The problem was, what could Karly say? That the enemy had got under her skin a little? That she never should’ve let him persuade her to join him in the pool this afternoon? That learning he’d been homeless had humanised him in a way nothing else could?
‘Maybe I should’ve brought wine rather than coffees,’ Nev said as she reached their usual spot at Serenity Cove carrying a cardboard holdall with three coffees in it. ‘Your expression suggests a two-bottle kind of evening.’
‘Coffee is fine, thanks.’ Karly took one of the coffees as Summer joined them.
‘Thanks, Nev, this will hit the spot.’ Summer accepted the coffee from Nev and sat next to Karly on the sand. ‘So what’s going on, Karl?’
‘I know.’ Nev stuck her arm in the air like she used to back in primary school. ‘Karly’s nemesis is a hottie and she’s bamboozled.’
‘No I’m not.’ Her instant refusal sounded hollow and she managed a rueful chuckle as the other two grinned at her. ‘Okay, maybe I am, just a little.’
Summer’s gaze swivelled between her and Nev. ‘This is the guy you’ve been worried about for months? The one you met at that conference in Melbourne?’
‘The one and only,’ Nev said, before Karly could respond. ‘Though I’m not sure why this one is so worried. He seems genuine.’
‘Let me guess. After I left the Vault he gushed over your pastie, saying how delicious it is, and you think he’s nice.’
‘No, Miss Cynical.’ Nev waggled her finger. ‘I said how important the agency is to you and he responded with his plans to make a fair offer, totally above-board.’
Karly rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, like he’d say anything else even if he was a jerk.’
‘I don’t know, Karl. Nev’s a pretty good judge of character and if she says the guy’s okay, maybe he is?’
‘I’ll reserve my judgement.’ Karly gnawed on her bottom lip, knowing she had to tell the girls the rest, appreciating them as sounding boards but expecting a fair bit of teasing too.
Nev nudged Summer. ‘Ask her how she got to know him better.’
Summer’s eyebrows rose. ‘This sounds interesting. Spill, please.’
Nev smirked as Karly poked her in the arm. ‘It’s nothing, really. The motel had a burst water pipe so is temporarily closed, and there are no short-term rentals available on our books, so Pop offered Hudson the granny flat for a few days.’
Summer squealed. ‘You didn’t tell me he’s your neighbour now.’
‘He’s not a neighbour, he’s a pain in the arse,’ Karly said.
‘He has a mighty fine arse, you mean.’ Nev ducked when Karly picked up the empty cardboard holdall and flung it at her. ‘Tell Summer the rest.’
‘Yeah, tell me everything,’ Summer said, rubbing her hands together. ‘I may be head over heels in love with Jy, but who doesn’t love a good meet-cute?’
‘We already met in Melbourne, remember? And believe me, there was nothing remotely cute about it.’
Though that was a lie. There had been the glimmer of a spark when they’d been two strangers meeting at that bar while she’d been taking time out from the conference. Sure, he’d been handsome, but it had been his sense of humour that had got to her a little. Pity when she returned to the conference she realised they were worlds apart and things had gone downhill from there.
‘Come on, babe, spill.’
Summer nudged her and Nev winked, like her friends needed any encouragement.
Karly sighed, prepared for the merciless teasing to begin. ‘He had a swim this afternoon and I joined him.’
Summer squealed like a kid again and Nev’s smug expression made Karly chuckle.
‘Though he called it water play, not swimming,’ Nev said, ‘which makes me wonder what the play entailed.’
‘Nothing. Just some harmless fun.’
‘Then why are your cheeks the colour of beetroot?’ Summer hooted. ‘This is priceless.’
‘As I recall, I’m not the only one who’s had issues with a suit coming to town and bamboozling her,’ Karly said, happy that her friend and Jy had resolved their differences and were now living together but knowing her resolution with Hudson wouldn’t be anywhere near as amicable.