Page 85 of The Science of Attraction

“You’re an old man, Ten,” Stuart teased, and Connor laughed.

Ten ignored Stuart. “How long are you staying, Connor?”

Connor shrugged and looked to Liam who studied his nephew before answering. “Classes are pretty much done, and Connor has permission to finish his exam study at home, so we thought maybe a few days? If that’s okay with Paddy and Norma?”

“Of course. Make it longer if you need to.” My mother elbowed my father. “Right, Paddy?”

My father grunted his assent, earning a nod from my mother.

Ten clapped Connor on the shoulder. “Right, then. Do you have your licence?”

Connor blinked and looked to Liam. “Um, yes? But I’m still on my restricted.”

Ten grinned. “Don’t worry, you won’t be leaving the station, but I was thinking you might like to join me on a lambing run this afternoon. I’ll teach you how to ride a quad.”

Connor’s face erupted into a huge grin, but Liam shook his head. “They’re calling for your statement, remember? And we might have to go into Oakwood.”

Connor’s smile dissolved. “Oh, right.”

Tennyson nudged his elbow. “Then we’ll make it tomorrow afternoon. If it’s okay with your uncle?”

Connor flashed a pleading look to Liam, who nodded. “It’s fine with me as long as you get some study done before you go. Exams coming up, remember?”

Connor groaned, adding an eye-roll for good measure.

Ten chuckled. “Do your study and I’ll pick you up after lunch. Deal?” He put out his hand and Connor nodded and clasped it.

Behind Connor’s back, Liam mouthed a thank you to Ten who simply nodded and began cleaning up. The rest of the shepherds and Liam and Connor all began to help, and I drank in the chaos of a busy kitchen, loud with the sound of teasing and laughter, a collection of dogs waiting eagerly on the veranda, and a room crowded with people that meant the world to me, including a man I was pretty sure I was in love with. And in that moment, I knew without a doubt that this was the life I wanted.

This was what I’d been searching for.

Farming the Mackenzie might be my passion, but it was suddenly very clear that on its own, it would never be enough. Without someone to share it with, without love, without family—I glanced at Connor talking video games with Stuart—and without friends and people I could be myself with, none of it would ever be enough.

I cast a sideways glance at my father who wore an unreadable expression as he observed the goings on—all of it undoubtedly foreign to the autocratic approach he’d always taken in dealing with the station’s employees and life in general. And watching him, I realised something else. There had never been a choice. There had never been a way to avoid what was inevitable. If it wasn’t my sexuality my father found issue with, it would be something else. The two of us had been heading for this conversation my entire life.

The only question left was when it would happen.

I caught Liam’s eye and he raised a brow, sensitive to my emotional state, as always.Are you okay?

Was I?

I flashed him a big smile, because the truth was, I hadn’t been this okay in a long, long time.

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

Jules

“Get in here.”I hauled Liam unceremoniously through the back door of his cottage, kicked it shut, and shoved him up against the refrigerator. It had been four long days and nights since Connor had taken up residence in Liam’s spare bedroom, and there were more to come since everyone had agreed to him staying until the weekend. In the meantime, Liam and I were sorely lacking in alone time and I was done being patient.

He chuckled. “Now that’s what I call a welcome.” He scanned the inside of the cottage and frowned. “Where’s Hopper?” Fair question since the huntaway was rarely more than a few metres away from me during the day.

“In his kennel so he can’t give away my whereabouts.” I clamped a hand over his mouth. “Now, be quiet. I need to kiss you before I lose my fucking mind.”

Liam’s eyes danced with amusement as I slowly peeled my fingers away. “I have to say, it’s very dark in here with the curtains closed.”

I slid my hand back over his mouth and narrowed my eyes. “What did I just say about talking?”

He gave me a salute, which I didn’t believe for a second, but I uncovered his mouth anyway.

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