Family Farm (38 page)

‘Yeah, extreme opposites.’

Simone turned into the Mullawoon pub car park and carefully negotiated the assortment of utes. ‘Wow, looks like a good crowd.’

‘Sure is. Hey, I recognise that ute.’ Izzy pointed to a white Holden Rodeo with a brown bull horn sticker across the back window. ‘I distinctly remember you asleep in the back of it,’ she said, laughing. Straightaway, she noticed Simone’s posture straighten up at the reference to Mickey. When they had parked, Izzy noticed Simone checking herself in the rear-vision mirror nervously.

‘Yes, you’re still beautiful,’ Izzy smirked.

Simone threw her a dark look. ‘Don’t you do anything to embarrass me tonight or you’ll be in deep shit.’

‘As if I would,’ Izzy replied. Simone ran a hand down over her tight velvet top as they approached the pub doors. Izzy reached out and held her arm. ‘How about you take a deep breath and relax? You’re beginning to make me jumpy.’

‘Sorry.’

Inside they walked across the black-and-white chequered floor to the bar and ordered some drinks. There were about twenty people in the pub tonight and Simone knew every one of them. Izzy was familiar with about half. They were mostly the ones she’d met at the bonfire and through their trips to the pub on Sunday nights. She recognised Jacko with a few of his mates leaning against the red-brick wall next to the numerous footy premiership flags and team photos. Izzy and Simone took their beers and found an empty table by the wall, not far from the pool table.

‘How ’bout we have a drink or two, then head into the bistro?’ Simone shouted over the thumping Cold Chisel music coming from the jukebox in the corner.

Izzy nodded in reply, but her eyes were scanning the room. It didn’t take long to spot Mickey. He was holding up the bar with Reggie and a few others she’d seen before. By the look of it, he’d already spotted Simone. Izzy caught him sneaking a quick glance in their direction. She smiled to herself. It was so obvious when you were watching from the outside. Poor Simone just couldn’t see what she was doing to Mickey.

‘Who’re you waving at?’ asked Simone, peering around Izzy’s shoulder.

‘Just saying hi to Mickey.’

Simone ducked back, hiding behind the safety of Izzy’s frame. ‘My God. I think I’ve forgotten how to act around him. I’m so nervous just knowing he’s over there. Now I’ve admitted my feelings to you, I suddenly feel like it’s written on my forehead for all to see.’ Izzy watched Mickey walking towards them. He wore his workboots with loose-fitting jeans and an olive and white shirt, which suited his brown skin. His dark eyes never once left Simone’s face.

‘Just be cool. He already knows you’re a dork,’ said Izzy.

Simone was still glaring at Izzy as Mickey dragged over a bar stool and sat down.

‘So, what’s new?’ Mickey said loudly, brushing back his dark unruly hair.

‘Not a lot. We’ve just come in for a feed,’ Izzy said.

Simone added, ‘Yeah, we’re sick of eating Blake’s crap and he won’t let either of us cook. He seems to think he’s actually good at it.’ Mickey smiled, then took a sip of his beer.

‘Would you like to join us for dinner?’ Izzy asked.

His eyes darted from Izzy to Simone. ‘I wouldn’t want to impose.’

‘You kidding? Come on, the more the merrier,’ Simone said all too quickly, before turning slightly pink.

‘Yeah, it’s fine with us, as long as we’re not taking you away from your mates,’ Izzy added.

Mickey looked across to the bar at his mates who were laughing and spilling beer on the floor. ‘I’m sure they’ll survive without me. Besides, if a bloke had to choose between a couple of noisy blokes and two gorgeous girls, there’d be no contest,’ he said. ‘So, Izzy, have they worn you out yet? Still liking it here?’

‘Yeah, I do, thanks, Mickey. It’s a great place and it’s just the best staying with Simone and Blake. And we’ve got the stud sale coming up to look forward to.’

Mickey nodded. ‘I’ll be there. I bought six rams off them last year. Averaged about a thousand dollars each and they were worth every cent. When Alan and Blake started up the stud farm a few years back, they converted me.’

‘Really? Why?’ asked Simone.

Izzy was amazed to see Simone’s sudden interest in sheep. She even looked quite genuine. Hell, she must like Mickey a lot. Even he looked slightly taken aback.

