‘Getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you?’ Jake said, swallowing a mouthful of peas with a snorted laugh.
‘Gotta think about these things.’ Abe took another swig of his beer.
That’s when Jake’s phone rang on the kitchen counter, and when he got up to check the call Ella’s name bounced from the blue screen.
‘Hi,’ Jake answered.
‘Hey. It’s me.’
‘How you doing?’
‘Good. I’m good. Thanks.’ She sounded breathy, like she’d come in from a long run.
‘How’s Sam’s arm?’ Jake asked.
‘Not too bad, thanks for asking. He didn’t need another painkiller in the night last night. We had a quiet day yesterday, just hung around home with Erik. I wrote an email to Harvey, asking about the admin job.’
‘How did he take that?’
‘He wasn’t that keen, not really. He said he needs to think about it more.’ Her voice changed. ‘Apparently, Bob doesn’t think I’ve got what it takes to succeed in real estate, sales or administration.’
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Abe scrape his plate clean at the sink and quietly leave the room. Jake appreciated the privacy.
‘Well, Bob and Harvey will want the office to run smoothly. I can understand that. I’m the first to tell anyone how important good admin staff are, and not everyone is cut out for sales, but I still don’t think you’ve given it long enough to decide that yet.’
‘I guess. It’s strange for Bob to say that, though,’ she said. ‘So anyway, you know the guy who tapped you on the shoulder when we were dancing. He asked me about appraising his house? I’ve forgotten his name.’
‘Tynan Kennedy. They live not far from you, actually.’
‘I don’t suppose you have a number for him? I want to call him,’ Ella said.
That warm bloody balloon did a galumph thing in his chest because this was big news. This was huge. ‘I thought you weren’t going to sell real estate anymore,’ Jake said. ‘You were thinking about a move back to Perth.’
In the time it took for her to come back to him, Jake was sure he could have started the hose and filled the new town pool.
Finally she said, ‘I think I might have changed my mind.’
Galumph. Slosh. ‘Why?’
‘I don’t like the thought of Bob Begg saying I’m not a people person, or I don’t have attention to detail. I really feel like proving him wrong. I sold a block of land today, actually,’ she said. ‘I got lucky—this young couple came in off the street. But it felt soooo good. Bugger Bob Begg! What does he know?’
Jake almost laughed out loud. This was the Ella he’d come to know and love. This was his overly-enthusiastic, uber-determined, ultra-competitive real estate agent swimmer lady out in force. If Bob’s ruddy cheeks had been on hand right now, Jake could have kissed them.
‘If you can wait till tomorrow, I know we’ve got Tynan’s contact details at the shop. I can text ’em to you. Or you can probably google him in the White Pages.’
‘Tomorrow’s fine. Great. Thanks.’
‘It’s no problem. Now, Ella?’
‘Yep?’
‘If you and Sam aren’t busy Wednesday night, some of the local fire crew are coming out to my place. We’re going to light up our burn pile, and just in case you were still thinking about moving back to the city, you should experience a good country bonfire just once.’
‘What’s a burn pile again?’
‘Just a heap of sticks, and some of the businesses in town take advantage of what us local firies like to call our confidential document burning service.’
‘Sam will think that’s awesome. We’d love to come. What shall we bring?’
‘Just bring the two of you,’ Jake said.
That’s all I need.
CHAPTER
35
‘I can’t see any other kids here, Mum,’ Sam said, disappointment obvious, as they climbed out of Ella’s car at Jake’s place on Wednesday night.
‘Maybe everyone is up at the fire already. Let’s see, hey?’ Ella set off across the gravelled parking area and up the steps to Jake’s house. It was like Grand Central Station at Jake’s today. A car yard of mud-splattered dual-cabs and four-wheel-drives parked at every angle, some almost off in the ditch alongside the drive. Ella counted herself lucky the Mazda was so small in such company. She’d managed to sneak into a spot close to the gate.
‘Where is everybody?’ Sam said when he got to the top step.
‘I’ll see if I can phone Jake,’ Ella said, tugging her phone from the pocket of her jeans. ‘I told him we’d be here at five and it’s just before that. You could go in and say hello to Percy.’
Sam’s face brightened. ‘Cool.’
Ella was thumbing through her contacts for Jake’s number when Jess shot around the side of the house, panting, white paws covered in grass and dirt.
‘Hello, girl. Where did you come from?’ Ella patted the dog on the head as the kelpie wriggled around her feet.
‘Yo!’ Jake jogged around the verandah, all dressed up in his fire-fighting gear, navy shirt and pants with fluorescent white bands around the ankles. ‘Get out of it, Jess,’ he ordered the dog.
Jess sat on her tail, and Jake’s gaze searched Ella’s face. ‘Is Sam inside?’
‘Visiting Percy.’
Jake rested his hand on her hip, lowered his head and greeted her with a quick kiss. At least, Ella got the impression he’d tried to make it quick, but it didn’t stay quick long.
‘Man, you smell good,’ he muttered against her lips, breath warm on her cold cheeks.
‘You smell of smoke.’
‘Funny that,’ Jake said.
Ella’s hands found a place on Jake’s hips and made fists in the rough material of the heavy navy shirt. On tiptoe, she pressed the length of her body against him
How had she ever thought of leaving Chalk Hill? Leaving this? She’d be nuts.
‘Ella.’
There was a warning note when he said her name, which Ella ignored. Her breasts brushed Jake’s chest, then did more than brush, and rubbing into him felt so incredible, she did
