Chapter 53
CHAPTER
53
No matter how many times Mila studied weed risk in paddocks or rode around the boundaries, the extent of her land never failed to astonish.
She owned all this. Every scrap of turned soil, every legume produced, every single tree. From the first time she’d visited Hills Homestead with her parents, she’d loved the place. Loved when Gramps drove her around on the back of a quad bike, loved the unique mustiness of ripening lentils in the air, loved the striking sunsets over harvested fields. She’d never understood her father’s disregard for the farm. He couldn’t wait to escape it and he rarely returned.
Like Sawyer, which is why she’d invited him here today.
She’d sent him a brief text, asking him to pop over around four, at the southernmost corner of the land he’d acquired. She had a plan. And even if it didn’t come to fruition, at least she could say she tried.
As his car approached, she slid from a log and dusted off her jeans, her palms clammy. She smoothed her hair, tucking stray strands into her ponytail, and tugged down her red ribbed singlet, which had ridden up. She never fussed over her appearance but she wanted to present a confident front so Sawyer took her seriously.
This had to work.
His terse response to her text, ‘See you then’ , hadn’t inspired her with confidence. But at least he’d arrived and that was something. She’d had her doubts after the way she’d spoken to him when she’d kicked him out two nights ago. She wouldn’t have blamed him for not showing up. Then again, he owned this tract of land so perhaps he was protecting his investment.
He took his time getting out of the car and her heart kicked as he strolled towards her, long legs clad in denim, a black T clinging to his chest, but without the usual laconic smile. She’d done that, wiped the smile from his face, and she’d do anything to coax it back.
His strides slowed as he neared her and she pasted a smile on her face.
‘Thanks for coming.’
‘No worries,’ he said, but there were plenty, and she hoped to address some of them now.
‘Firstly, I want to apologise for the way I spoke to you the other night. I was way out of line.’
He gave a terse nod. ‘Apology accepted.’
She took him at his word but he sounded dubious, like he didn’t really buy her apology.
‘I overreacted, when you were obviously trying to help me out, so thanks.’
‘You’re welcome.’
Yikes. The garrulous guy she loved hadn’t spoken more than two words at a time since he arrived.
Loved?
Yeah, of course she loved him. She wouldn’t be doing this otherwise. The emotion had snuck up on her and was nothing like books and movies portrayed it. There hadn’t been an exact moment she could pinpoint when she fell for him. No instant lust. No swoonworthy meet-cute. She’d known and trusted Sawyer for over half her life and the teen she’d considered a good friend had morphed into an amazing man she couldn’t help but love.
‘This is the land you bought,’ she said, sweeping her arm wide.
‘I know.’
Still with the two-word responses. Maybe what she said next would change that.
‘I want to discuss what we do with it.’
His eyebrows arched slightly. ‘I’m listening.’
‘This tract hasn’t been used for sowing in years, so I was thinking it could be used for housing? That way, you’d make a killing on your investment and have enough money to retire now if you wanted.’
His other eyebrow joined the first. ‘Why would I retire now?’
‘Well, you wouldn’t necessarily have to retire. But having that much money would mean you wouldn’t have to work, and travel so much to do it, and you’d have to spend all your time here to oversee a project of that magnitude …’
Heck, why couldn’t she just come out and say it?
She didn’t want him to leave.
Ever.
He took an eternity to answer, his face an impassive mask, and she knew she’d blown it.
‘Never mind. It was a crazy idea from left field—’
‘Is that your weird way of asking me to stay?’
The corners of his mouth twitched in amusement, giving her hope.
‘What if it is? Do you think it’s something you’d be interested in doing?’
He shook his head, sending her newfound hope plummeting. ‘I’m not interested in housing development.’
‘Oh.’
Her visions for the future, and the two of them living happily ever after, evaporated, leaving her trembling as the adrenaline that had been pumping while she’d harnessed the courage to encourage him to stay drained from her body.
‘But I am interested in developing a new paediatric medical centre in town. A place where specialists could regularly visit, so kids like Brett can get an early diagnosis and the proper intervention to maximise their learning potential and set them up for life.’
‘That’s great, Sawyer.’
Great for the kids of Ashe Ridge, not so great for her, as he’d be pouring money into the construction and outsourcing the labour, all from afar. Leaving her alone and lamenting what might’ve been.
‘To give a project of that magnitude my full attention, I’ve quit my job. I’ll need to stay in Ashe Ridge for the foreseeable future.
Perhaps I could help complete that first cottage of your farm stay and rent it?’
As Mila processed his startling revelation, she wondered if helping support kids like his nephew was his only motivation.
‘Or I could move in with you permanently if you like?’
Daring to hope, she scanned his face for confirmation he’d just made a declaration that would change their lives.
‘Are you saying you’re staying in Ashe Ridge because of me?’
He pretended to ponder by screwing up his eyes. ‘Well, catching up with Alli and her family has been great, but yeah. I’m hoping my grand gesture will prove how much I love you and that no matter how hard you push me away I’m not going anywhere.’
But everyone left her eventually. It’s what they did. Her parents.
Will. Gran. Even Sawyer.
What if she opened her heart to him completely but he left regardless?
‘What if you get tired of me?’ She screwed up her nose. ‘I can be hard to live with. And I’m too independent for my own good. You’ll probably get annoyed all the time. And what if—’
‘No more what-ifs.’ He held up his hand. ‘There’s only one question you need to answer. Do you love me?’
‘Of course,’ she said, without hesitation.
Sawyer beamed, relief in his eyes, as she strode towards him, slid her arms around his neck, and pulled his neck down to kiss him.
An eternity later, Sawyer said, ‘So that’s a yes then?’
‘It’s a hell yes.’ She placed her palm over his heart, the steady beat a comfort she could get used to. ‘We make a great team, Sawyer Mann. Let’s make it official.’
His eyes widened. ‘Are you proposing, Gumnut?’
Considering how happy she was, she let the nickname slide. This time. ‘No. I was thinking more along the lines of giving you a key.’
He swiped at his brow. ‘Phew. Because if anyone’s doing the proposing around here, it’s going to be me.’
‘Is that so? And do you have a timeline on this proposal?’
‘It’ll be a surprise,’ he murmured, pulling her close again. ‘Stay tuned.’