with her fingertip, remembering that first night in Australia when they’d eaten here together and how it felt like a million years ago. “That comment about you living to earn the love of other people was way out of line. I was scared and I lashed out, but that’s no excuse—”
He held up a hand to cut her off. “You were right, though. I didn’t want to hear it at the time, but you were absolutely right. I wasn’t living for me. I wasn’t putting my own goals as a priority. And the fact is…I changed, too.”
…
Trent almost couldn’t believe this was happening—he’d seen Cora’s face in his dreams almost every night since she left. Now she was here, in flesh and blood. He wanted to touch every part of her to make sure it was real and not the product of too many sleepless nights. Not a figment of his overly wild and ceaselessly active imagination.
“I hope you didn’t change too much,” she said, with a breathless quality to her voice.
She looked like a goddess who’d come to earth to mingle for the day, hair beautifully free and eyes sincere and wide. Though she was dressed simply, she glowed. And seeing the necklace he’d bought her hanging from her neck, it made something shift in his chest. He’d never thought for a second she’d return to Patterson’s Bluff. In fact, he’d put the whole experience with her down to a lesson—something he’d needed to learn about himself.
But having her here, hearing her say she wanted to make amends… Could he trust that she was telling the truth? That she was all in?
Because that’s what he wanted now—no half measures or fleeting whims or passing interests. He wanted a life that was all in. He wanted commitment to a future, like the one he was creating for himself brick by brick.
“Did you come from work?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Actually, I’ve taken some time off work. I needed…a break.”
Cora’s eyes frantically searched his face, as though looking for clues into how he was feeling. There was a twitchy energy to her, like she wanted to leap at him but was holding herself back. He was holding himself back a little, too. Because this felt big. Monumentally big.
“Fancy taking a ride with me?” he asked.
Cora didn’t even hesitate to slide off her stool and throw some money onto the bar, more than enough to pay for their drinks. “Lead the way.”
He grabbed her hand, and feeling her fingers intertwined with his was the sweetest sensation in the world. They piled into his ute, and he promised they’d pick up her car later. But Cora didn’t seem to care—it was like she’d walked away from everything, even her luggage.
The ute wound through the town, and it was like no time had passed since she left. His block came into view eventually, looking a little bit different than when she’d last seen it.
“The murder hut is gone,” she gasped.
The second he pulled to a stop, she leaped out of the car and raced up to where the driveway would be. The rundown building had been recently demolished, but Trent was saving some of the old stone and bricks for reuse in the garden. A pile had built up to one side. On the other side was a caravan.
“I know where I’m sleeping now,” he said with a grin. “No more couch surfing.”
Cora whirled around, her face aglow. “You’re really doing it. You’re building your dream house.”
“Two stories, with a balcony facing the water. It’s going to bleed me dry, but I couldn’t be happier.” And he meant it, every word of it.
“I’m so proud of you.” This time she didn’t hold back. She flung her arms around his neck and squeezed tight. She smelled like a perfect summer’s day—sweet and comforting—and her hair tickled the side of his neck.
Feeling her body next to his was like coming home, and he could see the future so clearly. The two of them, this perfect house, a magnificent view. Making a life together. But he had to make sure she was ready for forever, because even though he wanted them to continue to grow and evolve as people, he knew now that he wanted a life of certainty and commitment.
Since telling his siblings the truth about his birth, he’d come to one conclusion: family was what you made of it. Having a different birth mother than his siblings didn’t necessarily mean they were any less