Chapter Four
‘He’s a good guy, Carrie.’ Owen pulled at the cupboard door in the kitchen until finally it came off its hinges. He discarded it on the pile in the corner.
‘I’m sure he is.’ After Noah left and Carrie chatted on the phone with Lachlan before he went into surgery, Owen had shown up to start the first stages of the renovations, which involved a lot of noise, a lot of physical strength and a great deal of mess. It hadn’t taken him long to deduce from Carrie’s conversation that she had her misgivings about Noah.
Owen ripped out a drawer and prised the runners away from the side of another cupboard using a chisel. ‘You don’t have to like the guy. But he’ll do a good job in the garden for you.’
‘I suppose you’re right.’
‘You know I am. And besides…’ He wiped the sweat from his brow. Without air conditioning, physical work took its toll quickly. ‘…if he’s seen you naked I’m sure he likes you.’ He earned himself a clip round the ear from Carrie. Laughing, he said, ‘I guess I deserved that.’
‘Are you sure I can’t help?’ she asked when Owen reached to the top cabinet next and began to wrench its door off.
He looked down at her. ‘I know you’re just offering to be polite.’
‘Of course I am. I think we both know it’s best I stick to supervising you.’
‘I don’t need babysitting, but you’ve already helped anyway.’
‘How’s that?’
‘By making firm decisions on what you want. Some clients take forever and change their minds over and over, but you’ve made your decisions and stuck with them.’
Before Owen had been allowed to get started, Carrie had taken out her laptop to show him the oven she liked, the cooktop, colours of the benchtops, the bath and the accessories she wanted. She’d spent hours choosing them but had enjoyed every second, visualising what the house would be like when it was complete.
The cabinet door finally came off and he lowered it to the ground, and with the kitchen stripped, Carrie insisted on helping move the wood outside to dump in front of the house ready to be taken away.
‘It’s like kindling,’ she said as they surveyed the big pile at the front of the house when they’d finished.
Owen laughed. ‘You obviously learned a bit from being with me.’
‘Should I keep it all for when the fireplace is up and running?’
He shook his head and wiped his brow. ‘It’ll get wet out here and you’ve nowhere to store it. I’ve asked Noah to help get rid of all the debris as we gradually pull everything out.’
‘That’s nice of him.’
‘I told you, he’s a nice guy. Now, I suggest you get out of my hair or I might make you help me rip out those laundry cupboards, and I’m pretty sure I saw a huge huntsman at the back of one.’
‘Dead or alive?’
‘Dead.’ When she breathed a sigh of relief he added, ‘Not necessarily a good thing. You’ve got to wonder what killed it.’
‘I’m out of here,’ she grinned. ‘I’ll see you later.’
With the chance to escape, she picked up her bag and walked down the hill and into town. Magnolia Creek was a pretty place. She’d enjoyed the odd day here when she was with Owen and again for her sister’s wedding at Magnolia House, set behind Main Street and beside a gorgeous lake. She knew that bushfires had done their worst in the next town and had tried to take this town too, but now the café had been rebuilt, and there were enough tall trees lining the sides of the roads to mask anything sinister that may have happened before.
The sun kissed her neck and shoulders as she walked down Main Street enjoying the gentle breeze that kept her cool in her long floaty multicoloured dress – a complete change from her usual everyday attire. At the hospital she’d always dressed smartly in a trouser suit or a skirt with a nice shirt, she’d wear heels and fix her hair in some kind of up-do to keep it out of the way. But now, with her thongs back on her feet, makeup-free, her hair hanging long down her back, there were no rules, no regulations, just the feeling of freedom.
When she spotted Rosie she waved. She crossed over outside the pub they’d had dinner at last night and immediately smiled. ‘Pregnancy suits you. I can definitely see your baby bump now!’ Rosie had on a summer dress too, and it clung to her shape to tell the world of the expected arrival.
