Page 16 of Sit, Stay, Love
‘Twenty-eight. Though there are days I feel about a hundred.’
‘I’m thirty-two. Mum thinks I’m past my prime.’ He shrugged and looked towards the surf, staring out at the horizon. A slight pink had lifted in his cheeks from the cool wind, and the scruff on his chin showed a hint of ginger in the sun that Sera hadn’t noticed before. She wanted to reach out and touch it. She bet it was soft, not at all scratchy. She bet he never left a rash when he kissed someone.
He gazed down at her, a smile touching his lips, and pushed a strand of hair from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. His warm hand lingering beside her cheek, so close to her skin. Almost touching.
She shivered as a cold gust of wind whipped past.
‘You’re freezing,’ he said softly. ‘I think Kevin and I should return you to the warmth of your van.’
They walked back along the sand, their heads down against the gale that’d come out of nowhere, only stopping when they reached the protection of the houses at the top of the long beach stairs.
‘Were you and Dr McManus ever a thing?’ he asked as they lingered on the strip of grass beside her van.
‘No, we’ve never been anything other than friends. Best friends.’
‘You’ve never thought about…’
She shook her head. ‘What we’ve got is great. I know he feels the same. Friendship works for us.’
Ethan opened the door of Sera’s van and stepped back as she shoved Kevin inside.
‘Good. That’s… good,’ he said. He hesitantly ruffled the dog’s fur. ‘What do you think, Kevin? How did I do today? Do you think I can beat this thing?’
The giant dog lifted a giant paw.
‘Is… is he high-fiving me?’
Sera looked up at Ethan and smiled. ‘You’ve made a friend.’
He held her gaze. ‘I sure hope so.’
Liquid warmth filled Sera’s insides, its heat quickly spreading to her face. She looked away and pulled the van doors closed, her heartbeat as loud in her ears as the slam of the metal.
Ethan cleared his throat. ‘So.’ He scratched his head. ‘We never got to eat lunch today, though I did swallow a lot of duck poop-infused water.’ He grinned. ‘Can I take you to lunch tomorrow? If you’ve got time. Something without dogs or drool. Let’s go to Cafe Manly, then we can go over your terms and work this whole thing out.’
Sera gulped. Cafe Manly was a semi-swish restaurant practically on the sands of one of Sydney’s most famous beaches.
‘You don’t have to do that,’ she said. ‘We can meet at my office.’
‘I know I don’t have to.’ He leaned beside her against the van. ‘But I want to.’
Her tummy fluttered. ‘Oh. Well, then. Tomorrow’s fine. But after that, it’s all work. You got off easy today.’
He laughed, his head back and his throat exposed. ‘If that was easy…’ he said, ‘I’m in trouble.’ He gave her a playful nudge with his shoulder. ‘Just do me a favour; don’t let Dr McManus pick the dog next time.’
Chapter Four
Sera pulled up outside Toby’s vet clinic and piled Kevin from the van, sighing at the great smears of slobber across her back windows. She poked her head around the clinic door to see if Toby was busy.
‘Hey, Jess, is the boss about?’
Toby’s vet nurse looked up from her computer. ‘He’s in a consultation. Do you want to wait?’
‘Yeah, I’ve got—’ Kevin shoved past Sera and burst into the surgery reception area. ‘Kevin!’ She pulled on the dog’s leash.
‘I’ll take him,’ Jess said, but Kevin lunged at her, all enormous paws and wagging tail, and she flew backwards with a squeal and landed hard on her butt.
‘Oh god. Kevin!’ Sera yanked on his leash as she scrambled to help Jess off the floor.
