Three’s a Crowd (45 page)

‘No way!' Hannah jumped in. ‘It'll be two against one if you come with us to pick the DVD. Dad's totally hopeless.'

He pulled a face. ‘And there I thought I was Mr Wonderful.'

Hannah snorted. ‘Yeah, right. That lady was nuts.'

‘Oh, don't mind her,' said Rachel. ‘She says that to all the good-looking guys.'

Hannah screwed up her face. ‘Dad's not good-looking.'

‘Thanks, Han.'

‘Oh, Daddy dear,' she patted his leg. ‘You know I love you. But let's face it, you're no Zac Efron.'

Rachel laughed.

‘I don't even know who he is,' said Tom. ‘Should I be offended?'

Rachel shook her head. ‘No, he's about eighteen, and let's face it,' she winked at Hannah, ‘there's no one like Zac Efron.'

‘Tell me about it,' Hannah sighed.

‘So what do you say, Rachel?' Tom asked. ‘Will you join us tonight?'

‘Okay,' she said. ‘I'd love to.'

‘Yay,' said Hannah, giving her a hug.

Tom looked across at her, smiling broadly. And Rachel smiled back, because he looked so happy.

‘Okay, are you finished with that, Han?' he said to her. ‘I'll take these to the bin.'

He collected their containers and sauntered over to a bin nearby. Hannah turned to Rachel with an urgent expression on her face.

‘Do you like my dad?' she asked quickly, her voice hushed.

‘Of course,' Rachel said uncertainly.

‘No, you know,
like
him. 'Cause I think he
likes
you, and I'd hate him to get his heart all broken, after Mum and everything, so if you think he's gross or something, then let me know and I'll put him off.'

Rachel wanted to hug her. ‘I don't think he's gross, Han. Not at all. Actually, I think he's pretty wonderful.'

Hannah's whole face broke into a smile.

Rachel sat there, her heart racing, as Tom walked back towards
them, feeling for the first time like this could actually work. And she was going to be part of a family.

‘What are you two grinning about?' he asked.

‘Me and Rachel were just talking about which DVD we're gunna get and we're totally agreed on
He's Just Not That Into You
.'

Tom nodded, frowning. ‘Is there a movie title in there somewhere?'

Lexie heard Scott coming down the stairs. He'd been in bed all day, and she was just finishing Riley's bedtime story. She had put Mia to bed a little earlier, trying to keep things as quiet as possible upstairs. Scott hadn't been feeling well since Saturday night, but she hadn't been able to talk him into not going to work yesterday. Josh had had the good sense to send him home early, and he'd looked dreadful when he walked in the door. His face was drawn and pale, his eyes sunken, and he was shivering. He said Josh had overreacted, but Lexie told him he was being ridiculous. She only hoped that he hadn't spread it to the customers. Lexie had packed him off to bed right away, but he was worse this morning. The café was closed Mondays, so she didn't have to argue with him to stay at home, but he couldn't have gone to work. He was aching all over, and he'd kept up a high temperature all day. It was all Lexie could do to get him to take Panadol at regular intervals, but at least he'd stayed in bed.

‘Daddy!' Riley exclaimed as Scott slumped into the room. He went to jump off her lap, but Lexie held him back.

‘No, Riley,' she said firmly. ‘Daddy's not well.'

‘It's okay,' Scott said as he lurched at the sofa, falling into it.

But Lexie held onto Riley. ‘No, sweetheart, Daddy's really sick, you can't go near him or else you might get sick too.' She shifted him in her lap to face her. ‘And if you get sick, you'll have to miss school tomorrow, and then you know what you'll miss?'

He looked at her wide-eyed. ‘The petting zoo?'

Lexie nodded. ‘That's tomorrow, sweetheart, you know how much you've been looking forward to it.'

‘But I could still go.'

‘But then you might make the animals sick as well,' Lexie pointed out.

He sighed, looking plaintively over at his dad.

‘Mummy's right, mate,' Scott croaked. ‘Blow me a kiss and I'll blow you one back.'

Riley looked dubious. ‘But I might catch it from you, Daddy. You better not.'

