Page 66 of The Science of Attraction

Ten gave an almost-shy smile. “Thanks. I’m happy for you, too. The team will be fine with the two of you, of course. Your mother too, I think. But?—”

“Tweedledum and Tweedledee might be a problem?” I nodded slowly. “Which is why we need to take time to make sure things between us are really serious before we say anything. Liam has a business to run, study to finish, family in Dunedin, and how we’d manage the whole distance thing when I can’t even take a day off most weeks, I have no idea.” I threw up my hands. “I don’t even know for sure if he’s interested in pursuing anything.”

Ten’s lips quirked up. “Oh, I’d bet good money that he’s interested all right. Whenever the two of you are in the same room, his eyes follow you constantly.”

The thought did squirmy things to my belly, and I felt myself smiling... again. “God, I can’t stand all this sappiness. Be gone with you. I need to think.”

Tennyson stood and put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s been tough without Zach, I know. But you can always talk to me.”

I nodded, swallowing around the lump in my throat, then looked up. “Thanks. Same. Are you sure you don’t need another pair of hands today?”

“We’ll be fine.” He squeezed my shoulder. “You can’t work yourself into the ground. Besides, it gives us a chance to bitch about you while you’re not there.”

I laughed and got to my feet, pulling him into a hug. “Thanks for everything.”

He hugged me back. “You’re welcome. But before I leave, a word to the wise?”

“I’m listening.”

He looked around the flat. “You need to mess this place up a bit more like you’re actually living in it. Your mother is planning a big spring clean, and your flat is bound to be top of the list.”

“Hell.” I cast an eye around the pristine room. “I’ll get right on that.”

“Excellent.” Ten slapped me on the back. “And if you want to come for a ride this afternoon, I’m taking the Cessna up to scout the valleys for those ewes we’re missing. Your man has the afternoon off, right?”

“He’s not my man,” I grumbled, unable to keep the smile off my face. “But is that an invitation?”

Ten gave a Cheshire cat grin. “Absolutely. Just keep the PDA down for us straight guys, huh?”

“Of course.” My cheeks blew hot.

He laughed. “Just kidding. Now enjoy your morning off, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

The minute he was gone, I texted Liam.You wanna go flying this afternoon?

He replied with a string of excited emojis that made my heart smile and something warm bubble in my chest.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Jules

The warm bubbledidn’t last long.

Four hours later, a load of washing on the line and a suitably messy flat attained, I was kicking myself for caving to my hunger and joining everyone in the kitchen for lunch.

It started off well with a slightly nervous Liam interrogating an amused Ten about his relative experience as a pilot. He was clearly trying to ascertain the safety of our upcoming flight, and my mother listened, bemused, while my father indulged him with an occasional begrudging smile.

“Ten’s been the station’s pilot for years,” I tried to reassure Liam who’d been careful not to catch my eye too often during the conversation. But as he sat opposite me, his foot had found mine on more than one occasion, forcing me to hide a smile.

“I’m sorry. I’m excited. I really am.” His cheeks pinked. “I’m just not a fan of tiny planes. I’m gonna shut up now.” He reached for the last slice of brownie and filled his mouth with that.

We finished the meal and began to clear the table when Dad decided to raise the topic of the new stock management plan. You could’ve heard my groan in Oakwood.

Before I’d sneaked across to Liam’s cottage the previous evening, I’d spent an hour going through the accounts with my father—never a fun time. Figuring I had nothing to lose since he was already in a bad mood, I’d made the mistake of broaching an idea Ten and I had been working on—that of reducing the station’s stock numbers for a few years, maybe even permanently, to encourage better pasture recovery and future management. To say Dad had been horrified was the understatement of the year. He’d vetoed the idea without even hearing me out. Then he’d obviously stewed on the notion overnight and decided to corner Ten at lunch for his opinion.

To my surprise, Ten never hesitated, answering, “I’m sorry, Paddy, but I agree with everything Jules said. We actually worked on the idea together.”

Dad’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a thin, disapproving line. “Then you’ve... wasted... time.” He turned his glare on me, then grabbed his pen and paper and scribbled something before firing it across the table.

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