She still wouldn’t look at him. ‘You don’t think it’ll be a little awkward? Sharing a house, I mean?’
Was it him? Was it that little moment in the pub carpark? Or the much bigger moment in the rockpool that had been over in half a second but been on re-run in his thoughts ever since? Not to mention whatever crazy drunken babble he’d subjected her to when he got home from the hospital.
He rephrased his offer in a way that might make it seem less awkward. ‘Although, just so you know, Amy’s put dibs on the bottom bunk for when she has sleepovers, and the bunkbeds were homemade in Bangadoon in the last century, so don’t expect five-star comfort.’
Was that the shadow of a grin on her face? He kept going. ‘And I should mention Gus. He likes snuggle time at four in the morning, so if that’s not your thing, the top bunk’s definitely the go.’
She gave him the reluctant smile he’d grown used to. ‘You’re quite the marketing pro, Joe. Are these the sort of inducements you’ve sprinkled through this new website of yours?’
He grinned. ‘I can keep this up all day. What do you say?’
‘I’ll miss my view of the mountains.’
‘You can see them just as well from the homestead.’
‘And I can be really mean about things like wet towels on the floor of a bathroom.’
‘Noted.’
‘I suppose,’ she said slowly, ‘if I’m honest, I’m wondering if this is going to complicate things.’
He sent a lazy little grin in her direction that even the chooks would have interpreted as flirty. ‘I suppose, ifI’mbeing honest, I’m feeling pretty complicated already.’
She took a long and (for him) breathless moment to respond. ‘I’ll move my swag in after I get back from town and give the cottage a clean-up in the morning so it’s ready for guests,’ she said.
‘Thanks. Listen, do you mind putting these in the cottage pantry? I’ve got Mum and Dad arriving any minute up at the house. Robbo’s here to give me a muffin lesson, but when all that’s out of the way … maybe you can tell me whatyouwere smiling about.’
‘I’d like that.’
He gave her hand a squeeze. ‘Want to give me a clue?’
She pursed her lips. ‘Sure. It’s time we talked about Bill’s legacy.’