Page 19 of Where the Wattles Bloom

It didn’t appear to faze her, however. She just nodded and said, ‘Twice for me too.’

That brought Lachlan up short. He really, really wanted to ask her about it but the questions had moved on. Everything from the final score at last year’s Junction versus Dubbo grand final footy match to what colour awning hung over the entrance to the old milk bar before it became Sadie’s Hair Salon.

‘Last question of the round and the night,’ Ruth said, her voice cutting through the conversations. ‘What’s the name of the good Samaritan who secured free baked goods for the term of her natural life after she dragged Silvano Morelli out of his crashed car and resuscitated him by the side of the road on the weekend?’

Rowena turned scarlet as the entire pub got to their feet and burst into applause. ‘See,’ Lachlan teased, over the din. ‘You do know one.’

She looked around, her face flushed and pretty as she gestured for everyone to sit. But Acacia Junction wasn’t ready to stop applauding their newest hero just yet. It was a close-knit community that didn’t exactly embrace outsiders, but once a person breached that outer crust—they were in for good.

‘Okay, okay.’ Ruth eventually called everyone to order and the applause petered out as people took their seats. ‘Hand in your answer sheets to be marked.’

Brooke grinned at Rowena. ‘You’re red as a beetroot.’

‘I just’—she fiddled with her earring again—‘did what anyone else would have done.’

Swing. Swing. Swing.

‘Nah.’ Lachlan shook his head. ‘A lot of people wouldn’t have even known where to start. So they wouldn’t have, because they would have been terrified of making things worse. Which would have definitely made things worse. You jumped in and saved the day.’

‘Yeah, but I knew what to do.’

‘Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a standing ovation.’

‘Yep, you also better be prepared to never have to cook a meal for the rest of your stay here,’ Brooke confirmed. ‘Now everyone knows your identity, the Tupperware dishes will start to arrive. It’s good you have a kitchenette in your hotel room and I sure hope you’re not on a diet.’

Rowena raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m a woman with thighs. I’m always on a diet.’

Lachlan vividly remembered Rowena’s appreciation of that cannoli and thought what a terrible shame it was that society put so much pressure on women to look a certain way. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he wouldn’t mind those thighs wrapped around him, but only a sleazy douche would say that to a woman.

And he was a fucking gentleman.

‘Send any excess our way,’ Nathan volunteered with a pat to his stomach. ‘I’ll find a home for them.’

‘Or,’ Brooke said, bugging her eyes at her husband, ‘she could bring them into work.’

‘Okay, sure.’ Nathan nodded. ‘And you can bring home the leftovers for me.’

‘I love that you think there’ll be leftovers once a bunch of nurses have descended.’ She patted her husband on the cheek. ‘Still so naive.’

Rowena laughed. ‘True. Plagues of locusts have been known to get out of our way.’

One of Ruth’s minions collected their score sheet and Lachlan sat back and watched as a bemused Rowena was swamped with locals, wanting to shake her hand and thank her for what she did for Silvano. By the time the scores had been read and they’d collected a box of chocolates for third place, which Nathan promptly opened for everyone to share, he could tell she was getting overwhelmed by all the attention.

When there was a lull in her popularity, she yawned possibly one of the fakest yawns Lachlan had ever seen and announced her intention to leave.

‘Well … thanks for a great game but I’m going to hit the sack.’

Given it was barely eight-thirty, Lachlan suspected the move was more about escape than sleep.

There were general protests—including his—but she managed to skilfully extract herself nonetheless. ‘You think she really just wants to watch MAFS?’ Brooke asked him as they watched her walk through the bar area.

Rowena nodded at people and stopped for a quick word or a shake of a hand but kept moving determinedly towards the door over which hung an illuminated exit sign. On the other side, immediately to the left, were the stairs to the accommodation.

‘I doubt someone who’s been married twice would be into a reality TV show where two young idiots who’ve never met walk down the aisle for shits, giggles and television ratings.’ He certainly wasn’t. Although the subject of weddings had once again piqued his interest in her two marriages.

‘She looked a bit overwhelmed by the attention,’ Brooke mused.

Lachlan shrugged. ‘I suspect she’s come here to get away from attention, not attract it.’