5 Peppermint Grove (28 page)

Julia was emancipated at last and she started to move slowly against his crotch. She felt him stir and was becoming more excited with each move that she made. It was time to unbutton his shirt and he helped her take it off, revealing a smooth bronzed chest.

She wanted him more now. Reaching for the buckle of his belt, she tugged and released it as she unzipped his fly with her other hand.

She slid off him and he helped her to push down his trousers until they rolled down to his knees. Her skirt was superfluous to requirements and she danced out of it and her underwear in the one action. She straddled him again and could hardly breathe with  excitement and desire.

Suddenly Brian moaned – he couldn’t understand what was happening. It had never happened before. There was no explanation for it. Even as a teenager it had never happened. But now he was helpless to prevent it. He had ejaculated and what had been cocked and prepared a few seconds earlier now lay limply to the side.

Julia was speechless. She had
never had a sex disaster before.

Brian was embarrassed. He didn’t know what to say or do. It must have been the thought of Ruth that had disturbed his concentration.

“I-I-eh . . .”

“It’s okay,” Julia said, making light of the situation. The whole moment went from anticipation to awkward so quickly that she winced in her nakedness and started to dress. “It happens all the time – it’s very common.”

Brian wanted to say that it didn’t happen all the time and it had never happened to him but he didn’t want to make the situation worse. He stood up and pulled on his trousers.

“I’d better go home – I have to be on site at six.” He stuffed his shirt inside his waistband and patted down his hair. “Say thanks to Ruth – she must be gone to bed and eh – say goodbye to your brother too.”

Julia followed him out to the hall door and, without a peck on the cheek or a mention of meeting another time, he was gone.

Julia stood with her back to the closed front door. It was awkward and awful and not something that she ever wanted to experience again. She was getting sick of relying on random men on holidays to fulfil her. She wondered what it must be like to be in a relationship with someone that you made love to day-in day-out. To have that security. But then what it must be like to have that taken away from you. That was possibly the main reason why she had been slow to try commitment before.

Chapter Thirty-seven

Gillian was frantically checking her phone every few minutes. She had become obsessed by Dylan. She had heard nothing from him and she desperately wanted to know if there was a chance of meeting up with him again. She decided to take a chance and send him a
text.

Hi Dylan would you like to go to the pictures tonight? Gil
l


She thought that the smiley face was non-confrontational and she didn’t want to be too forward. She waited until
noon to send it but when there was no reply by four thirty she was feeling agitated. An email might be a better option but she didn’t have his address. She could always call him. But she was afraid of becoming tongue-tied and sounding foolish.

She looked at her watch – it was night in
Australia. Julia’s request of an email at the end of every day had to be completed.

Gillian wondered if Julia had any idea how lucky she was. If only she had some of her boss’s confidence. But if her experience at the Shelbourne had taught her anything it was that it wasn’t easy to just swan in and be the
femme fatale
.

Carol was moping around the house after Gerry had gone back home.

Horatio didn’t want to upset her but he did want to know what was going on.

“Will I make you a cup of tea?” he asked her when he came upon her at the kitchen sink.

“No, it’s okay, I’ll make it for us both.”

He sat at the table and watched her. She was in a daze putting the teabags into the pot.

“So when are you going to tell me about your new man?”

Carol almost spilled the water as she poured from the kettle. “My new what?”

“Your new man – don’t tell me that you slept over in Treasa’s – you aren’t ten!”

Carol was horrified. She babbled madly. “I’ve been playing bridge all week like I always do –”

“If you don’t tell me I’ll ring Julia in
Australia and tell her that you’re holding out on me.”

Carol sighed. “Okay – but don’t say anything to the kids. His name is Gerry and he lives up in the North – I met him playing bridge online and . . . well, we are close friends.”

Horatio laughed. “And where was he staying for the last few days?”

“In the Marine Hotel.”

“For God’s sake, woman, you are old enough to bring a man back to your bed! And Julia is going to have to deal with him whether she likes it or not!”

Carol shook her head. “You know how she adored her father – it would
break her heart and I don’t want her to think that he has been replaced for me either.”

“Look, if I’d met a woman that I liked after your mother died I’d have got married again. But I was just pleased with the peace and tranquillity to fix my clocks at two in the morning if I wanted without anyone complaining!”

Carol poured the tea. “I wasn’t expecting to ever feel this way again but it is more awkward bringing a boyfriend home to your children than your parents. I had never realised it but the pressure is enormous.”

Horatio chuckled. “And then you become the child . . . now you know how I feel. I know Julia has a good heart but when she fusses over me, telling me that I might fall and hurt myself or do something stupid, I find it infuriating.”

Carol put his tea down in front of him and went to get the milk from the fridge. “I’m sorry – I’ve been known to do that to you too. Mea culpa.”

“Carol, we only have one crack at this life,” Horatio said, in a more serious tone now. “Please don’t let happiness pass you by. How I wish I had travelled more and been a bit more of a rebel but your mother had such tight reins on me I . . .  ah, maybe it was for my own good! But go and be happy and let the young people sort themselves out!”

Carol smiled and planted a kiss on her father’s forehead. “Thanks, Dad. I know I don’t say it often enough but I love you.”

“Ah, don’t be getting all soppy on me now – I’m off to fix a clock!” He stood up, lifted his cup and gave his daughter a wink as he went out to his room at the back of the kitchen.

Carol sat down at the table and stared into space. She would take on board what her father had said but she was still dreading telling her children – especially Julia – about Gerry.

