Secrets of Riverside, page 21
She turned to him, flour smudges upon her cheeks. ‘Oh hey, Jarrah.’
He was going to get straight to the point. ‘I’m sorry about last night.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’ She bit down on her bottom lip, and kept it clamped between her teeth as she unpacked the dishwasher.
Her silence destroyed any hope he’d had of them going back to some kind of normalcy. With all his heart he wanted to close the distance and give her a hug. But he was worried if he risked touching her, she would flicker like an image upon water, then disappear like a mirage, leaving him aching even more to know what could have been if he’d held his horses and allowed things to fall into place.
Say something, King, anything to fill this horrible silence …
‘Are we all good, Millie?’ It was fairly evident they weren’t, but he didn’t know what else to say.
Nodding then plonking the cutlery basket on the bench, she rested a hip against the side of the counter as she started to unpack everything, but still said nothing. Jarrah’s voice of reason roared. This was so hard. She felt so far away from him and he hated this gaping divide. It was taking every bit of willpower he could muster not to grab her and declare everything all over again, more passionately this time, in the hope she’d rise up on her tippy toes, wrap her arms around his neck, and kiss him like she never wanted to let him go. He could try and smooth things over all he wanted, so they could return to being friends, but he couldn’t deny that he was crazy about her. Actually, he was crazier than crazy. He was boots over head, inevitably, undoubtedly, falling harder for her as each day passed.
‘What is it, Jarrah? I can see you need to tell me something else.’ She threw a glance in his direction. ‘So just say it, please.’
He fidgeted a little, wishing he could come right out and speak his truth, but fear of a second rejection halted him. ‘I was just going to ask if your Jimny is running good now.’
She shook her head and her blonde ponytail swept over her shoulder. ‘I see what you’re doing and I’m not playing that game.’ She went back to the dishwasher and dumped the empty cutlery holder inside before shutting the door and turning all her attention to him. ‘I know I basically ran off last night, and I’m sorry about that. It’s just, I wasn’t ready for you to tell me something so intense, and I panicked.’
‘Me liking you doesn’t have to be so,’ he grimaced at the way she’d pronounced it, ‘intense.’
‘I’m not planning on sticking around here, Jarrah, so there’s no use in us trying to make something out of this, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘Yes, and no.’
‘Which one is it, Jarrah?’ She huffed. ‘Yes or no?’
‘Honestly, it’s both.’
Scruff had joined them, and was looking from one to the other, his kind brown eyes clouded with worry and his forehead puckered.
Millie hunkered down to his height. ‘It’s okay, buddy, we’re all good here.’ There was extraordinary compassion in Scruff’s eyes as she gave his head a loving ruffle.
Witnessing just how much Scruff adored her, a pang of yearning struck Jarrah’s heart, strong enough to send his hand to his chest to try and somehow soothe it. With all her attention on Scruff, he closed his eyes, taking a moment to will the sensation away. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Millie’s soft sigh had him opening his eyes to meet hers.
‘I’m guessing there’s a lot we don’t know about each other, Jarrah, and we’re not going to peel back the layers in the short amount of time I’m here.’ She placed a gentle hand on his arm. ‘Therefore, I don’t want to step over any more boundaries, because I don’t want to hurt you, and I don’t want you to hurt me.’ Even though she was softly smiling, there were tears in her eyes.
The pain of witnessing her despair almost snapped him in two. ‘I totally understand, Millie.’ He cleared his throat and nodded. ‘I’ll leave you to get back to it, then.’
Before she could bear witness to his own raw emotions, he strode out and into the sunshine, desperate to catch the breath she’d just stolen from him. Tomorrow, he’d return to his motto of never looking back, because he wasn’t going that way. Not ever. Not even for Tommy. And as for him and Millie, that dreamlike night was a thing of the past too. Their chance was gone. And there’d be no second chances. For any of them.
