there was clearly no space thanks to her massive belly. ‘I was just sitting here feeling sorry for myself. He? She?’
‘She,’ Ava confirmed.
‘She,’ Hope nodded as she looked up properly for the first time and caught sight of the stunning dark-haired woman, ‘has cheered me up.’
‘Yeah,’ Ava smiled affectionately at her dog, ‘she’s good at that. She’s really maternal though, she loves pregnant women and babies. She’s very protective and extremely intelligent.’
‘I always wanted a dog,’ Hope sighed, ‘but my house is enough of a zoo these days.’
‘If she’s too much I can always leave her in the truck.’
‘She’s no trouble,’ Hope smiled. ‘Anyway, what can I do for you?’
‘Oh right,’ Ava wiped her palms on her jeans and held out her hand. ‘I’m Ava.’
‘Hope,’ she reached out and shook Ava’s hand.
‘I’ve recently found myself in possession of an old house and its not been inhabited for a very long time. I need someone to come and check it’s structurally sound so I can decide what to do with it. I was referred to you by my lawyer, um Mr Pearson.’
‘Oh Denny,’ she nodded, ‘he plays golf over on the mainland with my father in law. They think we don’t know what they’re really up to when they head over on ‘business’,’ she punctuated the air sarcastically with quoty fingers. ‘Anyway… sure, we can get someone out to look at your property for you.’ She started searching the cluttered desk for a notepad and pen.
Suddenly the door opened, and Ava froze in surprise. The guy from the bar the night before casually strolled in. He barely nodded in her direction, giving her a polite distant smile as if he hadn’t been flirting with her barely twenty-four hours earlier.
She watched with wide eyes as he leaned over Hope, rubbing her huge belly and dropping a kiss on her lips.
‘I thought you were heading home?’ he asked softly.
‘Yeah well,’ she replied a little sourly, ‘I’m pretty sure I’m wedged in this dumb chair.’
Ava’s expression hardened as her gaze dipped to Hope’s left hand and sure enough there was a thin gold band on her finger. What an asshole, she thought to herself; how often had he cheated on his obviously pregnant wife?
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Hope apologized. ‘Ava, this is my husband Killian. Killian this is Ava.’
‘We’ve met,’ Ava replied flatly.
‘Have we?’ Killian frowned as he held out his hand.
‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘only you told me your name was Kelley.’
‘Oh,’ Killian chuckled, ‘what’s he done this time?’
‘Excuse me?’ she replied in confusion.
‘Kelley’s my idiot brother,’ Killian shook his head.
‘Oh,’ Ava’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, ‘twins?’
‘Don’t even mention that word around here,’ Hope shook her head, ‘or you’ll be cursed. Killian and Kelley are twins, their dad and uncle are twins, these…’ she rubbed her belly are our second lot of twins. You want my advice stay well away from the Ryan gene pool or you’ll be up to your neck in your own miniature football team before you know what’s happened. Seriously, run now, save yourself.’
Ava laughed genuinely.
‘Sorry,’ she apologized to Killian. ‘I met Kelley last night at Dusty’s Bar and Grill and he spent the whole time hitting on me. Then I walk in here this morning and saw you with your obviously very pregnant wife…’
‘Hold the phone,’ Hope interrupted, ‘back up there. Kelley was hitting on you?’
‘Yeah,’ Ava nodded, ‘although given the number of women hanging all over him practically fighting for his attention, I’m sure it’s second nature to him.’
‘Oh my God,’ Hope clapped her hands together in delight and giggled.
‘What?’
‘Kelley never flirts with anyone; in fact, I can’t even remember the last time I saw him actually interested in a woman.’
‘Oh please,’ Ava scoffed, ‘have you seen him? What am I saying; of course, you have. You’re married to the mirror image of him. Kelley has trouble written all over him.’
‘No,’ Hope shook her head in amusement. ‘You’d think that but if you actually get to know him, you’ll realize he’s genuinely oblivious to the attention.’
‘Uh-huh,’ Ava replied dryly, the disbelief written clearly on her face.
‘Anyway,’ Killian interrupted, ‘I’m sure you didn’t come here to discuss my brother, so what is it we can help you with Ava?’
‘Cortez,’ she added.
‘Cortez,’ he mused thoughtfully for a moment. ‘Hang on… Cortez… aren’t you the one who’s inherited the Lynch place?’
‘That’s right,’ Ava nodded, ‘how did you know?’
‘Phil,’ Killian replied in amusement.
‘Who’s Phil?’
‘Phillipa, Dennis Pearson’s assistant,’ he answered. ‘News travels pretty fast around here, but if Phil knows about it, it practically hits