Page 30 of Coming Home to Wishington Bay
Carrie raised an eyebrow and I knew this conversation was far from finished. Unlike my brother, for whom the comment had been nothing in particular, my sister-in-law, with the acuity of a woman, had immediately realised there was another layer to it all.
‘So you just want it all piled in the centre?’
‘Yes. Well … actually would it be possible for you to stand them on a dust sheet and leave a bit of a gap between them before you cover everything up with the other sheets? I’m thinking of trying something and it saves me having to drag you out here again for a while.’
Ned gave a little salute and headed in to the house, Gabe following. Bryan waited for a moment and then charged off after them.
‘I think I’m pretty much decided on the paint colours now. Fancy a ride to go and pick some up?’ I was hoping that if I got Carrie distracted quickly, the conversation would be less inclined to circle back to Gabe’s earlier comment. I hoped in vain.
‘Sounds great! And on the way you can tell me what all that “doctor in residence” stuff was about.’
I frowned, laughing. ‘There’s nothing to tell. Just like Gabe said, I was joking about putting in the fact that the potential buyer would have a doctor living next door and that might be appealing to some people. You know, help it sell. Zhoosh the description up like estate agents have been doing for millennia.’
‘Nice try,’ she said as I helped her into the low-slung car. ‘God, I hope they’ve got a crane at the DIY centre to help me get out of this thing again.’
‘Sorry about that. Are you in?’
‘I think so.’
I pushed the door shut and slid in the other side, turning over the engine and enjoying the deep rumble of the engine noise. That was where my knowledge of cars ended but I did like the sound. And it was pretty.
‘So, if this conversation was so innocent, why did you get all shifty about it?’
‘I didn’t get shifty!’ I laughed, feeling decidedly shifty.
‘Yeah. You did. Now spill.’
We were sat at the traffic lights that led out of town, watching as a stream of tourist cars and caravans made their way towards the scenic village. Carrie could be very persistent when she wanted. She knew she was on to something and I could see she had no intention of letting it go.
‘OK. Fine. I may have added an extra adjective,’ I said, watching the lights change and getting ready to move, ‘but you cannot, absolutely cannot tell Ned.’
‘Deal. Now for goodness’ sake, tell me!’
* * *
‘I can’t believe you said “hot doctor in residence”!’ Carrie said as I braced my knee against the car’s bodywork and hauled her out.
‘Neither can I. And I’d really like to stop talking about it now, if possible.’
‘Yeah, yeah. In a minute.’ Carrie flapped her hand at me as I slung the bag containing all the paint charts onto my shoulder. ‘I mean, I can totally believe it – it’s Gabe. Hello? He’s been the local heartthrob here for the last three years. And plenty of women have been upfront with him about how hot they think he is, but it’s just not like you.’
‘I know!’ I said, groaning as I dropped my head back and looked up at the sky. ‘I could have died of embarrassment! I don’t know where it came from.’
Carrie gave a snort. ‘I do. He’s bloody gorgeous!’
‘Yes. Obviously. But he’s not exactly my type, is he?’ I said as I pulled out a trolley and gave it a shove through the doors to the superstore.
‘Your type being?’
‘I don’t know … just … Oh, I don’t know. He’s just not the sort of bloke I tend to date.’
‘You mean he’s not invisible.’
He most certainly wasn’t invisible.
I gave Carrie a look. ‘I’ve been busy.’
‘For way too long! And you can’t use that as an excuse forever. Just because Paul was a prize idiot doesn’t mean that every man is.’
