‘If you say so,’ Karly said, stuffing chips into her mouth, but continuing to regard Summer with open speculation.

  ‘Hey, maybe we should head to Sale or Bairnsdale on the weekend,’ Nev said. ‘Have a girls’ night out. See if there’s any fling material there.’

  The fact Nev’s suggestion held no appeal when she’d usually be up for a night out with her girlfriends away from town reinforced exactly how much Summer was looking forward to ‘flinging’ with Jy.

  ‘Uh …’

  ‘She can’t come up with an excuse quick enough.’ Karly sniggered and offered her the fish and chip packet. ‘Don’t worry, we know your attention is elsewhere at the moment, so you concentrate on getting the hottie naked and we’ll do our girls’ night out in a month when he’s gone and you’re crying into your Bundy and Coke.’

  ‘You’re all heart.’

  Karly and Nev laughed at her dry response, and as they haggled over the last piece of flake, Summer hoped she wouldn’t be crying after Jy left, and that she wasn’t making a big mistake.

  CHAPTER

  16

  ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this.’ Rayne clinked her wine glass against Heidi’s. ‘Here’s to us, embarking on an adventure together after all these years.’

  ‘To us,’ Heidi echoed, taking a sip of wine before pointing at the laptop on the table in front of them. ‘You ready to take the plunge?’

  ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’ The thought of letting a man near her again left Rayne cold but it was time. Sixteen years of walling herself off was long enough and she had to do this to prove she’d conquered her fear.

  Rayne downed her wine in four gulps and placed the empty glass on the table before flipping open the screen and entering her password. ‘What’s this dating site called?’

  ‘I’ve scoured the lot, and the one I like the most is Happy.’

  Rayne groaned. ‘That’s the lamest name ever.’

  ‘Don’t you want to be happy?’

  Heidi didn’t have to add ‘after all you’ve been through’ because the pity in her eyes said it all. Rayne didn’t need pity. She needed to forget, to erase the awful memories that still plagued her. Maybe her friend was right? Would dating again, having a new man to focus on, distract and eradicate her past once and for all?

  ‘I seriously doubt I’ll find happiness with some guy I meet online, but I said I’d do this with you, so I’m in.’

  ‘Good.’ Heidi dragged the laptop in front of her, opened the site in a browser and entered her login details. ‘I’ve already had a look around and I like this one the best because there are no photos.’

  ‘What? So we can’t see who we’re talking to? He could be a monster.’ Like Noel.

  That’s when a horrific thought she hadn’t contemplated popped into her head: What if Noel was on dating sites, trolling for women, dishing out the same abuse she’d copped for years? It’s not like she hadn’t thought about him moving on over the years, but she’d blocked the thought, glad she’d escaped and trying not to feel guilty that she couldn’t warn some other poor unsuspecting woman.

  Not that seeing a guy’s face was an indication of his true colours. Noel had looked like the guy next door: clean-cut, tanned, ready smile. Everyone trusted Senior Sergeant Noel Horne. Everyone but her.

  ‘I didn’t take you to be shallow,’ Heidi said, tapping on a giant smiley emoji in the centre of the screen. ‘Looks aren’t everything and this way you get to know a guy first, be attracted to his personality.’

  ‘Honestly, Heids? It’s been so long since I’ve been attracted to anybody, I can’t see myself connecting with any of these blokes.’

  ‘Give it a chance.’ Heidi squeezed her arm, understanding in her eyes. ‘Not every man is like Noel.’

  ‘I know, but even if I connect with someone, the chances of him living within an hour of this place are remote.’

  ‘You’re not going to marry the guy, just have some fun; so what if you have to drive a little longer?’

  Heidi rolled her eyes and Rayne laughed. ‘Okay, okay, let’s have a look at these princes.’

  ‘Good girl.’ Heidi pointed at the screen, where six boxes of varying colours were filled with script. ‘How it works is, you read what the guy’s written, then if you like what you see, you click on the box and it gives you more info, with the ability to reach out and message him.’

  ‘Sounds easy enough.’

