Chapter 4

The lights came back on and the kitchen was bathed in bright light from the old fashioned fluorescent circle above the table. Sally’s mouth dropped open and she carefully put her mug down. She placed the advertisement beside it on top of the old scarred table.

Oh. My. God.

She leaned back and closed her eyes and put her hand over her mouth to stop the tirade of curses that were threatening to explode.

‘Um, are you okay, Sally?’ The concerned voice broke though the red mist of rage that was burning her eyes. It’s a wonder they weren’t bleeding.

Her fingers caressed some of the marks on the timber table and she focused on them to try and calm down. The burn beside her mug was where Aunty Aggie had put a hot saucepan one night when she was trying to tell them something exciting that had happened to her that day. Of course she’d needed her hands to talk with the expansive gestures she’d always used, and she’d put the pot straight onto the timber table top. The knife mark was where Rosie had pushed the top of the paring knife into the table one night when they were playing cards, and she’d got excited and missed the cheese platter.

Rosie had never won at cards, and that night had been a standout one when she’d won every hand.

Memories. The table held beautiful moments. Her eyes filled with moisture, but they weren’t bleeding. Those times had gone now.

Aunt Agatha had passed on—although at times they all wondered how far she’d actually gone.

Rosie and Taj were married and had gorgeous four-year-old twins.

And Sonia—cut to the reentry of the red mist—her sister, Sonia, was in deep trouble.

Deep shit was a better term.

 ‘I will fu— freaking kill her.’

I wonder if I can disown a twin sister. Sonia had done some stupid things in their lifetime, but this was going too far.

Sally opened her eyes and stared at Sol. As her temper took hold she’d forgotten he was there. He was leaning forward and his expression was full of concern as his brow wrinkled. Sally stared at him and his eyes locked with hers. Now that the light had come back on, she took a good look at him. His eyes were the deepest blue, she’d ever see. They were surrounded by sooty black lashes and full of sympathy. And he didn’t even know why she was so upset.

She pointed to his cup of tea. ‘Drink your tea. I need to make a call.’

‘Do you want me to leave?’ His voice was as warm as his eyes and she wondered why the warm flutters started low in her tummy.

It had been a long time since she’d been so aware of a man. And despite his strange clothes and dorky short haircut, he was a very good looking man. His shoulders were broad and a sprinkling of dark hair peeped out of the V of his polo-neck shirt.

 Not now. No time for that now.

And not later either, the little voice whispered in her head. She was over men for life, since Blake the bastard had left. She’d become a spinster like Aunt Aggie. She’d had fun; her life hadn’t been boring or dull.

‘No, no.’ She shook her head. ‘Just wait there and then I’ll explain.’ She pulled her phone from her pocket and hit speed dial for Sonia doing the quick time calculation in her head, hoping it was the middle of the night. Her sister deserved to be woken up.

She shook her head.

 Damn. It would be just after ten at night in Waikiki.

Sonia picked up almost immediately and she chuckled before Sally could speak. ‘Hi Sal, you should have come with me. I’m sitting by the pool in the sun drinking a Pina Colada.’

‘You are not. It’s night time.’

Another giggle. ‘So how’s your day been, Sal? Still sitting miserably in the Sydney winter or has life in the beach house livened up a bit?’

‘I’ll give you livened up! I hope you have no plans to come back to Australia, Sonia Smith, because I’ll kill you if you do.’

‘Oh, sweets, come on that’s a bit harsh.’

 ‘Tantric massage, Sonia! Tantric massage? Honestly whatever possessed you to put that ad in the paper?’ Sally’s voice rose to a screech. ‘And don’t deny it, I know you did.’

‘Have you had lots of interesting enquiries already?’

Sally huffed an impatient sigh. ‘What do you reckon?’

‘I did it for you. You needed something to get you out of that boring life you’re stuck in. I worry about you. You’re going to end up like Aunty Aggie. If you’re not careful.’

‘Dead?’

‘No, silly. A single spinster.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with that. She was happy.’

‘I only did it because I care about you, Sal. I’ll put Rosie on. She wants to say hello.’ Loud music filtered through the phone as she waited.

‘Coward,’ Sally muttered.

‘Hi, Sal. Are you okay? Sonia told me what she did. She was a bit naughty.’

‘Naughty’s not the word! Where are you and what is that awful thumping music?’

‘We’re in a nightclub. Taj offered to mind the twins, and Sonia is determined to get laid while she’s here.’

‘Get laid? I’ll give her “get laid” when she comes home. You have no idea of the procession of men and women I’ve turned away from the door tonight.’ Sally glanced up and caught a twitch on Sol’s lips before he schooled his face back into a serious expression. ‘Anyway I’ve got to go. I have company.’

