Page 42 of Forever Summer

I smiled, lifting my chin up in triumph. “Then based on all you have told me, and that fight you had,” I shook my head, “that ain’t enough to jeopardise either her or your happiness. You love her, and I know she loves you.”

Ringer was looking at me, intense in his scepticism. “You think?”

“Absolutely. Now forget dicking around on the dance floor and go and ring your woman.” I shoved him playfully in the chest.

Ringer smiled. “But I like dicking around on the dance floor.”

“GO!” I said, pointing.

Ringer pushed off the railing, straightening the thin black tie over his white shirt, suited up in a rare occasion, looking very dapper indeed. When he smiled that wolfish smile of his, I thought Miranda insane if she didn’t want a man like this; despite all his caveman-like tendencies Ringer was nothing but loyal and even tender when the mood took him, like now as he stepped closer to me, to kiss me on my cheek.

“You’re one in a million, Ellie Parker,” he whispered in my ear before breaking away and walking backwards with a huge smile. “Which means there’s only four more left in New South Wales.” He winked, before spinning around and retrieving his mobile from his pocket.

I couldn’t help but feel completely validated as a human being that I had managed to use my powers of friendship for good and not evil. I could do it and I would continue to do it; I was certain that the buzz I felt in that very moment was enough to carry me through for the rest of my days. Until of course I turned around and locked eyes with Adam. He was watching on from across the deck, his expression grim, his eyes ablaze as they flicked from me to where Ringer had disappeared.

Oh God, what must we have looked like?

Adam slowly weaved his way toward me, beer in hand, serious intent as he came to stand by my side. He looked out over the water, taking a deep swig of draught before breaking the tension by speaking.

“I’m not taking the boat back tonight,” he said.

“Oh, okay.”

“Yeah, I am a bit boozed,” he said, studying the label of his beer. “The buses are going to do a couple of trips back into town so everyone can get a lift back that way.”

“Right,” I said, trying not to sound too disappointed by the change of plans.

Our exchange was so wooden, so painful. What had happened to us? I would have given anything for Adam to take my hand and drag me onto the dance floor, but the way he was looking at me, I knew that was not going to happen. There was something much deeper going on, something I knew nothing about, and there was an underlying anger in me that wanted to scream at him, ask him what his problem was, what he was keeping from me. But I knew better. Now was not the moment, this was Tess’s night, this was not about us. As close as he had come to telling me, I’m glad he didn’t, now I had to be that friend to Tess. As much as I wanted to press him further I knew I had to do the only thing I could do, no matter how hard it was. I walked away.

Nineteen

Ha! Fancy that. I didn’t wipe myself out.

Instead, I mingled, and laughed and canoodled and was a responsible, mature adult. Well, almost. Every time I came into proximity of Megsy Swanston I did a complete about-face and hightailed it in the opposite direction. Avoiding her at all costs, I dived for the nearest available door, thanking the gods that it was open as I quickly ushered myself inside, closing it ajar behind me.

I hovered near the door, pressing my eye to the tiniest crack, spying, waiting for the coast to be clear.

“Who are we hiding from?” The unexpected deep voice made me jump, slamming my back against the door, shutting it with a loud thud.

It was only when I took in the full weight of Sean’s stare behind his desk that I even realised I was in Sean’s office.

“Jesus, Sean, don’t do that!”

Sean chuckled. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you while you were loitering in my office.”

“Sorry, I was just, um, looking for, um ...” I stumbled for an explanation.

“Meh, mi casa es su casa, or whatever the saying is: sit, wait it out until whoever you’re avoiding is … wait, who are you avoiding again?”

I sighed, not needing to be asked twice as I threw myself in the lush leather chair opposite Sean, tucking my legs up to my chest.

“Megsy Swanston,” I confessed.

“Ah, yes, big nasty Megsy.” Sean smiled to himself as he wrote inside what looked like a card.

“Looks can be deceiving,” I deadpanned.

Sean paused mid-scrawl as if he was thinking deeply of what to write next before continuing.

---