Page 86 of Summer, in Between
‘Let’s go,’ I say, and we run the rest of the way, the bottles banging against our legs.Paul’s at the top of the driveway, crouched over some timber.He looks up when Matty calls out to him, his grin dropping.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘This dickhead kept calling Cat “firecracker” and “cutie” and was trying to pick her up and he was going to bite her and then Sadie told them to nick off but they followed us nearly all the way home and then he shoved me and we dropped the bags and then he did two burnouts and we got hit by gravel and then Cat was crying it was so scary and then...’
Paul’s eyes widen.‘Someone pushed you?Bit you?Who?’
‘Slow down, Matty,’ Dad comes out of the garage, wiping his hands on his pants.‘What happened, Cat?’
‘We were at Sadie’s getting drinks and we ran into that tool, Steve.’I wrap my arms around Paul’s waist and he pulls me into the firmness of his body.Sawdust covers my arms.‘He had this guy with him, his cousin I think, who wouldn’t leave us alone.I’ve never seen him before, so I don’t think he’s local, just a feral with missing teeth.We’re okay, but it was scary, and then when he pushed Matty?I didn’t know what to do so I just yelled at Steve to back off and then they left.’
‘Who’s this Steve?’Dad says to Paul.‘Tradie?’
‘No, just a local deadshit from town,’ I say.
‘That fucking little shit,’ Paul mutters.
‘Leave it, Paul.’Dad shakes his head.‘They had their fun; they’ll be long gone.I mean it, mate.Don’t do anything that’ll come back to bite you on the arse.’
‘It’s all good.’Squeezing me against him, Paul kisses my forehead then steps away.He unclips his toolbelt and lays it across the timber.‘It’s time I took off though, I’ve just got a few things to do before your family gets here.’
I put my hand on his arm.‘Please don’t do anything; they’re just dipshits showing off how tough they are.And you should have seen Steve’s face when I told him to back off.He’ll be freaking out about you.We’re fine now, aren’t we, Matty?’
Matty nods and crosses his arms.
‘Don’t stress, Cat.’Paul kisses my cheek.‘I’ll go home, have a shower and I’ll be back in time for lunch with your family, okay?’
‘You promise?’I wrap my arms around his waist, spinning him so he’s on the lower slant of the driveway.We’re almost, not quite, eye to eye.‘I need you back here, I told you, I can’t deal with the second cousins without you.’
‘I’ve got you, babe,’ he says.‘I promise.’
37
‘AND this is Paulo,Catarina’sragazzo.’Nonna pats the vacant seat between us.‘Paul, you come sit here with me.’He grins, nodding at my extended family, kisses Nonna on both cheeks, Italian-style, then sits beside us, his eyes bulging.
‘You’re thinking there’s not enough food, aren’t you?’I say and he cracks up laughing.
