Chapter 21 #2
Hayden wiped sweat from his brow as he leant against the fence line of Sweetwater Acres.
He’d spent the morning putting Maverick through his paces in the training yard – gentle sessions to get the colt used to his halter and lead.
Duchess had watched from the shade, her pride evident.
But even then, even with the horses, his mind had wandered back to Brianna relentlessly.
And after putting Maverick back into his paddock, needing to keep moving, he’d walked and walked and walked, checking every post, rattling every wire of every enclosure, in an attempt to keep his mind and hands busy.
It hadn’t worked.
No matter how many posts he checked or rails he tightened, Brianna was still there, threaded through every breath, every heartbeat.
The ache of missing her pressed in beneath his ribs, heavy and persistent.
She hadn’t answered his calls. She hadn’t replied to his texts.
That silence cut deeper than any argument ever would.
And every time he closed his eyes, he could hear the softness of her laugh, could see the warmth in her eyes when she looked at him like she used to, before he’d told her the truth about their chance meeting.
He wanted that back. Wanted her back. More than he’d ever wanted anything.
Trying to gather his emotions into some kind of order, he rested a boot on the bottom rail, staring out across the paddocks where the grass glowed golden in the afternoon light.
Although hurt, frustrated, at a loss, he also understood her silence.
She needed time, and he owed her that much.
Even if she did show up tonight by some miracle, he’d give her all the space she needed.
A ute door slammed, and he turned to see Gavin walking over, a thermos in one hand, his easy grin in place.
‘Mate,’ Gavin called, ‘I figured you’d be out here.’
Hayden gave him a half-smile. ‘Keeping busy. Gave Maverick a bit of my time. He’s growing like a weed.’
Gavin set the thermos and two metal camping cups on the fence post, then leant against it. ‘My sister’s got the kids for a few hours this arvo. Tilly is at Brianna’s. Giving her a shoulder to cry on. Just thought you’d want to know.’
Hayden nodded slowly, his chest tightening at the mention of her name. ‘Is she all right?’
Gavin shrugged. ‘Tilly says she’s hurting, but she’s not shutting down. That’s something. You still coming tonight?’
‘Yeah, of course, Tilly’s been looking forward to us getting together for over a month now. And like the idiot I am, I’m hoping Bri comes along too.’ He heaved a weighty sigh. ‘And if she does, I’ll give her space. She deserves that.’
Gavin clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Give her time, brother. If she shows up, that’s your chance. Just be you. No walls. No excuses.’
Hayden stared out at the horizon again, the ache in his heart deep, but also laced with a little bit of hope. ‘She’s worth every second of waiting.’ He bit back raw emotion. ‘Heck, Gav, to be honest, I’d wait forever if I had to.’
‘I believe you.’ Gavin let out a low laugh and elbowed him lightly. ‘Bloody hell, you’re a big softy, Pierce, you know that?’
‘Takes one to know one, Gav.’ Hayden tried but couldn’t bring himself to smile. Not yet. ‘But yeah. Guess I am, when it comes to her.’
* * *
The sun had dipped behind the tall paperbarks by the time Brianna pulled up outside Tilly and Gavin’s place.
The strong trunks caught the last blush of sunset, the bark peeling in soft ribbons to reveal smooth grey beneath.
High above, leaves whispered together, shifting and sighing as the breeze tangled through the canopy.
In a way, Mother Nature was grounding her even as her heart hammered in her chest like a boxer’s fists.
She sat in her car for a long moment, eyes tracing the string lights woven through the lower branches of the trees lining the backyard, twinkling like tiny fireflies in the dusk.
A burst of laughter floated on the breeze, a soft, familiar, safe melody.
She could see the campfire flickering just beyond a lush garden popping with colourful flowers.
With the twins staying over at Molly’s cottage for the evening, it left the backyard free for adults only tonight – low chairs around the fire, the long wooden table set under the stars, plates and glasses catching the glow of the fairy lights.
Just as she suspected, Tilly had gone all out with vases of fresh wildflowers running down the centre of the table, linen napkins folded just so, and candles flickering in old jam jars.
