The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots (20 page)

Knowing Dan was probably still cross with her for sticking her nose into his business, Lena decided to keep a low profile for a few days. She concentrated instead on hanging out with Sharon and pushing non-controversial ideas at work – like her communications coordinator scheme.

She was going through it with Gavin when Carl and Sharon walked in from the latest bus run. Sharon was carrying the morning mail and Carl was holding his hard hat and frowning. It was Gavin who called them over.

‘Lena’s got a new idea.’

‘Fuck.’ Carl stopped by their side. ‘It better be a bloody good one, with the morning I’ve had.’

Sharon began sorting the mail into piles on a nearby desk as Lena quickly outlined her idea for two communications coordinators – one for day shift and one for night shift. These coordinators could start later so they had a couple of hours in the next shift. Carl was not as impressed with the idea as she’d hoped.

‘It’s what we need, of course. But fuck, who’s going to put their hand up for that?’ He shook his head. ‘The men
have already been on strike because they reckon their pay is shit. Who’s going to volunteer for extra work without being compensated for it?’

Lena shrugged. ‘Well, maybe we just have to bite the bullet and pay the communications coordinators a little extra.’

Carl sighed. ‘You think it’s that fuckin’ easy?’ She opened her mouth to reply but he waved his hand dismissively. ‘Do you know how much money we’ve lost on this job already?
Fuck.
I feel like I’m working with a bucket that has six holes in it. Can’t you come up with an idea that increases productivity without actually costing us anything?’

Suddenly his mobile rang and in frustration he fished it out of his pocket and stepped back from them a little to take the call. ‘What?! Why the fuck did you let fuckin’ Stuart Carn do it? You know he’s fuckin’ useless. Now we’re bloody fucked, aren’t we? No, I ain’t got no fuckin’ solution . . .’

Lena tuned out of his conversation. She noticed that Sharon was quietly smiling to herself as she neatened her envelope piles. ‘What’s up with you?’

Sharon’s lips twitched suspiciously as she tried to turn her face away. ‘Oh nothing.’

‘Don’t give me that,’ Lena urged. ‘What’s so funny?’

‘Yeah,’ Gavin joined in. ‘Tell us.’

‘Well.’ Sharon shot a quick glance at Carl to make sure he was properly distracted by his phone call. ‘I just had an idea that’s totally cost-free but will definitely help get things done faster.’

‘Really?’ Lena saw the mischief in her eyes and was intrigued. ‘Do tell.’

‘If Carl took the f-word out of his vocabulary, he could speed up delivery of his orders by fifty per cent.’

Sharon had lowered her voice to say this but unluckily Carl chose to abruptly hang up his mobile in anger in time to hear her ‘idea’. Gavin sniggered as Lena put her hand over her mouth to cover her grin. Poor Sharon went as red as a chilli pepper
under Carl’s icy glare. He pocketed his phone wordlessly, his eyes fixed on her as she quickly turned away to fumble with the envelopes on the table. Picking up one pile and shoving two more under her armpits, Sharon made haste to leave. ‘I . . . I’ll just get these to the right . . . er . . . in-trays.’

Unfortunately, she dropped a couple as she passed Carl and was forced to stop and watch open-mouthed as he bent to pick them up for her. She took them with unsteady hands, eyes downcast and a muffled, ‘Er, thanks,’ before making a quick exit.

When Sharon finally disappeared through the door, Carl’s dirty expression swung to Gavin and Lena in accusation. Lena didn’t know about Gavin, but she was still desperately trying to keep a straight face.

‘Does that bird have a problem with my swearing?’ He jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

Gavin choked and looked away. Carl’s frown deepened. ‘Never complained about it before,’ he said gruffly. ‘Though, don’t expect I was supposed to hear what she said just now.’

‘Don’t worry about it, Carl,’ Lena tried to reassure him. ‘She was just joking around. Didn’t mean anything by it.’

He opened his mouth to say something more but seemed unable to formulate the words, so shut it again and stormed off. It was an hour before he reappeared, seemingly recovered from Sharon’s joke. He yelled across the room at Lena.

