by Avril Sabine
Ellie laughed. “You could say that. Uh-oh. That doesn’t look good.”
Tom and Sam started to walk towards them, grinning.
“I bet they’re planning on throwing us in,” Lauren whispered.
“Can’t throw us in if we’re already in the water.” Ellie glanced at Lauren who nodded. They ran towards Tom and Sam, dodging to the side at the last second. When they reached the edge of the pool, they jumped in, breaking the surface grinning. Seconds later, Tom and Sam dove into the water with them.
Ellie tread water, watching Tom swim over to her. “So what did you pair think you were going to do?”
“You looked like you were having trouble making it to the pool. We were just going to give you a hand.” Tom reached out to grab hold of the pool edge and pulled Ellie to him.
“We were a little distracted.”
“By?”
Ellie ran a hand down Tom’s chest and smiled. “I wouldn’t like to say. I wouldn’t want you to get an over inflated ego.”
Tom’s lips met hers. “Really? Are you planning on ending the conversation just when it’s getting interesting?”
“Yep.”
“I’m sure I could make you talk.”
Ellie grinned, certain he meant by kissing her. “Do your worst.” She squealed when he started to tickle her instead. “Okay! Okay! I’ll talk.”
Tom pulled her close. “So what was the distraction?”
“You. I was busy telling Lauren that you are burn-the-picture-in-your-retina gorgeous.”
Tom laughed. “That good, hey?”
“You don’t need me to tell you. I’m sure you already know.”
“And I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you the same. Unless you’re playing at being the bride of Frankenstein.”
“You’re going to have to pay for that comment.” Ellie tugged Tom’s arm so he lost his grip on the side of the pool, pressing against his shoulders to make him go under. Spinning away, she started to swim to the other side of the pool. She doubted she’d reach her destination before he caught her. He’d already been getting over her surprise attack when she’d spun away from him.
She felt a hand wrap around her ankle, pulling her back. Tom held her close to him and she barely had time to take a deep breath before they sank under the water. His lips met hers. They kissed until they needed to surface for air.
Grinning, Ellie tread water. “I thought the whole idea of getting in the pool was for you to practise.”
“Are you going to swim a couple of laps with me?”
Ellie shook her head. “I’ve got no chance of keeping up with you.”
“So I’ll keep up with you.” Tom grinned. “Come on. Just two laps. What do you say?”
“Sure. Why not?”
After the two laps, Ellie stayed in the shallow end, reclining on the steps. Lauren joined her while Sam did laps with his brother. She watched Tom for a while, fascinated by the way his body moved through the water. She turned to Lauren to see her watching too.
“Which one?”
Lauren frowned as she glanced at Ellie. “Huh?”
“Who are you watching?”
“Sam. You know when you’re little and you have an Easter egg hunt?”
“Yeah?” Ellie dragged the word out, uncertain what her friend was trying to say.
“And at the end of it you’re left with a handful of chocolate eggs, all wrapped in different colours, looking pretty much the same other than the different clothes.”
“Clothes?”
“Play along.”
“Okay.” Ellie drew the word out, shaking her head. “Easter eggs dressed in different coloured shirts. Then what?”
Lauren giggled. “Now you’ve got me picturing them with buttons down the front and empty sleeves ’cause they don’t have arms.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “We’re getting off track. What has this to do with Sam?”
“Well, you open up one of those little eggs and take a bite and it’s chocolate, all the way through. Absolutely delicious.”
“Of course. Chocolate always is.” Ellie nodded.
“You have another one. Yummy, creamy chocolate.”
“Yeah.” Again Ellie drew the word out.
“Then you unwrap the next one and take a bite expecting to find chocolate and your mouth is filled with caramel as well.”
“Are you meant to be going somewhere with this? Because you’re starting to make me hungry.”
Lauren laughed. “Just saying the word food makes you hungry. But yeah, I’m going somewhere. Sam’s like that. He’s not what you expect when you start to peel away the layers.”
