Right As Rain (42 page)

“Ours,” Mackenna said.

“Are you tired?” Adam asked as they went back into the dining room. He'd cleared away the rest of the dishes from the table while she'd been tallying the bill and chatting with the last group in the tasting room.

“Exhausted,” she said and flopped onto the couch in front of the fire. “I'm so glad we had the chance to see Patrick and Yas and the baby, but it's made for a tiring weekend. I've got sheep to get in first thing tomorrow and Dad won't be back.”

“Isn't that why you have dogs?” Adam fiddled with the fire, which was already heating just fine.

“Yes, but I would have liked to sleep in.”

“We'll do it together.” Adam turned to her. He had a funny look on his face. “I really need to learn more about this sheep business.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You're looking a little sheepish. Does that help?”

“Maybe.” He stepped towards her then stumbled.

“Adam,” she gasped as he crouched at her feet. She put her hands out to steady him. “Are you alright?”

“Fantastic,” he said and grinned at her.

She eyed him suspiciously. “Have you been drinking the red in the kitchen?”

He shuffled about and rested on one knee.

“What . . .?” Her question died on her lips as he placed a finger against them.

“Mackenna. “Adam looked so serious she was speechless.

He took her hands in his. “You have made my life complete. I can't imagine living without you. Will you marry me?”

Mackenna stared into his gorgeous brown eyes. In them she saw the love he declared and she knew, as she'd known for months, he was the man for her. She bit her lip and hoped with all her heart she wasn't dreaming.

“Yes,” she said.

He flung his arms around her.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she cried and covered his lips with her own.

When they finally came up for air he took her hands again and she laughed.

“What?” he asked.

“Mum's got her wish. A grandchild and a wedding, maybe two if Patrick and Yasmine get their act together.”

“Patrick thought we could have a double wedding.”

“How did he know?”

“I asked your dad's permission when we met at Patrick's flat last night. There wasn't much opportunity to speak to him and Patrick was there.”

“Where was I?”

“Talking with your mum in the kitchen.”

“So she doesn't know?”

“Not yet, unless your dad or Patrick have spilled the beans.”

“They won't.” Mackenna laughed. “Mum will be annoyed at being the last to know.”

Adam kissed her then she sat back and held his face in her hands. Rain pounded on the roof.

“What did Dad say when you asked him?”

Adam grinned. “He said I'd be right as rain.”

Mackenna groaned. “That's Dad's answer to everything.” She looked over Adam's shoulder at the photograph above the fireplace. There was her dad beside her as they drafted the sheep between them. Yasmine had captured an image Mackenna knew she'd always cherish.

Adam climbed up onto the couch next to her. He took her hand in his and slid a solitary diamond ring onto her finger.

“I hope you like it?” he said.

Mackenna held her fingers up so the diamond sparkled in the firelight. “It's beautiful.”

The noise overhead grew louder.

“Right as rain,” Adam murmured in her ear.

“I'll give you right as rain,” she said and pulled his face to hers.

Tricia Stringer grew up on a farm in country South Australia and has spent most of her life in rural communities, which is where she loves to be. She is the mother of three wonderful children and their partners and is lucky enough to be a nanna. Tricia has filled various roles in her local community, owned a post office and bookshop and spent many years in education. She and her husband, Daryl, currently live in the beautiful Copper Coast region where by day she is a teacher and librarian, and by night a writer. Tricia loves to walk on the beach and travel to and across Australia's vast array of communities and landscapes. To date she has written five books for adults and three for children.

In 2013 she won the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Romantic Book of the Year Award.

www.triciastringer.com

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Angela knew something was different the moment she sat down, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She looked to each of the other bridesmaids for a clue. They were seated around a row of small tables that had been pulled together to make a larger one. She was late and they'd barely listened to her apology before turning back to Carmela.

‘Anyway as I was saying, I was so horrified when I saw her outfit, I demanded she change it. I can't have Tony's mother wearing a style even remotely similar to my mother.' Carmela, the bride-to-be, was holding court. Her beautifully manicured fingers were wrapped around a champagne glass which she waved in the air as she spoke.

They sat outdoors at a little cafe in Hardware Lane. The temperature in Melbourne sizzled at thirty-six degrees with only a slight breeze moving along the lane, which was already packed with the first sitting of evening diners.

Sarah, Jazz and Bella hung on Carmela's every word; even Kate appeared mesmerised, which was suspicious in itself. Usually when Carmela held forth, Kate tuned out along with Angela. But tonight she leaned in with the other three, listening as Carmela prattled on about the failings of her soon to be mother-in-law. Angela felt sorry for the woman. Damn it, if she was being honest she felt sorry for Tony as well. On Saturday he'd become Carmela's husband. The poor bloke didn't know what he was getting in to.

Carmela had long ago been described by Angela's father as a fairweather friend. The only reason Angela was included as one of the five bridesmaids was because a cousin couldn't make it back from overseas in time for the wedding and Angela was approximately the right size and shape to wear her dress.

That's why she'd been late. She'd had to dash from work, across peak-hour traffic to the dressmaker to have the final fitting, and then get back into the city for this little get-together.

