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Authors: Debbie Roome
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worse than awful.” The embarrassment came flooding back again. “I’m sorry I disturbed you. It was a pretty gross thing to do—wake you up in the early hours and drag you out of bed to watch me throwing up.”
He leaned over the counter. “I didn’t mind at all. In fact I was glad to come and help—it meant something that you felt you could trust me.” He winked at her. “After all, last time we met you thought I might be an axe murderer.”
Sarah hung her head. “Don’t remind me.”
“Are you hungry? I bought a few things that might work with tender tummies.” He lifted up bananas, yoghurt, a bottle of fruit smoothie, and some plain crackers.
“Yoghurt and a few crackers sound good.”
He brought it to her on a plate patterned with yellow suns and moons before dropping into the chair next to hers. “Don’t forget the tablets the doctor gave you.”
“Oh, yes.” She put the plate down. “They’re in my bag.”
“Sit. I’ll go get it for you.” He came back, bag in hand and handed it to Sarah. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“You can tell me to mind my own business but I was wondering how you got shot? Was it at the same time as your fiancé?”
Sarah was silent for a few moments before deciding she owed him the truth, after all he’d done for her. “Yes, it was. I was trying to get to Luke and they shot me as well. The bullet tore through my shoulder and lodged by the clavicle.” She pulled the neck of her T-shirt down to show him. “It went in here and you can see the scar where they cut it out. I had physiotherapy for a couple of months and it’s much better now. It just hurts a little when it gets cold.”
Joel leaned over her examining the scar. “Do you mind if I touch it?”
She pulled her T-shirt a little further off her shoulder, in answer.
His fingers were gentle as they traced the outline of the bullet hole.” Can you tell me about the shooting?”
Sarah hesitated, her skin responding to his touch, conflicting emotions churning inside. “Not today. Maybe another time.”
Joel sank back in his chair. “Alright. How about telling me what’s happened since our chat in the mountains, then? Have you found a job, a house, decided what you’re going to do?”
“House no, job maybe. I just got a message on my cell phone. I saw an employment agent yesterday and she says there’s a company interested in hiring me. They compile tourism brochures and I’d have the choice of working in their office or from home.” She smiled. “I’d probably choose home, which means I’ll have to start looking for somewhere to live if my interview’s successful.”
“That’s excellent news. Do they pay well?”
“I’m not sure—I’ll find out at the interview.”
“So what type of accommodation will you look for? It must be expensive living in the motel.”
“I booked it for a month so I got a special residential rate … but it would be far cheaper to share accommodation with someone. I’ve been watching the papers and there’re plenty advertised. The only thing that worries me is I don’t have any references and I’m not a Kiwi. That might put some people off.”
Joel kicked back in his recliner and lifted his legs onto the footrest. I know some girls at church who’ll be needing a flat mate in a couple of weeks’ time. I could mention it to them if you’d like.”
Sarah chewed carefully on a cracker. “That might be an idea. If you talk to them they can say outright if they don’t want a foreigner in their home.”
Joel laughed. “You underestimate yourself, Sarah. You may sound different to us but you’re a lovely person. I’ll speak to Mandy—she’s in charge of the setup over there. There are four of them at the moment but Elise is getting married next weekend.”
Sarah’s heart constricted. She would have married Luke seven months ago if all had gone according to plan. She twisted her engagement ring round and round.
He leaned over the counter. “I didn’t mind at all. In fact I was glad to come and help—it meant something that you felt you could trust me.” He winked at her. “After all, last time we met you thought I might be an axe murderer.”
Sarah hung her head. “Don’t remind me.”
“Are you hungry? I bought a few things that might work with tender tummies.” He lifted up bananas, yoghurt, a bottle of fruit smoothie, and some plain crackers.
“Yoghurt and a few crackers sound good.”
He brought it to her on a plate patterned with yellow suns and moons before dropping into the chair next to hers. “Don’t forget the tablets the doctor gave you.”
“Oh, yes.” She put the plate down. “They’re in my bag.”
“Sit. I’ll go get it for you.” He came back, bag in hand and handed it to Sarah. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“You can tell me to mind my own business but I was wondering how you got shot? Was it at the same time as your fiancé?”
Sarah was silent for a few moments before deciding she owed him the truth, after all he’d done for her. “Yes, it was. I was trying to get to Luke and they shot me as well. The bullet tore through my shoulder and lodged by the clavicle.” She pulled the neck of her T-shirt down to show him. “It went in here and you can see the scar where they cut it out. I had physiotherapy for a couple of months and it’s much better now. It just hurts a little when it gets cold.”
Joel leaned over her examining the scar. “Do you mind if I touch it?”
She pulled her T-shirt a little further off her shoulder, in answer.
His fingers were gentle as they traced the outline of the bullet hole.” Can you tell me about the shooting?”
Sarah hesitated, her skin responding to his touch, conflicting emotions churning inside. “Not today. Maybe another time.”
Joel sank back in his chair. “Alright. How about telling me what’s happened since our chat in the mountains, then? Have you found a job, a house, decided what you’re going to do?”
“House no, job maybe. I just got a message on my cell phone. I saw an employment agent yesterday and she says there’s a company interested in hiring me. They compile tourism brochures and I’d have the choice of working in their office or from home.” She smiled. “I’d probably choose home, which means I’ll have to start looking for somewhere to live if my interview’s successful.”
“That’s excellent news. Do they pay well?”
“I’m not sure—I’ll find out at the interview.”
“So what type of accommodation will you look for? It must be expensive living in the motel.”
“I booked it for a month so I got a special residential rate … but it would be far cheaper to share accommodation with someone. I’ve been watching the papers and there’re plenty advertised. The only thing that worries me is I don’t have any references and I’m not a Kiwi. That might put some people off.”
Joel kicked back in his recliner and lifted his legs onto the footrest. I know some girls at church who’ll be needing a flat mate in a couple of weeks’ time. I could mention it to them if you’d like.”
Sarah chewed carefully on a cracker. “That might be an idea. If you talk to them they can say outright if they don’t want a foreigner in their home.”
Joel laughed. “You underestimate yourself, Sarah. You may sound different to us but you’re a lovely person. I’ll speak to Mandy—she’s in charge of the setup over there. There are four of them at the moment but Elise is getting married next weekend.”
Sarah’s heart constricted. She would have married Luke seven months ago if all had gone according to plan. She twisted her engagement ring round and round.
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