  ‘Oh, it is.’

  Rayne didn’t like the wicked twinkle in Heidi’s eyes as she angled the laptop screen her way. ‘Why don’t you take a look at these?’

  As Rayne skimmed the first box, she was glad she’d finished her wine otherwise she would’ve spewed it all over Heidi’s laptop.

  ‘Not your type?’ Heidi asked, the picture of innocence as she sipped her wine, the glass doing little to hide her big grin.

  ‘Are they all this blunt?’

  Reading, ‘I want a woman with big tits, DD minimum, who can ride a motorbike, shear sheep and is up for it any time day or night’ wasn’t quite what she’d expected when she’d agreed to this. As for his moniker—Nine Inches Plus—that had to be false advertising.

  Heidi burst out laughing. ‘Of course not. I picked the worst of the lot to rile you up.’

  ‘It worked.’

  Rayne screwed up her nose and edged the laptop away with her finger. ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’

  ‘Don’t be such a wuss.’ Heidi downed her wine and pulled the laptop closer. ‘Here, I’ll show you some of the guys I like.’

  Rayne studied Heidi as her friend’s fingers flew over the keyboard. The years hadn’t been kind to her. She had a plethora of wrinkles across her forehead and deep lines grooving a track from her nose to her mouth. But her brown hair had barely a streak of grey and she kept fit with daily jogs along the beach, and when she smiled, all Rayne could see was the cheeky girl who’d joined her in escapades like stealing apples from the community orchard and door-knocking the oldies late at night.

  ‘I’ve already messaged these two.’ A faint pink stole into Heidi’s cheeks. ‘I’ve had a response from one of them.’

  To Rayne’s relief, both sounded like nice guys and completely ordinary. But if anybody knew what ‘ordinary’ could hide, she did.

  ‘So what happens once you start messaging?’

  ‘It’s up to you. If you’re comfortable, you can move from messaging to calling, to video conferencing, to meeting in person.’ Heidi fiddled with the edge of the tablecloth. ‘I’m taking it slow. But for now, I’m having fun for the first time in ages, and where’s the harm in messaging?’

  Rayne hadn’t seen that twinkle in her friend’s eyes for decades. Bert had been a nice guy but like most married couples, they’d lost the spark after a while of cohabitating. Heidi was right. What was the harm in messaging?

  ‘Okay, you’ve convinced me.’

  ‘Good, then I’ll leave you to it.’ Heidi gave her a hug before standing. ‘Log out of my account, then set up yours and go for it.’

  The only place Rayne intended on going tonight was bed, but she knew if she didn’t at least make the effort to set up an account she’d never get around to it.

  As if reading her mind, Heidi waggled a finger at her. ‘I’ll check in with you tomorrow so don’t chicken out on me.’

  ‘Still bossy,’ Rayne muttered, sharing a conspiratorial smile with her best friend.

  ‘I’ll let myself out.’

  ‘Thanks for this, I think,’ Rayne said, logging out of Heidi’s account. When she heard the front door shut she almost turned off the laptop, but with a reluctant sigh she followed the protocol to set up her own.

  ‘This is stupid,’ she murmured, as she racked her brain for something to write in her bio, not to mention a moniker that wasn’t ‘middle-aged, reluctant and not in the mood’.

  In the end, she stuck with the truth, outlining her likes—walks on the beach, strawberry picking, the smell of rain after a thunderstorm—and used Hippy Chick 50 as her screen name. That should keep some of the sleazes only after younger women at bay.

  In a way, she did like the idea of no photos. How honest were most people with their pictures on these dating sites anyway? She’d seen shows on TV where men and women used photos taken decades earlier and when they met in person … yowza. She hated false advertising; look at Noel. Strong, dependable, loyal—and a monster behind closed doors.

  A row of multicoloured smile emojis with age ranges—twenty to thirty, thirty to forty, forty to fifty, fifty to sixty, and sixty plus—lay in a neat row along the top of the first page. She clicked on the forty to fifty range, for the simple fact Noel had been three years older than her so if she searched in the other range she’d be less likely to find him. Maybe vanity played a part too.

