Home For June Read online

  He bit into the sandwich, from the middle, making sure to take in a bite with a good amount of cranberry sauce, and said, ‘Mmm.’ After swallowing, he nodded. ‘Really nice.’

  REALLY REALLY nice, he joked silently to himself.

  ‘Oh good,’ Hannah said, taking a slurp of her soup. ‘So, the kitchen should be installed and ready for use, next week?’

  ‘Yes. End of this week they should be finished, but may need a couple of extra days early next week, so once that’s all done I can start to work on some menu planning and experiments.’

  ‘Great. The menu will be key, so don’t rush it. Make sure you’ve considered all options, providing food that people will know and love, like their favourite home-cooked meals, but also some unique and different options to give that little something extra to those who like variety.’

  ‘For sure.’

  He was getting excited, but he kept having to stop himself from saying something too casual or personal, like calling her HD or Hannah Delannah, even though the words almost jumped out of their own accord. But this was business, and also, with what had happened, their dialogue felt more stilted. He hoped they would be able to get back to their nicknames and their fun banter, and their high-fives and special handshakes. Had he ruined it all by losing control and kissing her? He seriously hoped not.

  By the time they’d finished lunch and a coffee, Hannah had explained the overall plan to him and taken notes on certain things to finalise and adjust as needed. When all seemed organised enough to take the next steps, there was an awkward silence.

  Luca didn’t like awkward silences. He couldn’t let one go past without being the first to break it.

  ‘Hannah,’ he leaned forwards slightly, ‘last night was... look, I don’t regret it, I have to be honest. But I do regret making you feel uncomfortable, if that is the case. So I just want you to know that if you want to talk about it, I’m all ears, and if you don’t want to and would rather forget it ever happened, I’m okay with that too.’

  She gave a slow nod.

  ‘The priority is this little restaurant of mine and your moving plans, so I don’t want to get in the way of that or of us being able to do our jobs.’

  She gave another nod.

  ‘Let’s keep moving forwards and make this a success. Deal?’

  She gave two nods. ‘Deal.’

  He held out his hand and shook hers, a normal, professional handshake, then they stood and parted ways.

  He strode off, feeling somewhat more in control and clear-headed than when he’d arrived. He had a lot to do now, tasks to tick off the checklist, one by one. Starting with deciding on the paint colours and furniture so that Hannah could place the order on his behalf with her industry discount.

  By the end of the next day, he’d completed the first few tasks, and with furniture arriving mid next week, he had arranged someone to start painting tomorrow, with completion hopefully before all the tables turned up. He had also set up his Facebook page and printed some temporary flyers using a template Hannah had provided, and handed them out at the markets earlier today. He’d helped out at Hannah’s egg stall to watch her in action selling the eggs and chatting with customers. She had introduced him to people and mentioned the restaurant, garnering excitement and anticipation among the locals.

  And now here he sat at Nathan’s kitchen table, eyes on his laptop, sorting through logo ideas for Home.

  ‘That one’s pretty cool,’ Nathan said, pointing at one with a white swirly H and italic font, engraved on a background picture of weathered timber.

  ‘Yeah, not bad.’ Luca scrolled through some more options in the online logo sampler he’d found on a graphic designer’s website. He simply had to select three of his favourites, using his business name, then send through and they would do up a unique design based on them. Once that was sorted he would be able to get a sign made for the front of the premises, a logo to put on the menus, and the website.

  After more time than he’d planned, he’d selected his three favourites, filled out the online design brief, and hit send. His request would be answered within twenty-four hours and they would let him know the time frame to expect for the design, plus the total cost, with a deposit payment required for beginning the work.

  ‘Done.’ He ticked it off the checklist and updated Hannah via text. She simply sent a gold star emoji.

  ‘Guess I should get a proper logo for my own services,’ Nathan said.

  ‘Why not. That was kinda fun,’ Luca replied. ‘Though you seem to be getting enough work as it is?’

  ‘Yeah, basic flyers and word of mouth have worked well enough. Besides, when swimming season kicks in in a few months I’ll be needed back at the surf lifesaving club.’