“Are we talking his body or his personality?”
“Well, I certainly can’t ignore that body.” Lauren grinned. “But I was including his personality in that too.”
“What were you pair up to in the kitchen when Tom and I were a little oblivious to the rest of the world?”
“A little?” Lauren looked sceptical.
“Okay. Completely and utterly oblivious to the rest of the world?”
“I rode over here this morning on my bike. Sam said he’d ride home with me this afternoon when it’s time for me to go. I said it’d take about an hour. I was worried he might collapse along the way. I mean, he doesn’t come across as a very active person. But he said that wasn’t a problem. He often goes riding with his brother for a few hours at a time.”
“Tom seems to love sport. All sport,” Ellie said.
“Yeah, well I asked Sam if he played any sport and he said he wasn’t really interested. He seems pretty fit considering he’s not interested in playing sport. I got the feeling he joins his brother in things because they’re friends.”
Ellie watched the brothers as they kept pace with each other. She smiled as she recalled Tom keeping pace with her. “Yeah, I think they are too.”
“You know what?”
Ellie looked over to Lauren. “What?”
“We haven’t played Marco Polo for ages.”
“I’m guessing you’re not talking the version we played in primary school?”
Lauren grinned. “What do you say? Think we can round up two blindfolds? I’m interested to see how keen Sam is to catch me when the prize is a kiss.”
Ellie laughed. “You’re just keen to see what he kisses like without committing yourself to anything. Just in case he kisses worse than a puppy.”
“So? Sue me.”
“I’m guessing I’m the one who has to suggest the game.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “What do you think? You’re the one who spends half her time attached at the lips with Tom. And you better be persuasive, particularly when I’m reluctant.”
“The things I’m called on to do in the name of friendship.” Ellie grinned.
“Well?”
“Of course.”
Ellie was glad they’d finished their game of Marco Polo when Teresa came out on the patio and called to Tom.
Tom waved to his mother to let her know he heard her and swam over to the side of the pool, closest to the patio. Sam followed him. Ellie and Lauren shared a look before they swam over too.
“I was just letting you know we’re home,” Teresa called down when Tom and Sam were out of the pool.
“Mum, this is Beth’s friend, Lauren.” Tom gestured towards them as they pulled themselves out of the pool.
Ellie guessed she should probably tell Teresa that she was going by the name Ellie now. Although she wondered if it really mattered since Sam still called her Beth.
“Hello again, Beth. Lauren.”
Ellie said hi at the same time as Lauren said hello.
“How many will be here for dinner? Your father will need to know,” Teresa said.
Tom glanced towards Ellie and Lauren. Ellie nodded while Lauren shook her head. He looked up towards his mother again. “Only one extra.”
Teresa nodded and then frowned. “It looks like you need a haircut, Sam. Do you want me to make an a
ppointment for you next week?”
Sam blushed and shook his head. “I’m growing it.”
Ellie wondered if that decision had anything to do with her comment on how he should wear his hair.
A man joined Teresa on the patio. His sandy brown hair was nearly as short as Tom’s. He had sharp blue eyes and similar features to his oldest son, but his nose was hooked and his cheekbones more prominent. “Afternoon everyone.”
Lauren grabbed Ellie’s arm with a gasp. Ellie looked at her friend in surprise. Lauren continued to watch the patio.
“Dad, this is Beth and Lauren. My father, Gregory.”
“Hi,” Ellie said, nudging Lauren who still didn’t reply.
“You’ve all got the right idea for a warm day like this,” Gregory said.
“When doesn’t Tom find some excuse to drag everyone into the pool?” Sam asked.
Gregory laughed. “I’ll let you get back to your fun.”
Chapter Fifteen
When Gregory and Teresa disappeared inside, Lauren shook Ellie’s arm. “You didn’t recognise him?”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Not you.”
Tom laughed. “I bet Ellie doesn’t have anything at all to do with cooking, other than eating the finished product.”
