'And I'm thinking about white-washing the floorboards in here; make it really light and airy. What do you think?' Sarah Hawke gestured wildly at the large open plan space that encompassed the ground floor of her new beach house. Her pretty face was lit up with animation; her blue eyes sparkling with an unhidden excitement.

Jo Santini couldn't help but grin at the younger woman's enthusiasm. 'It looks good. It needs a bit of work.'

'I don't mind that.' Sarah said finally coming to a halt. 'Two more days and it's all mine!'

'There's nothing like owning your own place.' Jo agreed. She reached into the baby carrier as Nicky started to fuss and soothed him.

'You're good with him.' Sarah observed, jumping up to perch on one of the kitchen counters.

Jo grimaced slightly. 'You know I'm beginning to think that Saint John agreeing to look after Nicky was his way of putting me through the infamous baby test.'

'The what?' Sarah asked with a laugh.

'Oh Saint John has this theory that at some point in a relationship, the girlfriend will always agrees to look after a baby to test the boyfriend's parenting skills.' Jo explained. She jiggled Nicky.

'Really?' Sarah drawled. 'Women actually do that?'

Jo shrugged. 'Personally I think it says a lot about the type of women Saint John usually dates.'

Sarah smiled. 'Well, if this is a test you passed it brilliantly.'

'I'm not sure about that.' Jo said ruefully. 'I was at my wit's end when I called you last night.'

'Teething's always difficult.' Sarah said matter-of-factly, her eyes strayed to the stretch of beach in front of the open doors where her son Chris was playing with the two dogs they were looking after. She had a feeling he'd ask her for one soon. Her heart swelled with pleasure at the thought she could probably get him one now they were settled. Her blue eyes moved back to the pretty blonde pilot. 'You're doing great.'

'I can't wait until Caitlin and Hawke come back.' Jo muttered putting Nicky back in his carrier.

'Well, at least Saint John's back later today.' Sarah murmured swinging her legs.

'Yeah.' Jo smiled. 'He said he and Mike will head home as soon as the ceremony is over. Apparently Airwolf wants to stay for the wedding.'

'I'm not sure I'd want to fly in a helicopter with a mind of its own.' Sarah commented.

'Me either.' Jo admitted.

Sarah frowned and bit her lip. 'Do they usually get into this much trouble?'

'Your brothers you mean?' Jo said looking up surprised at the question. She considered her answer and sighed. 'Pretty much.'

'Oh.'

'Well they are Hawkes.' Jo teased.

Sarah smiled. 'I guess.'

'I know one thing,' Jo muttered as she tucked a blanket around Nicky, 'I'm not allowing Saint John to have a bachelor party.'

Sarah's eyes widened. 'Has he…are you guys…?' Her voice rose in delighted surprise and Jo quickly shook her head as she realised the assumption the other woman had jumped to.

'No, no.' Jo denied. 'He hasn't asked me to marry him.'

'Yet.' Sarah grinned cheekily. 'He will.'

'I hope so.' Jo admitted.

'I don't think you have anything to worry about.' Sarah commented jumping down from her perch. 'He's crazy about you.' There was a wisp of envy in her voice; seeing both her elder brothers happily in love had brought home to her how alone she was in her life. She had Chris but it wasn't the same. She faked a smile and shoved her hands in her worn jeans. 'You two are getting on great.'

'We have our moments.' Jo noted. She straightened abruptly. 'I'm really sorry about not offering you my apartment, it's just…'

'I know.' Sarah assured her hurriedly. 'It was your uncle's. Don't worry about it.' She smiled genuinely again as she waved a hand at the empty building they were stood in. 'I haven't done so badly.'

'I'm not sure Saint John will agree when he sees the amount of work that needs doing to this place.' Jo muttered pushing back her fringe.

'Mike seemed OK with what needed to be done when he looked at the place.' Sarah said defensively.

Jo blinked. 'Mike? You mean our Mike?'

Sarah nodded, her mind already turning to paint colours and furnishings so that she missed the startled concern that travelled across the other woman's face.

'Sarah, honey.' Jo crossed over the room.

'Hmmm? I'm thinking about a pale cream on the walls or maybe a sunny yellow.' Sarah mused. 'What do you think?'

'Sounds good,' Jo said quickly, 'Sarah, when was Mike over?'

'Huh?' Sarah waved a hand at her. 'When the builder came to give me the quote on the repairs. String couldn't make it so he sent Mike to stand-in.'

'String sent Mike?' Jo repeated in disbelief.

Something in Jo's tone finally caught Sarah's attention. 'Is something wrong?'

'No, nothing.' Jo denied immediately. She saw Sarah delicately raising an eyebrow in disbelief. 'It's just…you're not getting sweet on Mike are you?'

Sarah blushed furiously and whirled away. 'Of course not.'

Which meant yes, Jo thought exasperatedly. 'Well, that's good,' she replied, 'because I'd hate to see you get hurt. You know he's a huge flirt.'

'I know.' Sarah muttered. She sighed and desperately searched for something to change the subject. 'I guess we'd better get back to the air field.'

'Yeah.' Jo agreed. She needed to talk to Caitlin, she decided. There had to be some nice harmless twenty-something men they could scare up between them for Sarah. 'Let's go.'