Page 17 of The Talk Around Town

Emma shook her head, her soft chocolate-coloured hair falling around her shoulders. “No, I haven’t worked for the last four…” Abruptly her face shuttered. “I was a hairdresser,” she finished off, her voice tight.

“I mentioned Miriam has a job going. In case she’s interested,” Darby said, deflecting the conversation onto herself. His mother nodded, smiling absently.

Gabe looked at Emma more closely. There was a story there, and not a good one from the sadness he’d glimpsed in her eyes before the walls closed in. Emma hadn’t mentioned anything. She’d stayed close-lipped about why she’d moved states.

Four? Four months? Four years?He wondered if she would ever trust him enough to tell him what made her so sad. It looked like he wasn’t the only one dealing with unhappiness. Whatever Emma was hiding from her past wouldn’t be easily extracted.

Gabe glanced at Darby. If she and Emma became the friends he believed they’d be, he’d find out eventually. She was the one person he couldn’t keep secrets from for long, and vice versa.

His attention moved back to Emma. To move so far from home, across the country, to a new life. To uproot yourself and leave all you knew… Only something big triggered that.

“Well, that explains your lovely hair!” Mary said.

Emma’s smile returned, though not as bright as before. “It certainly is an advantage.”

“How are you dealing with the old Mason place? It’s been in bad need of repair for some years now. It’s not too much for you on your own?”

Emma’s face brightened more, warming to the subject of her new home. “I have some experience with handyman work. My dad’s a carpenter. I used to help him out on school holidays. The problem is I don’t have the brawn to do the big stuff. The painting and all the little things are no worries, but I’ll have to hire a carpenter for the rest.”

Gabe caught the calculating glance his mother sent his way. His stomach sank.

“There’s no need for that. Gabe and Ed handle all the building work around our house and the farm. They could help with whatever is needed,” his mum said.

Emma looked so surprised it was almost comical. She looked at him, then at his mother. “Heavens no, I couldn’t ask them to do that. They have enough to do without running around after me, someone they barely know. It wouldn’t be right,” she protested.

“You know, Emma is—ouch!” Darby jabbed him hard in the ribs with her elbow and sent him a stern look that told him to shut up—now.

Mary took Emma’s hand again. “It’s how we do things around here.If someone needs help, we help them. You’re just going to have to get used to it.” She dropped her hand, picked up the empty salad bowl and walked into the house.

Emma plainly didn’t know what to say. She sent him an apologetic look. He smiled half-heartedly and shrugged. It wasn’t her fault. He’d just have to take it up with his interfering family.

“Well, if they help me with anything, they’ll be paid for their time. And work. I’m not going to take advantage of them,” she called out.

Darby laughed and winked at him. “Good luck with that,” she said and turned to follow her mother up the two steps into the kitchen.

*

Gabe eyed hismother over the kitchen counter. “I don’t have time to help Emma rebuild her house. I have a business to run, if you’ve forgotten.”

Mary flipped a hand at him, an instant dismissal of his words. Darby had the same irritating habit, which she’d picked up from their mother as a teenager. She’d done it initially to get under his skin, but it was so ingrained in them both now that he believed neither realised they were doing it.

“Don’t give me that. Yes, you’re busy, but you’re not so busy you can’t give help when it’s needed. Between you and your father, you should have things done within days. The woman needs strong hands and you’re it.”

Annoyance washed through him, making his already tight muscles rigid. He’d been avoiding looking at Emma since he’d introduced her to the family and everyone at the barbeque, and Darby had whisked her away to sit outside.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. It won’t work. I’m not interested. Leave it at that.”

His mother’s face tilted up to him, tipping to one side, innocence blazing from her dark-grey eyes. “I have no idea what you are referring to. I simply want you to help that nice young woman. It’s the neighbourly thing to do.”

“I’m not her damned neighbour,” he muttered. He was being railroaded and had no idea how to get out of it without looking like abastard, since his mother had already offered Emma his services.

Mary planted her hands on her hips and sent him that look. The one he’d hated so much growing up. It still had the desired effect.

His shoulders dropped, and he heaved out a sigh. “Fine. I’ll go by and check out what needs doing when I have time.”

His mother smiled her satisfaction. “Good. She’s expecting you later in the week.”

Gabe closed his eyes and scrubbed at his mouth. A small tic twitched beneath his fingers. His mother’s plans for him and Emma weren’t going to happen. He wasn’t playing that game, no matter how cute she was.

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