found everything about the situation rather ironic. What would happen if she told him how she really felt about him? Knowing Liam, he would be terribly embarrassed. He hated complications in his life. He was a simple man at heart.
‘Would I lie to you?’ she quipped, though unable to keep the sardonic edge out of her voice.
He slanted her a rather bewildered look as though he’d never associated her with sarcasm before.
‘Hmm. I hope not. You were always a brutally honest kid. But right on the ball. Why else do you think I used to ask your opinion on things? Mum would just say everything I wanted to do was great. I needed someone who told me as it really was. Which you did. When I think of the time I might have wasted on some of those airy-fairy projects I came up with. You were always able to make me see what was worth working on, Moll; what would last.’
A pity you never asked my opinion on your lady-friends, Molly thought wryly. I could have told you all those females loved themselves too much to have much left over for anyone else. But then, it wasn’t love you wanted from them, was it, Liam?
Still, old habits die hard. What’s going to happen when you want a girl to love you, and whom you can truly love in return? You’ll never find the right wife, gravitating towards the wrong type of girl. The Roxys of this world are only out for what they can get. Whereas I...I would love you as no other woman could ever love you, my darling. Look at me, Liam. Can’t you see the love I bear you? Can’t you feel it?
‘Anyway, Moll,’ Liam went on, oblivious of Molly’s thoughts and feelings. ‘I hope that necklace goes some small way to making up for my thoughtlessness in the past. I know I’m a selfish bastard. But your friendship means a lot to me and I wouldn’t want you to think I never give you a moment’s thought, because I do.
‘Trouble is. . .’ He threw her a wry smile. ‘It’s usually only when I need your help. Or your advice. Or your opinion on a new car.’
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at that point. Anger, however, came to the rescue. ‘And is that all tonight is, Liam?’ she snapped. ‘A test drive? Are you taking me all the way out to Terrigal just so you can get my opinion on your new car?’
‘God, no!’ He looked and sounded appalled. ‘No, that’s not it at all! Far from it. The thing is, I realised today down at the library that I never ask you about you. It added to my guilt, I can tell you. All these years and all we ever talk about is me. So tonight I want to hear all about you, Moll.’
‘Me?’ she echoed weakly.
‘Yes. You. I want to know what’s going on in your life these days. You could have knocked me over with a feather when that woman said you were twenty-five. It suddenly came to me that a girl as great as you should have been married by twenty-five. I began to wonder why you’re not. I wanted to ask you then and there but it was hardly appropriate. So I’m asking you now, Moll. Why haven’t you got a boyfriend?’
Molly was really stumped. What to say? What to tell him?
She busied herself putting the gold chain tidily into its case and slipping it into her purse, all the while trying to find the right lie to tell.
I just haven’t met the right man yet. . .
I’m waiting till Mum gets over Dad’s death...
I’d like to marry but the man I love doesn’t even know I’m alive in that sense...
The awkward silence grew till finally Liam shot her a shocked look. ‘Good God, Moll, you’re not, are you?’
‘Not what?’
‘Not...gay?’
CHAPTER FOUR
MOLLY’S eyes rounded. And then she laughed. That was one excuse she’d never thought of.
‘No, I’m not gay.’
‘So what’s the problem?’
‘The problem. . .’ She considered her answer at some length, then decided excuse three carried a perverse kind of truth. Yet Liam—dear, sweet, blind Liam—would never guess. ‘The problem is... that I am in love with a man. But he just doesn’t love me back. In fact, he doesn’t know I’m even alive in a sexual sense.’
‘Why not?’ Liam demanded to know, apparently affronted by this mystery man’s lack of passion for his best friend.
Molly almost felt soothed by Liam’s chagrin on her behalf. ‘I guess I’m not his type, physically speaking. I’m not pretty enough.’
‘What rubbish! You’re very pretty.’
‘No, I’m not, Liam. But it’s nice of you to say so.’
Molly was grateful that Liam dropped the subject of her beauty. He scowled all through Gosford, not opening his mouth till they were on the Entrance Road and approaching Erina.
‘So who is this idiot?’ he flung at her. ‘Is he a local?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Do I know him?’
‘I should hope so.’
‘Did he go to our school?’
‘Yes. But that’s as much as I’m going to say.’
‘Our school...’ He frowned as he scoured his memory. ‘I can’t think who it could be. Still, there were over eight hundred kids in our school.’ He shook his head in frustration. ‘I’ve no idea. Look, just tell me who he is. Don’t keep me in suspense!’
‘Sorry, but I’m not telling you, or anyone else for that matter. I would find it embarrassing. Besides, it’s quite pointless my telling you who he is. I’ve pretty well accepted he’s not interested. Shortly, I aim to get on with my life, so you don’t have to worry, Liam. I don’t intend to suffer indefinitely.’
Liam mumbled and muttered all through Erina, swinging the car around the large roundabout and heading for Terrigal before he launched into another verbal attack against her mystery man. Molly found it amusing that he was railing against himself.
‘So! Does this splendid advertisement for feminine taste have a girlfriend?’
‘Actually, he’s between women at the moment.’
‘Had a lot of them, has he?’
‘Oodles.’
‘And you love this inveterate ladies’ man?’
‘He takes my breath away.’
Liam pulled a face. ‘What is it about women that they always fall for the bad guys? He sounds positively awful!’
‘I don’t think he’s at all awful. And he’s been very successful, businesswise.’
Liam’s top lip curled into a sneer. ‘I suppose he’s good-looking.’
‘Drop-dead gorgeous,’ she agreed.
‘Handsome is as handsome does, you know,’ he growled, then muttered some more under his breath all the way to Terrigal.
Molly sat next to him in a self-satisfied silence. She hadn’t enjoyed herself so much in years. Perhaps she was playing with a double-edged sword, but if so it was worth the risk. She didn’t think the penny would drop for Liam. Meanwhile, she was experiencing a heady exhilaration in toying with the truth in this manner.
They came round the sweeping hillside corner which brought Terrigal beach into view and Molly sighed her pleasure at the sight. It was a pretty place during the day, but even more so at night, especially when it was cloudless, and the moon sent ribbons of silver rippling across the dark waters.
Tonight, the moonlight was strong, and the waves extra gentle as they lapped up onto the golden curve of sand. Some people were still swimming in the peaceful water. Many couples were sitting