“Fine, but you’re working with me, and I’ve got sprinkler duty.”
She screwed up her nose but nodded.“Fine.”
They headed outside.Today was overcast and there was still the hint of both smoke and petrol in the air.
Chelsea explained to each soldier what she wanted done.She’d let them choose their task, and they had chosen locations that would give them a good spread throughout the garden to keep watch.Heath was working with Mila to ensure she was safe while Dobby slept.
Ethan didn’t think Chelsea had noticed.
Finally they returned to the barn where the reticulation panel was.“There are ten sprinkler stations,” Ethan said as he opened the cabinet where all the switches were.He reviewed the dated display which was familiar from his youth.“I haven’t done the ones in the public garden yet.”
“Do we turn each one on and see what works and what doesn’t?”
“Let’s go into the garden first and check the sprinklers are clear.Barry would have uncovered most of them, but it’s better to identify broken ones before we get everything wet.”He picked up the plastic box which contained sprinkler spares.“Shall we?”
A couple of hours later, they had reviewed and tested the sprinkler stations which were in the public area of the garden.
Chelsea yawned.“Morning tea break?”
“Yeah.I noticed you made some things last night.”
She grinned.“All your favourites.Plus I figured I’d need a lot to feed your friends.”
As they returned to the house, he whistled and yelled, “Smoko!”
Rhys glanced over, acknowledged the call, and gestured to someone Ethan couldn’t see.Word would spread.
Chelsea filled the kettle and had made a couple of espressos by the time everyone had washed up and come inside.She handed the espressos to Noah and Rhys and then spread the food options over the table.Ethan grabbed a Father’s Favourite, a chocolate ball made from Weet-Bix and condensed milk and covered in coconut.He closed his eyes as the sweet flavour hit his tongue and memories of his teenaged summer came back to him.
Aunt Maggie had fed him well, which he appreciated, because he hadn’t been allowed to help himself to food in the pantry at his foster parents’ place.Everything had to be approved beforehand, and most of the time he’d been told to wait until dinner.
He reached for another ball and Heath grabbed one.“They must be good if you’re already going back for seconds.”He bit into it and nodded.“Really good.Chelsea, you want to forget about Ethan and marry me?”
Chelsea laughed and Ethan ignored the small burst of jealousy, though he glared at Heath.“Back off.”
Heath grinned and fetched his tea from the kitchen.
When they were all seated around the table, Ethan asked, “Any signs?”
One by one they shook their head.“Pretty quiet,” Noah answered.
Perhaps it was a good thing, though he hadn’t heard from Josh, which meant the police hadn’t tracked down Johann.
He called Josh as Heath told Chelsea, “Most of the garden beds cottage side are ready for plants.”
“Chelsea and I can head to the nursery after we’ve eaten,” Mila said.“I can feel some retail therapy coming on.”
Chelsea grinned.“That would be fun.”
Ethan exchanged a glance with Dobby.Would they be safe?
Josh answered.“Nothing new to report.”
“No sign of him here either,” Ethan told him.“Did Leyton say anything about needing to call Johann?”
“No, he said he hadn’t arranged anything.I’ve got to run.”Josh sounded harried as he hung up.
Ethan repeated the information to the others.
