Page 19 of Lime Tree Hill

Mitch raised a skeptical brow as they stepped onto the veranda. Maybe now was her chance to talk to him about Cherry Grove.

“Actually, do you mind if we sit for a moment?” she asked.“I have something to say.”

He pulled over a chair. “Sure.”

Tayla sat on the love seat she’d sometimes shared with Norman. “It’s about the sale. My sisters and I don’t have enough money to buy Cherry Grove, and it’s not profitable anyway. I’ve been to the bank, but they won’t come to the party. If the sale doesn’t go through, I doubt my parents will even have a roof over their heads by the time they return from Auckland. So, if there’s any chance of you changing your mind…”

His hand went to his chin, where he rubbed a finger back and forth. “You’ve had no other offers?”

“Not at this stage.”

Seconds passed before Mitch released a sigh from deep within his chest, as if clearing his thoughts and energy. “I still can’t see it working.”

“Why not?” Tayla said bluntly. “Have you met someone?”

He hesitated again, seemingly unwilling to elaborate. “From our contact so far, I doubt anyone would believe us.”

Now it was her turn to stare. “How one behaves is all down to attitude. People act out their lives to some extent every day of the week. I’m sure I could play my part in this game of pretense.”

He raised a brow like before, but this time, he added a huff.

“What? You have no faith in my ability to live a lie if it will save my parents from financial ruin?” Tayla asked.

“Not a lot.”

“So, the marriage offer was just a front, was it? Are you waiting for the bank to foreclose so you can pick up Cherry Grove for next to nothing?”

“See, that’s what I mean right there.” Mitch sat forward, his hands helping him prove his point. “You don’t know me, so stop pretending otherwise. It’s obvious I pissed you off over that credit card mix-up, but let it the hell go. Learn to play nice, and we mighthave a deal. Keep acting like a prissy stuck-up snob, and all bets are off.”

Tayla sat back, reclaiming her personal space. She crossed her arms over her chest and held his gaze. He had to be kidding. “You are the rudest man I have ever met.”

“Yeah, well, some people bring out the worst in me. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

With that, Mitch stood, picked up Mr. Edward, and bounded down the steps, leaving Tayla glued to the seat, a ‘but’ dying on her lips.

She watched until he disappeared behind the lime trees, his words harsh in her ears, then took the steps two at a time and ran all the way home. No one had ever talked to her like that, and if Mitch wanted all bets to be off, she would happily oblige.

After a shower, Tayla made herself a sandwich and while she ate, surfed the internet again for realtors specializing in orchard sales.

By evening, a sudden cold snap gave the air a distinctly autumnal feel. Tayla never knew how to describe this conundrum—coolness wrapped around the warmth of late summer. Because in Clifton Falls, warm days often stretched well into the calendar months of autumn, and this year looked like being no exception.

And along with the unseasonable woodsmoke from a neighbor’s fire came a stilled feeling of melancholy—almost despondency. Tayla sat on the veranda, her hands curled around a mug of hot chocolate, and recalled their exchange with regret.

Prissy stuck-up snob?

She didn’t want to be that girl. The one who held an eternal grudge because someone had misjudged her. And if she’d learned one thing from her relationship with Hayden, it was that things weren’t always as they seemed.

Her hot chocolate finished, Tayla stood and walked through the house to the kitchen. She wondered if she should text Mitch an apology or just let the dust settle.

Deciding on the latter, she soaked in the tub until the water cooled, then went to bed, her life feeling devoid of purpose and direction for the first time in years.

10

A GAME OF TOUCH

When Tayla pulledinto the sports grounds and saw the swarms of people milling around the field, she froze. Tim had called earlier, begging her to make up the numbers for his ‘strictly social’ touch rugby team after someone else bailed. Everyone played for fun, he’d said, and she’d probably spend the whole time on the bench anyway. Also, there’d be a band playing later and plenty of free beer. How exciting.Not.

Taking a deep breath, Tayla admonished herself for letting her sarcastic side rear its undisciplined head. She hadn’t played touch rugby since high school, but how hard could it be? Like riding a bike, Tim reckoned.

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