Molly began scanning the page.
Nathan grunted. ‘I’m past hungry. Could eat a whole sirloin.’
She laughed. ‘How about tofu and grains?’
His eyes widened. He hadn’t thought she’d tease him? Last week she wouldn’t have. ‘You can’t pull that one. Like I said, I’ve been here before.’
‘Okay, so one whole sirloin, and what?’ The whole steak wasn’t on offer, but he could order two helpings. ‘Chips or hash browns, as well as eggs and bacon?’
‘Stop right there.’ He was smiling directly at her, and it was making her stomach feel like hot chocolate dropped into cream, swirling, warming, tempting. ‘Don’t mention food like that when I’m this hungry.’
‘But you’re smiling.’ When she was starving she couldn’t smile.
‘Don’t trust it.’
Sorry, Nathan, but I do believe you. Gazing at him, and especially at his smile, Molly felt no qualms. No fear of him erupting into a rage because he needed to eat now, not in ten minutes. Again, she felt that rare sense of safety around him. Needing to put mental space between them, she’d join in the conversations going on around her and enjoy the birthday celebration. After she told the hovering waitress she’d like the eggs Benedict, that was.
The room was crowded, with a queue waiting at the counter for take-out coffees and pastries. In their corner her group was out of the way and could talk without yelling. The champagne arrived and glasses were filled.
Nathan stood up. ‘Happy birthday, Vicki. May all your wishes come true.’
Vicki blinked. ‘Thanks. I only have one, and it’s not happening.’ Another blink, and she raised her glass. ‘Cheers, everyone, and thank you for joining me today.’
Molly wanted to hug Vicki and wipe away that sadness. Spontaneous hugs not being her thing any more, the best she could manage was to have fun, and not bring her past into the room. Suddenly she was very glad she’d come. Today she’d started to live, not just exist. It was a tiny step in the right direction, but it was a bigger step than usual. There’d be plenty more. Yes, there would.
Nathan sat down and picked up his glass of water. ‘Anyone want to start singing “Happy Birthday”? Not me, I’d empty the place.’
‘That’d make it a memorable day for Vicki,’ someone joked.
Without a thought, Molly began singing ‘Happy Birthday’. Instead of everyone joining in, they stared at her. She faltered to a stop. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ everyone cried. ‘Carry on.’
Embarrassed, she shook her head and sipped her water. ‘Someone else can have a turn.’
‘Not after that, they can’t,’ Nathan muttered. ‘You sing like an angel.’
For a moment she forgot everything except the memories of singing, especially with Gran, and how happy it had made her. ‘I inherited my grandmother’s singing gene.’ Gran had paid for her lessons until she’d decided she didn’t want music as a career but rather a happy go-to place. ‘She sang for the national opera company.’ She’d also been the only one to question her love for Paul before the wedding.
Not now, Moll. Having fun, okay?
She turned to Nathan. ‘That’s some car you’ve got. I saw you arrive at work last Wednesday when I drove in for a change.’
Again he was watching her intently, but at least there was no tension lurking behind his gaze this time. And he went with her change of subject. ‘Not bad, eh? I only bought it a month ago and haven’t had time to take it for a spin out on the highway. But it has to happen soon, or else I might as well sell it.’
‘That’d be a waste.’ She couldn’t think of anything more exciting than speeding along the road in that amazing car, forgetting everything and enjoying the moment.
Wrong, Moll. Being with Nathan would be more exciting.
Molly spluttered into her coffee.
Nathan held out a serviette. ‘Here, wipe your face.’
Trying to snatch the paper serviette from his fingers only caused her to touch him, and she pulled back. Heat that had nothing to do with stopping the spluttering and everything to do with longing began unfurling deep inside her. It came with a growing awareness of herself as a woman, and of the man beside her. ‘You a dad, by any chance? You have a thing about goo on faces?’
The serviette was scrunched into a ball and dropped back on the table. ‘No kids,’ he muttered and looked away.
Back to upsetting him. She didn’t know what to say for fear of further annoying him. Time to talk to someone else. Leaning forward, she eyeballed Emma across the table. ‘When do you head over to Queenstown?’ The intern was going to New Zealand’s winter festival.
‘Thursday. I can’t wait. Have you been?’
‘Years ago. It’s an amazing event in an extraordinary location.’
Nathan wasn’t going to be ignored. ‘Did you go on the jet boat?’
‘Of course.’
‘You’re obviously into speed.’ When he smiled his whole face lit up in a way she rarely saw.
‘I guess I am. Not that I’ve done anything extreme. Nor will I be. Safe and sensible is me.’
‘Nothing wrong with that.’ Nathan was watching her in a way that suggested he wanted to know more about what made her tick outside work. But he waited, didn’t push.
Which had her opening up a little. ‘I liked my sports, sailing on large yachts, going to rock concerts, things like that.’
‘Liked?’ he asked quietly. ‘Not any more?’
Thump. Reality check. Hurrying to deflect him, she spluttered, ‘Still like, but I don’t seem to find the time any more. Neither do I know anyone in Sydney with a yacht the size I’m used to.’ Actually, she did, but that family was part of the past, so she wasn’t paying them a visit any time soon. In fact, never.
‘I don’t suppose a three-metre Paper Tiger would suffice?’ Nathan wasn’t laughing at her, just keeping the conversation going on a comfortable level, like he was trying to stop her tripping into the black hole that was her past. He couldn’t be. He knew nothing about it. ‘My brother-in-law’s got one.’
A laugh huffed across her lips, surprising her. ‘Me? Actually sail a small yacht? I don’t think so. I’d probably fall off or drop the sail at the wrong moment.’
‘All part of learning to sail.’ He grinned, then told her about his misadventures on his surfboard.
Nearly an hour later people had finished eating, and were beginning to gather their gear together.