* * *
The following morning, Millie couldn’t get enough of the salty sea breeze as it tossed rolling waves onto the shore and tousled her loose hair. Perfect imprints of her bare feet and Scruff’s paws trailed behind her in the soft, wet sand as she made her way towards the jetty. Her plan was to sit on it for a little while, her legs dangling over the edge and her attention in the moment. Because after pining over Jarrah the last couple of days and lying awake half the night crying about what they could have had under different circumstances, she needed to centre herself, and the only way to do that was to get away from Riverside Acres, and Jarrah, for a couple of hours. And what better place than the beach to come and air out her heart on her day off?
Above, seagulls dipped and dived, calling to one another. She enjoyed the crunch of sand between her toes as she wandered the horseshoe-shaped coastline. Tilting her floppy straw hat to ward off the golden rays of sunlight, she gazed dreamily towards where the water met with the horizon. The breath of the ocean was helping to soothe her soul, along with putting things into perspective. One more week, that was what she was giving this venture, before she packed her bags, said goodbye to Jarrah and Scruff – no need for such sentiments for Tommy – and headed back to Sydney. Staying here any longer would only complicate things further. After almost three weeks there, she was none the wiser as to who had sent the letter, and why she’d been told to come there. Woefully, she was starting to believe it had been a waste of time, and whoever was behind the letter had known that, and the sick son of a bitch was enjoying controlling her life as if she were a puppet.
Scruff raced ahead of her, his nose poking into the holes that the little crabs had escaped into. She wished she could strip off, race to the water’s edge and plunge beneath the waves, but who knew what was lurking there. The crocodile warning signs, as well as the newspaper clippings Jarrah had pinned behind the bar, had worked on her – unlike some other people who dared to brave the water. Even Scruff was being constantly reminded to get away from the edge of the water. She’d been hesitant to bring him, but Jarrah had insisted, saying Scruffball would keep her safe from any weirdos. She found his need to protect her endearing. Not that she was going to allow the feeling to spread. He’d gotten beneath her armour once and she couldn’t let him do it again.
Reaching the jetty, she called Scruff back to her side. ‘Come on, buddy, let’s go and ponder the meaning of life for a little bit, hey.’
Scruff was eager to do whatever she wanted to, and his nails clipped the timber boards as they traipsed towards where a rainbow stretched from one side of the water to the other. And then, with nowhere left to go, she and her mate sat side by side, both staring into the distance. By the time she decided to turn her Jimny around and head back to Riverside Acres, it was almost two hours later.
Wandering over from the stables, Jarrah met her as she pulled up. With dark rings beneath his eyes, a slight slump to his shoulders and in need of a shave, he looked utterly worn out. She felt for him, probably way too much. And she wanted to nurture him, to somehow make him feel better. Just like he’d done for her. In so many ways. But she couldn’t.
Scruff leapt through the window in his excitement to greet his master. ‘Did you enjoy your trip to the beach, mate?’ Chuckling, Jarrah ruffled his floppy ears.
‘He sure did.’ Tossing her tote bag over her shoulder, Millie hopped out and went to Jarrah’s side. ‘He even sat and contemplated life with me for a couple of hours.’
Footfalls approached, and she caught the stench of alcohol as Tommy stomped past her. Swaying a little as he approached Jarrah, he was evidently drunk. This wasn’t going to go well. Not in the slightest. Hooking her fingers into Scruff’s collar, she held him beside her and held her breath, praying she was wrong.
‘So what are you pair up to, huh?’ Folding his arms while trying to stand on unsteady legs, Tommy eyed them. ‘Is there something I should know about?’
It was a loaded question. One that Jarrah very clearly wasn’t in the mood to answer. And he didn’t. ‘Go home and sleep the booze off, Tommy.’
Scowling, Tommy snapped in response, ‘Why don’t you go and get stuffed, Jarrah.’
Jarrah scowled back. ‘I’m done talking, Tommy.’
For a split second Tommy looked as if he was about to grab Jarrah’s collar. ‘Yeah, righto, whatever.’ He staggered away, and back towards his room. ‘I’m watching you two.’
Looking to Millie, Jarrah held his hands up in the air, a gesture that said I’m at a loss.
She felt for him, so much. ‘You good?’
‘No, but yeah.’
She couldn’t leave him like this. ‘Do you want to have a beer and mull it over with me?’
