Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(22)

“Fairly quickly. There’s no chain, so I’ve just got to wait for all the legal shit to be completed.” He shook his head and smiled. “I can’t believe I’ve just bought this hole!”

“It won’t be a hole!”

“I know. I wanted a project, and I’ve certainly got one.” He looked up at the house, at his house. “Man I can’t wait to move in now.”

“Well let’s get started. You drive to some boring DIY store and we can pick up paint charts. Ooh and look at kitchens and bathrooms!”

He groaned. “You’re going to be a nightmare, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely. Come on.”



We arrived back at Cole’s house, well his parents’ house, loaded with brochures and paint charts from every brand.

“How did it go?” Jenna asked as we walked in his soon-to-be old house.

“Great. I’m a hundred and twenty-three grand poorer,” he replied sarcastically. It was a steal at that price. Although he was going to spend quite a bit doing it up.

“But you have an amazing house,” I countered.

“First, I have a project. A damn expensive, time consuming project.”

“You’re so negative, sweetheart. We’ll all help you decorate and whatever else it needs.”

“What are we detoatin?” Leona asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Uncle Cole’s new house.”

Leona’s bottom lip stuck out, and she looked up at Cole with big pleading eyes.

“I want you to live here.”

Cole rolled his eyes at his mum and picked Leona up.

“I’ll come see you all the time, and you can stay at mine whenever you want, okay?”

She nodded and flung her arms around his neck. I didn’t blame her for getting upset. I would hate not seeing him all the time. I did hate it.

I spent a little more time with Cole, Leona, and Jenna, talking about the house before going back to Ali’s. I wanted to stay longer, but I didn’t want to push it.

Mum’s hire car was the only one in the drive so Ali and Lizzie had obviously gone out.

“You back with him yet?” Jasper asked as soon as I walked in the house.

“Hello to you too.”

He cocked his head to the side, waiting for an answer.

“No, Jasper.”

“You two are stupid.”

I glared at him and walked away. I wasn’t in the mood for Jasper’s Cole talk. “It’s gonna happen eventually.”

I had an hour before I had to leave to meet up with my lawyer, Linda. So I didn’t have to spend it arguing with Jasper over what I should do about Cole, I grabbed a magazine off Lizzie’s desk and laid on the futon to read it.

When I couldn’t put it off any longer, I went downstairs. Mum and Jasper had offered to come with me, but I honestly didn’t want them to. I was still hoping they would change their mind about being there while I was giving evidence. I understood they wanted to be there – hopefully to watch him go down – but I hated the thought of them hearing everything that happened with Frank.

“Hi, honey,” Mum said. Her voice was soft, the voice she used for me as a child.

I smiled. “Hey.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come?” Jasper asked, getting straight to the point.

“I’m sure.”

Mum sighed. “We don’t mind. We both want to be there for you.”

“I know, but the best way you can help me is by letting me do this alone. Please?”

Mum nodded, agreeing as I thought she would. Jasper frowned, but I knew he had given in. Running away was easier, and I wanted nothing more than to be back in Australia but that would solve nothing.

The doorbell ringing broke me from my thoughts.

“I got it,” Jasper shouted, even though we were all in the same room.

Jasper soon returned to the kitchen followed by Cole. I immediately felt a little better.

“Call me if you need anything. Jasper, you can come and help me at the supermarket.”

“What?” Jasper said. Mum ushered him out of the room.

“Ah, you’re giving them time alone.”

I sighed.

“Love you. Call if you need me,” Mum said and kissed my forehead.

“Shouldn’t you be working?”

He took a half-day holiday to view the house, but he was supposed to go back in the afternoon.

“So you’ve given up on the hello thing altogether,” he teased, leaning on the breakfast bar.

I smiled. “Only with you! Seriously, why aren’t you at work? Did they finally realise what they’d done hiring you in the first place?”

“Ha ha. I’ve actually come to take you to your appointment.”

He held his hand up as I was about to argue. Did my mother ask him to?

“Shh, no arguing. I’m taking you. I’ll wait outside if you want me too, but I’m going. If I have to, I’ll just stalk you there.”

“Creeper.”

“Shut up and get in the car.” He tried to sound stern but a little smile let him down.

I grinned. “Fine.”

We drove in silence, and I was fairly relaxed for what I was about to be discussing. However, when we parked outside Linda’s office, I felt sick.