Scott gave him a weak smile. ‘Will you still blow me a kiss anyway?' he asked. ‘It might make me feel better.'

Riley nodded emphatically before blowing him a highly staged kiss.

‘Okay,' said Lexie, ‘I'll just get him off to bed. Do you need anything? I made you some soup.'

He waved her off. ‘I can get it.'

‘No,' she said. ‘Just sit there, I'll be back in ten minutes.' She scooped Riley off her lap and stood up. ‘Don't move,' she ordered Scott.

And he hadn't, when she returned. Though he had turned the television on to some kind of dance show.

‘What on earth are you watching?' she asked as she came over to the sofa.

‘I have no idea,' he said. ‘But it's making my head spin.'

‘I don't think you can blame that on the TV.' She leaned over him and held her hand to his forehead, but he brushed it away.

‘I'm fine, feeling a lot better,' he said, then broke into a fit of coughing.

Lexie's stomach lurched, watching him. She sat down on the coffee table opposite him, passing him a box of tissues. The coughing fit eased, and he slumped back against the sofa, catching his breath.

‘Okay,' she said. ‘I've called your mother –'

‘Why did you do that?' he frowned.

‘Because she's the only one who can stop you from leaving the house tomorrow.'

‘Lexie,' he said, ‘I'll be fine by tomorrow.'

‘No you won't.'

‘The café can't run itself.'

‘No, Josh and I will handle it.'

He sat up then. ‘No way.'

‘Way,' said Lexie. ‘What else are we going to do?'

‘I'll go to work as usual.'

Some hideous rap song was playing in the background, distracting her. ‘What the hell is that?' Lexie snapped, grabbing the remote and pressing the mute button. She turned back to Scott. ‘It's all arranged. Your mother will be here at seven, and I've called a friend to pick up Riley for school –'

‘This is crazy, Lex, you can't run the café.'

‘Oh, and you can, the state you're in?'

‘One more night's sleep and I'll be good to go,' he said, and then he broke into another coughing fit.

Lexie sat there, trying to be calm, letting him ride it out, telling herself he didn't have an undiagnosed heart complaint, he just had the flu. But she couldn't deny feeling anxious, she'd even double-checked the family history with his mother. Lexie knew that Jenny realised what she was worried about, but she didn't make her feel stupid for asking.

‘Okay,' said Lexie when he'd recovered. ‘Would you like some soup?'

‘Lex, I know what this is about,' said Scott. ‘You're overreacting because of what happened to Annie.'

She shook her head. ‘I'm not going to deny this is bringing up some uncomfortable feelings,' she said. ‘But I don't think you're going to die, Scott. However, you are sick and you need at least a couple of days off.'

‘Not going to happen, Lex,' he said. ‘Josh can't run the place on his own.'

‘He won't have to, he'll have me.'

Scott gave her a doubtful look. ‘You're a good cook, Lexie, but you're not a chef.'

‘No, but Josh is, and I can cook, and I can follow orders,' she said. ‘Unlike you.' She stood up. ‘Your mother will be here at seven, you can argue your case with her. I'm going to get you
some soup.' She reached down and grabbed the remote again, tossing it onto his lap. ‘There, watch your stupid show.'

‘Thank God for netball training,' Tom murmured, nuzzling into Rachel's neck.

The netball season had started last week, affording them a midweek tryst, which was just as well because they hadn't had much other time together, apart from last Saturday night with Hannah, which, Rachel had been happy to admit, had turned out beautifully. Now that she had her little matchmaking plan in place, Hannah had quit the incessant talking about her mother, and Rachel felt much more at ease with her. Being in the house itself was another matter, but she did feel more relaxed this time. Especially as they just ordered in pizzas and ate them at the coffee table while they watched the movie. Rachel didn't step foot in the kitchen the entire night.

‘Three more big sleeps till Saturday,' said Tom after a while as he rolled over onto his back, drawing Rachel with him. ‘Thank Christ, I don't think I can do this for much longer.'

She propped her chin on his chest, looking up at him. ‘You don't think one night is going to change everything, do you, Tom?'

‘No, but we'll be on our way.' He shifted so he could face her fully. ‘Are we together on this?'

‘Mm.'

