The Turnaround Treasure Shop (13 page)

‘I know,' he answered. ‘Want me to tell you? Or can you figure it out?'

Come on brain, function
. ‘I half-imagined—'
Hoped
‘—that you might kiss me at the Easter Ball this year.' Not now. She hadn't expected now.

‘I got deployed early. Couldn't wait that long.' He raised an eyebrow in a teasing manner. ‘I have an apparently undying attraction to you.'

Apparently
? ‘You do?'

‘Yes. And I'd like us to take another road trip.'

He was talking about a relationship. Lily's brain had fried, not died. But how far and how long? And what did the journey involve? Chocolate-icing passion… Staying in bed all day…

She shot up in her seat, pushing a little way out of his embrace. She didn't have time to stay in bed all day.

Nick released her, but stroked a hand up her arm. ‘Unless you tell me you don't want me.' He said it quietly and easily, but Lily felt the depth in his tone.

‘It's hard for me, Nick.' He deserved an explanation.

‘Of course it is. You didn't expect this.'

‘It's been years,' she said, voice a little shaky. ‘A baker's dozen.'

He chuckled. ‘Thirteen years? Since Janie-Louise?'

She nodded, waiting for the reality of what she'd told him to sink in. Waiting for him to pull back because, after all, what man — a Special Forces military man who'd seen the world, commando-style — would settle for woman he might feel he had to instruct?

‘From the way you kiss, I wouldn't have guessed.'

Lily smiled ruefully. ‘It wasn't a very good kiss on my part.'

‘How do you know? I was on the receiving end, and believe me — you kiss exactly as I'd expected and hoped you'd kiss.'

She raised an eyebrow in sceptical amusement but also felt some kind of pride suffocate her concerns. So she wasn't
too
bad!
Go, Lily
. ‘No too bad, huh?' she said on a smile she wanted him to know meant—

‘Want to show me again?'

What a silly question
! ‘Do you
want
me to?' she asked, amazed at the teasing coquette role she was suddenly playing.

‘Hell yes. It's been a whole two minutes. The way you kiss so beautifully is beginning to fade from my memory.'

Lily laughed. He was teasing too, and perhaps coaxing her.

‘My intentions are honourable, if that's what you're wondering about.'

She chewed on her bottom lip for a second before speaking. ‘That time — at the Ball — I'm so sorry.'

He put a finger onto her mouth. ‘Don't.' He leaned closer. ‘Ask me to kiss you again.'

Honourable intentions. A firm embrace. A passionate kiss. ‘I would like to give it a better shot,' she said. ‘From my end, I mean. Yours was pretty spectacular.'

He shook his head as he leaned closer to her, his mouth about to touch hers again. ‘You crazy, beautiful woman,' he said softly. ‘Your kiss sent me leaping over the moon.'

***

Nick pulled up outside Kookaburra's, got out of the ute, locked it and walked into the hotel. He'd come straight from Lily's place. He'd left her, hadn't even got out to walk her to the door — hadn't dared to in case he picked her up and carried her into the house and demanded they make love right then. He'd kissed her some more though. A lot more. He hadn't let his hands wander over her like they'd wanted to either. Hardest thing he'd ever done.

‘Well, hello. You're looking chipper.'

Nick smiled at Charlotte. ‘Wondered if I could have a word with you and Dan. I think you both deal with the Support to Survive program, yes?'

‘Sure. Come on through. Dan's making one of his chilli specialities and won't want to be dragged from the stove.' She led him behind the reception desk and into the warm interior of the kitchen.

‘So what's on your mind?' Dan asked after Charlotte had advised him of the reason for Nick's visit.

‘A couple of things. I'd like to help out, where I can. Figure it's about time I got involved with the town a bit more than I have since I arrived.'

‘We don't push anyone to get involved,' Charlotte told him. ‘But if you've got an idea or two — shoot.'

‘I've arranged to put Wi-Fi into the library. So the kids — anyone, really — can have a quiet place in town to do their homework, or research. Whatever they need.'

‘Yeah, heard about that from Mrs Tam,' Dan said, stirring a vat of chilli, the tangy aroma attacking Nick's senses.