‘Ooh, Sonia will be so pleased to hear that. Tell all. What’s he like?’

‘Why do you assume it’s a he?’

‘Because Sonia read the tarot cards for you. Now tell me what he’s like.’

Sally knew that Sonia would be listening in, so she put her hand over the phone for a minute and whispered to Sol. ‘Please ignore what I’m about to say.’

‘Okay,’ she lifted her hand and dropped her voice to a sexy whisper. ‘Even though it’s only seven o’clock here, he’s asleep beside me.’ She let her eyes linger on Sol’s face. ‘He’s got short-cropped blond hair and the most beautiful blue eyes, surrounded by long black eyelashes. High cheekbones and lovely lush lips.’ She slowly dropped her eyes to his shoulders and down to his chest. ‘Broad shoulders, and well-muscled arms, and a gorgeous tan.’ She held the giggle back as her eyes stopped at the table top— it was all up to her imagination from here on in—but damn if those warm flutters didn’t set up a beating in her tummy, and heading south. ‘An all over tan, Rosie. His thighs are powerful, and he has the most gorgeous feet. As for the rest of him, I’ll leave that to your imagination but trust me....’

Sally wasn’t surprised when Sonia’s indignant voice came back on the phone. ‘You’re laying it on too thick. The ad only went in a couple of days ago.’

‘Thanks for the vote of confidence, sis.’ Sally was staring to enjoy herself. ‘Sol came to the door this afternoon to see about a Tantric massage. We hit it off straight away, and he booked in, and well—one thing led to another—’

‘One word. Bull. Shit.’

‘That’s two.’

‘Well, I’m pleased you’re not cross anymore, anyway. I‘ll see you next week and we’ll read the cards again.’

‘Oh, I’m still cross with you. For you thinking you knew what was best for me. Oh, hang on. Sol’s just waking up. I’ll put him on.’ She spoke quickly. ‘Sonia is my sister. I hope you don’t mind agreeing with what I told her?’

Sol’s eyes were dancing and he nodded as Sally passed the phone over. ‘My pleasure.’

***

‘Hi Sonia.’ Sol held Sally’s eye as he waited for a reply, but there was silence. Gradually a wary voice spoke.

‘Sol? Sol who? And what are you doing in my sister’s bed?’

He made sure his voice was deep and sexy. He was supposed to have just woken up, presumably after a bout of energetic sex. ‘Solomon Brown, and Sally invited me to her bed.’ He grinned at Sally as a choking noise came over the phone. ‘I’ll pass you back to her now but I’ll look forward to meeting you. I’ll be around for a while.’

He winked at Sally as he handed the phone back. He hadn’t had this much fun for a long time.

‘Bye, Sonia. Someone needs my attention more than you do.’

 Her voice was a throaty purr and Sol blinked as a rush of desire coursed through his veins. But it receded as she dropped the phone and stared at him, all playfulness gone.

‘Thank you. I’m sorry I dragged you into that, but I really needed to teach my sister a lesson.’ Finally a sexy little giggle erupted from those pretty lips. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if she jumped on the first plane to come home and check you out.’

‘Where is she?’

‘Hawaii.’

‘And I’m guessing she put the ad in the paper, and you don’t really practise Tantric massage?’

Sally nodded. ‘Right on both counts.’

Sol dropped his shoulders as disappointment chased away any lingering thoughts of desire. Finding a local practitioner almost on his doorstep had solved the dilemma of his deadline. But turned out it was only a joke.

‘Damn.’

‘I’m sorry. It was a silly joke she played. I apologise for dragging you into it. I owe you for playing along.’

Sol waved his hand. ‘That’s okay. I’m just disappointed that this avenue closed.’

‘What do you mean? You wanted a Tantric massage?’

‘Oh, no. That’s not why I came.’

 Sally stood and picked up the mugs. ‘Would you like another cup of tea?’ She shook her head as she looked at him. ‘I am turning into Aunt Aggie,’ she muttered before she walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. ‘Sol, would you like a glass of wine before you leave, and you can tell me what you mean?’

‘Are you sure?’

She nodded. ‘My bath water will be stone cold by now. It’s still blowing a gale outside. We need something more than a cup of tea to warm us up. That oven’s not going to do much.’

She shivered as he watched her. ‘Do you have any other heating in the house?’

‘Yes, there’s a gorgeous open fireplace in the living room, but I don’t have any kindling split, and I didn’t fancy going outside. Then by the time I answered the door about ten times, it was dark.

Sol stood. ‘Where is it? Show me the way.’

