He laughed. ‘I think you’re right. Maybe I am. I never have been before. I guess there’s always a first time.’
She looked straight ahead with a smile. She refused to tell him exactly how off-the-charts attractive he was. She was pretty sure his ego was robust enough already.
‘So,’ she said, wanting to divert the conversation, ‘what do you think of my family?’
‘Who’s being needy now?’
‘I am. Because my family means everything to me. And, to be honest, I was against inviting you to the barbecue.’
‘Why?’ he asked, looking at her intently.
‘Because I didn’t think you’d fit in. Because it felt like an intrusion — the enemy not at the door, but inside — and because it felt… dangerous.’ She couldn’t meet his eye any longer. They continued on up the beach towards the house. Lucy was silent, wondering how he’d respond to her comment.
He didn’t respond. That unsettled her more than if he had argued.
She was glad they’d arrived at the sand dunes where they walked in single file up past the bench and into the garden. Everyone had gathered on the verandah to escape the quickening wind.
‘Nice swim?’ asked Jen, tossing Lucy a towel. She pulled it around her, shivering a little. And yet she didn’t really feel cold. Just exposed.
‘Glorious!’ she replied, leaving Oliver to his own devices and going inside the house for a quick shower.
* * *
When she emerged five minutes later in white jeans and shirt, she was surprised to see Oliver seated in the middle of the family group, sipping on a coffee while listening to Kate and Megan recounting anecdotes about past events at the Old Colonial when it was a fully-functioning hotel. She had to give them full marks for trying. She wondered if her family would end up trusting him, even though she didn’t. Because, despite her undeniably growing feelings for him, and despite Oliver’s character unfolding, showing surprising glimpses of himself she hadn’t guessed at, she still didn’t trust him.
She sat next to Jen. ‘I don’t see Augi.’ She’d have liked to quiz her about her latest findings, which she’d alluded to obliquely in a message, saying she needed to find out more before telling Lucy. ‘She was invited wasn’t she?’
‘Yes, but she said she had something on, and she’d come by later.’
Lucy glanced across at Dan who was out in the garden with his nephew, Liam, and George. She wondered if anyone had told him that Augi was coming but somehow she doubted it. Her mother wouldn’t have thought to. Unlike Lucy, she hadn’t seen how Dan reacted whenever Augi was around.
‘Actually,’ continued Lucy, ‘speaking of Augi. Dan was in the café the other day when Augi walked in and he couldn’t stop staring. What do you reckon?’
Jen blinked in surprise. ‘Dan?’ She looked at Lucy who nodded in confirmation. ‘And Augi? Well,’ she said, twisting her engagement ring on her finger, ‘I guess there have been unlikelier couples. A man who doesn’t do subtle falling for an enigmatic woman.’
Sam came up at that point and reached across the table for Jen’s hand. It seemed he never wanted to be far from her. ‘Talking about me again?’ he said with a grin.
‘Ha!’ Lucy said. ‘You wish.’
‘No,’ said Jen with a laugh, ‘we’re talking about unlikely couples.’
‘Who?’ asked Sam looking around before his eyes alighted on Oliver. ‘Oh you mean Lucy and Oliver,’ he said with a big grin.
‘They do look good together, don’t they?’ said Jen with an answering grin.
Lucy jumped up indignant. ‘Sam Boyd! That’s ridiculous.’ She leaned in so only they would hear. ‘He’s a ruthless, arrogant son-of-a-bitch who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.’
Sam just smiled. ‘What’s that phrase about protesting too much?’
Lucy wandered off, thinking about what she’d said about Oliver. Thing was, that was what she used to think. But alongside that had grown another image of Oliver. The Oliver who’d held her late into the night on their first date — respectful and kind. The Oliver who’d stood by the sea looking almost wistful, moved by the moment.
Which was the real Oliver? She still didn’t know.
She wandered around the table, coming to a pause beside her mother. She sat down and watched as Kate, Megan, Ryan and Oliver chatted.
She couldn’t have imagined a more disparate group of people. Ryan the IT geek and family man, Megan the big-hearted schoolteacher and her mother, an educator through and through, earnestly talking to Oliver about the school gala. Like Oliver would be interested. Then she looked at him and her heart did a funny squeeze. While he might not look exactly interested, he did look… gentler than she’d imagined he could be. He looked relaxed and even, she thought, enjoying himself.
Maybe she’s misjudged her mother’s strategy. Maybe this initiation into family and community really was having an effect on Oliver and swaying his judgement. Although after listening for a few minutes, it did seem the majority of the conversation was coming from the women, with Oliver merely encouraging it by interjecting polite remarks.
