The Boys of Summer (19 page)

“I wonder if there is any Shania Twain in
here somewhere.” He jumped up to paw through the CD collection
again.

“Don’t you dare.” I grabbed his arm, pulling
him backwards. His eyes darted to where my hand rested on him. I
didn’t move my hand, I couldn’t physically bring myself to break
the contact; all of a sudden there were no smiles, no jokes, just
him and me and our space on the couch. I could only hear the music
and be aware of the heat of his skin and the rapid rise and fall of
my chest in this moment.

The only thing that snapped me out of my daze
was Toby’s words which seemed low and raspy.

“Is Adam your boyfriend?” His gaze flicked
over my face as he waited for my answer. My mouth gaped open; I
couldn’t hide the fact I was dumbfounded by the question.

I blinked quickly and took my hand from his
arm. I struggled to construct a legible sentence.

“Oh – um, no, we’re just friends, it’s not
like that.”

His stony expression didn’t falter, didn’t
reveal any kind of emotion. He was so hard to read, and I wanted to
read him so badly. He gave a small nod and handed me the CD
cover.

“Better go and make sure these guys aren’t
cheating.” And without another word, he got up and headed towards
the pool table.

I tried to gather my thoughts. He had been
intense and distant, and then we were joking and then BAM, an
out-of-the-blue question, and then he was gone.

I didn’t want to sit there with a perplexed
look on my face all night, so I headed for the fridge for a drink,
only to spot Ellie walking into the shed with the taller tourist,
Wes. Oh yes, she did!

Adam wandered over and took the open can from
my hand.

“She works fast.”

Everyone’s eyes went to Stan who was standing
by the pool table, glaring at the happy new arrivals. Toby patted
him on the back and handed him the pool cue, flicking Sean his own
unamused look.

“What must people think of us?” I said.

“Ellie’s her own person. It’s got nothing to
do with us.”

“Yeah, but guilt by association and all
that.”

“I don’t think you could ever be compared to
Ellie, Tess, you two are chalk and cheese.”

Ellie laughed obnoxiously loud at whatever
Wes had said. My heart sank. Ellie’s stupid games really bugged me.
I just never understood the logic; you like someone, they like you,
isn’t it a no-brainer? My gaze rested on Toby who was lining up for
his shot.

What would I know? When I wasn’t making out
with my best friend, I was mooning and flirting with a
very-much-taken twenty-two year old. Yep! I was all about the moral
high ground.

“When did things become so complicated?” I
sighed.

“No idea. I must say, I’ll be glad to head
back to the city and watch re-runs of M*A*S*H; you girls are far
too exciting for me these days.”

“Oh? Must be the new Tess, that’s far too
cool for school. Got to make sure I don’t lose myself by the time
you get back next.”

I elbowed Adam playfully.

“You better not.”

I frowned. “I won’t, dummy.”

“Just saying.” We turned to watch the pool
game.

“Do you want some words of advice, Tess?”

I glanced at Adam’s profile as he sipped.

“Don’t give your heart away too easily.” He
turned to me. “Make him earn it.”

And with that, cheers echoed throughout the
shed. Toby potted the black.

I’d had enough of cryptic messages, and
didn’t get a chance to ask Adam who exactly he was referring to.
Who had to earn my heart? And why didn’t I get the chance to press
him further? He was suddenly too busy glaring across the room. I
followed his gaze and my eyes froze on the only thing that could
possibly have evoked such a reaction in Adam, because it evoked the
same in me.

Scott, Steve and Dusty walked into the shed
like a bitter wind. So much for avoiding the horrors of high
school.

Sean sauntered over to get another beer from
the fridge beside us.

“What is he doing here?” Adam spoke, low and
bitter.

I just shook my head in amazement. “It’s
Onslow. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting someone you
know.”

I wondered how Ellie could stand it? Hooking
up with all these different boys and constantly running into them.
But then again, nothing much really got to Ellie, I mused, as she
flirted with Wes right in front of Stan.

Sean followed Adam and my seething
glares.

“What’s the deal?”

“Tess’s ex.” Adam glowered.

Sean laughed with surprise. “Geez, Tess, how
much more of a trail of broken hearts can you leave? You’re a lucky
man, Adam, best defend your honour.”

