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Ana rose early, let the dogs out, then snuggled back into bed. First day of holidays required a sleep in.
Later, she awoke to the sound of Steph barking. Sitting up, Ana yawned and glanced out the window. It sounded like her playful bark and, indeed, Steph and Louis were just running around the gum trees.
Smiling, she lay back down. Liam’s bed was comfortable and she enjoyed being wrapped in the cool sheets, but it was strange to wake up there alone.
Especially since it felt normal.
Her heart clenched as she stared up at the fan circling above her. She wanted to live in this house with Liam. And to spend the rest of her life with him. She knew that, yet her belly still twisted with uncertainty.
Was it possible?
Ana shook her head. She shouldn’t be thinking about it. Not when Liam wouldn’t be in a hurry to move forward. They may be in love, but sharing a house? That was definitely too fast.
Louis let out a string of loud barks and Ana shot upright. She pushed back the curtains to find him racing along the fence, Steph behind him. Ana’s gaze roamed the street and the bushland lining the golf course. What was Louis barking at?
A flock of sulphur-crested cockatoos took flight from the gum trees and Steph bolted after them across the yard. Ana’s shoulders relaxed as Louis joined in. She smiled. ‘Silly dogs.’
Turning her back on them, Ana went to use Liam’s shower. Not her shower. Liam’s, although she preferred his with its rain showerhead over the tiny cubicle at Jackson Villas. He’d stylishly fitted his bathroom with a mix of cream and white tiles, and the fact they shared similar tastes warmed her up inside. She even had her own toothbrush and a matching towel. Thankfully, Liam hadn’t been a man who got weird about things like that. The first time she’d stayed over, she’d been careful, afraid he’d freak out about a woman leaving her things lying around. She hadn’t said anything when he’d taken her toothbrush and slipped it into the holder, but the gesture had touched her. She should have known that he wasn’t the type to freak out about something as trivial as his girlfriend leaving her toothbrush over.
Liam was sensible. A gentleman. Open, honest, and with no intention of controlling his woman.
Sighing, Ana stepped out of the shower. Wrapping the towel around herself, she ventured into Liam’s walk-in robe. He had a few ironed shirts hanging on wooden hangers and various shoes piled haphazardly in the corner. Everything else he kept loosely folded in the drawers while the rest of the space sat empty.
Yet, she’d only placed her bag on the shelf and hadn’t gone as far as unpacking. Was her past making her nervous about moving forward?
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she muttered as she dressed. ‘You’re just being respectful.’
She had to stop thinking about the past though because it was holding her back. And she couldn’t let it.
With that determination, Ana fetched the dogs their morning treat. Perhaps one day it would be their wardrobe and their shower, but she enjoyed taking it slow and would be content living at Jackson Villas for the rest of the year. Maybe if she signed on for another twelve months at the school, they could reconsider what they each wanted. She’d meant what she’d said at Maguire Falls. She didn’t want to leave and no longer believed that a nomadic life would keep her safe. If Rick wanted to find her, he would, no matter how often she moved. She hadn’t planned to plant roots, but they’d grown of their own accord and she couldn’t rip them out. She didn’t want to.
Stepping onto the front verandah, Ana sighed. The dogs were back at the gate. ‘Steph! Louis! Come get a bickie!’
Steph came, but Louis needed more coercing. He whined as he climbed the steps and accepted the peanut butter paw. Ana rubbed his head. ‘Leave the birds, Louis. Whatever’s happening outside this yard is not your concern.’
She sliced a banana to cover her Weet-Bix, then sat on the back deck. The clock cuckooed and she smiled. She loved that clock. There was something authentically country about a bird signalling the time. As Steph and Louis herded the cockatoos, Ana could easily imagine sitting there watching her kids play. She’d always wanted kids.
Did Liam? He was from a big family, so surely he longed to create one of his own. She’d ask him at some point. But one step at a time.
Meg had arrived for lunch and an afternoon movie marathon when Louis started barking again.
