News: I wrote my first chapter with Tess and Nick as maincharacters. Hope you like it. Enjoy it and please R+R.

Thanks to you again, Isi for betareading my stuff every now and then. I still lern a lot and hyphens aren't my best friends yet. Still working on them. By the way you should know that I love your comments underneath.

To Henriette: This isn't crime but it's new. And it's still not the part you wanna read.

Dislaimer: Not mine.

9. Surprises

Tess stopped her VW in front of Nick's house and saw another bike standing there. Nick loved motorbikes so she imagined it was Alex' birthday present. Alex had told her about his plan a few days before Nick's birthday. He must have given it to Nick earlier because his birthday was tomorrow not today.

She got out of the car and looked at the organic wheat which she grew together with Nick. It was like a baby to her, something Claire didn't like. Nick offered her to grow it together on Wilgul with him. That was a step further into a relationship. But Tess screwed up big this time because she was scared. Shortly before Claire's accident Nick asked Tess to move in on Wilgul but she couldn't because she felt responsibility for her sister and she couldn't talk to Nick properly about it because the pregnancy was still a secret. So Nick was pissed and didn't listen to her excuses. He had enough of them. Even when he heard the news about Claire's pregnancy and could understand Tess a little, he didn't give her another chance. There was no reason to talk to Nick about the wheat. It was still growing and would grow some more time until they could harvest it. She just wanted to hear Nick's opinion about Alex and Claire. Although she knew Alex and Claire well and bits of their history Nick knew more. Alex was his brother and he knew Claire as long as Alex did.

Tess knocked at the door. A girl Tess had seen in the hardware store a few times opened the door. Tess was shocked. She hadn't seen this coming.
"Hi. Is Nick there?" Tess started surprised that a woman opened the door. "What are you doing here?" Tess asked herself. Nick wasn't like Alex with a girl on every finger. When he bonded to someone, he was severe about it.
"Yeah. He takes a shower. You are Claire's sister, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm Tess. And I guess you work in the hardware store? I think I've seen you there a couple of times."
"You're right. By the way I'm Moira." Moira answered. "Come in. Take a seat. I have to go to work. Nick will be done in a couple of minutes." Moira answered and took her bag from the kitchen table. "Good-bye, Nick." She shouted into the direction of the bathroom. Nick hadn't heard it and didn't react to it. He thought she had already left. "Good-bye, Tess. It was nice to meet you." Moira told Tess and left the house. Tess heard a bike start and realised what the bike was doing in the driveway.

Tess helped herself to a cup of coffee while she waited for Nick. It was still warm. It seemed like Moira had had breakfast at Wilgul. Normally Nick just drank tea in the morning. She knew a lot about him, although they actually had never been together. While Tess drank her coffee she got lost in thoughts. She remembered how she had fallen for Nick. It happened slowly but it was the day he had stripped in front of all women of Gungellan. Tess could talk nearly anybody into anything but she didn't get out of Nick why he didn't want to strip. He was handsome and she knew many women who had a crush on him. But he didn't want to strip. Tess kept talking to him about it and after some more talking of Tess he showed her his scars. She touched them and he let her. They were a part of him and she showed him that his scars made him even more interesting to her. He told her about his rodeo accident in the beginning of their friendship. At the same time Alex told Claire. That day both became friends, not just mates. Claire and Alex as well as Tess and Nick.

