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Elisa snorted.
“So it’s only fair I get one as well,” Zeta finished with a grin.
“Thanks for calling me hot,” Owen said, starting the SUV’s engine. “As for Angus…” He shrugged. “I guess he’s alright. If you like that sort of thing.”
“Then get us to brunch,” Zeta instructed, tapping the back of Bria’s seat. “Pronto.”
Elisa laughed. “Remember, Zet. The next ten days are about Bri and Owen, not about you getting laid.”
“Hey.” Zeta gave her one of her sharkish smiles. “Itcanbe both, you know.”
“And on that note,” Owen threw over his shoulder. The SUV pulled out into the traffic.
Elisa sat in the back, gripping her seatbelt. Not because Owen drove like a maniac, but because as far as she was concerned, they were on the wrong freaking side of the road. Dio, every turn was a hair-raising trip into near-miss collision.
“It takes a while to get used to it, sis” Bria said, dragging Elisa’s stare from the streets ahead. “But Owen’s a good driver. Promise.”
“Look at the view out the side window instead, Lis,” Zeta suggested. “It’s what I’m doing.”
Letting out a ragged breath, Elisa released her death grip on the seatbelt, forced her muscles to relax—as much as she could—and turned her attention to the world to her left. Shops, people, trees, cafes, more shops, more people, a cute dog, more shops… She frowned. Okay, so far, Sydney could be mistaken for any big city in the United—
“Oh wow,” she whispered as Owen turned a corner and a glittering swarth of blue water came into view. “Is that Sydney Harbor?”
“It is,” Owen answered. “Angus owns a restaurant at Circular Quay West in The Rocks, which is a suburb right on the water. We thought we’d park at Darling Harbor and catch a water taxi to the restaurant. That way you both get a boat ride on Sydney Harbor and travel under the Sydney Harbor Bridge, which is kinda cool.”
“That sounds awesome,” Zeta said.
“The first time I was on a boat under the bridge, I…”
Whatever Bria said next faded away as Elisa sucked in a sharp breath. In the car next to them, in the front passenger seat of the Lexus waiting at the same red light they were, was her hot Aussie in the suit.
Oh wow.
Her throat tightened. She stared at what she could see of his profile through the open driver’s window. The driver of the Lexus—a woman with spiky violet hair so vivid it was almost iridescent—was waving her hands around in what was clearly a very enthusiastic conversation about something. Was that Kara? Maybe. Beside her, Elisa’s Aussie sat with a relaxed smile, his incredible blue eyes hidden by dark sunglasses as he no doubt listened to whatever maybe-Kara was saying.
“Hi,” she whispered at him. Sure, he couldn’t hear her. Sure, he had no idea she was watching him. “Remember me? I’m Elisa.”
He laughed. At least, that’s what it looked like he was doing, before the lights changed, and the Lexus took off from the intersection at a ridiculous speed.
“Tosser,” Owen muttered from behind the wheel. “Where’s a cop when you need one.”
Elisa smiled, a wave of warmth rolling over her. Seeing her hot Aussie in the suit again, even only fleetingly, had for some reason made her feel better.
She released a shaky sigh, settled back in the seat, and closed her eyes. “Wake me when we get there,” she murmured.
Zeta took her fingers in hers. “Will do.”
She didn’t sleep or dream; she just let her mind wander over memories and moments as the car moved through the Sydney traffic. Whenever it tried to linger on what her ex-business partner (and ex-collage best friend and ex-partnerpartner) had done to her—as it so often did—she turned her thoughts to the gorgeous Australian in the exquisite suit. Imagined him making eye-contact with her through the windows of their respective cars at the intersection. Pictured him getting out of the Lexus, striding around to Owen’s car, and opening the back passenger door. Fantasized about him holding out his hand to her, his blue eyes on hers, his smile warm and relaxed and promising something wonderful, as he said—
“Ireallyshould have peed before we left the airport.”
Forcing her eyes open, Elisa gave Zeta a bleary glare. “Thanks, sis. You just interrupted the hot Aussie in the suit saying something incredible to me.”
Zeta raised her eyebrows. “I what?”
She let out a wry chuckle. “Nothing.”
The car came to a stop and Owen pivoted in the driver’s seat to smile at them. “And we’re here. Ready?”
