12. Gisele
The knocking at door shouldn’t have startled me but still I jumped on my stool and let out a shriek. I’d received a text late last night from Jamison asking without actually asking would I give him a tour of Blessings, how he got my mobile number had to involve one of my sisters, Claudia was my first bet.
Being that the town didn’t have a full-time police officer on duty, and the visiting officer wasn’t due for another two weeks, he asked me to give him the low down on who, and where. Whatever that meant.
I agreed, as long as it was early, and we could walk Miracle to school first. He agreed instantly, his thumbs up text coming back almost immediately. To say I was as nervous as a virgin on her wedding night was an understatement. Liam had been the first and last time I had sex. As Claudia and Elle liked to tease, I had been without the dick for a very long time.
“Miracle Evangaline, time to go!” I yelled heading to the door. “Move or lose it chickee.” Turning the knob with a shaking hand, I pulled open the door to a marvellous sight. Today instead of the white shirt and suit coat, he swapped them for a black tee that hugged his delicious six-pack. Tight denim jeans, black boots and an old worn leather jacket.
Damn, damn, damn.
“Morning Ms Blessing, am I early enough?”
Huh? Words were coming out of his mouth but they hardly registered.
He is so fine, I bet his scruff would feel amazing rubbing against my?—
“Ms Blessing?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry no you’re on time,” I replied, shaking myself out of my lust driven fog. “Please call me Gisele. Not even my mother likes being called Mrs Blessing.” Standing to the side, I motioned for him to come inside.
“It will be another few minutes before we can leave. My precious daughter doesn’t like to be rushed.” I explained with a laugh. “She gets that side of her from her grandmother.”
Walking past me, I got a whiff of his aftershave, and suddenly it became my favourite scent. Who knew I was a cologne whore? Huh, that was a new one.
“All good,” Jamison replied, casually walking into my house, “Gisele,” he added in the deepest sexiest voice. God damn I was in trouble.
“MIRACLE!” I shouted using my loudest mum voice. If I was left alone with Jamison too much longer it was possible, I would ask him what aftershave he used so I could buy myself a crate of it.
Jamison chuckled, but thankfully my child decided to make an appearance.
Thank you, baby Jesus.
“Chickee, you remember Detective— Miracle what on earth are you wearing?” Standing before me, I think was my kid, dressed in shiny purple leggings, hot pink sneakers with silver laces a black long sleeved top covered with gold glitter.
Gigi.
Shaking my head with a rueful smile in Jamison’s direction, I made the introductions.
“Miracle, you remember Detective Jury, he’s here because he—” Miracle’s hands went into motion, her facial expression saying she still wasn’t happy that her beloved Grumpy had been put in cuffs.
Not bothering to interpret what she was saying and ignoring the swear word she used to express her displeasure, choosing instead to hurry her up.
“Backpack young lady. And don’t use that word again. I swear to all that is holy young missy, I will ground you.” I was well aware the threat would go in one ear and out the other, but one could hope. With a look that her Gigi would be proud of, Miracle went in search of her school bag. Leaving me red faced and hoping Jamison didn’t know sign language.
“Did she really call me a dick-licker?” He asked his face a cross between shocked and amused.
Rats.
“Um, yes, she did. And now I know you can sign,” I muttered, wishing for that hole back to swallow me up.
“I only know the bad words, I put dick and lick together and came up with —”
“Yes, yes, I know. Please don’t repeat it, she doesn’t talk but the little bugger’s hearing is better than yours and mine combined. My mother and sisters are the culprits for her growing bad vocabulary. Last month she was sent home three times for calling the principal a bullshit artist. I’m fighting a losing battle.”
“Is she?” Jamison asked, confusing me what he was talking about.
“Pardon?”
“The principal. Is she a bullshit artist?”
I couldn’t hold back the laugh that spilled from my lips, nor the blush that I knew was staining my cheeks when Jamison’s silver blue eyes lit up.
Did he like my laugh?
“Um, yeah, she kinda is. She resents that all the other teachers learnt sign language just for Miracle. She refused but some of the kids in her class beg her to teach them bad words, only problem is they can talk so to get out of trouble they tattle.”
Coming back with her unicorn backpack in place, I nodded to Jamison.
“Okay, let’s get this show on the road shall we.”
“She’s adorable,” Jamison said as we watched Miracle join her friends at the gate. “A real pistol. She must keep you on your toes.”
“You have no idea,” I agreed, giving Miracle one last wave then laughing at what she signed me.
“What did she say?” Jamison asked, and I wish he hadn’t.
Red really should be my favourite colour. Did he really need to know?
“Well, she said Gigi is right,” I hedged, leaving out a few choice words.
“Okay, right about what?”
“How about we get on with the tour and I might tell you later. Might.” I said firmly. Making a mental note to give my mother a good old-fashioned mouthful.
