Page 28 of Ignite

“So, my ute. When do you think she’ll be ready?”

“Impatient, much?” I quickly pulled up the work order on my phone and talked Ethan through all the challenges. “Getting parts hasn’t been easy. I’ve got a contact who will get back to me by the end of the week, but we might need to think about what a minimum viable product looks like.”

“Minimum viable what the hell?”

“It means, what’s the bare minimum that you can live with while we wait for the rest of the parts to come in.”

“Why can’t you just keep the ute until it’s fixed?”

Ethan looked so relaxed that I thought he could handle the truth and a tiny nudge. I licked my lips which still felt bruised from out kiss and gave it to him straight. “Because of the RFS.”

“What the fuck?” He tossed his head back and glared at me. “Are you kidding me? You can’t fix my ute until I sign up for your stupid little club?”

“It’s not astupid littleanything.“ I had to keep my voice down. There were people in the pub that either had put their lives on the line for the RFS or who owed their home to a volunteer. It wasn’t a stretch that Ethan’s attitude could get him marched out of town. There had already been some murmurings about the community participation clause in his contract. Getting into a public disagreement would only bring the situation to a head.

“I do a lot of work for the RFS and it needs to be scheduled,” I explained. “They can’t have all their vehicles out of commission at the same time, and they all need to be serviced and back on the road before the beginning of the bushfire season.”

“So, you won’t fix my ute unless I sign up?”

Now it was my turn to sigh and give him the full impact of my exasperation. “I didn’t say that.”

“Well, it sure as fuck sounded like it.”

“Would you watch your language?” I looked around. People would forgive me because I was local. But Ethan had no credibility, yet. “There are families eating and no one wants to explain why the Captain-Coach of their football team can use that sort of language.”

“So, first you want me to be a fu…damn hero, and then you want me to be a role model?”

Ethan’s fists were clenched on the table and any good vibes we’d had from the afternoon and dinner had evaporated. Perhaps, they’d all been in my head.

“Like it or not, youarea role model,“ I hissed. “Every boy and girl in this town looks up to the rugby league team. Half the girls are traveling to Beringi two and three times a week to play for their team and have dreams of playing in the Women’s National Rugby League.”

“I came here to coach and play. That’s it.”

“You came here to be part of a community. Being a role model is part of that. Joining the RFS is part of that.”

“You’ve got me confused with my father. He’d be stupid enough to do that …”

It was the first time Ethan had spoken about his father. He often alluded to a close relationship with his mother, but never his father.

“Ethan, I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“How about you say nothing. Just either get my ute fixed and back to me; or admit that you can’t and let me find someone who can.”

“Ethan, wait,” I called, but he was already halfway out the door.

I got up to go after him, but Reece grabbed my arm. He had been playing darts with the guys and the only way I could escape him, was to make an even bigger fool of myself.

“Ryles, let him go.”

“But …”

“Going after him, pushing him to be something he’s not ready for, it’s not the way.”

“But if he doesn’t fit in, the town will drive him out.” I’d seen it before. People either adapted and become the new generation of locals, or they refused to conform and the old guard would make it too uncomfortable for them to stay. “I heard the guys talking to Old Man Hobbs. They are wanting to invoke the community engagement clause in his contract.”

“Honey, give him time. Everything’s still raw for both of you.”

“I don’t …” I tried to protest but Reece just pulled me into a hug.

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