Ellie looked from one to the other. “None of you are making sense.”
“Gregory Wallace has his own cooking show,” Lauren squealed.
“As in, on TV?” When Lauren nodded, Ellie asked, “What are you doing watching cooking shows?”
Lauren shook her head. “Sometimes you worry me.” She pointed at Tom and Sam. “Their Dad is on TV.”
“Guess that’d be why me asking if he’s camera shy was amusing.” Ellie met Tom’s eyes.
Tom grinned. “Yep.”
“Ellie!”
She turned to Lauren. “What?”
“He’s famous.” Lauren pointed towards the upper level of the house.
“He can’t be too famous. I didn’t recognise him,” Ellie said.
“Hello? You wouldn’t recognise an apron, you have so little to do with cooking. He has books out and everything.”
Ellie tilted her head thoughtfully. “That makes sense.”
Lauren frowned. “That he has books out?”
Ellie shook her head. “No. Why Sam can cook so well.”
“It doesn’t bother you Dad’s on TV?” Sam asked.
“He cooks. How famous can he be? Lauren’s mum watches every cooking and gardening show on TV. Even ones that might be on late at night because no one’s interested in watching them.” She nearly groaned at how much like an insult that sounded. “Ah… I didn’t mean to insinuate no one watches your dad’s show. So… uhm… are we going to get back in the pool? I’m getting cold standing around here talking.” Ellie looked from Sam to Tom.
Tom grinned and jumped towards the pool, tucking his legs up. Ellie turned her head at the last second before the splash reached her. She quickly followed him. When he swam towards the shallow end, she swam after him, wondering what he was up to. He stopped and waited for her when the water was just over his shoulders. It was still a little deep for Ellie. She held onto Tom so she didn’t have to tread water to keep her head above the surface.
“Have you never seen Dad on TV?” Tom wrapped his arms around her.
“I don’t have any secret fantasy to be a brilliant chef. I have a terrible habit of setting kitchens on fire. Why would I bother watching cooking shows?”
Tom laughed. “Some people can’t watch his shows enough.”
“Who? Bored housewives and little old grannies?”
Tom continued to grin. “Yeah, something like that. Want to do another few laps?”
“No way. The only way I’m doing another lap of the pool is if someone either tows me or gives me a ride.”
Tom’s lips met Ellie’s. “Sure I can’t convince you?” He kissed her again.
“Nope. I’m going to laze on the steps and you can show me how fast you can swim. I know you can go faster than Sam and you can definitely swim faster than me.”
“It won’t bother you?”
Ellie grinned. “What won’t bother me?”
“Me leaving you on your own while I do a few laps.”
“Me lazing in the shallows so I can drool over your body as you swim back and forth?”
Tom kissed her again. “Need a ride to those shallows?”
“Yep.” Ellie moved to Tom’s back when he tapped it and held on. She took a deep breath when Tom slid beneath the water and watched as the end of the pool rapidly came closer.
A few minutes after Tom left her on the steps, Lauren joined her. Ellie grinned at her. “Did you get an autograph yet?”
“He’s famous,” Lauren insisted.
“Yep.”
“Oh stop humouring me. You’re completely uncultured.”
“Because I don’t watch cooking shows?”
Lauren giggled. “Okay. Fine. But he’s still famous.”
Ellie shrugged. “Now if he was in a band and played lead guitar I might think about asking for his autograph, but a cook?” She shook her head. “I’ll be right.” She frowned. “Maybe I better stay away from him. What if setting kitchens on fire is contagious? Although it might make his shows more interesting.”
Lauren hit Ellie lightly on the arm. “You’re a lost cause.”
“Yep.”
“I’ve got to head soon. Are you set for the night?”
Ellie nodded. “Yeah. I’m here the entire weekend.”
Lauren glanced towards Tom. “It looks like our planning didn’t turn out too bad after all. I swear if you fell in an industrial bin you’d probably find a suitcase of money.”
