SHELTER

by Boston, Claire

  She was so far out of his league anyway. She was educated, had an important job with plenty of travel and probably had her eye on the corporate ladder. The only ladder he climbed was to get onto a roof. She even wore black pants to watch a football game. Did she own a pair of jeans?

  Still, maybe she’d be happy to slum it with a blue collar builder for a few days.

  He parked outside the shed and Fetch trotted over. Jeremy grinned. He was after his dinner, otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered leaving the porch.

  He stroked the dog and gestured to Zamira. “Come inside.”

  He pushed the back door open. “Do you want something to eat?” He was starving, having only had time to eat a few chips before Henk had come to their table.

  “A drink would be nice.”

  He cleared the sketches he’d been working on from the kitchen bench. “Have a seat.” He pointed to the bench stools and she slid onto one. Carrying the plans over to his table, he hesitated. No room there, or on the coffee table. He dumped them on his diary and glanced around the room. Paper, half-made models and half-finished projects lay on almost every flat surface. In his defence, he didn’t often have people out to his place. He had no one he wanted to impress and no one to worry about disappointing. Still Zamira must think him a total slob.

  He shouldn’t care what she thought. He opened the fridge. “I’ve got beer, soft drink, tea, coffee, water.”

  “Tea, please.”

  He switched on the kettle and then stared into the fridge. He’d finished the casserole for lunch and that had been the last of his leftovers. He needed to go grocery shopping. Getting out a block of cheese, he then examined the bread in his bread bin. Still good, if a little stale.

  Toasted cheese sandwiches would have to do.

  Quickly he buttered the bread, slid the cheese on top with some cracked pepper and put them into his sandwich maker. Then he made Zamira a cup of tea.

  “I’m sorry I interrupted your dinner at the pub.”

  He shrugged. “Don’t sweat it. This will do.”

  She reached out, brushed his hand and the softness of her fingers sent a thrill through him. “I appreciate what you’re doing, Jeremy.”

  No way could he resist those deep brown eyes. “I’m happy to help.” He checked his sandwiches and his phone rang. Jamie.

  “Hey, mate. What can I do for you?”

  “Shit, you’re probably with that woman. Sorry, it can wait.”

  Jeremy chuckled. “It’s fine. What do you want?”

  “Can I come out tomorrow afternoon with the bike?”

  He dug out his diary. “I should be home by five.”

  “Thanks. See you then.”

  He hung up and then slid his nicely browned sandwiches onto a plate. “Sure you don’t want one?”

  Zamira smiled. “I’m fine. They smell good. I haven’t had a cheese toastie since I was at university.”

  The thought of her at university, eating standard uni student food made him smile. “What did you study?”

  “Commerce and political science.”

  She had to be pretty brainy.

  “What about you?”

  She had to be kidding. “No university for me. I didn’t even finish high school. Started an apprenticeship with my dad at fifteen.” His lungs constricted. Would he ever be able to remember his father without the pain? He was lucky his father’s best friend, Pete had agreed to take on his apprenticeship afterwards.

  “He’s a builder too?”

  Jeremy didn’t correct her tense. Instead he nodded and took a big bite of his sandwich.

  “Do your parents live in Blackbridge?”

  Jeremy scowled and swallowed. “Mum’s in Albany.” Or had been the last time he’d spoken to someone who knew her.

  “Any siblings?”

  “Two younger sisters.” He needed to get the conversation off him and his family. That was a dead-end zone. “What about you?”

  “Two sisters as well.” She sipped her tea. “They both live in Melbourne with my parents. They won’t leave home until they marry.”

  He had no idea where his sisters lived or if they were married. “Must be a good home then.”

  Her smile was a little sad. “It is, but there are a lot of expectations. It’s nice to visit.”

  He understood that. “So where do you live?”

  “I’ve got a little apartment in Melbourne, not far from work.”

  He grimaced. “I couldn’t deal with neighbours so close and no backyard.”

