Mila and Dobby were making it work.And if he went into business with Dobby, it might be a different story.
Which reminded him he wanted to ask Chelsea about the land, especially the farmland behind the garden.If Dobby bought Lilydale, he’d take care of it.
He shouldn’t get ahead of himself.Today he’d talk to Chelsea about her plans.He dressed for another day of gardening and ate breakfast, debating whether he should go down the road and buy himself a proper coffee.Perhaps Chelsea would be nice enough to make him one.
Ethan wandered outside, glancing towards the house.The blinds were up in Chelsea’s bedroom, which meant she was awake.The blinds up had become their sign he could climb the tree outside her window and sneak into her bedroom to steal a few more hours together when they were younger.
Such good memories.
Often they would lie side-by-side on her single bed and talk about their pasts and what they wanted for the future.She was the only one he’d ever told about his different foster families and his mother.Like her, his father had never been part of his life.His mother had succumbed to drugs and had mental illness as a result.She’d been in no state to take care of him, even if she’d wanted to.Which she hadn’t.
All that was in the past.It was far more important to focus on the present and the future.
As he moved towards the house, a black Porsche pulled into the driveway.Johann was back.It was still pretty early for a visit.Ethan hesitated.Maybe he should wait until the property developer left before he went over.
Johann’s face was red, his fury clear in his scowl and clenched fists as he stormed up the steps and pounded on the front door.
Ethan tensed and strode closer in case Chelsea needed his help.
By the time he arrived, she’d already opened the door and Ethan stopped out of sight at the corner of the house to listen to the conversation.He clenched his hands to push down the urge to play saviour.It wasn’t his place to butt in, but it was a struggle not to rush to Chelsea’s side and take over, show Johann she wasn’t alone.
“Who the hell do you think you are?”Johann growled.
Ethan shifted back to look through the living room window to the front door.Chelsea stood with one hand on the door handle.Her reply was calm.“I could ask you the same question.”
“Do you know what you’ve done?”Johann yelled, his voice shaking with rage.“You’ve cost me millions.”
Chelsea smiled.“I can’t see how, Mr Mueller.I haven’t had any business with you.”
“Your mother refused my proposal.”
“Did she tell you why?”
Ethan didn’t like her sweet tone.It would inflame Johann’s anger.Every instinct in his body screamed for him to protect her, but it wasn’t his place yet.They were merely talking.
“She said she wouldn’t deal with a man like me.I can only imagine you gave her an unfavourable impression of me.”
“I did,” she agreed.“Would you like to know why?”
“Because you got precious about me being in your garden.”
“That didn’t endear you to me,” she agreed, “but that’s not the reason.”She paused, and Ethan had to give her credit.The way she made Johann work for the information was perfect.
“What was?”Johann asked between gritted teeth.
“I spoke to Darren yesterday.”
A slight widening of his eyes.Yeah, he was guilty.
Chelsea continued, “Do you want to know what he said?”
Johann took a step back.“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Liar.”The word shot out like a bullet, the calm replaced with anger as she pointed her finger at Johann.“You paid Darren fifty thousand dollars almost a year ago to let the garden die.Your greed destroyed my aunt’s life’s work.”
The pain in her voice made Ethan ache to hold her, to take away any hurt.
“Don’t be foolish.No one is going to want this place now.”
