see.” She wrinkled her nose. “Bedposts banging against the wall?”
“You got it. Squeaky bedsprings and all kinds of sounds that I never want to hear unless they’re coming from my room.” He laughed. “You learn way too much about a friend in that situation. I do not need to know that he likes his hair being pulled.”
Cora snorted and then clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh no!”
“Oh yes, as it was most commonly screamed.”
Cora’s cheeks flushed the prettiest shade of pink, and she scrubbed a hand over her face. “I think I’m getting secondhand embarrassment for you.”
“I appreciate the commiseration.” He grinned. “Needless to say, it was time to get the hell out of there. I figured, since Liv’s place was going to be empty I could kill two birds with one stone—have a peaceful night’s sleep and get some extra work done on her place so she’d be surprised when she came back.”
“That’s very sweet,” Cora said with a smile. “And only a little self-serving.”
“Exactly the kind of balance I like to maintain.” He rested his forearms against the edge of the table. “So tell me, why on earth did you agree to a house swap when you’d have to holiday here of all places?”
Not that Patterson’s Bluff was a bad place to visit. Every summer, tourists flooded in, seeking out the clean, endlessly stretching beaches and the sun-drenched lifestyle that was the ultimate antidote for city life. Trent adored this town and everything it offered. But it wasn’t exactly going to top any lists of “most amazing” places to visit in Australia.
He got the impression that Cora could have gone anywhere. So why was she here, in his little town—at the end of tourist season, no less, when nothing much would be happening—if she could be snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef or climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and having cocktails overlooking the Opera House? She could be exploring Melbourne’s endless maze of alleys and funky bars or seeing the incredible natural magnificence that was Uluru.
“It seemed like fun,” Cora said with a noncommittal shrug. “Liv has always spoken very highly of her hometown, and I wanted to see what it was like.”
That was a big steaming pile of BS if Trent ever heard it. But it wasn’t his business, and he didn’t want to pry. So he decided to drop it.
There you go, another reason to stay well away. That fancy trunk wasn’t the only baggage she brought with her.
“So, uh…what does this mean for living arrangements?” Cora asked.
There was no way in hell Trent was going back to Hale’s place—besides, he was pretty sure the girlfriend had already taken over his old room. She’d been eyeing it off as he packed his things. Staying at Liv’s was meant to be temporary anyway. Just long enough for him to secure an architect to start work on his house plans. Then he was going to live on-site in a caravan when building started.
He could stay in the family home, but that wasn’t ideal. As much as he loved his folks, they drove him absolutely bananas. And there was no way he’d mooch off Adam and his wife by staying with them. But Cora might enjoy some good old-fashioned Aussie hospitality.
“You sure you don’t want to stay at the bed and breakfast?” Trent suggested. “Seriously, my brother and sister-in-law will take great care of you. It’s a beautiful little place, and I’m not just saying that because I helped them refurbish it.”
“I can’t leave you with the mess from today,” Cora said, taking a long pull on her beer. “There’re two bedrooms, right? Do you think we could share the space without getting in each other’s way?”
“There’s going to be noise and dust while I work on it. Not to mention other contractors possibly coming in and out.”
“I don’t mind.”
“But I’m sure you were expecting something more relaxing. This is your holiday, after all. Don’t worry about the accommodation bill, either. I’ll cover it—”
“I said I don’t mind,” she repeated firmly. Cora’s eyes met his so unwaveringly, with so much conviction, it was obvious her desires were all but chiseled in stone. “I’d like to stay, if I won’t get in the way of things.”
Trent sighed. There wasn’t much more he could say without seeming like a jerk for kicking her out when he was the one who’d decided to camp there, without permission. “You promise to keep it a secret from Liv? I wanted the reno to