Isla's Inheritance Read online

  Sundays were quiet in the Kent household. Aunt Elizabeth pottered away in the garden. She had an amazing green thumb, and, although neither her children nor I had inherited the talent, we could still appreciate the blooming roses in the back yard and the cool shade under the trees. Ryan was sequestered in the shed he’d converted, with his mother’s grudging permission, into a studio where he could paint undisturbed by “you women”, as he referred to the rest of us, tongue only partly in cheek.

  Sarah and I had a maths test looming. I was studious by nature—I got reasonable grades because of hard work, not natural talent—but even Sarah was intimidated into studying for the exam. We spread our textbooks out on the kitchen table and tapped away on our calculators.

  When the house phone rang, I scrambled to answer it, thoughts of Dominic filling my head before I realised he had my mobile number, not the home one.

  “Hello?” I tried not to sound too disappointed, but it didn’t work.

  “I’m glad to talk to you too, pumpkin,” my father laughed on the other end of the line.

  “Oh. Hi, Dad. Sorry, I was expecting someone else.”

  “A boy?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Why don’t you call him?”

  “I didn’t get his number,” I muttered. At the table, Sarah rolled her eyes. We’d already had that conversation. She wanted me to email him; I didn’t want to look needy.

  “Well, I’m sure he’ll ring soon enough. Have you thought about where you’d like to go on Wednesday?”

  “Prime Time,” I said, naming my favourite Canberra steakhouse. They did the most fantastic slow-cooked steaks there, with different toppings. Yum. I wasn’t one of those eat-like-a-bird girls; I liked my food too much.

  “Done. I’ll be there at six. Tell your aunt.”

  “Okay.”

  I’d no sooner sat down and picked up my pen when my mobile buzzed its way across the table. Sarah tried to grab it, but I was faster.

  Unknown number. My heart jumped into my throat again.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi Isla, it’s Dominic.”

  “Hi,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound as strangled as I suspected I did. I gave Sarah a thumb’s up. She grinned back.

  “How are you feeling after last night?”

  “I’m fine. My wrists are a bit achy, but no lasting damage.”

  “I’m still angry about that.” There was a pause, and it dawned on me that Dominic might be nervous too. The thought made me feel a bit better.

  “Well, if you see him, you can go all superhero on his butt,” I said. Sarah groaned, but Dominic’s laugh sounded genuine. I poked my tongue out at her and went to my room, shutting the door—although I had no doubt she’d tiptoe up and press her ear to it.

  “So, I heard it was your birthday soon. Got anything big planned?”

  “Just a family dinner on Wednesday. That’s the big day.” I lay on my bed.

  “No party?”

  “Nah. I might have a joint party with Sarah next month, but no big party just for me. You saw how spectacularly I went last night.” The idea people might still be talking about me storming out of the séance made my face burn.

  “That was my fault,” Dominic protested.

  “Not really. That sort of stuff always happens to me.”

  “Crazy ouija board stuff?” he teased.

  “Well, okay, not that sort of stuff.” I laughed. “But I’m happy with something smaller.”

  “Hmm.” Another pause. “How about I take you out for coffee and birthday cake after dinner on Wednesday night?”

  I closed my eyes for a second and successfully suppressed a squeal of delight. Go me. “That’d be … really nice. I’ll probably have cake at the restaurant, but I could always have seconds with you.”

  “Second desserts are made of win.”

  We organised for him to pick me up at Prime Time at nine o’clock, and talked for a few more minutes before he had to go.

  After I hung up the phone I lay there for several seconds, heart racing. He’d just asked me on a date. I couldn’t believe it!

  It was going to be even harder to concentrate on studying now.

  Chapter Three