He ruffled Aaron’s hair and said, ‘Right, out you go while I finish getting dressed. And tell Reid that I’ll be up there in a few minutes. And don’t run,’ he called out as Aaron ran out of the room.
He grabbed a dry pair of jeans and dressed quickly, amazed how good his knee was feeling—must be the endorphins from the sex—and ran out the door before his mother could nag at him about eating something.
Charlie and Farrah ran up to him, sniffing at his hands as walked down the road that wound to the stables. He bent to pat them and apologise for the lack of bacon he usually smuggled out for them, when the scent of smoke and char caught him in the back of his throat. It was faint and he knew it was from the fire Mac and the boys had taken care of, but it still hit him like a punch despite the dampening effect of the rain they’d had.
The police had to find whoever was doing this and stop them, because unless he could keep Prita around twenty-four seven, he wasn’t sure how in the hell he was going to manage if more fires were set, or god forbid, one finally got completely out of control and took everything again.
He shuddered and pulled the phone out of his pocket, hoping like hell the police had some news for him to stop whoever the hell was doing this.
Chapter 21
Prita was astonished how quickly Barb could get things happening. The woman had put in some calls yesterday afternoon and things started to arrive from eight this morning, utes and delivery trucks pulling up outside the cottage with office furniture, an examination bed, chairs, a computer, even some medical equipment she’d need to do basic examinations. All of it got unloaded and carted inside to the two rooms that had been emptied of their furniture yesterday. The rooms could be accessed by the back door, so none of her clients would need to traipse through the rest of the house to get to her temporary clinic.
Every time she’d gone to sign a delivery docket and organise payment, she discovered most of it had been donated. The morning left tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. She’d thought she was an outsider—Bob Thompson and Doc Simpson and their cronies had got under her skin despite all her bravado. But this, this generosity, this acceptance, this need for her to be here, working for herself and for them, the community, it made her feel more a part of things than she’d ever felt before.
For the first time in her life, she belonged. Truly belonged. And it was an astonishing feeling. Better than she ever imagined.
She hugged Carter to her side as he came out to her after having been upstairs inspecting his new bedroom with Tilly and Aaron. It had been Tilly’s room when she and Nat had lived here when they’d first moved back to CoalCliff. They’d been here for a very short time, having moved in with Reid a month after arriving, their love for each other even after all the years apart, too big for either of them to deny. Nat came out of the bedroom just then, having delivered bags of clothes for Prita and Carter that Colin Ferguson and his husband, Peter Duggins, had donated from their Seconds & Antiques shop in Wilson’s Bend. She went to join Nat as Carter ran off with Tilly to pat her horse, Rey. The almost two-year-old colt loved Tilly and followed her around and Flynn had gifted her the horse for her birthday last year.
Flynn. Such a generous man.
Generous in more ways than she’d ever imagined.
Her face heated.
Nat laughed gently, a knowing glint in her eye as she said, ‘This place made me so happy. I can see it’s making you happy too.’
‘I …’
Nat laughed again and raised her hand. ‘You don’t have to say anything. Reid and I had our own interlude in the barn last night and saw the lights on down here when we headed back to our house. I’m glad you two have got together.’
‘We’re not together. I’m married.’
‘Are you?’ She pierced Prita with a look. ‘Isn’t your husband gay and in a serious relationship with another man?’
Prita jerked around to face her. It was impossible to keep secrets around here. ‘Did Flynn tell you?’
Nat shrugged one shoulder. ‘No. Reid did. He met Chandra yesterday when they were looking for Maccy. His boyfriend, Vivaan, was with him.’ She tipped her head on the side. ‘Why are you still married to him?’
Prita sighed. How many times was she going to have to go over this? ‘There were good reasons why I married Chandra. He didn’t tie me down. I got to do whatever I wanted. It worked for him too.’
‘But those reasons aren’t working for you anymore, are they?’
Her jaw worked for a moment before she blurted, ‘I won’t out him. He has to make that choice.’
‘But why does his choice or lack-thereof have to take away your choices?’
‘What do you mean by that?’
Nat turned to face her, arms crossing as she viewed Prita with a serious expression on her face. ‘Maybe you didn’t want to be tied down once, but now you’ve got Carter and things have changed. I see the way you look at Flynn and he looks at you.’
‘That’s just hormones.’
‘It’s more than that. But it’s not only what’s going on with Flynn and you. I also see the way you are every time you’re shown how much you belong here. That you’re one of the family. You want to be tied down.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘Isn’t it?’ Nat shook her head slowly. ‘Then why did you stay when things got hard? Why did you buy your house and