‘I don’t feel like mulling it over, but as for the beer, yeah, why not.’ He took off his Akubra and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Your place or mine?’
‘I think yours, my neighbour’s a little cantankerous.’ Referring to Tommy, she grinned, trying to ease the heavy air he’d left behind.
‘Agreed.’ Jarrah returned her grin. ‘Done deal.’
Grabbing them both a beer from the outside fridge, and then heading inside to turn on the stereo – Garth Brooks’ honky-tonk voice soon rang out – Jarrah reappeared, clicking his fingers and singing the lyrics to ‘Long Neck Bottle’ as he plonked down beside her on the day bed. He bouncily bumped shoulders with her, catching her eyes and trying to encourage her into a sing-along. It was the closest she’d been to him in days, and an avalanche of emotions crashed down upon her. Swigging her beer, she did her best to shake off heart-wrenching sentiments as she laughed at his antics. They were friends. And that was that. She needed to grasp this fact. Even though she longed to grasp him.
Stop with your schoolgirl nonsense, Millie …
Halfway through the song, Jarrah leapt to his feet and bopped from side to side. ‘Dance with me.’
‘Pfft, no.’ She planted her butt further into the day bed. ‘I’ll stay spectator, thank you.’
‘Oh come on, Millie, don’t be a spoilsport.’ He circled around and then held out his hand. ‘It’s a fun song, and it’ll make me feel better if you dance with me.’ His eyes implored her. ‘Pleeeease.’
‘Oh, for goodness sake, I will, but only if it will stop you being so damn annoying.’ Jumping up, she spiritedly held out her hand, and he took it. ‘Woooh,’ she squealed, as he country-style rocked and rolled her across the verandah.
Millie lost herself in their merriment as they enjoyed the music. Scruff joined in too, playfully nipping at their heels with his tail spinning in excited circles. Once again, it was just the three of them, living their best lives while living in the moment. Jarrah had this knack of bringing her right into the present and holding her there, nice and tight, so she couldn’t focus on anything else but each passing second spent with him. Everything they’d been battling faded into the background, and she was right back where she’d been the night of the rodeo, before they’d torn each other’s clothes off – helplessly, head-over-heels, falling for him. Then the song changed, as did the tempo, and ‘The Dance’ echoed. Jarrah kept hold of her and placed a hand in the curve of her back. Relieved to not be looking him in the eyes, for fear of losing all self-control, she rested against him. She knew every word of the moving song like the back of her hand. And how fitting it was. It was all about it being best not to know how things will end, because if you did, then you may deprive yourself of some of the most beautiful experiences – she might miss the pain, but then she might also miss the dance. And she didn’t want to miss dancing with Jarrah, because he made her feel as though she was floating on air.
As if reading her thoughts, he smiled down at her, and the earth shifted beneath her gliding feet. Electricity arced between them, settling in her stomach like a million butterflies’ wings as she felt herself slipping back into him, becoming one like they had that unforgettable night beneath the stars. But this time they were fully dressed, and they’d be remaining that way.
CHAPTER
16
Gripping her shopping trolley tight, Millie tried to ignore the eerie sense that someone was watching her. At the end of each aisle, she paused and glanced over her shoulder, her suspicions not justified. Even so, panic prickled her scalp and had the hair rising on the back of her neck. Drawing in a breath, she wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts and told herself to calm down. But two aisles later and the creepy sensation still wouldn’t leave her alone. Pausing in front of the dairy fridge, she could see the reflected outline of what she considered to be a man a couple of metres behind her. She spun on her heel, ready to catch her stalker, but there was nobody there. Turning back to the fridge door, the silhouette had gone. A shiver ran down her spine.
She wasn’t losing it.
She wasn’t seeing things.
Convinced she was being followed, she left her trolley and took hurried steps so she could glimpse up every single aisle in quick succession. There were people, like her, out doing their shopping, but nobody stood out as suspicious. Shaking her head, she considered leaving, but she needed the groceries in her trolley to make Jarrah dinner tonight, like she’d promised. Her chilli con carne topped with spicy guacamole was her way of saying thanks for all the meals he’d cooked for her, so she wasn’t going to let some unnerving hunch have her leaving here empty-handed. She was also going to let him know she’d be leaving as soon as he found a replacement for the cook’s position. She’d already extended her stay a few weeks longer than planned, so a week preferably, two weeks tops, was the limit of her time left here. It was a conversation she’d been avoiding the past couple of days, but it had to be done.
