Kenzie gave him the tour through his house then took him out the back. Everything that was damaged had been put out the front, ready for a bonfire, but the remaining good furniture and his possessions were stacked under the verandah. Along with a whole heap of things that weren’t his.
‘What’s all this?’ He pointed to new cabinets, new tables, new couches.
‘Well, we figured you could do with some replacements. Don’t worry, it’s all second-hand, but whatever anyone could afford to part with, they brought along.’
Boxes of new plates and glasses were stacked alongside whatever had been rescued from the house.
‘Don’t feel like you have to take everything,’ she said. ‘I mean, that lamp is hideous, but it’s all there in case you need it.’
He had enough to fill his home and then some. She was right about the lamp—a dancing pig?—but if he got the windows and the front door replaced, at the very least he’d be able to come home.
‘Thank you for organising this, Kenzie.’ The words didn’t do enough to convey his gratitude or the slightly sick, slightly painful feeling swirling through his body, mostly around the centre of his chest.
‘Oh, it wasn’t me.’
‘What?’
She bit her lip and wouldn’t look at him. She fidgeted with her hands. ‘Well, Gabriel came to see me soon after Sofia’s funeral.’ Her eyes shimmered with tears, but she sniffed and wiped them away. ‘He said he was worried about you and I kind of let slip where you were sleeping and so, well, I mean to say, he did this. All of it.’
A calm blanketed his heart, shrouding it in a peace that he hadn’t felt in years. His mind lagged about two steps behind. ‘Gabriel?’ He’d been avoiding thinking about Gabriel so much but his heart was already way ahead. It knew what he lacked, what he craved.
She nodded. ‘He went around looking for people who would be willing to help, and he told them that if they hadn’t paid their debts, they were to do it now or he’d … I don’t want to say he threatened them, but you know Gabriel, he can be a bit intimidating. I think it’s those eyes.’
Bruce knew all about those eyes. And they were far from intimidating. They were eyes to fall in love with.
‘He shouldn’t have done that.’
‘He shouldn’t have had to do it.’ Her eyes bulged. ‘But people were having a go. Jeez, if you’d told me that you had that kind of unpaid debt, I would have dealt with them ages ago.’
He chuckled. ‘And you think Gabriel’s the intimidating one?’
‘Oh, shush.’ She nudged him and he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and squeezed her tight. ‘You should go talk to him.’
‘Who?’ He knew but it was easier to avoid confronting what he needed to do.
‘Don’t even.’ She held up her hand. ‘I know you don’t like people interfering or knowing when you’re in trouble.’
‘I never—’
Again with the hand. ‘But I’m your friend and I want you to be happy, so promise me you won’t let Gabriel slip away.’
‘It’s hard to make people stay.’
Even harder when you push them away. Did those lies still matter? Since learning of them, their sting had faded and paled next to the self-inflicted pain of losing Gabriel.
‘He hasn’t left yet,’ she said with a hardness in her eyes, ‘and if this is anything to go by, he might want to stay around a while longer.’
Kenzie was right. Gabriel wouldn’t have done this if he hated him, but after what Bruce had said, the big deal he’d made about being lied to, what was it going to take to keep Gabriel in Brachen for good?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gabriel had managed to avoid the theatre in the week since Sofia had passed away. Too many ghosts stalked its darkened hallways. Memories with his mother; memories with Bruce. Even after organising the community to clear up Bruce’s house and pay him the money they owed, he still hadn’t had any contact with the builder. Not even a thank you. That had always been a possibility—Bruce didn’t like accepting help from anyone—but to have said nothing? It really was over.
Angela showed up at the house on Friday night asking him to come to the theatre and wouldn’t leave without him agreeing. Now she knew his secret she’d become pushier about him going into fashion design. He ignored her entreaties but he owed her for her help with the funeral so he swallowed his aversion and went. It would be the last time he saw Rivervue. With Sofia gone and Bruce uncommunicative, he had little choice but to return to Sydney.
He’d have to find a new job. He’d go into Y Studio on Monday and tell Andrew he was resigning and that the theatre was the reason. He at least owed his boss the truth. Even if the redevelopment didn’t go ahead, he didn’t want the reminders.
Dusk cloaked Brachen, the houses and forest blurring in the dim light as Angela drove them to Rivervue. She said that most costumes were done but there were a few dresses and suits unfinished that she absolutely needed his opinion on.
His stomach soured and clenched. She no more needed his help than Bruce did. But it wasn’t the doubt that made his insides ache—it was his impending arrival at the theatre. Would Bruce be there? Apprehension had his foot pressing down in search of the brakes.
She pulled into the empty car park, and Bruce’s beast was nowhere to be seen.
He fought a sigh. He had his answer. He’d done his good deed but as for bridging the gap that he’d forced between
