loved up,’ Lizzie added. Anna could feel the heat in the air between them from way across the living room. She was happy for them, absolutely, but it was hard to be around all the happiness and hopefulness. She’d felt it once too, had once been as in love as they were.
‘Turns out everything I ever needed was right here in Middle Point,’ Dan said, turning to Anna with a grin. ‘Who knew?’
‘It suits you, Danny,’ Anna said. ‘This whole beach bum thing you’ve got going on.’
‘It’s a hard life but someone’s gotta live it.’ Dan raised his glass. ‘To Middle Point.’
‘To Middle Point,’ Anna and Lizzie echoed as they raised their glasses with him.
‘You know what, Anna?’ Lizzie said with a yawn. ‘You need to come down here way more often. The waves are fantastic. The air is warm and you can just relax. This is absolutely, definitely the best place in the world to think about what comes next.’
‘What comes next?’ Anna spluttered. ‘I’ve already got that all mapped out, sister. Work, family, sleep if I can manage it every now and then. And most importantly, a life with no men in it. That’s what comes next. I’m giving up on men, hear that?’ What Anna could hear was her own voice wobbly in her head and echoing in the room.
‘Man, that’s harsh,’ Dan said with a wince. ‘It would be a serious loss to blokes if someone like you gave up on us.’
‘You can’t mean that,’ Lizzie added with a frown, ‘Not really.’
‘Oh Lizzie, I wouldn’t touch a man with a barge pole at the moment. Maybe I never will again. When I get back to Adelaide, I’m going to drive right by the animal shelter and adopt some cats. I’ll turn into a cat lady, that’s what I’ll do. Any man who dares to come near me will be scratched to pieces by my loyal kitties. If I don’t get ’em first.’
‘Could be worse,’ Dan nudged Lizzie. ‘She could have said Dobermans.’
‘Anna, don’t say anything now you might regret later. Especially about giving up on men. What you need is a good night’s sleep and a good long walk on the beach tomorrow morning. Followed, of course, by breakfast at the Middle Point pub before you head back to the city.’
Anna set her wine glass on the table, tried to judge if she was still capable of driving. Decided she wasn’t.
‘I don’t think I should drive. Would it be okay if I crashed here tonight? In my professional opinion I shouldn’t get behind the wheel.’
Lizzie smiled and stood, grabbed Dan’s hand and pulled him to his feet. ‘Of course you can. We’ll head up to my place.’
Anna watched them. ‘You sure? I don’t want to kick you out of your bed, Dan.’ Simply saying the word ‘bed’ drew another yawn from Anna’s lips.
Dan grinned wickedly. ‘Haven’t needed it much lately.’
Anna yawned. ‘You think the sea breeze and the sound of the ocean will help me get a good night’s sleep? I desperately need one.’
‘I can guarantee it,’ Lizzie said. ‘Just listen to the waves and you’ll drift off in no time.’ She leaned down and kissed Anna’s cheek.
‘Wait,’ Anna called and fished around in her handbag, which was on the floor by her feet. She produced her car keys and threw them to Dan. ‘Take my car.’
He caught them mid-air. ‘Just how big do you think Middle Point is, Anna? We’re walking. Lizzie’s place is only five minutes away.’
Anna huffed. ‘Do I look like I care about your health? I care about my car. I don’t want my baby out there in the sea spray. She needs to be handled with kid gloves. She needs care and protection.’
Dan grinned at Lizzie, jangled the keys between them. ‘Want to go parking?’
‘You sure know the way to a girl’s heart.’ She reached up to kiss him on the lips, tender and soft, and then turned to Anna. ‘We’ll see you at the pub in the morning, Anna. Come for breakfast. The best bacon and eggs you’ve ever tasted, not to mention the sourdough toast, which is
‘Turns out everything I ever needed was right here in Middle Point,’ Dan said, turning to Anna with a grin. ‘Who knew?’
‘It suits you, Danny,’ Anna said. ‘This whole beach bum thing you’ve got going on.’
‘It’s a hard life but someone’s gotta live it.’ Dan raised his glass. ‘To Middle Point.’
‘To Middle Point,’ Anna and Lizzie echoed as they raised their glasses with him.
‘You know what, Anna?’ Lizzie said with a yawn. ‘You need to come down here way more often. The waves are fantastic. The air is warm and you can just relax. This is absolutely, definitely the best place in the world to think about what comes next.’
‘What comes next?’ Anna spluttered. ‘I’ve already got that all mapped out, sister. Work, family, sleep if I can manage it every now and then. And most importantly, a life with no men in it. That’s what comes next. I’m giving up on men, hear that?’ What Anna could hear was her own voice wobbly in her head and echoing in the room.
‘Man, that’s harsh,’ Dan said with a wince. ‘It would be a serious loss to blokes if someone like you gave up on us.’
‘You can’t mean that,’ Lizzie added with a frown, ‘Not really.’
‘Oh Lizzie, I wouldn’t touch a man with a barge pole at the moment. Maybe I never will again. When I get back to Adelaide, I’m going to drive right by the animal shelter and adopt some cats. I’ll turn into a cat lady, that’s what I’ll do. Any man who dares to come near me will be scratched to pieces by my loyal kitties. If I don’t get ’em first.’
‘Could be worse,’ Dan nudged Lizzie. ‘She could have said Dobermans.’
‘Anna, don’t say anything now you might regret later. Especially about giving up on men. What you need is a good night’s sleep and a good long walk on the beach tomorrow morning. Followed, of course, by breakfast at the Middle Point pub before you head back to the city.’
Anna set her wine glass on the table, tried to judge if she was still capable of driving. Decided she wasn’t.
‘I don’t think I should drive. Would it be okay if I crashed here tonight? In my professional opinion I shouldn’t get behind the wheel.’
Lizzie smiled and stood, grabbed Dan’s hand and pulled him to his feet. ‘Of course you can. We’ll head up to my place.’
Anna watched them. ‘You sure? I don’t want to kick you out of your bed, Dan.’ Simply saying the word ‘bed’ drew another yawn from Anna’s lips.
Dan grinned wickedly. ‘Haven’t needed it much lately.’
Anna yawned. ‘You think the sea breeze and the sound of the ocean will help me get a good night’s sleep? I desperately need one.’
‘I can guarantee it,’ Lizzie said. ‘Just listen to the waves and you’ll drift off in no time.’ She leaned down and kissed Anna’s cheek.
‘Wait,’ Anna called and fished around in her handbag, which was on the floor by her feet. She produced her car keys and threw them to Dan. ‘Take my car.’
He caught them mid-air. ‘Just how big do you think Middle Point is, Anna? We’re walking. Lizzie’s place is only five minutes away.’
Anna huffed. ‘Do I look like I care about your health? I care about my car. I don’t want my baby out there in the sea spray. She needs to be handled with kid gloves. She needs care and protection.’
Dan grinned at Lizzie, jangled the keys between them. ‘Want to go parking?’
‘You sure know the way to a girl’s heart.’ She reached up to kiss him on the lips, tender and soft, and then turned to Anna. ‘We’ll see you at the pub in the morning, Anna. Come for breakfast. The best bacon and eggs you’ve ever tasted, not to mention the sourdough toast, which is
Similar Books
