Page 93 of Reluctant Chemistry

Luka nodded. “Okay. I might go see if she’s still there. Raincheck on the beer, though.”

They walked into the packing shed and out onto the driveway. “Are you going to tell me what’s up with you and my sister?”

Puffs of gray cloud partially blocked the sun, holding the promise of rain. Luka pulled his aviators out of his shirt pocket and put them on. “No. Because I don’t know myself.”

“She’s been pretty unsettled since the hut incident but seems to be slowly picking herself up again.”

Luka nodded. He’d seen that for himself when she visited him at the yurt, but she’d looked okay at the Fitzroy. Distant, but okay. “That’s to be expected after what she went through.”

“Yeah. She keeps saying she’s fine, so I guess we just have to be there for her.”

Luka opened the door of his SUV, his jaw clenching as he recalled the scene in the hut. CeCe cold and scared as the mist did its best to swallow their attempt to fly her back to safety.

Mitch checked his watch. “Right, I’d better get home for dinner. Maybe you could persuade CeCe to knock off early. She’s working way too many hours.”

Luka chuckled. His days of persuading CeCe to do anything were long gone. “Or not. Say hi to Tayla for me.”

“Will do.”

Luka drove from the packing shed to the farm gate store and parked beside the building. Jay’s Vespa was nowhere to be seen, and as he climbed from the cab, he spotted CeCe through the window—earbuds in and her head canted to one side as she studied her handiwork.

With the store now closed, he knocked on the main door, then again in an attempt to attract her attention. The corners of her mouth twitched when she realized it was him. A good sign.

She unlocked the door and opened it, then removed her earbuds. “You know we’re closed, right? But I guess I could put a carton of milk and a loaf of sourdough on your tab.”

Her smile had an immediate effect. He wanted to reach down and adjust his jeans around the heat settling in his groin. “I don’t need milk or bread.”

CeCe broke the hold of his gaze and nodded. She turned away and rearranged the jars of Botanical Ce skincare on the endcap in front of her. “What do you think of my display?”

“It looks great. I bet it’s a good feeling, making it this far.”

“Yeah, I’m happy with it. I just hope we sell some.”

“I’m sure you will.” He picked up a jar, studied the label, and put it back again. “Do you have plans for dinner?”

CeCe checked her watch. “Um…I didn’t realize it was so late. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

“We could drive to Little Brown Barn and share some tapas.”

She didn’t even pause to consider it. “You know what? I’m exhausted. I might just stroll up the hill and make myself an egg on toast.”

A void of silence stretched between them. She’d brushed him off again, albeit gently. Luka followed her out the door and waited while she locked it behind her. Despite the rain clouds, it was a beautiful evening: calm and warm, its gray light softening the tiredness in her expression. “Hop in. I’ll drive you.”

CeCe didn’t refuse. They drove up the long driveway without speaking until he pulled into a park outside the packing shed.

“Thanks for the ride. Are you on your way up to Rata River? I have a gift pack for your mum in the lab. I can run in and get it.”

He lowered his window and cut the engine. “Not tonight. I came to see you.”

“Me?”

Luka shifted in his seat to face her. “We’re not together, CeCe.”

“And never were,” she muttered.

“I’m not talking about us. I mean Zoe, from the pub.” He didn’t expand on his explanation. It was a matter-of-fact statement that needed no further clarification.

“Even if you were, it’s none of my business who you choose to spend your time with.”

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