something.’ She remembered his hand firmly holding hers, not wanting to let go, and his open admiration of her. No, Jonny would bet her Torana that Daniel was straight.
‘So tell me why you’ve given up on him when it seems he’s taken with you already?’ Renae asked as she toyed with her lunch.
‘Yes, he’s unbelievably gorgeous and new and different and I was interested but you know I can’t do flings and I’ll never leave Bundara and he’s here for, what, a month or two, tops? You’ve seen him, total city bloke, it’s never gonna work. Just look what happened to Ryan and Alana.’
Renae waved her finger, her brow creased. ‘Don’t you use Ryan’s marriage as an excuse. I’m not asking you to marry the bloke, just live a little, Jonny!’
‘But he’s the bank manager. You know I’ve got issues with the bank.’ Jonny ground her teeth together. Just the words ‘bank’ or ‘loan’ could send her into a mixed-up, angry, anxious mess.
‘So? Zac didn’t have any problem with him. They’re practically best mates already.’
‘Yeah, well, for one, Zac forgets easily and two, he doesn’t owe the bank money. After what happened with Uncle Rex and the bank . . .’ Jonny could only shake her head.
‘You’re just too loyal, Jonny, and it’s becoming a character flaw. Give Daniel a break. It’s just his job. Live, Jonny, live.’
Jonny raised an eyebrow. ‘I can’t, Nae. I like things simple, basic. I can’t start anything knowing he won’t be around long.’
Renae waved her off with a brush of her hand. ‘I know, I know, you’re a big-hearted girl who doesn’t do anything lightheartedly. Unlike myself, who is quite happy to try before I buy.’
‘It’s why you still work at the pub, isn’t it?’ Jonny teased.
Renae went serious, her expression turning stern. ‘To tell you the truth, Jonny, I haven’t had a one-night stand or anything casual in ages. I’m not sure why, maybe I’m getting too old for this game.’
‘Yeah, I’ve noticed. Are you okay?’ Jonny laughed. ‘Are you coming down with something?’ She sat back, watching her friend. They’d only ever had one fight over a boy and that was in high school, and Tommy Rickter hadn’t liked either of them. ‘Seriously though, you know I think this is a good thing. You need to find someone who loves you for you, who loves your heart just as much as I do. It’s time you found someone serious, someone in for the long haul.’
Renae smiled and her face glowed with warmth. ‘Thanks, Jonny. Maybe we both should.’
*
By the end of the week, Jonny had fixed Daniel’s tyre and had put off returning it to him for long enough. She hadn’t seen him all week, not that she’d been trying to see him. But the town was talking – and he was the hot topic. The men were all wondering how soon they’d get a visit, while the women were trying to determine if he was single and who they could possibly set him up with. None of this talk made Jonny feel comfortable and she was becoming adept at finding an excuse to leave before anyone pressed her for her opinion. Mrs Webb even gave her the eye, as if sizing up her potential compatibility with Daniel. That was when Jonny had grabbed her shopping and left in a rush.
And she still had the issue of the tyre. She’d come up with a plan to dump it and run, so after lunch she drove to the bank and parked behind his car. She tried to open the boot, but of course he’d locked the damn thing. City folk. She would have to go into the bank and see him after all.
With a groan, she pushed open the bank door.
‘Hi, Jonny,’ said Gemma, who was sitting at her desk biting her lip when Jonny entered.
‘Hi, Gem. Is Daniel here?’
She nodded. ‘That’s his office just there,’ she pointed.
‘Thanks. I’ll catch ya later.’ Jonny walked to the end of the counter and knocked as her heart began to race.
‘Come in,’ Daniel called.
His voice gave her little shivers as she pushed
‘So tell me why you’ve given up on him when it seems he’s taken with you already?’ Renae asked as she toyed with her lunch.
‘Yes, he’s unbelievably gorgeous and new and different and I was interested but you know I can’t do flings and I’ll never leave Bundara and he’s here for, what, a month or two, tops? You’ve seen him, total city bloke, it’s never gonna work. Just look what happened to Ryan and Alana.’
Renae waved her finger, her brow creased. ‘Don’t you use Ryan’s marriage as an excuse. I’m not asking you to marry the bloke, just live a little, Jonny!’
‘But he’s the bank manager. You know I’ve got issues with the bank.’ Jonny ground her teeth together. Just the words ‘bank’ or ‘loan’ could send her into a mixed-up, angry, anxious mess.
‘So? Zac didn’t have any problem with him. They’re practically best mates already.’
‘Yeah, well, for one, Zac forgets easily and two, he doesn’t owe the bank money. After what happened with Uncle Rex and the bank . . .’ Jonny could only shake her head.
‘You’re just too loyal, Jonny, and it’s becoming a character flaw. Give Daniel a break. It’s just his job. Live, Jonny, live.’
Jonny raised an eyebrow. ‘I can’t, Nae. I like things simple, basic. I can’t start anything knowing he won’t be around long.’
Renae waved her off with a brush of her hand. ‘I know, I know, you’re a big-hearted girl who doesn’t do anything lightheartedly. Unlike myself, who is quite happy to try before I buy.’
‘It’s why you still work at the pub, isn’t it?’ Jonny teased.
Renae went serious, her expression turning stern. ‘To tell you the truth, Jonny, I haven’t had a one-night stand or anything casual in ages. I’m not sure why, maybe I’m getting too old for this game.’
‘Yeah, I’ve noticed. Are you okay?’ Jonny laughed. ‘Are you coming down with something?’ She sat back, watching her friend. They’d only ever had one fight over a boy and that was in high school, and Tommy Rickter hadn’t liked either of them. ‘Seriously though, you know I think this is a good thing. You need to find someone who loves you for you, who loves your heart just as much as I do. It’s time you found someone serious, someone in for the long haul.’
Renae smiled and her face glowed with warmth. ‘Thanks, Jonny. Maybe we both should.’
*
By the end of the week, Jonny had fixed Daniel’s tyre and had put off returning it to him for long enough. She hadn’t seen him all week, not that she’d been trying to see him. But the town was talking – and he was the hot topic. The men were all wondering how soon they’d get a visit, while the women were trying to determine if he was single and who they could possibly set him up with. None of this talk made Jonny feel comfortable and she was becoming adept at finding an excuse to leave before anyone pressed her for her opinion. Mrs Webb even gave her the eye, as if sizing up her potential compatibility with Daniel. That was when Jonny had grabbed her shopping and left in a rush.
And she still had the issue of the tyre. She’d come up with a plan to dump it and run, so after lunch she drove to the bank and parked behind his car. She tried to open the boot, but of course he’d locked the damn thing. City folk. She would have to go into the bank and see him after all.
With a groan, she pushed open the bank door.
‘Hi, Jonny,’ said Gemma, who was sitting at her desk biting her lip when Jonny entered.
‘Hi, Gem. Is Daniel here?’
She nodded. ‘That’s his office just there,’ she pointed.
‘Thanks. I’ll catch ya later.’ Jonny walked to the end of the counter and knocked as her heart began to race.
‘Come in,’ Daniel called.
His voice gave her little shivers as she pushed
Similar Books
