Page 39 of The Mechanics of Lust

An hour after that, I touched my skids down at Lane Station and hauled far too many heavy bags onto the grass for a couple who’d arrived from the UK on a three-week vacation. Zach’s brother, Julian, was there to greet me, along with his father, Paddy Lane.

When the older man recognised me from our slight altercation in The Fleece, his look turned thunderous. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The tourist couple cast startled looks over their shoulders and Julian elbowed his father.

“Go with Mum. I’ll see to Luke.”

Paddy looked me up and down, grumbled something under his breath that I was glad I missed so I didn’t have to respond, and then followed the others.

“Ignore him.” Julian offered his hand and we shook. “The man surely can hold a grudge.”

Julian was a quietly handsome man with dark hair cut in a surprisingly modern style and longish scruff, which gave him a slightly nefarious air. Taller than Zach, although not as tall as I was, he had a leaner frame than his brother but was just as hard-muscled. He wielded the firm grip of a man used to hard work and no bullshit, and shrewd flint-grey eyes that caught and held your attention.

“Thanks for getting them here on time. Dad wants to take them up for a look over the station before evening.”

My brows shot up. “Your father’s a pilot?”

Julian shook his head. “No, but our stock manager has his licence and we have a fixed-wing Cessna. We, um... bought it off Miller Station a couple of years ago.” Spots of pink appeared on Julian’s cheeks.

“Oh.”I remembered Holden saying how they’d had to sell the Cessna when his grandfather’s dementia put the station’s finances in trouble. As a pilot himself, he’d hated letting it go. But he’d never mentioned who’d bought it, and I suddenly understood why. It would’ve killed Holden to take money from Zach’s dad.

Jules winced like he’d read my mind. “Yeah. Not our finest hour. I tried to convince Dad to just lease it so Holden could get it back, but he wouldn’t even consider it. Holden doesn’t feature high on Dad’s list of favourite people.” He turned to watch the Range Rover head down the track toward the homestead, billowing dust in its wake. “He’s an ornery fucker.”

One way of putting it.

Julian faced me again, a curious expression on his face. “So, you and Zach are... friends?”

I snorted. “Friendsmight be pushing it, at least if you asked Zach.”

Julian frowned. “The way you had his back says otherwise.”

He had a point there. “I never saidIdidn’t want to be friends, but Zach has always been a little unconvinced. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Oh.” A smile tugged at Julian’s lips. “My little brother is nothing if not stubborn.”

“You got that right.”

Julian’s clear, bright laugh made me smile. He was so different from Zach in looks, but they shared the same blunt honesty and warm humour. “Zach had no idea I knew all about what he and Holden were up to all those years.”

“You did?” That surprised me.

“Most everyone on the two stations did, except for Dad and a few old-timers. Not to mention, best mates don’t come back from sleepovers withthatlook on their face.”

I laughed. “I don’t imagine. In the meantime, I better get going.” I climbed back into my seat. “I’m heading to Miller Station for a cookout later.”

Julian backed away from the rotor blades. “Tell everyone hi from me. And don’t give up on my little brother. His bark is worse than his bite.”

The marks on my back from Zach’s teeth stung in disagreement.

CHAPTERTWELVE

Zach

I glancedthrough the bathroom window and scowled at the sight of Luke’s SUV parked in the drive alongside the homestead.

See you tonight.

Cheeky bastard. How in the hell had I missed that vital piece of information?

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