  Zamira smiled. “Well you do have a beautiful home. I can see why you love it here.”

  Her praise washed over him. He’d worked hard for what he had with little help from others after he’d finished his apprenticeship. “Thanks.” He got up and put his empty plate in the dishwasher and switched it on. He turned back to Zamira. “I’d say the house isn’t normally this messy, but I’d be lying.” He flicked on the kettle.

  She moved over to the table. “Are these customer projects?”

  “Some are.” He stood next to her, inhaling a minty scent, and had a strong temptation to place an arm around her and pull her close. Instead, he handed her a couple of sketches from the table. “I’m doing a couple of granny flats for some clients. That’s the floor plan for the first one. It’s pretty straightforward, but the other is on a sloping block so I need to make a few adjustments.”

  “Do you work by yourself?”

  “I get help in when I need it.” But working alone was far preferable. Then he didn’t have to worry about hurting anyone.

  “Does your dad still work?”

  He flinched, stepped away from her. “No. He’s dead.” He strode back to the kitchen, his hand shaking as he poured his cup of tea.

  “I’m sorry.” Her gentle tone made him squeeze his eyes closed as his chest tightened.

  Finally, he shrugged. “It is what it is.” He looked up. The compassion in her eyes had him gritting his teeth. “Do you want another cuppa?”

  “No, thank you.”

  He added milk and then carried the mug out of the kitchen and over to his worn couches away from her. She followed. “Did you make your letterbox?”

  The change of subject had him blinking. “Yeah.” He sat on his couch and her knee brushed his as she sat. He told his body to behave. Something about her ticked all his boxes physically. He wanted to run his hands through her short hair, tug her closer and cover her mouth with his. He shifted away as she spoke.

  “It’s lovely. It’s what made me come down your drive and not Henk’s. I figured anyone who cared about their letterbox couldn’t be too crazy.”

  He grunted. “Appearances can be deceiving.”

  “I know. When I first saw you, I thought you were a cave man.”

  Her admission surprised a laugh out of him, and he rubbed his beard. “Are you suggesting I need to shave?”

  “No! It’s just you looked a little scary, a little reclusive, but it turns out you’re incredibly nice.”

  She was right about being a recluse. Although he helped people whenever he could, and socialised at the football or motocross, he preferred being alone. Less ways he could disappoint people or get hurt. “Thanks.”

  She glanced at the time. “I should probably go. I’ve taken up too much of your time already.”

  He ignored the pang in his chest and placed his half full mug on the coffee table. “I’ll get my keys.”

  “Oh, I forgot you drove me here.” She gripped her pendant. “Finish your tea at least. I’m sorry to be an imposition.”

  He wouldn’t use that word to describe her. “I’m enjoying having you here.”

  She flushed. “I’m enjoying being here too.”

  Her eyes met his and darkened. Maybe she was attracted to him. Some women thought the cave man look was hot. He smirked.

  She blinked and reached for a cardboard model of a birdhouse. “Wh… What’s this?” Her voice was a little breathless.

  He sipped his
tea and relaxed. “It’s going to be a bird house. When I’m happy with the concept, I’ll make it out of wood.”

  She turned to him, eyes wide. “You designed this?”

  He nodded.

  “It’s so… quaint. It makes me wish I had a garden I could put it in.”

  He grinned. “I’ll make you one when you do.” It wasn’t anything special, but it was nice to be appreciated. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

  She shrugged, a delicate lift of her shoulders. “It depends if Annisa gets away and what Border Force say.” She tilted her head. “I might be able to show Annisa around Blackbridge. Can you recommend any good places to go?”

  He frowned. “There are lookouts all along the coast and some pretty beaches. Green’s Pool is a nice spot.” He thought about it. “If you want more bush and trees, the Valley of the Giants treetop walk is about an hour’s drive from here, and the national park has a few walking trails through it. You could probably pick up a map at the tourist bureau.”

  She retrieved a notebook from her bag and made some notes. Her fancy looking camera sat inside. “You must be serious about your photos.”