‘I’ve fuckin’ thought about it and I’ve decided. Use the fuckin’ communications coordinator idea. It’s shit about the money but I can’t see another way. We’ll wear a ten per cent pay rise. Can you organise it?’

She nodded, turning back to her computer in delight. It didn’t take long to put the new proposal in writing. Their resident human resources officer helped her to draft the new job profile so that he could interview candidates and award the position.

With that problem sorted, Lena turned her attention to the trickier dilemma of the trusses. She couldn’t install a bigger
crane on the skid because the actual skid frame itself couldn’t take it. Yet the trusses couldn’t be lifted with the small crane currently on the skid.

So what am I supposed to do?

That’s when she finally had a decent brainwave. What if she could kill two birds with one stone?

If she had two identical skid frames with two small cranes, she could install headstocks twice as fast and also have the capacity to install a truss. The trusses could be installed using two skid frames sitting side by side. She quickly scribbled down a sketch in her notebook. The two cranes could lift one truss off the back of a truck together.

It would take more money to make another skid and buy another crane. But she was hoping, given she would be increasing the efficiency of headstock installation as well, Carl might go for it. Besides, any way they addressed the problem would cost more money or more time or both. If they were to beef up the current skid for a bigger crane, that would take it off the jetty for a while. They’d get more behind before they could get in front. This way, the current skid could keep going as usual while the new skid was fabricated in the yard.

She spent the rest of the morning ironing out the details and almost missed lunch because she was so deeply absorbed. Luckily, her growling stomach prompted her to take a break. Sharon was lying in wait for her in the smoko donga. The second Lena walked in, she pounced on her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her into a corner.

‘
Please
tell me I’m not fired.’

Sharon’s face was so comically distraught Lena had to laugh. ‘You’re not fired.’

‘Thank God.’ Sharon dropped her arm and covered her flushed face with her hands. ‘I am
so
mortified.’

‘Don’t be.’ Grinning, Lena went over to the fridge and retrieved her sandwich. ‘It was hilarious. Well worth the embarrassment.’

‘Lord no.’ Sharon also got her sandwich from the fridge. ‘You may be comfortable being cheeky to Carl but a boss is a boss. I need this job. I’m not taking any chances.’

‘Seriously, Sharon, he’s already forgotten about it.’ Lena gestured to the door. ‘Picnic?’

Her friend nodded. ‘Sure.’

It was a beautiful day outside – sunny and balmy – typical winter weather for the Pilbara. They sat down on a backless bench near where the bus was parked and started munching. A comfortable silence settled between them as they listened to the gentle rumble of cranes and waves. Sharon managed to break the peace, however, with one blunt sentence.

‘Gavin asked me out last night.’

Lena swallowed too quickly. ‘And you’re only just telling me this now,’ she half choked. The news put a block of lead in her stomach but she schooled her expression to one of delight, praying to God her smile wasn’t too bright to be unbelievable. She didn’t want to be anything less than one hundred per cent supportive this time. Butting in only got her in trouble.

She turned to face Sharon fully, looping one knee up on the bench. ‘
Go on
, tell me everything.’

Sharon shrugged, her mouth quirking in the corner. ‘It was a bit of a non-event, actually.’

Lena plucked an imaginary piece of fluff from her pants as she tried to eliminate the hope from her voice. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I said no.’

Thank goodness.
She couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice. ‘Really?’

Sharon punched her shoulder playfully. ‘You’re relieved, you little faker.’

Lena hung her head. ‘I’m sorry but in my opinion he’s not good enough for you. He’s just sometimes a bit too . . .’

‘Shallow?’

Lena grabbed both her hands. ‘Yes! Truth is, after he nearly
destroyed my friendship with you, I’ve kinda seen some of his true colours come to light.’

Sharon nodded. ‘Me too. I mean, he’s not evil or anything.’

‘Oh no.’ Lena swatted away the suggestion. ‘Just . . . a little selfish.’

‘And vain.’

‘And cowardly.’

‘And childish.’

‘And desperate.’