  She ignored the guys in their early forties and concentrated on the forty-niners. With the first few, she didn’t make it past their nicknames: HoneyBunch, ILikeBigBuns, Me4You, BigTool and worse, guys who were obviously online for one thing and it wasn’t companionship or friendship.

  The fourteenth box caught her eye. DadBod. The self-deprecation in those two syllables made her smile and she found herself clicking on the box to learn more.

  Her smile widened as she read his bio.

  A single father who doesn’t have time to go to the gym but indulges in his passion for pasta and paella regardless. The laneways of Melbourne hold a particular kind of magic, as does strolling along the Yarra on a crisp winter’s night. I like nothing better than slouching on the couch watching bad reality TV with a family-size block of chocolate, hence the dad bod. But I can hold my own in a Taekwando tournament and I like the occasional bike ride, so the bod isn’t totally out of control.

  Rayne had to admit, DadBod piqued her interest. His sense of humour shone through in a brief paragraph and not many guys would be that honest on a dating site.

  Before she could change her mind, she hit the icon that brought up a message box and started typing.

  CHAPTER

  17

  Jy had kept a low profile all day. After sitting in on classes at the school this morning—thankfully, Summer hadn’t been there to distract him—he’d been holed up in his motel room researching the region, its socio-economic predictions and how that equated with opportunities for young people. From what he’d garnered, he hadn’t been impressed. Jobs were scarce and many locals claimed unemployment benefits. But he couldn’t get the image of Serenity out of his head, its peaceful vibe and how far away it was from the rat race of Melbourne.

  That was the thing about factual reports: they only presented a two-dimensional image of a vibrant, close-knit community; a community that supported its kids to value more beyond smartphones and social media, that encouraged them to understand the rationale behind earth to table, that fostered a love for the outdoors.

  He could imagine the disdain of Gus and the board if he tried to highlight all that in his report. They’d think he’d been ‘turned’ by the ‘hippies’. All Jy could do was try to present an alternative viewpoint, a reason for why year twelve grades weren’t the be-all and end-all around here, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t make an ounce of difference. They’d earmarked Acacia Haven College for closure and nothing would sway them.

  Sitting in on the VCE English class at the school this morning hadn’t clarified much. Hugo was a good teacher, and he held the kids’ attention for the most part, but many of them hadn’t read the prescribed texts like they were supposed to in the holidays and, going by the frequent glances out the window when Hugo implored them to do it, they weren’t likely to be reading over the weekend either.

  Hugo also taught Global Politics, History and Geography, so the kids had to do other VCE subject classes online. This meant the kids who weren’t interested in humanities and were more STEM focussed didn’t get a lot of hands-on help. Jy knew many kids who learned remotely had perfectly good grades, but he had a feeling the kids here would rather be helping out at home than studying anything.

  The thing is, he understood. After seeing Serenity, where most of these kids lived, the attraction to be hands-on rather than learning from a book would be strong. Especially if many of them didn’t leave town after they finished school, as Summer had mentioned. Unfortunately for this town and Acacia Haven College, highlighting what he’d seen in the classroom today wouldn’t help their cause in wanting to save the school.

  As he entered the pub to meet Summer for dinner, he spied her already waiting at the bar, surrounded by people. She looked … incandescent, the natural glow from her smile and her obvious happiness drawing others to her like moths to a flame. It wasn’t her clothes or her hair—a simple indigo sundress and a messy topknot—but more a feeling of wellbeing that made her incredibly attractive. She laughed at something an old guy in a flannel said and Jy’s gut twisted. He wanted her.

  He made his way towards her, the smells of pubs Australia-wide comforting: frying onions, grilled steaks and pungent yeast from the many beers consumed. But rather than being dark with too much mahogany, this pub channelled their location with a beach theme, beige and pale blues, with wide floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean. A few patrons took advantage of daylight savings and were eating outdoors, where six tables were protected from the elements with clear plastic blinds and turquoise-striped umbrellas.