“Fine, but I can always find out myself. I have an excellent memory. All I have to do is resign what she did and someone in your family will let me know.” Jamison’s smile was spectacular even if it was a smart arse one.
“Whatever Trevor,” I grumbled but secretly enjoying the easy banter between us. It was —fun.
“Okay so from the school if you go that way.” Pointing to my left, “is the library, then not much but gravel roads and bushland. There are a few farms scattered here and there, but basically, it’s a dead-end road.”
“Okay, well because we are footing it, how about we go right,” Jamison suggested, motioning for me to start walking.
“Okie dokie, let’s start on this side of the street.” Walking slowly, I pointed out the three houses that lined the road across from the school.
“If you go the other way, again a dirt road and at the end is the cemetery.”
“And those houses over the road they all look exactly the same except for a few minor differences?” Jamison asked me as he pointed at the three closely placed houses. The history of Blessings was an interesting one and one I liked to tell the tourists when they came to town looking for a quiet place for a few days.
“My father’s great granddad built them in the same style as a Queenslander. High off the ground for vehicles to park under and lots of rooms so more than six miners could live in the same house. At one time there were more than fifteen hundred people living here at the height of the gold rush. But over time, the gold deposits ran out and the mine went bust. Men left taking their families with them and a lot of the houses were left unused and eventually many of them fell to the ground from neglect. Some of them were restored, like mine and my sisters. One the Crawley’s turned into a B and B and others are personal residences.”
“I noticed there are a few that aren’t in the Queenslander style, more modern and brick.” Jamison was taking notes on a pad, even drawing himself a map as we made our way down the street towards the firehouse.
“They were Liam’s parents’ idea. They weren’t into the wooden look, or the maintenance needed to keep them up, they thought if they were stuck here, they wanted something more to their tastes. It gets pretty hot here during the summer and wet during the winter. It takes a great deal of care and time to keep the old weatherboards looking nice, just ask my father. He and my mum own in total ten of the buildings in Blessings, and he is responsible for keeping all of them looking good,” I said with a huge amount of pride in my voice.
“Wow, ten. That’s pretty impressive.”
“I agree. My father is immensely proud of the history of Blessings. He has a great respect for what his family has achieved here over the years. Just because we are cut off from civilization and the more modern towns and cities around us, he likes the slow pace of Blessings. Even with the gold mine long gone, it’s a very important to him that it is maintained so we don’t forget where we came from.”
Nodding, Jamison took a few more notes, and we continued the tour to our next stop.
“Okay so here is the Ambulance house.” Stopping in front of the circa 1970’s structure. “The firehouse next door is one of the first built. Again, in the Queenslander style, the fire trucks parked underneath. My granddad figured it was getting a little congested, so he organised a big fund raiser and the Ambo’s got their own place, only it was voted not to make it a stilted building. Although I will admit the fold out garage door is a little too Brady Bunch for my liking.” The fundraising money didn’t stretch to automatic lifting or rolling door.
“We don’t have a full-time paramedic or firefighter. Not too many career orientated people interested in living in a tiny town like Blessings. But we make do with volunteers.”
“I can’t believe how well the older buildings are holding up considering their age.” Jamison marvelled, taking in the beautiful firehouse.
“That’s all thanks to my dad and his buddies. The weather is supremely hot in the summer and colder than a witch’s tit in the winter, and very wet. Not ideal for weatherboards.” As soon as the word tit left my lips, I knew I made a mistake. Suddenly the sexual tension I thought was all in my head was back, and by the looks on Jamison’s handsome face, it was most definitely real.
“You feel it don’t you Gisele?” It wasn’t a question; it was a demand. I was helpless against that authoritative voice of his. Damn near a slave to it.
Blushing brightly, I answered him as honestly as I could. “I felt a pull to you to minute I saw you standing there with my dad in cuffs,” I admitted going for it.
“But?”
“But things are complicated, Miracle’s issues with not talking, her father lives here and he’s a real?—”
“Wanker,” Jamison finished for me, an indulgent smile gracing his kissable pouty lips.
“Gisele, I’m not proposing here. Things are complicated for me too. I’m here investigating a possible missing person, your brother-in-law. Your daughter not talking and her father being a dick is not a complication. Not for me. I just wanted to know if you have the same vibe for me that I have for you. That’s all gorgeous. No pressure, no complicating anything for you or Miracle. I promise.” Jamison’s eyes spoke volumes and what they were saying was the was telling the truth. He wasn’t pressuring me; he wasn’t about getting me into to bed for some hot nookie. He wasn’t disregarding my daughter or concerned about Liam. All he was saying he was interested.
Yeah, Jamison could really be a breath of fresh air in my life.
Holding out his hand, he let me make the decision. Which I did four seconds later when I tucked my hand into his larger one.
“Okay next stop the rotunda and park.”