Heart of The Tree - 8. Part I - Who is The Heart? Chapter 6

Vince was labouring by the small lake in one of the back paddocks. Despite the broad-rimmed hat that kept the afternoon sun off him, the sweat was dripping off his head and down his back, forming a wet arrowhead on his shirt from his shoulders to the back of his jeans. The occasional hot, northerly breeze brought a faint scent of eucalyptus from the surrounding gum trees, and cockatoos squawked in the distance. Patches was nearby, chasing rabbits. Vince could hear her barks across the paddock as she attempted to round up some of them.

Vince took a break from packing down the soil around the base of the pole he’d put in, to wipe the perspiration from his brow and to glance over the work still remaining. Narrowing his eyes, he estimated he had to put in only a few more poles, thread the fencing wire through them, and then strain the wires. Once that was done, there would be another paddock with water ready to shift the cattle into.

While he worked he smiled with satisfaction at how things were going between Pat and Matt. Matt had been visiting Vince and his family most nights or mornings for a shower and sometimes a meal, using the excuse of checking up on “his patient”. Vince had been careful to avoid mentioning that Matt had originally intended to return to Dubbo a few days earlier. It seemed that there was always a reason to stay for another day or two. It was a week since Matt had arrived in town, and he was showing no sign of leaving. Instead, he’d asked Vince’s dad about the possibility of borrowing some clothes for the Cattlemen’s Christmas Party the following weekend. It appeared to Vince that Matt didn’t even want to take a day out to go back to Dubbo to pick up some new clothes.

From what was said over dinner or breakfast, Matt was spending most of his time with Pat. When Patricia was busy, Matt would go visiting. He’d spent half a day earlier in the week helping Vince inoculate calves. Another day was with Bobby, working on Matt’s car, and Mia had mentioned that Matt often dropped into the shop for a chat and to help out. Vince knew Matt had spent some time with Rhys, but the two guys were tight-lipped about what they’d gotten up to, apart from chuckling to each other.

Vince had just dropped another post into a hole when he heard the sound of an approaching engine. Shading his eyes, he squinted across the paddock. He frowned when he didn’t recognise the beaten up Land Rover. Patches reappeared and gave him a quizzical bark.

“No ideas, girl. Why don’t we wait and see?”

The answer was clear moments later when Matt stuck his head out the passenger side window and waved. As he waved back, Vince could make out that someone with long hair was driving. He decided to wait for their arrival, rather than going back to work.

When they pulled up, Matt jumped out, but Patricia slipped out more sedately. Patches bounded forward while barking happily. She jumped up and put her front paws on Matt’s hips.

“G’day, girl. It’s good to see you, too,” Matt said as he scratched behind her ears. After pushing her gently down, he straightened up and started towards Vince.

“G’day, mate! We’re getting ready for a Friday night on the town, and you’re invited. So pack up and let’s get going!”

“That sounds great, but I’ve got to get this fence finished today. How about I catch up with you later?”

Matt shook his head without letting his grin slip.

“No way. If you do that, then you won’t be drinking because you’ll be driving. I think you’ve been working hard enough that you deserve a break. Rhys has told me stories about you being drunk, and I want to find out if they’re true. You get chauffeured tonight, mate!”

Vince wondered what Rhys had told Matt. He hadn’t been really drunk for a couple of years. The last time had been at Rhys’s sixteenth birthday, when the two of them had decided to sample the contents of Rhys’s dad’s liquor cabinet. It had been a month before Vince had even considered another drink. To the best of his knowledge, Rhys hadn’t touched alcohol since that night.

“How about we help you finish, and then we can all go together?” Patricia suggested. She, too, gave Patches a scratch when the enthusiastic blue heeler greeted her.

“Great idea, Pat!” Matt said, stripping off his shirt to reveal a broad, tanned chest and a silver chain around his neck. “Let’s get going, then.”

“You don’t have to...”

Matt gave Vince a mock glare. “Shut up and tell me what you need me to do.”

Vince laughed in surrender. “If I shut up, how am I supposed to tell you what to do?”

Matt turned to Patricia. “Can you help me? I want to throw him in the lake.”

She chuckled. “Don’t worry about getting instructions from him. He probably doesn’t know how to fence properly, anyway. I, on the other hand, have been fixing fences for the last four years.”

