Kakadu Sunset (14 page)

‘That’ll pull him in.’ Ellie nudged her friend with her elbow. ‘Treat him gently. If he comes that is. I get the impression Kane’s not very interested in socialising.’

Heather burst out laughing. ‘Aw, come on, Els, I’m not that bad.’

‘You are too, Heath! You can be downright scary, especially when you’re all dressed up. And when you put on that Mae West voice – the blokes have no hope.’

‘I can’t wait to get to know him better.’ Heather waggled her eyebrows and giggled.

By the time Bill reappeared, shaved and dressed, they had demolished half the cake. He picked up the huge teapot that Heather had placed in the middle of the table and poured tea into one of the enamel cups she had laid out. ‘So what brings you to Black Jungle Springs, Ellie?’

‘I actually wanted to catch up with you.’ Ellie looked across at Heather apologetically. ‘And you too, of course, Heather.’

‘I thought the crocs in Stove Creek must have kept you away. They’ve been thick as flies this season. Bit of a worry.’ Bill teased her as much as the other guys did.

‘Yeah, we saw a monster one at
Djarradjin
on Friday.’ She sipped her tea and looked at him. ‘I needed to ask you something, Bill.’

‘What’s up?’ Bill blew on the tea before he drank it.

‘I flew over our old place the other day and the back paddock was full of machinery. The ground’s been dug up.’

The hot tea spilled onto Bill’s hand as his cup tipped over. He swore, then got up and crossed to the sink to run cold water over his hand. He stood with his back to them. ‘Dug up?’

‘Are you okay, Dad?’ Heather pushed her chair back but he waved her to sit down.

‘Yeah, I’m okay. Cut me a piece of that cake, will ya?’

Ellie narrowed her eyes as Bill sat back down. He avoided her gaze as he rubbed his hands together nervously.

‘So, do you know anything about it?’ she persisted.

‘No. I mean, yes.’ Bill picked up his cup again but his eyes were darting around the room. ‘Yeah, I think they’re getting ready to plant some new trees.’

‘Who?’

‘The owners, I guess.’ Bill’s bare foot was jiggling up and down on the old worn lino.

Ellie frowned. ‘I think you’re wrong. Panos Sordina told me he was putting in a new dam, but what I saw from the air doesn’t look like a dam. Do you know anything about coal seam gas mining?’

Finally Bill raised his head and looked Ellie squarely in the eye. ‘You don’t live there anymore, so what are you so worried about?’

‘I’m worried about what I read in the paper, how close the exploration is to the park and the South Alligator River. Everything Mum’s been saying.’

‘What exploration? What’s she been talking about?’

‘You know . . . the fracking.’

Bill held her gaze. ‘What paper was that in?’

‘There was a report in the
Darwin Sun
. I read it online. It said that Sordina had met with your council. It was about coal seam gas exploration.’

‘Just stay away from it, Ellie.’

‘What are you saying?’ Ellie glanced across at Heather as she waited for Bill to answer but she was staring at her father, her brow creased in a frown.

‘I ain’t saying nothing.’ Bill lowered his voice. ‘Just forget about it and stay away from the place. Okay?’

‘But Bill, you always taught us –’

‘Fuckin’ drop it, Ellie. All right?’ He stood and his chair fell to the floor with a crash. He picked it up and shoved it under the table.

‘I have to go out,’ he muttered. ‘Nice to see you.’

Ellie and Heather stared at each other as he strode through the door without a backward glance. Soon they heard the rattling of the diesel motor in his old Land Cruiser, and he drove away.

*

Kane hadn’t intended going to the bar that night, but the sound of the music drifting through the lodge eventually enticed him from his room. A couple of drinks and some good music would do him good, break the melancholy mood he’d been in since visiting his mother. He also hoped that Ellie might be there; he wanted to let her know how much he’d enjoyed their trip down to the waterfall.

He stepped into the shower and rubbed his aching neck; the muscles were tight beneath his fingers. He’d spent all day thinking about how to get his mother back to Darwin. He’d tried to call Panos a couple of times but his stepfather hadn’t answered and Kane wasn’t going to leave a message. Probably still at the bloody horse races. He couldn’t understand how his mother had ever fallen for the guy.