‘I'd also like to see if I can input money for part-payment of the school bus.'

‘Ah, that's good!' Charlotte said. ‘It's on the list again — the previous donor pulled out due to hard times at home, but like I said, we don't push people to participate or part with their hard-earned cash. I'll look into it, Nick.'

‘Okay. Thanks. I should've given myself a kick up the butt to help out months ago.'

‘There's something else,' Charlotte said, watching Nick closely.

Nick nodded. ‘I want to pay the majority of a 12-month lease for the corner shop. For Lily.'

‘Jesus!' Dan stopped stirring his chilli.

‘Wow,' Charlotte said, unfolding her arms and catching hold of the counter she was leaning against, as though to steady herself. ‘Does Lily know?'

‘If at all possible, I'd prefer she didn't know.'

Charlotte sighed. Dan looked at his wife. ‘Can you wangle this?' he asked. ‘Without her knowing?'

‘I don't know. Do you want me to?'

Dan shrugged. ‘I guess we'd have to figure out what to tell her first. Like how this opportunity came about so suddenly.'

‘I believe she could move into the shop almost straight away,' Nick said. ‘If the lease amount is quartered for the first year, she could use whatever savings she already has for shop fittings.'

‘She's got most of it,' Charlotte said. ‘Stored at her place. Stuff she's found or bought.'

‘She got a heap of units and such from a default auction last year. Got it all practically free,' Dan said.

‘So you think it could work for her?'

Neither answered.

‘Are you worried about replacing her with another waitress?' Nick asked.

‘What she calls herself is not what she is,' Charlotte said. ‘She could run this hotel if we needed her to; she's our third hand. We think of her as a manager, and she knows it, which is why I believe she could make a successful business out of the shop on the corner.'

‘Which means you'd lose your waitressing manager if she opened it. Is that why you're reluctant?'

Charlotte shook her head. ‘She'll get that shop eventually and we'll lose her anyway.'

‘So what's holding you back from accepting my offer?'

‘The fact that you don't want her to know. She'll hate that.'

‘Not if she doesn't know about it. You just said yourself, she'll get that shop anyway. This is just a 12-month assistance plan. I'm not talking about the rest of her life.'

Charlotte frowned at him. ‘Be careful, Nick.'

He smiled at her. ‘I've been careful all my life, Charlotte.' But not where adventures of the heart mattered. He'd never been one not to do something out of fear of the consequences unless there was detonator and a dozen civilians involved. He wasn't going to let Lily's reservations, or any flak he got from the children about protecting their mum stop him. She gave too much, and good kids though they were, they didn't realise how much.

‘It's not us, or the town that you're giving your offer to. It's Lily,' Charlotte said in a small voice that told him she was still worried about her friend.

Nick shifted uneasily as a thought filtered through his excitement about getting Lily after wanting her for so long. Surely Lily's kids wouldn't object to their mother having a boyfriend?
That's life
,
that's what happens
. And once they'd got used to Nick hanging around, Nick would ask Lily to marry him. Then they'd all live happily ever after — unless it all got messed up, in which case — that too, was life.

United and Undaunted
. The RAN Clearance Divers' motto suddenly had a different meaning. ‘Actually, guys,' he said at last, ‘I
am
talking about the rest of her life.'

‘Let's have a coffee before you go.'

Lily picked up her handbag from beneath the kitchen counter. ‘Okay,' she said to Charlotte. ‘Why not?' She didn't often stay for a social session at Kookaburra's after she'd finished work. Especially on a Friday when the kids were eager to get the weekend started as soon as they got off the school bus. But this Friday was different. The children were away in Sydney and Lily had… She paused in her thoughts as one struck her hard. She had time on her hands.

Now there was something new.

She smiled, rather pleased with herself. She'd take a look at the corner shop afterwards, just to send up another prayer. Then she'd walk home. Today she'd brought her walking boots, the weather was fine, her spirits high and expectation danced in the air.

‘Thanks for staying the extra hour,' Dan told her. He was holding the kitchen door open for Lily and Charlotte, so Lily presumed he was coming for coffee too. One of the Tillman twins was babysitting Olivia.