‘Seriously.’ Ana placed the wraps on the kitchen bench. ‘That dog. He won’t stop barking.’
Meg followed Ana to the front door. ‘Is that strange?’
‘Well ... no. He barks often enough at birds, cats, or if a dog’s walking down the street. I think he must just want to chase the wallabies across the road.’ She unlatched the screen and stepped onto the verandah. Again, she saw nothing of concern. ‘Louis! It’s okay!’
Louis glanced over his shoulder, then continued barking. Steph stood beside him, but remained silent.
‘Just leave them,’ Meg said as Ana stepped back inside. ‘That’s what dogs do. You’d rather him bark if something’s wrong than not bark at all.’
‘True.’
Meg and Ana enjoyed falafel wraps, then spread out in the lounge room for an afternoon of tearjerkers.
‘You know what?’ Ana said while they were in the middle of The Notebook. Not that Ana considered it a tearjerker when dying in the arms of your beloved had to be the best way to go. ‘I don’t like the Maguires being out of town. What if we found another taipan?’
‘We’d call Henry or Cliff.’ Meg shot her a smile. ‘You miss Liam.’
‘It’s only been a day, so no. But it’s weird being in his house alone.’
‘Have you picked out which room to make the nursery yet?’
‘The middle one,’ Ana admitted, knowing Meg wouldn’t judge her. Meg had probably done the same thing. ‘It’s the biggest.’
‘Fair enough. I’m going to name my daughter Sophie. It’s always been my favourite.’
‘That’s nice. I don’t have a favourite name, just many that I like.’
‘Well, be careful because not many good ones go with Maguire.’
Ana smirked. Meg had probably thought long and hard about that too. ‘Why not?’
‘I don’t think names that end in “a” work. Like ... well, Ana Maguire actually sounds good.’
Tingles shot down Ana’s spine. ‘God, don’t say that.’
‘But you get what I mean?’ Meg asked, raising her eyebrows.
‘Yeah, I do. I guess that’s why you didn’t go with Sophia?’
Meg shot Ana a ‘don’t start’ look. ‘Sophie is fine.’
For the rest of their afternoon, they watched more soppy movies and discussed topics only girlfriends would talk about—baby names, bridesmaid dresses, and honeymoon locations.
When Meg left to have dinner with her family, Ana tied up her shoes and set off for a walk. She left Steph and Louis because she couldn’t safely manage them both on her own and they’d only slow her down. Besides, something outside the front fence still had Louis’ full attention, so as she slipped out of the gates, curiosity got the better of her. Crossing the road, Ana trudged through the gum leaves and onto the golf course. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for as she studied the ground. She’d seen wallabies occasionally and Louis would undoubtedly want to herd them. But as she gazed out over the lush golf course, she couldn’t stop her arms from wrapping around herself. She shuddered. Was Louis trying to tell her something?
Shaking her head, Ana strode off down the green and headed for the footpath. She was being silly. Louis wasn’t acting too strangely.
But she couldn’t shake her unease as she walked, smiling politely as she passed people she knew. When she returned to Station Drive, she could hear Louis barking from four house blocks away. The rev of an engine cut through the dusk air and she glimpsed a red car disappearing around the bend.
‘Louis, I’m almost home!’ she called.
Steph raced up to greet her, following Ana along the fence until she reached the gate. Louis didn’t move, his gaze fixated on the corner. Slipping through the gate, Ana frowned in the direction the red car had been. Her heart pounded.
‘Was someone near the fence, Louis?’ She glanced down at the dogs. ‘Was someone trying to hurt you?’
Whining, Louis lifted onto his back legs and pawed at her hips. Ana scratched his ears, her belly twisting. ‘It’s okay, baby. You’re both okay. Let’s all go inside and calm down.’
Her spine relaxed a fraction as she approached the house. A breeze rustled the palm fronds while a kookaburra laughed and the front verandah light welcomed her home. Because yes, she was home. But as she dragged Steph and Louis inside and latched the screen, a shiver coursed through her as she cast one more look out into the darkening yard. Ana shut the wooden door and turned the deadbolt.