“We’re just friends!”

Adam frowned. Maybe that had come out a bit
loud.

“You don’t have to sound like the idea
repulses you so much.”

“That’s my cue,” Sean said, retreating back
to the pool table.

Scott made his way over to us.

“Don’t you move,” I warned Adam.

“Hadn’t planned on it.”

“Tess, Hendo, what’s happening?” Scott spoke
like we were long-lost buddies.

“Thought you were going to Stevie’s?” Go on,
run away, I thought.

“Apparently this is where all the action is.”
He looked over at Ellie and Wes who were getting closer and closer,
leaning in to each other to speak over the music, which wasn’t that
loud anymore.

Scott’s gaze focused on me, giving me a long,
lingering once over, with a smile I just wanted to wipe clean off
his face.

“Looking good tonight, Tess.”

“Well commit it to memory, because we’re out
of here.” Adam grabbed my hand to leave, but Scott stepped in front
of him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Hendo, I was just talking
to the lady.”

“Lady, is it, tonight?” I said. “Not frigid,
or Tic Tac or some other degrading nickname?” I spoke slowly,
quietly, but I couldn’t wholly contain my venom.

“Oh, come on, Tess, you know I’m just
razzing.”

“Step aside, Millo,” Adam said
sarcastically.

Scott’s smile turned snide. “Wait a minute,
Tess, you’re not fucking Hendo, are you?” He started to laugh like
the snivelling germ he really was.

“No, she’s fucking me.”

A deep voice floated over from behind Scott,
who instantly sobered, his eyes widening as he turned to face a
wall of Sean’s muscular chest. Sean looked down on him with a cold,
hard stare. The entire shed went deathly quiet as they watched the
showdown. I squeezed Adam’s hand, threatening to break his
skin.

“What of it?” Sean’s voice was low and filled
with malice.

I heard Scott gulp as he assessed the danger
he was in. His eyes darted from Sean to me as if hardly believing
that such a pairing could be possible. I just smiled sweetly at
Scott, quirking my brow, silently daring him.

Go on, just try it!

“Your shot, babe.” Sean passed me the pool
cue. Because? … Oh yeah. I was like, totally playing pool with my
fictional boyfriend.

I took the cue from Sean who stepped aside,
touching me lovingly on the lower back to usher me past.

Oh, he was good.

He continued to stare down Scott who couldn’t
hold eye contact.

“You come near Tess again, and you and your
friends will be fish bait. My old mate Tobias over there …”

Toby gave him a two-fingered salute from his
brow.

“… Well, his family is connected to the
Mafia, and they don’t look too kindly on little boys walking in
uninvited and harassing our friends.”

Toby flicked me a perplexed look, like he had
no idea what Sean was talking about, and Stan’s smile reappeared to
the point he had to turn his back on the scene so as not to give
the game away.

Steve and Dusty looked like a pair of rabbits
in the headlights.

Steve croaked, “We were just leaving, weren’t
we, Scott?”

Scott nodded quickly and backed away, his
face ashen.

None of them dared to even look my way as
they quickly made their exit. As soon as they were gone, well,
that’s when laughter erupted.

Sean came up to me. “Sorry, Tess, no doubt
we’re going to be the next hot gossip in Onslow.”

“I dare say all of Onslow and Perry will know
by now,” added Adam.

“The Mafia? Really?’ Toby shook his head.

“How come you didn’t give my family
underworld status?” Stan asked, his expression surprisingly
earnest.

“Come on, Stan. Look at Toby, all dark and
broody, he could easily be linked to the mob, now if you were
connected to the Irish mob, you would have been perfect.”

“Maybe next time.” I said. Stan seemed to
have momentarily forgotten about Ellie and Wes, until she
spoke.

“That was the funniest thing I have ever
seen, can we hire you for all occasions?”

“Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.” Sean nodded.

Ellie came over and hugged me. “We’re heading
off now,” she whispered in my ear. I shot her a look that begged
her not to, but she just winked at me, her mind made up.

“Might see you guys later.” She deliberately
directed her speech away from Stan who had immediately soured
again. Poor Stan.

