And then there was the way her body ached in the most delicious places from unresolved sexual tension, and the tiredness that came from late nights making out with Spencer, but, fortunately, those things weren’t on display for her brother and his girlfriend to see.
‘I thought I’d hidden all the scissors, and all the permanent markers.’ Clem gave them an apologetic wince, looking from her brother to the woman she hoped would be her future sister-in-law. ‘Did Indi get the stepladder out? They were all in the cupboards above the fridge.’ She watched Jack loop an arm around Lauren’s shoulders and press a kiss into her fair hair.
‘What happens on babysitting gigs, stays on babysitting gigs And vice versa for the camps, right Harri?’ Jack lowered his voice as they went inside.
Lauren looked sheepish. ‘It’s my fault—I was trying to find something to remove superglue from the kitchen benchtops. I couldn’t reach the solvents above the freezer, and I forgot to put the ladder away after I finished with it. I was thinking about getting a fringe anyway, this has just fast-tracked the decision. And don’t worry, you can barely even notice the glue or the glitter.’
‘Google promised that the permanent marker should fade any day now. Almost definitely before my next shift,’ Jack said with a yawn as they stepped into the lounge room. Sureenough, Indi was curled up asleep on the couch, wearing nothing but a red tutu, a Santa apron and Christmas elf ears.
She looked angelic, and although Clem suspected her daughter had been more naughty than nice, she felt a rush of motherly love as she watched her wild-haired girl snore loudly.
‘Angelic,’ she murmured.
‘With devilish tendencies,’ Jack agreed.
Clem sent them off with her thanks, and another heartfelt apology for the Indi-style ‘makeovers’.
Her phone trilled from the tote bag she’d left sitting on the verandah. Clem held her breath as she answered the call from the principal of the nearby Cockatoo Cove Area School.
‘It’s not good news I’m afraid,’ Calliope Myers said, explaining that the school council had decided not to shortlist Clem for their canteen catering contract.
‘We had so much trouble last year with the tractor scam, our school committee is gun-shy about potential bad publicity.’
‘Sorry, what bad publicity?’ Clem stared at the phone. ‘I’ve just got back from a Grampians camp, Calliope, my brain’s lagging I’m afraid.’ She gave a nervous chuckle. She really should have made a strong coffee and got a full night’s sleep before taking work calls.
‘Oh, school camp. You must be knackered, don’t give this another moment’s thought. We can chat Monday.’
Clem looked at the cafe, then back to the house. She didn’t want to spend the weekend dwelling on why she’d lost a canteen contract.
‘If there’s bad publicity, I need to know about it,’ she said firmly. ‘Give it to me straight.’
‘Your cafe’s collaboration with a reality TV program contestant rang a few alarm bells with our committee. If it were up to me, you would’ve been on the shortlist in a heartbeat.’
‘Are you saying you’re not choosing Sunny Cross Farm Gate Cafe because of my link with South Giddi Giddi honey? That’s ridiculous,’ Clem said.
Before she’d left for camp, Clem had approved Isobel’s social media campaign for the week, which featured photos of Spencer tending the hives, some of his promotional pictures forLove on the Land, and the Brealys’ products featured front and centre in the cafe.
As her sharp babysitter and social media assistant had predicted, leaning into the TV connection had sent the engagement levels on their socials skyrocketing. According to the emails Clem had read on the bus drive home, website enquiries and online sales of the honey had gone through the roof.
‘We’re supporting local producers. There’s nothing wrong with that.’
Calliope rushed to correct her. ‘Sorry, Clem, I’m making a hash of explaining this without breaking the school confidentiality clauses. You’re entitled to whatever collabs and branding strategies you like for your business. I’m just saying that some people, maybe conservative committee members, are worried what might happen if the show ends in disaster. What if we start selling your gorgeous honey muesli bars at the canteen, and then the beekeeper turns out to be a drunk, or a playboy who hooked up with every woman he could during filming, or a misogynistic jerk?’
Even more ridiculous. ‘Didn’t Spencer teach at Cockatoo Cove?’
‘Well before my time, so I only know of him. He was well liked among the teaching fraternity, but I’ve watched my fair share of reality TV. All kinds of skeletons jump out of the closets on those shows. If the program was done and dusted, it’d be a different story. But we can’t wait until the series finishes airing in December to appoint a new caterer, and we can’ttake the risk of another scandal at Cockatoo Cove. You’re a businesswoman and a mum, Clem, I know you’ll understand.’
Clem hung up in a daze.Was the principal right?Was she betting all her chips on Spencer, a man she’d grown attached to even though she didn’t really know him? A man who could very well be about to disgrace himself in front of viewers across Australia?
And if that happened, whether it was scripted or real, she’d look like an idiot for once again opening her heart to someone who couldn’t be trusted. Someone who would leave. Someone who would ghost her, like Adam had done. Give up on life, like her dad had when it got too hard.
Break it off now, before you get hurt.
Clem dragged her heels going back inside. She spotted a red envelope on the kitchen bench. It was a ray of colour against the boring white envelopes holding bills and bank statements, and she opened it without checking the handwriting or the return address. Her mood dipped further when she recognised her mum’s handwriting, and she gripped the kitchen bench until her knuckles turned white.
Slowly, carefully, she opened the rubbish bin and threw in the pious letter.
What better example of what could happen after losing the love of your life. In the thick of her grief, their mum had all but abandoned Clem and Jack. She’d chosen her church over her children with barely a backwards glance, only making contact to remind them there was still time to repent and put their faith squarely in Him. Jack had probably received the same letter, and he must have been in a hell of a hurry to leave without mentioning it.
