Beside the Brook by Paulette Rae Read Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    Kirsten guessed this was his way of apologising. She smiled. “Apology accepted.”
    She expected a smile in return but was not rewarded with one. His face was a blank canvas she couldn’t put an emotion to.
    “Do you know where Sarah is?” he asked instead.
    “Ah-huh, she’s in the kitchen with Craig.”
    “Thanks.” He wandered off in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Kirsten even more bewildered than before. She watched him go. No wonder they didn’t all get along. Never before had Kirsten met two such different men. Tyler seemed so full of himself; confident, possibly a little arrogant, but nice enough with it. Jamie was mysterious and unnerving, yet he showed so much love for Sarah it was hard to comprehend he was this other person with everyone else. Kirsten smiled to herself. The words dysfunctional arsehole’ came to mind, but she was willing to reserve final judgment until after she had taken more time to get to know him better.
    If nothing else the next few weeks were going to be very interesting. She put on her kid gloves and wandered through to the lounge to enjoy the last of the evening sun.

Chapter 4

    Dinner was another success, cooked to perfection with Craig’s endless talent. The atmosphere in the dining room, however, was less than desirable. Kirsten sat between Tyler and Jamie. Fire and Ice, she decided to call them. The conversation was strained, to say the least. Kirsten half expected a request from Jamie to ask Beth to pass the salt. Instead he spent most of the meal chatting to Sarah, about his latest trip to the Nelson Lakes District. He was currently being commissioned to paint pictures of native birds and plants for a book based on the area. Kirsten spent her time fielding questions from the other three at the table. Being the newcomer they wanted to know all about her, her family and her background. By the time the meal was over she was tired of talking about herself. The artificial peace in the room carried them all safely through the meal. After dessert Beth and Tyler took coffee through to the lounge, while Sarah sweet-talked Jamie into watching a movie with her. Kirsty joined Craig in the kitchen to help with clean up duties.
    Craig grinned down at her as they stood side by side, hand washing the dishes too big to fit into the dishwasher.
    “So, what do you make of the family now?” he asked.
    Kirsten smiled. “Well, they’re certainly different.”
    He chuckled. “That’s one word for them.”
    “How do you do it, day in and day out?”
    Craig sighed. “They’re not always like this. You have to remember, I was here when Brook was alive. I know what they used to be like. Now that she’s gone they all seem to be lost.”
    “Jamie seems so angry,” Kirsten noted.
    “Yeah, I think that’s a lot of it. He just doesn’t know where he fits in this picture anymore. Brook was his whole world, and now Sarah is all he has left of her.”
    “He obviously loves her to bits. Why does he spend so much time away, I just can’t understand it?”
    Craig reached for a towel to wipe his hands. “Ours is not to question why, remember?”
    “I know. It’s so hard reminding yourself that you’re just the hired help though, isn’t it?”
    “Ah-huh.” Craig crossed to the fridge and took out a can of beer. “You want one of these?”
    Kirsten smiled. “Sure, why not.”
    They sat in the cool breeze at the back porch, among the ferns and native trees that had been planted to form a small private alcove. This is where Tyler found them; talking and laughing as though they were already old friends.
    “I thought I’d find you two here.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, his body silhouetted by the kitchen lights.
    Craig glanced at his watch. “I was just about to head home actually.”
    “I thought I might crank up the hot pool.” Tyler smirked. “I thought an old man like you could do with a soak.”
    “Make it another night and I’m there.