Loves Me, Loves Me Not. Romantic Association Novelist's

to him and said loudly, ‘I’m finished with you, Finn O’Connor! I never want to speak to you again.’ Then she stormed off. She didn’t look at him as she forced down a piece of cake that tasted like sawdust and chatted brightly to another young woman.

      ‘What did Finn do to upset you?’ the other whispered as Gracie discarded the empty plate.

      ‘Never you mind. How can I get back to Fairgums without him? Does anyone else go that way?’

      ‘No, and it’s five miles!’

      Gracie scowled across the hall at Finn, who grinned and winked at her. What a nerve! She elevated her nose and looked away.

      When the dancing began again, she saw him start towards her and slipped outside. Grimly determined not to drive back with him, still furious at him for tricking her, she stood in the shadows, trying to think what to do. Five miles wasn’t all that far, she decided. She’d walked five miles many a time. She didn’t have a coat to retrieve, not in this heat, and was carrying her handbag. She’d pay for the empty plate out of her wages, if necessary.

      Anger carried her along the one and only street of Beeniup at a cracking pace. Apart from the church and its adjacent hall, the town consisted of one general store, a place advertising stock feed and farm supplies, and seven houses. Most people lived out of town on farms, apparently, though she didn’t call this a town, whatever the locals said!

      She walked quickly along the road that led to the homestead.

      A few minutes later she heard the sound of a car engine behind her and her heart began to pound. She looked round for somewhere to hide. But there were only open fields with wire fences, so she kept on walking, head held high.

      Finn stopped the car. ‘Get in, you idiot! There’s no need for you to walk.’

      She glared, arms akimbo. ‘I’m not going anywhere with you from now on. How dare you make people think we’re courting?’

      He looked at her pleadingly. ‘Because I knew if I didn’t do something, the other blokes would be all over you. I could see the way they were looking at you and…well, I wanted you for myself.’

      All the air seemed to vanish from the world. Gracie tried in vain to stay angry. Couldn’t.

      He stopped the engine and jumped down.

      She couldn’t move, not a step. In the moonlight, Finn looked rather like Douglas Fairbanks, her favourite film star. He was just as handsome. For a moment she wavered, swaying towards him, then she forced herself to turn and start walking again, afraid now of what she might do if he came too close.

      He took her by surprise, scooping her up into his arms, laughing softly as she gasped.

      ‘Let go of me!’ She tried to sound angry, but couldn’t. Of their own volition, her arms slid round his neck. It felt so romantic, so right.

      ‘I’ll never let you go,’ he said as he set her down gently by the car, helped her inside and closed the door on her side. He got in but didn’t start the engine, just stared ahead, fiddling with the steering wheel.