‘Night.’
Watching him leave, Ava wanted to shout him back for one last drink. But she knew they’d have a lot of time to catch up. As well, this was a work relationship, even though they’d practically spent all day and evening together.
Even so, Ava had never felt so relaxed in a good many months.
Jack’s steps home were lighter than they’d been that morning. It was good to see Ava back in Sapphire Lake after all these years. It had been a nice surprise when his mum had told him Ava was coming to stay. He’d thought it might be fun to see her again, and some of her work that he’d been shown was trulyspectacular. What he hadn’t expected was the jolt of déjà vu he’d felt when they’d shaken hands before lunch.
Had he really fallen under her spell again, and how, so soon? Maybe he’d never come out of it? How on earth was he going to go four weeks without his feelings for her becoming apparent? Back there, all he’d wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her, and she’d only been here for a day.
He felt like his seventeen-year-old self back when he’d last seen her, although with far less of the bumbling. He would have to play it cool.
Still, for the first time in a good while, since Katrina had left him, Jack was looking forward to the days ahead.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘That was a lovely evening, wasn’t it?’ Stella said to Max as they were driving home.
‘It was. Ava seems nice.’
‘Yes, I was sad to hear her father died when she was so young. I liked Mr and Mrs Wilton, always enjoyed seeing them each summer. But it does explain why they never came back. It’s nice to know it wasn’t anything we’d done.’
‘The man died of a heart attack, Stella.’ Max shook his head in bewilderment.
‘Yes, I know but...’
‘Luckily for you, I do.’
Stella smiled. ‘She’s still a sweetheart, though, isn’t she?’
‘Hmm.’
She turned to him, a wry look on her face. ‘What do mean, hmm?’
‘You’re matchmaking again.’
‘I don’t think I have to.’ She smiled. ‘Who would have thought it?’
‘Who indeed, after over twenty years with no contact. It’s quite a long shot.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘You orchestrated it.’
‘You’re not as daft as you seem, Mr Broadhurst.’
‘Youtook a huge gamble. She could have been married, or with someone else.’
‘Cara told me she was divorced. It was she who told me where Ava was working. She hasn’t seen her in years, but she works on the same circuit.’
Max laughed. ‘You women. I hope your interfering doesn’t come back to bite you.’
‘Have faith!’ Stella rested her hand on Max’s thigh while he drove. ‘Love conquers all, so they say.’
They were nearly home. Stella sighed with relief. It had been another long day, but it had ended quite well, she thought. If only she could sort out the other members of the family, and that would be a good goal achieved.
‘I wish you wouldn’t meddle so much,’ Max went on.
‘I wish you wouldn’t always tell me that I shouldn’t.’
