Page 30 of The Side Road
She was silent for a moment. Then she said, ‘Leo and I don’t exactly fit into our family’s expectations. My dad and Leo are complete opposites. I don’t think Gary, my father, has ever set foot in a garage. Beth, my mother, wouldn’t know how to pump petrol. I don’t think she’s ever done that in her life.’
‘Seriously?’
Mia nodded. ‘My parents are…both professors. One of my brothers is a scientist, and the other a doctor. I bucked the trend and studied fine arts. My parents were not happy about my career choice. After twelve years of private education, they had a lot invested in me, and this was not how they saw my future.’
‘But you have a successful business. They must be happy for you.’
‘They’re addicted to travel. I haven’t seen them in two years.’ She needed to change the subject. ‘What about you? I hear you’re a local lad?’
‘Born and bred. Like my dad and my grandfather. We all went to the same district primary school. My dad owned the garage. Took it over from his father. Three generations of mechanics; oil is in our blood.’
‘Are you going to stay in Eagle Nest? The rumour is…’ She paused. ‘Sorry, gossip is contagious in this town.’
He smiled.
She stood up and collected their plates. ‘April is here now, so if you want to go…’
‘I’d like to finish, if you don’t mind. I’ve got an idea for the tool rack. It’s a mess.’
She presumed he meant the haberdashery and accessory display, which was a shambles and had been on Mia’s to-do list for weeks.
Before they returned to the store, she asked, ‘Which garage?’
‘It’s gone,’ Oliver said. ‘’Now it’s an automated public restroom.’
‘That’s a shame,’ she said.
An hour later,Mia and Oliver stood in front of the accessory display.
‘This is my favourite part of the store,’ he said. ‘I’ve grouped the needles by material and then by size. If you want bamboo, then go straight to bamboo. If you want metal, then the metal section is at the end. Over here’—Oliver pointed to the right—‘are the other accessories, cutting knives, scissors.’ He stood back and placed his hands on his hips. ‘What do you think?’
Mia admired the display. It had never been this organised. ‘Works for me.’
‘I’ve arranged the manuals by product and then brand,’ he continued.
She followed him around the Spectacle of Socks to the bookshelves. The crochet magazines were separate from the knitting books. The sock pamphlets were side by side. He had divided jumpers and other knitwear into male and female categories. Items for children and toddlers were in another section.
‘I figured customers would look for a product first. Unless they’re loyal to a brand. Like in the old days, it was Holden or Ford.’ He looked at her. ‘You stock a lot of brands.’
‘You’re right. People decide what to make first. After that, they think about the wool.’
‘Then, I’m done.’
‘Thank you.’ She selected two balls of soft wool from the Spectacle of Sock display. ‘For you,’ she said. ‘For helping. You can give them to Tash. They’re perfect for her sock project. Fingers crossed she likes the colour.’
At the counter, Mia opened a bag and placed the wool inside. ‘She needs to do it herself. Accurate tension is vital for the sock to fit.’ She handed him the bag.
As he took the bag, his fingers grazed hers. He looked into her eyes. ‘Mia, I was wondering if I could see you sometime.’
The feel of his skin stirred something inside her. Her earlier longing reignited, and a tiny spark flared within her heart. A silent but palpable connection hovered in the air around them. A date, however, was out of the question. She knew how to deter a potential suitor.
‘Would you like to book a private lesson?’ she asked, using her best schoolmistress voice. ‘Lessons are seventy dollars an hour. Shall I get the form?’
With his arms crossed, he tilted his head. Imminent laughter was apparent. She needed to increase her resistance.
On an iPad, she opened the booking page. ‘Did you want to book with me or April?’
‘With you. If that’s okay?’
