“Cassie, you can’t stay here tonight.”
“No.” Cassie sighed, slumping as she watched five sheep burst through a gap in the fence and disappear. “The place needs TLC first. Since we’re here, I’d like to make a list of what needs doing. I have paper and pen in the SUV.”
“Still resisting computers?”
“Digital has its place. I use phones. I read e-books. I Google as much as the next girl, but the tactile sensations of paper and pen helps me to focus.”
Emma laughed, her blue eyes alight with mischief. Happiness and contentment radiated from her, and without warning, an envy-bomb pierced Cassie’s chest, so painful she rubbed the spot. Comparisons sprang to mind, a woe-is-me attitude shoving forward like a whiny child. Heck…
Aghast at the surge of jealousy, Cassie forced a pained grin and fled to collect her notebook while bitch-slapping her shrill inner child.
“Most of the mess and damage inside is superficial,” Emma said on her return. “Painting and cleaning up the rubbish. I rang Jack. He said he wouldn’t mind oysters and wasn’t busy. He’s bringing Hone with him.”
“Who’s Hone? I don’t remember you mentioning him.”
“He’s George’s oldest son. Hone works at George Taniwha and Sons with us.”
“He’s a private investigator too?”
“Yes. Don’t worry. You’ll like him. Where do you want to start?”
Cassie, who after her harsh self-lecture had re-entered the friend mindset, scanned the kitchen. “Might as well start here. New kitchen units, definitely. It’s a spacious room. Grandma always used to have a table. I have no idea what happened to that.” She jotted in bullet points.Table. Units. Breakfast bar?
“The place has good bones. You’ll need to chuck the carpet since the sheep have made a mess. Should we pull up a piece to see if you have wooden floorboards?”
With those words of encouragement, Cassie’s residual envy slipped away, and excitement replaced the destructive emotion. Grandad had never updated, especially after her grandmother died. A project might settle the angst that had trailed her during her last tour. At the very least it would give her a base to use when she wanted to recharge.
* * * * *
“That was Emma. Her friend’s house is a mess, and she asked if I’d mow the long grass for her.” Jack speared his spade into the ground. He ran a hand through his straight black hair, cut on a regular basis now that he’d married Emma, and picked up his black T-shirt. “I said I’d go and help. You want to come?”
“Why? That sounds like more work. Why are you digging up perfectly good lawn again?”
“Emma wants a vegetable garden.”
Hone stretched, not minding the physical labor, but complaining for form’s sake. He grounded his spade and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
“Emma’s friend is paying in oysters.”
Hone reached for his T-shirt. “I haven’t had a feed of shellfish for ages. Where are we going?”
“Clevedon. We can hit the beach once we’re finished. If the tide is right, we can collect cockles at Kawakawa bay.”
“Throw in a beer at the pub and you’re on.”
Jack eyed him. “You look disgustingly satisfied. Thought you’d complain more or say you have a hot date.”
“Nope. At present, my taniwha is a lazy slug. You have Emma to satiate your dragon’s appetite for sex. I had the Geraldine twins. Many times,” he added with a wink.
“Hell. Don’t tell Emma.”
Hone shrugged. “So shoot me. My taniwha and I love sex. Full moon last night. I needed the sex to maintain control. Aunt June doesn’t approve of dragons flying through the sky letting off flares of fire. Says it upsets the authorities. Dad reiterates, so it’s either rebellion or sex since Manu’s invention isn’t working yet.”
“Yeah, sucks being a taniwha sometimes. At least I can swim if necessary, and Emma knows what to do if that ever happens.”
“You’re a lucky man.” Nothing less than the truth, but Hone didn’t add the rest of his thoughts. He loved sex and wouldn’t apologize for it, but at the back of his mind, he’d started to yearn for more. A partner with whom he could be himself. That hadn’t, however, stopped him trotting out his rules to every woman hedated.
One—technically he didn’t date and what he had was fun, consensual encounters.