‘Oh, no. I can’t impose on you for wood chopping. It’s bad enough that I roped you into a disagreement with my sister.’

He walked over to the back door. ‘Hey, I’ll have you know that was my job until I left home. You might have wondered where these “well-muscled arms” come from. I was the kindling splitter champion in our household.’

 ‘If you’re sure, I would really appreciate that. There’s a lot of winter ahead yet.’ She followed him to the back door, as a smile tilted her lips. ‘And I guess that contributed to the broad shoulders too.’

‘Spot on.’ A warm feeling settled in his chest as they laughed together. ‘Look, no need for you to come out in the cold. Just point me in the right direction.’

After she told him where to find the door at the side of the small wood shed, and where the light switch was, she tilted her head to the side. ‘While you’re doing that, I’ll cook something for us.’

Sol wasn’t going to argue. As usual he was starving.

Sally stood beside the door as he put his head down and headed for the small shed. He pushed open the door and stepped back as a swathe of cobwebs brushed across his face. Reaching out he found the light switch that Sally had told him was there. The shed was full of logs and the axe was hanging on the hook where she said he'd find it, so he rolled up his sleeves and within ten minutes had a good pile of kindling chopped—enough for tonight plus some. He put the remainder of the pine chip slivers into the box that was sitting on the bench. Balancing the kindling on his forearm, he reached out for a newspaper off the pile that was beside the kindling box before putting his head down and making a quick dash back to the kitchen.

 The smell of garlic and tomatoes made him twitch his nose and his stomach grumbled in response. Sally was waiting at the door and she held it open as he ducked through it.

‘No, I think the rain has let up a little bit but it’s still freezing cold out there.

 She led him through the kitchen, down a long hallway and into a large living room. She flicked the light switch on and a myriad of magical lights danced immediately across the walls. He looked up to a magnificent chandelier full of crystals hanging from a beautiful ceiling rose.

‘This house is everything I ever imagined,’ he whispered almost reverently.

‘You know the house?’ Sally followed him over to the fireplace on the wall that backed onto the hallway.

‘Yes. I’ve lived close by my whole life. I’ve loved this house since I was a kid.’

‘It is beautiful. Just a shame it takes so much to keep it the way it should be looked after.’ She looked at him curiously. ‘I thought you said you drove from Peats Ridge?’

‘I did, but I’m house—I mean farm—sitting.’ He crouched in front of the fireplace and scrunched up some pages of the newspaper into a tight ball. ‘Does the house belong to your family?’

‘Oh no. I just rent, but Sonia and I have lived here for a long time. Our best friend and her husband own it, but Taj surfs on the world circuit so they don’t spend much time here.’

‘Not Taj Brown?’ He looked back up at her as he scrunched the newspaper and rearranged the kindling.

‘Yes. The surfer. Have you heard of him.’ She shook her head. ‘That was a silly question. Everyone’s heard of Taj.’

‘I have and he’s a third cousin or something. From a different branch of the family, but I’ve never met him. I didn’t know he owned this place.’ He let out a low whistle and looked up from laying the kindling in a horizontal pattern on top of the newspaper.

Sally looked at him strangely and he wondered if she thought he was making up the connection to gain brownie points.

‘Do you have any matches handy here?’

‘Yeah, they're in the kitchen. I'll go and get them for you.’

By the time she came back he had the makings of a fire ready with the newspapers and the kindling. As Sally handed him the matches her fingers brushed his and that warm feeling settled back in his chest again. He was looking forward to sitting down and having a wine and a meal with her; he hadn't encountered someone so interesting for a long time.

 If the truth be known he spent most of his days at the university in the small cubbyhole that was called an office or back at the flat where the space was not much bigger than his office. The current favour he was doing for Dave, his mate up at Peats Ridge, gave him lots of space, but the problems that came with it were making his life a bit difficult this week.

Her sister had called Sally boring, and Sol knew he fitted the boring mould way more than she ever would.

Maybe their conversation would spark him up a bit. He’d do his best to sound interesting.

‘I’m pleased I came to your house, even though it isn't going to help me with my research.’ Sol frowned. For the first time since he’d been at the university, disquiet replaced his usual complacency. His supervisor had warned him on Monday that he was cutting it fine. Three years of study would be wasted if you didn't get his thesis written. He had all the research finished but until he’d completed interviews with a practitioner he couldn’t write up his conclusions, even though Sol was sure of what he would discover out in the field.

The fire took hold as a gust of wind roared down the chimney and the windows rattled. He crossed back to the table and sat beside Sally again.

‘I guess I’d better tell you what I need from you.’ He sat back and folded his arms. ‘Or what I hope you can do for me.’