“As long as it wasn’t a kitchen I fell into. Then it’d probably go up in flames.”
Lauren giggled. “Hopeless.”
“Yep. Absolutely.”
They fell quiet as Sam swum over to them. He looked at Ellie. “You don’t mind if I ride home with Lauren?”
“Not at all. But I’d suggest you pack a snack. She’s always starved after a long ride.”
Sam nodded. “I know. She asked for something to eat almost the moment she stepped inside this morning.”
“Only because I’m madly in love with your cooking,” Lauren said.
Sam blushed. “Do you want to use the bathroom first?”
Lauren shook her head. “Nah, you go ahead. I want to finish talking to Ellie.”
Sam nodded and climbed out of the pool. Lauren watched him walk away. She sighed when he disappeared around the corner of the house.
“So what’s your verdict?”
Lauren looked confused. “Huh?”
“The kiss?”
Lauren smiled slowly. “Not bad. Not bad at all.”
“Do I take it there’ll be more?”
“Maybe.” Lauren’s smile became a grin.
“Your mum’s going to ground you for life before she let’s a boy in the house.”
“I’ve got the perfect plan.”
“Then hurry up and tell me,” Ellie said.
“Sam is getting a couple of signed pictures of his dad. She’ll welcome him like a long lost son. She thinks Gregory Wallace is better than any lead guitar player.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Only because she doesn’t think a guitar is an instrument.”
Lauren giggled. “Okay, better than anybody in any orchestra you could name.”
“Well that wouldn’t be hard since I couldn’t name a single orchestra.”
“Didn’t I say you were uncultured?”
“I’ll agree now. But cooking shows aren’t culture.”
“Okay. Fine. But my mum does love them.”
Ellie looked thoughtful. “Did you decide Sam had potential before or after you learned who his father is?”
“Before.”
Ellie nodded. “That’s good. He’s odd, but nice. Even though you’re my best friend I wouldn’t be able to sit back and let you use him.”
“You aren’t using Tom just for a place to stay on weekends?”
Ellie shook her head. “Nope. I’m only here because I can’t keep my hands off him.”
“That’s nice to know.”
Ellie and Lauren both turned to see that Tom had quietly surfaced not far from them. Lauren quickly stood up, hopping out of the pool. “I’ve got to go. Thanks for putting up with me.” She was gone before either of them could say goodbye.
“I think I just embarrassed your friend.” Tom sat on the step beside Ellie.
“Ah… yeah… I guess.”
“And you?”
Ellie half smiled and shrugged. “Maybe. A little. We didn’t hear you. How long were you listening?”
“Not long.”
“Exactly how long?”
“From just before you were calling my brother odd again.”
Ellie frowned as she tried to think back over what they’d said. She couldn’t recall anything drastic. Her frown disappeared when Tom kissed her.
“There was nothing for you to be worried about. So what do you want to do now? We’re about to have all of downstairs to ourselves.”
Ellie grinned. “Behave.”
“That doesn’t sound like much fun.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ellie sat quietly in the car beside Tom. The weekend had gone by too quickly. They pulled up in front of her house and Tom started to unbuckle his seatbelt.
Ellie placed her hand over his. “Don’t come in, Tom.”
“More secrets?”
Ellie shook her head. “There’s been a weekend long party. I don’t want you to see that mess.”
“Who cleans up after it?”
“I do.”
Tom undid his seatbelt.
“Tom-”
“I’ll give you a hand.”
Ellie sighed. She knew how stubborn Tom could be. Especially when he had that expression. “Fine. Don’t complain. Remember I told you not to come in.” She grabbed her schoolbag and overnight bag, that were at her feet, and got out of the car. She was just past the gate when Tom reached her side, taking her bags. Getting out her key, she unlocked the front door. As she let it swing open she watched Tom’s face. His expression didn’t change. She grinned. “You’re good, I’ll give you that much.”
