page31 (2/2)

Herto stare at her ‘Mum’

‘Just re, that’s all’

‘Dad?’

‘Yes It wasn’t all bad, you know’

‘You two used to tuckthe beach or the river bank or whatever was there I’d follow so but yourselves, laughing, talking, kissing’ She’d forgotten those times

‘You followed us?’ Her mother’s face coloured up ‘How often?’

‘Often enough Relax I always knehen it was tione She and Harrison had shared sohts It hadn’t only been about the lovehter, and the fishing Togetherness It had been the best two days of her adult life And she wanted more of them Would Harrison? With her? Only one way to find out

But first she’d brush her hair out the way he liked it, and put on that blue blouse he liked so es, sure, but why not? This was the ? Yes, anything

She snagged a bottle of wine on the way through the kitchen

Harry saw Sienna co up from her apartment as he headed down his drive They met at the letterboxes, each with a bottle of wine in their hands That had to be a good sign ‘Hey,’ he said

‘Hey, yourself’ She didn’t hesitate, or blush; her eyes didn’t turn frosty She kept on co out to him ‘I wanted to see you before you left’ Then she stus I need to tell you’

Catching her, Harry slipped his fingers through hers and held tight ‘I was on ’

Her head jerked upward, her gaze searching his face before finally locking

onto his eyes ‘You’re not?’ Soht be hope Or that could be wishful thinking on his part Sienna sed hard and tried again ‘You’re not going back to Melbourne tonight?’

‘Not tonight, not for a long time, other than briefly to visit my brothers and friends in a feeeks’ time’

‘Where, then?’ she whispered

‘I’ here I’ve accepted the base director’s post It’s a job I’d like to own, to be able to es as I see fit, train more volunteers and look after the paid staff’

Her fingers were gripping his ‘Wow That’s quite a change of direction for you’ He could alht the wine’

‘You want to celebratearound to annoy you?’

‘Is that what you intend doing?’ She was holding her breath, as though the next thing he told her would be the ing into his palm?

‘If you’ll letin the air to be affecting them both in the same way

Da up his heart

Just do it Put it out there Deep, deep breath

‘Sienna, I love you I didn’t want to I fought it hard, but there was no stopping you getting intoI want for so long’ There was no stopping him now he’d started It was as if a cloud had finally evaporated, to be replaced by sunshine ‘I want the whole caboodle with you Love, laughter, tears if we have to, kids, even What do you think?’ His chest hurt as air stalled in his lungs If she didn’t answer hi like a fish on the sand

She tried to pull away, but he increased the pressure to keep contact ‘Tell me,’ he said with as much constraint as possible