people.'
'Definitely is. Most of the town is here, plus a heap from Adelaide and other towns by the looks. I guess these concerts are pretty big these days. People from the city seem to enjoy a country fix.'
'That they do.' Ben's eyes moved to look over her shoulder and Gemma felt a nudge.
'Hi,' Jess said around Gemma's shoulder. 'Who are you?'
Ben looked quizzically at Gemma, who just smiled blandly.
'Uh, I'm Ben.' He looked a little taken aback. 'Who are you?'
'I'm Jess Rawlings, Gemma's best friend, party partner and confidante. Nice to meet you.'
'Ah, I've heard about you. I met Brad at the pub a few nights ago. He managed to rope me into playing footy tomorrow.'
'That's wonderful, they need some people with talent – I hope you have some. They're the most dismal team I've ever seen. I don't think they've won a game this season. Can you kick goals?'
Gemma watched Jess with amusement. It was no wonder that she drew people to her; she had such an open and friendly manner.
Jess grabbed Gemma's arm. 'I've just had the best idea. Since we three know each other and Gem hasn't met Brad yet, let's all go out to dinner tomorrow night. We could check out the new bistro down on the seafront. Someone told me they serve the best pasta, and I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Apparently it's really hip.'
'Something is really "hip" in Pirie? I'd like to see that!' said Ben, laughing at Jess's enthusiasm.
Gemma smiled and said, 'Me too!'
'Right! That's settled. Tomorrow night it is. What?' asked Jess when she saw Ben shaking his head.
'I have plans tomorrow night. How about next weekend?'
'Sounds brilliant. Now I really have to drag Gem to the bar or I'll die of thirst and I won't make it to the footy tomor row, let alone next weekend. Enjoy the rest of the evening, Ben.'
'I'll talk to you during the week, Gemma, if I don't see you at the game tomorrow,' Ben said as he waved and moved into the crowd.
With light footsteps Gemma and Jess headed for the bar, Jess bombarding Gemma with questions. 'Who is he? Where's he from? How come I haven't heard about him? Man, he's a dream boat!'
Gemma let her friend rattle on, her gaze raking over the crowds of people, hoping to catch another glimpse of Ben – who had looked rather gorgeous in his moleskins, R.M. Williams boots, blue shirt and dark leather jacket – but he seemed to have disappeared into the smoke of the camp fires. Her gaze rested on two people and, before glancing away, she recognised them as Ned and Paige. Ned stood in the shadow cast by a tree. She couldn't see the look on his face, but Paige looked angry. Gemma
'It's looking like a great night. I'm here with Jess Rawlings, my friend from school. She thought I should get out more, so she dragged me along. Not really like the B & S's we used to go to, but I guess you have to grow out of them sometime!'
Bidding them farewell, Gemma hurried back to Jess. She handed Jess her plate, then moaned with delight through a mouthful of pork. 'I haven't eaten like this in so long.'
'That's 'cos you don't eat,' Jess retorted as the spotlights flashed on and off to signal the start of the show.
The chatter of the audience died away as the jazz band started to play. Gemma felt all the worries of the last few months begin to disappear as the musicians' fingers flew over keyboards and guitar strings.
At the interval, Gemma volunteered to refresh their drinks. While she waited for the queue at the bar to lessen, she stood looking into the embers of a dying fire, lost in the memory of the music. She didn't realise Ben was behind her until he spoke.
'Didn't recognise you without your work clobber on,' he said quietly. She spun around, and found herself staring straight at his chest. Looking up, she found his brown eyes regarding her curiously.
'G'day,' she managed. 'What are you doing here? Do you like jazz?'
'Not really, but I thought it would be a good place to meet people.'
'Definitely is. Most of the town is here, plus a heap from Adelaide and other towns by the looks. I guess these concerts are pretty big these days. People from the city seem to enjoy a country fix.'
'That they do.' Ben's eyes moved to look over her shoulder and Gemma felt a nudge.
'Hi,' Jess said around Gemma's shoulder. 'Who are you?'
Ben looked quizzically at Gemma, who just smiled blandly.
'Uh, I'm Ben.' He looked a little taken aback. 'Who are you?'
'I'm Jess Rawlings, Gemma's best friend, party partner and confidante. Nice to meet you.'
'Ah, I've heard about you. I met Brad at the pub a few nights ago. He managed to rope me into playing footy tomorrow.'
'That's wonderful, they need some people with talent – I hope you have some. They're the most dismal team I've ever seen. I don't think they've won a game this season. Can you kick goals?'
Gemma watched Jess with amusement. It was no wonder that she drew people to her; she had such an open and friendly manner.
Jess grabbed Gemma's arm. 'I've just had the best idea. Since we three know each other and Gem hasn't met Brad yet, let's all go out to dinner tomorrow night. We could check out the new bistro down on the seafront. Someone told me they serve the best pasta, and I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Apparently it's really hip.'
'Something is really "hip" in Pirie? I'd like to see that!' said Ben, laughing at Jess's enthusiasm.
Gemma smiled and said, 'Me too!'
'Right! That's settled. Tomorrow night it is. What?' asked Jess when she saw Ben shaking his head.
'I have plans tomorrow night. How about next weekend?'
'Sounds brilliant. Now I really have to drag Gem to the bar or I'll die of thirst and I won't make it to the footy tomor row, let alone next weekend. Enjoy the rest of the evening, Ben.'
'I'll talk to you during the week, Gemma, if I don't see you at the game tomorrow,' Ben said as he waved and moved into the crowd.
With light footsteps Gemma and Jess headed for the bar, Jess bombarding Gemma with questions. 'Who is he? Where's he from? How come I haven't heard about him? Man, he's a dream boat!'
Gemma let her friend rattle on, her gaze raking over the crowds of people, hoping to catch another glimpse of Ben – who had looked rather gorgeous in his moleskins, R.M. Williams boots, blue shirt and dark leather jacket – but he seemed to have disappeared into the smoke of the camp fires. Her gaze rested on two people and, before glancing away, she recognised them as Ned and Paige. Ned stood in the shadow cast by a tree. She couldn't see the look on his face, but Paige looked angry. Gemma
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