Read Online The Turnaround Treasure Shop by Jennie Jones - Free Book Online

aimed a pointed finger at her husband. ‘Be careful, Hotshot. Unless you want a repeat of the hammer-grip manoeuvre I showed you this morning.’ She thrust her finger into Dan’s chest and shoved him away, laughing.
    Lily adored Charlotte’s attitude. Her beautiful red hair went with her spirit. Prickly, according to Dan which always made Charlotte smile, especially when Dan called her Red — his personal nickname for his wife. But Lily knew Charlotte well, and her occasional prickliness was a cover-up for her sometimes shy but always generous nature.
    Dan’s smile widened and the sensuality in his eyes deepened. ‘Anytime, Red.’ Something hot and passionate had just passed between her bosses. Something sexy and personal. Some ‘thing’ Lily didn’t want to think any more about since she wasn’t getting that sexy thing, and probably never would. Except from books. Or the pictures that kept popping into her head.
    Dan backed away from his wife, palms up in surrender mode, his smile now bordering on a laugh. ‘You can get me in that hold anytime. Just not now. I’m going for a run.’
    â€˜Don’t wear yourself out,’ Charlotte said. ‘I might have plans for you later.’
    Lily’s insides melted. Theirs was a beautiful marriage. Three years into their life together, one gorgeous daughter, a yellow weatherboard house at the northern end of Main Street, and a thriving business in Kookaburra’s.
    Dan kissed the top of Olivia’s head and she beamed up him, going all gooey-eyed at her handsome daddy and offering him her rolling pin.
    Once Kookaburra’s opened up as a full-blown hotel two years ago the town had prospered and the unemployment rate had dropped. But the Bradford’s were careful with their generosity. Charlotte had explained to Lily that they wanted to help but did not, under any circumstances, want to be viewed as officious and pre-emptive regarding their monetary donations.
    Sammy and Ethan Granger were the same. They ran a large spread on Burra Burra Lane and Ethan had employed some of the mothers in Swallow’s Fall as horse riding instructors and their children as stablehands. Ethan still kept the young people in mind, catering two half-days a week in school holidays to teaching them carpentry. Sammy ran an art class twice a week for anyone who wanted to learn how to draw or paint. Children, mainly, but some of the older residents had participated and seeing how much they enjoyed the ‘oldies get-together’ — their terminology — this class had now evolved into a weekly luncheon event at the Town Hall. Sammy’s son, Lochie, seemed to be taking after his mother with his artistic talents and always had coloured pencils and a drawing pad in his hands. Little Edie was too young to be showing any artistic talents yet, but she always had fat crayons and scrap paper around too.
    Many, many times, Lily thanked the universal deities for returning her and her children to the safety and comfort of Swallow’s Fall.
    â€˜So. Where’s your life heading, Lily?’
    Lily looked up from the carrots she was now chopping for the lunchtime pasties and focussed on Charlotte who dipped her hands into a bag of flour and threw a handful over her work surface, preparing to make a batch of scones for an afternoon tea party in the restaurant.
    â€˜Probably to the library, once I finish these pasties.’
    Charlotte threw her a knowing smile, which Lily returned. They were alone in the kitchen, apart from Olivia who was now intently rolling uncooked pastry on the table of her high chair with her rolling pin, and it looked like Charlotte wanted to spend some quality girlfriend time, as she was want to call the moments when they chatted about woman stuff. Like children, lipstick colours, any new products in the beauty parlour — or to renew the old conversation. Lily wasn’t fooled by the casualness of