‘You would?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘What about Joe? Do you think he might be up for it?’
‘It depends whatitis,’ Joe said from the bedroom door, making them jump.
Skye turned to face him, unable to hide how happy she was to see him. He gazed at one then the other of them. ‘We thought we were alone in the house.’
‘Now I’m even more intrigued to know.’ He studied her face, his eyes twinkling in amusement before he looked at Lettie. ‘What are you up to?’
Lettie laughed, her expression one of innocence.
While she waited for Lettie to answer him, Skye wondered whether he would want to repeat the experience looking after the farm and why Joe suspected their friend was up to something. ‘I don’t think Lettie is up to anything at all. Are you?’
Lettie shrugged, grinning at them both. She handed the baby to Joe. ‘Hold her while I sort this lot of nappies out. Skye, would you mind passing me those baby clothes while I put them away in the drawer here?’
‘Of course.’ Skye could tell Lettie was stalling and sensed Joe knew it too.
‘You’re such a little cutie,’ Joe said to baby Isla. ‘She’s seems very good.’
‘She is most of the time, thankfully,’ Lettie said, placing the last of the baby clothes neatly in the drawer and pushing it closed.
‘Right,’ Joe said, arching an eyebrow as he held the baby in his arms. ‘Now your attempt to distract me hasn’t worked, maybe you’d like to share what you were wanting to know about me.’
Lettie shrugged. ‘Fine. I wanted to know whether Skye thought you’d be up for helping to look after this place again. I mean, if my parents were away at the same time Zac was.’
‘What?’
‘Don’t look so startled, I don’t mean now, but at some point in the future. You know, if Brodie, Isla and I want to get away for a few days or a couple of weeks.’
Skye knew Joe’s reaction was excitement rather than being shocked and loved that he was happy at the thought of returning. ‘I’d do it happily.’
‘Thanks, Skye,’ Lettie said, folding her arms and staring at Joe. ‘And how about you?’
Skye felt him look at her and hoped he would agree too. Even if the pair of them were soon to go their separate ways it would make parting from him so much easier if she knew there would at least be a chance to do this all over again at some point in the future.
‘If Skye is happy to do it, then I’ll be willing to do it with her again.’
Skye struggled not to show her delight. She saw the glint in Lettie’s eyes and realised that Joe had just given her the answer she was hoping for.
Joe handed the baby back to Lettie and shook his head, amused. ‘Are you doing your best matchmaker impression?’
Lettie cuddled her little girl. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ She gave Skye an apologetic smile. ‘I admitted to Skye just before that I saw you both holding hands when Brodie and I arrived.’ She pressed a hand on her chest. ‘You looked so sweet together.’
‘Sweet?’ Joe sounded aghast at the suggestion.
‘Well suited then. It was lovely to see.’
Joe glanced at her then back at Lettie. ‘We have got to know each other quite well while we’ve been here, haven’t we, Skye? It’s been…’ he hesitated ‘…nice.’
Nice? She wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or insulted but reasoned that he was keeping what happened between them private.
‘Nice?’ Lettie snapped, clearly having the same reaction to her, Skye noted, with amusement. ‘I was hoping for more.’
Joe moved closer to Skye and took her hand in his. ‘It’s been amazing.’ He looked Skye in the eyes and she sensed he was about to say something meaningful to her. ‘Special actually.’
Her stomach flipped over and wanting him to know she felt the same way, said, ‘It has been for me, too.’