Nothing was wrong. She was safe. Steph and Louis were safe. But a woman on her own could never be too careful.
* * *
Rick sped off down the street. Fucking dogs. He should buy some rat bait and kill them both. That bloody mongrel looked like it wanted to eat him alive. Surely it couldn’t remember him. It’d been a four-month-old useless fluffball when Ana had fled into the night.
Rick pulled over by the footy fields. He needed a new plan. And food. He’d never have access to that house while those dogs seemed hellbent on guarding it. He needed the element of surprise. And quiet.
Fuck. Why couldn’t it be easy?
* * *
‘You’ll marry Liam within the year,’ Natalia said, her serious confidence leaving Ana with no choice but to laugh.
‘I highly doubt that,’ she replied as she made herself a cup of peppermint tea. ‘Liam’s more rational than I am. He doesn’t move at warp speed, so it won’t be in less than a year.’
Natalia rolled her eyes on FaceTime. ‘Right. And he’s just letting you stay at his house while he’s away. Because that’s not serious.’
Ana sat at the breakfast bar and mixed her berry oats, propping her phone against a decorative wooden bowl while she waited for her tea to cool. A pleasant breeze blew through the house while Steph sat at her feet. Louis had returned to the front gate the moment she’d let him out this morning. Seeing the wallabies herself had put her at ease, but Louis hadn’t barked at them. He’d just sat and watched.
‘Yes, it’s serious, but not that serious.’
‘Whatever. Don’t listen to me. I’m your big sister and therefore know better, but don’t take my advice.’
‘I just don’t want to rush into marriage. I did with the last guy and look how that turned out.’
‘Yeah, you ran away to Elizadale and fell madly in love with Liam Maguire. I should tell Mum to hold off on the trip and come when you set a date for the wedding.’
Ana shook her head. ‘Stop it, Nat. Just come here in September and you’ll see how great Elizadale is. You can meet Liam and the rest of the Maguires and we’ll take you horseback riding.’
‘Yeah, I’m keen, but I still don’t know. Horses are so big.’
‘They are. You’ll freak when you see Vendetta. He’s huge. But Esme’s nice and Liam’s a good teacher.’
‘We’ll see. Either way, it might not be that long before I come see you.’
Ana paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Nothing. I was thinking out loud. But I’ll definitely be seeing you in September.’
Natalia started singing the bridal march and Ana ordered herself not to hang up.
‘Sorry,’ Natalia said when she finished, even though she didn’t sound sorry at all. ‘But I’m glad you found Liam and that you’re staying there. Honestly, I didn’t like the idea of you moving every year.’
‘Neither did I. I just thought it’d be safer. But now, I don’t see how. I’ll stay here and build a life.’
Natalia lifted her eyebrows. ‘Get married and have babies?’
Ana sighed, wishing her sister would stop. ‘Maybe one day, but not any time soon!’
‘Why not? You’re not getting any younger, Ana.’
‘You’re older than me and are making no progress in your personal life.’
‘I had a date last night. I don’t plan on seeing him again because he spent all night trying to convince me that cows were put on this earth to eat. Even though I didn’t engage, he wouldn’t let up!’
Ana rolled her eyes. ‘People. They should keep their opinions to themselves.’
‘It’s not like I gave him any grief. What makes him think I’ll see him again when he went out of his way to piss me off? I’m seriously over men.’
Ana smiled morosely. ‘I know, Nat. But I’m sure the right one will come along. You want to get married someday, right?’
Honestly, Ana wasn’t sure. Her sister enjoyed dating when it went well, but when Ana had been engaged to Rick and they’d been hit by a touch of wedding fever, Natalia had never expressed an interest in marriage herself.
Natalia sighed. ‘Maybe ... but I’m still not convinced I’ll fall in love. I’m going to need a real man if I’m ever going to settle down. I’m over men who have prettier fingernails than I do.’
‘Come here, then. No man cares about his fingernails here, I can guarantee you that.’