  As he neared Summer’s adoring fans, she caught sight of him and waved, her eyes lighting up in a way that made him want to thump his chest like a caveman. Her complete lack of artifice and genuine joy in seeing him was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time—if ever.

  Had Aggie ever looked at him like that, even in their early courtship? He doubted it. They’d fallen into a relationship at uni, drawn together by mutual goals and lust. The latter had worn off not long into their marriage and the goalposts changed when she switched from teaching to marketing, leaving him behind.

  But here, now, having Summer light up at the prospect of having dinner with him, he felt ten feet tall.

  ‘Hey,’ he said, touching her arm when he really wanted to give her a kiss. But her fans hadn’t melted away and he didn’t want to appear too familiar, considering the job he’d come here to do. ‘You look great.’

  ‘Thanks.’ She beamed at him. ‘Our table’s ready.’

  ‘Great, I’m starving.’

  ‘Me too.’ She eyeballed him and he had the distinct impression she wasn’t talking about food. ‘Folks, this is Jy Atherton.’

  ‘We know who he is,’ the old coot in flannel said, glaring at him like a seagull that had just crapped on him. ‘City slicker come to close our school.’

  A general muttering of discontent swept the crowd. So much for a leisurely dinner at the pub. Jy had a feeling he’d be scrutinised all evening, though with a little luck, maybe the chef wouldn’t spit in his food.

  ‘You’ve got a great community here and I’m hoping my report will reflect that,’ he said, reaching for a placating answer that had little effect if the unchanging glowers were any indication.

  ‘Leave Jy alone,’ Summer said, shooing the crowd away. ‘He’s a good guy doing his job, so quit giving him a hard time.’

  ‘You’re just saying that because you’re sweet on him,’ Flannel Guy muttered, but his glower had softened.

  ‘Shut up, Merv.’ Summer frowned affectionately. ‘Now leave us alone to enjoy our dinner in peace.’

  Jy bit back a laugh at the outraged expressions as he followed Summer to the last table by the window, affording them a stunning view of the sunset. When he pulled out her chair, she raised an eyebrow in surprise.

  ‘Mum was big on manners,’ he said, waiting till she sat before pushing it in.

  ‘Impressive.’ When he sat she leaned forward. ‘Sorry about the lynch mob. As you can tell, news travels fast in a town this size.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it. I’m not here to win friends or influence anybody, beyond the Education Department.’

  ‘In a good way, I hope?’

  ‘Let’s just say your tour of Serenity helped clarify a few things for me.’ She smiled and he held up his hand. ‘But don’t get your hopes up. I have a feeling that whatever I write in the report, no matter how much I try to highlight the benefits of intentional living for kids and how there’s more beyond grades, it won’t make a difference.’

  She paled and he mentally kicked himself for being a downer before their date even started.

  ‘You really think their minds are made up?’

  He could lie to make this evening go smoother, to make it easier on himself and their possible relationship, but he respected her too much.

  ‘Honestly? That’s my gut feeling.’

  Her face fell and he felt compelled to cheer her up.

  ‘But they’ve picked the wrong guy to do their dirty work.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘They thought by sending me here as some kind of punishment for being too outspoken, I’d kowtow and deliver exactly what they wanted.’

  ‘And now?’

  ‘Now, I want to prove how outspoken I can be.’

  The worry clouding her eyes cleared and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. ‘Are you telling me what I want to hear in the hope I’ll put out at the end of this date?’

  He barked out a laugh. ‘I love how blunt you are. It’s refreshing.’

  ‘I’m thirty, way too old to be playing games.’

  Another surprise, a woman volunteering her age without the usual coyness.

  ‘I’m not bullshitting you, if that’s what you’re asking. Though when I got here a few days ago, all I wanted to do was get the bloody report written and hightail it out of town.’

  ‘And now?’

  ‘A certain teacher has opened my eyes to what this town and community can offer kids beyond final grades and I’m going to showcase that in my report alongside all the boring factual stuff.’