‘So, on Saturday night at the barbecue, in front of everyone, I'm going to be very attentive . . .'

‘Not too attentive.'

‘I'll top up your drinks, laugh at your jokes, even though that in particular will be a bit of a stretch.'

She nudged him.

‘And I'll be a little affectionate –'

‘Not too affectionate,' she warned.

‘No, just in a friendly way. And I'll offer to drive you home.'

Rachel was pensive.

‘What's wrong?'

‘Nothing, I'm just nervous, I guess.'

He held her close and kissed her. ‘Look, it's going to be fine. If everyone has the same attitude as Hannah, we'll be home free.' He paused. ‘And in the end, nobody else matters anyway if the girls are okay with it.'

‘Yeah, well, don't count your chickens, we haven't got Sophie onside yet.'

Tom shook his head. ‘You worry too much, Rach. She'll be fine. When it's all out in the open I'll actually be able to talk to her about it, and I can reassure her that nothing's going to change.'

He still didn't get it. And Rachel had not been able to bring herself to broach her very real concerns about how on earth they were going to conduct this relationship once they were ‘out'. She'd ended up deciding that maybe she should just take one thing at a time; that she would cross that bridge when they came to it. And although that approach had not always worked for her, she still hadn't managed to come up with anything better.

Tom raised his arm to check his watch. ‘I have to go,' he sighed regretfully. He kissed her lightly on the lips before unravelling himself from her arms to sit up. Rachel shifted to get up as well.

‘Don't get up, honey,' he said. ‘I can let myself out.'

She shrugged. ‘I don't like lying here in the afternoon, watching you go. It makes me feel . . .'

‘What?' He frowned, turning to look at her.

‘Oh, I don't know . . . a little sleazy or something, like you're going to leave the cash on the hall table on your way out.'

He seemed shocked. He leaned across her. ‘Rachel, have I made you feel like that?'

‘No, not at all,' she assured him, stroking his arm. ‘It's me, and it's not a big deal, it's just an image in my head from the movies probably.' She kissed him. ‘Go, or you'll be late.'

He got up reluctantly and Rachel slipped on her robe while he dressed. She walked him to the door and he drew her into his arms and held her close. The truth was, she always felt so lonely
after he left. She had travelled around the world on her own; it had never bothered her living by herself, being single. She had actually felt more alone when she was with Sean. But it was different with Tom. So different. Despite all the issues, deep down in her heart Rachel felt like they were meant to be together. That they were always meant to be together, and that this was finally their time.

But of course, if she took that to its logical conclusion, it meant that Annie's death was all part of some cosmic plan to bring her and Tom together, and that just brought up all Rachel's guilt again, and she'd end up thinking that they were not meant to be together at all, and that something bad was going to happen.

Tom drew back from her. ‘Look at that frown. You have to stop worrying so much, Rach,' he chided. ‘There's only one thing I'm worried about.'

‘Oh? What's that?'

‘How I'm going to keep my hands off you on Saturday.'

She smiled. ‘Self-control, Tom. You can do it.'

‘Okay, but do me a favour and try not to look too gorgeous?'

Rachel laughed then. ‘I'll give it a shot, but you know, what can I do? I'm irresistible.'

‘Yes you are,' he said, leaning in to give her a soft, lingering kiss. ‘I love you,' he said seriously. ‘See you Saturday. First day of the rest of our lives.'

‘Hi Lexie.'

She turned around from the sink. ‘Jenny! Hi,' said Lexie, slipping off her rubber gloves. ‘What are you doing here? Is everything all right?'

‘Of course, love,' she assured her. ‘I just thought I'd call in on my way home. Scott insisted that I didn't need to stay till you got home, that he'd be fine with the kids for the rest of the afternoon.
And he will be, today really made the difference. He's over the worst of it.'

Lexie breathed out with relief. ‘Oh, I'm so glad. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your help this week, Jenny. We couldn't have done it without you.'

‘Nonsense, happy to help any time, love,' she said. ‘I don't get to spend enough time with your two, or with my son for that matter, the way he works.'

Lexie nodded. ‘No wonder he got sick,' she said. ‘Listen, have you got time for a coffee?'