Natalia grimaced. ‘No, I’ll need to find a middle ground, I think. But either way, I’m not getting married in the next few months like you.’
Ana let her sister have her fun. What was the harm? She knew marriage wouldn’t happen anytime soon.
After Ana hung up, she wiped down the kitchen, swept the floors, and took her clothes out of the wardrobe. After sweeping the dog hair off the back deck, she sat down to play with Steph and Louis. Her silly boy remained mildly distracted, but Steph was happy to lap up the attention. She was a lovely girl, spirited, and much better behaved than Louis had been at her age.
Cuddling the beautiful dog, Ana kissed the top of Steph’s head. ‘I love you, girl. And I promise I’ll always love your daddy.’
Steph panted happily as Louis nudged Ana’s hand. ‘Yes, I love you too.’
With both border collies in her arms, Ana grinned. Life couldn’t get better. Except perhaps if Liam ...
White dresses, flowers, and that stupid ‘daa-da-da-daa’ flashed through her mind. Ana sighed. Thanks a lot, Natalia.
Pushing to her feet, Ana glanced down at the dogs. ‘Okay, I’m going home. Do you two want to come?’
She’d take Louis, but she couldn’t leave Steph behind with sad eyes. So, gathering her stuff, Ana locked up and loaded the dogs onto the back seat of her hatchback. She drove home, needing to catch up on some work before Liam returned this afternoon.
She pulled up inside her carport and hopped out, frowning as she reached for the back door. Was that the same red car parked across the road? She’d never seen it before this week. Had her neighbours just bought it?
Shaking her head, Ana grabbed the dogs’ leads and they jumped out of the car. She’d barely had time to shut the door when Louis dragged her towards the unit, his nose down and tail in the air.
‘Okay, I’m coming.’ He whined as he sniffed the screen door. What the hell was with him? ‘It’s okay, Louis.’
She reached for the handle, but it didn’t budge. Ana froze. Why was the screen door locked?
She tried again. Definitely locked. Staring at the door, her heart pounded. She never locked that door. Not when she was out. Had she ...
Louis clawed at the screen and released three loud barks. Steph whined and looked up at Ana with wide eyes, her ears back. Ana’s breath caught in her throat as she lowered her hand. She struggled to inhale.
Could it be ...
She jolted as Louis continued to bark. She backed away. He was behaving strangely. Even Steph seemed out of sorts. Unease had filled her ever since that strange phone call and then these past few days she’d been seeing that red car ...
Ana spun around and gasped. The car had New South Wales plates. Holy shit, could Rick—
Steph joined in the barking. Ana turned as a shadow passed over the kookaburra glazed windowpane. Her heart leapt and she almost tripped down the step in her hurry to retreat. Steph and Louis yelped as she yanked on their leads and they all ran back to the car. Ana shoved them through the front door onto the passenger seat, slipped behind the wheel, then slammed the door closed. Locked the car. Turning the key, she reversed and sped away, turning off School Street and onto Riley Road. She paused at the highway, her entire body shaking as her head turned from side to side. Right would take her north to Cooktown or Port Douglas. Both useless. She turned left. Mareeba, then Cairns. She’d hop on a plane back to Sydney and—
A wet nose pressed against her shoulder and Ana jumped, glancing at the dogs. Louis tilted his black-and-white head.
Exhaling, she slowed and pulled the car over. She wrapped her arms around Louis’ neck and held him close. Steph inched forward and let out a whimper.
She couldn’t run away. Where would she go? What was she supposed to do? She didn’t even know if Rick was in town.
But then why was the screen door locked? Had he been waiting inside?
Her heart pounded as she reached for her phone. She had to go to the police but first, she made a call.
‘Meg! I need you to come. No, I’ll come to you. God, I don’t know if I should come to you. I might—’
‘Ana.’ Meg’s sharp voice cut through Ana’s rambling. ‘Calm down. Where are you?’
‘In the car. Parked on Abbott Street.’
‘Come over. Whatever it is, just come.’
‘Okay.’
She hung up.