Page 40 of My Mistake To Make

‘I think I’m a bit homesick, that’s all.’ I sigh. ‘The people here are so nice, but…’

‘It’s not home yet.’ The wordyetthrows me. As much as I love Forest Falls, I don’t know if it will ever truly be home.

‘No, it’s not.’

‘Are you making friends?’

‘Yeah, I am, Dad.’ I smile genuinely. I spend a lot of time with Zoe and Bree, and our bond is definitely growing, and Missy is coming over this weekend too, so we’re having a girls’ night at Bree’s. I’ve never had a girls’ night before and have no idea what that entails, but Zoe said all I need is PJs and wine, so that sounds pretty great.

‘Well, darling, if they see even a fraction of what I see in you, they’ll love you.’

‘You have to say that. You’re my dad.’ I smile, and he chuckles.

‘I am. I’m your very proud dad who misses you very much.’

‘Oh, Dad.’ Tears escape my eyes, and I wipe them away.

‘Go on, sweetheart, don’t waste your time talking to your old man. Get out there and live your life.’

‘Okay.’ I sniff and smile. ‘I love you.’

‘Oh, I love you too, my Cara.’

I end the call and check the time, almost two in the afternoon. I knowhehasn’t told me yet that I can go up to the house but screw it. It’smyhouse.

I push my feet into my trainers, fill up my water bottle, and head out.

‘Oh, my god.’

The gasp that escapes me as I reach the top of the hill and see the house is loud—it surprises me how loud, but the house in front of me surprises me more.

The broken wood on the front has been replaced, and the broken windows are now fully glazed. The door that barely needed blowing on to open it is now gone, replaced with one that is brand new and beautiful.

There’s barely been any work done to make it a home, but it now looks like a house that won’t fall down in the next storm. It’s gorgeous.

I approach and am drawn to the sound of music coming from the back of the house. It makes me smile. Aerosmith—one of my favorite bands. I’m still smiling when I reach the back garden and the source of the music, but the smile soon disappears, replaced by a wide gaping mouth and, yep, definite arousal.

Holy hell.

If I wasn’t attracted to him before, I am now.

Doug stands bent over a workbench, sawing some wood. He’s shirtless with a toolbelt slung low around his hips, his biceps, and the muscles in his back and his shoulders are working overtime. I should be paying them as much as I’m paying him.

As if he senses me looking at him, he straightens, turning to me, and oh, god, yep, it all suddenly makes a lot of sense. If the last couple of weeks of discovering that my body does actually work the way it’s supposed to weren’t enough, this moment righthere drives home the message. Arousal is a real thing, and,my god, I’m feeling all of it.

Doug’s strong arms, covered in tattoos, were just the starter, his defined chest and abs are the main course, and I am starving. I can’t move. I’m completely frozen to the spot as he turns down the volume on the music and walks toward me. I should stop staring at his body. I should, but I can’t seem to make my eyes comply.

‘What are you doing up here, Cara?’ he asks, and I blink as I raise my gaze to meet his. There’s a flicker of something in his eyes, amusement? Something else? I’m not well versed enough in the male of the species to know for sure.

‘I, um…’ Words, Cara, make words happen. ‘I just, um…’ My mouth is dry, and my brain is foggy.

One corner of Doug’s mouth turns up as he steps closer to me and reaches out to tap the water bottle in my hand.

‘You look thirsty, darlin’,’

I inhale sharply before raising the bottle up to my mouth and taking a long drink. Doug turns away to pick up his own bottle and does the same.

‘I wanted to see how it was going,’ I say after a while, and he turns to look up at the house.

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