Page 52 of Secrets of Riverside

Apart from wanting to focus back on Millie, so he could make sure she was okay, Jarrah wasn’t in the mood for this. ‘I can still smell whisky on your breath, Tommy, so how about you go back to your unit and sleep it off.’

‘Yeah, whatever, mister “do what I say and not what I do”.’ Tommy waved an arm through the air. ‘I’ll leave you and your bed-notch to it then hey.’

Jarrah’s anger shot to boiling point in a millisecond. ‘What did you just say?’

‘You heard me.’ Tommy pointed in Millie’s direction. ‘She’s nothing but a cheap skank and you’re a dickhead falling for the likes of her.’

Red rage swallowed Jarrah whole. ‘How dare you speak about her like that.’

‘I’ll speak however I want, about whoever I want.’

‘Not on my property you won’t.’

‘Stuff you.’ Tommy shoved Jarrah in the chest.

Jarrah shoved him back, and stepped outside. ‘I’m warning you, Tommy, don’t start something you’re not going to like the end of.’

Coming for him, Tommy threw a punch. And in the blink of an eye, Jarrah had defended himself and Tommy was on the ground.

Struggling to his feet, Tommy glared at him as he wiped the blood from his lip. ‘That’s the first and last time you’re ever going to do that.’ He stormed away, and a slamming door sounded.

CHAPTER

17

Fresh out of the shower, Jarrah grabbed a clean T-shirt and pair of jeans from the basket of clothes he was yet to fold. Having spent the night tossing and turning, he’d come to the conclusion that Tommy needed to make his choice: remain living here at Riverside Acres and pull his moodiness into gear, as well as apologise to Millie for his foul mouth, or move to Sydney and stay there. As hard as it would be if his nephew chose the latter, he had to stick to his guns. He wasn’t going to allow him to flit between two very different worlds. He wanted no part of Carlo’s criminal activity, nor did he want Tommy dragging it back with him, which he inevitably would, if he hadn’t already. He regretted with all his heart losing his temper when Tommy lashed out at him, and throwing a punch in return. But then again, Tommy had to learn to pick his battles, and who to pick them with. He’d had enough of his nephew playing the martyr. This had to stop. And to achieve that, he had to stop seeing Tommy as the child he’d raised. Tommy was a man now, with his own thoughts, and was wholly and solely responsible for his own actions. He still loved him. How could he not? Tommy was a big part of his world.

He’d also come to the conclusion that not falling head over boots for Millie was proving way easier said than done. And it wasn’t only her physical appearance that stirred him – it was something unfathomable that pulled him towards her like fast-flowing water towards a raging waterfall. In the six weeks she’d been there, she’d seeped beneath his skin, so unobtrusively, so innocently. He didn’t completely understand her yet, but he vowed to. He just hoped she stuck around long enough for him to do so. Deep down in his gut he felt that she was on the run, from a past, or from someone dangerous. There was definitely something she was hiding behind those beautiful eyes of hers, and he wanted to discover what it was so he could offer her protection, support, compassion, whatever she needed from him to get through it.

Running his fingers through his damp hair, he made his way downstairs. Wanting to pop in and check on Millie before he headed into town, he decided not to make himself his second coffee for the day. He’d just grab one at the roadhouse. Kill two birds with one stone. Delicious smells greeted him as he made his way across the drive, down the rise, and towards the back door of the kitchen – freshly ground coffee, sizzling bacon, roasting tomatoes, and the freshly baked damper that had been selling quicker than she could make it.

‘Good morning.’ Millie’s smile was wide.

‘Morning.’ He searched her smiling face. ‘You seem on top of the world today.’

‘Best place to be.’ She grinned. ‘Cooking makes me happy.’

‘Eating your cooking makes me, and everyone else, happy.’ Sensations zinged through him, making him want to grab her and take her into his arms. ‘No more feeling dizzy?’

‘Yes and no.’ She grabbed the tea towel from her shoulder and wiped her hands. ‘I felt a little off when I woke up to my alarm, but I’m okay now.’

‘Good to hear, but I still reckon you should go into town and see the doc, just to have a check-up.’ He shrugged at her look of indifference. ‘I can ring and make you an appointment with mine, if you like?’ She pouted in thought and then nodded. ‘Yeah, righto, what’s it going to hurt.’

‘Good.’ He plucked his phone from his pocket. ‘I’ll give them a call right now.’

She eyed him, chuckling. ‘Keen then.’

‘I’m just looking after you.’

‘I can see that.’ Her smile softened and reached into her eyes. ‘Thank you.’

Jarrah returned her smile as the phone began to ring in his ear. She didn’t need to thank him. Together or not, friends or lovers, he’d go to the ends of the earth for this woman, and then some.

***

The following morning, with her ritual morning coffee made, Millie padded out of her motel room and onto her patio. Slumping down in her fold-out chair, she wrapped her hands around the mug and took tentative sips while watching the glorious day unfold. Pinks, oranges and pastel blues splashed across the sky right before the sun rose in all its glory. For a brief moment, she clenched her eyes shut against the glare and enjoyed the feel of the sun’s rays reaching for her and warming her from the outside in. Ahhh, Riverside Acres. With its tropical rainforest, lush mountains and crystal-clear running creeks, she was going to miss so much about this place.

But most of all, she was going to miss Jarrah.

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