Before Vince could open his mouth, Matt fired back. “Well, I’ve been doing fencing since I was ten, so it sounds like I’m the one who needs to be in charge.”

“We’ve got three posts to put in, and then run the wire. If we get a move on, it won’t take too long,” Vince said, electing to stay out of the debate about who had the most experience.

“You finish that one, Vince. Matt, use those muscles of yours to do the last post, and I’ll do that one in the middle.”

When the two guys stared at Patricia, she raised an eyebrow back at them. “I’ve done this before, guys. Don’t go all sexist on me. I get enough of that from my brother.”

Matt shrugged. “I’m not going to argue. I’m not that stupid.”

“Not quite,” she said, smirking, before turning to Vince, daring him to make an issue.

“Just don’t slip on the mud, Pat,” Vince said, conceding the point. “I was going to leave that one to last as it’s so close to the water.”

“You mind your own business. I’ll get it done without any advice from you two.”

“Don’t you think you should start, then?” Vince asked, as he turned back to the pole he’d just put in.

While Matt picked up a couple of poles and Pat took the spare crowbar, Vince grinned to himself. Patricia was feisty enough to keep Matt on his toes. The two of them made a good couple.

After setting the post, despite the help that Patches decided to give, and taking the crowbar to Matt so he could pack down the dirt around his post, Vince started threading the wire. When he glanced back along the fence line, he saw Matt playfully trying to help Patricia with her work. The sounds of laughter that drifted back to him told him how much they enjoyed being together.

Vince was halfway back to them when he heard a squeal, followed by a splash. He looked up to see Matt on the edge of the lake, laughing while holding out a hand to the drenched Patricia, who was in the water. While Vince watched, Patricia grabbed the hand and pulled Matt in with her. Vince gave a short chuckle at the two, and when Patches jumped to the edge and started barking furiously at them, he turned away to hide his grin.

Deciding to let them have their fun, Vince whistled for Patches to come to him, then continued running the wires through the posts. He had reached the last two when a dripping and very muddy Matt appeared next to him.

“I’ll give you a hand straining the wire, and then I think it’s time for a swim to cool down and clean up.”

Vince looked at his friend. “Are you sure? You look pretty clean to me already.”

Matt gave himself a once over. “Nope. See?” he said, pointing to a small patch of skin not covered in mud. “I’m still dirty.”

While they tensioned the wires, they continued their conversation.

“Are you planning on going out in those clothes?” Vince asked.

“What’s wrong with them?” Matt asked, as he twisted the torsion unit on the top wire.

“Mud brown is so not cool.”

Matt paused while he thought hard.

“As I can’t come up with a sufficiently witty reply, the truth is we have a change of clothes in the Land Rover. Pat told me that we’d probably have to help you with some work before you’d be allowed to go out, so we planned ahead.”

It was Vince’s turn to stop work for a moment to look first at Matt, and then back to the lake where he could see Pat lying down with only her head above the brown water. Her eyes were closed and a relaxed smile was on her face.

“You came out here expecting to work?”

Matt grinned as he strained to tighten the top wire the last small amount required. “Yep!”

Vince shook his head before returning to the task of tightening the bottom wire. That was completely unexpected, as was the implication that it was Patricia’s idea.

A few minutes later, both guys straightened up and stretched their arms to relieve the tension.

“Done!” Vince said.

“Time for a swim, then.”

“About time, guys. The water’s great. Strip off and come on in!” Patricia called from the lake.

“Strip off?” Vince asked, suddenly nervous.

“Of course!” Matt said, as he kicked off his shoes and pushed his shorts down. He put his hands to his jocks, but paused as he noticed Vince wasn’t moving.

“What’s wrong? Surely you’ve been skinny dipping before? There’s no one around, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Matt said, waving an arm about to indicate the only ones likely to see were the birds and cows.

“Of course I’ve been skinny dipping before,” Vince said indignantly, before lapsing back into embarrassment. “It’s just...”

Vince glanced towards the lake, only to see Patricia floating on her back, breasts displayed for all to see. He quickly turned away and pretended to be interested in the cloud formations in the opposite direction. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Matt grinning.

“It’s okay. This is just some harmless fun. There’s no need to get embarrassed.”

“I’m not embarrassed!”

Vince hoped that the redness he felt in his cheeks would be taken as mild sunburn, as he wasn’t going to admit that he hadn’t been skinny dipping with a girl since he’d become a teenager.

