Page 4 of Prove Me Wrong (The Sunburnt Hearts #5)

My gaze lingers on the yard of the neighbouring house that has a small kiddie pool blown up out the front.

It looks new, with wide bay windows, fresh light blue paint with white accents and a shiny black roof.

It’s beautiful and double-storey, unlike Gran’s little one-storey place that creaks whenever it’s windy.

Smiling at the sight of the kiddie pool, I climb the two steps to the porch and ring the doorbell. Gran appears a second later, wrapping me in a tight embrace while planting a big kiss on my temple. “Mia. I have missed you so much, dear.”

“I missed you, too, Gran.” I hug her back. The familiar smell of flour and roses fills my nose, and I smile into her wiry, colourless hair. “Thank you for letting me stay with you. I can’t really afford my own place right now.”

Gran pulls back and offers me a sympathetic smile, silver eyes staring into mine. “I know, dear. And don’t worry about what your parents say. I’ll always be proud of you,” she chimes as Sinnett’s footsteps sound on the porch behind me.

“The real winner is standing right here,” he gloats, and I glare up at his looming figure. Brawny and tall, he could snap me in half like a matchstick if he really wanted to.

After everything with my ex, Sinnett went through a phase of forcing me to eat since my appetite was non-existent.

He even got me outside running for exercise, but I refused to go without him.

He understood my hesitation and never forced me into anything I wasn’t comfortable with, but I felt guilty for months that he had to look after me like I was a stubborn child again .

Mum noticed my struggling, but I never opened up to her about what happened.

All she saw was my weight loss and quietness, but never assumed it had something to do with my abusive relationship—not that she asked.

In her eyes, I’m a failure because I didn’t study Law, and I think she’ll always see me that way.

“Did you watch the game last weekend?” my brother’s deeper voice questions.

Gran’s grey eyes light up, and I bite my bottom lip tightly. “Of course I did, dear. You were terrific as always, despite the injury. I am so proud of you, too.”

“Thanks, Gran.” Sinnett sinks into her hug, enveloping her smaller, older frame like a shadow, and comes back up with red lipstick staining his forehead.

I definitely have a matching one on the side of my head, too.

“Come in then and get settled. You’ll have the old room you two used to sleep in. I got you a bigger bed this time, though. I can’t believe you used to share a double as teenagers.”

“We didn’t have a choice. Believe me, if I did, then Mia would have been on the floor,” Sin mumbles while stalking into the house. “She’s always had a thing for diagonal sleeping.”

I snicker before lifting my boxes and following him. The diagonal sleeping still hasn’t changed.

The house is the same as when I last visited. It always smells of fresh biscuits, filled with out-of-date décor from the 80s in splashes of oranges, yellows and browns. It’s surprisingly not as dusty as I expected it to be on the inside .

“How’s your arthritis?” I ask Gran. Sinnett takes the boxes from my arms and places them on the floor in the second bedroom down the narrow hallway.

Gran shrugs and wriggles her wrinkled fingers. “Not too bad today, but I have good and bad days. Luckily it hasn’t impaired my baking skills. Speaking of which, I made you both some biscuits for after you bring everything in,” she says, trying to sound upbeat like always.

I sometimes wonder how this kind, older lady birthed our tightly wound mother. Gran is a lot more carefree and easygoing, which is the complete opposite of our parents. It doesn’t really make any sense to me.

“Thanks, Gran. We’ll be done in a few minutes. Can you get some coffee ready? I think I might pass out after this,” Sinnett grunts.

Gran’s forehead creases as she looks down at his leg. “Oh, of course. How are you holding up after that tackle?”

Sin lifts a shoulder, shaking it off. “It’s fine, Gran. I’m just tired after the drive.”

Gran nods, worry etched into her weathered features. “I’ll get the coffee ready.” She leaves us to bring in the remainder of my belongings.

Walking out to collect the last box from my car, I hear a small voice cooing.

Glancing over at the house I was admiring moments ago, I spot a little girl with gorgeous golden curls sitting on the lawn with stuffed animals in her hands.

Dressed in denim overalls and a short pink tee beneath, she giggles again, eyes locked on the man leaning over the engine of a red Ford ute.

My gaze slowly sweeps over his matching golden hair that’s not too long or short, and not straight nor wavy.

Sun-kissed skin glistens under the full sun, covered in a light sheen of sweat, showing off his many abdominal and back muscles that move in unison.

Without a shirt on, I can’t help but stare at this gorgeous adonis for a few long beats before flicking my eyes away.

I haven’t looked at a man in years, and I will not be starting now with my new neighbour, who most likely has a wife who is equally as beautiful as he is. I moved to get away from men, and I refuse to fall for anyone again. Ever again .

Not after what happened with Ryan.

Grabbing the cardboard box out of my Jeep, I close the door and look over to see the man now watching me.

His eyes are a piercing green shade, like shiny ripe apples, and a light dusting of stubble covers his chiselled jaw and sharp cheeks.

He’s cut like a Greek god—muscular, tall and fit.

I have to force the lump down my throat when Sinnett appears on the stairs of Gran’s house.

“Mia!”

My eyes snap to my brother. Without a word, I approach him, feeling the man’s gaze still on me like a beam of heat. Sinnett peers over at my new neighbour, who smiles a dimpled grin and waves in our direction.

Crap, of course he has dimples …

“You want coffee? Gran says it’s ready,” Sinnett grumbles. Shoulder’s rolling back, his gaze shifts back to mine.

“Yeah.” My voice comes out as a croak, and I clear my throat loudly. As much as I hate it, my new neighbour has somehow made me flustered. I have been so cautious these past few years to never notice guys, but there’s something about him…

Sin’s blue eyes narrow before looking back over to my shirtless neighbour, who is working on his car once more. “Come on, twinkle fingers,” he mutters before strolling back inside with the cardboard box he took from my arms .

Swallowing, I can’t help but glance once more at the little girl playing with her toys. She’s so quiet and beautiful, watching her dad work on his car. She can’t be more than two, with matching dimples in her rosy cheeks and a gap between her front teeth.

My gaze drifts back onto him, and my breath hitches when our eyes meet from across the lawn separating our houses. Heart hammering in my chest, flooding my ears, my fingertips tingle like they’re being electrified as our eyes lock for a few seconds—a beat too long that has my head spinning.

Forcing my eyes away, I swallow, trying to shake the feeling running along my skin as I trail after my brother.

‘ You’re too broken, Mia. Nobody will want you, ’ repeats in my mind as I slam the front door behind me, shutting down his voice clouding my mind.

I’m never going to be good enough for anyone…