Chapter 6
Chelsea found it difficult to breathe, her chest tight as she drove back to Lilydale. The nerve of the man! Both of them. Thinking her mother would sell because the garden had been left to die.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter to stop her hands from shaking. Aunt Maggie’s garden had been destroyed because of some greedy bastard who didn’t understand the history of the place.
Tears burned her eyes and her throat ached, but she would not give into them. Not with Ethan here. It would make her too vulnerable to him.
She shouldn’t have allowed him to come with her. This was her business, and he’d opted out of having anything to do with her years ago.
She swallowed hard, focusing on the road ahead of her through her blurry vision. Thank goodness the road wasn’t busy.
Her one take-away from this morning was they were not selling to Johann, or any subsidiary he might be associated with.
But she had no clue what to do with Lilydale.
The enormity of the task came into view as she turned the corner and saw the overgrown mess of the garden. She bit back a sob as she pulled into the driveway and the tick of the engine was loud in the silence.
Chelsea shoved open the door and strode towards the house, taking big gulps of air to keep the angry tears at bay.
Hopefully Ethan would take the hint and head back to the barn while she pulled herself together.
At the front door, she struggled with the key and with a groan of frustration, she stepped back to stop shaking.
Ethan gently took the keys from her and unlocked the door. “How are you feeling?” Without looking at her, he hip-bumped it open.
Damn it. She didn’t want him to see this.
Taking another deep breath to control the quaver in her voice, she said, “Furious.” She swallowed hard.
“Devastated.” And glad he wasn’t watching her, which gave her the ability to pretend he wasn’t witnessing her melt-down.
She headed for the kitchen to put the kettle on.
“I told him he has to repay the money.”
Surprise made her glance at him. “We both know this is about more than the money.” The sympathy on his face made her turn away again.
“Yeah, but it will help if you do want to restore the garden.”
She heard his unasked question. Did she want to restore it? It would take her time to find a new job and somewhere to live. “I have to think about it.”
“What are you doing today?”
Why wouldn’t he leave her alone? She wanted to throw herself on her bed and cry for a couple of hours for all she had lost—Aunt Maggie, the garden, and Ethan—but that’s not the way she worked.
“I’ll start sorting through the house.” No matter the final decision, she would have to remove all Aunt Maggie’s personal effects.
The kettle boiled and with surprise she noticed she’d prepared two mugs for tea. She exhaled slowly as she turned to him, finally getting her emotions under control. “Do you want one?”
“No, I’m good.” Ethan favoured his left side as he moved to the door. “Do you mind if I keep working in the garden?” He shrugged a little self-consciously. “I’m enjoying it.”
She debated asking him about his injury. It was none of her business. But perhaps she had a responsibility if he was gardening for her. “What happened?” She nodded to his side.
“Broke my pelvis,” he said. “I’m on medical leave.”
She frowned. “How?”
He grimaced. “Got caught in the tsunami last year in Asia.”
Her eyes widened. From the footage she’d seen, it had been horrific. “Were you on holiday?”
He shook his head.
Why could he ask all the questions and not elaborate on hers? “The army?”
Ethan smiled. “I can’t answer that question.”
“Why not?”
“I’m Special Forces. I can’t talk about my work.”
Fear gripped her heart. Special Forces were the best of the best. She knew he’d be exposed to danger in the army, but Special Forces were an entirely different league. They were sent to the riskiest situations.
A part of her was proud of him. He was dedicated. Another part was terrified. “Should you be gardening with your injury?”
“I’m meant to get regular, light exercise.”
She snorted. “There’s nothing light about the amount of work at Lilydale.”
“I know my limits.”
Did she want Ethan hanging around? It was another question she didn’t have an answer for, but at least he understood his work might be for nothing if she sold the place. “It’s fine. Tell me if you need any equipment or help.”
“I will. I’m really sorry this all happened, Chelsea.” His dark eyes captured her soul, sending her sympathy and understanding in one look.
She ducked her head as the tears threatened again and busied herself pouring the tea she didn’t want. “I’ll see you later.”
It wasn’t until he closed the door that she let out a deep breath. She had enough on her plate without adding her complicated emotional reaction to Ethan. They’d broken up a decade ago, but he had a magnetism which still drew her. It had been that way since the first day she’d seen him.
No. Pining after Ethan was not on her to-do list.
Shaking her head, she pulled out her phone and checked her action plan for the day, crossing off ‘Speak to Darren’.
Next was to sort through the rooms. She’d start with the two bathrooms. There shouldn’t be anything sentimental in them, and they would be an easy win—which was what she needed right now.
Because Lilydale was proving to be far more challenging than she’d expected.
***
Sweat dripped down Ethan’s back as he hacked at the bougainvillea by the side gate, picturing Johann’s face as he did so. The audacity of the man to pay someone to destroy Aunt Maggie’s life’s work. And he’d made Chelsea cry.
She did her best to hide it from him, but she’d barely held it together.
When they were younger, he would have gathered her in his arms and held her while she’d sobbed, but he no longer had the privilege. He’d had to pretend everything was fine while all he’d wanted was to comfort her.
That and wrap his hands around Johann’s throat and choke him.
Letting out a deep breath, Ethan stepped back and put the hedge trimmer down.
He was still seething after several hours of hard work.
He knew better. He couldn’t let his emotions rule him.
What he needed was a plan. Chelsea had already agreed she wasn’t selling the property to Johann and for that, Ethan was supremely grateful.
But the man wasn’t likely to give up. Not if he’d been working on this plan for over a year. Why was that?
Ethan took out his phone, searched Johann’s name and found a profile on a social media site. The company he worked for was a multinational and did a lot of retirement villages and other types of development. So why Honeybrook? And who had he been planning this with? Ethan glanced at the house.
