Reid didn’t deserve anymore of his shits though. He’d been served up enough today, seen way too much already. Enough was enough. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of dusty, leaf-and-gum-nut strewn cat, and drew his control around him like a horse blanket to ride out the storm. Then he opened his eyes. ‘I am happy to talk about Anna, okay?’
‘Okay.’
He took in another deep breath. ‘Let’s get this cat home to Carter.’
Reid smiled. ‘He’s going to be so happy. And Prita will be so relieved.’
‘Yes.’ She would. She would do anything for her little boy. Remembering her conversation with her husband, he thought maybe she would do anything for those she cared for.
Did she care enough for their friendship, for him, to do the same for him?
He hoped so. Because if she didn’t, he wasn’t quite certain with this fire bug lighting fires all around CoalCliff, how he was going to get through the next dangerous few weeks.
He was about to get back in the car when his name was called. He turned and saw someone heading up the road from Finchers B&B.
‘Who is that?’ Reid asked him.
‘Chandra. Prita’s so-called husband.’
‘Oh.’
Yeah. Oh.
‘Do you really want to stay and chat to him?’
‘No.’ Flynn wanted out of here but he made himself stand where he was and watch the other man’s approach, a nasty thought in his head suddenly that he couldn’t seem to banish.
What if this was all about him wanting Prita to come home so he could have his nice little life back? What if he’d already come up here and was the one to set the fire and make the calls and threats?
Nothing the man had said in the hospital screamed arsonist and possum killer. But you never knew about someone. Perhaps it was worth having a chat and sussing him out a little more. Even if that meant staying here for longer than he wanted to.
Chandra, the man Prita had married to make his life easier, approached them, his gaze darting to Reid and then back to Flynn then back to Reid again. He faltered, got that stupid look on his face so many people did when faced with a celebrity. Ah hell. Just what he needed—to stand around and witness Reid’s stardom in action. He almost turned and hopped into the ute, but stopped himself. He was sussing the man out for Prita’s safety’s sake. If he had to stand here and hear him gush over Reid at the same time, then so be it.
He’d do anything to make certain Prita and her little boy were safe.
***
Prita listened to the chatter of the boys as they talked about the Star Wars movie then flipped to the latest Minecraft mod they were playing and then making plans to go and grab Tilly and head out to watch Mac as he tried to get Rebel to cover one of the mares Flynn had earmarked for mating with the new stallion.
Exhaustion was pulling at her and she knew she wasn’t going to last out much longer. She didn’t want to go and lie down though. There was too much to do. She rubbed at her head. Maybe she should take a painkiller though, because the low-grade headache that had been with her since she’d woken up in the hospital was making itself known.
‘You okay, Prita? You look a little peaked.’
‘I’m fine,’ she said, taking a large swallow of tea, hiding the grimace at the bitter taste of the lukewarm brew. She rubbed her head again. ‘Maybe I’ve got a little headache.’
‘No wonder after what you’ve been through. Perhaps you should go lie down.’
‘Yes.’ Perhaps it would be a good idea. Just for a little while. She stood up just as the door opened that led out to the verandah and she looked up as Flynn walked in the door.
She sucked in a breath as his gaze clung to hers, questions and longing and need reflected in his eyes, replacing the panic and embarrassment from when he’d left earlier. The air seemed to simmer between them, like the heat rising off a hot road. His expression changed and his gaze made her think he was remembering their kiss and not in the way he’d thought about it when he’d stormed out.
He smiled. ‘Hi.’
The impact of that smile was like a punch in the chest, filling her with something that made the exhaustion fall away. ‘Hi,’ she managed, more confused than ever as longing filled her. She wanted … she wanted … she wasn’t sure, but it all had to do with this man standing there with sex in his gaze as he looked at her.
‘Maccy!’
Carter’s chair tipped over as he flew across the kitchen to Flynn, arms up to take the furry bundle he had cuddled against his chest. Flynn broke eye contact with her long enough to give the cat over to Carter who proceeded to coo and rub his face all over his pet. Maccy seemed happy to see him too, miaowing plaintively and rubbing his head against Carter’s cheek, his shoulder, any part he could reach. It was a mutual love fest. An actual physical sign that things were going to be all right.
Before she had a chance to express her delight, Flynn was in front of her, his big form blocking out the sight of her son and his cat and their reunion. She looked up at him and the impact of meeting his gaze caught her breath again. He smiled and it was like lying in a field of wildflowers and the sun rising over the trees and covering her with its piercing warmth. She couldn’t help but smile in return. ‘Thank you.’
‘What for?’
She gestured behind him at Carter and Maccy. ‘You’ve made his day. You’ve made mine.’
‘Good.’ He broke his gaze from hers as Aaron came up to him for a one-armed hug.
‘I’m glad
