Page 22 of Return of the Outback Billionaire

Oh. ‘Sorry.’

‘Not your fault, but you’re right when it comes to not wanting to stir up that hornet’s nest.’ Reid picked up a pencil and began to number the cabin plans. ‘I want to protect my big mean-dog brother. He’s not nearly as tough and indestructible as he thinks he is. I thought your father would be here to help me.’

But her father wasn’t here. ‘How can I help?’

‘Judah wants to talk about putting some Jeddah Creek, Conrad’s and Devil’s Kiss land into a conservation trust. Get your father to give him a call so he can get moving on that.’

‘What else? And by that I mean something that’s vaguely within my control.’

‘Maybe invite him around for breakfast or call him once a day or something, so he knows you’re okay over here. Same way you and Tom used to tag-team me after Dad died. Just...check in once a day. He worries about you over here on your own, and so do I.’

‘I’ll group-text you both a photo every day.’ Problem solved.

‘He could use a friend.’

‘Reid—’ She shook her head, hoping he’d understand without her having to explain. ‘My feelings for your brother are complicated. Friendship’s a stretch. There’s so much in the way of it.’

Physical attraction. Saviour status. Rejection...

‘What if you try befriending him in Sydney? Do stuff together. Sightsee and all that. That could work.’ Reid sounded so hopeful. ‘But don’t be surprised if he stays out all night. He does that. I think it’s because he can’t stand sleeping inside four walls.’

Maybe she could order a roll-out bed to put on a balcony. Or she could just walk with him through the city all night long, befriending him. Which would make her the grumpiest emerging landscape photographer ever. ‘I will be a sphinx in the face of your brother’s strange sleeping habits. No comment.’

‘Thanks.’

She enjoyed watching Reid striding past his teen years and turning into a truly caring and responsible young man. ‘That’s if he decides to come to Sydney with me at all. He might not.’

‘He said he would, didn’t he? My brother keeps his word.’

‘Yes, but maybe I shouldn’t have pressed him to come with me in the first place.’ She’d been thinking of her own challenges when it came to stepping out of her comfort zone. ‘It honestly never occurred to me that Judah might have issues with those surroundings, and frankly it should have.’ She needed to stop clinging to her Judah-as-Superman fantasy. It was self-indulgent at best and had the potential to be downright destructive.

‘I’ll go alone.’ Gulp. ‘That’s fine. I’ll give your brother a call and let him know I’ve had a change of plans. I can invent a girlfriend who’s joining me or something. Give the man an out.’

‘I didn’t say to sideline him,’ objected Reid. ‘A change of scenery might do him good. What’s wrong with sticking to the current plan and being there for him, if he needs a friend?’

‘Yeah, but...’ Reid didn’t know about the kissing.

‘Don’t make me pull the You owe him compassion and understanding card.’ Reid looked utterly serious. ‘Because I will.’

‘Oh, that’s harsh.’

Reid glared.

‘Can we agree that I need to at least give him the option of not going with me to Sydney seeing as, by your own admission, he’s not coping with the little things?’

Reluctantly, Reid agreed.

Bridie did phone Judah later that afternoon. Not much of a phone conversationalist, Judah, and Bridie was little better.

They did ‘hey’ and ‘hope this isn’t a bad time to call’ before she got down to the business of giving him an out when it came to him joining her in Sydney. ‘Hey, so I’m thinking of heading to Sydney a day earlier than planned, and that’s probably not going to work for you, so maybe you might want to rethink joining me at all?’

‘Is this about the kissing?’

‘Ah, no? Not entirely. As in, I’m aware there’ll be no kissing if you do come.’

‘It’s for your own good.’

Did he seriously believe what he was saying? She had a feeling he did. How did such a good man develop a mindset that he was no good at all? Had his years in prison damaged him beyond repair? ‘Yes, well. Not sure I agree with you there, but moving on. You don’t have to come.’

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