Page 38 of A Home Among the Snow Gums
‘I know. I behaved like a total dickhead.’
‘It’s a pity I was on the far side of the arena; maybe I could have done something, like, I don’t know, tackle you to the ground.’
‘Yeah,’ Hannah said heavily.
‘Come on, don’t start with the sad voice.’
‘I’m not sad, I promise.’
‘You’re a lousy liar, Cody.’
The pause blew out into a silence broken by little tinny taps and scrapes. ‘Wait, are you eating while I’m having an existential crisis?’
‘Maybe,’ said Kylie thickly. ‘Why don’t you come join me? I’m at the café and tonight’s special is awesome, with this mushroomy stuff on the side, and baby asparagus that squeak when you bite them. They’re so delish.’
Tempting. But there’d be people there and by now the town would all know about her idiocy. She’d probably gone freaking viral again and this time she only had herself to blame. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘You’ve got to face the music some time. It may as well be now, with your bestie by your side.’
‘I hate it when you’re right.’
‘I know you do.’
Hannah flicked a glance at her watch. Quarter to six. But what if those pernicious crafters were there setting up? Marigold could be difficult to evade.
But wait, craft night was on Wednesdays. Perhaps shecouldgo.
Some tourists were in the café, so was the manager of the gift shop near the vet clinic, and one of the town councillors whose name she’d forgotten, but no sign of Vera … okay. She could do this.
Kylie was tucked into a booth by the door and gave Hannah a wave.
‘Take a seat. I’ve ordered for you.’
Graeme was refilling water at a nearby table but he looked over and blew her a kiss, which was sweet. Then he dropped a wink at Kylie, which had Hannah’s radar pinging. Were those two in cahoots over something?
Her friend waited until she had a plate of food in front of her then said, ‘You want to talk about it?’
‘What I’d like to do is curl up under my doona until everyone has forgotten I exist.’
‘Uh-huh. What’s your Plan B?’
‘I’ve apologised to the guy and paid for him to get a new lens. Apparently it was scratched and cracked when it hit the ground. I’ve been given a warning by Meg King. You know her?’
‘The new sergeant? Sure. She and I have bonded over a shared love of a V8 engine.’
‘That’s so cute.’
‘Hold up, you don’t get to be a smartarse when you’re in disgrace.’
Hannah sighed and a teensy-weensy tear plopped down her cheek before she could scare it into submission. ‘True. Sorry. Being snarky seems to be my only emotional response these days.’
Kylie gave her hand a squeeze. ‘It’s not, Hannah, you’re just holding the other ones in so tight you’re going to bust. Maybe that’s what happened at Dalgety—your feelings just got the better of you. Besides, losing the plot one time is not going to define you. Everybody who knows you will understand how sorry you are.’
‘And embarrassed.’
‘Yeah. I get it. But it’s the choices you make going forward that matter.’
She sniffed. ‘Did you get that from some bumper sticker?’
