Page 53 of Be My Baby

If he failed, Simon wouldn’t have a job, either.

Nor any of his other employees. It wasn’t just him who relied on this rebuild. Some of them could probably get jobs elsewhere, even if they weren’t the type of job they wanted. Kurrajong Crossing was a busy little place, and the numerous wineries and farms on the outskirts always needed people.

But there were a few who were either older or not as employable, who Max had kept around because they’d been so long with him that they were almost family.

Then there was Simon.

Simon had always struggled with his education. He played it down, acted like it didn’t matter, like he didn’t care—but he did. A lot. He hadn’t gone further than Junior at the local high school, his dyslexia not being caught and diagnosed until late.

By then Simon hadn’t wanted to try anymore and had dropped out of school. He hadn’t done any further study other than a few hands-on courses that he’d excelled at, but anything heavy with reading stumped him every time. He’d given up and Max had stopped pushing the issue years ago. Simon was happy, that’s all that had mattered. And he was one hell of a worker, reliable and honest.

No. He couldn’t let his brother down. Refused to. He was his little brother; hewouldlook after him. Simon needed this as much as he did.

Max had enough tucked away in his business account to pay out his employees their owed entitlements. Then enough after that to maybe last him six months.

Six measly months.

He held Simon’s gaze, settled his mouth into a tight line, and straightened to his full height. “I’ll sort this out, Si. I promise.”

Simon nodded once and Max turned and stepped out the door, walking toward his pampered old Jeep.

He would.

He’d make sure the people he loved were taken care of, even if it was the last thing he did.

*

Millie paced andbit her thumbnail as she side-eyed the pregnancy test on the bathroom vanity. She’d woken not long ago, the expected period nowhere in sight.

The timer ticked away in the background as the line of fluid seeped up through the window on the side.

Please be positive,pleasebe positive!

They could all do with a bit of good news. Driving past the ashy remains of the Cow each morning eviscerated her daily.

Poor Max.

She didn’t know how he kept it together as well as he did. She’d be a blubbering puddle on the floor, if it was her.

They’d spent a little time together since the fire, but she hadn’t wanted to force the issue, had wanted him to know she was there for him when he needed her and not be pushy about it. She’d ached to ask him to move in with her, but hadn’t known how to phrase it without it seeming like a sympathy offer. It wasn’t that he was a super proud or traditional guy, but she didn’t want the timing to look like she felt sorry for him. She wanted him to move in because hewantedto, not because he had no other choice.

Surely a baby would be something to celebrate? Would he want to move in then?

Her gaze caught on the test again and she forgot to breathe.

She blinked then stepped closer.

A bright blue plus sign stared up at her.

Her breath left her on a deep sigh as she picked it up and stared at it. She sucked in a deep breath and the happy squeal that left her made her laugh.

The timer on her phone made her jump and she slapped it off with one hand, her grip tight on the life-changing gadget. She placed it carefully on the vanity countertop and yanked open the second drawer, filled to the brim with unopened pregnancy tests.

You can never have too many pregnancy tests.

She grinned broadly at the ridiculous amount of them staring up at her. She’d been buying them for months now, whenever she was over in Bialga. A nice, safe place where not many people knew her, and certainly none who would comment at the purchase of said tests.

She pulled out a few more, lined them up on the counter, and grinned.

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