leads on another story yet. She wanted a persuasive piece from him about the effects of the council’s actions on the Half Moon Bay community. The drug angle was a whole new ball game.
‘Really? Something else you want to share, Ellie?’ Alex frowned.
‘It was nothing. He was just overreacting. The flipside to his Mr Nice Guy act.’
‘Is there something you’re not telling me? I don’t want this story to blow up in my face.’
‘No, Alex, I doubt it will blow up in your face, but like you I have several lines of inquiry.’ She kept her voice neutral. Ellie didn’t let her prickle of annoyance show. No journalist laid all their cards on the table and right now he was treating her like a girlfriend he needed to protect, not the professional she was.
‘Lines of inquiry? You’ve asked me up here to investigate the development. You need to be upfront with me, Ellie. It could be dangerous.’
Felicity cut in. ‘Righto, dinner’s ready. Alex, could you go and call Sarah and Mikey for me? The back door’s around to your left there. Ellie, could you lay the table? We can debate who needs to know what afterwards.’
Alex stalked out of the kitchen, still annoyed. Felicity raised an eyebrow at Ellie.
‘There’s more, but I’ll fill you in later. I’d forgotten how protective he gets,’ said Ellie.
‘Has he put the hard word on you again?’ Felicity carved the lamb into thick juicy slices.
‘No. He’s so understanding; so caring. Tom’s always had time for him, especially after his parents died in that truck crash near Alice Springs. You remember? I think you might’ve been at uni by then.’ Felicity nodded as Ellie continued talking. ‘I guess losing his own family meant he stayed a little closer to ours. And I do love him dearly, just not like that. Cutlery?’
‘Top left.’ Felicity jerked her elbow at the corner cupboard. ‘Put yourself between the kids, or there’ll be open warfare on who sits next to you.’
‘You’ve done so well with the two of them, Flick.’
Felicity smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. ‘Not bad for a single mum, hey? When Dan’s home, every day’s a holiday and discipline’s non-existent, but I don’t begrudge him that. It must be so hard for him to miss out on all the little things I get to enjoy with them. And they are good, most of the time.’
‘Do you ever miss your career?’ Ellie knew there was a wistful note in her voice. ‘Miss the law?’
‘Sometimes, and with the twins at school this year I’ve been looking around for something more demanding than front counter at the council chambers twelve hours a week. Sinking my teeth into this fight for the community centre’s a challenge I’m enjoying. Made me realise I do want more. I need more. What about you?’
‘What about me?’
‘Are you heading back overseas again straight away? No man on the horizon?’
Ellie shook her head. ‘Like I’ve ever had the time, or the right allure . . .’
‘Nothing wrong with your allure, Ellie,’ Alex said, coming back into the room. Ellie felt a guilty flush fire her cheeks.
Ellie touched his arm. ‘I’m just not ready yet. Where did you hide those kids and the dog?’ She brushed past him and called down the corridor.
‘Dinner’s up, guys! Who’s sitting next to me?’
The squeals made even Felicity wince as the two blond whirlwinds hurtled into the room.
‘No fighting. Sit, now.’ Felicity’s tone was stern, but neither child was fazed by it. The love between them was like an aura and tweaked at Ellie’s heart again. Alex picked at his food on the other side of the table and she was glad for the incessant chatter of the twins. It was going to be a long day tomorrow if Alex carried on sulking.
Finally, the last page of the book was read. The twins were tucked under their bedclothes and the room was silent. Ellie paused for a moment, looking down at the sleeping children. Maybe her biological clock had finally hit the alarm button?
‘Really? Something else you want to share, Ellie?’ Alex frowned.
‘It was nothing. He was just overreacting. The flipside to his Mr Nice Guy act.’
‘Is there something you’re not telling me? I don’t want this story to blow up in my face.’
‘No, Alex, I doubt it will blow up in your face, but like you I have several lines of inquiry.’ She kept her voice neutral. Ellie didn’t let her prickle of annoyance show. No journalist laid all their cards on the table and right now he was treating her like a girlfriend he needed to protect, not the professional she was.
‘Lines of inquiry? You’ve asked me up here to investigate the development. You need to be upfront with me, Ellie. It could be dangerous.’
Felicity cut in. ‘Righto, dinner’s ready. Alex, could you go and call Sarah and Mikey for me? The back door’s around to your left there. Ellie, could you lay the table? We can debate who needs to know what afterwards.’
Alex stalked out of the kitchen, still annoyed. Felicity raised an eyebrow at Ellie.
‘There’s more, but I’ll fill you in later. I’d forgotten how protective he gets,’ said Ellie.
‘Has he put the hard word on you again?’ Felicity carved the lamb into thick juicy slices.
‘No. He’s so understanding; so caring. Tom’s always had time for him, especially after his parents died in that truck crash near Alice Springs. You remember? I think you might’ve been at uni by then.’ Felicity nodded as Ellie continued talking. ‘I guess losing his own family meant he stayed a little closer to ours. And I do love him dearly, just not like that. Cutlery?’
‘Top left.’ Felicity jerked her elbow at the corner cupboard. ‘Put yourself between the kids, or there’ll be open warfare on who sits next to you.’
‘You’ve done so well with the two of them, Flick.’
Felicity smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. ‘Not bad for a single mum, hey? When Dan’s home, every day’s a holiday and discipline’s non-existent, but I don’t begrudge him that. It must be so hard for him to miss out on all the little things I get to enjoy with them. And they are good, most of the time.’
‘Do you ever miss your career?’ Ellie knew there was a wistful note in her voice. ‘Miss the law?’
‘Sometimes, and with the twins at school this year I’ve been looking around for something more demanding than front counter at the council chambers twelve hours a week. Sinking my teeth into this fight for the community centre’s a challenge I’m enjoying. Made me realise I do want more. I need more. What about you?’
‘What about me?’
‘Are you heading back overseas again straight away? No man on the horizon?’
Ellie shook her head. ‘Like I’ve ever had the time, or the right allure . . .’
‘Nothing wrong with your allure, Ellie,’ Alex said, coming back into the room. Ellie felt a guilty flush fire her cheeks.
Ellie touched his arm. ‘I’m just not ready yet. Where did you hide those kids and the dog?’ She brushed past him and called down the corridor.
‘Dinner’s up, guys! Who’s sitting next to me?’
The squeals made even Felicity wince as the two blond whirlwinds hurtled into the room.
‘No fighting. Sit, now.’ Felicity’s tone was stern, but neither child was fazed by it. The love between them was like an aura and tweaked at Ellie’s heart again. Alex picked at his food on the other side of the table and she was glad for the incessant chatter of the twins. It was going to be a long day tomorrow if Alex carried on sulking.
Finally, the last page of the book was read. The twins were tucked under their bedclothes and the room was silent. Ellie paused for a moment, looking down at the sleeping children. Maybe her biological clock had finally hit the alarm button?
Similar Books
