She tried to smile. ‘I thought you’d have had enough of me and my dramas by now, Josh.’
He shrugged a little in a way that made her realise he was feeling as unsure as she was. ‘Can’t a guy bring his girl flowers when the mood takes him?’
She frowned. ‘I wasn’t aware I was your girl.’
‘Well, shoot. Don’t tell Dr Dragon that; it took a thirty-minute question and answer session before she’d let me in here. Besides. I think we both know you could be. I know I want you to be.’
Crap. The tears she’d been fighting started leaking out every which way. ‘Oh, Josh, I want you to be my guy, too. I’m just so worried if I let you in, I’ll mess everything up.’
‘Vera, honey.’
She wanted this so badly, but she didn’t know what to say.
‘Vera? You’ve gone very still. You need me to call the nurse?’
‘Josh,’ she managed. ‘Would you do something?’
‘Anything.’
‘Squeeze your way into this recliner chair here and hold me?’
She opened her eyes and he was there, next to her, his eyes all soft and kind-looking, the way she loved them, and a smile on his face bigger than Lake Bogong.
‘Honey, I thought you’d never ask.’
CHAPTER
44
The Queanbeyan courthouse was baking in the sun on the second Friday in December. Vera wasn’t sure whether a summer heatwave was on the way or the gates of hell had been flung open. Standing on the courthouse steps on the cusp of her trial sure felt like her own personal version of hell.
She’d dressed before dawn in a sober grey suit, and had spent a quiet moment in her chair by the window with her bandaged cat in her lap and two kittens at her feet while she waited for Josh to arrive. He’d insisted on driving her to the city, and she’d been grateful.
What she hadn’t expected was for Graeme to turn up on the footpath outside her building too, with a waxed box of muffins he’d cooked in his own kitchen, and two freshly made coffees.
He’d handed them over to Josh and hauled her in for a hug. ‘Good luck, boss. Call me with the news, good or bad, and don’t worry about the café. I’ve got your back.’ He’d even tucked a note in with his muffins:You need me to bake a cake with lock picks hidden inside, just let me know :) love, G xxx.
Marigold had texted her as they’d driven down out of the alps and through the farming country of southern New South Wales, offering her love and support and a yoga breathing exercise called, of all things, Victorious Breath. Kev had been popping into the café every day for the past week to pat her hand, and even Kelly Fox, guinea-pig boy’s mum, had wished her well.
‘Ready to go in?’ said Josh.
‘Sure.’
She placed her hand in his just as Sue barrelled up the steps towards them.
‘Sue, you’re here.’
‘In the flesh, my lovely. And why have I not laid eyes on this handsome beast before? I’m your lawyer, Vera. I insist on knowing every detail of your life. Especially the inappropriate ones.’
Vera would have rolled her eyes if her anxiety levels weren’t at breaking point.
‘Josh, my lawyer, Sue Anton. Sue, this is Josh Cody.’
‘We’ve spoken on the phone,’ he said, holding out his hand.
‘Yes, we have,’ her lawyer said in a voice that resembled golden syrup. ‘Now I’m wishing we’d held our strategy meeting in person out there in woop woop where you’ve hidden yourself away.’
‘It’s an historic alpine town, not woop woop,’ said Vera. ‘Hanrahan, population of four thousand, birthplace of The Billy Button Café.’