Ethan rubbed the ache in his chest.
This place was bringing back too many memories, painful with their bittersweetness.
Wandering over, Ethan peered inside the barn, using his phone torch to illuminate the dark space.It still smelled of hay, though he couldn’t see any in the large area.To one side, Maggie’s ancient yellow Landcruiser was parked gathering dust.That thing had been old when he’d been a teenager, but she’d always sworn she didn’t need anything new.
Next to it was room to park his car and he could camp in here easily enough.He’d brought camping equipment in case Maggie wasn’t home.
He closed his eyes as the grief swept over him again.
He couldn’t explain this urge not to leave the property.It was almost as if by leaving, he was abandoning Aunt Maggie.
He’d done it once for his own good.He couldn’t do it again.
Ethan opened both barn doors and walked back towards the front of the house.A side gate led into the property and he opened it, wincing again at the squeak.He glanced across the road but didn’t see the neighbour.He didn’t think she’d call the police or care if he stayed.
He drove onto the property and into the barn, shutting the gate and doors as he did.
Tonight he’d camp here, make a plan, and tomorrow he’d put it into action.
Somehow he would make this right for Aunt Maggie.
Chapter 3
The cheerful tune ofYou Are My Sunshinejolted Chelsea awake, and she almost fell off her couch.She brushed her hair back and fumbled for her phone, which was on the coffee table.She answered the call, willing her brain to work.“Hi, Mum.”Why had she been asleep on her couch?
“Chelsea, I just saw all the furore about Aria Simpson.Weren’t you working on something with her?”
Everything rushed back; the uproar, being fired, spending several hours that afternoon searching for a new job, but none of her contacts wanted anything to do with her.Not after Aria.She’d hung up from her last option and cried until she’d fallen asleep.“Yeah.”
“Are you all right?”
Chelsea closed her eyes at the concern in her mother’s voice.They’d always been a team of two until Ezra came along.Since then Sabine’s attention had been divided and Chelsea had worked hard not to be upset about it.But whenever Chelsea needed her, her mother was always there.She took a deep breath.“No.I’ve been fired.”
“What for?”Her mother’s outrage soothed some of Chelsea’s hurt.
“Because I was responsible for Aria.The entire campaign had to be reworked, and our client wanted someone to blame.”
It still burned that despite her redoing the campaign so it would require little extra cost, she was the fall guy.
“I’m so sorry, baby.What are you going to do?”
That was the million-dollar question.“I don’t know.”She wandered into the kitchen to pour a glass of water.The mail caught her eye.Not much considering she hadn’t been home in over a month, but all of her bills came electronically.She’d dumped the mail on the bench when she arrived home but hadn’t opened any of it.
Now she flicked through the envelopes.Some advertising for the upcoming election, a letter from a charity she usually supported and a letter from her real estate agent.She slid her finger under the fold to open it.“No one is hiring.”Her eyes scanned the letter and her stomach swirled with nausea.No.This couldn’t be happening.“Shit.”She sank into the nearest chair.
“Don’t swear, Chelsea.You’ll find something.”
“No, it’s not that.”But it was partially.She breathed slowly three times to make the nausea disappear, but it didn’t.This was her worst nightmare.Unemployed and, “I just got notice on my apartment.The owners are selling and I have four weeks to vacate.”After a childhood watching her mother scramble to make ends meet and moving from house to house when the lease was up, she’d thought she’d found stability for herself.
She rubbed at her hot skin and her fingers curled around the letter.No, screwing it up wouldn’t make the problem go away.
Finding somewhere to rent in Sydney was difficult at the best of times, but if she was unemployed, it would be impossible.
“Oh, no.Can they do that?”
She blinked, bringing her attention back to her mother.“The lease is due to be renewed, so I guess they can.”Jobless and homeless in one fell swoop.
“When it rains, it pours.You can always come home for a while if you can’t find somewhere.”
