Page 41 of Seal of Approval

“Jack has told us what’s going on,” Ross said. “If you need anything come to the house.”

“Thank you.” I knew they meant it. They loved Jasmine and the kids like they were family.

“How are the kids holding up?” Jack asked.

“They’re a bit rattled.”

Jack nodded. “That’s to be expected.”

“We’re trying to make everything as normal as we can. But how can we when they are used to living so free and now, we lock the windows and doors?”

Jack gave an understanding nod. “To make it worse, it will be school holidays soon.”

I hadn’t thought of that. Shit. They couldn’t be housebound for weeks on end. We would all go crazy.

Footsteps approached. I turned to see Sara crossing the road with a trolley filled with wrapped paper parcels.

“Who’s ready for the best fish and chips in Haven Bay?” she called out.

“Me.” Rose jumped up and ran to Sara.

Sara squeezed her shoulder. “You’ll get yours quicker if you help me hand them out. Then I can go back and cook some more.”

Rose grabbed a parcel, looked at the name, and delivered it to the owner. When Jasmine received hers, she moved to our seats and I followed.

“A spider, huh?” she asked, a small smile on her face.

“It was no ordinary spider.”

She nodded. “It is Australia.”

I laughed. “Maybe it was an ordinary Australian spider.”

Rose approached with a parcel for her, Bailey and me. But Bailey wasn’t in sight. I scanned the crowd, my gaze darting from person to person until I found him talking to Ross. I let out a breath. I needed to calm down. We were here with friends. Everyone was safe. And Max was nowhere to be seen.

I glanced at Rose. She was studying me, her eyes drifting to Bailey and back to me. Rose pulled her chair closer to mine. “Do you think my father is here?”

I placed a chip in my mouth and chewed slowly. Funny how I referred to them as chips now, not fries. I surveyed our surroundings. Her words my father and the fact that there was no warmth in her voice reflected their relationship. She was nine years old, energetic and bubbly, but she had a wisdom about her.

I moved my attention to her. I wasn’t going to betray her trust by lying to her. “I thought he might be, but I’ve looked for him but haven’t seen him.”

“He could be hiding.”

“He could be. But I don’t think so.”

“How can you be sure?”

I indicated around the big circle of people. “Someone would have seen him.”

She nodded, then picked up a chip, popped it in her mouth and said, “Mmm. It’s hella good.”

Jasmine leant over. Her body heat seeped through me, more powerful than the fire in front of us. I could have been sitting in the middle of the fire and the heat from Jasmine still would have been stronger.

“Thank you,” she whispered in my ear. Her soft breath was a caress against my skin. I faced her. Our lips were an inch apart, the air between them warm and rousing. I licked my lips. My eyes dropped to hers and then up to her brown eyes which were wide, perhaps in question. My breath caught.

What? Was I supposed to be saying something? Right, she’d just thanked me.

“You’re welcome,” I squeezed out.

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