He was silent for a long moment. “I want to get out of the army and come home.”
Her heart pounded. “That’s wonderful.”
He shrugged. “I need to talk to Darcy about it. This is his place now, even if I technically own it.”
“I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Maybe. We’ve still got some things to work out. I have a lot to make up to him.”
“But you’re family and the four of you are the strongest family I’ve ever known.”
He nodded and smiled. “We will be.” He squeezed her hand. “I know you don’t have a job any more, but I was hoping you might stick around Retribution Bay.”
It was all she wanted to do. “Until you finish in the army?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to,” she said. “But if Darcy can’t pay me, then I’ll need to consider finding a new job.” Though she loved it here, being reliant on someone’s goodwill still made a part of her uneasy. She’d had too many issues when goodwill had changed overnight. She hesitated and thought about all the ideas she’d put together for the campgrounds. “I had some ideas I wanted to run past Darcy, ways of bringing in more income to the Ridge, but this past week hasn’t really been the right time.”
“I’d love to hear them, and Darcy will too. Maybe we can find some more funds to keep you on.” He smiled. “I’d like it if you were here when I returned.”
“I’d like that too.”
His kiss was long and sweet, a promise of what was to come. “Good. I’ll chat to Darcy tonight.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s go eat.”
They held hands all the way across to the house.
Maybe finally things were improving.
***
After dinner, Brandon pulled Darcy aside. “Can we talk?”
Darcy nodded and Brandon walked down the corridor into their father’s office. It seemed as good a place as any for this discussion.
“What’s up?” Darcy asked perching himself on the edge of the desk.
Brandon studied his brother. He’d always been a cheerful teen, but the cheerfulness had grown into confidence and surety. He knew who he was and what he wanted. Brandon wished he’d had that knowledge when he was younger. He drew a deep breath. “I’d like to move home.”
Darcy’s fingers twitched, but it was the only sign of surprise. “To the Ridge?” he asked. “Into this house?”
He nodded. “For the short term,” he said. “Until I can build something on the spot we picked out all those years ago.”
Darcy studied him. “Why now?”
“Because now I’ve come home, I don’t want to leave. I’ve missed so much of life here, Ed and Georgie growing up, Lara—” His throat closed up. “I don’t want to miss any more.”
“Charlie would have said you were an idiot for not coming home long ago.” His lip twitched in a smile before he became serious. “The station might not survive, you know,” he said. “I don’t want you to lose everything.”
Shit. Darcy was really worried. “Stonefish won’t win,” he said. “I’ll invest the money I’ve got saved, and Amy has a list of ideas about how to bring more tourists in and earn more income.”
His eyebrows raised. “She tell you this?”
“Yeah,” he said. “She was going to approach you about it but then Mum and Dad died. Maybe the guests will bring in regular money while we sort out the livestock and machinery.”
“It’s a lot of work,” Darcy warned.
“Work hard to fulfil your dreams.” He quoted their father.
