looked at the containers Paige held. ‘I don’t think the kids would be the same if you didn’t bring your special meringues.’
‘I know. Their eyes light up whenever I put them on the table. I haven’t the heart to say they’re the cheapest thing I can make in large quantities as they only need egg whites and sugar.’
Anne reached into her handbag and pulled out a plastic tube filled with small, edible silver balls. ‘And one of these on top.’ She slipped the tube into Paige’s shoulder bag. ‘There you go. I saw them on sale and thought you could do with some more as you must be getting low.’
‘Thanks. I am running out but I’ll give you the money for them. How much were they?’
Anne took the top Tupperware out of Paige’s arms. ‘No idea. I’ll check my receipt when I get home.’
Paige examined Anne’s expressionless face. Why did she get the feeling Anne wouldn’t be telling her the amount any time soon.
A burst of laughter caused them both to look across to the table of seated men. Tait was holding court and, going by the volume of his companions’ merriment, he’d well and truly settled in.
‘You father looks well.’
Anne must be feeling the heat, for her pale cheeks appeared flushed with colour.
‘Yes, he does, thanks to Tait’s mutual appreciation of all things four-wheeled. If they’re not debating the merits of the latest supercar, then they’re tinkering in the shed on Dad’s old wrecks.’
The group of men laughed again at something Tait said. Paige swung away. Tait’s fan club may already sport more members than the Balgarry one-teacher school held pupils, but she wasn’t about to become a member.
In the cool of the school house, Paige helped Anne organize the donated gifts into groups according to their labels. Soon they had boxes full of soft, squishy items for younger girls, more boxes of what appeared to be soccer or basketball balls for older boys. Then two morepiles for younger boys and older girls.
‘Bush solidarity is a wonderful thing,’ Paige said as she placed the last brightly wrapped present into the appropriate pile. ‘To think people who live hours away, people we don’t even know, were generous enough to collect these toys and send them up for the local kids.’
Anne nodded from over at the window. ‘Speaking of doing things for the kids, have you seen where Tait is?’
‘No. Where?’
Paige joined her beside the window overlooking the tennis court. Akubra on, Tait had a child’s racquet in his hand, hitting balls over the sagging net towards five children. Only Sean managed to hit the ball back, the other four girls were too busy laughing or pirouetting like ballerinas. Once out of balls, Tait leaped over the net to chase the shrieking kids, before collecting the scattered balls. The children raced to the other side of the net and waited for him to again shoot the balls toward them.
Paige turned away from the window. She ignored the warmth filling her chest. It was nothing to her if Tait appeared to enjoy the company of children. He’d said he wasn’t a man who avoided commitment and wasn’t averse to settling down. It was just that the timing wasn’t right for Bronte and her daughter. Paige picked up the list of Balgarry school students. Chris had fed her the same line. The timing wasn’t right. For smooth-talkers like Chris and Tait, the timing would never be right. Tait admitted he was a workaholic and as for Chris, well, she realised now he’d been fixated on just one thing. Himself.
She jumped as her phone chimed in the pocket of her best jeans. She placed the student list on the closest desk and dragged out the mobile. Tait had sent her a text. She held it out for Anne to see. The older woman read it with a smile.
Call me. About to melt in heat.
Anne laughed. ‘Poor Tait.’
Paige glanced out the window to where the tennis game had been abandoned and Tait now had Sean on his back and a grinning girl attached to each
‘I know. Their eyes light up whenever I put them on the table. I haven’t the heart to say they’re the cheapest thing I can make in large quantities as they only need egg whites and sugar.’
Anne reached into her handbag and pulled out a plastic tube filled with small, edible silver balls. ‘And one of these on top.’ She slipped the tube into Paige’s shoulder bag. ‘There you go. I saw them on sale and thought you could do with some more as you must be getting low.’
‘Thanks. I am running out but I’ll give you the money for them. How much were they?’
Anne took the top Tupperware out of Paige’s arms. ‘No idea. I’ll check my receipt when I get home.’
Paige examined Anne’s expressionless face. Why did she get the feeling Anne wouldn’t be telling her the amount any time soon.
A burst of laughter caused them both to look across to the table of seated men. Tait was holding court and, going by the volume of his companions’ merriment, he’d well and truly settled in.
‘You father looks well.’
Anne must be feeling the heat, for her pale cheeks appeared flushed with colour.
‘Yes, he does, thanks to Tait’s mutual appreciation of all things four-wheeled. If they’re not debating the merits of the latest supercar, then they’re tinkering in the shed on Dad’s old wrecks.’
The group of men laughed again at something Tait said. Paige swung away. Tait’s fan club may already sport more members than the Balgarry one-teacher school held pupils, but she wasn’t about to become a member.
In the cool of the school house, Paige helped Anne organize the donated gifts into groups according to their labels. Soon they had boxes full of soft, squishy items for younger girls, more boxes of what appeared to be soccer or basketball balls for older boys. Then two morepiles for younger boys and older girls.
‘Bush solidarity is a wonderful thing,’ Paige said as she placed the last brightly wrapped present into the appropriate pile. ‘To think people who live hours away, people we don’t even know, were generous enough to collect these toys and send them up for the local kids.’
Anne nodded from over at the window. ‘Speaking of doing things for the kids, have you seen where Tait is?’
‘No. Where?’
Paige joined her beside the window overlooking the tennis court. Akubra on, Tait had a child’s racquet in his hand, hitting balls over the sagging net towards five children. Only Sean managed to hit the ball back, the other four girls were too busy laughing or pirouetting like ballerinas. Once out of balls, Tait leaped over the net to chase the shrieking kids, before collecting the scattered balls. The children raced to the other side of the net and waited for him to again shoot the balls toward them.
Paige turned away from the window. She ignored the warmth filling her chest. It was nothing to her if Tait appeared to enjoy the company of children. He’d said he wasn’t a man who avoided commitment and wasn’t averse to settling down. It was just that the timing wasn’t right for Bronte and her daughter. Paige picked up the list of Balgarry school students. Chris had fed her the same line. The timing wasn’t right. For smooth-talkers like Chris and Tait, the timing would never be right. Tait admitted he was a workaholic and as for Chris, well, she realised now he’d been fixated on just one thing. Himself.
She jumped as her phone chimed in the pocket of her best jeans. She placed the student list on the closest desk and dragged out the mobile. Tait had sent her a text. She held it out for Anne to see. The older woman read it with a smile.
Call me. About to melt in heat.
Anne laughed. ‘Poor Tait.’
Paige glanced out the window to where the tennis game had been abandoned and Tait now had Sean on his back and a grinning girl attached to each
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