Page 37 of Where the Heart Is

Heat crept into her cheeks as the intensity of his gaze bore into her, seeing too much, not seeing enough. ‘I already told you. I want to be here in case Mila needs me.’

‘You haven’t been here for the last fourteen years. What makes you think she needs you now?’

The truth hurt, but Adelaide didn’t want to get into an argument, not when he was being more than hospitable.

‘Now that I’m here, I don’t feel compelled to rush away.’

He grunted, and a frown appeared between his brows. ‘I don’t think you’re being completely honest with me.’

She sighed, not wanting to bring up the D-word yet, but knowing she’d have to broach it soon enough. She’d hoped to make an appointment with the lawyer in town first and get the lowdown on what needed to be done before mentioning it to Jack.

But her husband had always been astute—except when it came to her feelings—and she owed him some semblance of the truth.

‘How we left things hasn’t done us any favours, Jack, and I think it’ll be easier if we sort out our issues in person. Don’t you?’

Pain flared in his eyes before he blinked and turned away to stare out the windshield. ‘Whatever you say, Addy.’

Her stomach churned as she watched the man who’d once been her world stomp into his cottage and slam the door.

CHAPTER

22

It took Sawyer all afternoon to put his plan into place. Good, because he wanted to have everything in order before he told the one person who could talk sense into him if needed.

He knew Will woke at five thirty every morning so he could squeeze in a gym workout before heading to the hospital, and accounting for the time difference, now would be as good a time as any to call his best mate.

‘Hey, Will, how are you feeling?’

‘Better. Not exercising yet but heading back to work today because I tested negative. How did Mila like the surprise?’

‘If you mean seeing me instead of you, she wasn’t impressed.’

Will snickered. ‘She should’ve been grateful one of us made it. Though she could’ve texted me afterwards to see how I am, but I assume she’s too busy enjoying marital bliss to remember her brother.’

Sawyer shuddered at the thought of Mila, Phil, and marital bliss in the same sentence.

‘About that … the wedding didn’t happen.’

‘What?’ Will yelled into the phone. ‘How am I only hearing about this now? Is she okay? Did that prick Phil do something?’

‘He’s a prick alright. The dickhead called off the wedding the morning of the ceremony.’

‘I’ll kill him,’ Will growled. ‘Unless you’ve already done it.’

‘Don’t tempt me. I wanted to punch the living daylights out of him, but Mila assured me she wasn’t emotionally invested.’

Silence, followed by, ‘Mate, what the fuck is going on?’

‘Apparently it was a marriage of convenience. Mila needs money desperately to keep the farm afloat and Phil was going to give her cash in exchange for land to expand his farm.’

‘But why didn’t he just buy the land from her?’

‘Because there was a subdivision clause that would’ve cost an arm and a leg to work around. Though I reckon the real reason is he had high hopes of the marriage becoming real.’

Will cursed so loudly Sawyer eased the phone away from his ear a tad. ‘She never should’ve bought that farm. It’s more trouble than it’s worth.’

‘But she loves the place.’

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