‘Thank you.’ Rosie beamed. ‘I was about to go and say hello to Gemma in the chocolaterie, if you’re interested.’ When Carrie said she’d love to, Rosie added, ‘My chocolate consumption has gone up a notch – well, a few notches if I’m completely honest – and they’ve got some heavenly salted-caramel chocolate bars.’
‘Now you’re talking. I’m glad I have my purse.’
‘Oh come on,’ said Rosie, ‘don’t tell me you eat chocolate – not with your gorgeous figure.’
‘I love the stuff!’ She didn’t add that she ate more when she was stressed, had the occasional breakout of spots on her face when things got really bad, and it was her anxiety that probably burned off all the calories before her body had a chance to even think about storing them away.
Inside the chocolaterie Carrie and Rosie browsed while they waited for Gemma to come through from out the back. They admired the individual chocolates beneath the glass-topped counter, the novelty chocolates made into different shapes including a handbag, a stiletto shoe and a tennis racket.
When a blonde woman appeared at Rosie’s side, Rosie said, ‘Carrie, this is Gemma.’
‘It’s lovely to meet you.’ Carrie extended a hand.
‘Likewise. I hear you’re from the big smoke.’
‘You make me sound like I’m a different breed,’ Carrie smiled.
‘Not at all,’ Gemma dismissed. ‘My husband and I were in the city for a long time too and this was a bit of a change for us when we first arrived.’
‘You don’t regret moving?’
‘Not in the slightest. And I have a three-year-old now so living with all this open space – well it’s beautiful, and a great place for her to grow up.’
Rosie elaborated on Gemma’s story when Gemma served a customer wanting butterscotch ice-cream, which had run out at the front of the shop. It turned out Gemma had tried and tried to fall pregnant, had suffered miscarriages, but she and her husband, Andrew, had eventually adopted a little girl called Abby last year.
Gemma finished with her customer. ‘Abby will be so disappointed not to see you, Rosie.’
‘I have been roped into babysitting once or twice.’ Rosie winked at Carrie, clearly not put out in the slightest. ‘It’s all good practice.’
Gemma and Rosie were completely at ease with one another and Carrie felt a pang of sadness. She had friends, she had family and she had Lachlan, but as she watched these women chatting away, she knew true friendship was something she hadn’t prioritised before. Friends had come and gone from her life but her career had called the shots for a long while and she wondered what it would be like if that were to change.
Andrew came through from the back of the shop and introduced himself. He handed out chocolate samples to all three women, telling them about his latest creation, asking for opinions, and in the few minutes they were in the shop it was almost like the flick of a magic wand, because Carrie felt a part of something new and unfamiliar, something she wanted more and more.
After the chocolate shop, Rosie insisted on accompanying Carrie along Main Street so she could make introductions. Noah had told her earlier that in Magnolia Creek they looked after each other, and Carrie could already see how true it was.
Next up was the café, where they met Bella, the kind-faced woman with trademark red lipstick whom Carrie had definitely seen before, most likely at the pub on occasion when she’d been dating Owen. They met Mal from the gift shop; Stephanie, whose parents owned the pub and whom Carrie recognised as well; and they waved to Gus, who, according to Rosie, volunteered at the fire station with Owen.
They ended with a walk to Magnolia House and Carrie smiled as the big curved veranda came into view, remembering her sister’s wedding. She’d helped with the organisation and had taken bonbonnière to Rosie, who worked here at the time.
Rosie was first to sit down on the low wall surrounding the lake. ‘I swear my ankles get swollen if I try to do too much.’
‘Are you still working?’ Carrie sat alongside her, leaned back and trailed her fingers across the surface of the water.
‘I’m still here at Magnolia House. I love it.’ Her smile was a match for the sun. ‘I do three days a week and I’ll take six months off when the baby comes and then go back part time. We can manage it with Owen running his own business so I’m lucky.’
‘He’ll be a great dad. I bet he’s really excited.’