Returning to her trolley, she sucked in a breath, squared her shoulders and took determined steps. Gathering what she needed, along with an impromptu few ingredients to make Eton mess with fresh berries, she lined up at the tills. A commotion behind her had her spinning to see a pile of cereal boxes that had just been knocked to the floor, and then she caught sight of Tommy out of the corner of her eye, slipping through the sliding front doors of the IGA. Apprehension filled her. Fear whispered in her ears. Everything she’d been feeling while wandering the aisles slipped into place. Tommy had been her stalker. She was certain of it. But why? What did he think he was going to uncover by sneaking around, following her? With her suspicions, shouldn’t it be her that was spying on him?
After placing the bags of groceries into the back of her Jimny, she climbed behind the steering wheel and took a moment to gather her nerves and her thoughts. She’d been suspicious of Tommy the second she’d met him, and all throughout her three weeks at Riverside Acres he’d done nothing but made her feel extremely unwelcome. What did he know? How was he tied to the night her family died? What did he gain by dragging her all the way here, only to treat her like crap? Surely there was more substance to the letter, and the photograph, than that. She had to find a way to unearth the buried secrets here. And when she did, because by hook or by crook she was going to, there’d be consequences for whoever thought it would be gratifying to drag her over the hot coals of her past to be here. And all for what? A sick joke? Revenge? To harm her? Well, she’d be ready. So bring it on.
Standing out the front of her motel room a couple of hours later, she savoured the scent of her chilli con carne simmering away on the little two-burner stove inside. The sun had hit its peak, blasted heat, and now, thankfully, late-afternoon shadows stretched out as it sank away, providing shade from what had been a day of relentless sunshine. She glanced at her watch. Jarrah would be arriving soon, and she marvelled at how she wasn’t wearing a bit of make-up, not even her usual brush of lip gloss, her hair was a tousled mess, and she was dressed in baggy shorts and a sloppy T-shirt, and she didn’t care one bit. It felt good to feel so comfortable around a man, especially one as eye-catching as Jarrah. She just hoped her chilli lived up to his expectations – she’d built them up a fair bit over the last couple of weeks.
Tossing the stick for Scruff, she put her hands to her hips as she waited for him to retrieve it and bring it back for what felt like the hundredth time. She’d come out to her patio to sit back and enjoy the views, to enjoy some Zen-like downtime before she had to have a difficult conversation with Jarrah about leaving, but her doggy mate had other ideas. Not that she minded – his antics distracted her, made her laugh, and made her love him even more. It was going to be hard, saying goodbye to Scruff. He’d given her nothing but love from the second they’d met. Flopping beneath the shade of the old gum tree, Scruff finally dropped his stick and panted like billy-o. He’d clearly had enough for the afternoon. Crossing the driveway to be nearer to him, she leant on the rustic timber railing of the paddock opposite, and her gaze fixed to the two palomino horses that called it home, and then towards the thick tropical landscape beyond. She loved how the rainforest remained untouched by man’s hand, and how it was filled with so much of everything that made her feel whole.
If only she could stay.
‘Millie.’ Her name carried on Jarrah’s voice.
Turning to see him wandering towards her, she felt an easy smile break out on her face at his kind-hearted regard of her. ‘Hey, Jarrah.’
He tugged the brim of his hat in greeting. ‘What’s appertaining?’ His eyes crinkled from the glow of the setting sun as he stepped into her space and leant against the same railing as her.
‘I’m just admiring Mother Nature’s handiwork again,’ she admitted, smiling dreamily.
‘Mmm, nice.’ He leant his chin on his folded hands. ‘I don’t mean to brag, but I reckon this place is her pièce de résistance.’
‘I’d have to agree with you.’ She quirked a brow as she straightened. ‘And why not brag, you have the right to, being the sole owner of Riverside Acres.’
