Page 44 of Beneath the Sapphire Sky

“Not yet, or isn’t going to be?”

She frowned a little, then blew out her breath. It looked like she wasn’t going to get away from this conversation anytime soon. Most likely he’d report straight back to her father.

“Let’s just say that I’d like it to be, but it’s unlikely.”

Jack frowned. “Because?”

“How would I know? I haven’t discussed it with him yet.”

“Any particular reason why not?”

“Jack—”

“I’m only asking because I actually care.” He glanced at her. “Dante’s good people. I like him, I always have. But I don’t want him hurting you. You know, if he’s pushed it on you or anything like that.”

Belle let out a laugh and looked over to see Jack’s surprised face. “Big Brother, it wasn’thimwho propositionedme.”

And she’d gambled everything they had on doing so. Sure, she’d wanted him to be her first, but in all honesty she’d wanted to seewhat if?

“Ahh…” His posture relaxed into the comfy seat, and he nodded. “I see.” He turned to enter the street where the train station was. “I did wonder.”

Belle rubbed her hands over her black capri pants. “What made you twig to it?”

Picking his brain seemed a good idea. Particularly if Dante wanted to keep things quiet, she could change any out-of-place behaviour so that the locals didn’t catch on.

Jack shrugged one shoulder, then smiled. “At Max’s Halloween party. You were plastered over Dante on the dance floor and he looked like he was in pain. Then you guys disappeared, and you came home the next morning. I mean, I knew you had a room in town for the night.” He laughed and shook his head. “I saw Dante’s car pull in his drive just after dawn. I went for a run nice and early and had just started back up our driveway and heard a car.”

He grinned at her. “So, you got caught out big-time.”

Belle crossed her arms. “You do know Mallory-Jayne has more than one room, right?”

Jack grunted noncommittally. “Yeah, right. I knew he’d spent the night with you, even if it was only sleeping in the same room. But when you called him to come over when the wine got wrecked? He looked at you differently. More, I don’t know… gentle?”

Belle nodded. She honestly didn’t mind that Jack knew. She trusted him. He wouldn’t say anything if she didn’t want him to.

Publicly, anyway. What he said to Dante in private, though, that was another story altogether. She had no control over that.

Jack pulled up outside the station and faced her. “Are you happy with how things are going with him?”

Belle grabbed her small overnight bag and hugged it on her lap. She glanced at her watch.

Twenty minutes early.

“I think so?”

At his continued silence, she finally looked him square in the face.

“So far, yes. It’s not really athing, as such.” She shrugged and opened the door. “I’m going to have a few days away with my best friend. I’d love it to be more, but I guess I’m going to have to wait and see what happens.”

She pecked a kiss on his cheek and hopped out of the ute. Jack’s chuckle made her look back at him as she closed the door. He pushed the window button to lower it and leaned his arm on his own sill.

“I can tell you now, the look on his face, I’ve seen it before—on my own face. I might not know him as well as you do, but I’m pretty sure he’s falling for you.”

He pulled away, leaving Belle standing in the car park, open-mouthed.

*

I’m here.

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