‘He is.’ Rosie hesitated. ‘Carrie, can I ask, is there another reason you’re here in Magnolia Creek? I mean, apart from the job you lined up.’
When Rosie looked uneasy, Carrie realised what she was getting at. ‘Oh, God, no! You don’t think I’m trying to get Owen back do you?’
Rosie shook her head, frustrated with herself. ‘Call it pregnancy hormones, but I’ve been feeling a tiny bit paranoid.’
‘Rosie.’ Carrie put a hand on her arm. ‘I swear to you that I absolutely, categorically, do not want Owen back.’
‘OK, so now I’m embarrassed.’
‘Don’t be. He’s a catch, and when you met me before I was pretty much the kind of girl who always got what she wanted. But he chose you, remember? He loves you with all his heart.’ She paused. ‘But then you don’t doubt his feelings. It’s me, isn’t it?’
‘I shouldn’t have brought it up.’ She shook her head as though trying to erase the moment. ‘It’s just that, well, I suppose it feels strange that you’ve turned your back on your career to come out here to a little town like this.’
Carrie wasn’t about to divulge her real reasons but she liked Rosie, she wanted to keep her on side. ‘Owen will always be special to me,’ she admitted. ‘He’s a good friend, but that’s all. The feeling’s mutual. Even when you two got together I wasn’t that upset about losing him as a boyfriend. We lost touch until recently, when I found the job and the house and made contact. But it’s platonic, I absolutely promise you.’
The smile Rosie gave her was confident enough to tell Carrie she believed her. ‘When I first met you, with your tanned skin, long legs, blonde hair and perfection, I wondered what you’d ever have to worry about. And finding out you were a paediatrician, I thought wow, this girl has looks and brains. She’s got it all.’
Carrie harrumphed. ‘I guess a lot of people make the same assumption.’
‘So what really brings you out here to the country, away from the city and your life there?’
‘The nannying job and the position at the hospital. Nothing more,’ Carrie assured her. The clouds gathered overhead and she shivered. ‘We should get going before it rains on us.’
‘Come to my place – you can see the window seat.’ Rosie stood up slowly, without another word about Carrie’s personal life, and they headed back to Rosie Cottage talking about the plans for Carrie’s own house all the way there.
‘It’s gorgeous! I love it.’ Carrie admired the window seat in the bedroom the second she saw it. Covered in denim blue with cream cushions placed at intervals, it was inviting, and with a view over the bush it would be a great place to curl up with a good book and a glass of wine.
Rosie showed Carrie the fireplace, explained the work that had gone into restoring the floors, the choices that had been made in the kitchen and bathroom, and over a cup of tea they chatted more about the town and the community that held it all together.
‘Are we OK?’ Carrie asked as she stepped out of the cottage ready to return to her own house.
‘Of course we are!’ Rosie pulled a face. ‘Ah, you mean after I asked you about your intentions with Owen? I’m really embarrassed I said anything.’
‘No, don’t be. It was a legitimate concern.’ The bruised clouds hovered ominously and Carrie knew she wouldn’t have much time to walk home before they spilled over. ‘I’d better go.’
‘Don’t forget, Carrie, if you need to talk, you know where I am.’
Carrie raised a hand to wave goodbye as she walked away, along Daisy Lane and onto the road that would lead her back to town. Rosie was honest, down to earth and not afraid to air her concerns. It was a sincerity Carrie admired.
She made her way back to Main Street, treating herself to the couple of squares of salted-caramel chocolate she’d bought at the chocolaterie, but before she turned up the hill towards her own house she decided on a pit stop at the florist’s next to the vet surgery. She returned the friendly greeting of a man walking his dog and then stopped to appreciate the pots and hanging baskets out front of the florist’s. The scent was intoxicating and the riot of colour made her smile: purples, pinks, cream, green, orange, apricot – every colour you could imagine. She looked at labels not recognising a single one but she didn’t care. If she could have any of these colouring up the pretty house she’d bought then she’d be happy.