She knew all the finer details, because only an hour earlier, Tilly had sent her a picture of it all, along with a message that read …
Made it special, for my special friends. Hope you’ll come. T xx
The simple text, the image of the effort Tilly had poured into every detail, had cracked something open inside Brianna, and she’d written back before she could second-guess it.
I’ll be there, Till. Thank you, for being YOU! Bxx
Maybe it was for Tilly that she’d decided to come along, maybe it was for herself.
Either way, she was there now. So she drew in a breath, then another, telling herself she could do this.
That she wanted to do this. When she finally stepped out, the grass was cool beneath her sandals.
Sherlock trotted at her side, her quiet guardian, as always.
Tilly spotted her first, waving her over with a smile so big it broke a little of the ice inside Brianna’s chest. But her friend didn’t stand and wait, she hurried to meet her halfway, slipped an arm around her shoulders and then steered her gently inside the house for a moment, out of sight.
‘You okay?’ Tilly murmured. ‘You can still change your mind, you know that, right?’
Brianna managed a wobbly smile. ‘I’m okay. I think.’
With a reassuring smile, Tilly guided her through to the kitchen, and the moment Brianna stepped into the warmly lit room, her stomach tightened with hunger for the first time in a full day.
The warm, rich smell of slow-roasted lamb drifted from the oven, mingling with the scent of garlic and rosemary.
Fresh bread cooled on a wooden board, golden and inviting.
On the bench, Tilly had a potato bake set on a trivet, and there was a huge bowl of delicious-looking salad.
Sherlock padded in behind them, nails clicking on the tiles, sniffing the warm air eagerly.
He parked himself right by Brianna, pressing his side to her shin as if to remind her he wasn’t going anywhere.
‘This looks, and smells, amazing, Till,’ Brianna murmured, her voice catching.
‘I adore cooking for my friends and family; it’s my love language.
’ Tilly smiled, brushing a hand over Brianna’s shoulder.
‘The salad has toasted macadamias and fresh mango in it, too. Thought we’d keep it fancy.
’ She waved a hand towards a rattan stool.
‘Now sit, my gorgeous friend. I’m making you a drink. ’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ Brianna said with a faint smile, planting herself on the tall chair at the stone breakfast bench.
Sherlock flopped at her feet with a soft huff, his tail thumping lazily whenever she reached down to scratch his ears.
Bustling about the heart of the home, Tilly poured something bright and cold – a splash of gin, a squeeze of lime, fresh mint she said she’d gathered from the garden – then pressed the pretty pink cocktail glass into Brianna’s hand.
‘One sip at a time, hon. Deep breaths. You’ll be right.’
When Brianna nodded, a little steadier, Tilly tipped her head towards the back door. ‘Ready?’
Brianna looked down at Sherlock, who wagged his tail once in quiet approval, then back at her friend. ‘Yeah. Ready.’
Together, they stepped out the back door and into the soft glow of the backyard, where Gavin and Hayden stood by the fire, beers in hand.
Hayden turned at the sound of their footsteps, and for a heartbeat, then another, the world shrank.
The fire crackled softly behind him, flickering warm light across his handsome face, making all the angles more chiselled.
His eyes locked on hers, full of something raw and unguarded.
Brianna read him in that second, and there was relief there.
And regret. But more than anything, there was love, the undeniable kind, just for her.
Her breath caught. She felt it like a pull under her ribs, the way he looked at her, like she was the only thing that mattered in this whole wide starry night.
And for a moment, no one else was there.
No soft laughter, no night birds, no cicadas, just the hush between two hearts trying to find each other again.
He didn’t move, and neither did she, but a quiet question flickered in his eyes.
Are you really here?
And her gaze answered back.
I’m trying to be.
Sherlock brushed against her leg, his tail sweeping through the grass, grounding her back into her own feet as she let her lips curve into the smallest, softest smile. One she saved only for him.
Gavin cleared his throat, stepping forwards with a grin. ‘Hey, Bri. Good to see you.’
Hayden’s voice was softer but steady. ‘Hi, Bri.’
Before she could answer, Tilly clapped her hands together and pointed at the long wooden table. ‘Right, you lot, sit down, stay put, and don’t you dare lift a finger. I’m bringing everything out.’