Where There's Smoke by Cathy Cole

Author:Cathy Cole [Cole, Cathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781916043909
Publisher: Inglenook Press
Published: 2019-03-11T16:00:00+00:00

*****

Coop saw the dawning knowledge in Jo's eyes and knew it would do no good to explain — not tonight, anyway. Maybe tomorrow, when they'd all had a night's sleep.

He watched her face close down, the beautiful eyes harden, and he knew that it wasn't going to be that simple.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

"Jo?"

"Go away." Jo didn't want to get up. She burrowed her head deeper into her pillow, but whoever was knocking on her bedroom door was insistent.

"Come on, Jo. Time to get up."

Jo twisted to see what time it was and moaned as every inch of her body screamed in complaint. "Oh wow." She and Trish must have really tied one on last night. How many bottles of wine had they drunk?

"Jo, you hear me?"

The voice on the outside was male and all too familiar. What is Dave doing in my flat? Memory returned with all the force of an explosion. Great choice of words, Jo. She hauled her aching ass out of bed and pulled on the dressing gown Fran had left for her. How many hours of sleep had she managed? Three? Four? Not much more, she guessed.

She had dug her heels in and refused to stay at Bill's house, which had gone down as well as a fart in a phone box. But her mind had been made up. No way would she endanger Bill or his grandkids, never mind her sister and her family — or Mary and Emily. Not again.

The argument had become heated for a time —not to say, colourful — but Jo had stood her ground. Dave, who had heard the news and sped to the hospital, had saved the day, offering Jo a bed at his house. The clincher was the fact his daughter Jenny was on a sleepover at a friend's house. By that time, Jo was dead on her feet and more than happy to give in.

"Jo, are you awake?" Dave knocked harder on the door. "Can you come downstairs? We need to talk."

Jo stifled another moan as she opened the door. "What time is it?"

"Eleven thirty. Fran's made brunch. How are you feeling?"

Jo knew he was asking about more than her physical well-being, but she didn't feel up to talking about Lucy or Brian. Not yet, maybe not ever. "Like I've just been trampled by a herd of eager shoppers on the first day of the sales." She kept her voice light, upbeat. "It is 'herd', isn't it?"

Dave answered in the same vein. "Dunno. Don't suppose it matters, especially if they're wearing heels."

"Guess not." Jo smelt bacon, the rich salty aroma reminding her she hadn't eaten since the barbecue. Her stomach growled as she entered the kitchen and she smiled at Fran, embarrassed by the noise. "Something smells fantastic, Fran. But you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."

"You know me, Jo. It's no trouble. Come." Fran took her arm and led her to the table as if she were a decrepit relative. Only then did Jo realise they weren't alone.

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