Up until this last week Angela had not been part of the elite inner circle of the wedding party. She worked in the same building as Sarah and Jazz, who told her bits and pieces, but it was her close friend, Kate, who kept her informed of all the trials and tribulations of Carmela's preparations. It was the frivolous waste and the cost that riled Kate. She'd been married on a beach with a barbecue and dancing. It was a wonderful party and she had no regrets. Carmela's limousines alone were costing as much as Kate's whole wedding.

‘Now that Angela's here,' Carmela glared down the table, ‘we'll go through the list.'

Angela cursed under her breath and made a pretence of searching her bag. She knew the list wasn't there. It was on her desk at work. She'd looked at it to find the phone number for the dressmaker.

‘Don't tell me you've lost it already, Angela.' Carmela's voice rose a notch.

‘No, not lost. It must be on my desk at work. I used it today. Great idea to have everything so organised.' Angela had been a bridesmaid a couple of times before. She didn't remember it ever being as regimented as this. ‘Just great.'

‘Liar,' Kate muttered as she moved her list over so they could both see it.

‘What's going on?' Angela whispered.

‘The wedding plan from hell,' Kate said from behind her glass. She turned quickly back towards Carmela.

That wasn't it
, thought Angela. There was a definite edge in the air tonight. She'd noticed several furtive glances between Sarah and Jazz, Kate wasn't her usual conspiratorial self and Bella kept shredding the paper coaster on the table. Carmela's preening smile had another side to it too – a look that said she knew something Angela didn't.

‘Any chance of a drink before we start?'Angela thought it would be easier to face whatever was going on with a glass of bubbly inside her.

Bella dropped the remains of her coaster and pulled a bottle from the ice bucket. She wiggled it in the air. ‘Empty Whose shout?'

There was silence as they all looked in Angela's direction.

‘I'll get it,' she said and stood up.

Carmela stretched her face into a huge smile. ‘Thanks, but do hurry or we'll never get through the rest of the list.'

Angela drew out her credit card with trepidation. How close was her card to the max?

Kate touched her arm. ‘I'll get it.'

‘No, it's fine.' Angela smiled and stepped inside to the bar. Sometimes she wished she'd never confided in Kate about her overstretched finances. Now that Claudia was in pre-school it was a constant struggle. There were always extra costs. Not that Angela would begrudge her daughter anything, but juggling credit cards had become a way of surviving. And whenever she thought she was making a dent in them, something else would come up, like this wedding.

Angela held her breath as she pushed the card into the EFTPOS machine. She did a quick calculation. There had been a couple of hundred dollars' gap the last time she checked – it should go through fine.

The bar attendant peered at the docket. ‘It's been declined.' She ripped off the slip and looked up at Angela. ‘Would you like me to try again?'

Angela racked her brain for a reason why there wouldn't be enough credit. She hadn't used the card for a few days, perhaps a late payment had gone through or ... the dressmaker.
Damn!
At the final fitting she'd had to pay for the alterations. Christie, the missing cousin, had paid the initial deposit on the dress itself, but Angela had forked out for the rest, and the alterations had cost nearly as much again. Tonight's bill had been over two hundred dollars.

She was trying so hard not to use her second credit card. It was supposed to be for emergencies. She glanced at the girl behind the bar, then through the window at the bridal party. This was definitely an emergency.

‘Let me pay.' Kate's hand reached around her with a fifty-dollar note.

‘No, Kate. It's okay.' Angela pulled out her other card. ‘I just mixed up my cards. Should get rid of that old one.'

‘You can buy the next round then.' Kate was already accepting her change from the bar attendant.

‘I'll pay you back,' Angela said, making a mental note to put some money aside from her already overcommitted next pay.

‘C'mon, the bride-to-be is getting anxious.' Kate put her arm through Angela's and plucked the fresh bottle from the bar. ‘I need some moral support.'

‘Since when?'Angela asked. She stopped, forcing Kate to do the same. ‘What's up, Kate?'

‘What do you mean?'

‘Something's in the air, I can tell.' Angela watched the smile disappear from her friend's face.

‘I told them you'd suss it out.'

Angela's stomach lurched. Something
was
going on.

Kate moved forward as a waiter pushed past them with plates of food. ‘Let's get this damn list sorted, then you and I can catch up.'

'No, Kate. I have to head straight home once we've finished here. Janice is looking after Claudia.'

‘Janice!' Kate's eyebrows shot up. ‘She never has Claudia. Did you corner her?'

‘No, she offered to collect her today'. Angela was still surprised by her stepmother's offer herself. She'd never wanted much to do with Claudia, but lately she was taking more of an interest. ‘Anyway don't try to shake me off. Tell me what's up.'

A group of people had milled around them, trying to get to the bar. Kate looked steadily at Angela then drew her to a space behind a pillar.

‘I was going to tell you later, when we were on our own.'

‘Tell me what?'

‘There's no easy way to say this.'

‘Then just say it.'

Kate's deep brown eyes were pools of sympathy. ‘Nigel's back.'

Angela held her breath. The sounds of the restaurant dimmed as Kate's news sank in. Nigel, the only man she had ever truly loved and the father of her child, was back.

‘Don't get your hopes up, Angela.'

‘I'm not.' She swung away. She didn't want to discuss this with Kate – or anyone else for that matter. The pain of his rejection was back in her chest, demolishing the months of healing.

Nigel had wanted space and she'd given it to him. And now he was back.

‘Let's get this wedding stuff done. I've got to get home.'