Friday, December 20th, 2019
“I’m going to be fine.” His dad told him for the second time since morning tea. “You should go back to Dusty.”
Blaise wanted to. He was desperate to see Dusty.Would Aaron have gotten to her? Convinced her to go back to him?The bastard would’ve tried, persistently, to bring Dusty around to having a relationship with him. He tried to take comfort in how she’d told him she loved him.I love you. The words had kept him up all night. He mulled over her tone, wondering if she meant those words or not. It was hard to think this was a step in the right direction when they were sharing a hotel room together, and bloody hell even a bed.How could this have happened?
“Blaise?” His dad interrupted his thoughts.
“I want to be here for you and mom.” He wriggled on the uncomfortable chair in the room. His mom was home resting after the long hours in the hospital, and Scott was off working.
“She’ll be happy to see you after her long trip.”
Blaise had filled him in on what Dusty was doing. He wanted to think Dusty would be wanting to see him, but there were a few things in their way. The broken combine. The harvest. Aaron. Then there was the fact that they had been delayed a day. He flexed his hands at the thought as if he were itching to punch Aaron. He was sure that bastard was up to something. He wouldn’t miss an opportunity. Dusty had tried to reassure him, but the delay was the last straw.
Do I trust her?He sort of did. Well, until finding out she was sharing a bed with Aaron last night didn’t help. There had been the time when she had kissed him back. They’d worked through that, and these last few months they had put that behind them. So, he had thought.
The one thing he was clear about was not trusting Aaron.
“I dunno, she’s pretty busy with the harvest.” He didn’t think that there was any point to rush back. Despite what his imagination was conjuring about what could’ve happened between Dusty and Aaron, if nothing had, if she was still interested in him, but her focus was going to be on the harvest. It was as if Dusty driving off with Aaron had ignited all his fears about their relationship.
“You can’t develop the relationship here. You need to be close to her,” his dad said. “Your mom is fine, Scott’s looking after her. And I’ll be home in a few days before Christmas.”
“I’ll come back for Christmas to be with you all,” he said hurriedly. He didn’t care what Dusty might have in mind, he was going to be with his family since she had the farm business to contend with. If by some miracle she’d finished the harvest, then she could choose to come with him or not. And if the latter, then they were going to have to have the hard conversation about the lack of future between them.Would it come to that?He still hoped it wouldn’t. It was simply hard not to, especially when Dusty was driving with Aaron somewhere between Melbourne and Acacia Plains. The fear played too heavily on his imagination, and he couldn’t shake the doubt.
“I think you should have it with Dusty. It will be your first Christmas together, after all. Your mom will understand, you know.”
“I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“You would disappoint her more if you upset Dusty, ended up single, and put the chance of her having grandkids off even longer.”
That sounded about right to Blaise. His mom didn’t openly say much about how she was looking forward to being a grandma, but there’d been a few comments in the last year which he could recall suggesting that she was excited about the prospect.
“So, what do you say?”
“How about I stay today and go back tomorrow,” suggested Blaise.
“You should be there when she gets back. It will let her know you’re there for her.”
“You’re sounding like Mom.” Blaise rested his head into his hand. His dad did have a good point. His mind might be going crazy with what could potentially be happening between Dusty and Aaron, but he still had feelings for her. Strong enough feelings to have Dusty in his future. By being back at the farm, that was more likely to happen. They couldn’t develop their relationship if they were apart.
His dad chuckled then groaned in pain. “Hurts to laugh.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay longer?”
“Positive. Your mom would never forgive me if she thought I was keeping you and Dusty apart.”
“You’re doing nothing of the sort.”
“Then you will have Christmas with her.”
Blaise nodded. “I’ll come have Christmas dinner with you.”
“On Boxing Day, and you can only come if you bring Dusty.”
“You’ve been spending way too much time with Mom, haven’t you? That’s exactly something she would say.”
“Let me tell you a secret. It’s important to make sure your wife is happy. And I know that this is what will make your mom happy.”
Blaise smiled. His dad might be in the hospital in pain, but his sense of humor was still coming through. “I’m starting to think that you’d rather Dusty come for Christmas instead of me.”
