“Hopefully we’ll raise the rest of what’s needed.”
They already had enough for the helicopter. They’d passed that after Jake’s battle of the bands. The next goal was to be able to pay a part-time salary for a pilot, which would support all of the area and beyond.
“We will. A date with Jake will probably do it on its own.”
Lainey cringed inwardly. She wanted to ask him to withdraw, not sure she could stand watching other women bid on him. There had been a rumour that the manager of one of the bands at the festival had taken a bit of a liking to him, and was planning on making a hefty bid.
“Hopefully.” Lainey took another quick look at the calendar. “I’ll think about buying one.”
Gran smiled. “You don’t need one, dear. You have the real thing. The gin, however, is twenty-nine, ninety-nine.”
Lainey paid up and headed to Scott’s bar, pretty sure that Abby was on shift and she fancied some company that’d had a more active few weeks than she had.
There was more company there than what she’d been expecting. Imogen was sitting at the bar, a bottle of prosecco on ice next to her, chatting nineteen to the dozen with Abby, who had come more and more out of her shell since everything had come out about her past.
“I thought you were asleep?”
Imogen smiled. “I was. But I woke up and you’d disappeared, and Jake was still out doing his thing, so I came here. Nothing like being abandoned by your family.”
Lainey laughed out loud knowing full well Imogen didn’t mean it. “I’ll have a glass of what you’re drinking.”
Immy nodded and took the bottle out of the bucket. “Thought you might. I saw Holly before. Her and Josh were almost giving me a show that should’ve been on some porn site. He’s turned into some tasty man candy.”
Lainey shook her head and laughed again. “Will you ever stop objectifying men?”
“When they stop objectifying us.”
Lainey looked at Abby who just seemed amused.
There was a commotion behind them, loud enough to distract Imogen while pouring the prosecco and cause her to spill some, which in her book was a serious crime. Lainey turned around and saw four very sweaty and mucky men walking into the bar, one of whom was the man who’d left her bed at some stupid hour that morning.
Her heart leapt.
She fought the urge to go and throw her arms around him.
“Beers for the boys.” Imogen was off her seat already, making some crazy whooping sound.
Jake caught Lainey’s eye and gave her a grin that melted her insides. She smiled back, knowing she looked goofy, knowing if anyone saw her they’d know exactly what she was feeling.
“Successful climb?” Abby had already started pouring pints of the guest beer of the week without even asking.
“Very.” Scott headed behind the bar. He was probably the filthiest of the four of them. “Everyone back safe and uninjured.”
“What happened?” Imogen was back to her prosecco. She wouldn’t stay away long.
Jake took the stool next to Lainey. “A couple were climbing. He slipped and landed on a shelf that they just could get back off from. She dropped to help him, and ended up in the same position. She should’ve stayed put, but she panicked. We got them both back fine. No harm done.”
“Jake got to free climb, so he’s happy.” Zack sat down near to the door, clearly over-hot. “Scott managed to go over on his ankle. Don’t think the state of him is because he performed some heroics. It isn’t.”
Scott grumbled something that no one could understand.
A few more people turned up, Jonny Graham being one of them, along with a couple more firefighters who’d just come off shift. Word had gotten round that the boys were back and everyone was well, which was an excuse to celebrate, not that Severton generally needed an excuse.
“I didn’t know Imogen was coming.”
Jake’s voice in her ear almost made her fall off her seat. “Neither did I.” She itched to brush the streak of dirt off his face. “How dangerous was your free climb?”
He grinned. “Does it worry you?”
