Secrets At Wongan Creek by Juanita Kees

Author:Juanita Kees
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd

Chapter 13

‘Tameka love, how are you?’ Shirley bustled into the kitchen loaded with shopping bags which she lined up on the kitchen table.

‘I’m okay, thanks.’

Harley’s mum hugged her, careful not to touch her back. ‘Goodness me, you gave us a scare. You’ve got a little more colour in your cheeks since I saw you at the hospital. How are those burns healing up?’

Tameka shrugged off the memory of what had put the colour in her face only moments earlier. ‘It’s all going good.’

‘And your head?’ Shirley touched the bruised area around the white bandage on Tameka’s temple with gentle fingers.

‘Tender but better.’

‘That’s a nasty bruise, sweetheart.’

‘It will heal.’ Tameka stepped away from the warmth and love she didn’t deserve. Shirley had always been so kind to her, almost like a second mum even after she’d lost her eldest son. She wouldn’t feel that way when the truth came out. ‘Would you like a cup of tea, Mrs B?’

‘In a minute, love. I’ve brought you a couple of things I thought might be a better fit than the emergency supplies we gave you at the hospital.’

‘Oh, you didn’t have to do that. Harley and I rescued my clothes from the homestead.’

Shirley waved away her protest and dipped her hand into a bag. She pulled out a handful of neatly folded, lacy undies. ‘Here we go. These are much better than those awful stripy things. I got a bargain at this lovely little shop in Perth.’ She winked and held up a barely-there lacy triangle. ‘Feel that, love. You wouldn’t even know you’re wearing it.’

Tameka touched the buttery soft lace and had to admit Shirley was right. She took the scrap of lace and turned it over in her hands, enjoying the luxurious feel of the material in a colour that wasn’t her usual beige.

Harley and his dad stepped into the kitchen as Shirley held out more of the same in different colours. Harley’s eyebrows shot into his hairline at the same time heat crept into Tameka’s cheeks. She scrunched the tiny triangle into her fist. But Shirley who’d been a farmer’s wife for far too long to be embarrassed turned to show the men her bargain haul.

‘What do you think, Harley? Much better than what Tameka has at the moment, right?’

‘Very nice, Shirl. I hope you picked up a few pairs for yourself while you were there.’ Mr B peeked into the shopping bags and pulled out a bra to match the undies. ‘Yeah, too small for you.’

‘Tom! Put that back.’

He dropped it back in the bag and grinned. Horrified and feeling her face flame with embarrassment, Tameka looked at Harley. He smiled, the bastard.

‘Very nice, Mum. I’ll get Tikki to model them for me later.’

‘No I bloody won’t.’

Shirley patted Tameka’s arm. ‘Oh, he’s teasing you, love. Stop it, Harley. Here, these will need to be washed. I can hear the washing machine going already so add that to the pile.’ She shoved them into his hands. ‘Don’t forget to take the tags off first.

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