  ‘Oh yeah. I’m looking forwards to swimming season. Probably best I moved here now in the winter, no time yet for those things unfortunately.’

  Nathan gave a nod. ‘Time flies. It’ll be here before we know it.’

  Time flies. It sure does.

  He didn’t want time to keep flying without having made some sort of progress towards a proper future, one where he had created his own life, not just moved around taking whatever jobs seemed fun at the time.

  By this time next year, things could—would—be a lot different. He had to remember that, keep his eye on that future point in time. No letting self-doubt step in, or doubt from others stepping in, and no chickening out of his plans. He chuckled at the pun that popped into his mind, then stood and blew out a tired breath. ‘Time for an early night, I think. Have to let the painters in bright and early tomorrow.’

  ‘Sleep well. I’m gonna chill with some TV for a while, I’ll keep the volume low.’

  ‘No worries, I think I’ll be out like a light in two seconds flat.’

  And he was. He’d had a few restless nights since Sunday, thinking of the launch, and of Hannah, and needed to catch up on sleep.

  ***

  ‘Night, Scar,’ Hannah said, patting her dog and closing the laundry door. She plugged in her phone to charge and flopped into bed. She really needed a good night sleep, having not had one for the last few nights, and her body was feeling the groggy effects.

  Before turning out the light she took one last look at her phone, and at the gold star emoji she’d sent Luca. Her finger hovered over the text window.

  He’d said if I wanted to talk he’d be all ears...

  She pressed the letter H and then I, but then deleted it.

  But he’d also said let’s move forwards...

  There were thoughts and feelings inside that she needed to express, but didn’t know how. And didn’t want to rock the boat. The kiss they’d shared felt complete and yet unfinished all at the same time. He’d said he didn’t regret the kiss, but that was the only insight she had into his feelings about it. He could have just meant that he enjoyed the physical pleasure of it... but that didn’t mean that it meant anything more to him.

  It meant more to me, she thought. So, so much more...

  She put the phone back on her bedside table and switched off the lamp, before she allowed her unexpressed thoughts and feelings to get carried away... again.

  Chapter 17

  The following Thursday arrived, and Hannah had barely stopped to catch her breath. She shook her head as she got in the car, disbelieving of the fact a week had passed by already.

  ‘Oh!’ She got out and dashed back inside, grabbing the photo frame from the island bench and getting back in the car.

  As she drove towards town, she used the time to process the progress. Luca was on schedule, his logo was done, the finishing touches of the kitchen had been done on Monday, and the painting had been completed Tuesday. She had scheduled all the next tasks into her calendar, fitting everything in around the chooks, markets, and sorting and packing. The latter was taking the longest, as each time she’d go through a box or a drawer, something would trigger her memory and the next thing she’d be texting her mum... ‘remember when this happened?�
��, and ‘hey, check out this old photo I found!’, and ‘what on earth do I do with this?’. She wouldn’t have as much space in Karen’s house, and had to simplify. She even downloaded an ebook on it to help with some ideas and motivation. Problem was, so many things held sentimental value to her, and so many things were useful... so how could she get rid of them?

  Anyway, she had made progress. More boxes were packed and ready to move to Karen’s, and more bags of donations delivered.

  Hannah returned her thoughts to the present moment as a gush of cold air awakened her senses when she stepped out of the car. She crossed the road and pushed open the door, which now had a temporary computer-printed sign on it saying ‘HOME—new restaurant opening July 22!’ It had Luca’s phone number for any enquiries.

  The smell of fresh paint awakened her senses further, but then something different... garlic? Onions? And was that... thyme?

  She wandered towards the kitchen and entered. Steam rose gently from a pot, and Luca stood there ladling something into a bowl.

  ‘Ah, perfect timing!’ he said. ‘I know I wasn’t going to experiment with the menu until next week, but I couldn’t resist these shiny new appliances calling out to me... “Luca... Luca... We need you!”’ He spoke in a high-pitched voice.

  Hannah chuckled. ‘You’re hearing things? Should see someone about that.’

  ‘It’s okay, the voices have stopped now that I’ve given the kitchen its initiation. Here.’ He held out a small bowl. ‘Try some.’

