The driver door then opened, and bleary-eyed, Ross stumbled out as well. “Hey,” he greeted, his gaze immediately snagging my own. “All okay?”
I smiled softly at him. “Yeah, all good. Just handing the koalas over to Harry here.”
Harry nodded his greeting and took the box off Craig. “You all look like you’ve had a hell of a day.”
Craig grunted. “Few weeks more like.”
Sorrow etched over Harry’s face. “It’s all so devastating. Just when we think we’re in the clear, something else sparks up.” He offered a tentative smile to us all. “Thanks so much for being out there and battling.”
Ross moved to stand by my side, his arm brushing mine. The invisible thread between us pulled and I leaned into him. “And thank you for all the work you’re doing with these guys too,” Ross said, indicating towards the box. “We all have to do our bit.”
Harry’s smile was wide, his eyes tired. I expected he was as shattered as we all were. “There’s a storm coming in though, expected this Tuesday.”
God, what we wouldn’t do for rain. Heavy downpours of the good stuff to saturate the land and stimulate life and growth. “Let’s hope so,” I said.
“You guys be off and get yourselves cleaned up and to bed. Looks like you need to switch off for a while. Are you on call tomorrow?” he asked.
Craig rubbed a weary hand over his face. “Everyone is pretty much on call 24/7 at the moment.”
I grimaced at that, selfishly hoping the fires would be kind and calm down, allowing us the rest we needed.
Ross turned and looked at me. “You’re not at work tomorrow, are you?”
It was the last thing I needed, but I was all too aware bills didn’t pay themselves. “Yeah, but not till midday. Jacko already texted to let me know a late start and half a shift was fine.”
It was a relief I could at least sleep in.
“I’m heading into work to continue doing the community stuff.”
I nodded at Ross as he spoke. Over the past couple of weeks, he’d been doing a few shifts at the school, opening the library doors to support families with kids during this crazy time.
We said goodbye to Harry and climbed back into the car. First stop was Craig’s.
“You going to be okay?” I asked through the open window after he exited.
He bobbed his head heavily up and down, exhaustion evident in his stare. “Yeah. Nothing that a shower and sleep won’t fix.” Just as he turned to leave, he angled back towards us, leaning in. “Neither of you screw this up, yeah?”
My eyes sprang open. While my friend seemed okay with his brother and me finally admitting our attraction for each other, I understood his concern, since it had been hanging over our heads for seemingly forever. Glancing at Ross, I wondered what he was thinking, how he’d react. His attention was already directed my way.
A serious expression marred his tired face. After a moment of his eyes raking over me, he reached out and took my hand. “We won’t screw this up.”
That he was talking to me rather than his brother sent my heart bouncing around in my chest. Sincerity and warmth threaded every word, every breath, every touch.
Craig tapped the car roof, muttering, “Best bloody not,” before walking away. The sound of his heavy footsteps the only thing letting me know he’d headed away since my eyes remained connected to Ross’s.
“Ready?” he asked.
I quickly nodded, reluctantly releasing his hand as I returned my palms to the wheel. “Definitely,” I whispered, pulling away and directing the car to my place.
