‘Dad!’ Alex wails. ‘You have to fix it!’
‘What have I told you about actions and consequences?’ he asks on a growl.
‘I know!’ she cries. ‘I promise I’ll listen to you for the rest of my life.’
‘Shitting hell,’ Ryan curses, and a second later he lands in front of me, blocking my way. His cheesy grin is back. I raise my eyebrows, waiting, and he eventually slumps on the spot. ‘I’ll do anything.’
‘Anything,’ Alex reiterates frantically from behind me.
‘Give me one reason why I should help?’
He pouts, his eyes going all puppy-like. ‘Because you love me.’
‘I knew it!’ Alex screeches, appearing by my side. My gaze is set firmly on Ryan, an unstoppable smile creeping across my mouth.
‘And I love you,’ he says, loud and proud.
‘Yes!’ Alex starts jigging on the spot, her jerky movements sending blobs of mud flying everywhere.
I laugh, amused, but mainly relieved that she seems so thrilled by this news. I step into Ryan’s chest and stuff my hands in his front pockets, looking up at him. ‘Fine, I’ll help.’
‘Thank God.’ He plants a chaste kiss on my lips, and I frown, feeling at something in his pocket. I step back and pull my hand free, my frown growing when I see what’s between my fingers.
Ryan’s eyes widen.
Alex stops with her happy dance.
And me? I stare at the slinky red G-string I just found in my boyfriend’s jean pocket. ‘These aren’t mine,’ I say to them.
‘Uh-oh,’ Alex breathes, and I look up at Ryan, my head cocked in question.
‘I can explain.’ His hands come up in that kind of mollifying way that’s telling me not to turn and walk away.
‘He can explain,’ Alex parrots, moving in and swiping the red knickers from my hand.
‘Then explain,’ I order, sounding stern, though I’m not feeling particularly mad, and I don’t know why. I should be raging. I should be stomping off. I should be slapping his face. But my gut is telling me not to. It’s telling me there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation, because I know deep down in my heart that Ryan would never betray me like that. I find myself smiling on the inside. This feeling of faith, even when I’m staring a pair of red knickers in the face that aren’t mine, is something special alone.
His face bunches. ‘They’re . . . I . . . it isn’t what . . .’ He sighs, struggling to find his words.
‘I found them in his truck when he got home.’ Alex flies to her father’s defense and drops them to the floor, stamping on them, throwing a dirty look her dad’s way. ‘Stupid.’
He just shrugs. It’s lame, but it’s also quite endearing. I dust my hands off and head back to the cabin, feeling Alex’s and Ryan’s eyes follow me. ‘Are we going to get you cleaned up or not?’ I call behind me, looking back. They stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. I haven’t. I’m not irrational. I’m sure Ryan had plenty of women before I came along. I grimace at his truck. ‘Well?’
They look at each other, lost, and then shrug and trudge after me. I direct Alex to the shower and send Ryan to get towels. Let’s fix this mess.
Ryan shakes his head in disbelief, putting his foot down to gain some speed and increase the chances of Alex’s dress being dry by the time we make it into town. ‘You’re a genius!’ she sings as I hold her frock out of the open window, the fabric flapping in the wind.
The high street is buzzing as Ryan pulls up at the top end, unable to get through because of all the stalls and stands. I look back to Alex, checking her over again. She’s not perfect, but I did the best I could with what limited tools I had at my disposal. I pull her dress in the window and pass it back.
‘Put it on.’
She inhales sharply as she wriggles around on the backseat. ‘It’s freezing!’
I spot the stage outside Mr Chaps’s shop, where, apparently, Darcy keeps her beauty case for touch-ups throughout the day and pre-presentation, so that is where we’re heading. ‘Can you see your mum?’ I ask, scanning the street for her.
‘There.’ Alex appears between the two front seats, pointing down the street. I home in and see Darcy with a well-dressed elderly couple.
‘Your grandparents?’
‘Yep.’
I look at Ryan and smirk, and he slumps in his seat. ‘You’re going to ask me to distract them, aren’t you?’
‘Good boy,’ I quip, jumping out and ushering Alex around the back of the truck. ‘If we can make it to the back of the stage without your mother seeing us, we’re home free.’ I point out our route and as soon as Ryan is with the Hamptons, we hustle down the street, keeping close to the shop fronts. We make it to the stage undetected, and Alex lugs up a huge case from under a table.