The Ute pulled up outside Tom’s new place with a screech of brakes. Stevo had arrived. Tom shook his head, smiling, as he walked from the dining room into the hallway to open the front door.

Stevo was unloading the gear by the time Tom made it outside. "G’Day, mate. You trying to let the neighbours know you’ve arrived? Those brakes need seeing to."

"Hah, mate, they’ll be right," Stevo replied, grinning as he threw a pair of coveralls at Tom.

As they walked into the house with the first of the gear, Stevo looked around and whistled. "You’ve been busy, Tom."

Tom had driven out to the Glen the morning before and had spent all day covering the woodwork and the wonderful wooden floors, which would be polished when they finished painting, in preparation for the painting of the ceilings and walls. Not for him the tedious rollers, he had paint spray guns ready, to make the job quicker and a lot easier.

As soon as all the gear was in the house, and the right colour pots of paint were in the right rooms, Stevo slapped Tom on the back. "Right then, I’ll pop the kettle on."

"Hey, we haven’t done anything yet," Tom protested good-naturedly.

"Mate, I had to pick up the gear and drive out here this morning. I think a cuppa really is in order."

Tom laughed and showed Stevo where the kettle was, then reached into one of the kitchen cupboard and waved a packet of Tim Tams under Stevo’s nose.

"You little bewdy!" he exclaimed, the smile lighting up his eyes. Tom certainly knew the way to his heart. A cuppa and a couple of bikkies would see him through until they decided to stop for lunch.

A couple of hours later, the rooms had all received their first coats. Life had been made easier by painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls. Tom thought they would be able to get away with it, as there were no dark colours involved. Tori loved natural, muted, earthy colours so having the ceilings the same colour as the walls didn’t make the rooms close in on you, also they were nice and high to begin with, another point in Tom’s favour.

"We’ve done bloody well, mate, he said slapping Stevo on the shoulder. Let’s go over to Millie’s for some tucker."

Slipping off their coveralls, they headed out to Tom’s jeep for the short journey to the guesthouse. Stevo went to grab a table by the window while Tom went up to the bar to order.

"Two sangers and two middies of VB please, mate."

"What would you like in your sangers?" Andy asked while pulling the drinks.

"Snags if ya got ‘em, if not, whatever the chef recommends."

"I’m the chef," Andy grinned.

"I know, mate," Tom replied with a chuckle.

"Snags it is then got some nice wild boar and apple ones on the griddle right now."

"Sounds great. Better get a side order of chips, me mate has hollow legs."

"No worries. I’ll bring them over when they’re done. Meanwhile, enjoy your drinks."

"Ta. Mate. Will do."

Tom took the drinks back to the table and handed one to Stevo. "Only middies," he groaned.

"Hey, we still have work to do, mate. You’ll get more later, my shout."

After a very long, slow lunch, they headed back to the house to see if the paint was dry enough for the second coat. If they could finish the walls and ceilings today, they could do all the woodwork tomorrow and then all they would need to do would be the polishing of the wooden floors, which had already been sanded.

The kitchen was all fitted out, but the bathroom still needed work. The ceiling had been painted ‘winter white’. The floor was bare as the Italian tiles Tom had found would be the last things to be added. The whirlpool bath and fancy shower unit were stored in the garage, along with the vanity and toilet. The plumber was due to have a look at the available space, and work out with Tom just how the layout should look. He was also doing the wall and floor tiling, so he would be measuring up to estimate just how many wall tiles would be needed. He’d seen the floor tiles, and had managed to find some ceramic tiles that would compliment the stone Terrazzo floor tiles Tom had bought.

An hour into work again and Tom heard Stevo call him. "Tom, you’d better come in here. I think there’s a problem."

Tom walked into the dining room to see what his friend needed. As he walked through the empty doorway, all the doors were in the garage awaiting their paint job; he was hit in the chest by a jet of Roman terracotta paint.

"Hah…gotcha!" Stevo cried in delight. Before long, they were both hiding behind walls, blasting away at each other like boys at a paintball meet. They were both pretty good shots as well as most of the paint landed on the target and not on the wall.

Just as Tom aimed at Stevo for another salvo, the doorbell rang. "Bugger it, that must be the plumber. Truce, Stevo!"

"You got it, Tom. I think it’s a draw. Maybe we should get back to it and get the remaining walls done," Steve laughed. As Tom went to the door, Stevo looked around him thinking it was a good thing Tom had done such a good job of covering the floor. Or they would have had to re-sand before they could varnish and polish. He looked up as he heard voices coming closer.

"Hey, Stevo, this is the plumber. You remember Jeff don’t you?"

"Yeah, from the footy trials. How ya going, Jeff?"

"Good, mate, ta. Looks like I’m interrupting something," Jeff replied, looking at both paint-splattered men.

"Ah yeah, just having a little target practise. It’s all good fun."

"I’m sure. Don’t let me spoil the fun, I’m just here to measure up the bathroom."

"It’s okay, Jeff. I think the paint wars are over now anyway. This is the last room to do, so I can get on with the second coat while you and Tom do your bathroom planning," Stevo said with a smile.

As Tom led the way to the bathroom, Stevo watched Jeff follow. "Hmm," Stevo mused. "Nice bum in those jeans, Jeffie boy."

Jeff felt eyes on him and looked over his shoulder at Stevo, who was still watching his arse. Their eyes met, and they both smiled shyly.

The painting was finished before the bathroom plans, so Stevo leaned against the doorframe and watched Tom and Jeff work out where all the fixtures would be placed, then stepped in to help Jeff measure the walls.

"Ta, mate," Jeff murmured. "Okie dokie then, I just need to work out how many boxes of tiles we need and I can pick them up tomorrow. I can start the work in the arvo if that’s okay."

"That should be good, Jeff. We’ll be here painting the woodwork; we’ll leave the bathroom until last. If you can hold on two ticks, I’ll just lock up, then maybe you can join us down at Millie’s for a drink."

"I’d love to, Tom, but I’m afraid I can’t. I have another appointment to get to. Another time maybe?"

"Another time would be great," Stevo answered before Tom could open his mouth to speak.

Jeff smiled at them both and walked over to his Ute. As he opened the door he looked over and waved. "Hoo Roo," he called as he started the engine and drove away.

"Good choice of plumber, mate," Stevo winked at Tom.

"Thought you’d approve, mate," Tom replied. "Now, let’s go get that drink."