‘Well, before I came here,’ she said, ‘no one ever concerned themselves with getting to know me. I mean, I don’t open up easily, and I guess most people aren’t prepared to put in the work on my behalf, you know?’
Beside her, Hana nodded like they understood, then began scribbling in their notepad. The others waited patiently, working on their projects while Hana wrote their thoughts down. When they were done, they handed the notepad to Beth.
Read aloud, was written at the top of the page.
Beth glanced up at Hana, who nodded, urging Beth to read her words to the whole group.
‘“We’re so similar”,’ Beth read, ‘“It’s like I speak a different language to everyone around me and most people, present company excluded, expectmeto assimilate. They never try to communicate with me on my terms. You might have a voice, Beth, but it sounds as if you experience the world in the same way.”’
Beth’s eyes filled rapidly with tears. She’d never thought about her communication struggles in this way, but Hana’s description of their own experiences definitely applied. Hana grabbed Beth’s hand, the tightness of their grip letting Beth know that they understood her perfectly. Carmen, too, reached out and rubbed Beth’s shoulder. Flo passed over a box of tissues and the others watched in silence, their craft projects lying untouched in their laps.
‘You’re right,’ Beth told Hana. ‘That’s exactly what it feels like sometimes. But it’s been different with Noah. He’s patient and kind, and he’s taken the time to … learn my language, I guess. I honestly feel like I can be myself with him.’
And I don’t think I can give him up.
The thought came so suddenly it shocked her.
Bloody hell.Had she fallen for him? Was she in love with Noah?
Her mind reeled as the conversation moved on, making it impossible to concentrate, and with nervous energy building inside her, she jumped to her feet, asked if anyone wanted a cuppa, then escaped to the kitchen for a moment alone.
She stood at the sink, eyes closed and fingers touching her lips. The moment had come to make a decision. She felt it deep in her bones. And although she couldn’t be certain that shehadfallen in love with Noah, she did know that the thought of an entire continent separating them filled her with dread. Then there was Ellie and Hana—could she live without them? Or Flo? Her surrogate aunt had come to mean the world to her. And Celia and Mick, Marge and Tom—these people weren’t just friends, they werefamily. And nothing, not even the cute little cottage she’d once called home, was more important than family.
Oh, god. Had she just made a decision? Was she really prepared to risk heartbreak and loss for a chance to belong?
Her hands trembled as she set about making six cups of tea, and by the time she delivered them, she knew—she’d made her decision.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
‘I did warn you.’ Noah angled his head to look at her.
‘I believe your exact words were “it’s a bit of a hike”.’ She craned her neck, assessing the summit that lay ahead. They’d driven over the hills on the eastern part of the Brennans’ property and past countless paddocks before pulling up at the base of this ridiculously steep incline. ‘You never once mentioned having to climb an actual mountain.’
He arched a brow. ‘Fan of hyperboles, are you?’
‘It’s all relative,’ she muttered. ‘To you, it’s an anthill. To me, it’s a mountain.’
A week had passed since she’d made her monumental, life-changing decision, and although she’d held off sharing her news with anyone while she got her ducks in a row, the last of the arrangements had now been made. She wanted Noah to be the first to know, but she wanted to find the right moment to tell him.
Noah, meanwhile, had chosen today to make good on his promise to take her to his favourite place.
He snaked his arms around her middle and kissed her lips, once, twice. ‘I promise, you’re not gonna regret climbing this tiny mountain.’
Beth rolled her eyes but her traitorous face broke into a smile. ‘Fine. Let’s get this over with.’
‘That’s the spirit!’
Taking her hand, he helped her up the rocky slope—her worn sneakers weren’t really up to the task of dealing with all the loose gravel—and she soon discovered that he was right, the mountain was rather tiny. Before she knew it, they were at the top, standing on a rocky outcrop. And the views!
Taking in her surroundings, she let out a breathy exhale.
To the west, the land was a series of undulating paddocks dotted with cattle, but ahead of them, to the east, an endless green carpet of treetops stretched as far as the eye could see.
Beth moved to the edge of the outcrop, drawn to the beauty of the land. She closed her eyes and, filling her lungs, soaked up the sun and the quiet and felt utter peace. The longer she stood there, the more the sounds of the bush intensified until they became almost deafening. She absorbed the energy of the place and it vibrated through every atom of her being. She’d never felt so at one with the land.
‘It’s something, huh?’
