Page 114 of Outback Secrets

Chapter Thirty-two

Sometime just before dawn, Henri managed to fall asleep and didn’t wake till just after nine to the feeling of someone hovering nearby. Suddenly remembering how last night had ended, she opened her eyes, expecting to see Liam, and shrieked at the sight of her sister standing there instead.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’

‘And it’s lovely to see you too.’ Tilley smiled as she held up her crutches. ‘Liam called—he said you needed a lift home. He sent these up with me, because although he might be happy carrying you around like a baby, I’m not breaking my back on your account.’

Her words were clearly meant to be funny, but Henri didn’t laugh. ‘Liam called you to come and get me?’

‘That’s what I said.’

‘And he’s downstairs?’ She wondered if he’d come back into the apartment at all. But surely she’d have woken up if he did? ‘You saw him?’

‘With my own eyes.’ Tilley’s smile dimmed a little as uncertainty crept in.

Henri’s heart deflated. He was obviously okay—he hadn’t drunk himself to oblivion or driven into a ditch; he just didn’t want to see her. His actions made that glaringly clear. It was surprising he hadn’t packed her bag himself. Of course that would mean he’d actually have had to come up here and face her. Instead he’d sent Tilley to come and evict her. What a coward!

She could refuse to leave, stage some kind of protest, but she had more dignity than that.

‘What’s going on? Have you guys had a fight or something?’

Henri couldn’t help snorting bitterly. ‘Can you technically have a fight if you’re not actually in a relationship?’

Whoops. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but the cat was out of the bag now. What did it matter anyway?

‘Hang on.’ Tilley rested the crutches against the bed. ‘I thought … I don’t … you’re not together?’

‘No. That was all a ruse.’

‘Huh?’ She shook her head. ‘Then why are you wearing his shirt and sleeping in his bed?’

Henri sighed. ‘It’s a long story.’

‘I’m listening. Macy’s at Caitlin’s house and I don’t have to be at the shop until lunchtime.’ As if Tilley’s big-sister voice wasn’t insistent enough, she also rose her eyebrows and crossed her arms.

Henri knew there was no point trying to lie and she didn’t have the energy anyway. ‘Can I tell you in the car? I just want to get out of here.’

‘Okay, fine.’

Henri instructed Tilley to collect her things and stuff them all into her overnight bag and in less than two minutes, they were on their way.

Tilley closed the apartment door behind them and they began the walk of shame. Would Liam be downstairs? Would they run into him on their way out? Henri didn’t know if she wanted that or not. While part of her yearned to yell and scream and give him what for—for treating her like she was the kind of pest Phil McDonald dealt with—a much bigger part of her was this close to bursting into tears.

Which was ridiculous and only irritated her further. It had to be the shock and rage combined with pure mortification, because a non-relationship shouldn’t hurt this damn much and she refused to consider that she might be falling in love with him. She didn’t do love any more than she did crying.

Getting down the stairs with her crutches required monumental effort. Twice, she almost tripped. More than once Henri wanted to whack her sister with her crutches, but in the interests of getting out of the pub as fast as possible, she resisted.

Downstairs, there was no sign of Liam. There was no sign of anyone, except for Janet, who was cleaning up in the dining room. Henri prayed her mum’s friend wouldn’t see them, but of course she had no such luck.

‘Henrietta! Matilda! Is that you girls?’ she asked, which had to be the most stupid question because Janet had working eyes last time Henri checked and she was only a few metres away from them.

‘Hi, Janet,’ Tilley slightly raised the hand that was carrying Henri’s overnight bag.

‘What are you two up to?’

Tilley looked to Henri, then back to Janet as if she wasn’t sure what to say.

‘Henri can’t drive because of her ankle,’ Tilley said eventually, ‘and she needs—’