Page 53

Indy sat forwards in the passenger seat of Carter’s ute as they reached the edge of town. ‘Where are we headed?’

‘The main pub. It might be a little predictable but there’s not exactly a huge number of options out here.’

Indy laughed. ‘I know, that’s why I love it. You don’t have to spend forever deciding where to go.’

Euronga was big enough for two pubs, a café and a bakery.

The main hotel that sat in the middle of town was a good pick.

Indy raised her hand to tell him to go left at the roundabout, but he already had his indicator on.

Hmm. She cast him a sidelong glance as he turned right onto the main street.

How did he already know where to go? He must’ve googled the town when he was searching for date ideas. Such a boy scout.

Indy settled back in her seat, but it wasn’t long before Carter pulled into a parking spot out the front of the beautiful historic building on the corner of the main intersection.

‘I’m ready for the biggest steak they’ve got,’ Carter announced, his hand already on the door handle.

Indy watched him as he rounded the ute. How was this guy always so confident? Did he have some sort of inbuilt selfassuredness generator? Or did it just come with being a hot, highly skilled, professional footballer? Whatever it was, she wanted to bottle it.

Carter opened her door. ‘Are you coming?’

She slipped out, a thrill running through her when he linked his fingers with hers. Was she dreaming? Or was she actually with Carter on their first o?cial date in public?

They walked through the double front doors, past the bar area and into the dining section. Indy breathed in the smell of wood and polish from the exposed beams and posts. Jerry and his wife had taken her out for dinner here on her first weekend in Euronga, but she hadn’t made it back since then.

Carter found a table away from the other diners and they sat across from each other, perusing the menu. Carter went up to order, returning to the table with beers and a buzzer.

‘Tell me about Longview? Have you settled in or are you still missing Windale?’ he asked.

Indy smiled. This was so normal. ‘Longview is amazing. I didn’t think I’d find anywhere that felt like home after leaving the mountain. I was just happy to be somewhere that I could work outside and with my hands again—pub work sucked. But I think it helps to still be surrounded by the ranges.’

‘You didn’t have crops at Windale, did you?’

‘Nope. Jerry, my boss, is still looking after that side of the property. My focus is the sheep but he said he’ll teach me anything I want to know about cropping, which is everything.’

Carter laughed. ‘Of course it is.’

She ran her finger down the side of the glass, slipping it through the condensation. ‘The size of the house took some getting used to.’

‘It might not feel so big with the amount of time I plan on spending there with you.’

‘Oh, yeah,’ she said, picking up her beer and taking a mouthful. ‘And how much time will that be? How is this going to work with you in Sydney and me out here?’

Carter shrugged. ‘Whenever I can get here, I will. Training’s normally in the mornings and we get a rest day once a week, depending on when game day is. We’ll just figure it out week by week during the season.’

Indy nodded. ‘Will you call me on the nights we’re not together?’

‘You bet your gorgeous arse I will. Video calls so I can see you.’ His grin was devilishly handsome. ‘Once you give me your phone number.’

‘I suppose that would help.’ She laughed. She’d barely spared a thought for her phone and where it was or who had the number. That was definitely going to change. ‘I could drive into Sydney and be at your games if you wanted me there?’

His dark eyes lightened and he downed half his schooner.

‘All of them. I’ll get you a ticket for everything in Sydney.

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have my girl in the stands like the other guys.

And seeing you there last night was everything.

Packed-out stands are great, but it’s you I’m playing for now. ’

Indy blew out a shaky breath as her stomach exploded with a warm giddiness.

This was what happened when she tuned out all her doubts and the other voices, and just listened to the man in front of her.

Time and time again, he showed her what she meant to him, and he didn’t even realise it.

She bit her bottom lip, overcome with emotion.

‘What’s wrong?’ Carter reached across the table to grab her hand. ‘Did I say something wrong?’

‘No,’ she answered quickly. ‘It’s just …

this is new for me. You know when you were a kid and you had to pick teams for a game or something?

I mean, you were probably the first one picked every time, you and your natural ability to be good at everything.

But it wasn’t like that for me. No one picked me.

Not the kids at school, not my teachers nor parents nor any of my family members.

You’re the first person to ever chose me over anyone else.

You did it that day at the cliff and you’ve been doing it ever since. ’

He squeezed her hand in his. ‘I’ll pick you every time, Indy. Every damn time.’

She closed her eyes and let his words wash over her. ‘I love you, Carter.’ Her eyes opened. ‘I should’ve told you much earlier than now but—’

His chair scraped back and he leant across the table to kiss her. She surrendered to the demand of his lips. She was ready to throw away all lunch plans and propose spending the afternoon in her bedroom, when a crass buzzing broke them apart.

‘Food’s ready.’ Carter got up from the table.

Indy grinned at him readjusting his jeans before he went to the bistro counter. She smoothed her hair back in its ponytail and steadied her breathing as he returned, carrying two plates loaded with chips, salad and steak. She dug in quickly.

