‘Tell me about today,’ Dave said, taking the beer with a ‘Thanks’. He looked at her. ‘I’m just so glad you’re still here. I was frightened that when I came home you wouldn’t be.’
‘And I got scared you wouldn’t come home tonight. Come and sit outside.’ She took his hand and led him to the backyard. ‘What did you do today?’
‘Went into work,’ he answered before taking a long swig on the beer. ‘But I’m more interested in hearing about yours.’
‘I’m going to apply for the job at the community health centre,’ she said, grinning.
Dave let out a breath. ‘God, that’s good news. What made you change your mind?’
‘Kathy,’ she answered simply. ‘I spent most of the day with her.’
Dave regarded her steadily. ‘Kathy changed your mind, what, just like that?’ He snapped his fingers. ‘In one conversation?’
‘Yeah—well, no. It was lots of different conversations, but I realised I was being stupid too. I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to be here with you. Not at all.’ She reached out and grabbed his hand. ‘It’s just taken a little adjusting to. So,’ she straightened up, ‘if I don’t get the job, I have a plan B. I’ll join Meals on Wheels with Kathy, or volunteer to listen to reading at schools. And I’m going to start a sport again. I’ve always liked swimming and that’s a good sport for the middle of the desert, isn’t it?’
Smiling, Dave leaned over and kissed her. ‘The best, I would’ve thought.’
Chapter 10
Dave looked across at Melinda—she was still asleep. His stomach flipped as he looked at his wife, her copper-coloured hair spread out across the pillow. She was beautiful. Sometimes he felt he was punching above his weight when he looked at her, or when he saw other men staring. Which they did. Often. She was a tall, slim woman who carried herself with poise and self-confidence and Dave found that very sexy. Especially when her hair was out of its usual ponytail and she let it hang loose over her shoulders.
Quietly he slid out of bed and pulled the sheet up to her chin before kissing her cheek gently and pushing a stray hair from her face.
In the kitchen he put on the new electric drip coffee maker bought with some of the money they’d received for their wedding. Leaning against the bench in his boxer shorts, he thought back to what Melinda had said last night.
He was sure if she got a job she would be happier. A job would mean meeting new people, potentially making new friends. And there couldn’t be much happiness in staring at four walls every day, he supposed. But there was something different about her—almost like she’d found a new energy. The glow was in her face again, and her grandmother’s jewellery was back in the safe.
Opening the fridge, he saw there was bacon. After rustling around a little, he found the eggs. A few minutes later the bacon was sizzling and the coffee maker had produced its second cup. Taking it to the bedroom, Dave put the cup on the bedside table before sitting on the edge of the bed and kissing Melinda awake.
‘Good morning, sleepyhead,’ he said softly.
Melinda groaned and opened her eyes. ‘Morning. What’s the time?’
‘Just after eight. I’ve got bacon cooking and I’m about to throw on the eggs. I thought I’d take you for a drive. How does that sound?’
‘Where to?’ Melinda sat up and pushed her hair out of her eyes.
‘A little place I’ve been to on an investigation. Oakamanda. Got a cool pub. I reckon you’ll like it. And it’s a really pretty drive out there.’
‘Sounds like fun.’ Melinda reached for her coffee. ‘God, that’s good,’ she said after her first sip.
‘Yeah, God bless all the people who gave us money as a present,’ Dave laughed. ‘Couldn’t have bought it without them.’ He got up. ‘Breakfast won’t be long.’
Melinda reached up and ran her hand down his chest and looked up at him from under her lashes. ‘Got time for you to come back to bed?’
Dave groaned and bent down to kiss her. ‘The bacon will burn,’ he whispered.
‘Let it,’ she sighed against his lips.
Dave cranked up the stereo as they left the town behind, John Williamson blaring.
Melinda reached over and took his hand. ‘This country is stunning,’ she said. ‘Really vivid. The redness of the earth is beautiful.’
‘I know. Even in the Flinders it’s not like this—well, that country is more purple than red, but the colours aren’t as intense.’
‘What are the trees called?’
‘The shiny-trunked ones are gimlet trees. And the ones that only have the bark on the bottom, they’re blackbutts.’
Melinda giggled. ‘Never thought about a tree having a butt,’ she said.
‘Can’t say I had either.’
‘What grabbed your attention about this little pub?’ Melinda asked, turning in her seat to face him. She kept hold of his hand and brought it up to kiss his knuckles. Dave felt a thrill run through him again.
‘There’s loads of history there and it’s got a lovely little beer garden out to the side. But the main reason was Dee, that’s the publican, mentioned she runs what she calls “Contiki tours” around the town. I wanted to take you on one.’
Melinda smiled at him, then dropped her eyes. ‘Thanks for putting up with me when I was being such a cow.’
‘Don’t be silly. I didn’t “put up” with you. And you weren’t a cow. Just a bit stressed and sad.’
He started to slow down just before the town sign and turned the stereo down.
‘Look, there’s a cemetery.’ Melinda pointed to the sign on the left-hand side of the road. ‘Can we have a look there when we come back? I love old cemeteries! I bet there are some stories in there.’
‘I’d reckon.’
Pulling up at the pub, Melinda let out a gasp of awe. ‘Look at the stonework. I wonder if it was
