Page 104 of Obsession Under the Southern Stars

Zoe nods. “Although much more office-based than Joel. I haven’t been on many excavations, which was why the dive on the wreck was such a treat. Elora and I are taking the same master’s degree at the moment in heritage management. I’m concentrating on conservation.” She has another bite of her scone. “I understand that Linc proposed to her yesterday.”

Mum glows. “Yes, he used the Bell Ring. It was so romantic.”

“How wonderful,” Zoe says. She glances at Dad. “You must be thrilled. Linc was an old pupil of yours, wasn’t he? Elora told me that Linc said you were like a father to him when he was growing up.”

It’s a very diplomatic thing to say. Dad’s lips curve up—I think he suspects she’s not as innocent as she’s making out—but he just says, “It was good to see him again, although it’ll be sad if he takes our little girl away.” He looks at Mum, and she drops her gaze to her scone. They’ve obviously had words about it. No doubt Dad expressed disapproval, and Mum tried to stand up for Elora.

“It’s always tough, isn’t it, when kids move away,” Zoe says. “But what an opportunity for Elora—to go to Europe. Linc will take her to see all kinds of historical sites, and she’ll get to go on proper digs, prehistoric and Roman and medieval. It’ll be fantastic for her, and I’m sure she’ll come back often to visit. I’m so envious I could spit! I’d love to go to Europe.”

I eat the rest of my scone, trying not to smile as she continues to chat to my parents, disarming and charming with every sentence. She’s a real sweetheart. And more than ever now, I just want to get her on her own and kiss her senseless.

So when we’ve finished our coffee and scones, I say, “I think we might go for a walk in the forest.”

“Sure,” Dad says. “Will you take Howard? He’s not been out for a while.”

“Yeah, okay.” The Spaniel in tow, Zoe and I head to the front door, put our shoes on, and go out into the sunshine.

The path bears left, following the course of the river. I open the gate, let Howard through, hold it for Zoe, then close it, and we head for the cool quiet of the woods.

*

Zoe

We walk slowly, our shoes crunching through the dried leaves. Howard lollops along, his big ears flapping.

“It’s funny to think you grew up here,” I say, taking Joel’s hand when he holds it out to me.

“It wasn’t a bad place to be a kid.”

“I’ll say. Wellington’s great, but I’d have killed to live somewhere like this.”

“Yeah, it’s cool, although we always said we’d have loved to be in the city. There’s so much to do.”

“I suppose the grass is always greener,” I admit.

We’re surrounded by trees now. There’s a pathway through the forest, but the undergrowth on either side is thick and lush, and Howard snuffles through the dead leaves and fallen twigs, looking for rabbits. The air smells clean and fresh.

Joel stops walking, turns me to face him, and pulls me toward him. “Hello, beautiful,” he says.

My lips curve up. “Hello.”

He touches his lips to mine. “You said some nice things in there about me.”

I hope I didn’t go overboard. I was incensed by his father’s casual offhandedness about Joel’s courage and the fact that Atticus hadn’t told his wife that their son had won the award. “Did I? That’s weird. Don’t worry, normal service will be resumed later.”

He chuckles and kisses me again, then wraps his arms around me and kisses me properly. When he eventually moves back, I look up at him with dreamy eyes, giving a little sigh.

“How are you doing?” he murmurs, taking my face in his hands and stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. “You look pale.”

I drop my gaze. “I’m okay.”

“Come on, Zo. You’ve obviously been crying. You look unhappy. I hope it’s not because of me.”

“Of course not.” Well, not in the way he means it anyway.

He kisses my nose. “I brought you here because I wanted you to meet my parents, and because this place is important to me. I wanted to let you into my life in the hope that you’d do the same for me. I want to make a go of this, Zoe. I want you in my life, permanently. But it’s not going to work unless we’re both open and honest with one another.”

“I know.” I bite my bottom lip. I knew this was coming, but even so, the words won’t come, held back behind a barrier of fear.

---