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A few hours later, Leah was sitting at the dining room table with Nora, looking through knitting pattern books. Nora wanted to knit a beanie for Billy for Christmas and was having a hard time choosing a pattern.
“Purple, obviously.”
“Of course,” Nora agreed.
“Thank fuck!” They both looked up, startled, as Mikayla pushed her hair back with her forearm, her hands covered in flour. Without a word to either of them, she moved out of the kitchen. They heard her open the back door. “McKenzie! Get your ass in here and sort out these empanadas, would you?” Rafe’s deep voice could be heard in reply, but the words were unintelligible. “Yes, of course I rolled out the pastry enough!” Another reply from Rafe that they couldn’t hear. “Well, you’d have to ask me to marry you before I’m worried about not being a good Spanish wife.” There was quiet after that, then the sound of Rafe’s boots on the back steps. The door creaked and something fell in the laundry room. Mikayla giggled. “Watch it!” Leah could make a fair guess at what was going on in the laundry room. Her guess was confirmed when Mikayla and Rafe stepped into the kitchen. Mikayla, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. Rafe, grinning from ear to ear, oblivious to the flour handprint on his cheek.
They made a striking couple. Rafe was tall, well over six feet with jet black hair and dark eyes. He was a good counterpoint to Mikayla’s five foot ten, vibrant red hair and brown eyes. They made Leah smile. It wasn’t that long ago that they’d called it quits on their relationship. Leah would never forget the devastation in Mikayla’s eyes. Or the shine in them when Rafe had brought her back from the bush hideaway she’d fled to.
“Jesus Christ, Mikayla, how many people are you feeding?”
“Just us.”
“Okay, because it looks like you’ve got enough here for the whole town.” The bench was covered in flour and balls of pastry, with two big bowls of minced meat and vegetables ready to go. Rafe grabbed a ball of pastry, weighing it in his hands.
“It’s a lot, isn’t it?” She caught the pastry ball Rafe threw at her.
“Ah, yeah. Give me that.” He took the ball back off her and pushed it into the bench, sprinkling it with flour and rolling it out.
“Mum, do you mind if we invite the Lockes?”
“Not at all.”
“Leah, can you come and grab my phone?”
Leah pushed her chair back, walking into the kitchen as Mikayla stuck her hip out, holding her floured hands aloft. Leah pulled Mikayla’s cellphone from her back pocket, pressed the passcode in and rang Juniper’s number. Leaning against the kitchen bench, she put the phone on speaker and held it up to Mikayla.
The call connected and before Juniper could even speak, Mikayla burst out, “Junebug, we have an empanada emergency here. Can you guys come over for dinner? I’m at Mum and Dad’s.”
Juniper laughed. “Hang on.” She pulled the phone away to call out to William. “Honey!”
“Yeah?” William could be heard calling back.
“You feel like empanadas for dinner?”
A muffled reply.
“He asked who’s making them?”
“I was, but now Rafe is.”
Juniper relayed that information. “He says sure, since it’s not you making them.”
“Rude!” Mikayla said with a laugh. Her inability to do anything that required patience and delicate handiwork was well known. “Be here at six.”
“Sure thing.” Juniper hung up and Leah returned Mikayla’s phone to her back pocket.
“Ah, Rafe, you’ve got…” Leah gestured to his face. At his look of inquiry, she grabbed a towel and wiped the flour off his cheek.
“Cheers.”
“No worries.” As she put the towel down, she found herself wondering what the hell was wrong with her. She could so easily, casually, interact with Rafe. With William, too. But with Callum? No way. Absolutely not. She sighed.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.” She looked away from Mikayla’s probing stare. “I’m just going to check the washing.” Transferring the washed clothes to the dryer, Leah stiffened when she heard the sound of Callum’s truck turn into the driveway. She felt ridiculously nervous. The morning chat with Mikayla and her advice had Leah all tied up in knots. It put all the onus on her to make a move. She heard the truck door open and close, then bootsteps on the drive. Bluebell, lying under the dining room table, jumped up with a sharp bark. She raced to the door, whole body quivering with excitement. Leah stepped forward and pushed the wire door open to let the little dog out. She heard Callum say “Jesus,” as Bluebell scrabbled on the decking, desperate to get to him.Girl,I know the feeling, Leah thought to herself ruefully.
Then he was there, in the doorway, trying to restrain Bluebell as she licked his face. Leah’s heart thudded hard when their eyes met. “Hey.”