He was going to get straight to the point. ‘I’m sorry about last night.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’ She bit down on her bottom lip, and kept it clamped between her teeth as she unpacked the dishwasher.
Her silence destroyed any hope he’d had of them going back to some kind of normalcy. With all his heart he wanted to close the distance and give her a hug. But he was worried if he risked touching her, she would flicker like an image upon water, then disappear like a mirage, leaving him aching even more to know what could have been if he’d held his horses and allowed things to fall into place.
Say something, King, anything to fill this horrible silence …
‘Are we all good, Millie?’ It was fairly evident they weren’t, but he didn’t know what else to say.
Nodding then plonking the cutlery basket on the bench, she rested a hip against the side of the counter as she started to unpack everything, but still said nothing. Jarrah’s voice of reason roared. This was so hard. She felt so far away from him and he hated this gaping divide. It was taking every bit of willpower he could muster not to grab her and declare everything all over again, more passionately this time, in the hope she’d rise up on her tippy toes, wrap her arms around his neck, and kiss him like she never wanted to let him go. He could try and smooth things over all he wanted, so they could return to being friends, but he couldn’t deny that he was crazy about her. Actually, he was crazier than crazy. He was boots over head, inevitably, undoubtedly, falling harder for her as each day passed.
‘What is it, Jarrah? I can see you need to tell me something else.’ She threw a glance in his direction. ‘So just say it, please.’
He fidgeted a little, wishing he could come right out and speak his truth, but fear of a second rejection halted him. ‘I was just going to ask if your Jimny is running good now.’
She shook her head and her blonde ponytail swept over her shoulder. ‘I see what you’re doing and I’m not playing that game.’ She went back to the dishwasher and dumped the empty cutlery holder inside before shutting the door and turning all her attention to him. ‘I know I basically ran off last night, and I’m sorry about that. It’s just, I wasn’t ready for you to tell me something so intense, and I panicked.’
‘Me liking you doesn’t have to be so,’ he grimaced at the way she’d pronounced it, ‘intense.’
‘I’m not planning on sticking around here, Jarrah, so there’s no use in us trying to make something out of this, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘Yes, and no.’
‘Which one is it, Jarrah?’ She huffed. ‘Yes or no?’
‘Honestly, it’s both.’
Scruff had joined them, and was looking from one to the other, his kind brown eyes clouded with worry and his forehead puckered.
Millie hunkered down to his height. ‘It’s okay, buddy, we’re all good here.’ There was extraordinary compassion in Scruff’s eyes as she gave his head a loving ruffle.
Witnessing just how much Scruff adored her, a pang of yearning struck Jarrah’s heart, strong enough to send his hand to his chest to try and somehow soothe it. With all her attention on Scruff, he closed his eyes, taking a moment to will the sensation away. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Millie’s soft sigh had him opening his eyes to meet hers.
‘I’m guessing there’s a lot we don’t know about each other, Jarrah, and we’re not going to peel back the layers in the short amount of time I’m here.’ She placed a gentle hand on his arm. ‘Therefore, I don’t want to step over any more boundaries, because I don’t want to hurt you, and I don’t want you to hurt me.’ Even though she was softly smiling, there were tears in her eyes.
The pain of witnessing her despair almost snapped him in two. ‘I totally understand, Millie.’ He cleared his throat and nodded. ‘I’ll leave you to get back to it, then.’
Before she could bear witness to his own raw emotions, he strode out and into the sunshine, desperate to catch the breath she’d just stolen from him. Tomorrow, he’d return to his motto of never looking back, because he wasn’t going that way. Not ever. Not even for Tommy. And as for him and Millie, that dreamlike night was a thing of the past too. Their chance was gone. And there’d be no second chances. For any of them.
* * *
The following morning, Millie couldn’t get enough of the salty sea breeze as it tossed rolling waves onto the shore and tousled her loose hair. Perfect imprints of her bare feet and Scruff’s paws trailed behind her in the soft, wet sand as she made her way towards the jetty. Her plan was to sit on it for a little while, her legs dangling over the edge and her attention in the moment. Because after pining over Jarrah the last couple of days and lying awake half the night crying about what they could have had under different circumstances, she needed to centre herself, and the only way to do that was to get away from Riverside Acres, and Jarrah, for a couple of hours. And what better place than the beach to come and air out her heart on her day off?
