The Big Little Festival. Kellie Hailes

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ imagined a family would be like. A proper family. Love, laughter, teasing. Not cold, distant and perfunctory.

      Jody looked up in surprise. ‘Oh, that was quick. I’ve only just knocked.’

      ‘Well, I could’ve heard you coming from two towns away.’ Christian swung the door open all the way and indicated for them to come in. ‘You didn’t tell me you were bringing them.’

      ‘“Them” have names. Tyler, Jordan, you remember Christian.’

      The boys glared at him with open hostility. ‘He ruined our fun.’ Tyler narrowed his eyes.

      ‘Yeah. We were having a good time until he yelled at us.’ Jordan scratched at a scab on his elbow. ‘How did he not know it was a slide anyway? For an adult that’s pretty dumb.’

      A pretty flush of pink hit Jody’s cheeks. ‘Sorry about these two. You’ll get used to them.’

      Get used to them? What? Christian shut the door behind them. ‘Um, what do you mean, “get used to them”? They’re not going to be coming with you to all our meetings, are they?’

      Jody nodded. ‘Sure they are. We’re a package deal. They go where I go.’

      ‘But that’s hardly professional.’ The gentle rhythmic thud of Christian’s heart began to pick up pace. This wasn’t how business was done. How was he going to ensure the festival went off without a hitch with two young people getting in the middle of things? And if the festival didn’t go off without a hitch? Goodbye career, hello humble pie.

      ‘You want me. You want my family.’ Jody’s hands left the boys’ shoulders and flew to her hips, her chin tilted. ‘The boys and I are a unit. We stick together. Also, there’s no one to take care of them.’

      ‘What about your brother? Or your friend I met earlier?’ Christian had a feeling he was clutching at straws, but wasn’t giving up easily.

      ‘Tony has The Bullion to run. His fiancée, Mel, helps him when she’s not running her café. Serena is on the farm most of the day and, frankly, I don’t know that she’s responsible enough to handle the two boys. She’d probably take them on a ramble and lose them.’

      ‘Your mum? Your dad? Their dad?’ Christian sank onto his bed as the world began to tip a little sideways. Was the room too small for four people? Because it felt like he was losing oxygen.

      ‘My mum passed away when I was five. My father passed away not long ago. And, their father is… not on the scene.’ The last four words were soft, but there was no missing the steely tone. The boys’ father was not a topic up for discussion when the boys were around.

      Christian ran his hand through his hair. ‘Okay, so they’re coming with us.’ He turned his gaze on the boys. ‘We’re going to have to set some rules, though. If your mother or I are talking to an adult, you can’t interrupt. And you can’t get rowdy like you were out in the corridor. Consider yourself Rabbits Leap ambassadors. Pretend you’re fine, upstanding young men… or something.’

      ‘Pretend?’ Jody frowned, but a smirk threated to ruin her act.

      ‘Fine.’ Christian grinned. ‘Act like the fine, upstanding young men I know you to be. And no saying “cock-up”. At least not within the earshot of adults.’

      ‘Yes, sir,’ the boys chorused, saluting Christian. Their little faces solemn, their eyes glinting with good humour.

      Christian fought the urge to reach out and ruffle their hair as Jody had done earlier. They were good kids. But it was better he kept his distance. Rabbits Leap was only a pit stop until he was sure things were going to blow over back home. There was no point forming attachments. Especially as he was incapable of living up to any “attachments” expectations.

      ‘I was also thinking they’d be quite good if we do end up needing a swing vote.’ Jody leaned against the windowsill.

      ‘But there’s two of them? What if they can’t agree? And do we really want to put the decisions in the hands of, what… a couple of eight-year-olds?’

      ‘Hey! We’re nine.’ Jordan stamped his foot and folded his arms across his chest.

      ‘Sorry. Nine-year-olds then.’ Christian nodded an apology to Jordan and Tyler, then looked over at Jody. ‘But really? We have to take this seriously.’

      ‘I am. This is a family festival. It’s for people of all ages. And who knows better what kids like than kids? Besides, they rarely disagree on anything. And if they do we’ll flip a coin. Or we’ll get Mrs Harper’s opinion.’

      Christian’s heart broke out into another trot. ‘No, no need to get Mrs Harper involved. We’ll flip a coin.’

      Jody’s smirk blossomed into a grin, one that revealed a cute dimple on her left cheek. What would it be like to touch, to kiss? The thought rose unbidden. What the hell was going on with him?

      Christian leapt off the bed. Now was not the time to be thinking amorous thoughts. Now was the time to work. He could think amorous thoughts another time, about another woman. Definitely another woman. One not so obviously family-focused. One who would understand that work and winning came first. ‘Look, this room is no place for a meeting. It’s small. Cramped.’ And feeling more cramped by the second as he realised that Jody’s white paint-spattered tank top was ever so slightly see-through, revealing a hint of her bra. Lacy, latte-coloured. And housing two things he really shouldn’t be thinking about. ‘We need to get out, now.’ He charged for the door and made his way down the hallway, down the stairs and into The Bullion’s dining area, only knowing he was being followed because of the bang of his bedroom door closing, followed by multiple thumps of feet on floorboards closing in behind him.

      ***

      What the heck had just gone on? Jody pondered as she stared at Christian’s back, which wasn’t so much taking the lead as beating some kind of retreat. One minute they were discussing the boys’ involvement, the next he’d bounded off the bed and bolted from the room.

      But there had been a moment before that. A moment she thought she’d imagined. Or perhaps wanted to imagine. His eyes had flicked down, lingered on her top. Her chest. Then his eyes had widened, and he’d been up and gone. A man on a mission. Or a man looking to escape whatever was on his mind.

      And what had been on his mind? Her? Jody glanced down at her top and saw it through new eyes. A man’s eyes. Oh. Her old painting tank top was a little see-through. And her bra was perhaps a little alluring. Not that she was trying to lure anyone with it. It was just there to hold up her boobs.

      A shiver trailed its way down her spine. Why did she suddenly feel as if she’d exposed herself to Christian? Why hadn’t she brought another top in case it got chilly? Because it was summer. A warmer than usual summer at that. And why did she have a feeling things were only going to get hotter? Jody clenched her jaw. Nope. No heat here. Nothing steamy at all.

      She followed the boys into the dining room and looked for the iced-water pitcher Tony always had filled and ready for customers. What she needed to do was drench herself in that, cool off… and give Christian a view of everything. Wet T-shirt competition styles. No. No water. She just needed to continue ignoring the fact that he was the hottest man she’d seen in years, while continuing to remember her number-one rule. No. Men. Allowed. Not until her boys were men. СКАЧАТЬ