She stood too and followed him to the door. He held it open for her and she shivered as she stepped outside into a blast of icy wind. It had been warm in the coffee shop.

“Well…thanks,” he said again and took a step towards his car.

“I’m home for a while,” she blurted. “We could catch up again, share some music.”

He stopped. “Sure.” He pulled out his phone.

“I’ve got your number.”

He nodded. “Of course. You rang me.” A quick smile and he hurried away.

Laura jumped into her car. Her door slammed shut with the wind. Wow, she thought and leaned her head back against the rest. She closed her eyes then flicked them open at a tap on her window.

Paul was there, leaning down, arms folded against the cold.

She lowered it.

“The folder,” he said.

“Oh yes.” She reached behind and grabbed the carry bag she’d slipped it into.

He smiled. “Thanks.” Then he hurried back to his car and drove away.

Laura nestled into her seat and sat a few more minutes, savouring the enjoyable hour she’d just spent, not looking forward to returning to the property, her gloomy dad and her despondent oldest sister. Lucky Bree had escaped for a day and a night. Laura recalled Paul’s smile and wondered how long she could leave it before calling him again.

Eighteen

Eighteen

Natalie closed the book on the final page, disappointed to be leaving the characters yet relieved to be released from the evocative story she’d been reading. She lifted her gaze to the pool where Dot and Faye were swimming up and back, as they liked to do every afternoon before drinks. Natalie usually joined them but she’d been so close to finishing the book and unable to put it down. She found it hard to take in, that among all the other things she and the other two women had done over the last five days, she’d also managed to read two books. She was hungry for more and glad that Faye and Dot had offered some of theirs.

The pool spread out before her and to one side there was a raised deck where people came and went all day, relaxing on the couches, enjoying company or simply snoozing the day away. The rest of the pool area was lined with padded sun-lounges like the one she lay on. There were small tables for drinks, and umbrellas and sails for those who, like her, sought some shade. Around her the steady but muted tones of cheerful music played, and she caught murmured conversations, the chink of ice and the distant whir of the cocktail maker. No-one splashed or called out in this pool, which was for adults only. The only raised voice was that of a bird trying to outdo the background music.