Above, seagulls dipped and dived, calling to one another. She enjoyed the crunch of sand between her toes as she wandered the horseshoe-shaped coastline. Tilting her floppy straw hat to ward off the golden rays of sunlight, she gazed dreamily towards where the water met with the horizon. The breath of the ocean was helping to soothe her soul, along with putting things into perspective. One more week, that was what she was giving this venture, before she packed her bags, said goodbye to Jarrah and Scruff – no need for such sentiments for Tommy – and headed back to Sydney. Staying here any longer would only complicate things further. After almost three weeks there, she was none the wiser as to who had sent the letter, and why she’d been told to come there. Woefully, she was starting to believe it had been a waste of time, and whoever was behind the letter had known that, and the sick son of a bitch was enjoying controlling her life as if she were a puppet.
Scruff raced ahead of her, his nose poking into the holes that the little crabs had escaped into. She wished she could strip off, race to the water’s edge and plunge beneath the waves, but who knew what was lurking there. The crocodile warning signs, as well as the newspaper clippings Jarrah had pinned behind the bar, had worked on her – unlike some other people who dared to brave the water. Even Scruff was being constantly reminded to get away from the edge of the water. She’d been hesitant to bring him, but Jarrah had insisted, saying Scruffball would keep her safe from any weirdos. She found his need to protect her endearing. Not that she was going to allow the feeling to spread. He’d gotten beneath her armour once and she couldn’t let him do it again.
Reaching the jetty, she called Scruff back to her side. ‘Come on, buddy, let’s go and ponder the meaning of life for a little bit, hey.’
Scruff was eager to do whatever she wanted to, and his nails clipped the timber boards as they traipsed towards where a rainbow stretched from one side of the water to the other. And then, with nowhere left to go, she and her mate sat side by side, both staring into the distance. By the time she decided to turn her Jimny around and head back to Riverside Acres, it was almost two hours later.
Wandering over from the stables, Jarrah met her as she pulled up. With dark rings beneath his eyes, a slight slump to his shoulders and in need of a shave, he looked utterly worn out. She felt for him, probably way too much. And she wanted to nurture him, to somehow make him feel better. Just like he’d done for her. In so many ways. But she couldn’t.
Scruff leapt through the window in his excitement to greet his master. ‘Did you enjoy your trip to the beach, mate?’ Chuckling, Jarrah ruffled his floppy ears.
‘He sure did.’ Tossing her tote bag over her shoulder, Millie hopped out and went to Jarrah’s side. ‘He even sat and contemplated life with me for a couple of hours.’
Footfalls approached, and she caught the stench of alcohol as Tommy stomped past her. Swaying a little as he approached Jarrah, he was evidently drunk. This wasn’t going to go well. Not in the slightest. Hooking her fingers into Scruff’s collar, she held him beside her and held her breath, praying she was wrong.
‘So what are you pair up to, huh?’ Folding his arms while trying to stand on unsteady legs, Tommy eyed them. ‘Is there something I should know about?’
It was a loaded question. One that Jarrah very clearly wasn’t in the mood to answer. And he didn’t. ‘Go home and sleep the booze off, Tommy.’
Scowling, Tommy snapped in response, ‘Why don’t you go and get stuffed, Jarrah.’
Jarrah scowled back. ‘I’m done talking, Tommy.’
For a split second Tommy looked as if he was about to grab Jarrah’s collar. ‘Yeah, righto, whatever.’ He staggered away, and back towards his room. ‘I’m watching you two.’
Looking to Millie, Jarrah held his hands up in the air, a gesture that said I’m at a loss.
She felt for him, so much. ‘You good?’
‘No, but yeah.’
She couldn’t leave him like this. ‘Do you want to have a beer and mull it over with me?’
‘I don’t feel like mulling it over, but as for the beer, yeah, why not.’ He took off his Akubra and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Your place or mine?’