‘How are the meals going over here?’

Indy’s gaze flicked up to see a man in his twenties standing before them in jeans and a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He wore a shining ‘Manager’ badge and was smiling pleasantly until he noticed Carter.

‘Carter?’

Oh boy, here comes the fandom . This is what she’d have to learn to get used to—people ogling her boyfriend. She wanted to giggle. Boyfriend! Although ‘partner’ was probably the more mature term, she loved ‘boyfriend’. She didn’t think she’d ever have someone to claim the title in her life.

‘Trav! How are you, mate?’ Carter stood up and the men shook hands.

‘I’m good. Man, what’s it been? Like eight years?’

‘Something like that.’

‘How’s Sydney and the Scorpions? You’re quite the household name now, hey. Although we all thought you would be, leaving school to go to the junior program. Our little town’s claim to fame.’

Indy’s mind couldn’t keep up with the conversation. Carter was Euronga’s claim to fame? Huh?

‘Sydney’s good and I think the Scorpions are in for a good season if we can keep playing like we have been. This is my girlfriend, Indy.’ He gestured to her and she swooned. ‘She’s working out on Longview so I’ll be back and forth a fair bit.’

‘Nice to meet you,’ Trav said to her before sticking his hand back out for Carter to shake. ‘Make sure you keep popping in whenever you’re around. Good to have you back, mate.’

‘Will do.’

Trav walked over to the next table and Carter sat back down.

‘“Good to have you back”? “Little town’s claim to fame”? And the way you knew your way to the pub.’ She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘This isn’t your first time here, is it?’

He smirked at her cheekily. ‘Remember when I told you my dad was based in Sydney for a bit before he died, and we lived a couple of hours away from base so my mum could still have her horses?’

Indy nodded.

‘Do you remember what the town was called?’

Her eyes widened. ‘How the hell did I miss that?’

The laugh Carter let rip was contagious and Indy joined in.

What were the chances that the town she’d ended up in was the one he’d always planned on returning to?

Indy hadn’t been one to believe in fate or soul mates, but this and how her heart exploded around him made her reconsider.

Surely it wasn’t normal to not be able to get enough of someone?

She copied Carter’s actions and resumed eating, popping a chip in her mouth. Who cared what was normal? What she and Carter shared was the most real thing she’d had in her life. She loved him and he loved her. It was that simple.

Her phone pinged from her back pocket and she pulled it out.

‘Carter?’ she said, bringing her knife and fork together as he swept the last piece of steak around his plate to mop up the gravy.

‘That was a really good steak. We definitely have to come back here. Did you want dessert?’ He plucked up the menu from between the salt and pepper shakers.

‘I had different plans for dessert that probably require more privacy than the town’s pub and—’ she waved her phone at him with the message open on the screen, ‘—Emery’s gone for a walk.’

Carter’s eyes darkened. He slammed the menu down on the table so loudly, the cutlery on their plates shook, drawing the attention of other patrons. He didn’t seem to care as he grabbed Indy’s hand, yanking her from her seat and out to his ute.

A thrill ran through her, bringing that heat like molten lava. He’d better drive quickly.

Indy lay on her back and let out a contented sigh.

‘I second that,’ Carter said, hooking his arm under her and pulling her onto his chest. Her favourite place was pressed up against the hard planes of his body. ‘The best kind of dessert.’

Carter’s heartbeat was pounding beneath Indy’s ear, sure and real, if a little quick. She pressed a kiss to his chest then propped her head up on her hand. She draped her leg across his and he fixed the sheet around their waists.

Settling back into the pillow, Carter twirled a piece of her hair around his fingers. Somewhere between the front door and her bedroom, she’d lost her hair band. And her clothes. Carter had taken her spinning up to heaven and soaring back down again.

‘It’s almost time for Emery to be back from her walk, at least that’s what her message said. We should probably get some clothes on.’

‘It seems a shame to cover this up,’ he said, running his fingertips over the tattooed flowers on her hips.

She placed a drawn-out kiss on his lips. ‘We’ve got plenty of time.’

‘Nothing’s coming between us again.’

‘If you say I complete you, you’ll be driving home tonight.’

Carter chuckled. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it. Even if it is true.’

He hooked his arm behind his head and shut his eyes, a cheeky grin on his face.

Indy took in the profile that she loved.

Doubts still hovered at the edge of her consciousness but time would heal them.

Time with Carter. There was no weight of expectation, no fear of anyone finding out about them, and no pressure of deciding what the expiry date of this relationship was.

They were free to just be. And they would be.

She knew all the way down to her toes that she’d never find another man like him.

‘You know how you said I was your world?’

‘Mmm.’ He peeked out at her from beneath heavy eyelids.

‘You’re mine.’

His arms wrapped around her, rolling her over him so her back was on the mattress and he hovered above her. ‘I’m ready to shout about it to anyone who can hear.’

He sealed his promise with a kiss.