Chapter 3: Passing through

The next morning ...

Stevie aroused and within a sec her eyes grew wide as she looked aside her. A peaceful Alex Ryan was sleeping next to her, leaving hardly any space between them. 'ALEX!' Alex shook awake and looked at her, a bit bewildered but that changed right away. 'Geesh Stevie, good morning would have worked too you know.' He rubbed his eyes.

'What are you doing here!' Stevie asked confused as she looked at the man next to her. 'Don't you remember, you asked me to stay.' He sat up, while Stevie had covered herself with the sheets in an automatic reaction. Her mind started to go in full speed. Oh no, not ... She stood up, still holding the sheet tight, and grabbed Alex his coat and shirt of the chair and threw them to Alex. 'We haven't, did we?', she said nettled. Alex shook his head amused, buttoning up his shirt. 'Believe me, you would remember.' He smirked, putting on his boots right after.

'And look at yourself, you still have your clothes on.' Stevie was still flabbergasted. She looked down at her shirt and jeans showing from under the sheet, realizing she looked dumb holding the sheet tightly in front of her. She threw it on bed immediately. It made Alex laugh, which annoyed Stevie. 'Just leave, before anyone sees you.' 'There hasn't even happened a thing', he said calmly. 'That's not what the others will think', Stevie replied.

Alex shook his head, thinking Stevie was exaggerating, and knew there was nothing else to do than leave. He walked to the front door. She had her hands in her hair while she saw Alex getting in his Ute. 'Next time, just say thank you!', Alex shouted. He drove off and she sighed deeply. Why did he have to make so much noise? She looked around if anyone was near and she hoped nobody had noticed his car. Why did I let him stay, and worse why did I let him sleep next to me?

'Come on', Jodi said smiling full of curiosity. 'Jode, it's none of our business', Kate replied hoping her friend would leave Stevie alone, but of course she knew it wouldn't affect Jodi at all. 'Of course it's our business, they are our Stevie and Alex.' Before Jodi had finished her line she already walked to Stevie's place. She had noticed Alex' black Ute immediately this morning and it already was a wonder that she had Kate talk her into starting preparations for today's work before heading off to Stevie right away. Not that she had been any useful, Kate thought. Her curiosity had made her babble about all kinds of scenarios, concluding they would make a great couple.

'See, Alex is gone', Jodi concluded as she came nearer. Kate shuffled behind her. 'Jode, I don't think Stevie will appreci ...' But Jodi already knocked on Stevie's door.

Stevie knew she was late and had expected someone would come and wake her. She just hoped they hadn't done it half an hour earlier. But all her hopes flew away as she opened the door and saw Jodi's bright face ... full of excitement and curiosity.

Stevie had taken a fast breakfast, neglecting most of Jodi's questions. 'Oh come on, you can tell me', Jodi tried again. 'There's nothing to tell!' Stevie responded annoyed. 'But at least admit he stayed over?' 'Ok he did'. Stevie took a bite out of an apple, with her mouth full she just simply couldn't react, she thought. 'See, I knew I was right!' Jodi was pleased with this conclusion, but it wouldn't stop her buggering Stevie for the rest of the day.

'Oy', Dave said to a passing Stevie, as he just had arrived on Drovers. She just passed him fastly and hardly responded. 'Someone's in a good mood today!' Jodi came right after her. 'She has her reasons', she quickly responded. Dave watched the two girls heading to Skinny Jim's and a wondering expression had taken over his face. 'Hey', Kate said, taking her stand next to him. 'G'day, what's up with them?' Dave pointing his head to the Drovers girls. Kate sighed grinning. 'Let's say Stevie had some company last night.' 'Ay, Alex! I already was wondering where he was this morning.' Kate nodded. 'Well, she doesn't look very content', Dave concluded.

It wasn't really the fact Alex staying over that bugged Stevie that much. Jodi annoyed her way more, and also Alex' behavior this morning was a little too much for her. But as she started to remember everything that happened last night, she knew she had been too hard on him. He only wanted to help her, and she was the one that had asked him to stay. Stevie knew she owned him an apology.

She apologized the next day and they both agreed on forgetting the whole thing, though it didn't changed anything to the behavior of their friends, who seemed to had started to look at them differently. The two otherwise had other problems on their minds; trying to get Nick and Tess back together was their goal. It all made Stevie forget her own love life and while she enjoyed Alex his company, the days went by. Though, that night stayed as a sweet memory on their minds.

A couple of weeks later ...

Alex got home after a hard days work at Killarney. He had just opened the door as Dave came walking to him in the hallway. He seemed a bit moved, wanting to tell Alex something. 'Hey mate, did you already made diner?' 'No, I've got interrupted, butah I ...' Alex wanted to walk to the living room, but Dave didn't let him through. 'Hey Dave what's up, can I pass you?' Alex grinned at Dave's silly behavior. 'No not yet. I have to tell you something.' 'Well that's also possible in the living room.' Alex made his move alongside his friend, who grabbed Alex' shoulder. 'There's someone here, for you', Dave said in a hurry, before Alex could enter the room. Alex still didn't understood why Dave was acting this serious over some visitor, but as soon as he walked into the living room he understood why. 'Hi Alex', a female voice said.