  “I’m an amateur at best. I’d like to get better, but I don’t practise much.”

  “Can I see what you’ve taken?”

  “Ah… sure.” She switched the camera on and showed him how to flick through the shots.

  They were pretty good. She’d taken sharp action shots of the football game and also photos of the winery. Her shot selection wasn’t what a normal person would take. She zoomed in, focusing on a door, a flower or leaf, looking at the object in a different way. Seeing more than people would if they only glanced at it. Hopefully she wouldn’t look too closely at him. She wouldn’t like what she saw. “These are great.” He handed the camera back to her, his fingers brushing her wrist.

  That jolt again. He should take her home before he did something he might regret. “Ready to go?”

  “Oh. Of course.” She stuffed her camera back in her bag and got to her feet. She hesitated, opened her mouth and then closed it again.

  He chuckled. “What do you want to ask?”

  She screwed up her face in the cutest way. “I was thinking… I know I’m being such a pain and I hate to ask you for more…”

  Jeremy braced himself. “What do you need?”

  “Well, it’s just I told Annisa to come here when she could.”

  He nodded. “I’ll call you if she arrives.”

  Zamira sighed. “Thanks.” She moved towards the back door. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

  “I’m laying the slab for one of the granny flats.” He grabbed his jacket from the laundry. “Then I’ve got to finish the hen house remodelling I’ve been working on.” He handed over her jacket. “Feel free to hang out here if you want. The back door’s always unlocked and Fetch likes visitors.”

  “Thank you, that’s kind of you.”

  Kind. Nice. Not words he deserved to hear.

  He grabbed his keys and led the way out of the house.

  ***

  When Zamira pried her eyes open the next morning it was bright outside. She checked the time and groaned. Already eight o’clock. Though she wasn’t particularly surprised. She’d lain in bed tossing and turning after Jeremy had dropped her off. She should have been agonising over Annisa, trying to figure out how to get her out, but instead her mind was full of Jeremy, the way he smiled at her, the sexy way his eyes had widened and deepened when she’d said she enjoyed being at his place, the shivers running through her when he’d accidentally brushed her wrist.

  She’d never been so worked up about a man.

  It was foolish.

  Her mother would be horrified she was considering a holiday fling. Good girls didn’t sleep around, especially not with ruggedly handsome men.

  No, good girls waited until they met a nice man with good prospects and dated extensively before even seeing the inside of his place. Judging from her dating failures at university her mother was probably right.

  But none of the men she’d dated had given her tingles the way Jeremy had. She didn’t imagine he’d be bad in bed. No, he was too masculine, too confident.

  Zamira rolled her eyes. Her fantasies had to stop.

  She’d go home any day — as soon as Annisa was safe. Her heart leapt and she sat up, grabbed her phone. No missed calls. No messages. Hadn’t Annisa gone to Jeremy’s last night?

  He’d promised to call her if she did.

  She gritted her teeth and then texted him. Calling would be too needy and she didn’t want to disturb him at work. She’d been enough of a hassle.

  Then to stop herself from staring at the phone waiting for a reply, she showered, dressed and when he still hadn’t responded, headed into town for breakfast.

  She parked outside the bakery. Before she called Border Force she needed a strong coffee and fortification. As she walked in, Mai waved to her. “You’re becoming a regular. What would you like today?”

  She should have something savoury. She spotted something on the menu that made her smile. “A cheese toastie and a flat white please.” The sandwiches Jeremy had made last night had looked good. She paid and then took a seat.

  The bakery was quieter today with only a couple of grandparents and grandchildren too young to be at school, and a group of middle-aged women dressed in exercise gear. The sky was clear which would be good for Jeremy. She imagined pouring concrete in the rain wouldn’t be great. She huffed out a breath. And she was right back to him again.

  He’d be home by five to meet whoever he’d invited over. She hadn’t been brave enough to ask and it wasn’t any of her business. Though he had also invited her to hang at his place, so it probably wasn’t a girlfriend.

