I blink.‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
‘It means you got what you wanted,’ he snaps.‘And now you’re here, parading around with your – your fake boyfriend and your piano prodigy bullshit, acting as if none of it matters.’
‘It doesn’t!’I fire back.‘What did you expect?That I’d show up with a baby and we’d play house?We hooked up.Twice.You said I wasn’t your type, remember?’He flinches.I push harder.‘You live in the middle of nowhere running a family farm you’re not going to abandon any time soon.I live in a city, where I fit in far better sipping martinis than roughing it out here in the dirt.We don’t make sense, Luke.You were a fun, weird blip.Get your head out of the clouds.’
He shakes his head, wounded and furious.‘I thought you were different.’
I laugh.It sounds hollow even to me.‘Yeah, well.Take off the rose-coloured glasses, because I’m the worst person you’ve ever met.’
He doesn’t argue.He turns, gives his horse a click and stalks off without another word.
I stand there, shaking, burning from the inside out.I turn abruptly and run straight into Darcy.‘Sorry.’
His arm reaches out to steady me, and I look up to find him awkwardly hovering beside me with a half-saddled horse and a face full ofPlease pretend I didn’t witness that entire emotional murder-suicide.He rubs the back of his neck.‘You okay?’
I look down at my feet and nod.
‘I take it your run-in with the croc last year wasn’t enough?’he asks lightly.
It takes me a second.Then I catch up, realising he’s as eager to change the subject as I am.‘Oh, it was more than enough.’
His horse nudges my arm, and I give it a small pat.
Darcy watches me for a moment, then says, ‘I’m sorry about last night.The whole … pregnancy thing.I didn’t mean to embarrass you.Ella says I have no filter.’
I shrug.‘It’s fine.I made this mess.Not you.’
He nods, then glances over his shoulder.I follow his gaze and we both look at Luke, who’s now mounted and riding off like a cowboy- shaped metaphor for disappointment.
‘Give him time,’ Darcy says.
I exhale and nod.‘He’ll get over it.’
Darcy doesn’t reply, but he offers me a small, kind smile before stepping away towards the main paddock, his horse trailing behind him.‘I’ll catch you later.’
I nod again and keep walking, the sun finally rising behind me.
By the time I wander back to the cabin, I’m a sweaty mess and Dylan is wide awake.He’s stepping out of the shower, towel slung low over his hipbones, steam curling behind him.He freezes when he sees me, hand halfway through pushing back his hair.We both … blink at each other.
‘Hey,’ he says.
‘Hey.’
He grabs a shirt off the back of a chair and starts tugging it on.
‘I’m not pregnant,’ I blurt out.
He pauses, one sleeve halfway on, then nods slowly.‘Yeah.I figured.’I sit down on the edge of the bed.‘Sorry I left you at dinner like that.’
Dylan shrugs.‘Family dinners, huh?’There’s a quiet beat before he asks, not accusing, just curious, ‘Can you play the piano?’
I shake my head.‘No.’
He smiles faintly.‘Okay.Anything else I should know?’
I pause.Consider.Lie.
‘That’s it,’ I say.‘Swear.’
