The Complete Red-Hot And Historical Collection. Kelly Hunter

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СКАЧАТЬ shook his head. Definitive. ‘No—that’s not her.’

      Brodie gave him a sympathetic look. ‘Then I’m pegging her for From Here to Eternity.’

      ‘What the hell is that?’

      ‘A movie.’

      ‘About what?’

      ‘How the hell would I know? It’s got to be a chick flick. I mean, come on—eternity? But I’m guessing there’s a clue in that movie.’

      ‘How’s that going to help me?’

      ‘Well, dropkick, I’m going to download the movie and we’re going to watch it together. And—sidebar conversation—you are so going to owe me for this!’

      ‘Okay, okay—I’ll owe you. But what exactly are we going to do after we watch it?’

      ‘I don’t know—not yet. Which is why we’re watching it in the first place. To figure out what her most romantic moment is. And then, mate, you’re going to give her that moment—because words are not going to be enough. Action is what’s needed.’

      Two hours later—mid-bite of a slice of seafood pizza—Brodie paused the film. ‘And there you have it,’ he said. ‘Have what?’ Scott asked warily.

      ‘That’s the scene.’

      ‘That? I mean…that? Seriously?’

      Brodie replayed it. Nodded, very sure of himself. ‘That. Believe me. I know women, and that’s it.’

      ‘Looks…sandy…’

      ‘Suck it up, buddy. Suck. It. Up.’

      ‘I can tell you right now I am not writhing around in the surf on Bondi Beach surrounded by a thousand people.’

      ‘If that’s what she wants that’s what you’re going to do.’

      ‘Aw, hell…’

      Brodie laughed. ‘I’m just messing with your head, Knight. Nothing that public will be required. I have a friend down the coast who, as it happens, lives near a beach that is chronically deserted.’

      ‘And just how am I going to get Kate to drive for hours along the coastline with me when I can’t even get her to pick up the phone?’

      Brodie held up a hand for silence. Grabbed his phone off the coffee table. Dialled. Then, ‘Kate?’

      Scott leapt off the couch, waving his hands like a madman and trying to grab the phone out of Brodie’s hand.

      Brodie punched him in the arm. ‘Nope—haven’t seen him.’ Lying without compunction. ‘Why?’

      Scott made another mad grab—got another punch.

      ‘No,’ Brodie said, holding Scott off with a hand on his forehead. ‘I just wanted to offer you another sailing lesson on Saturday.’

      Pause while Scott almost exploded—but in silence.

      ‘Great,’ Brodie said into the phone. ‘Eight o’clock. See you then.’

      Brodie disconnected and turned to Scott, grinning.

      ‘I want to teach her how to sail,’ Scott said.

      ‘So do it.’

      ‘Do it when, genius?’

      ‘After the beach clinch. I’m going to drop Kate off at a particular inlet down the coast on Saturday, just after lunch. You—having bought a neat little yacht I happen to know is for sale—will have sailed down there and will be waiting to drive her to that deserted beach.’

      ‘If I sail down there I won’t have a car.’

      ‘So hire one!’

      ‘And then what?’

      ‘And then you will roll around like a dumbass in the surf with her.’

      ‘And…?’

      ‘And you will sail her back to Sydney, teaching her the way you should have offered the first time she mentioned sailing to you. Honestly—do I have to do everything for you?’

      Scott stared at Brodie. A grin started working its way across his face as he picked up a piece of pizza. ‘I should have known a guy who’d order a seafood pizza would know all about girly stuff,’ he said. ‘Pepperoni is where it’s at, mate. Pepperoni.’

      ‘Shove your pepperoni where the sun doesn’t shine, mate—and get me another beer.’

      Scott laughed, and started to get off the couch to go to the fridge.

      But Brodie stopped him, one hand on his forearm. ‘You’re it for her, you know? Don’t let that mangy brother of yours keep getting away with making you feel like second-best. Because he is not better than you.’

      Scott gripped Brodie’s hand where it rested on his arm. ‘I know he’s not. She wouldn’t love me if he was.’

      Brodie smiled. ‘And neither would I.’

      ‘Brode—mate—please!’ Scott said.

      ‘You are so uptight—I’m not at all sure I shouldn’t try to cut you out with Red,’ Brodie said.

      ‘You can try,’ Scott said, and then he laughed.

       CHAPTER TWENTY

      KATE COULDN’T DRUM UP any enthusiasm for the sailing lesson, but she was waiting at the jetty on the dot of eight o’clock, with a fake smile worthy of Scott himself pasted on.

      Because it wouldn’t do for Brodie to report back to Scott that she was looking wan and miserable.

      She climbed aboard and darted a look around the deck. Half expecting… Maybe hoping just a little…?

      ‘He’s not here, Kate,’ Brodie said.

      She looked at him as the hope died. ‘You know?’ Short, unhappy laugh. ‘Of course you do. Best friends, right? You don’t have to badger confidences out of him.’

      ‘Are we going to talk about it?’ Brodie asked.

      ‘No,’ Kate said, and heard the dangerous wobble in her voice.

      ‘Okay, then.’ He took her bag, stowed it. ‘Remember I said we were sailing down the coast and going swimming when we got there?’ He gestured to her long cotton pants, her long-sleeved T-shirt. ‘You got your swimmers on under there?’

      ‘Yes,’ СКАЧАТЬ