“No disasters?” Sophie asked. “Not that I’m expecting them—you’ve done a great job, Al. But something always goes wrong. Something breaks, someone crucial doesn’t show. My money’s on Kirra throwing a hissy fit at Phyll’s bossiness and storming out.”
“All’s peaceful—so far. Phyll is too busy with the wedding fair to pester Kirra, and Kirra’s caught up with the minutiae of the parade. Many of the entrants are coming to her with requests for positioning.”
“What, they all want to be up front?”
Allie laughed. “Mostly it’s who they don’t want to be next to. The Irish dancers have to be ahead of the rainbow dogs so they don’t step in dog poop. The real estate crowd can’t be anywhere near the float from the hardware store as the business owners are enemies—the real estate owner’s grandmother ran off with the hardware store’s grandfather in about 1940, and they still don’t speak.”
Sophie snorted. “Still? That takes commitment in a small town.”
“Kirra’s handling it like a pro, but she’s come up the last three nights to guzzle wine and vent.”
“So, no real drama today, then.” Sophie sighed. “That’s amazing.”
“Don’t get too complacent. Tomorrow will be the real test.” Nerves leaped in Allie’s insides like Irish dancers avoiding dog poop.
“What are you most worried about?”
“The parade. Tarryn and I will have to get ready for the fake wedding, and that leaves the final parade organisation to Kirra—who’s on a float herself—and Phyll, who’ll have just come from the wedding catwalk. It’s cutting it fine. Garrett and Will have offered to help as much as they can, but they’re busy too.”
“I’m not too worried about that. The town people voted you and Tarryn as the fake couple. They knew it would be difficult, but they did it anyway. They must think you can do it.”
“I’ll strike hoping you’re okay with it off my angst list, then. That leaves quite a few things to worry about. Thirty-two at last count.”
“What’s the top one?”
Allie adjusted her position and repositioned the phone when it fell onto the quilt. “Honestly? ‘Marrying’ Tarryn. I keep telling myself it’s just a job, just acting, no worse than playing a von Trapp kid in theSoundofMusicin the school play. But I was more relaxed before my dental surgery.”
“Is Tarryn the problem? Is she still giving you grief about how marriage doesn’t belong in queer communities?”
“She seems accepting of her role now. She wants the town to do well from this festival. No, I’m…” How to explain that Tarryn was stirring all sorts of things in her that were best left alone? How to find the words to say that, for her, marriage was a bit more serious than prancing around in a pretty frock.
“Has she kissed you again?” Sophie’s voice hummed low in her ear.
“Yes. And I kissed her.”
“Is that’s what worrying you?”
“Partly. I like her kisses. A lot, if I’m honest, but of course it can’t go anywhere.”
“Because she’s a woman?”
“No!” Allie’s voice was louder than she would have liked. “I’ve accepted I’m…well, I don’t know what I am, but I’m not straight. Because she lives here, and I live in Sydney, and even if we both lived in the same place, I don’t know if I want more. I certainly don’t know if she does.”
“Does it have to go anywhere?” Sophie asked. “Can’t you just have a great fling with a hot woman? You can do your soul-searching back in Sydney.”
“It’s the deception. She thinks I’m you—a lesbian event planner. It would feel very wrong to go into even a fling with that lie between us.”
“I get it. You’re such an honest person—that’s why the whole Kirkland thing is such a bitch. Al, if it gets to that point with Tarryn and you want to own up to who you really are, then do so. Don’t hold back on my account. By then, the festival will be over, and hopefully it’ll be a success, so with luck, no one will hold it against us.”
“It’s easier to just walk away.” Allie picked up her phone and turned the speaker off. “Tarryn could be angry at being deceived. Phyll could be ropeable. The committee would rightly be pissed off they didn’t get who they paid for. It’s not just a warm, breathing body—it’s your experience they hired. Not me, your mouthpiece.”
“They’re getting my experience, just filtered through you.” Sophie’s sigh gusted over the line. “I’d be happiest if you leave there without it ever coming to light. But I don’t want your happiness to be the casualty. I trust you, Al. You do what you have to do.”
“Even if it blows your reputation out the water? I can’t do that to you, Sophie. Especially not for what would be one night, maybe a couple of nights at most.”
“I should never have done this, should I?” Sophie’s quiet admission sent a ripple through her. “No matter how I thought I was saving my business, it was wrong to send you in pretending to be me. I should have been upfront, told Phyll and the others what had happened and that I was sending you in my place.”
Allie was silent. Now, in hindsight, that was exactly what Sophie should have done. But had she, there was every chance she’d have lost the contract, and then, like a row of dominoes, her business would have fallen, and then her house when she couldn’t meet repayments. On top of her major health issues, that would have been the final straw.