"What are you doing in my kitchen?" Nick asked her seriously.
Tess was dazzled by him standing there. She had totally forgotten where she was. "Hey Nick. We need to talk ...", Tess started, "... about the wheat." She knew he wouldn't believe her. Both knew there was plenty of time until they had to harvest.
"Well, if you think so." Nick answered. "But that doesn't explain what you are doing in my kitchen, Tess. I haven't let you in."
"Well that girl from the hardware store let me in. Moira had to go to work. I stayed." Tess didn't feel welcome on Wilgul.
"Oh." Was Nicks only comment to Tess' answer. "Couldn't you get a better moment?" Nick asked himself. He hadn't wanted Tess to meet Moira. But he hadn't expected Tess to come over. "That's Tess, a surprising women."
"Yeah, so where was I?" Tess started again to stop the silence between them. "The wheat. How is it. Growing well?" Tess asked stupidly because she didn't know what to say.
"Take a look. It's yours too." Nick replied and pointed at the door.
"Maybe later. Actually I'm not here because of the wheat." Tess started once more "Do you think Alex acts weird lately?" Tess asked.
"Not weirder than normally. Why?" Nick lied.
"Just curious. He is so happy about everything. He wants to start the work on his room at Drovers today. It's just an arrangement, you know and I know too. He is so into it." Tess told Nick.
"Jeez Tess, what did you expect? That he would run away? He knew what he did when he asked Claire to marry him. Don't suppose everyone to be like you. Running away when it's getting serious." Nick answered in a slightly angry tone.
"I'm sorry Nick. How often do you want to hear it? Otherwise I would record it and hand the tape over to you." Tess said in her usual funny way to lighten up the mood and it worked. A small smile appeared on Nick's face.
Deep inside Nick wanted to forgive her a long time ago but the time wasn't right when they saw each other and now there was Moira. "What came into you to start something with Moira? You are still in love with Tess and you will be for the rest of your life." He thought. "It's ok Tess, actually you don't have to apologise anymore. I forgave you a long time ago."
Tess wanted to hug Nick closely because she wanted this since their fight but instead she just looked into his eyes. Something she hadn't done for a long time. Immediately the butterflies in her belly were back. She was still in love with him and felt no anger to bond at all. Nick did the same. He looked deep into Tess eyes. "Nick Ryan, you're a bloody idiot." Was Nick's only thought by that look.
Both of them stood silently in Nick's kitchen, just looking into each others eyes. Tess broke it. She didn't want to get serious feelings while Nick had Moira. Beside of that she was at Wilgul for a reason and that wasn't Nick.
"Uhm Nick. Do you think Alex could be in love with Claire?" Tess asked directly.
"Yeah, actually I do. As you said before he is acting weird. Since we know Claire he is there whenever she needs him. I was in love with her once too as you know and I acted the same way Alex acts now. But you know them. They are two stubborn heads." Nick answered Tess' question honestly.
"I'm not sure about Claire. She didn't want to talk to me yesterday and I haven't seen much of her today. They would be a great couple but I'm not sure what Claire wants. Does she want a father for the baby or does she want Alex?"
"There's just one way to find out. Ask her."
"You know Claire. She didn't want to answer. After all I listened a fight between Claire and Alex a few months ago. She didn't sound happy or in love, although they had spent a night together."
"They did what?" Nick asked surprised.
"Screw you, Tess McLeod. Keep your mouth shut once in a while." Tess thought. "You can't tell them, it's a secret. Please, promise." Tess begged.
"Alright Tess. No word will pass my lips." Nick promised.
"Actually Claire doesn't want me to know either but I heard them fighting the morning after it. It was when Alex was over at Drovers with his home-brewed. They obviously had too many of them and ended up in Claire's bed. Claire threw him out that day. After that they weren't talking much for some time. Nobody knew what happened between them and they talked to nobody about it. At least they didn't talk to me." Tess explained what she knew about Claire's and Alex' situation.
"I remember. So there is something going on. We should have a little chat with our siblings. You take Claire, I take Alex." Nick suggested.
"Good idea. I'm going back now. I promised Alex to help him. You could join us for dinner if you like. We will have apricot-chicken."
"I would love to. Meg is famous for that dish. See ya tonight then."
"Yeah, see ya." Tess answered, left the house and got into her VW. She drove off, back to Drovers. She didn't know that Nick stood in the doorframe watching her driveing away.

To be continued ...