“Come on, Vince! Don’t be such a prude!” Patricia called out.

Nerving himself and keeping his back to the lake, Vince peeled off his shirt, the sweat making it stick to his skin. He had to admit that a swim was going to feel great, as a cooling breeze caressed his bare skin. He kept his eyes away from Patricia, though he couldn’t help notice a laughing, nude male launching himself in a flat dive in her direction.

His jeans came off quickly, but Vince stood there in his boxer shorts, hands on the waistband, trying to nerve himself to take them off. He started to panic as he felt a stirring in his shorts at the thought of swimming naked with Patricia and Matt. There was no way he was going to take off his boxers while he was in that condition.

“Come on, Vince!” Patricia repeated, with a giggle. “It’s not like I’ve never seen a naked guy before.”

Vince chickened out. He ran in, still wearing his shorts.

“Ah, that’s not fair,” Patricia said with a mock pout.

“Leave him alone. It’s too nice a day to torment him,” Matt said, before splashing her.

Patricia ignored Matt and gave Vince a wicked grin. “You’re going to have to lose them at some stage, Vince, or go home with wet pants. Would you like me to take them off for you?”

“NO!”

Vince backed away from the slowly advancing girl. Quickly reviewing his options, and seeing that Matt was going to be no help, he gave in. Before she could get to him, he reached under the water and stripped off his boxers. Holding them up, while making sure he stayed low in the water, he waved them above his head.

“Happy now?”

She laughed. “Almost, but I’ll let you keep your modesty... for now.”

Vince flung the shorts onto the grass. He was turning back to the other two when he heard a short bark, and then a splash.

“Patches!”

With the laughter of Matt and Patricia in his ears, Vince watched as Patches swam towards him with the boxer shorts in her mouth.

“Bad girl!” Vince said, as he took the shorts from her.

“No, good girl!” Matt called out. “Don’t berate her, Vince. You never know when you’ll need her to fetch your clothes for you.”

Vince glared over his shoulder at the other two. “I don’t need any help, okay? I’ll look after this myself.”

As he followed Patches back to the edge of the lake, Vince heard the other two laughing hysterically. Knowing that if he threw the shorts out again, his dog would just fetch them back, Vince had no choice but to walk up to the edge of the water and put the boxers down. The only concession to modesty that he had left was to make sure he kept his back to the others.

Vince walked carefully backwards into the water until he could squat down, and then turned to see Matt and Patricia wrestling. Both were giggling as each tried to push the other under water. Feeling like the odd man out, he edged away.

“No, you don’t!” Matt said when he noticed.

Vince tried to run away, but was slowed by the mud on the bottom of the lake. He ended up going under when Matt launched himself and grappled Vince around his chest. Vince came up, spluttering, to the sound of Patricia laughing and Matt splashing as he tried to get away.

“Go get him, Vince,” Patricia yelled, as Vince chased after his attacker.

An hour later, they were lying in the sun, still nude. Vince was lying face down, with his head resting on his crossed arms, looking to where Matt lay in a similar pose between him and Patricia. She was lying on her back with her arms across her face to shield her eyes from the sun. Patches was running around nearby, chasing rabbits again.

“Have you got any sunscreen, Vince?” Patricia asked.

“In the ute,” Vince replied, relaxed after the fun in the water. Patricia and Matt had teased him a lot, but there was a line that no one went over. It had ended up just being a good, though risqué, afternoon. He still felt uneasy being naked with the other two, but no one was getting into their clothes and Vince didn’t want to be the first to make a move. Instead, he was just letting the sun dry his body.

“Could you get it for me, please?”

Feeling lazy, Vince took too long to respond. Before he could start to get to his feet, Matt stood up. “I’ll get it. Where in the ute is it?”

“On the floor by the passenger’s seat.”

Vince closed his eyes, partially so he wouldn’t have to see what was revealed, but mainly because he was sleepy. The sun felt warm, instead of hot, and he knew that was because of the water evaporating slowly from his skin. He’d need suntan lotion soon, or he’d have to get dressed. He didn’t want to spend Christmas with sunburn or peeling skin.

“Matt’s something special, isn’t he.”

Vince cracked open an eye to see Patricia raised up on one elbow, looking at him. He quickly shut his eye again.

“Yeah, I think he is.”

“Do you really think he’s going to marry The Heart of The Tree?”

