Page 39 of Whispers of Sweetwater

Hey Bri, I took Molly and Sherlock back to my place. I had a few jobs to do and thought she might feel safer with me. Hope that’s okay. Hope YOU are okay.

Relief and something warm uncurled in her chest as she texted back a quick, Thanks, truly. I’ll swing by soon to collect the pair of them. :)

When she pulled up at Hayden’s property, the golden light of late afternoon bathed the homestead in a dreamy kind of glow. The familiar, white-trimmed verandah welcomed her, and she spotted Molly seated in a wicker chair on the verandah, with a mug cradled in her hands. Sherlock was laid out beside her, belly exposed, clearly spoilt and smug. Brianna smiled at the sight as she stepped out of her Hilux and shut the driver’s door more softly than she normally would.

Hayden emerged from the side paddock, wiping his hands on a rag. ‘You’re just in time,’ he called. ‘I was about to check on Duchess and Maverick.’

‘Oh, I’ll join you, if you don’t mind,’ she called back, moving to meet him. ‘And then I’ll steal back my dog and Molly, of course.’

He offered her the same easy smile that had been unsettling her more and more lately, not because it was unwelcome, but because it felt like home. Like comfort. And something dangerous, if she let herself lean into it.

The smile turned into a grin that almost buckled her knees. ‘They’re not too keen on leaving, just so you know.’

‘With surroundings like this,’ she glanced around her, her smile soft, almost whimsical, ‘I can’t say I blame them.’

Hayden’s mouth pulled into a half-grin, the kind that never quite gave everything away. ‘Can’t argue with their taste. Peace and space are hard to walk away from.’

For a heartbeat the words hung there, heavier than they should’ve been. Brianna’s chest tightened at the double edge of them, but before she could respond, he tipped his hat back and motioned towards the stables. ‘Come on then, Doc Steele, let’s have a look at your patients.’

They walked towards the paddock beside the stables, side by side. Duchess was grazing lazily, and Maverick bounded at her side with the kind of energy that made Brianna’s tired feet ache. Ducking beneath the railings, she did a once-over of the mare, her hands methodical and gentle, noting the solid muscle and clean legs, and then she moved on to Maverick, observing the foal’s alert movements and his bright eyes.

‘She’s thriving, and so is Maverick,’ she said with satisfaction, brushing a hand down Duchess’s side. ‘Whatever you’re doing, Hayden, keep doing it.’

‘Mostly it’s letting her boss me around,’ he said with a husky chuckle, stepping in to rub the mare’s neck. ‘Which I suppose you can relate to.’

Brianna smirked. ‘Was that a jab at me?’

‘Maybe.’ His grin tugged sideways, crooked and dangerous in its ease. ‘But if the shoe fits …’

Her pulse skipped, sharp and unbidden. She forced her hand to stay steady on Duchess’s side, but the warmth of this comfortably dominant man’s gaze burned hotter than the setting sun. ‘Careful,’ she said lightly, trying for humour though her voice came out thinner than she meant. ‘You keep throwing lines like that around, and I’ll start charging you double my callout fee.’

Hayden chuckled, low and genuine and downright sexy, and he didn’t look away. Not right away. And in that heartbeat of silence before he finally tipped his chin towards Maverick, the air between them felt heavier, charged with something neither of them dared to name. Then, thankfully, he crouched to tighten a strap on the gate. Brianna fussed over Maverick a little longer than needed. Neither of them seemed in a hurry to leave as the conversation wandered from feed mixes to trail riding, drifting easily, comfortably, until the silence between words began to feel just as full. When Duchess finally nosed at Hayden’s pocket and Maverick bounded off towards the fence line, Brianna’s laugh broke the spell, soft and unguarded. Hayden straightened, brushing dust from his hands, and for a moment their eyes caught, just long enough to make her chest tighten before she glanced away.

How did this man make her want him more and more, every time she was near him?

The walk back towards the house was unhurried, their conversation still weaving in and out, the kind of small talk that wasn’t really about the words at all. By the time the homestead came into view, a thin ribbon of smoke curled from the barbeque set up by the railing, the scent of rosemary and marinade drifting on the air.

‘Mmm,’ Brianna said, inhaling. ‘That smells amazing.’

Hayden shrugged casually, like it was nothing. ‘I threw a brisket on my new Traeger this morning. Thought I’d see how it turned out. Ten hours, low and slow, I’d almost forgotten about it, to be honest.’

‘A Traeger hey, very snazzy.’ She smiled, a little caught off guard by how easily she could picture it – him and her, plates in hand, eating slow-cooked brisket together on his verandah as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The thought warmed her chest and unsettled it all at once.

A beat passed, then Hayden cleared his throat. ‘You guys are welcome to stay, if you like.’ His reply was so natural, so easygoing, although there was an adorable hope blazing in his eyes. ‘I can whip up a salad or something to feed us all.’

‘Oh, I don’t want to intrude.’ Brianna shifted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. But even as she said it, part of her wondered if she meant it.

‘I’m not going to say no to an invite like that, Bri.’ Before she could say more, Molly’s voice floated, carrying a note of mischief. ‘Because oh, my goodness, that delicious smell coming off your grill, Hayden … I’m not leaving until I taste whatever it is you’re cooking.’

Heading up the steps, Brianna raised a brow. ‘You’re strong-arming me into accepting his barbecue invite?’

‘I absolutely am,’ Molly said, lips twitching into a cheeky smile.

Stepping in alongside Brianna, Hayden didn’t object. In fact, as he kicked his boots off, he looked chuffed. ‘Right then, that’s settled, you’re both staying,’ he said simply, then he looked to Brianna. ‘You good with that?’

She paused only for a heartbeat, but it was a loaded pause. Because staying meant warmth and laughter and the tug of something she wasn’t sure she could hold back much longer. ‘Yes, I’m good with that,’ she said finally, watching the way Hayden’s eyes warmed, as if she’d just ignited a little fire within his soul.