  The bell above the door jingled and her heart skipped a beat. Jeremy.

  He wore workman’s gear today, dark blue cargo pants, steel-capped boots and a high-visibility shirt. Smudges of grey lined his shirt, probably from the concrete he’d been pouring. He greeted Mai cheerfully and ordered a large coffee to go.

  Should she go over and say hi?

  He was probably sick of her.

  Mai asked him about the fire and Zamira remembered she was also a fire-fighter. Jeremy glanced around the bakery and his eyes met hers. She waved, feeling like a fool.

  The smile that spread across his face made her body flush.

  He strode over. “Morning.”

  “Good morning.” Focus on why she was here. “Did you see Annisa?”

  His smile faltered. “No. She didn’t come over.”

  Zamira’s spirits fell. Hadn’t Annisa been able to leave? Maybe she should go back to Henk’s. No, she should call Border Force. She confined her panic. “Did you get the slab laid?”

  “Yeah, went perfectly.”

  Mai brought over her coffee and toastie. “Here you go. How do you two know each other?”

  Zamira glanced at him.

  “Met her at the football yesterday,” he said easily. “Mind if I take a seat?”

  “Go ahead.”

  His knees brushed hers as he sat and Mai said, “I’ll bring your coffee over when it’s ready.”

  “Thanks, Mai.” When she’d left, he asked, “What have you been up to?”

  She winced. “Actually I’ve only just got up.”

  “You don’t have to check in with work?”

  “No.” Telling him she was on holidays might complicate matters. “Are you between jobs?”

  He nodded. “I’m about to head over to Shirley’s place to finish remodelling her hen house. She had some chickens stolen last year and since then she’s been buying more and needs more space. She also wants to increase the security, so no one can simply walk in there and take them. It’s part upgrade, part extension.”

  His mind was elsewhere, already thinking through what to do. It was fascinating.

  He blinked and then added, “I’ll ask her about Annisa. She knows most of what’s going on in town.�
�

  “Thank you.” There had to be some way she could repay him for all his help. “Can I buy you dinner?” The words popped out of her mouth.

  He smiled. “I’d like that.”

  Her heart raced. Hell. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. “Ah, tonight? Do you have somewhere you can recommend?” Great, now she was asking him to do the work.

  He swore. “I promised Jamie I’d weld his motocross bike tonight.”

  “How long will it take?”

  “Probably an hour or so. Jamie likes a good chat.”

  “How about afterwards then? I could cook you dinner at your place.” What on earth was she saying? That wasn’t a sensible idea. She’d be alone with him, trying her hardest to ignore the pull of attraction. No. Annisa would be with them. It would be a simple thank you dinner. Providing sustenance for someone was the perfect way of showing gratitude.

  She wasn’t fooling herself. She liked him.

  This time his smile was slow and warm. “That could be fun. I need to go grocery shopping though. I don’t have a lot in the fridge.”

  “I’ll bring what I need with me, say about six?”

  “Make it six-thirty so I have a chance to clean up.”

  She nodded. “All right.”

  Mai came over with Jeremy’s take-away coffee. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.” He got to his feet. “I’d better keep moving. I’ll see you tonight.” He walked out.

  Zamira slumped in her chair. What had she done?

  “Are you all right?”

  She’d forgotten Mai was still there. “Um, yes?”

  Mai laughed and sat in Jeremy’s chair. “You look a little flustered.”

  “I offered to cook dinner for Jeremy.” She played with her pendant. “What was I thinking? I barely know him.”

  “Let me ease your mind. Jeremy is about the best guy you could find,” Mai said. “He’s genuinely nice, always lends a hand and I honestly don’t know why someone hasn’t snapped him up long ago.”

  Zamira glanced at her. “Why didn’t you?”

  Mai screwed up her nose. “There was never the spark. We went from strangers to friends after our first fire call-out together and there was never anything else. But I know he’d be there if I needed a hand and I trust him with my life. When you fight fires, you’ve got to trust your crew.”