Page 41 of Where the Heart Is

A few hours later, Sawyer sat opposite Mila, the flames low between them as the stars twinkled overhead. He’d travelled extensively for work, but no sky came close to the Wimmera, the stars dazzling on a clear night.

‘Sorry I don’t have marshmallows,’ she said, holding up her beer. ‘But at least I have these.’

‘Cheers.’ He raised his bottle. ‘Remember that time Will had the flu and your gran wouldn’t let him come outside and sit around the fire with us? He was a grump for a week.’

She laughed. ‘We had some good times around this fire pit.’

‘We did. Solving the world’s problems. Talking shit about kids at school.’

‘Speaking of kids at school, have you run into Shazza at the motel yet?’

He grimaced. ‘Yeah, this morning. Let’s just say she has a long memory.’

‘I swear I laughed so hard after you got caught with Simone at the motel, I had a stitch for hours.’ He didn’t understand the cunning glint in her eyes. ‘Though I have something to confess.’

‘I’m intrigued.’ He sipped at his beer, more content than he’d been in ages.

When was the last time he sat by a fire after a hearty meal, enjoying casual conversation with someone he liked being around, and taking time out to look at the stars? Too long, and he intended on making the most of his time in Ashe Ridge, with Mila, no matter how brief.

‘I was the one who tipped her off that you were in a room with Simone.’

Shock made him sit bolt upright. ‘No way. You dobbed on me? Why?’ But the moment he asked, he knew. ‘Because you had a crush on me?’

She winced and nodded. ‘Not my finest moment. But I was young and stupid and jealous as hell, so I called the motel asking to speak to you, saying you were in a room with Simone, knowing full well Shazza would go ballistic.’

‘You cramped my style,’ he said, feigning outrage, barely able to contain his laughter at the lengths she’d gone to. ‘Though I guess I should be flattered.’

‘Don’t get an inflated ego. Like I said, I was dumb back then.’

‘Smitten, more like it.’

And the feeling had been entirely mutual. Guess they both did a good job of hiding it.

‘That too.’ She laughed, and he joined in, thankful they’d moved past that kiss and managed to have an enjoyable evening.

It had been a tad awkward at first, but after she’d showered and they ate, they slipped into their old camaraderie. He’d been relieved, because if she freaked out over one kiss, what would Mila think if she knew how badly he wanted a repeat? And more?

Not that he had any intentions of having a fling with his best friend’s sister, but if he felt the pull between them so strongly after two days in town, how much harder would it be to keep his hands off her the longer he stayed?

That was the other thing. He’d be hanging around until the deal went through to acquire her land and she had the money in her bank. He couldn’t rush it, because it would raise her suspicions, so that meant he had to stick around. Who knew, maybe he could broker some other deals while he was in the area? He’d avoided the Wimmera because of its connection to his past, but the area was thriving, and he’d be a fool not to explore business opportunities while he was here.

‘We had some fun growing up.’ Mila tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. ‘It’s why I could never leave this place. Once my folks dumped me here, I fell in love with Hills Homestead because it signified home for me.’

Back then, Sawyer had been envious of Mila and Will. He would’ve loved to be raised by cool grandparents, not his deadbeat dad and browbeaten mum. Adelaide and Jack had given Mila and Will far more freedom than parents ever would’ve, and he’d loved being here, a welcome respite from his shoddy home life.

‘How often do you hear from your folks?’

‘Try never.’ She sat up straighter and swigged at her beer. ‘But I gave up caring a long time ago. I’m more pissed at Will moving all the way to London.’ She waved her arm around. ‘I’m so in debt with this place I can’t afford to fly over to visit, and he’s so busy at the hospital he never comes home.’

‘Yeah, that twenty-four-hour plane trip is a killer, which is why I’ve only been over there once.’

‘What’s London like?’

‘Eclectic. Busy. Cosmopolitan. Great to visit for a holiday, but I don’t think I’d like to live there.’

‘Why not?’

Because he needed his routines. Because the bustle of the place messed with his head. Because he needed structure and order in his life, not chaos, to function.

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