Mickey spoke first. ‘I didn’t think you were interested in this sort of stuff.’

Simone shrugged. ‘I’m not normally, but I guess some of Izzy’s enthusiasm has rubbed off on me.’

Mickey held Simone’s gaze for a while. Izzy could tell he was just as besotted as she was. The smile on his face said it all.

‘You’d better answer her question before she changes her mind,’ Izzy said laughing.

Slowly he began to speak. ‘Well, we run merinos and have done for years, and they’ve been great, especially wool-wise. But Blake kept nagging me about some Prime SAMMs he wanted to start breeding.’

‘South African Merino Mutton,’ Simone piped in.

‘The girl’s getting good.’ Izzy applauded.

Simone blushed as Mickey gave her a dazzling smile.

‘Anyway, he said that an excellent product can be produced using a Prime SAMM over a merino ewe. So, I trusted his judgement and tried it out. Needless to say, he was right and I haven’t looked back.’

‘Wow. I think I might even have to go to this sale. It could be interesting,’ responded Simone.

Izzy smiled. ‘You should, Simone, especially as it’s in your own backyard.’

‘You can stick with me for the day and I’ll teach you a few things if you’re interested,’ Mickey said.

Izzy was sure Simone would’ve walked to town and back in her underwear just to have Mickey show her a few things.

‘I’d like that a lot,’ she said eagerly.

Izzy could feel the sexual tension buzzing between the two of them – her hair must have been standing on end from the static. ‘Well, I’ve gotta duck off to the loo. I’ll bring back the next round of beers. Same again?’

‘Cheers, Izzy,’ Mickey and Simone replied together.

At the bar she handed over some cash and said g’day to Jacko.

‘So, Izzy, what’s new? You haven’t come to visit me yet.’

‘Haven’t had time, sorry. Don’t know what you’ve been doing, but we’ve had our arses glued to the tractor seat.’

‘So, Macca’s keeping you all to himself, hey?’

Izzy put her wallet away in her back pocket and picked up the three beers with a precision that came from plenty of practice. ‘Maybe,’ she replied. ‘Catch ya later.’

When Izzy got back with the drinks, they were still deep in discussion about Mickey’s farm and his plans. Simone was coming up with some great questions and Izzy couldn’t help but feel proud.

Ten minutes later, they headed into the meals area to get a table. After paying for their steaks, they went and stood by the large indoor barbecue. A few other people stood round watching their steaks sizzle away as the smoke sailed up to the large overhead fan.

‘Wow, this is pretty cool. Cook your own meat, hey?’ Izzy said, impressed.

‘Yeah, it’s all right if you like that kind of thing.’ Simone handed Mickey the tongs. ‘Here, seeing as you’re the man, you can be our cook. I never was too good at barbecuing, unless you like your meat burnt and tough …’

Mickey snatched the tongs off Simone. ‘No, I don’t,’ he laughed.

Izzy left her slab of porterhouse in Mickey’s capable hands and went for a look-see. She’d never been in this part of the pub before. It was made with lots of exposed timber beams and logs – very country-looking. She ventured out through two large French doors into the beer garden. A couple of girls sat in the corner chatting not far from a wide fire circle filled with sticks and mallee roots. Izzy heard a wolf whistle and felt a body brush past her.

‘Waitin’ for me, are ya?’ laughed Jacko as he walked towards the circle. He held a container from which he squirted fluid over the wood before taking out some matches. With a ‘whoof’ the stumps were ablaze. ‘Now, that’s how you start a fire.’

Izzy gave Jacko a smile of approval. She felt the warmth touching her skin and smelt diesel in the air. A large salmon gum grew in the corner against the bricked enclosure, and the closer she got to it, the more clearly she could see where people had engraved their names into the bark. There was also a wall plastered with photos of the locals. She found one of Simone with the words ‘barmaid of the year’ scribbled underneath. There was also one of the local footy team, with Blake right in the centre, but the one that really had her laughing was a picture of Jacko parked at the bar with a funnel in his mouth and a couple of blokes pouring beer into the top. ‘Jacko’s 20th piss-up’ it said underneath. No doubt that had been a blinder.

