She fingered one of the thick and heavy silver links, thinking how they’d worked together in the garden, at park food, and more recently in their information-gathering campaign to expose corruption in the shire. How their friendship had grown to be something she held dear. How she trusted and valued him in a way she hadn’t trusted anyone in years.
‘I think this chain is really more of a connecting bond,’ she said.
‘I like the sound of that.’ His thumb caressed her hand. ‘Will you come to dinner with me at the Grainery tonight?’
‘That’s a bit fancy, isn’t it?’
‘Not for a special occasion.’
‘What’s the special occasion?’
‘Our first of what I hope will be many dates.’
A skitter of trepidation fizzed inside her. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’
‘Why not? You just said we have a bond.’
‘We do. As friends.’ She twisted her fingers. ‘Bob, I haven’t been on a date in over twenty years. I haven’t had sex in almost as long.’
‘Are you saying it’s not so much the date you’re worried about, but having sex?’
Relief filled her at his understanding. ‘Yes!’
‘Well, that’s a good sign.’
‘How?’
‘It means you’ve been thinking about sex. And I’m hoping that means you’ve been thinking about it with me.’
‘I’m not going to answer that on the grounds it might incriminate me.’
He laughed then and leaned in and kissed her. His lips were gentle and warm against hers, his morning stubble lightly grazing her skin. It was as natural as breathing to raise her hand and slide it along his cheek. Then she was opening her mouth under his and welcoming the kiss. Gifting him one in return.
Someone cleared their throat behind them. When they ignored it, Lachlan said, ‘Are you two sure you want me to cut the locks?’
‘Oh, my God!’ Jade said. ‘You realise we can’t ever unsee that!’
Helen laughed, high on the rush of the kiss and the fact she’d done it without second-guessing herself. Hell, she hadn’t thought full stop.
‘Get used to it, Jade,’ Bob said, winking at Helen. ‘It’s going to be happening a lot.’
Helen’s laugh drifted into the office from the kitchen and Jade sighed. She wanted to be happy for Helen and Bob, she really did. But since their full-on kiss on the cottage’s veranda, she didn’t recognise either of them. And that wasn’t limited to seeing Helen walking out the door on Bob’s arm last night wearing a little black dress and a strand of pearls instead of a flannel shirt and work boots. This morning Helen had giggled. Helen never giggled—she was far too pragmatic and sensible. But worse than the giggling was the unwanted thought it might mean Helen and Bob had done more than just kiss.
Jade didn’t know what unsettled her more—the idea of them having sex or the fact it might change everything. She knew she couldn’t stay living at Bob’s forever, but she’d assumed that when she left, Helen would leave with her. The worry of not knowing gnawed at her, taking the gloss off the two amazing things that had happened to her since the protest.
A journalist from The Age had contacted her after reading her Medium contributions and interviewed her as part of a bigger article about community gardens for the weekend supplement.
Even better than that, Constable Fiora had told her they’d found Corey in outback western Queensland shooting feral pigs. ‘The station manager’s confirmed his arrival there was four days after your birthday. We’re confident Keegan McDonald and Corey Noonan had nothing to do with the drive-by.’
Jade had thought of all the texts she’d sent Corey and all the unanswered calls. Thought about her father who’d done exactly the same thing to her for most of her life.
‘Did he mention why he didn’t bother to tell me he’d gone north?’
The constable had grimaced. ‘Sorry, Jade. According to the manager, Noonan and the cook have got a bit of a thing going on.’
A rush of emotion hit her and she hadn’t known if she was laughing or crying. ‘Don’t be sorry. Let’s hope he stays there.’
Now, she returned her attention to the computer, toggling between the TAFE website and La Trobe University’s. Floristry was simple, but the number of courses available in the humanities section of the university was overwhelming. It was hard enough trying to imagine studying, let alone picturing herself in a job.
‘Knock knock. Can I come in?’
Lachlan stood at the door holding a road rules booklet. She hadn’t seen him since the protest, but according to Helen he’d popped in when Jade and Bob were in Shepparton with the careers counsellor. He’d stayed for a cup of tea and played with Milo.
‘Sure.’ She spun the office chair to face the couch where he sat rubbing his palms up and down his chinos.
‘How are things?’ they said in unison, then both laughed nervously.
‘It’s nice to see Uncle Bob and Helen so happy,’ he said.
‘It’s weird. They keep laughing and finding reasons to touch each other.’
‘You mean like we used to?’
She squirmed. ‘I didn’t think old people got the hots for each other. Clearly I got that wrong.’
He laughed. ‘I was thinking maybe we could cramp their style and get them to mind Milo while we go for a walk before dinner.’
‘I thought we agreed I was too hard to date.’
‘We didn’t agree. You told me.’
‘You didn’t disagree.’
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bouncing. ‘It was more like I took it on advisement. But now I’ve thought about it, I disagree.’
‘Even though Corey might turn up one day out of the blue and want to see Milo?’
‘I’ll be honest—I’m not thrilled by the thought. But that’s more to do with me not wanting you and Milo to be hurt. I just want you to be happy.’
No one had ever wanted that for her before. She checked his face carefully, looking for signs that belied