How extraordinary, Lily thought. She was engaging with her bosses socially — with time on her hands to enjoy it.

Charlotte had a word with the young waitress who was setting up the restaurant for dinner, asking her to bring three coffees, as Dan led Lily to a corner table. The late afternoon light played in patterns on the window and thankfulness for all she had rippled through Lily.

‘How lovely to spend time with you both like this,' she said as Charlotte joined them.

‘Beats whipping ourselves up in the kitchen, doesn't it?' Dan said. ‘But there again, it's what we asked for. Isn't it, Charlotte?'

‘It is. And I wouldn't change a second of the hurry-up and get-it-done-yesterday moments. Running a business is both hard work and enjoyable.' She looked at Lily as though expecting a response.

‘It is,' Lily agreed. ‘I suppose.'

‘Which brings us to something we want to discuss with you.'

‘Oh?' So it wasn't just a social chat. ‘Something wrong?'

‘No, something right, eh, Charlotte?'

‘You see those teapots you rescued?' Charlotte pointed to a row of 1950s china teapots adorning the top of the wooden cabinet that held all the napkins and cutlery for the restaurant. Lily had collected stray pieces of china over the years and Charlotte had bought these for Kookaburra's. For display.

‘I had someone ask if they could buy them,' Charlotte said. ‘I told them no, but it got me thinking.'

‘We're heading into winter,' Dan said. ‘Tourist time.'

Lily nodded. Money-time is what he meant, with the ski slopes just over an hour away from Swallow's Fall, but Lily didn't know how this affected her or why her bosses were so keen to chat to her about her teapots.

‘So, practically thinking,' Charlotte said. ‘We think it's time your Turnaround Treasure Shop saw the light of day.'

‘There's enough in the coffers of Support to Survive to help with the lease, Lily,' Dan continued.

There was
what
?

‘Three-quarters of the lease for the first 12 months. Could you manage the remaining quarter?'

Could
she? ‘I…' Lily stuttered through her shock but everyone went quiet as the waitress arrived with the coffee. There was a strained silence as the girl lifted cups of coffee off a tray and placed them onto the table. Lily pulled her cup and saucer towards her, her hand shaking.

‘Thanks,' both Dan and Charlotte said. Lily opened her mouth to thank the girl, but nothing came out.

Dan ripped open two packets of brown sugar and tipped the contents into his cup.

Charlotte stirred her coffee, a thoughtful expression on her face, as though evaluating her last question to Lily —
Could
she manage?

‘I'd lived with a faint hope that I could get the money together for the first six months' lease by October or November,' Lily said, her voice sounding ridiculously breathy.

‘Which would be springtime,' Dan said, ‘fewer tourists. Seems a shame to let probable revenue go.'

‘I know, but I don't want to head into anything until I've got the first year's lease payments saved. And…' She spread her hands, ‘…that's a hope that's about two to three years away.'

‘But not anymore,' Dan said. ‘So how about it? Want to open up the shop now?'

Did she
want
to? Was she hearing right? Lily stared at Dan. ‘Is there some reason for you pushing me into doing it?'

‘Only that the timing's right,' Dan said, ‘and the Support coffers are full. So what do you think?'

Lily inhaled, energy and excitement rising inside her. ‘I am ready, in a hopeful, mental way…' She'd been ready for a leisurely walk home with an autumn breeze at her back. Now suddenly… Was she ready for business? Wintertime, money-making business time. Damned right she was. ‘But what is this taking from others?' she asked.

‘See?' Charlotte said to Dan. ‘I told you she'd be reticent.'

‘Nah,' he brushed it off. ‘She's just scared.' He turned to Lily. ‘This isn't doing anything detrimental to others, in fact it's going to help others — fresh business in town. Come on, Lily, you could be up and running in a month.'

‘I could be up and running in a week!' Lily exclaimed. ‘Everything's organised.' She'd spent the last year making her arrangements for this…this extraordinary moment. ‘I'd need a hand moving the heavy counters and cabinets in.' Other than that, she could set up everything herself — once she got the Orange Bullet back on Monday. A whole weekend to sort and plan. My God, she wouldn't be walking home — she'd be running.