‘I think yours, my neighbour’s a little cantankerous.’ Referring to Tommy, she grinned, trying to ease the heavy air he’d left behind.
‘Agreed.’ Jarrah returned her grin. ‘Done deal.’
Grabbing them both a beer from the outside fridge, and then heading inside to turn on the stereo – Garth Brooks’ honky-tonk voice soon rang out – Jarrah reappeared, clicking his fingers and singing the lyrics to ‘Long Neck Bottle’ as he plonked down beside her on the day bed. He bouncily bumped shoulders with her, catching her eyes and trying to encourage her into a sing-along. It was the closest she’d been to him in days, and an avalanche of emotions crashed down upon her. Swigging her beer, she did her best to shake off heart-wrenching sentiments as she laughed at his antics. They were friends. And that was that. She needed to grasp this fact. Even though she longed to grasp him.
Stop with your schoolgirl nonsense, Millie …
Halfway through the song, Jarrah leapt to his feet and bopped from side to side. ‘Dance with me.’
‘Pfft, no.’ She planted her butt further into the day bed. ‘I’ll stay spectator, thank you.’
‘Oh come on, Millie, don’t be a spoilsport.’ He circled around and then held out his hand. ‘It’s a fun song, and it’ll make me feel better if you dance with me.’ His eyes implored her. ‘Pleeeease.’
‘Oh, for goodness sake, I will, but only if it will stop you being so damn annoying.’ Jumping up, she spiritedly held out her hand, and he took it. ‘Woooh,’ she squealed, as he country-style rocked and rolled her across the verandah.
Millie lost herself in their merriment as they enjoyed the music. Scruff joined in too, playfully nipping at their heels with his tail spinning in excited circles. Once again, it was just the three of them, living their best lives while living in the moment. Jarrah had this knack of bringing her right into the present and holding her there, nice and tight, so she couldn’t focus on anything else but each passing second spent with him. Everything they’d been battling faded into the background, and she was right back where she’d been the night of the rodeo, before they’d torn each other’s clothes off – helplessly, head-over-heels, falling for him. Then the song changed, as did the tempo, and ‘The Dance’ echoed. Jarrah kept hold of her and placed a hand in the curve of her back. Relieved to not be looking him in the eyes, for fear of losing all self-control, she rested against him. She knew every word of the moving song like the back of her hand. And how fitting it was. It was all about it being best not to know how things will end, because if you did, then you may deprive yourself of some of the most beautiful experiences – she might miss the pain, but then she might also miss the dance. And she didn’t want to miss dancing with Jarrah, because he made her feel as though she was floating on air.
As if reading her thoughts, he smiled down at her, and the earth shifted beneath her gliding feet. Electricity arced between them, settling in her stomach like a million butterflies’ wings as she felt herself slipping back into him, becoming one like they had that unforgettable night beneath the stars. But this time they were fully dressed, and they’d be remaining that way.
CHAPTER
16
Gripping her shopping trolley tight, Millie tried to ignore the eerie sense that someone was watching her. At the end of each aisle, she paused and glanced over her shoulder, her suspicions not justified. Even so, panic prickled her scalp and had the hair rising on the back of her neck. Drawing in a breath, she wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts and told herself to calm down. But two aisles later and the creepy sensation still wouldn’t leave her alone. Pausing in front of the dairy fridge, she could see the reflected outline of what she considered to be a man a couple of metres behind her. She spun on her heel, ready to catch her stalker, but there was nobody there. Turning back to the fridge door, the silhouette had gone. A shiver ran down her spine.
She wasn’t losing it.
She wasn’t seeing things.
Convinced she was being followed, she left her trolley and took hurried steps so she could glimpse up every single aisle in quick succession. There were people, like her, out doing their shopping, but nobody stood out as suspicious. Shaking her head, she considered leaving, but she needed the groceries in her trolley to make Jarrah dinner tonight, like she’d promised. Her chilli con carne topped with spicy guacamole was her way of saying thanks for all the meals he’d cooked for her, so she wasn’t going to let some unnerving hunch have her leaving here empty-handed. She was also going to let him know she’d be leaving as soon as he found a replacement for the cook’s position. She’d already extended her stay a few weeks longer than planned, so a week preferably, two weeks tops, was the limit of her time left here. It was a conversation she’d been avoiding the past couple of days, but it had to be done.