‘
Okay
.’ Sharon laughingly held up her hands. ‘I think we’ve definitely settled the fact that he’s not my type.’

‘Or mine,’ Lena added forcefully. ‘Never was.’

‘I know,’ Sharon sighed softly.

They munched on their sandwiches again in amicable silence until Sharon shoved Lena’s shoulder. ‘So who is?’

Lena rolled her eyes. ‘No one I can put my finger on.’

‘Rubbish.’ When she didn’t take the bait, Sharon prompted her further. ‘What about a certain tall, dark client, who saw you in your scarlet unmentionables?’

‘Bulldog! No way he –’

‘Lena, you’re talking to me here,’ Sharon interrupted, giving her a pointed look. ‘I’m not going to tell anyone. Besides, we’ve just established that you’re not a very good liar.’

She was right. What was the point in denying it any further?

I have feelings for Dan.

Their last meeting had proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. She was no longer able to trick herself into believing that what she felt for him was nothing more than a crush. The attraction ran deep. Deeper than she had ever suspected.

Damn it.

She looked at Sharon’s raised eyebrows and sighed. ‘Okay, okay. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not going there.’

Eager to have her honesty at last, Sharon sat up straighter. ‘Why not?’

‘Do I have to spell it out for you?’

‘If you’re talking about Kevin,’ Sharon rolled her eyes, ‘this is not the same thing.’

‘Of course it is,’ Lena protested. ‘How can I possibly trust myself in life if I’m constantly getting personally involved with people who are supposed to be evaluating me? I’d be like one of those actors who sleep their way into lead roles.’

‘Don’t you think you’re confusing two different things?’ Sharon’s tone was exasperated.

Lena hugged her arms. ‘No, not really.’

‘What about Bulldog? How do you think he feels about you?’

Lena gave a humourless laugh. ‘Well, I’m safe there. He hates me.’

‘Now
that
is definitely not a possibility.’

‘Believe me, if you knew what happened the other day, you wouldn’t be saying that.’

A truck laden with rubber pipe rattled by loudly as Sharon pondered her words. ‘What’s changed?’

Lena looked at her hands, studying the chipped fingernails with an indifference she wouldn’t have felt two months earlier. ‘I know Dan’s secret.’

Sharon let out a long low breath. ‘
Oh
.’

‘Yeah.’

Sharon grabbed her hand and squeezed sympathetically. ‘Is it bad?’

Lena groaned. ‘Worse than bad.’

‘If he let you in, though,’ Sharon said thoughtfully, ‘he must think pretty highly of you.’

‘He didn’t let me in,’ Lena replied bitterly. ‘I forced my way through with the subtlety of a pickaxe.’

Sharon released her hand. ‘Ouch.’

‘Tell me about it. What’s worse is that’s exactly what he doesn’t need. He needs support not interrogation.’

‘So be supportive. Does he know your secret?’

Lena felt her face flush with both guilt and defiance. ‘Hell no.’ The thought of airing her dirty laundry to Dan filled her with nothing but shame. He thought so little of her already.

‘Hey.’ Sharon poked her. ‘I didn’t say it to get you down. Let’s talk about something else, okay?’

Lena brightened. ‘Yeah! Like how Gavin reacted to you saying no.’ She grinned as she pictured his face. ‘Must have put his nose out of joint a bit.’

Sharon collected her lunch things. ‘That’s the worrying thing, it didn’t.’

Lena also finished her sandwich and stood up. ‘What do you mean?’

‘You know, when guys think no means yes.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

‘He kind of went off on this whole tangent about having caught me at a bad time. He said he was happy to give me more time to adjust.’

Lena laughed. ‘Dumb arse.’

‘I couldn’t have put it better myself.’ Sharon stood up and was about to take her leave when she remembered something. ‘By the way, Ethel’s given me a new donga.’

‘Why?’

‘My air-conditioner finally broke down completely and they can’t get a new one installed for weeks – easier to move.’

‘Okay.’ Lena nodded. ‘What number?’

‘B15,’ Sharon said over her shoulder and then waved goodbye.