Vince’s eyes snapped open. He stared at Patricia but she seemed to be serious. The topic kept his mind off the display her body was giving him.

“But...”

She shook her head. “I feel a bit guilty monopolising Matt’s time so much, because I don’t think I’m the one.”

Vince lifted his head to watch where Matt was poking around inside the ute cab.

“You have to the one, Pat, because Matt’s taken a real shine to you. Who else could it be?”

“That’s just it. There isn’t anyone else, but I don’t feel it’s me. What if we’re all making a huge mistake?”

Vince smiled as he realised what the problem was. While he watched Matt start back, he tried to find words to placate Patricia.

“Just trust in yourself, Pat. My friend, Padma, keeps telling me that this can’t be an arranged marriage – it’s a real matter of love. If you and Matt fall in love, then you’re the one. Just don’t try to force it and it’ll be all okay.”

“It’s just...”

When she didn’t continue, Vince glanced over at her. She was sitting up, knees held to her chest, staring across the lake. She seemed worried about something, but Vince didn’t have a chance to ask what, because Matt was back within earshot.

“I’ll do your back, if you like,” Matt said to Pat.

“What about the front?” she asked, grinning cheekily up at him.

“I’m sure Vince would be happy to do that for you, if you really want someone to do it.”

“I think I’ll pass on that,” Vince said, feeling uncomfortable. “In fact, I think it’s time to get dressed.”

While the other two laughed, Vince rolled to keep his back to them. He moved quickly to where his clothes were lying and scrambled into them before they could see the state he was in.

“Well, I’m staying for a bit more sunbaking,” Patricia said, as she laid down to let Matt rub lotion onto her back.

“I’ll meet you back at the house, then,” Vince said. “Take your time, I still need to sort out some clothes for tonight.”

“See you soon, mate!” Matt called out.

Vince whistled for Patches. While he waited for her to come back and jump into the ute, he glanced back, and then quickly averted his gaze. From what he saw, he suspected those two would be busy for a while.

* * *

Bobby was sitting at a table in the Nacho Nirvana with Rhys, Mark and Mia, when Matt, Patricia and Vince walked in.

“They’re here!” Bobby said to the others, as he stood up and waved. Sitting down again while the other three made their way to the table, he couldn’t help notice how surprised Vince looked. It looked like Matt had managed to keep him in the dark about the plans for the night.

Matt and Rhys had been making plans for several days. Neither of them would explain why they wanted to get Vince drunk, just that they felt he needed to unwind. Bobby suspected it had something to do with their HSC results that would be coming out at the end of the coming week. He personally didn’t care what they were, as he wasn’t planning on going on to university. Most of his friends were confident they’d get good enough marks to get into the courses they wanted, but Rhys had made a comment that implied to Bobby that Vince didn’t think he’d be going to uni. The only instruction that Rhys had given everyone was that school, marks, and university were banned topics for the evening.

“What are you guys doing here?” Vince asked in a slightly shocked voice.

“Well, my dad owns the place, so I thought this would be a good place to eat,” Mia said.

Vince clipped her gently over the back of the head. “I meant here tonight!”

“I believe a night of drinking and debauchery has been ordered, so I’m the designated driver,” Rhys said before reaching over and shaking Matt’s hand. “I’m glad to see you got the victim – uh, guest – here in one piece.”

“Matt mentioned drinking, but not debauchery,” Vince said, turning to Matt for an explanation.

“I didn’t order any. That’s all Rhys’s doing, but I’ve heard he’s an expert at it,” Matt said as he sat down at the table, next to Mia.

“We thought a night out was called for,” Bobby said. “Rhys and Matt have cooked up some plans, but they aren’t sharing them, so it’s going to be a surprise for all of us.”

“Now that that is settled, it’s time to line the stomach with some food before a night of drinking,” Rhys said, rubbing his hands gleefully.

Matt turned to Vince. “How does that guy get so excited about drinking, when he won’t be doing any of it?”

“Rhys is crazy – just ask his dad. The rest of us have given up trying to understand him. We just make sure our life insurance is paid up, that’s all.”

“Drink orders, please,” Rhys said, ignoring Vince. “I’ll warn you that most of the liquid refreshments for the night will be beer, with a few spirits, but if you want to mix your drinks, feel free to order something else.”

“I’ll have mineral water,” Patricia said.

