Page 30 of Lipstick Kiss

“I don’t know. Should I be worried?”

“How did he look?”

“He looked miserable.”

“Anything physical, bruises, problems moving about?”

“Nope. He shot out of my classroom like his arse was on fire.”

“All right. Maybe I’ll come and see Miss Riley after school tomorrow. See if she’ll let me carry her bag home.”

“Luke,” she said and chuckled. “You don’t have to do that.”

“It will be the perfect cover. We’re friends. Your fiancé is away, so I’m making sure you get home safely.”

“There is no crime on Copper Island, Luke.”

“Doesn’t matter. This is about Kenny.”

“True. Look, I’ve got to get a move on. I need to get to Lavender Farm to pick up my lavender pots.”

“How are you getting there? That’s on the other side of the island.”

“I have exclusive use of the buggy I used to share with Heidi.”

“I’ll meet you there. Help you get the pots into your house.”

“That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll meet you there, Peaches.”

Freya brought the phone away from her ear to check they were connected. They were not.

“So bossy,” she muttered as she slid the phone back into the pocket of her dress.

She looked around the classroom. Tidied away a couple of stray textbooks. She closed and locked her desk drawer and then swiped up her slouchy handbag. Before she lefther classroom, Freya picked up her jacket, slipped her arms in and shrugged it on.

If she didn’t have a giant rock on her finger, the lining wouldn’t have caught, but when her hand came free, she smiled at the sparkle the diamond gave her as she gazed at it. Then she sighed because it was all fake, and she wasn’t engaged. She couldn’t even muster up a fake fiancé.

Halfway to Lavendar Farm, the buggy bumped over the last slope, and she skidded to a stop inches from Luke. She was not paying attention to what was in front of her, but more to her left, looking out over the cliff and across the water. She turned at the last second to see him.

“Bloody hell, Luke, I could have run you over. What the hell are you doing in the middle of the dirt path?”

He was grinning, standing feet apart with his hands in his pockets. It wasn’t often she saw Luke in proper trousers. He looked smoking hot with his buttoned-up shirt and tie loosened at the collar. He’d rolled up his sleeves and looked like he’d done it quickly because there was nothing neat about it. A long dark smear was up his right forearm.

“You are a menace in that vehicle,” Luke said.

“Hardly. It won’t go more than twenty miles an hour.”

“You can still do damage. Move over and let me drive.”

“Where’s your ride?”

“It went sailing over the cliff about five minutes ago.”

“It did not,” she shouted, looking left and right.

Luke burst out laughing.

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