  The scents intensified, and with added sweetness. ‘Pumpkin?’ she asked.

  He shook his head. ‘Sweet potato. A little cauliflower, garlic, onion, turmeric, and some of the best local...’

  ‘Thyme,’ she said. Luca had collected some from her yesterday at the markets.

  He dipped the spoon into the soup and lifted it to her lips. She parted them slightly and let him slide the warm liquid into her mouth.

  Heavenly...

  ‘Good?’

  She nodded. ‘Mm-hm.’ She opened her mouth again for another sampling, as Luca laughed.

  ‘My first happy customer.’ He gave her the bowl and spoon so she could continue, then ladled some soup into a plastic container. ‘Take this over to your parents for me? Would love their opinion.’

  ‘Sure. Thanks, they would love that.’

  Hannah finished her soup as Luca turned off the stove and gave her a tour of the kitchen.

  ‘Oh,’ she said, retrieving something from her bag. ‘Almost forgot.’

  She handed him the photo frame.

  His eyes brightened and he held the frame up high. ‘The view from upstairs!’

  ‘Yep.’ She smiled. ‘Consider it a kitchen-warming present. Now, when you’re hard at work, you can still look up occasionally at the view.’

  He took his eyes off the picture to look at her. ‘Thank you, Hannah. Wow, you really do think of everything.’

  She shrugged with a smile. ‘Just a little something. The finer details can make all the difference, and with all this stainless steel and man-made shiny stuff in here, I thought it could do with some outdoor inspiration.’

  Luca held it up in a few different spots on the wall. ‘Here,’ he said, choosing a spot on the far wall, above a power point. ‘I’ll see it every time I walk into the kitchen, and every time I turn off the appliances on this side.

  ‘Oh,’ Hannah said a second time. ‘I also have this, if it helps. Or do you want to wait till the paint has settled a bit more?’ She held up an adhesive picture hanging hook.

  Luca laughed. ‘No time like the present.’ He accepted the hook and stuck it to the wall. ‘Perfect.’ He glanced at her. ‘Do you also have the furniture in there?’ He gestured to her handbag.

  She tipped her head back with a laugh. ‘No, unfortunately, but it’s arriving shortly, and I do have... let’s see...’ she rummaged through her bag, ‘a nail file?’ she said as she pulled it out. ‘And a... measuring tape?’

  ‘Well that could come in handy. I keep losing mine.’

  She placed it on the countertop. ‘Take this, I have another in the car.’

  He nodded a thanks and they left the kitchen when a knock sounded on the door.

  Two bulky men stood there. ‘Delivery for Luca Antonescu?’

  ‘That’s me,’ he said, signing the electronic device.

  ‘We’ll bring it all in,’ he said with a quick smile. ‘Just let us know where you want it all.’

  They helped the delivery men for the next thirty minutes or so, bringing in the tables and chairs, and a few other pieces.

  ‘How exciting,’ Hannah whispered to Luca, as his eyes scanned the premises with eagerness.

  ‘I know, right?’ he said back, as though he’d just had a delivery of a year’s supply of his favourite potato chips.

  It reminded Hannah in a way of the excitement of decorating the old doll’s house she had as a kid which her dad had built, and which she’d found on the weekend hidden away all dusty in the shed. Except this was real, and life-size. And it wasn’t hers, but still there was excitement, for the fun in setting things up, and for him, knowing how fun it would feel for him.

  By the end of the day they had all the tables in their places, as well as the reception counter, and a rough seating plan drawn out which Hannah would do up properly on the computer later and print out, for staff to learn the location of all the table numbers and for reservation planning.

  ‘Looks so full now, yet so empty,’ Luca said.

  ‘It will be full of people soon enough,’ Hannah said. She glanced up the stairs. ‘I think for the opening night, let’s do pre-dinner drinks and hors d’oeuvres upstairs, people can mingle and you can give a speech...’

  ‘I have to give a speech?’

  ‘Yep. And everyone can take in the view at sunset, with the warmth from the fire pit, and then make their way downstairs for the main meal and dessert at the tables.’

