Chapter 45
CHAPTER
When Elora entered the homestead’s kitchen, she found a note on the counter: Meet me by the fire pit.
Smiling at Cruz’s romantic streak, she let herself out and walked towards the pit, where he’d already lit a fire.
As she drew closer, the flames cast a golden glow over him, and her breath hitched at the way he stared at her: like she’d morphed into the tastiest tiramisu and he wanted to devour her.
‘We have to stop meeting here like this,’ she said, sitting next to him and accepting a filled champagne flute. ‘What are we celebrating?’
‘You and the inherent goodness that meant you forgave a grump like me.’ He clinked her glass. ‘To you, El.’
She almost added, ‘To us,’ but thought it might be too much, too soon.
Cruz inviting her back could be a simple act of convenience, having her onsite to promote his precious restaurant.
Besides, just because he had the hots for her didn’t mean he shared a smidgeon of the feelings she’d fast developed for him.
It irked that an initial physical attraction had morphed into more.
Considering the brief time they’d known each other, the change was unfathomable and illogical.
And transient. She may crave a real relationship to give her the stability she’d been searching for, but Cruz couldn’t be the person she needed.
Whatever developed between them had an expiration date.
If only her stupid, impressionable heart would get with the program.
‘How’s Bindi?’
‘Okay. We had a good chat.’
‘She was seriously freaked out that we knew she was homeless.’
‘Yeah, but she knows our concern comes from a good place.’
The corners of his mouth twitched. ‘She’s a feisty one, telling me to shove my job when she needs it so badly.’
‘That’s her pride talking. I think she’s faced far worse than either of us can imagine, so I encouraged her to seek professional help.’
‘How did she take it?’
‘Well. Considering.’
‘I had a chat with Kyle about her, seeing as they worked together this afternoon. He doesn’t know she’s homeless, but he’s concerned, so it’ll be good for her to have a friend like him around. Plus, I’ll do my best to support her in the job, and if she needs another friend.’
Warmth spread through Elora and it had nothing to do with the fire. ‘I was right when I initially told her you were a good guy.’
‘I can be bad if you want me to be.’ He wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed, leaning into him when he slid an arm around her waist. ‘This is nice.’
‘Yeah. The perfect way to unwind at the end of a day.’
‘I can think of better ways.’
She tilted her head up, schooling her face into faux innocence. ‘So you’re not taking me back to the motel tonight?’
‘Do you want me to?’
‘What do you think?’
He withdrew his arm and stood, holding his hand out to her. ‘I think I could get used to having you around.’
Elora’s heart stalled. He only meant until she finished the work he hired her for, right?
‘I like hanging out with you too,’ she said, keeping her response light, casual, at complete odds with the bizarre scenario that flashed through her head of what her staying in Rosevale Grove could mean for them.
‘Then what are we waiting for?’
As he drew her close, her pulse raced. Her hotel bed this afternoon hadn’t been conducive to their reunion—she hated hard mattresses—but they’d made it work, though she preferred the comfort of Cruz’s bed. Or maybe the appeal lay in being in Cruz’s arms?
A car engine and headlights sweeping up the drive stalled them.
‘Expecting company?’
Cruz shook his head. ‘Nobody pops in unannounced in the evenings around here. Besides, most farmers are in bed by now. Which is where I want to be with you.’ His eyes screwed up as he watched the car approach the house. ‘Whoever it is, I’ll get rid of them pronto.’
As the car stopped next to Cruz’s and the driver alighted, Elora stiffened. No freaking way.
Cruz felt her reaction. ‘You know this guy?’
‘Yeah. That’s Jason. My ex.’
‘What the hell is he doing here?’
‘I have no idea.’
Jason’s smarmy grin faded as he reached them and saw Cruz’s arm around her waist.
‘Surprise, babe.’
An unpleasant one. ‘What’s going on, Jason?’
‘Oooh, Jason,’ he mimicked. ‘I’m in the bad books when you don’t call me Jase.’
Bad books? Was he delusional? She’d dumped his cheating arse.
‘We broke up and now you’ve followed me here?’
Her voice tightened with emotion, and when Cruz leaned down to whisper in her ear, ‘I’ll leave you to it,’ before walking away, she wanted to cry. Not that she wanted to have this discussion with her ex in front of him, but she could’ve done with the support.
‘Who’s the dickhead moving in on my territory?’
His territory? Red spots of rage danced before Elora’s eyes, and she blinked several times.
‘I’m not, and never have been, your territory. You cheated on me, I broke up with you, end of story. So whatever you’re doing here, just leave.’
‘But, babe, aren’t you impressed I tracked you down? One of my mates at work showed me the video you took of that guy who was just pawing you, and I figured you were at this farm. So I drove up to take you home.’
‘What part of I broke up with you isn’t computing in your peasized brain?’
‘All the mistakes we made are in the past. Told you I’ve found a new place for us, so if you deposit the money you owe me, we can sign the lease and move in ASAP.’
So that’s what this was about. He didn’t want her back. He probably thought she’d never repay him and wanted to shore up his chances.
‘Go home, Jason,’ she said, her anger abating, replaced by a souldraining exhaustion. ‘The money will be in your bank account by the time you get there.’ Even though Cruz hadn’t paid her yet, she would withdraw the last of her savings to get rid of Jason once and for all.