It wasn’t his business. Not really. But damned if he didn’t feel a sense of ownership over this property, this place. He owed it to Aunt Maggie to make sure her pride and joy wasn’t turned into a bunch of buildings with postage stamp backyards. He shuddered.
There wasn’t anything special about the land, or about Honeybrook either. Though the location was a good one; only a short drive from the capital city for those who wanted to retire in the country, but have all the perks of the city nearby.
He wandered away from the bougainvillea and towards the cottages on the property.
During high school he’d fantasised about asking Aunt Maggie if he could move into one and leave his foster family, but he’d never got up the nerve.
It would have hurt too much if she’d refused, and he’d figured if she’d wanted him here full-time, she would have asked him herself.
Grass had grown up the steps and wrapped itself around the wooden posts.
He tested each step before he put his full weight on it, and they held.
The door was locked, but he peered through the grimy window.
The interior looked the same as it had a decade ago.
A small open plan living area with kitchen, table, and sofa, and then a corridor branching down to two bedrooms and a bathroom.
He scanned the ground. A paved path used to wind its way between the three cottages and there was parking behind each one. He spotted the crushed gravel path and followed it around the back.
The parking area was clearish, though the grass was encroaching across the gravel ground.
A thorough clean, and tidying the worst of the overgrown grass, and the cottages could be reopened, assuming there weren’t any leaks. The view wouldn’t be as pretty as it once had been, but it would be an income for Chelsea and her mother.
He shook his head.
What was he doing? This was none of his business. He’d barely said anything to Chelsea, but he still couldn’t bring himself to leave.
His phone rang and for a second he thought it might be Chelsea, which was ridiculous as she didn’t have his number. Dobby’s name flashed on the screen. “Yeah?”
Dobby chuckled. “You make it to Honeybrook?”
“A couple of days ago.”
“Was your aunt happy to see you?”
Ethan closed his eyes. “No, she died.”
Dobby sucked in a breath. “Mate, I’m sorry. What happened?”
“She fell off a ladder. Her family didn’t realise I kept in touch with her, so they didn’t tell me.”
“Shit. That sucks. You doing OK?”
What could he say? “I guess.” He glanced around the garden. “I showed you photos of the place, didn’t I?”
“Yeah. Gorgeous gardens.”
He took a photo and texted it to his friend. “This is what it’s like now. Apparently the heirs hired someone to maintain the gardens, but a property developer paid him to let them die so he could get the land at a cheaper price.”
Dobby swore. “That’s criminal. What are you doing?”
Dobby knew what he’d been through. “I can’t leave it like this.”
“What about the new owners?”
“Chelsea arrived the day after I did. She’s pretty shocked, but she hasn’t decided what she’s doing yet.”
“Your Chelsea?”
Ethan closed his eyes. “She’s not mine.”
“You know what I mean.”
He did. “Yeah, that Chelsea.”
“How did she react?”
“She was still in shock.” Which was probably a good thing. He wasn’t ready for a conversation about how their relationship ended.
In the background, he heard a female voice asking something.
Dobby laughed. “Hang on a second. I’m putting you on speaker. Mila heard me mention Chelsea, and she wants to know what’s happening.”
Ethan smiled. Dobby’s partner, Mila, had helped him through his recovery and had made him tell her about Chelsea. She’d told him the way he’d left was criminal. “Are you being nosy, Angel?”
A snort. “No, just following up our therapy sessions.”
He rolled his eyes. She wasn’t a therapist. “What do you want to know?”
“What happened?”
“It was awkward. She’d just found all the letters I’d written Aunt Maggie over the years and realised no one had told me she’d died.”
“Was she sympathetic or angry?” Mila asked.
“Sympathetic.”
Mila made a happy sound, but before Ethan could ask her what she meant by it, Dobby asked, “Where are you staying?”
“I’m camping in the barn on the property.”
Another happy squeal from Mila. “Then she can’t be holding a grudge.”
Or hadn’t quite processed his presence yet. “I’m free labour. She said I can tidy the garden while she decides whether they’re selling.”
“How big’s the property?”
Dobby’s interest made him frown. “You looking at buying?”
A pause which went on for a good long while before Dobby said, “I’m considering a few things.”
Ethan’s eyebrows rose. “What things?”
Dobby sighed. “I’m getting to the age where command wants me to go into a more leadership position.”
Leadership was code for desk job. “You’d hate it.”
“Yeah, but I can’t deny I’m getting older. I need to consider what I do post army.”
Ethan leaned against the porch post. “You thinking about getting out?” It wasn’t something Ethan had considered, not even with his injury. The army was the only place he felt as if he was worth anything. He glanced towards the house. There and in Chelsea’s arms.
“I’m playing with options. One of those is going into security.”
“So why the interest in the property?”
“We’d need somewhere to train.”
Interesting. Aunt Maggie had mentioned she owned the land behind the garden, but he hadn’t paid attention. “It might be a decent size. I can ask Chelsea.”
“Can’t hurt,” Dobby said. “Let me know how you go. I can come down on the weekend and help.”
“Ooh, definitely,” Mila agreed. “I want to meet Chelsea.”
Mila and Chelsea would get on well together, but he was slightly concerned about what Mila might say to her. “Thanks, mate. I’ll call you.”
Retirement wasn’t an option he’d considered, but if Dobby was serious about starting a security business, Ethan could help him set it up. He’d still be working with his teammate and doing the type of work he enjoyed.
And maybe he’d finally be able to call Lilydale his home.
He shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself. Dobby might not leave.
But that didn’t stop him from considering it as an option for himself…
He stared at the main house. It was mid-morning, so he’d find something to eat and take a break at the garden table where they’d always sat.
And maybe he’d see Chelsea.
He ignored the nerves in his belly as he walked back to the barn.