29. Flynn
29
FLYNN
I shove open the door to Sugar and slam straight into someone’s solid back.
Who the fuck is standing right in the doorway with their back to it?
We both grunt at the impact and before I have the chance to curse the guy out for blocking the way, I have the foresight to glance up at him.
Oh. I’ve run headfirst into my brother.
I love Hunter—somewhere deep down inside he must love me too—but right now I am not in the headspace to deal with him. We have a strange relationship. We’d do anything for the other, he proved that when he gave up his chance at a life outside this town to stay home and look after me after our parents died.
But Hunter and I are not the same kind of person. He is … surly. And as much as his grumpy attitude to pretty much ev erything pisses me off, I can’t even hate him for it, since he gave up all the good things in his life for me.
Ugh. I hate it sometimes. Would our relationship have been better if he hadn’t become my legal guardian when he was eighteen? What guy fresh out of high school wants to suddenly be responsible for a fourteen-year-old shithead like I was? Like I still am.
“Hey,” Hunter grunts at me before I have a chance to think what the heck to say to him.
“We have a new tenant,” I blurt, which is not at all what I was expecting to say. I was hoping I’d just blank the fact that I just dropped Abigail off at my childhood home from my memory.
Hunter eyes me suspiciously. “Yes,” he says eventually.
“You didn’t tell me.” I’m accusing him and I have no idea why.
“I thought you didn’t want to know about the house,” he says. Which is exactly why I don’t understand why I sound so accusatory.
“You’re right.” I shake my head. “I don’t. I was just surprised when I found out who lives there.”
He’s got that intense look on his face again, like he’s trying to figure out what I’m on about. “Who does live there? The property manager doesn’t tell me much about the tenants, just that we had a new one.”
“She’s the event manager at Wildflower Ridge,” I say, rubbing at the back of my neck with one hand.
“Isn’t that the mother of that kid?”
“Yes, she’s Sadie’s mum.” I roll my eyes. How anyone can dislike Sadie is beyond me, but Hunter can still find it in him to be grouchy in her presence. Not that it seems to bother Sadie, she appears to have taken it on as a personal challenge to cheer my big brother up. It hasn’t worked yet.
Hunter narrows his eyes. “What’s going on? Is she going to be an awful tenant? The property manager raved about her.”
“No, no. She’ll be a great tenant. I doubt she’ll cause you any problems.”
“And what about the problems she’s causing you?”
My eyes jerk to his, meeting his steely glare. “Me? I have no problems with her.” Damnit, I can feel my cheeks heating. My blush is about to arrive in full force. “I’m going to get a dog,” I blurt to distract both of us from conversations about Abi. “I think. Maybe.”
Hunter sighs, but accepts my change of topic. “Makes sense.” It sounds like he’d rather nail his hand to the wall than consider a puppy. Ah, my big brother. So enthusiastic about life, so cheerful. Always such a delight.
“It does?”
He shrugs, pulls the cap from his head, runs his hand over his short hair and shoves the hat back into place.
“Hunter,” Tilly Sheridan calls from behind the counter. “Here’s your order.”
Hunter turns away from me, grunts a ‘thank you’ at Tilly and grabs his food. “See you,” he says to me, then shoves his way out of the door and into the street.
I want to chase after him to get him to finish our conversation, but Tilly is waiting for me, her eyes bright and smile wide.
“Hey, Flynn,” she says .
I shoot another look out onto the street, but Hunter has already disappeared around the corner. I sigh and approach the counter. “Hey, Tilly.”
I order coffee for both me and Abi, along with a couple of breakfast sandwiches. Tilly chats away as she makes the coffees, asking all about the farm and how everyone who lives there is doing.
Tilly’s parents own Constellation Station, the neighbouring property. It’s their place I trespass on every time I head down to the beach. We practically grew up together, despite her being a few years younger than me. Her parents were friends with mine and her brothers were my best friends during school.
I’m not friends with either of them now; Toby because he passed away—but after what I’ve recently learned about him, even if he were alive, I wouldn’t call him a friend anymore. Max isn’t a friend because he turned into a complete jerk somewhere along the line and took it out on Katie. We’ve never understood it. He took an instant dislike to her and it only grew over the years. He was one of the reasons it took Katie so long to come home again.
But I’m not holding any of that against Tilly. She’s a total sweetheart. She has a kind word for everyone, a bright smile and a generally cheerful disposition.
“Here you go,” she says, handing over the coffees and food.
“Thanks, Tilly.” I pile the food in my arms. “Oh, hey. I meant to ask. Whose recipes are the cupcakes?”
Tilly’s brow furrows for a moment, then clears. “Not your mum’s,” she says. “Sorry. ”
I wave her off. “That’s okay. I didn’t think so. Whoever makes them does an amazing job.”
Her cheeks turn pink and she runs a fingertip along the edge of the counter. “Thanks,” she whispers.
It’s got to be her. I don’t know if I should push it though. She seems uncomfortable about it. But as proved by my actions with Abi last night, I’m an idiot, so I ask anyway. “You make them?”
“Yeah.” She gives a short nod, then her gaze flicks over my shoulder as the door opens and someone else steps into the cafe.
“They’re delicious,” I say. “Have a great day.”
“You too, Flynn,” she says, the shy smile still on her face, but a little glimmer of pride is shining through.
I’m out on the street, an armload full of food and balancing two coffee cups in my hands when I realise I now have to see Abi again.