‘Babe, come on. We’re great together—’
‘Don’t ever contact me again.’
She turned and walked away, vindicated in her suspicion of the reason for his appearance when he muttered, ‘Bitch,’ before slamming his car door, revving the engine and driving away like a maniac.
Shaken by their encounter, she trudged towards the homestead, furious that Jason had ruined her romantic evening with Cruz.
She slid her phone from her pocket, tapped on her bank app and transferred the five grand.
It left her with a scarily low savings balance, exacerbating the constant niggle of fear she’d been battling since she was a child: having to move yet again.
She’d tried to stop blaming her parents, but over the years, whenever her bank account dipped to precarious levels, fear would make her spiral and her anxiety would ratchet up.
She’d take on jobs she knew weren’t right or wouldn’t pay enough.
She’d hibernate because of her panic attacks.
And worst of all, she’d cling to useless men like Jason to feel safe and secure.
No more.
She’d ask Cruz to pay her invoice a few days early, and once she promoted his restaurant, she’d be safely in the black for a few months to come.
She would regroup, use the publicity—or notoriety—she’d gained from this job to propel her business further than it had ever been with the new clients she’d quoted. And she’d do it on her own.
Which meant she had to do something else.
She needed to get back to Melbourne and start rebuilding her life, without a man.
Accepting Ferne’s job offer had come at the perfect time because she’d yearned to flee the Jason mess, but now that she’d put it behind her—something she should’ve done earlier—she had to move forward.
Spending time with Cruz would only delay the inevitable.
But she could have one last night with him.
Entering the kitchen, she found him dicing shallots, garlic, capsicum and bok choy so fast the knife blurred.
He glanced up and his lopsided smile made her want to wrap her arms around him, because he didn’t hide his uncertainty.
An alpha guy like Cruz showing even the faintest hint of vulnerability made him so appealing.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked, putting the knife down and wiping his hands on a tea towel.
‘Yeah. The only reason that idiot came all the way up here was because I owe him money.’ She waved her arm around. ‘That’s what accepting a job here was about. Clearing my debt to him so I could move on with my life.’
‘I’ll pay your invoice right now if it means you’re free of that prick,’ he said, frowning.
‘Thanks, I’d appreciate it.’ She didn’t want to elaborate about her finances, but she owed him the truth about the rest. ‘I thought Jason’s arrival might be a buzzkill for the night we had planned.’
‘He’s not worth your time or mine.’ Cruz’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘But there’s more. I can see you’re wrestling with something, because I see that same expression in the mirror every day.’
She wanted to ask what demons he battled, but it wasn’t her place. Not when she’d be ending their budding relationship before it had begun.
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I want to give you a heads-up about my plans, but I also don’t want to spoil our evening.’
His frown deepened. ‘I understand your dilemma, but in case you haven’t noticed, I’m an upfront guy with a low tolerance for BS, so why don’t you tell me what’s going on?’
‘I’m leaving in the morning,’ she blurted, unable to sugar-coat the truth. ‘I’ve loved getting to know you and spending time with you, but I need to build my business and staying here is delaying the inevitable.’
Expressionless, he said, ‘Which is?’
‘Me leaving, and what we’ve had being relegated to a fling.’
She heard his sharp intake of breath before he blew it out in a soft whistle.
‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘Makes sense.’
‘Thanks for understanding,’ she said, a small part of her hating that he’d agreed with her so quickly.
If he’d put up an argument, tried to convince her to stay, she might’ve wavered.
‘I’ll focus on your restaurant promotion for the next week and set up social media posts for the next month, so you’ll get a good burst of publicity. ’
‘You can do that from Melbourne?’
‘That’s the beauty of my job. I can do it from anywhere in the world.’
He nodded, but didn’t ask her to stay, leaving her sadder than she anticipated.
He turned away to rinse his hands under the tap. ‘I’ll drive you back to the motel.’
Of course he wouldn’t want her to spend the night. What had she been thinking? That she’d tell him the truth and he’d wrap her in his arms one last time?
No, this made sense. A clean break between two adults who understood the logic of this choice.
‘If you’re busy, I can ask Bindi.’ She gave him the out, hoping he wouldn’t take it.
‘Actually, that’d be great. I want to get a start on this new dish for the restaurant and once I’m in creative mode, it’s easier if I’m not disturbed.’
She refrained from saying that ten minutes ago, before Jason’s arrival, he’d been about to get creative with her in the bedroom.
‘No worries,’ she said, sounding ridiculously perky while her heart ached. ‘I’ll be in touch. About the restaurant campaign,’ she added, in case he thought they’d remain friends.
‘Sure. Have a safe trip home.’
‘Thanks.’
Hating how her evening—and life—had unravelled to this point, Elora opened the back door, unprepared for his arms to wrap around her from behind.
He didn’t speak as he held her, resting his chin on top of her head and hugging her so fiercely it brought tears to her eyes.
‘I’ll miss you,’ he murmured, spinning her around to press a too-brief kiss against her lips before releasing her and striding down the hallway away from the kitchen.
He didn’t hear her whisper, ‘I’ll miss you too.’