Whatever Panos was doing, Kane was determined to get her back to Darwin where she was close to doctors and facilities. He was secure financially – the active service bonuses had let him build up a healthy investment portfolio – and it wouldn’t hurt to buy an apartment and set up Mum in the city.

He pulled on a fresh pair of denims and a button-up black cotton shirt and headed for the bar. The grounds were well-lit and he was surprised by the number of people making their way to the entertainment area. Family groups dotted the lawn on picnic rugs and the tables inside were almost full.

‘Kane!’

He turned as he heard his name called. Heather was waving from a table at the back of the room, well away from the low stage where the band had just finished a set. Steve, the barman, was sitting opposite her and the rest of the table was empty.

‘Hey, we thought you weren’t coming.’ Heather leaned forward and Kane got a flash of dark skin and generous breasts pushing out from a very low-cut shirt.

He looked at Steve. ‘Night off?’

‘Yeah, I was lucky. Usually have to work the nights the bands are on, but the roster was done and I was due for a Sunday off.’ Steve’s eyes were fixed on Heather’s cleavage and Kane stifled a smirk.

Be less obvious and you might get lucky, man
.

He slid along the wooden bench beside Heather.

‘How was your trip down to Jim Jim the other day?’ Her arm pressed against his shoulder as she leaned into him.

‘Amazing place. I would have liked to swim but Ellie warned me about the crocs there.’

Heather waved a dismissive hand and this time her leg brushed against his. ‘Ellie worries too much. I’ll take you down there on your next day off and we can swim. It’s safe.’

‘Why’s Ellie so scared of them? Did she have a scare?’

‘Yeah, when she was a kid. It freaked her out for ages.’ Heather ran the tip of her tongue along her lips as she stared at him.

‘She said she grew up on a mango farm on the way to Darwin.’

‘Yeah.’ Heather didn’t elaborate and Kane turned to Steve. ‘Can I get you another beer, mate?’

‘I’m right, thanks. The barman will keep an eye on us.’ Steve kept his eyes on Heather as he answered.

‘Hey, there’s Ellie, too.’ Heather waved towards the wide archway beside the bar. ‘Els, over here.’

Ellie stood in the doorway, her gaze scanning the crowd. The light behind her made her light-coloured dress a little transparent, and she tugged nervously at the hem. She was nowhere near as confident as she would have people believe. She spotted them and made her way across the packed room. Kane couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her hair was loose and curled over her shoulders, and her lips were shiny with a soft pink lip gloss. She’d done something with eye shadow, and her blue eyes looked huge.

When she reached the table, a waft of floral perfume preceded her as she slid across the seat beside him. ‘You look gorgeous, Ellie.’ Heather readjusted the neck of her top and flashed Kane a grin.

‘You do.’

She lifted her eyes to his. ‘Thanks. It’s nice to get dressed up sometimes.’

The band launched into a cover of ‘Eagle Rock’ and the barman arrived with two jugs of beer and a dozen glasses tucked precariously in a tower under his elbow. By then, more staff had squeezed onto each side of the table. Kane was jammed between Ellie and Heather.

Conversation was difficult without yelling so he sat back and sipped his beer, content to watch the group at the table. They were obviously a close-knit bunch; there was a lot of good-natured teasing and they were all comfortable with each other. It reminded him of the mess on base. People comfortable in their own skin, private but knowing their mates well enough to trust. He pushed away the memory; the last thing he wanted was another of those damned flashback, panic things – whatever the psychiatrist had called them.

Dissociative episode
. That’s what the shrink had said. Substance abuse and sexual problems went hand in hand with it, he’d been told. Well, he wasn’t doing drugs and he hadn’t had sex since the –

Since it had happened. Maybe it was time to make sure everything still worked. Prove there was nothing wrong with him. To himself as much as the clinical psychologist. The way Heather was trying to catch his eye and leaning into him, he knew he’d have no trouble scoring there. But his eyes were drawn to Ellie. Kane put his glass on the table and turned half sideways to face her. She was staring at the band, but he had a feeling her thoughts were a long way away. He leaned forward and touched her arm lightly. ‘You okay?’

Ellie blinked and looked at him, and her blue eyes were full of confusion. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’

‘Are you okay?’

