Page 127 of The Vet from Snowy River
‘Oh, Josh,’ she said.
He closed his eyes. ‘I know, right?’
‘Go see her.’
‘She’s turned me away. How often does a woman need to turn a guy down before he actually listens? I’m trying to do what she wants.’
His sister’s sweet hug shifted into a headlock. ‘Josh, honey, you know I am the very last person to give advice on boy-girl stuff.’
‘Agreed.’
‘But even I could tell that when Vera came here the other day to offer up information about the Hogan woman, that wasn’t the only thing she was offering.’
He pulled Hannah’s bony wrist away from his Adam’s apple so he could breathe.
‘She offered us a box of paperwork and search records.’
‘Yep. What else?’
‘An apology?’
‘I cannot believe you won a scholarship. Seriously, bro, you are the dumbest person in this room.’
Jane Doe’s tail thwacked against the filing cabinet in agreement.
‘You’re going to have to spell it out, genius. Your brother’s brain has turned to mush.’
Hannah gave his hair a ruffle and let him go so she could skewer him with her favourite my-brother-is-a-moron look. ‘She was offering you an olive branch.’
He sat up. ‘She was?’
Hannah shrugged and walked over to her side of the office. ‘Yup. So get outta here already and go make some kissy noises in her direction, would you? I’ve got someBack in Businessflyers to create.’
CHAPTER
41
‘What are you doing here, Aaron?’
‘Vee, you’re upset, I get it, but you’ve been through a terrible time.’
She had, yes. And the slick-haired man standing in front of her had played a part in that.
‘The court case sucks, totally, but we can put that behind us. Change your plea, you’ll do a few community hours pulling up weeds by the riverbank in Queanbeyan, and it will all be over.’
‘I’m not guilty of the charge, Aaron. You knew full well I wasn’t trying to listen in on people, but you went and dobbed me in anyway.’
‘Hon, you know me, as honest as the day is long. I felt it was my duty.’
She could feel a red haze of rage welling up.
‘I do know you, yes, and so I know it’s just a damn sham, this honesty of yours. You telling people something is true doesn’tmakeit true. The way you tell people how talented you are, how smart you are.’ She choked down the frustration she had bottled up. Which part of the words she was saying did he not understand? Thestay awaypart? TheI blame you for ruining my lifepart?
‘Vee, I’m here, you don’t need to be brave on your own.’
‘Howareyou here? How did you find my home address?’
‘Business name registration search, of course. You’re not the only journalist who can dig up information, Vee.’