‘Carrie?’ It was Noah, in the same shorts he’d had on earlier, looking a bit muddier but sporting a big smile as he carried out a tray of miniature plants. He seemed friendlier and she was surprised to find she felt a flush of relief.
‘Hey.’ She peered into the tray.
‘They don’t look much now,’ he explained, perhaps sensing she was looking for something pretty in there but hadn’t managed to find it, ‘but they will be beautiful eventually. Every seed and plant has to be allowed a chance to grow.’
‘I’ll take your word for it.’
‘What have you been up to?’
‘Meeting the locals.’ She smiled and recounted the route they’d taken around the town and the people she’d been introduced to, and when he extended a hand to touch her face she held her breath.
‘You have chocolate on the corner of your mouth.’
She reached her own fingers up and wiped the same place he’d touched. ‘Thanks.’ She wondered whether she’d have mud there now but she’d caught the waft of soap and cleanliness when he’d lifted a hand to her skin.
She spun round in an effort to mask her awkwardness. ‘What are these? The label’s missing.’ She pointed up at the hanging basket with glorious orange flowers spilling out of it.
‘Those are nasturtiums.’
‘Oh,’ she managed, wondering if he realised how uneasy he made her feel. She turned back to find him watching her rather than the flowers but as she did, in the corner of her eye she saw a car she recognised and, rather than being elated her boyfriend had driven all this way to surprise her, she found herself forcing a smile as she waved at him, because the thinking space she’d found out here suddenly felt a whole lot smaller.
The powerful, agile and distinctive Jaguar convertible in glossy red stood out against the peaceful backdrop of Magnolia Creek and Carrie noticed the car had already drawn attention. Mal from the gift shop looked over in awe as he washed his front window, Andrew from the chocolaterie had appeared vaguely interested before retreating back inside to his customers, and a group of teenage boys who had sauntered along from the direction of the train station were taking a healthy interest, and Carrie suspected if she didn’t get to Lachlan in the next few minutes they’d be asking him questions about the car’s maximum speed, its acceleration from zero to a hundred kilometres an hour, or a thousand other questions she didn’t understand or care for.
‘What are you doing here?’ She kissed Lachlan on the lips when he leaned in and she caught the familiar smell of his Gucci aftershave. It was the same scent he’d worn since the day they met. Even when he’d scrubbed for surgery the subtle aroma still lingered in some way.
‘I thought I’d surprise my girl.’ He slung an arm around her shoulder, pointed the remote at the car and bleeped to lock it and activate the alarm. He nodded to the boys walking past, who gave the vehicle another look of appreciation. ‘I missed you.’
‘You’ve been on nights, haven’t you?’
‘On again tonight,’ he confirmed, taking both her hands in his.
Carrie knew Noah was hovering nearby so she had no choice but to introduce them. ‘Lachlan, this is Noah. Noah’s going to be helping out with the garden up at the house.’
Lachlan stretched out a hand and shook Noah’s. ‘You’ve got a job there, it’s in quite a mess.’
‘It is,’ Noah replied, ‘but there’s beauty beneath, I’m sure of it. We’ll find it, won’t we, Carrie?’
Was he deliberately trying to goad her boyfriend? ‘Er…yes, you will. I’m afraid I won’t be much help. Gardening and me don’t see eye to eye – I’d kill a plant at a thousand paces.’
‘She’s not wrong,’ said Lachlan, his conviction blotting out any remark Noah had intended to rock the boat for whatever reason. ‘It’s a cute town.’ He looked down to the other end of Main Street and then peered at the shops opposite.
‘I’ll see you again soon, Carrie.’ Noah clearly didn’t want to hang around, and for that she was grateful.
‘See you.’ She didn’t look at him, just cuddled in tightly to Lachlan. ‘I can’t believe you missed me so much you’d drive up when you should be sleeping.’
