Page 36 of Where the Heart Is

What guy indeed, considering Sawyer had lain awake most of last night, reliving the feel of her in his lap, the twinkle in her eyes as she admitted having a crush on him in her teens, the spark between them as they sparred.

‘So your answer’s no?’

Phil hesitated, as if sensing Sawyer’s underlying anger. ‘If I could help Mila I would, but my financial constraints are real, so I can’t.’

Mustering every ounce of self-control, Sawyer managed a brief nod. ‘Thanks for your time.’

‘No worries,’ Phil said, looking exceedingly relieved as Sawyer gave a brief salute before turning away.

But the slimeball was wrong. Sawyer had a major worry.

He now had to follow his last-resort plan to help Mila, and if the truth ever came out, it would ruin their friendship—or the hope of anything more—once and for all.

CHAPTER

21

Mila’s emergency meeting with the farm manager meant she couldn’t drop Adelaide back at Jack’s as she’d hoped, so Adelaide had to ask Jack for a lift.

He’d offered to pick her up again after her visit to Hills Homestead, but she had the feeling he’d offered out of politeness rather than any real desire to spend a minute longer than needed in her company.

So she texted him and he arrived ten minutes later, giving her time to evaluate the wisdom of staying longer in Ashe Ridge.She owed it to Mila after discovering the extent of the pain she’d inflicted on her granddaughter after leaving here fourteen years ago, and in a way, she owed it to herself.

Securing a divorce would be easier if she smoothed things over with Jack and their relationship was cordial rather than fraught. And instigating proceedings in person meant he couldn’t be difficult—ignoring calls, not signing documentation—which she had a feeling might happen if she did this remotely.

Staying longer than anticipated made sense. But what didn’t make sense was the way her heart leaped as Jack pulled up beside her, slid the window down, and smiled.

‘Ready to go?’

She nodded, willing her racing pulse to subside. ‘Thanks for picking me up.’

‘Not a problem.’

He waited until she’d clicked the seatbelt into place before making a U-turn and heading along the driveway to the highway.When she’d first moved here, she’d imagined them making this trip many times: heading into town regularly, going out for dinner at the pub, seeing movies screened at the hall, the occasional weekend away. But it never happened, because running the farm took over Jack’s life, leaving Adelaide as a mere adjunct, someone he took for granted.

‘How was your visit?’

‘Good,’ she said, sounding terser than intended courtesy of her maudlin memories. ‘Mila’s surprisingly chipper.’

‘She had a lucky escape not marrying Phil,’ Jack muttered, glancing left and right before turning out onto the highway. ‘Does she need anything?’

Adelaide bit her tongue, wishing she could tell Jack the truth but not willing to betray Mila’s trust just yet. ‘She seems okay for now. But I’m planning on staying a little longer than first thought, just to make sure she’s fine.’

An awkward silence descended, before Jack cleared his throat. ‘How long are you sticking around?’

‘Not sure yet. Maybe a week, maybe longer.’

‘Your car should be ready in a few days,’ he said, and she wasn’t sure if he was letting her know so she’d be mobile again, or because he hoped once the car was ready she’d get in it and drive away, never to return.

‘Great.’ She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, summoning her nerve. ‘I don’t want to put you out, Jack, but I was hoping I could stay on at the bungalow? I thought I’d stay with Mila, but her spare rooms are filled with furniture for the farm-stay project, and the first cottage isn’t inhabitable yet.’

‘I guess that would be okay,’ he muttered, sounding like he’d rather have a family of possums inhabiting the bungalow than her.‘Stay as long as you like.’

‘Thanks, Jack.’

He didn’t respond and they remained silent for the twenty-minute drive to his cottage. However, when he pulled up in his driveway and parked, he killed the engine and turned towards her.

‘Why are you really staying longer, Ads?’

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