This was one night I would not be waiting for
Ellie. She made her own decisions so she could deal with the
fallout. Wes took her hand and guided her out of the shed. The
party atmosphere fizzled out as we all watched them leave.

Adam whispered in my ear. “So that’s okay
with you, is it? Making everyone believe Sean and you are
together?”

“Ellie is about to wander off into the dark
with a stranger and you’re asking me about a mythical relationship?
If it means Scott leaves me alone for the rest of my life, then
Onslow is welcome to think I’m Sean’s girlfriend.’

I turned from Adam to walk over to Sean. I
stood on my very tippy toes and, placing my hands on his shoulders,
I kissed him on the cheek.

“Over the top, but thank you.”

Sean beamed a winning smile at me. “People
talking about me and you? I don’t mind the thought of that one
bit.”

The moment for appreciation was interrupted
by a thunderous crack of the billiard balls as Toby broke with a
shattering force.

“Sean, you’re up!”

Great. Both Adam and Toby seemed in a
mood.

Tonight was not turning out to be ideal. The
rest of the night went by with a certain lack of drama. I just sat
and watched the boys play pool, drank too much soft drink and tried
to forget about Ellie.

They tried to coax me into playing pool, but
my heart wasn’t in it. Adam snapped out of his bad mood after a
little while, never one to hold a grudge, but Toby seemed a little
off, just like he had been when I first walked in. Maybe he was
thinking about what Angela was getting up to. Maybe he was annoyed
by all the teenage gatecrashing and resented Adam and I even being
there. I managed to convince myself that it had something to do
with me, to the point I felt utterly miserable and decided to bow
out early, say my goodbyes and go home.

Adam agreed to walk with me, and then the
Onslow Boys had had enough too and decided to walk with us back to
the Onslow.

Stan walked us out to the gates, he had his
hands in his pockets, shoulders slumped, forehead furrowed; he
looked like he had seen better days. I wanted to tell him to forget
Ellie, to say something that would make him feel better, but I had
nothing to add. Probably just as well because now, surrounded by
his mates, was not the time or place.

We navigated our way through the darkened
streets, the four of us walked the long stretch back to the Onslow
Hotel. I only hoped that we wouldn’t bump into Ellie on the
way.

Sean talked a lot, mostly just to drown out
our gloomy silence.

Adam and even Toby added additional remarks
on the fishing at the weir, but I zoned out midway, setting a fast
pace, eager to end the night. If they thought I was quiet, no one
said anything. They might have thought I was upset over the Scott
incident or Ellie. I doubted they would ever suspect in a million
years that it was actually because I feared that any ground I’d
made today with Toby was lost. I would go home and he would go home
and Angela would probably get dropped off at his place tonight. I
felt sick to my stomach. And angry. How could I have been so
stupid? I knew he had a girlfriend. There was no way me and Toby
could end well.

It had been great of Sean to defend my
honour, but in all honesty I was a little put out that it hadn’t
been Toby. Of course, it wouldn’t have worked because everyone knew
he was with Angela. Still, I wondered if he was annoyed at Sean,
dragging him into it. Who knew? All I knew was every time I tried
to catch his eye he would make an effort to avoid mine. He walked
on the opposite side of our group, Adam and Sean between us. I
didn’t know what his problem was but all of a sudden I didn’t care
as I could see the glowing window lights of the Onslow Hotel. It
wasn’t quite twelve yet, so there was still time for a lock-in. It
occurred to me this was probably their plan: play more pool,
reclaim the jukebox and say goodbye to us pesky teenagers.

Adam was crashing the night at the Onslow. He
had his pick of the rooms upstairs as most tourists stayed in the
holiday parks rather than stay at a pub with its overpriced,
un-refurbished rooms. So vacancies were pretty high at the Onslow,
they made more money out of meals and the bar than having to worry
too greatly about accommodation. Uncle Eric didn’t have much flair
for such things and Claire Henderson was never around. I gathered
she must have been present at some stage as there were touches of
her taste dotted all around the restaurant. John Waterhouse
paintings lined the walls, a shiny black grand piano, plush
mahogany and cream rugs with black fringed borders, antique-style
furnishings and subtle lighting added for ambience. The woman was
highly strung, but I couldn’t fault her taste.