The Peppercorn Project by Nicki Edwards Read Free Book Online Page A

tell you what, Geoff, if I see her again today I’ll be sure to tell her you want to meet her.’
    Matt turned on his heel and left the way he had come, slamming the door a little harder than he had intended or needed to. Geoff’s chuckle chased him out the door and he was halfway up the street before he remembered he’d left his coffee sitting on his boss’s desk. Knowing Geoff, he would have finished it off without giving it a second thought, but Matt didn’t care. He was more worried about why his heart was beating a little faster at the thought he might catch sight of the mystery contestant again.

Chapter 5
    Isabelle wasn’t sure why she’d driven the short distance from the caravan park into town – it was close enough they could have walked. She crossed the bridge over a dry creek bed filled with silver river stones – Stony Creek, she presumed – and drove slowly up and down the main street, then the side streets, getting her bearings. It didn’t take long. She passed the empty bowling green and an equally empty playground on her right and came to a t-intersection opposite the post office which sat next to the library. On either side of the wide road, bull-nosed veranda shopfronts were adorned with bunting and banners and signs welcoming contestants. An older teenager stood in the middle of the road, directing traffic, an orange high-visibility vest hanging off his lanky frame. Neat rows of cars were parallel parked bumper-to-bumper down both sides of the main street. Every make and model of four wheel drive was represented but there were plenty of small cars like hers too. She drove past a butcher, an antique shop, the Country Fire Services shed, a modern looking cafe, a hardware shop and the ANZ bank. There was far more activity than she’d expected and she ended up having to park in a side street next to the clay tennis court behind the pub.
    ‘Come on, Fletcher, stop dragging your feet,’ Isabelle urged. ‘I don’t want to be late. It won’t make a good impression.’
    Mietta skipped alongside Isabelle, barely able to contain her excitement. ‘Am I allowed to talk to them?’
    ‘If you’re asked a question, then yes, you can answer. But remember your manners,’ Isabelle said.
    Mietta looked behind at her brother. ‘Guess that means you’ll have to keep quiet,’ she said, sticking out her tongue. ‘Cos you haven’t got any manners.’
    Fletcher screwed up his face, but remained mute. What was going on in his head?
    In tense silence, Isabelle marched them down the street, and it wasn’t until they passed the primary school she slowed her steps and began to relax. The playground stood beneath towering gum trees in a bed of freshly strewn bark chips. It looked much newer than she had expected for such a small country school.
    On the far side of the playground three horses stood beneath the shade of the gums, watching the world go by, swishing their tails lazily at flies. Occasionally the grey stomped his back leg on the ground and pinned his ears back. She would have to remind Mietta to stay away from that one. Fletcher was also watching the horses, a small smile playing on his lips.
    ‘Beautiful, aren’t they?’ she asked, waiting for him to catch up.
    ‘I guess so.’
    ‘Do you think I would be allowed to ride them?’ Mietta asked.
    Isabelle shrugged. ‘I have no idea. But if not these horses, I’m sure there are others around here you could ride.’
    Mietta jumped up and down excitedly and Isabelle promised herself if they won the competition and moved to Stony Creek, she would do whatever it took to make sure her kids were able to ride a horse, if that’s what they wanted.
    ‘Do you know where you’re going?’ Fletcher asked, interrupting Isabelle’s vision of her children cantering over jumps at the local pony club.
    ‘The email said the interviews are being held in the Institute hall next to the Uniting Church.’ Isabelle looked around. ‘The place isn’t that big. How