Page 88 of Wandering Souls

“I’ll come up on the weekend.”

Ray shook his head and started on his way to the bakery again. “Hold off, Grace. Give me some time with her. I’ll call you tonight.”

“What would I do without you?”

Guilt sat like lead in his belly. If he’d stayed in Melbourne... No, he couldn’t think like that. Chances were that wherever he was, the topic would have come up eventually and they probably still would have argued. Only difference might have been Millie only had to go a few kilometers west to his house, rather than the few hundred she’d just traveled. He marveled at how she managed to get here.

Not on any major interstate rail lines or highways, Wills Crossing was out of the way by a margin.

“Hang tight, big sis. Let me work some Uncle Ray magic.”

He ended the call as he reached the bakery. Through the window, he found his niece seated at a table across from Abi. Bruce laid on the floor under the table, his front paws on Millie’s feet, while his ass was firmly planted on Abi’s boots. It brought a smile to his face and eased his racing heart. The most important thing was that Millie was unhurt. She might be mad as a cut snake at her mother, but she was in one piece and it was a place to start.

A hand on his shoulder startled him. “Who’s that with Abi?”

He blew out a breath. “Damien, don’t sneak up on a man.”

“Sorry.” Abi’s father watched the pair through the window. “So?”

“My runaway niece. How she made it from Melbourne to here is anyone’s guess.”

Damien smiled. “Resourceful. How old is she?”

“Fifteen. Abi found her on my doorstep.”

Damien turned his head, the curiosity in his blue-gray eyes impossible to miss. “Your place?”

“She was taking Bruce home for me.” Damien wasn’t naïve, was he? Ray didn’t know but he wasn’t about to enlighten him, either. “I should go in and rescue her.”

“She looks fine to me.” Damien stepped in front of him. “Just so you know, you’re welcome to join us for Christmas lunch. The kid too, if she’s still around.”

Ray felt an eyebrow rise all by itself.

“Oh, come on,” Damien chuckled. “We know about you two, but make no bones about it, we want her home for Christmas.”

Home?He’d seen first-hand how well Abi had settled into life with the McCafferty clan and he loved seeing her happier and more relaxed but he worried about their expectations. She was intent on returning to a life two-thousand kilometers away and while he didn’t want to see her go any more than they did, he knew pressuring her to stay would do no one any good.

She had to want it as much as they did.

Ray lifted his hands in surrender. “Not going to get in the way, Damien.”

Damien patted his shoulder. “Good.” He turned away, took a step and then halted. “Tell me, did you hurt anything when you fell for her?”

Ray sighed, wanting to roll his eyes at theI told you sotone of the older man. “Only my ego.”

Damien chuckled and pointed at him. “Just remember what I said about breaking her heart. I’ll leave you to it.”

Flat footed, Ray watched him walk away, resisting the urge to shout that the only one who was about to get their heart smashed to pieces was him. Through the window, Millie met his gaze. She grew teary on seeing him. Abi turned, her beautiful face reminding him why he’d put his heart on the line in the first place. She smiled and waved him in, standing when he approached.

Stepping out from her seat, she touched his arm and leaned against his ear. “She’s pretty fragile. Go easy on her.”

Ray stared into her eyes, wanting so very much to kiss her, but with his niece watching them, he held back. Abi squeezed his arm, the touch saying everything he needed to hear.

“I’ll call you later.”

She blinked slowly in understanding. “See you, Millie.”

The kid’s eyes jerked wide. “Do you have to go?”

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