“Oh. Sure.” He took his hands off it and wiped his palms on his thighs. “Six o’clock, then. I’ll just park right here.” He took a step backwards, his smile still in place. He took another step backwards as if he didn’t want to turn away from me, and even when he walked around his ute, he still smiled at me. He really was ridiculously endearing. The fact he was as sweet as he was tall was purely a bonus.
I found myself smiling as I dragged my suitcase to the cottage front door. I was greeted by a small, grey-haired woman with rosy cheeks who introduced herself as Nola. After I confirmed my booking and handed over my credit card, she kept eyeing my bow tie. “We don’t get many folks during the week. Here on business?”
“Yes.” I smiled pleasantly, and she was a friendly woman, but I wasn’t one to blurt all my personal details to a stranger. A handsome, mountain-sized stranger with a delightful smile, maybe. But I got the feeling this lady was partial to gossip.
“Did I see Jack Brighton drop you off?”
Yes, gossiper for sure. “Ah, yes.”
“Such a nice fellow. Moved here about three years ago. Works in the Rangers offices, lives out on Stanning Road. We didn’t give his city-self long to stay before he got bored with it all, but he fit right in from day one. They say it takes twenty years to become a local, but I’d reckon he’s as good as one already.” She looked around the room conspiringly, like someone might overhear her. “They say he’s not inclined to date women, if you know what I mean. Not that that’s any of my business…”
It was clear she made everything her business, and it was also clear by the way she was looking at me, she was suggesting he may be interested in men and in particular, me. I’m surprised she didn’t wink at me.
“No, not that it’s any of your business,” I said with a smile that belied my tone. “If you could show me to my room, I’d be most appreciative.”
“Oh yes.” She didn’t miss a beat. She just prattled on about the goings on of Scottsdale as she showed me to my room. “It’s a private room. You’re the only guest here tonight, and Bill and I are at the other end of the house. You won’t hear a peep from us.”
“Thank you,” I said, opening the door and wheeling my suitcase in. I could see all my personal effects had been delivered, as organised.
“Oh, they arrived yesterday,” Nola said, nodding toward the plastic storage tubs. “We stacked them in here for you, but of course we didn’t look in them. I didn’t want to pry.”
That told me she’d looked inside every one. She was still talking, but I needed some time. “Thank you. I do need to rest. It’s been a long day.”
“Oh, of course. Don’t mind me. I’ve been known to chatter,” she said with a grandmotherly smile. “What time would you like dinner served?”
“Oh, I won’t be requiring dinner this evening. But thank you.”
“Oh.”
She waited for me to explain, which I had no intention of doing.
“Well, then. What time would you like breakfast?”
“Seven, if that’s suitable.”
“Yes, yes. Very suitable.” She sighed dreamily. “I must say, it’s such a pleasant change to have someone your age who speaks properly. Most kids these days―”
“Thank you, Nola. If you’ll excuse me. I need to use the bathroom.”
“Oh!” she said and stepped quickly out of my room. “Gracious. And here I am keeping you.”
As I closed the door behind her, I could still hear her talking as she walked down the hall. I fell back on the bed, which was surprisingly soft and comfortable. I sighed loudly, taking in the blessed silence. I was lying about needing to use the bathroom, but I wasn’t lying when I said it had been quite a day. Not only had I met Professor Tillman and had yet to truly absorb all he’d told me, but I’d also met one Jack Brighton.
And I somehow had a date with him.
Me, Lawson Gale. Nerd and brains extraordinaire. The guy who never gets asked out, who never dates. I wasn’t a eunuch, by any means, but I wasn’t… promiscuous either. I never caught the eye of handsome strangers. Hell, I never caught the eye of any strangers. Yet, despite all odds and reason, he’d seemed quite interested in me.
I wished we’d exchanged phone numbers. I’d call him and advise him not to pick me up for our date. Surely I could walk down to the main street and meet him, away from the prying eyes of Nola Bloom. I’d also be able to ask about what my expected dinner attire should be. I had no idea where he was taking me, if it were back into Launceston for five-star dining or to the park for a picnic.
I really should have asked. And I really shouldn’t have been so brazen as to suggest a surprise.
Regardless, by the time six o’clock came around, I was showered and dressed in what I hoped were appropriate clothes. Jack was pulling up just as I walked out. “Perfect timing,” he said as I climbed into his ute. The first thing I noticed was his smile. The second thing I noticed was the warm spice of aftershave: subtle but stirring.
“I was hoping to avoid Mrs Bloom,” I explained. “I don’t assume to know your personal business in this town, but she sure does. She told me she’d heard you don’t date women. I’m sorry if you thought your private business was private, but it seems Mrs Bloom has made it… not private.”
He stared at me for two long beats of my heart, then he burst out laughing. “Nola Bloom is the town gossip. And I don’t hide the fact I’m gay. I never have. As far as I know, the whole town knows I am and Nola would be very upset to find out she’d been the last to hear it officially.”
“Oh.”
His smile morphed into a frown. “Is that okay with you? That people know? If you’re not comfortable with people thinking we’re on a date…”
“But we are on a date, aren’t we?”
“I’d hoped so, yes.”
“Then I don’t care. If you’re concerned if I’m out, so to speak, then yes. Since I was thirteen. It’s never been anything I’ve had to ‘come out’ about because everyone who meets me assumes…”
He gave me a tentative smile. “Assumes you’re kinda amazing?”
I could feel myself blush. “Ah, no.”
Jack settled back in his seat. “Okay, so this surprise date,” he said. “I had to pull some strings. But I think you’ll like it. At least, I hope you will.”
“Am I dressed appropriately?” I’d chosen navy trousers, and a white shirt with a navy and maroon chequered pattern.
He looked at my bow tie, then back to my eyes. “Perfect.”
He was wearing tan coloured pants and a black, long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. It matched his dark eyes. “You look nice.”
“Thank you.” He cleared his throat and started the ute, taking us down the main street. “I had to request a favour or two, like I said. But I didn’t want to take you to just any old place.” He brought the car to a stop not far from the pub, which I truly hoped he wasn’t taking me to.
Jack hopped out of the ute and waited for me to join him on the footpath. He walked in the direction of the pub, where I could hear music and loud voices inside, and my stomach curled. “Are we going to the pub?”
“No,” he said. “We’re going here.”
He was standing in front of the bakery, next door to the post office, which was next door to the pub. There was only one problem… “Uh, Jack. It’s closed.” The lights were off and the sign across the door very clearly spelled Closed.