“We’re drafting a proposal to send to the council addressing the concerns,” he replied. “But I have no intention of caving.”
If anyone could figure a way out of that situation, it was Nick. “Well, once you get it all through, you know I’m on board to help with the construction. I think it’s going to do great things for Patterson’s Bluff.”
“Thanks.” Nick slapped him lightly on the back. “I’m going to need all the help I can get. I’ve got grand plans for this one.”
“I’d expect nothing less.”
Trent’s eyes drifted across the table and farther down to where Cora was sitting. She was engaged in an animated discussion with Kellen about something and was gesturing wildly with a chip. That end of the table erupted in laughter, and Cora’s eyes sparkled. For some reason, she looked straight over to Trent then, and it was like being zapped with a live cable. Her cheeks and nose were pink from the sun, making her pale eyes look even more luminous by comparison. Even her teeth were pretty—which seemed like a weird thing to admire about a person. But they were straight and white and when she smiled it was…whoa.
Words couldn’t do it justice.
“We need your help to settle an argument,” Cora said, leaning forward slightly so her voice carried over to Trent. The pub was louder now—a footy game on in the background that had a row of patrons at the bar yelling intermittently. “What’s this?”
She held up a red bottle with a tomato on it.
“Tomato sauce,” Trent said.
“See,” Kellen said. “Told you we don’t say ‘ketchup’ in this country.”
“You called it ‘dead horse!’” she accused, laughing. “And I’m pretty sure neither tomato sauce nor ketchup is supposed to have horse in it.”
“Ah, rhyming slang. Only used by people over the age of sixty…and Kellen,” Trent teased. “Don’t be fooled by his rippling abs. He’s an old man in a young person’s body.”
“It’s true.” Kellen shrugged good-naturedly. “I could still kick your ass, though.”
“So, day two in our fair country. What do you think so far?” Nick asked, leaning forward slightly so he could be heard by those at the other end. “I hope my little brother isn’t giving you a bad impression.”
“Says you.” Trent snorted. “Who almost took out an innocent bystander by trying to catch a ball today?”
“All’s fair in love and cricket.” Nick would never risk dropping a ball just to prevent an injury.
The rest of the table ignored the brothers’ banter—because there wasn’t a day in any year where Nick and Trent weren’t trading brotherly barbs—and turned toward Cora.
“It’s so different to what I’m used to back home,” Cora said with an almost shy smile. “You have a real slice of paradise here.”
There was a hint of sadness in her tone, a down note that made Trent’s protective urges swell. Whatever it was that Cora was hiding out from in Australia, he was going to make it his personal mission to show her a good time. To send her home happier than when she came.
In his mind, life was too short not to enjoy every experience you had. Sure, things didn’t always go according to plan—he knew that better than anyone. Hell, his whole life had been upended, and at one point he’d questioned everything. His family. His home.
Whether or not he even deserved those things.
But that wasn’t an excuse to wallow. How many great things would you miss out on if you were being a sad sack and staying home, alone? So not his style. After the breakup with Rochelle, he could have dug a hole for himself, trying to soothe those wounds with solitude and solo drinking.
Instead, he got back on his feet and found something to keep him busy. More work, more sport, more social activities. More, more, more. That way, he wouldn’t have a quiet moment alone to let anger and sadness suck him down into a black hole. Eventually, the pain stopped knocking on his door, because it knew there would never be an answer.
Which was why Trent always wore his smile and never let anyone see what was going on inside.
Chapter Eight
The following day, Cora took the opportunity to explore Patterson’s Bluff. Liv had offered Cora her car, and while it was hella scary driving on the other side of the road, there was something so freeing about rolling the windows down, blaring music out of the radio, and sucking in ocean air as she drove.