“You did notice I have only one foot this morning?” She shook her head.
“People do it all the time. If you struggle, I could chuck you on my back.”
“That is never going to happen, but I will set it as a goal to do before I go back to the UK. Deal?” She put her hand out to shake on it.
Brett shook her hand. “Deal. In the meantime, you should see more of the local sights. How are you with heights?”
“I’m awful.”
“Great, then I can see some torture coming up.”
“I could just say no?”
“You won’t. I recognize another stubborn person when I see one. You hate it when something beats you.”
Autumn stared into her wine glass and sighed.
Oops. He had obviously hit a sore spot. Him and his big mouth.
She eventually glanced up. “You’re right. There’s no point in going to the other side of the world and just working. I could do that back in London. I’ll take you up on your offer of seeing the local sights, but I reserve the right to say ‘no way in hell’ if anything is too much.”
“Fine. I’ll cancel the bungee jump then. Not sure the band would fit on just one foot.” This time he hadn’t overstepped the mark, as she burst out laughing. “I think it’s time we go to your surprise if you’ve finished.”
“I hope I’m not going to regret this,” Autumn said as she stood.
“You probably will but you’ll do it anyway.” He insisted on paying the bill and they headed back to his pickup.
It was dark when they arrived at the local farm. There were about ten people of all ages waiting in a shed where there was tea, coffee and biscuits.
Autumn was giving him that piercing gaze again. “What is this? Why are we in a farm shed? As surprises go, it’s a bit odd.”
“You’ll see.”
A woman walked in. “Hello, everyone. I’m Maureen, the owner. Once you have finished your drinks, we’ll head off. I’ll walk at the front and my husband, Joe, will be at the back. Stay close and on the track. We don’t want any phones or lights, and once we get there, we will all stay still with the flashlights off and you’ll see the glowworms.”
Brett peered at Autumn, who had a big grin on her face.
“So, you do like the surprise then.”
“It’s wonderful. I’ve never seen them. Stay close though as I don’t want to stumble in the dark. Being on unsteady ground can be a nuisance sometimes.”
He was more than happy with her request. He would have put his arm around her waist but that was probably being a bit forward.
They followed everyone out of the shed, through a gate, and across a paddock.
“Don’t worry. If there are any crazy animals, I’ll throw you over my shoulder and run for the gate. You walk in a cow pat though and you clean it up yourself.”
“I thought you wanted to be chivalrous?”
They continued through a thicket of trees and then along beside a rockface. Autumn stumbled and grabbed his arm.
“You okay?”
“Yep.”
She kept hold of his arm as they marched higher and the path became windier.
Eventually, Maureen stopped. “I’ll turn off my flashlight and if you all look to the rocks and let your eyes acclimatize, you’ll be able to see them.”
Autumn stood so close he could smell her perfume. It was floral but light and reminded him of the jasmine climber he had on the side of the cottage. When you brushed against it, the smell would waft over you. He wanted to brush against Autumn.
Autumn gripped his arm tighter. “Look, I think I can see some.” She pointed in front of them. There were oohs and ahhs coming from all around as people started to see the twinkling lights before them.
Brett didn’t think he was soppy but there was something magical about the whole thing, even if it was just nature. All you could hear was a rustle of leaves in the trees. The smell of the eucalypts danced in the breeze and the tiny bugs looked like Christmas fairy lights. It was as if everyone was sharing a special moment together.
After about thirty minutes, the guide and her husband turned their flashlights back on and they headed down the hill to the shed. Autumn held onto his arm all the way and Brett enjoyed every moment of it.
They thanked the couple and got in the pickup.
“Thank you, Brett. That was fantastic and something I would never have dreamed of doing.”
“So, am I forgiven for bursting into the bathroom now?”
“I think you are. Do you know, Maureen was saying the bugs get caught in spider’s webs and they still glow? Their glow attracts others to the web and they get caught too. I thought it was sad. But then I hate flies and spiders eat flies.”
She was changing the subject from the bathroom and nudity, then. Pity.
“I’ve never been bothered by spiders, so you can always come and knock on my front door if you find one in the bathtub.”
“That is very gallant of you but I’ll keep a large can of bug spray in the kitchen too.”
He pulled up outside the cottages. Bluey was barking at the sound of the pickup.
“Do you want to come in for a hot chocolate?” Autumn asked. “I’d offer you a nightcap but I don’t have anything. I should have picked up something duty-free when I came over.” She was rambling.
Was she nervous about asking him in?
“I’d love one. I’ll just let Bluey out for a pee and then be right there.”
Brett stood by his back door. Damn, the dog was taking a long time to do his business. He would go around the yard in the morning and make sure he cleaned up all the little bombs his dog would have left.
Once Bluey was back inside, Brett headed next door.
It was only hot chocolate but they were having fun with each other. He thought her stiff when he had first met her but could now see she wasn’t and wanted to find out more.
He sat on the other end of the couch as she brought over the mugs of hot chocolate.
“I was thinking about what you said earlier about traveling. I want to go to Queensland and see the Great Barrier Reef. I can’t dive but I could go out in one of those glass-bottom boats.” Autumn sipped on her hot chocolate.
“There’s a town I stayed at called Airlie Beach. I think you’d like it and you can get boat trips out to the reef.” He was keen on the idea of her being more adventurous. It would mean they could do things together. “I don’t know, one evening with the glow worms and you want to take on the world.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m not a brave person when it comes to most things. I hate going on rides at theme parks unless they are extremely sedate and no thrill at all. I will have a go at the bridge climb though. I have some friends possibly coming over in a few months and could do it then.”
“Well, as long as Doc Wilson doesn’t find something horrible on my tests, I’d like to go on the adventure with you.”
“I think that would be great, but I will be the slow one at the back.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind coming up the rear.” Shit, now he had that image in his head and it was a good one. Her butt in the mirror had looked gorgeous.
Autumn shook her head and laughed. “I can’t believe you just said that. No. I take that back. After knowing you a short while, I’m not surprised at all.” She placed her empty mug on the coffee table. “On that note, I think it’s time for bed for me. I have an early start and a busy day.”