Chapter Thirty-eight

Ruth was awake early. She had heard Brian leaving the night before and was keen to find out what had happened. She didn’t want to wake Julia but the suspense was killing her. She slipped on her dressing gown and went into her friend’s room.

“Morning! I have to go to work soon.”

Julia lifted her head, slowly realising that she wasn’t in her own room at home, and the memories of the night before started to flood back.

“Ruth, I’m so glad to see you – what a disaster!” Julia shook her bed-head and rubbed her eyes.

“What happened?” Ruth asked, dying to know.

“Well, I hope Brian isn’t like other Aussie men because he was no performer!”

“Oh! Tell me.”

“The whole experience was like a damp squib – he then came in his pants before I even got a chance to get going properly.”

Ruth didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You’re joking!”

Julia shook her head. “Nah – I don’t know, Ruth – I’m seriously thinking of setting up a booty call back home – getting sick of taking my chances on holidays!”

“Julia, you sound like a guy – what about settling down and finding someone nice to have a proper relationship with – like you are trying to get me to do?”

“I don’t know where he is or if he exists. Actually, that’s probably it – he doesn’t exist. My mother got the last good man on the planet.”

“Julia, you could give guys a chance when you get home. What about Dylan? He’s lovely and he’s single.”

Julia was horrified. “Not a good idea and he will probably turn out like his brother . . . speaking of which, I need to call Odette and see how she is – what time is it in
Dublin?”

“After
midnight.”

“Sugar! That’s too late.” Julia shook her head.

“If you don’t ring now you’ll have to wait eight hours and the chances are that then she’ll be getting the kids up for school.”

“Okay, I’ll try her now. Do you have to work all day?”

“Yes, sorry, I’ve used up my quota. Besides, it’s Michael’s last day so I’m sure you want to do something together.”

Julia nodded. “Will we meet you back here at five?”

“Perfect – have a good day and we can both bring Michael somewhere nice tonight – maybe we can go to Cicerello’s in Fremantle – it’s a chip shop with a difference.”

“Sounds good!” Julia said as she lifted her phone and rang her sister.

Odette was quick to answer.

“I can’t tell you how good it is to hear your voice,” she said.

“Hi, Odette, I’m missing you and missing work – Gillian didn’t send me an email yesterday. How are things with you?”

“Good, thanks . . . well, you know – the same. Dylan came around for dinner on Sunday – I don’t know how he puts up with Craig – I don’t know how I put up with him either.”

Julia hated to hear her sweet sister sound so sullen.

“Odette, Michael’s going back tomorrow – it’s been great seeing him again so soon.”

“I’m glad – I thought he wasn’t himself at Christmas – is he still lonely?”

“Yes – a lot of his friends in
Singapore are transient, moving from country to country for two years here, two years there. I can see his point of view and I think turning forty last year has had a massive effect on him.”

Odette sighed. “Well, sometimes married life isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be either.”

“Don’t worry – things will turn around for you two.” Julia bit her lip. She hoped that she was right. “How are the kids?”

“Great – busy and in good form. I’m careful not to let them see the tension between me and Craig.”

Julia’s heart sank. “What about Mum and Granddad?”

“Mum has been out a lot and Granddad is delighted with the Brazilian girl. I think he wants to take a trip to
Brazil!”

“Well, I’ll be home towards the end of next week – time just flies by here, now that I’ve got over the jet lag.”

“What is the weather like?”

“Always sunny – not as hot as Ruth predicted thankfully so we’ve been able to do a good bit of sightseeing.”

“Well, make the most of it – it’s been mild here but it’s certainly not bikini weather.”

“Right. I’m going to get Michael up now – see you next week.”

“See you next week and thanks for the call . . . miss you.”

“So where are we going today?” Michael asked his sister who was flipping pancakes at the hob.

“I think we should just go to the beach –
City Beach is close and then tonight Ruth suggested we try some special chipper in Fremantle.”

Michael nodded. “Sounds perfect. What about your man Brian – are you seeing him again?”

Julia giggled as she flipped the pancake and slid it onto a plate.

“I don’t think so – shame really, I thought we had something. I think he told us all that he knew about the house anyway – really, Ruth should just ask her mother the story.”

Michael took the pancake from Julia gratefully and laced it with lemon and sugar.

“That’s if there is a story.” He shrugged and stuffed a piece of pancake into his mouth.

“That’s what’s wrong with you – no romance! No wonder Lydia doesn’t want anything to do with you!”

“Ouch, that hurt, Ju!”

“Well, maybe if you had been more considerate and not played around – I nearly forgot that – then you would be married to her!”

“Don’t rub it in. I still think about her, you know.” He looked down at his already-empty plate and Julia felt sorry for him.

He might be all bravado to most but she knew the real Michael and he was a loving, good and kind brother. Even as a child he protected her from the hair-pulling arguments with Odette and always took her side. When her father died she realised how like him he was in many ways and she knew that he longed for the steadiness and security that a happy relationship would bring. She flipped another pancake and tossed it onto his plate.

“Okay – enough morbid talk, brother. We are going to have fun on the beach and then enjoy your last night in
Perth.”

Steve was in bounding good form at work and Ruth realised that she had to keep him at a distance. She had noticed when he joined them at the Lucky Shag the night before that he had expected her to follow him as he left and was disappointed not to have a kiss. He was standing inside her office now and enquiring about her plans for later.