  ‘I guess I can whip up a speech.’ He shrugged. ‘Or do you write that for me too?’

  ‘No,’ she chuckled. ‘You’re not the prime minister.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll just have to come up with something. And yes that does sound like a good idea. Let’s say five pm start for a six-thirty dinner.’

  ‘Sounds good. We’ll start organising the flyers and the social media campaign shortly, so we can take advance bookings. You’ll need to come up with a price per ticket though if you want a set menu?’

  ‘Set menu would be best for the launch I think, easier to prepare and arrange prepaid tickets.’

  ‘So, you have your launch menu to design, and your ongoing à la carte menu.’

  ‘Correct.’

  ‘Let’s get cracking.’ She rubbed her hands together and they sat at one of the tables, discussing his ideas for both menus, and working out ingredients lists, and as day became evening, Luca served up some of his soup along with crusty bread he’d grabbed from the nearby bakery.

  ‘I better get home!’ Hannah said, standing. ‘Looks like we did a bit of overtime.’

  ‘And I’ll have to pay you accordingly,’ he said.

  She gave a flick of her hand. ‘Consider this free dinner your overtime payment.’

  ‘Oh, don’t forget the soup for your parents.’

  ‘Oh yes.’ They went to the kitchen and she took the container from the fridge. ‘It was delicious, thank you.’

  ‘Thank you for all your help, it’s looking much more like a restaurant now.’ He smiled, glancing around. ‘Wish my parents could see this,’ he spoke softly.

  Hannah lightly touched the side of his arm. ‘Maybe they can. Somehow.’

  She connected with his eyes, and they held a mixture of sadness from his grief and satisfaction from what he was accomplishing.

  ‘Maybe they can,’ he said. ‘Anyway, won’t keep you any longer. Thanks again and I’ll see you tomorrow to work on the...’ he got out his phone and checked the schedule, ‘interior decorating, hanging artwork etcetera, and oh, deli
very of all the cutlery and utensils is due. And advertise for staff.’

  Hannah smiled. By this time tomorrow it’ll look even more like a restaurant. And more like home.’

  ‘I feel at home already.’

  Hannah smiled wider. Me too, she thought. Me too.

  ***

  Although she was tired after getting home and tending to the animals, Hannah was still filled with inspiration. If she hadn’t become a chicken farmer and an events manager she probably would have gone into interior decorating. It was one of her favourite parts of the job, setting up the visual space to create a theme and a feeling. Making it inviting and enticing.

  She put on a jacket and boots and went outside with a torch to the shed.

  There it sat, in the corner, dusty and forgotten, until now.

  She wiped away some of the dust from the roof of the doll’s house, then shone the torch inside. Wrapping paper she’d stuck on the walls for wallpaper peeled at the edges, and some of the furniture had fallen over, along with the dolls. She opened the doors that formed the front of the house and a tender emotion swam up from deep inside her. Happiness at the memories? No, it had a hint of rawness. Nostalgia? It was both, but also loss, strangely enough. She hadn’t lost anything, yet that’s what it felt like. Lost opportunity? She’d always loved the idea of passing this onto her own daughter one day, if she had one. Or a boy, it didn’t matter, as long as the child could get the same joy from it as she had.

  She picked up one of the dolls, a girl, and at the touch of her soft woollen dress and the musty scent, Hannah’s eyes became moist.

  ‘Jasmine,’ she whispered. She smiled on remembering naming the doll after the scent of jasmine in her street. She would pretend Jasmine was her little sister, and they’d play together in the house, hiding little things secretly around the doll’s house from the doll brother. She would make the boy’s arms extend out to the side, as if to say ‘Where is my toy car?’ or ‘Where has my favourite book gone?’ And then Jasmine and Hannah would giggle together.

  She held the doll to her chest and a few tears rolled down her cheek. Her first thought on seeing the doll’s house the other day was to donate it, but her dad had made it, and had probably assumed she’d pass it onto her own children, and so on. Even if she never got to have a child, she couldn’t get rid of it. She just couldn’t. But she couldn’t keep it here and couldn’t bring it to Karen’s.