“What if it’s for Casey and Kai?” someone shouted. “We’ll have a tie.”
“We’ll meet that if it happens.” Phyll unfolded the slip and peeked. “Oh my.”
“What does it say?” Jason asked. “C’mon Phyll. Don’t hold back.”
This is so not good. Tarryn’s breath rasped in her throat, and she seriously considered just walking out, pushing through the crowd, and driving home as if the hounds of hell were after her. That would surely show her feelings on this.
But she’d promised.
Phyll unfolded the slip and threw it on the counter. “Tarryn and Sophie.”
Oh fucking fuck it. It was the only word to properly to express her thoughts. Tarryn slapped both hands on her head.I can’t do this. Not the dress, not the fake vows. And the kiss? What about the kiss?
She searched for Sophie in the crowd, but she wasn’t where she’d been a moment ago. Had she left? Then she appeared next to Phyll.
“Quandong has spoken.” Sophie winked at Garrett and Will. “Sorry, guys. Close but no cigar. The women have it.”
“And to think we both voted for you,” Will said. “Imagine if we hadn’t.”
“But you did. Well fought. If I was having persons of honour, I would pick you two.”
Garrett kissed her cheek. “Congratulations on your big day.”
Sophie laughed, then came across to Tarryn. “Congratulations to you, future fake wife.”
How come she was so perky about this? Previously, Sophie had been nearly as horrified as she was. She frowned. What had changed? Nothing she could see.
Nothing except they’d kissed.
Something sweet hummed in Tarryn’s blood. Was that it? Was Sophie looking forward to a replay of the kiss after the wedding ceremony? Was it a way of keeping to whatever rules and limits she’d set herself about not kissing employees, not mixing business with pleasure, not kissingTarryn?Well, there was one way to find out.
“Congratulations, my dear fake fiancé.” She leaned forward and set her lips to Sophie’s, lingering just long enough to absorb her silentoh.Tarryn smiled against Sophie’s lips and withdrew. No need to give the packed bar a total show. That was enough to show she’d play her part.
Sophie’s cheeks were that adorable shade of pink once more. Tarryn had never known anyone to blush as much as Sophie. It was rather cute. Tarryn squeezed her hand. “Okay?” she murmured.
“Okay.” One side of Sophie’s mouth quirked up. “We can do this.”
* * *
“Sophie, Tarryn, wait up.” Running feet slapped the pavement as Allie made her way to The Hollowman with Tarryn to discuss more details of the afterparty with Jason.
Kirra puffed up to them and thrust a piece of paper at Allie. “I’m beyond ropeable. I’m so livid, I could spit blood in their eyes. Take a look.”
Allie scanned the printed email. “One Union for Christ want to have a float in the parade. They’re a”—she glanced at the footer of their email—“fundamentalist religious group who believe marriage is between one man and one woman.”
“They’re bigoted hatemongers,” Kirra snarled.
Tarryn nodded. “They support conversion therapy.”
“Because being gay is a ‘lifestyle choice.’” Kirra held out her hand for the email. “I’m turning them down, of course. They better hope I’ve had my happy pills when I do, otherwise they’re going to get a blast.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t turn them down,” Allie said slowly. “They’ll parade, and they’ll get booed. Maybe that would be a bigger statement than not letting them take part.”
Tarryn’s eyes widened. “Booed? These people don’tcare. They just want to be out there, visible, invading our spaces. This group is one of the worst.”
“We’re not accepting them, Sophie, and that’s final.” Kirra narrowed her eyes. “If we give them even a toehold, they’ll be back. In our spaces—oursafespaces—in our faces. This festival is a happy, celebratory event. Having One Union for Christ on a fucking truck handing out leaflets and lollipops will make it anything but happy. Do you know how many safe spaces there are for queer people in regional areas, particularly queer Aboriginal people? For the sistergirls? Not fucking many. Quandong is one, and while I can’t keep everyone out who threatens us, I canfucking try.”
Tarryn nodded and slipped an arm around Kirra’s waist. “We’re welcoming, yes, but there are limits. And the One Fucking Union is a non-negotiable limit.” She frowned. “Why are you even advocating for their inclusion? You must know what they’re like. Have they never handed you a leaflet, got in your face to tell you you’re going to Hell—as if that’s a threat. If there is a Hell, well, all my friends will be there based on whattheysay.”