‘That was a great night. At least I think it was. The bits I remember were good.’

Izzy felt Jacko’s breath on her neck and turned to see his dark eyes behind her. He was shorter than Izzy with arms like an AFL player and he had a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye. He would easily get his pick of the girls, she guessed. ‘You eating here?’ she asked him.

‘Nah, I’ve eaten already. The boys are just having one beer before we go out shooting later on. I thought I’d come and light this for Paula.’ Izzy had met Paula once. She worked behind the bar some nights and was also the owner of the pub. She had wiry red hair and the look of a fifty-year-old smoker.

‘Well, I’ve got Mickey cooking my steak so I should see how he’s going.’

Jacko walked inside with her. ‘You’re game. Mick likes his still mooing.’

Izzy screwed up her face as Jacko waved her goodbye and went to put the diesel away in a back room. Izzy went to save her steak.

‘Hope you like it medium to well done,’ said Mickey as he handed Izzy her plate.

She took a bite to see if it bled. Cooked through, thank Christ, she thought. ‘Cheers for that, Mickey.’

‘I think my brother’s got a thing for you,’ said Mickey, pointing a pair of greasy tongs in Jacko’s direction.

Izzy laughed. ‘Nah, he just wants a root!’ She reached for the large spoon on the salad table and filled up her plate. ‘God, I’m famished.’ And they were practically the only words she managed to get out for the rest of the meal. She didn’t have much of a chance, with Mickey and Simone reliving the good old days. She wasn’t bothered. It was just nice to sit and listen. She could feel a current running between them and caught them watching each other. It was nice to witness the beginnings of something. When she’d finished her steak, she excused herself once more.

Simone was glad when Izzy went to the toilet. She’d been dying to have some time alone with Mickey. As she watched Izzy leave with her hands stuffed in her jeans pockets, she turned to him and asked whether he’d enjoyed his night. He smiled back at her, his full lips enticing her as they moved.

‘Absolutely. We should do this again some time, if you’re keen?’ he added.

Simone felt her face flush with his comments. ‘Really?’ She was sure she could read something in his eyes and had felt a spark between them tonight. But was that just because she wanted it? ‘Do you mean with me and Izzy?’ She watched his hand slide across the table to hers and grab hold.

‘I meant just us. Would you like that?’

Mickey’s voice was husky and sent shivers up her spine. She couldn’t take her eyes away from the blackness of his own, and his hand was still on hers, gently massaging it with his thumb.

‘Yes, I would.’ Their eyes stayed locked until she caught a glimpse of Izzy’s figure coming back and felt the coolness on her hand as Mickey pulled his away. At first she felt abandoned, until she glanced at Mickey, who smiled and gave her a sly wink. Her heart soared again.

When the leftover juices from their steaks had set on their plates and the table sat littered with a few empty glasses, they decided it was time to go home. Izzy said her goodbyes first and headed out to the car, leaving the two of them alone.

Her breath began to fog up the windows as she waited patiently for Simone. She used her finger to write on the window: IS
WT. Rubbing her hands together, she tried to stop the cold from seeping in. She shuddered as her numb fingers reminded her of the time she’d tried unbuttoning Will’s shirt that fateful afternoon. For a moment she let her mind roam, enjoying the memory and the sensation it brought. Just as she was getting to the good bit, to the point where she could almost taste him, the door opened and she was blasted with cold air. Tonight, with the cold, she could see Will so clearly in her mind and her heart had been racing at the memory. ‘Holy shit, Simo. You scared the living crap out of me.’

‘Sorry, Iz. What were you doing? Sleeping?’ Simone didn’t bother starting the car. Instead, she faced Izzy.

Even though the interior light was on, Izzy was sure the energy in Simone’s eyes would have lit it up anyway. ‘All right. Do tell. What happened? I could feel a vibe.’

‘Well, there was a vibe,’ Simone prattled on excitedly. ‘We talked about us. He asked me if I’d like to go out with him some time soon, and I’m like, “Yeah, sure.” You know, I think we both just want to take things slow. We really don’t want to stuff this up. Oh, Izzy. He gave me the sweetest hug and kissed me on my forehead. I nearly melted then and there.’