Page 65 of The Science of Attraction

He laughed. “So, what are you going to do about him?”

I groaned and gave my cooling coffee an absent stir. “No idea. We barely know each other, for fuck’s sake. It’s probably just a stupid crush. It’s ridiculous to think it could go anywhere.”

“Why not?”

My gaze jerked up to his. “You do remember my father, right? And the fact Liam only has a few weeks left.”

Ten’s eyes remained steady on mine. “You can’t live your life in the narrow lane that your father wants for you, Jules. At some point, you’re going to have to make a decision. Maybe you and Liam have something, maybe you don’t. But if not him, it could be another guy down the track. Are you going to walk away from all of them because your father doesn’t like the idea? Are you going to settle with a woman just because it’s safer but who you might not feel as strongly about? That’s a fucking lonely life to lead, not to mention brutally unfair, don’t you think?”

I thought of Laura and winced. “But the station?—”

“Your father’s running out of options,” Ten pointed out. “Zach was never going to run the station. It’s always beenyours. What’s your Dad gonna do if he rejects both of you? Sell the lease? Get himself a manager until he dies and it all gets disposed of to some distant relative? Watch all his work go down the toilet for nothing? I doubt your mother would let that happen without a fight. And Liam is having a mellowing effect on Paddy. Everyone can see it. You might have more power than you think you do.”

His words percolated through my brain. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been thinking the same thing myself over the week, mostly when I was lying in Liam’s arms watching him sleep. Everything Ten said was true. But there was no guarantee.

“Anyway, I should go do some work.” Tennyson’s chair scraped back across the rimu floor and he got to his feet.

I frowned up at him. “Was that all you came for?”

He nodded. “Yep. Figured you’d be stewing and thought I’d offer you a chance to talk. I assume Zach knows?”

I huffed out a laugh. “What do you think?”

A grin split his face. “That boy doesn’t miss a trick.”

“Fucking nosey bugger. Just because he’s all loved up, he wants the same for everyone else. Speaking of which—since you’re all up in my business, what’s going on with you and Charlie? I thought she was dating some guy from Christchurch.”

“Oh—” Ten blinked and turned a deep shade of scarlet. “Um, I’m not sure what you mean.”

Like hell he wasn’t.“I caught you giving each other the eye at The Fleece that night.”

Ten blinked again and took his seat back at the table. “Oh, you did, did you?”

“Yep. You’re not the only one with a good nose for how people are around each other. How long have you two been a thing?”

He groaned and rolled his eyes.

I shot him a smirk. “Sucks being on the other end, right?”

He sighed and shook his head. “Just a couple of months. But I don’t want your father catching wind of anything.” He paused at the sight of my raised brows and winced. “Yeah, okay. I suppose I deserved that. But you’re hisson.I just work here. A click of his fingers and I’m gone.”

“I could say the same,” I pointed out. “But it’s not happening. He’s not running things at the moment.Iam. And if he tries to get rid of you just because you’re dating?—”

“We’renotdating.”

I continued as if he hadn’t spoken, “—datinga Miller shepherd, he’ll have me to answer to. He can lose me easier than he can afford to lose you. Besides, I reckon Holden would snap you up in an instant. Zach’s hours are dwindling now that he’s starting assistance dog training on top of the sheepdog work.”

“But I wouldn’t be managing at Miller Station, would I?” He pointed out. “Tom’s already got that role sewn up. And I love it here.”

That made two of us.“Well, it’s not going to come to that.” I shot him a sly grin. “Charlie, huh?” I chuckled. “Man, I bet she’s a handful.”

Ten’s smile shone with a depth of affection that surprised me. “You got that right. I keep saying that I’m way too old for her, but she doesn’t seem to care. We’re not in any rush to shout it to the world, but Gil’s already cottoned on because, well, he’s Gil, and nothing gets past that man. And now you, and Liam, if you want. I’m okay with you telling him.”

I blew out a troubled sigh. “Does it suddenly feel that between your secrets and mine, we’re sitting on a powder keg?”

Ten winced. “Don’t even go there.”

“I know, right? But I’m happy for you, man. It sucked when your marriage fell apart, but Robin was never happy with living all the way up here. But Charlie and you?” I grinned. “Yeah, I can see that working.”

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