Returning to her trolley, she sucked in a breath, squared her shoulders and took determined steps. Gathering what she needed, along with an impromptu few ingredients to make Eton mess with fresh berries, she lined up at the tills. A commotion behind her had her spinning to see a pile of cereal boxes that had just been knocked to the floor, and then she caught sight of Tommy out of the corner of her eye, slipping through the sliding front doors of the IGA. Apprehension filled her. Fear whispered in her ears. Everything she’d been feeling while wandering the aisles slipped into place. Tommy had been her stalker. She was certain of it. But why? What did he think he was going to uncover by sneaking around, following her? With her suspicions, shouldn’t it be her that was spying on him?
After placing the bags of groceries into the back of her Jimny, she climbed behind the steering wheel and took a moment to gather her nerves and her thoughts. She’d been suspicious of Tommy the second she’d met him, and all throughout her three weeks at Riverside Acres he’d done nothing but made her feel extremely unwelcome. What did he know? How was he tied to the night her family died? What did he gain by dragging her all the way here, only to treat her like crap? Surely there was more substance to the letter, and the photograph, than that. She had to find a way to unearth the buried secrets here. And when she did, because by hook or by crook she was going to, there’d be consequences for whoever thought it would be gratifying to drag her over the hot coals of her past to be here. And all for what? A sick joke? Revenge? To harm her? Well, she’d be ready. So bring it on.
Standing out the front of her motel room a couple of hours later, she savoured the scent of her chilli con carne simmering away on the little two-burner stove inside. The sun had hit its peak, blasted heat, and now, thankfully, late-afternoon shadows stretched out as it sank away, providing shade from what had been a day of relentless sunshine. She glanced at her watch. Jarrah would be arriving soon, and she marvelled at how she wasn’t wearing a bit of make-up, not even her usual brush of lip gloss, her hair was a tousled mess, and she was dressed in baggy shorts and a sloppy T-shirt, and she didn’t care one bit. It felt good to feel so comfortable around a man, especially one as eye-catching as Jarrah. She just hoped her chilli lived up to his expectations – she’d built them up a fair bit over the last couple of weeks.
Tossing the stick for Scruff, she put her hands to her hips as she waited for him to retrieve it and bring it back for what felt like the hundredth time. She’d come out to her patio to sit back and enjoy the views, to enjoy some Zen-like downtime before she had to have a difficult conversation with Jarrah about leaving, but her doggy mate had other ideas. Not that she minded – his antics distracted her, made her laugh, and made her love him even more. It was going to be hard, saying goodbye to Scruff. He’d given her nothing but love from the second they’d met. Flopping beneath the shade of the old gum tree, Scruff finally dropped his stick and panted like billy-o. He’d clearly had enough for the afternoon. Crossing the driveway to be nearer to him, she leant on the rustic timber railing of the paddock opposite, and her gaze fixed to the two palomino horses that called it home, and then towards the thick tropical landscape beyond. She loved how the rainforest remained untouched by man’s hand, and how it was filled with so much of everything that made her feel whole.
If only she could stay.
‘Millie.’ Her name carried on Jarrah’s voice.
Turning to see him wandering towards her, she felt an easy smile break out on her face at his kind-hearted regard of her. ‘Hey, Jarrah.’
He tugged the brim of his hat in greeting. ‘What’s appertaining?’ His eyes crinkled from the glow of the setting sun as he stepped into her space and leant against the same railing as her.
‘I’m just admiring Mother Nature’s handiwork again,’ she admitted, smiling dreamily.
‘Mmm, nice.’ He leant his chin on his folded hands. ‘I don’t mean to brag, but I reckon this place is her pièce de résistance.’
‘I’d have to agree with you.’ She quirked a brow as she straightened. ‘And why not brag, you have the right to, being the sole owner of Riverside Acres.’
