reporter knew his name, so Joe must have been asked to speak and from past experience Kitty knew it was the only way to get them to move on. You had to give them something otherwise they’d be hovering around all night.
‘He was very dehydrated and sunburnt but in remarkably good spirits considering his ordeal. He’s understandably relieved to be back on dry land,’ Joe replied.
He looked fresh and relaxed. No one would guess he was nearing the end of his twelve-hour shift. The dimple in his chin appeared as he smiled at the young news reporter. Kitty just knew the effect his smile would be having on the young woman. She’d be surprised if she could remember her next question.
‘How did he come to be on his surfboard in a shipping lane six kilometres off the east coast of Australia?’ the reporter asked, and Kitty was sure she could see a blush colouring her throat as Joe looked directly at her.
‘As far as we know, he got dragged out to sea in a rip and was unable to paddle back in as the waves were too big.’
‘And how did he end up in your ambulance?’
‘He was spotted by the crew of a container ship and they were able to pick him up. It was fortunate his surfboard was yellow as they may not have seen him otherwise. The coastguard retrieved him and we met them and transferred him here. He’s a very lucky man.’
The reporter asked a couple more questions, but Kitty’s mind wandered as she watched Joe. She could tell he’d had enough of being interviewed. He was still being pleasant but the set of his shoulders had changed. He was angled away from the reporter now and although Kitty couldn’t see his feet she suspected he had shifted his weight. He’d be getting ready to move. She could read his body language, knew his movements. She had spent so much time with him, watching him, she knew the set of his head, the curve of his cheek, the exact position of the dimple in his chin. She didn’t want to be cross with him. She acknowledged that it stemmed from being irritated with herself. It wasn’t his fault she was hormonal.
She felt a flutter in her belly as the baby stretched and moved and reminded her of what was important. Family. Friends. Joe was as important to her as anyone. She’d mend the bridges.
She didn’t get to choose who Joe spent his time with. That was all up to him and he’d obviously not wanted to kiss her. Thank God when he’d bent his head towards her that night at the pub she hadn’t met him halfway—she would have died of embarrassment. As it was, it was bad enough that he’d hooked up with Victoria. Had that been his plan all along for that night?
She remembered he’d asked her not to talk about pregnant sex. Did he think her pregnancy made her unattractive? Undesirable?
Had she just imagined that he was going to kiss her? Had she wanted him to?
She knew she had. Did.
But perhaps it was best that she hadn’t. She needed him in her life and she couldn’t afford to jeopardise their relationship. He was one of the few people she could rely on to have her back. She couldn’t risk altering the status quo.
So she’d better stop being in a huff about Victoria. She didn’t need to socialise with them as a couple but she should stop ignoring Joe.
Even Jess had noticed that Joe hadn’t been around for the past few days. Kitty’s birthday was next week and she had always celebrated it with Joe. Jess and Cam had been pressuring her to invite him for dinner. She checked the roster. She wanted to know which nights Victoria was working. She could invite Joe and feign ignorance that Victoria had a shift.
She went out to the ambulance bay, anxious to catch Joe before he left. Suddenly she felt it was important to fix things. To act like an adult.
She waited until the reporter signed off on her segment and the news crew had started packing up their gear before she hurried after him.
‘Joe? Can I talk to you?’
‘Hey.’ He turned around with a smile. He looked pleased to see her. Maybe he hadn’t even noticed she’d been avoiding him. He was probably too caught up in Victoria to have time to think about her. She pushed those thoughts aside. She didn’t want to think about Victoria any more than she had to, and basked in the warmth of Joe’s smile instead. ‘How are you?’ he asked. ‘How’s our patient?’
‘Hungry.’ She smiled back. ‘Toshi, I mean,’ she clarified.
‘That’s a good sign.’
‘It is,’ she agreed. ‘I saw your interview.’
‘Is that what you came to tell me? Was it terrible?’
She shook her head. ‘You know it wasn’t. I wanted to ask if you are free for dinner tomorrow night? Cam is going to make a barbecue,’ she said, reminding herself she’d have to remember to tell Cam. ‘It’s an early birthday celebration for me. Would you like to come over?’
‘Sounds great.’
‘You’re welcome to bring Victoria,’ she offered, hoping that Joe would already know she had a shift and wouldn’t ask her to swap it.
‘Thanks, but I don’t think we’re at that point in our relationship yet.’
‘OK.’ Kitty did a mental fist pump. That had worked out well—she’d looked gracious while still getting what she wanted. Joe hadn’t even thought about checking Victoria’s roster. ‘See you at seven.’
That was good. He didn’t seem out of sorts with her. She didn’t want to push him away, to give him a reason to abandon their friendship, abandon her. Everyone left her eventually but she really wanted to keep Joe in her life for as long as possible. She needed him.
* * *
Kitty answered Joe’s knock on the door. She was wearing a dress he hadn’t seen before. She looked good. Pink suited her. She was glowing, making him wonder suddenly if she’d had the sex she’d been seeking out the other night. Had sex put the sparkle in her eyes and the glow on her cheeks?
He didn’t want to think about Kitty having sex. Not if it wasn’t with him. But that wasn’t going to happen, and thinking about it wasn’t going to do anyone any good.
‘New dress?’ he asked as he kissed her cheek and handed her the gifts he’d brought.
‘I had to go shopping. I don’t fit into my clothes any more,’ she said as she led him into the house. His gaze dropped to her hips, which were swaying tantalisingly in front of him. This pregnancy had filled her out, rounding her bottom, in a good way, and Joe felt a corresponding tightness in his groin.
He greeted Jess and Cam and handed Cam a six-pack of beer as he tried to ignore the stirring of lust that threatened to destroy his concentration.
‘Good man. I’m living in a teetotaller house these days. I’m trying to be supportive and it’s no fun drinking without company,’ Cam said as he cracked the tops of a couple of the small bottles and handed one back to Joe. ‘Jess isn’t drinking either.’
‘I’m keeping Kitty company,’ she said.
‘How many weeks are you now?’ Joe asked Kitty. ‘Twenty-two?’
‘Twenty-four.’