Rhys frowned. “I’m the designated driver. There’s no need for you to hold back, Pat.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Do you honestly expect me to put my life in your hands? I’ve lived here long enough to know that you’re as dangerous sober as most people drunk. I’m going to go easy tonight, so I can drive myself home. Just because all your friends are suicidal, doesn’t mean I have to join in.”

Rhys clenched both hands to his chest theatrically. “I’m crushed!”

“Yeah, yeah, Rhys. The truth hurts,” Mark said. “I’ll have a Toohey’s New.”

“Is Rhys really that dangerous?” Matt asked, appearing nervous.

“His reputation, while justified, has been exaggerated. Since it’s my car he’ll be driving, I have to say that I trust him,” Mia said. “And that’s another one you owe me, Rhys.”

“What do I owe you for now?”

“For lying to Matt. As well as putting my mortal life in your hands tonight, now I’ve perjured my soul on your behalf. You’re going to have to make up for that, somehow.”

Rhys shrugged. “I didn’t ask you to do that, so you’re on your own. All I’ve done is offer to drive people home.”

Mia stuck her tongue out at Rhys, and then grinned.

“Is Pat going to take you back to your tent?” Vince asked Matt.

“Nope. I’m spending the night at your place, as I don’t expect to be in a fit state to do anything in the morning. I arranged it with your mum before Pat and I went out to help you with the fencing this afternoon.”

He turned to Rhys. “I’ll have a Toohey’s Extra Dry.”

“Make that two,” said Vince.

“Cascade for me,” Bobby said. They were planning a long night, so Bobby decided he might as well get started early. Despite Patricia’s and Mia’s comments, he knew that when it was really important, Rhys could be responsible. It was just a matter of trying to make sure that Rhys considered it important, too.

* * *

“Okay, the rules are as follows,” Rhys said.

Bobby glanced around. After dinner and a couple of pubs, they were settling in at The Cricketer’s Arms. Rhys was organising a pool competition. Apart from Rhys and Patricia, everyone ranged from tipsy to mildly intoxicated. No one had reached the outright drunk stage, but Rhys and Matt were pushing Vince in that direction as fast as they dared.

“Everyone takes turns in having a shot. If you fail to pocket a ball, you have to scull a shooter. If you make the shot, you get to nominate who has to do the sculling. You’re not allowed to nominate Pat or me because we’re the non-drinkers. For the record, I’m planning on picking on Vince.”

“What if you or Pat miss?” Mark asked.

“We have to buy another round of drinks. Now, I’ll leave you to sort out the order of play while I get the first tray.”

“First tray?” Mia asked.

Rhys grinned. “Somehow, I suspect this is going to go for a while.”

“How do we work out who wins?” Vince asked, alcohol beginning to slur his speech.

“The last one standing,” Rhys said, straight-faced.

“How long are we playing for?” Vince asked, looking surprised and a little worried.

Laughing, Rhys reassured him. “We’ve got the table booked for three games. There won’t be any winners or losers. The whole point is to have fun, not to win.”

After Rhys disappeared to get the drinks, Bobby tried to surreptitiously observe the others as the game order was organised. Vince was clearly relaxing as he drank more, but instead of opening up, which Bobby had expected, he was becoming quieter. There was an aura around him that was almost depressing. It was as if he’d been holding in some worries but the alcohol was letting some of those concerns seep out. Bobby tried to think of how to tell him that everything would work out, regardless of his HSC results, but didn’t know how to say it without potentially making it worse. He decided that Rhys’s approach was the best one – just show Vince that he still had his friends around for support if he needed them.

Bobby smiled to himself as he watched Mark and Mia. He wasn’t sure how obvious it was to the others, but Mark was besotted. Bobby had begun to suspect that was the case at the first dinner with Matt, when Mark had glared anytime Matt had looked in Mia’s direction. He had it confirmed, at least to his satisfaction, when he’d rung Mark to invite him along that night and Mark hadn’t sounded too keen at first, but changed his mind quickly when told that Mia would be there as well. Whether or not the two of them would become a couple remained to be seen. Mia appeared oblivious to Mark’s attention, but Bobby was letting Mark do things his way. It wasn’t his place to intervene.

Matt and Patricia were getting along well, with an almost constant bantering, though Bobby sensed they were still keeping a carefully managed distance between themselves. It was early days, so he wasn’t concerned.

