Kellie Hailes - The Big Little Festival

Serena giggled. ‘Well, that’s not the kind of declaration a girl hears every day. I think I’d better leave you two alone.’ She slugged back the dregs of her wine, gathered up her bag and winked at Jody. ‘Have fun!’

Frustrated, Jody lowered her head into her hands and sank her teeth into her lower lip. What choice did she have? If she said no, she’d be stuck in the same place she’d been for years – looking for a way to make up for her one night of recklessness that had impacted on so many. But if she said yes? She recalled those flickers of electricity that had danced over her skin when they’d touched. If she said yes, she’d be putting herself in a position she’d sworn never to be in. She’d be opening herself up to attraction. Which could lead to desire. And then the ultimate no-no, love. And, in her experience, that never led anywhere good.

‘We need to get something clear,’ she mumbled into her hands. ‘You are not my favourite person right now. But I’ll work with you. Not because I want to, but because I don’t want this little town to lose its one big dream. So I’ll come back onboard, but you need to understand that I won’t be dictated to. If we’re butting heads, we’ll have to find someone for a swing vote. Understood?’

Christian lifted his head a little, just enough so one half of his face was in view. ‘Mr Fancy Pants understands.’ He gave her a cheeky grin.

Her heart must have discovered a trampoline in her chest because it did a flip-flop. Jody closed her eyes against that far-too-cute smile. It was too late to back out. She’d done the deal. But why did she suspect the price she’d pay would be high?

CHAPTER THREE

Focus.

Christian forced himself to read the words on the laptop, but for the first time in a long time the screes of plans and ideas he had for an event held little to no interest. Not when his mind was filled with images of curling blonde hair that bounced on sun-kissed shoulders, tanned legs so long they looked like they could give The Shard a run for its money, and the tantalising hint of divinely curved breasts.

Damn it! The last thing he needed was to have the hots for a woman he was supposed to be working with. The building blocks to success did not include romance. He’d learnt that time and time again when his previous attempts at relationships had gone south when his girlfriends began to put pressure on him to cut back on the hours he spent at work so they could spend more time together. Further proving his suspicion that having both fairy tale-style love and a career was impossible. The only compromise was partnership, two people supporting each other to further each other’s success. An arrangement his parents had down pat. A united front at work functions. But behind the door of their family home? Short, sharp and dismissive summed it up. The only time kind words were exchanged was when a goal was met. A win had. It was the only way he’d received any attention. Not that his decision to go into event management was taken seriously by them. No doubt when his recent failure became public knowledge they’d pop open a bottle of champagne…

He pulled up a budgeting template and pushed the self-pity away. Self-pity was not what winners were made of. And even though he’d not followed the family into law or medicine as expected, he’d still become the best in his field. And he wasn’t going to let one stupid error derail everything he’d built.

A scuffle outside his bedroom door caught his attention.

‘You’re a cock-up,’ a voice yelled.

‘No, you are. Your face is a cock-up.’ The retaliation was met with another round of scuffling.

What the hell was going on out there? Why was Tony allowing people to fight in his establishment? When Jody had mentioned his accommodation she’d assured him that, despite its being above a pub, it wouldn’t be rowdy.

‘Boys. Do I need to hide your tablet again?’ The stern warning put a stop to the fighting.

Three sharp raps on his door followed. Shit, Jody was here to see him. He peered at the time on the laptop. Of course she was, they had a meeting. Which she’d brought her sons to. Something she’d not mentioned and something he couldn’t condone. If he’d wanted to work with kids he’d have been a teacher.

He marched to the door, his head full of rebukes, pulled it opened, and all his words of chastisement disappeared as the air whooshed from his stomach at the sight before him. Jody’s two young lads, with those matching sandy-blond curls, mischievous grins and knobbly knees peeping out below denim cut-offs, were smiling up at their mum with absolute adoration as she ruffled their curls. Her smile as big as theirs, with every bit as much love. This was what he’d always imagined a family would be like. A proper family. Love, laughter, teasing. Not cold, distant and perfunctory.

Jody looked up in surprise. ‘Oh, that was quick. I’ve only just knocked.’

‘Well, I could’ve heard you coming from two towns away.’ Christian swung the door open all the way and indicated for them to come in. ‘You didn’t tell me you were bringing them.’

‘“Them” have names. Tyler, Jordan, you remember Christian.’

The boys glared at him with open hostility. ‘He ruined our fun.’ Tyler narrowed his eyes.

‘Yeah. We were having a good time until he yelled at us.’ Jordan scratched at a scab on his elbow. ‘How did he not know it was a slide anyway? For an adult that’s pretty dumb.’

A pretty flush of pink hit Jody’s cheeks. ‘Sorry about these two. You’ll get used to them.’

Get used to them? What? Christian shut the door behind them. ‘Um, what do you mean, “get used to them”? They’re not going to be coming with you to all our meetings, are they?’

Jody nodded. ‘Sure they are. We’re a package deal. They go where I go.’

‘But that’s hardly professional.’ The gentle rhythmic thud of Christian’s heart began to pick up pace. This wasn’t how business was done. How was he going to ensure the festival went off without a hitch with two young people getting in the middle of things? And if the festival didn’t go off without a hitch? Goodbye career, hello humble pie.

‘You want me. You want my family.’ Jody’s hands left the boys’ shoulders and flew to her hips, her chin tilted. ‘The boys and I are a unit. We stick together. Also, there’s no one to take care of them.’

‘What about your brother? Or your friend I met earlier?’ Christian had a feeling he was clutching at straws, but wasn’t giving up easily.

‘Tony has The Bullion to run. His fiancée, Mel, helps him when she’s not running her café. Serena is on the farm most of the day and, frankly, I don’t know that she’s responsible enough to handle the two boys. She’d probably take them on a ramble and lose them.’

‘Your mum? Your dad? Their dad?’ Christian sank onto his bed as the world began to tip a little sideways. Was the room too small for four people? Because it felt like he was losing oxygen.

‘My mum passed away when I was five. My father passed away not long ago. And, their father is… not on the scene.’ The last four words were soft, but there was no missing the steely tone. The boys’ father was not a topic up for discussion when the boys were around.

Christian ran his hand through his hair. ‘Okay, so they’re coming with us.’ He turned his gaze on the boys. ‘We’re going to have to set some rules, though. If your mother or I are talking to an adult, you can’t interrupt. And you can’t get rowdy like you were out in the corridor. Consider yourself Rabbits Leap ambassadors. Pretend you’re fine, upstanding young men… or something.’

‘Pretend?’ Jody frowned, but a smirk threated to ruin her act.