She nodded as the band launched into the chorus and the crowd on the makeshift dance floor cheered and sang along. The band was semi-decent and the pressure of Ellie’s leg against his was pleasant, but it was impossible to talk, and Kane itched to get out of there. He’d avoided Heather for the past five minutes; the more beer she drank, the louder and more obvious she was becoming. Every time he looked to her side, her gaze was fixed on him. But as pretty and friendly as she was, there was no answering spark from him. Finally, the band took a break, and Ellie turned to him.

‘Are you enjoying the music?’

‘They’re good but I think my eardrums are going to shatter.’ As he spoke, Terry and the two girls on the other side of Ellie stood and headed for the bar.

‘Want to make a break with me before we get jammed in again?’

‘Good thinking.’ Ellie grabbed her beer and followed Kane as he slid along the bench.

‘Be back soon. Taking a break from the noise,’ she called to Heather. Kane led her to the cleared grassy spot on the river side of the bar, his hip jarring as he strode across the concrete floor.

‘God, that’s better.’ Ellie fanned herself with her hand. ‘I’m not used to these nights.’ Her cheeks were flushed and Kane watched as she lifted her glass and drained the beer. ‘That’s enough for me. Two beers and my head spins.’

‘Want to have a dance when the band comes back on? Work it off? I’d hate to see you with the head spins. Not a good look for a pilot.’

She paused for a moment, staring over towards where Heather was holding court. Then turned back to him. ‘Why not? One dance won’t hurt. I can’t remember the last time I had a dance.’

‘What’s going on?’ He nodded over to the table. Heather was now watching them.

‘Make sure you have a dance with Heather, too.’ Guilt crossed her face and he finally understood.

‘I’ll see how the hip holds up.’

A few minutes later, the band struck up an AC/DC song. Kane grabbed Ellie’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

All thoughts of Heather, his mother and flashbacks disappeared as they gyrated, twisted and turned to the thumping music. His hip held up and he ignored the occasional twinge. Kane smiled as she reached for his hand and twirled herself beneath his arm. He didn’t let it go when she twirled back around.

The music slowed and the band launched into a ballad. Kane held out his hands. ‘A real dance?’

Her lips spread in a slow grin as she pointed to her feet. ‘You’ll be sorry. I might be able to use these feet to fly a helicopter, but I’m pretty useless on the dance floor.’

‘I’m not real good either. I have a hip that occasionally gives up the ghost.’ Kane looked down at her. ‘But you look pretty good to me.’

Her cheeks flushed even pinker as she stepped in front of him and he took one of her hands in his, pulling her close, before resting his other hand above her waist. She barely reached his shoulder. Kane rested his chin gently on the top of her head and caught another whiff of that floral perfume. Her silky dress was soft and slippery, and a jolt of pleasure shafted through him.

Maybe it was time to start living again.

‘What happened to your hip?’

He shrugged. ‘Just a bit of an accident last year.’ He waited for the stress to hit, or the heavy sadness, but all he felt was the soft, pliant woman in his arms.

‘I love this song.’ Ellie hummed along with ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ and the murmur of her voice sent a vibration through his chest. Kane let himself relax even more but disappointment replaced his contentment when Ellie pulled her head back.

Maybe it was a bit too romantic for her? Christ, he almost didn’t recognise himself, but she smiled and put her hands on his shoulders and they rocked in time to the music. Pleasure engulfed him as her soft curves pressed against his chest. The song continued and Kane closed his eyes, giving into the sensations that were coursing through him. He raised one hand to her neck, and threaded his fingers through her soft hair. He opened his eyes, knowing he should have pulled away and she should have stepped back, but neither of them moved when their eyes met.

‘Want to go for a walk on the boardwalk?’ He held her gaze and she smiled.

‘Sounds good.’ Her voice was soft and husky. Seconds later, Kane had pulled her from the dance floor and led her towards the door.

Ellie was looking ahead and didn’t see the look of pure venom that Heather threw her way as they stepped past the bar. Kane shrugged it off and followed Ellie onto the path that led down to the river.

They didn’t speak until they reached the metal boardwalk that skirted along the edge of the water. It was softly lit, and deserted; the only sounds were the muted thump of the music and the occasional splash in the river.

Until the accident, Kane had always taken his pleasure when he’d wanted to. He realised he’d missed the smooth skin, the sweet scents and the soft lips. It had been way too long, and the desire that was coursing through him now had nothing to do with making sure everything still worked. It had more to do with this beautiful woman who was leaning back against the metal fence and watching him with a wary expression.