Page 29 of The Question of Us
Todd.I committed the name to memory.
The couple wandered toward the picnic tables and Todd leaned over the bar and high-fived the kid. “Wassup, my man? You gonna be shredding the slopes this winter?”
The kid blushed to his roots. “I dunno. I was kind of crap last year.”
Todd lowered his voice. “Everyone screws up when they first learn. I did too. Tell you what. If you want some tips, come see me. But ask your parents first, okay?”
The kid’s expression brightened. “Thanks, Toddy.” And he was gone.
I raised a brow at Todd. “Toddy?”
“Everyone calls me that.” He grinned and opened his hands wide. “As in hot toddy. What can I say?” Aimed once more at Nick, not me.
Nick barked out a laugh. “I bet they just eat you up in the clubs.”
Todd waggled his brows. “Back in the day, sure. But I’m old and spoken for now.” He left it at that. “So, what brings you gents to town?”
Nick shot me a look, then answered, “It’s our anniversary.”
I blinked. First I’d heard about it.
“Yeah?” Surfer dude handed Nick his schooner and looked between us. “You two a couple then?”
I sipped on my beer, readying myself for whatever homophobic slur or disapproving look might be headed our way.
But Nick didn’t miss a beat. “Yep. Ten years now.”
Todd nodded, seemingly impressed. “Cool. Cool. My boyfriend and I have only been together ten months, so that’s relationship goals right there.”
I suddenly felt every one of my fifty-five years and realised I’d been an idiot. “You both local?”
Todd shook his head. “Just me. Hank and I met when I came home for the ski season last year. He was working the lifts on Threadbo. His family come from some shitty dirt bowl town in the middle of nowhere that he loves for some godforsaken reason, whereas I have...hada flat with five other guys up Byron Bay way. Summer on the ocean. Winter on the slopes. It was a sweet life.”
“Was?” I pressed.
Todd shrugged. “I met Hank and we clicked.” He looked from Nick to me. “You know how it is. Anyway, we tried the distance thing for a bit, but we both hated it, so here we are, giving things a go full-time. I work the bar while he’s learning the ropes of the brewery out back. If things work out between us, maybe we’ll open our own brewery. But by the beach this time.” He shot us a wink, and I was suddenly very sure that this confident young man would succeed at whatever he chose to do in life.
I was also curious. “So why did you choose to try things together here and not Byron Bay?”
Todd threw the bar towel over his shoulder and leaned on the hewn wood countertop. “It’s hardly fair if only one of you makes all the sacrifices, right? He’s given up his beloved outback, so I gave up the ocean and we met in the middle.”
I tipped my beer at him. “Relationship goals, right there.”
He laughed and moved along to serve a couple who’d just arrived.
I elbowed Nick and leaned in. “I wish I’d been that smart at his age.”
Nick chuckled and kissed my head. “Me too.”
A few minutes later, Todd was back. “Can I get you another?” He indicated Nick’s half-empty glass and Nick nodded.
“We saw a few horse studs on the drive in,” I said, keeping my voice casual. “Didn’t know that was a thing up here. Thought you lot were all ski fields, vineyards, über-cool cafes.”
Todd put a fresh glass of beer next to Nick’s almost finished one. “We are, mostly. At least that’s what brings the tourists to town. But two of the studs were actually around long before all the tourism came to town, and the other was established about ten years ago when the Johnsons grew too old to manage their beef farm and none of their kids wanted to carry it on.” He shrugged. “Story of this town’s life in lots of ways. Half the houses are holiday homes now. Times change, right? Anyway, the farm was bought by this dude who’s a big name in horse racing. We’ve even had a couple of Melbourne Cup winners bred here.” Todd was almost preening like he’d had a personal hand in training them.
Nick’s knee settled against mine and the warmth travelled up my leg. “Which studs?” Nick asked, knowing full well that Marty Klein’s was one of them.
“There was Trollop from Mayfair Farms and April Rain from M. K. Stud. That’s them there.” Todd indicated two oversized framed photos hanging on the wall next to the bar.
