Talk of the Town by Rachael Johns

Author:Rachael Johns
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd

Chapter Eighteen

‘Good night, little man. Sleep tight; don’t let the bed bugs bite.’ Lawson bent down to kiss his son on the forehead.

As he straightened again, Ned said, ‘Can you lie with me while I fall asleep, Dad? Please?’

Inwardly Lawson groaned. Since Meg’s message that afternoon, he’d been counting down the hours and minutes until Ned was in bed and he could call her. It wasn’t just that he was curious to find out what she’d discovered about their ghost—he wanted to hear her voice again. For two nights in a row now, they’d talked for hours past his usual bedtime. He should have been exhausted during the day but he’d had more energy than he’d had in a long time. That afternoon Ethan had even caught him whistling.

‘Sure, little man, slide over,’ he said, trying to curtail his disappointment as he kicked off his thongs, climbed in beside Ned and drew him in for a cuddle.

For years, he’d needed the comfort of his son’s little warm body as much as Ned had needed him. Holding onto him had always made him feel somehow close to Leah, as if she lived on in their little boy. And she did—he often saw her smile reflected in Ned’s, heard her laugh when he did—and it always made the day brighter. But although he’d always love Leah, and their son would always take precedence over anything and anyone else, Ned wasn’t quite enough any more.

Just thinking like this filled Lawson with guilt, but he craved a different kind of companionship.

‘What vegetable would you be, Dad?’

‘What?’ Lawson blinked.

Ned sighed as if frustrated by Lawson’s lack of comprehension. ‘If you were a vegetable instead of a human, what would you be?

He loved hypotheticals and often asked random questions; they could be anything from deeply philosophical to just plain out there like this one. Lawson loved his enquiring mind, but right now, he wasn’t in the mood to answer anything.

‘I dunno, maybe a tomato.’ It was the first vegetable that came into his head.

Ned laughed. ‘For one,’ he said, ‘tomatoes are fruit and two, you are much more like a carrot—you’re tall and strong and everyone likes you.’

Lawson grinned. ‘That’s nice of you to say but, as fascinating as this conversation is, it’s time to get some rest.’

‘I’m not really tired,’ Ned confessed in a matter-of-fact tone.

Lawson could have screamed. ‘Well, I am,’ he lied.

‘I could read you a bedtime story if you want or go make you some warm milk?’

‘No thanks. I’d rather you rest. Let’s have a quiet competition.’

Generally if Lawson suggested a quiet competition they’d both end up falling asleep eventually but often Lawson beat Ned to it. Tonight he was determined to keep his eyes open and outlast his son. He lay still beside Ned, listening to his breathing, until finally, after what felt like hours, the sound changed and he knew he’d fallen asleep.

He manoeuvred himself off the bed, then tiptoed out of the room. As usual Tab was sitting out on the back verandah knitting, Bonnie and Clyde sprawled at her feet.

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