‘Don’t stress,’ she said, giving Isobel a warm smile. ‘You’ll know for next time. Though I’m not sure I’ll need you for Thursday school pick-ups going forward. This is the third Thursday in a row it’s been slow.’
Isobel’s shoulders fell. ‘I’ll have to find another part-time job if I’m going to afford uni next year.’
‘We’ll sort something out,’ Clem promised her. ‘How are you with social media? I’d love to outsource that.’
‘Seriously? I’ll totally slay.’
‘I was thinking of putting some content together, you’d better taste test our latest concoction first. I’m planning on adding these to the winter specials menu.’
All three gave a delighted whoop of joy when they spotted the fairy floss-topped donuts Clem and Kev had created that afternoon.
‘Is this your famous white chocolate custard?’ Isobel sighed blissfully as she bit into the puffy pink donut, catching the pale filling with one hand as it oozed out the side.
‘Sure is. What do you think?’
‘Even better than the baklava donuts, and that’s saying something,’ Isobel said. ‘We should definitely put them on the cafe’s socials. Have a fresh batch ready for me Sunday morning, and I’ll go into content creator mode, show you what I can do for Sunny Cross Cafe. If this doesn’t encourage the sweet tooths to venture a kilometre out of town, I don’t know what will!’
Clem eased out the breath she’d been holding.I sure hope so.
Friday afternoon dragged on, and Spencer couldn’t believe his bad fortune when the junior school parent–teacher interviews ran late, throwing the senior school schedule out of whack.
After a few sessions, it became clear that many of the parents were there to hear about his exploits, not those of their teenagers. No matter how many times Spencer steered the conversation back to his students’ slipping grades or impressive achievements, the parents frittered away their interview slot discussingLove on the Land.
In a town as small as Penwarra, he should have known the news would spread like a bushfire. By the time the interviews were finally finished, Spencer was ready for a long, hot shower and the undemanding company of Dolly.
The fresh air of the car park was a welcome relief after the stuffy auditorium, and the sky was ripe with golden-edged clouds that heralded another stunning sunset.
Spencer was almost at his car when he heard someone disparagingLove on the Land.
Keep your head down, keep walking,he told himself.With a bit of luck they might not even notice you.He was grateful for the large four-wheel drive that provided a convenient barrier between him and them.
‘Absolutely, I can’t stand those programs,’ a second voice replied. Spencer couldn’t see who was talking, but it was clear they hadn’t noticed him, or perhaps they were one of the few people in town who didn’t realise he was soon to appear on the show. ‘I’ve got no idea why anyone would sign up to be humiliated on national TV. So many divas and ego-mad idiots go on reality shows to promote themselves. Can you imagine?’
Spencer grimaced. But when he unlocked his ute, the lights illuminating the dim car park.
A young voice rang out from a dusty blue Jeep.
‘There’s Mr Hawkins! Look, Indi! Mr H, over here!’
Two women swivelled in his direction, and Spencer’s embarrassment was swiftly replaced by a sucker punch to the guts.
Dark hair, olive skin, medium build. The case of mistaken identity only ever lasted a second before his brain caught up, but the jolt was gruelling every time.
What were the chances of running into Clem two nights in the same week? She looked every bit as embarrassed as he felt, he thought, acknowledging the ladies and Clem’s daughters with a nod. The other parent headed for the school gymnasium at a brisk clip, calling a farewell over her shoulder.
The two girls waved enthusiastically from the Jeep’s back seat, beckoning him over.
A quick hello,he promised himself,then I’ll be on my way.
Spencer peered into the back seat.
‘Hey, Harriet, how’s things?’
Harriet had attended the workshop his senior drama students had put on for the junior school earlier that term. While many of the kids had fidgeted throughout the session, she’d sat attentively in the front row, soaking up the techniques like a sponge.
‘My babysitter Isobel said you’re going to be on TV. She let us watch an episode from last season. Will you get famous too?’
‘Really, really famous?’ Indi leaned out the window. ‘Like Bluey and Bingo? Will you have your own TV show?’
