‘Uh-huh.’
He wasn’t looking at the echidna. He was looking at the very sexy piece of femininity beside him. She was so hot and she had no clue. Or maybe she did. Because her green-blue eyes had turned smoky.
‘You could at least pretend to be interested,’ she said edgily.
‘I’m fully interested,’ he protested. ‘Utterly enthralled. Every inch of my attention is snared—’
‘You’re Steffi Leigh!’
A high-pitched squeal interrupted them.
Jack turned and pulled on an automatic smile as a girl walked across the room, looking as buzzed as if she’d had a surprise party put on for her. Maybe in her late teens, she wore a khaki tee shirt that had ‘Emerald Springs Wildlife Hospital Volunteer’ emblazoned across it.
‘Yes, I am.’ Stephanie smiled at her. ‘You read my blog?’
‘Of course I do. We all do,’ the girl practically sang. ‘This is so cool—I can’t believe you’re here. Can I get a picture with you?’
For a split second he wondered if Stephanie would say no—given the whole lack of make-up thing. Not to mention the pyjamas.
‘Absolutely.’ Stephanie smiled at the girl. ‘With the puggle as well? Gotta go for the cute factor, right?’
She sent Jack a look.
‘You want me to take the photo?’ He stepped up and took the phone from the girl.
‘Yes, please,’ Stephanie beamed, leaning in close to the volunteer.
‘Is he your boyfriend?’ the girl whispered—too audibly—to Stephanie as they posed together beside the echidna’s cage.
‘No, I don’t have a boyfriend.’ Stephanie maintained her camera-ready smile, but the flush in her cheeks deepened.
‘I’m working on it,’ Jack drawled, sending them both a wink from over the phone.
The girl’s eyes widened and she giggled. Stephanie’s eyes shot daggers. She did not giggle. Jack had to bite his tongue to stop himself laughing.
‘You don’t want to go out with him?’ The volunteer asked Stephanie, in another too loud whisper.
He tried to pretend he hadn’t heard the disbelief in the girl’s tone.
‘He’s too good-looking and too successful,’ Stephanie answered blandly, avoiding Jack’s eye and totally not whispering. ‘Too used to getting everything he wants too easily.’
For a moment the girl’s mouth hung open. Then she snapped it shut and cleared her throat. ‘So… uh… is Tara here too?’
‘Back in Melbourne.’ Stephanie smiled at her and winked.
‘Are you going to feature Emerald Springs on the blog?’
‘I’m thinking I should—do you think so? Would it be helpful?’
She nodded. ‘It would be so cool.’
‘Then absolutely I will,’ Steffi Leigh declared. ‘I’ve got twelve fab things to list about the place already.’
‘But it’s okay for me to post this pic early?’ the girl checked.
Jack was intrigued that she seemed so keen to please Steffi.
‘Sure thing.’
He followed the two of them outside, listening to them chatter on and on about their favourite vlogs and number one lists. Eventually they hugged, and Jack took another photo of them by the car.
‘Do you read her blog often?’ he asked the young woman as he handed her phone back to her once she’d said goodbye to Steffi.
‘Always,’ she replied fervently. ‘She’s so funny. She’s shorter than I realised. And quieter…’
‘She’s shy. More than you might think.’
And more reserved, yet at the same time so generous.
The girl’s blush grew, but she nodded as if she’d known Steffi for years. Perhaps she sort of had.
‘She’s so, so lovely.’ She suddenly switched to Steffi Leigh superfan and protector. ‘She deserves the best.’ She sent him a meaningful look.
‘Absolutely.’ Jack bit back a smile. He’d give Steffi Leigh his very best. Again and again and again. And soon.
The girl leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, ‘I think she likes you really.’
‘I hope so,’ he answered in a conspiratorial whisper back. And he realised he meant it.
He got into the car and glanced at Stephanie.
‘Thanks for taking me there—it was lovely,’ she said.
‘My pleasure.’ And it had been. He smiled as he turned out onto the road, enjoying the recollection of her chirping conversation. ‘You get recognised often?’
‘Fairly frequently—does that surprise you?’
It shouldn’t. He’d seen the numbers on her followers. But her ease with it didn’t seem to fit with that perfect, untouchable yet approachable image on screen.