Between Before and After by Amanda Dick Read Free Book Online Page A

defence was offence.
    “Don’t think you can charm your way out of this one, Lonergan. Payback’s a bitch – that water was frigid.”
    “You didn’t ask for a temperature reading – you asked if I thought it was cold. I didn’t. If you did, well then – I can’t be held responsible for that, can I?”
    “Mmm-hmm.” She narrowed her eyes at him as she took a sip of wine.
    “Can you do me a favour, chick?” Lacey called over the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. “Can you go and get some mussels off the jetty for me? I think I’m gonna steam some to have with dinner.”
    “No worries.” Kate stood up, resting her glass on the coffee table.
    She took the stainless steel mixing bowl that Lacey handed her and headed out through the French doors onto the deck.
    “How much?” Gavin was saying.
    “Thirty five grand.” Finn took a sip of beer.
    “You’re shitting me – seriously?”
    “Seriously.”
    Gavin let loose with a low whistle, shaking his head.
    “What’s this?” Kate asked, stopping beside them.
    “Finn was just saying, some random guy came up to him a week ago and offered him thirty five grand for the Monaro.”
    “Really? I had no idea it was worth that much.” Danny would have been thrilled.
    Finn looked up at her, squinting into the late afternoon sun. “I know. I did some research after that, and they go for more than that too, some of them. Incredible.” 
    “Wow. That’s a lot of dosh.”
    “Sure is. I’d never sell it, but it’s good to know.”
    Of course he wouldn’t sell it. He loved that car as much as Danny had. She realised that he was still looking at her, his expression unreadable. Growing uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she held the bowl up.
    “I’m in charge of collecting the mussels for dinner – chef’s orders,” she smiled over her shoulder, heading for the steps.
    “I’ll come with you,” Finn said immediately, putting his beer on the deck beside his chair and standing up.
    The thoughts she had had earlier made another appearance, and she quickly pushed them aside. She couldn’t spend the next few days avoiding him just because she had some kind of girly crush she was having trouble getting over.
    He fell into step beside her as they made their way over the lawn and down onto the sandy beach. She struggled for something to say to ease the tension but for once, nothing came.
    “How’s your stomach?” Finn asked finally.
    “It’s fine now.” She smiled over at him briefly as they strolled along the sand towards the jetty closest to the house. “Maybe those seasickness pills finally kicked in.”
    They reached the weather-beaten wooden jetty and he climbed up onto it first, offering her his hand. Gingerly, she took it. His fingers closed around hers, safe and solid and reliable, and she had to keep telling herself that it was nothing, he was just being his usual, chivalrous self. She wished her heart would stop thumping in her ears so she could think straight.
    He pulled her up onto the jetty next to him. Being in such close proximity didn’t help clear up any of the confusion she felt – if anything, it made it worse. Part of her wanted to crawl into his arms. The other part of her wanted to run from him. She kept telling herself that he had Kelly – he wasn’t available. Even if he was, she wasn’t sure that would make any difference. If he would just keep his distance, she could get over this infatuation, or whatever the hell this was. Only, he didn’t seem to be able to do that.
    They walked in silence down the length of the jetty. The water was a gorgeous azure blue, clear and shallow beneath them. A multitude of sea life attached themselves to the pylons, including starfish and mussels. She wasn’t normally a huge fan of mussels, but it always seemed to be the thing to do here, and she was keen to keep up the old traditions, the ones that Danny had started when they first began coming here all those years