Free Holiday with a Stranger by Christy McKellen Page A

crossed his arms and looked out of the window, trying to eradicate the feeling of unease this train of thought triggered.
    ‘You don’t really want to hear all this crap,’ Josie said, breaking into his thoughts.
    ‘It’s okay.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ve been told I’m a good listener.’ He refused to give any more brain space to his sister. That particular direction in the maze of his life was a dead end now.
    ‘You are.’
    She was smiling at him when he looked back.
    ‘But I need to sleep and I should let you have a shower.’
    ‘I smell that bad, huh?’ He raised an eyebrow, hoping humour would drag him out of his funk.
    ‘Of course not...that’s not what I meant.’ Her cheeks were adorably flushed.
    He flapped a hand at her to show he was only joking. ‘Okay, get some rest.’ He backed towards the door. ‘Bang on the floor if you want anything, okay?’
    ‘Okay,’ she said as he turned and walked out into the safety of the hallway. ‘Thanks for looking after me, Connor.’
    The words rang out in the air behind him.
    * * *
    It was six o’clock in the evening before Josie woke up. Rolling onto her side, she sat up tentatively and waited for her headache to catch up with the movement. It appeared to be much reduced.
    Thank God for that.
    She could hear Connor banging about in the kitchen below and a delicious smell wafted up the stairs, making her stomach rumble with hunger.
    Dressing quickly, she pulled a brush through her hair and checked her appearance in the mirror. She looked tired and beaten. So much for this holiday doing her some good.
    The room was much more of a mess than she remembered leaving it. All the drawers of the vanity were open and clothes spilled out of them. How embarrassing. Connor must think she was a real slovenly slut. She pushed the clothes back in and tidied up a bit. Looking around, she realised her laptop was no longer sitting on the window ledge. Strange. Perhaps Connor had moved it for some reason? Worry pinched at her chest and she rubbed her hand across her ribs to try and relieve it.
    After taking three slow breaths, in and out, she straightened her spine and tipped up her chin. Better.
    Okay, time to face the music.
    She went downstairs and found him washing up at the sink.
    ‘That’s what I like to see—a man hard at work,’ she joked, hoping to start things off on a light note after the edginess of their last interaction.
    He turned and gave her a comical reproving look.
    Good, at least she wasn’t in the doghouse. ‘Can I do anything to help?’ she asked, trying hard not to stare at the fluid way he moved his muscular body around the kitchen. How could someone so big be that graceful?
    ‘No. Thanks. The omelettes are ready. I’ll serve them up now you’re here.’
    She sat at the table, her body humming with a confusing mixture of anxiety and something akin to excitement, and watched him load the plates with food, nodding her thanks as he slid one in front of her.
    ‘Did you move my laptop?’ she asked as they tucked into the food.
    He took his time looking at her and she wondered why he suddenly seemed so uncomfortable. A slow sinking feeling heated her stomach.
    ‘What is it?’
    He put his cutlery down. ‘We had a break-in while we were out. They took your laptop.’
    She gawped at him, her befuddled brain taking a few seconds to catch up with his words. ‘What?’
    ‘Someone jimmied the lock on the front door and got in. There wasn’t a lot to steal, but your laptop was one of the things that went. I’ve already spoken to the police and they’ve given me an incident number for an insurance claim. You should check nothing else of yours has gone.’
    She put her own cutlery down and dropped her head into her hands. This day just got better and better.
    ‘But we’re so remote out here. Why would they target this place?’ she said, looking back up at him.
    ‘It happens quite a bit. There are lots of holiday homes in this region. They’re easy