‘You know me, I only need a good stretch of a few hours and I’m raring to go again.’
Both of them had been the same; working long hours at the hospital plus nights on call meant that sleep was often hard to come by, and you got used to it. But out here, Carrie had slept longer and better than ever before and already she was realising how good it made her feel.
‘Let’s have a coffee,’ she suggested. Owen was back at the house and she hadn’t briefed him on not telling Lachlan their history. Not that he would, anyway. It wasn’t really the first thing he was likely to say: ‘Nice to meet you and, by the way, I know what it’s like to go to bed with your girlfriend.’
They walked on in the direction of the café and Bella was no less busy than before but she made enough time to come over and introduce herself to Lachlan. At almost six foot five with a very sure presence, as soon as anyone heard he was a heart surgeon it only made them more enamoured.
Bella couldn’t chat for long, but she was able to nudge Carrie with an approving look and make Carrie realise how quickly she was making friends around here.
‘Great coffee,’ Lachlan confirmed after his first sip of macchiato.
She sipped her own cappuccino and made an approving face. ‘Bella is famous for her scones too, apparently.’
‘Go on then,’ he grinned. ‘I’ve got some healthy pasta back at the apartment to eat before work, but the scones will go down much better than that.’
With the legendary scones that came served with a generous pot of cream and another of jam, she talked to Lachlan about some of the local businesses she’d discovered that day, the people she’d met, the lake that was hidden from here and the holiday cottages at one end, surrounded by bushland and as peaceful as you could imagine. They moved on to talking a bit about the hospital and some more about Stella and Marco, their friends in the city who eloped last month and married in the Seychelles.
‘They’re both soaring in their careers. Stella’s head of paediatrics now, Marco’s aiming for Director of Cardiology.’
‘Impressive.’ Stella and Marco were two of the most dedicated doctors Carrie had ever met and two of the nicest people they knew. They didn’t see much of them so Carrie had never got close enough to call Stella a true girlfriend, one of those women you could have a giggle with over something inconsequential. Mostly their conversations revolved around medicine, fine dining, property or exotic locations for holidays. Quite often Marco and Lachlan would drift off and discuss cardiology, while Carrie and Stella would turn to matters of paediatrics. Carrie guessed it was only natural.
‘It could be you one day,’ said Lachlan as she smoothed some jam onto the scone’s surface. ‘You’re an amazing paediatrician and you have the drive to go as far as you want to go.’
Once upon a time she would’ve said the same. But now, she wasn’t so sure.
‘You do, Carrie. Just don’t leave it too long to get back in the game.’
She turned down the offer of another coffee when Bella passed by their table. ‘I’m not completely out of the game,’ she told him, ‘and remember I’ll be looking after a project at the hospital near here, thanks to you and Serena.’
‘Forgive the pun, but that project is child’s play for you.’ He dismissed a potential protest with his hand. ‘I’m not saying it’s not important, because I know it is and I’ve seen many successful similar projects at the hospital. But it won’t use your talents in the way they should be used.’
He was only trying to be nice, but this was what she’d enjoyed about not staying in the city any longer and why she’d chosen to live in a total mess and camp out at the house. In the city she felt pressured. Lachlan was the most ambitious man she’d ever met – it was one of the things that had attracted her to him in the first place – but now she’d taken her own foot off the pedal, he seemed intent on making sure she pushed it down again and kept it there.
She distracted him by talking about the garden and what she was going to do with it. She even remembered some of the names of plants, shrubs and climbing things Noah had mentioned, which seemed to impress him.
‘Come on.’ Lachlan took out his wallet and left cash plus a healthy tip on the tray with a receipt that Bella had discretely brought over. ‘I want to see this house again.’
It was exactly what she’d been dreading, and as she climbed into the Jaguar parked outside the florist’s she wished she’d had a chance to forewarn Owen that Lachlan was on his way.