As Rhys came back with a tray of drinks, Bobby watched approvingly. There was a subtle difference in the town’s self-appointed rebel since the crisis with The Tree had started. It was as if having a focus for his energy was maturing him. He was still a hell raiser at times, but it was more directed than it had been in the past.

“What’s in the glasses?” Mia asked.

“Rocket Fuel,” Rhys replied. “Guaranteed to keep the night firing on all cylinders.”

“Objection, your honour!” Bobby said, raising his hand and grinning at Rhys. “You’re not qualified to talk about anything with cylinders. I’ve fixed your bike enough times to speak from experience.”

Rhys tilted his head to one side as he thought about it. “Okay. How about guaranteed to make the night go off with a bang?”

“Objection withdrawn. Let’s get this game started. We’ve decided you get to break.”

When Rhys potted a ball off the break, he kept his promise and ordered Vince to scull a shooter. He laughed when Vince shivered as the strong spirits went down.

“What’s in this?” Vince asked, once he regained his ability to speak.

“Bacardi, Vodka and Blue Curacao,” Rhys replied. “Did you like it?”

“I’ll let you know in the morning, if I live that long.”

Mia was up next. While she stalked around the table, trying to pick her shot, Bobby moved over next to Vince.

“Are you okay, mate?” he asked, keeping his voice down so none of the others would be able to eavesdrop.

Vince gave him a guarded look. “What do you mean?”

“You’re quiet tonight. Is something bothering you?”

Vince made a face as if he was struggling to decide what, if anything, he should say. With a sigh and a glance around to make sure no one else would hear him, he gave in.

“Have you ever worried about losing your friends? Things are changing, and we’re not going to be the same as we were.”

Bobby looked back to the pool table as he responded. Mia was lining up for her shot.

“Padma and I are staying in town. Karen will be heading to Sydney. The rest of you are heading to Dubbo. Yeah, I’m not happy that we’re separating, but I don’t think of it as losing you guys. I’ll still get to see you every so often. I’m hoping we’ll still be great friends, but I know we may drift apart a bit. I’ll still be here when you come back home, Vince. Don’t worry about it.”

Before Vince could respond, Mia looked over at them and pointed at Bobby. “Your turn to scull some Rocket Fuel, Bobby!”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. As I see it, you’ve got the most fat to absorb the alcohol, so you’re best suited to drink this stuff.”

Bobby looked down and patted his stomach. “Fat? I’ll have you know, this is all muscle.”

“Ha!”

Bobby grinned at Mia before looking back at Vince. His friend gave him a faint smile and a small nod. Bobby hoped his pep talk had done the trick.

As the games continued, a pattern quickly emerged. Rhys and Matt picked on Vince. Patricia and Mark picked on Matt. Mia and Bobby tried to target a different person each time. Vince only managed to pot two balls as he had trouble holding the cue stick steady after being made to drink several Rocket Fuels. Since he couldn’t pick on Rhys, he nominated Matt both times.

By the end of the three games, Vince and Matt were having trouble standing up, though both insisted they were fine. Bobby was pleased to note that Vince seemed happier than he’d been earlier. Whatever it was that had bothered him had been drowned in alcohol, if not erased by the talk they’d had earlier.

“Can you two shut up?” Rhys exclaimed, holding his hands over his ears.

“What? You don’t like our singing?” Matt asked, temporarily abandoning his duet with Vince.

“I don’t know. When do you plan on starting?” Rhys asked, grimacing.

“This was your idea, Rhys. You just have to live with the consequences,” Bobby said. “Personally, I like the original approach to Working Class Man.”

“Barnesy would be suing both of them for every cent they don’t have, if he could hear them!”

Bobby just grinned. He noticed that everyone else had taken the sensible step of retreating out of earshot to the other end of the bar, but Rhys was sticking around because he wanted to make sure the two drunkards were okay.

Excusing himself, Bobby headed out the back to the toilets. On his return, he happened to glance through the door to the residential part of the hotel. He took another step before his sozzled brain processed what he’d seen. He stopped and looked back to try to make sure he wasn’t imagining things.

He started gnawing at his lower lip as he tried to work out what to do. There was no doubt about what he was seeing: Patricia was standing in the middle of the hotel foyer and a couple of duffel bags were at her feet. She was locked lip-to-lip in a passionate embrace with a tall, dark-haired guy, and it wasn’t Matt.