The Wildwood Sisters (19 page)

Standing up, she followed the beam of her torchlight outside, to where a horse came to a sliding stop. The full moon shone like a beacon in the velvety black sky, lighting up the landscape and her rescuer's features in the most enchanting of ways. Her heart leapt into her throat as she swallowed down hard. He. Was. So. Damn. Sexy.

Dylan Anderson, her knight in shining armour, had come to her rescue. But unlike in the movies, he didn't look one bit happy about it.

She gave him a wave. ‘Um, hi.' She tried to muster her biggest smile, at the same time feeling like an incompetent dickhead for getting herself stuck out here. So much for the country girl resurfacing.

‘Hey there.' Dylan leapt from his horse and was beside her in seconds, his frown remaining. ‘What are you doing all the way out here by yourself? Are you okay? What's happened?'

There was no pause between his questions.

Renee half giggled while waving her hands nonchalantly in the air. ‘Oh, yup, I'm fine and dandy.' Why was she acting like a frigging lovesick teenager? ‘I came out here for a bit of a ride about and the bloody bike battery has gone flat. Sooooo, I was stuck here until someone came to my rescue. No biggie, really.'

Dylan blew out a breath as he tipped his head to the side, still scowling. ‘No biggie, hey? We were worried sick, Renee!'

Renee had to stifle a smile. Dylan was obviously very annoyed he'd had to come looking for her and she didn't want to piss him off even more, but it moved her that he'd been worried about her. At least it showed he cared a
little
bit, much as she knew he'd hate to admit it. She gave him a heavy-lashed gaze, as though she was a damsel in distress and he had saved her from a life-and-death situation. ‘I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I thought I'd be back well before dark. It's so kind of you to come looking for me.'

‘Hmm, well, at least you're okay, that's the main thing.' Dylan pointed to the bike, the pulse in his neck prominent, the muscles in his jaw clenched. ‘We'll leave this here and I'll come and grab it tomorrow.' He nodded towards his horse. ‘Jump up with me so I can get you home. Your pa is worried shitless. He's out looking for you now at the caves. I said I'd meet him back at the homestead after I searched here, and we'd take it from there if we hadn't found you.'

Renee felt awful. Pa had enough to worry about at the moment without her adding to it. ‘Okay, I'll just grab my backpack from inside the shack and we can head off. Won't be a sec.'

Dylan folded his arms, his mood sullen. ‘Righto, but hurry up would you. I need to get home sometime soon you know. I have better things to be doing than standing out here all bloody night.' He chuckled sarcastically. ‘You should've known better than to come out here on your own, especially considering you're a city chick now.'

That was it—enough was enough.

Renee reeled to face him, her eyes thunderous and fists scrunched at her sides. ‘I'm so very sorry to inconvenience you,
Dylan
, but this was an accident. It's not like I chose for it to happen…and don't you dare have a go at me because I've had to live in the city for the past nine years, because it's not like I chose to do that either—as much as you obviously want to believe I did.' She crossed her arms, matching his stance while she glared at him. ‘And believe me when I say this, I would rather be at home than stuck out here with you and your damn arrogance.'

She stormed off into the shack without waiting for his reply, her emotions on edge after her eventful day. This had just topped it all off.

***

Dylan watched her disappear into the darkness of the shack, kicking himself for being such an arse to her. He had to try and let his resentment go. She was right. It wasn't her fault, and he had no right to have a go at her for it. He'd just been so terrified on his way out here that he'd find her hurt badly—or worse—and it had made the emotions he'd felt on the night Shelley had died resurface with a vengeance. But that wasn't Renee's fault either, and he shouldn't be taking it out on her. Huffing, he swung down off Turbo's back and followed her into the shack, only to find her in tears. His heart dropped to the floor. He was officially an arsehole.

Placing his hand on her shoulder, he turned her around, the dappled moonlight making her already exquisite features even more beautiful. He reached out and wiped her tears away, his voice softening along with his heart. ‘Renee. I'm sorry. I was just worried you were badly hurt, that's all. I shouldn't be taking it out on you.'

Renee sniffled, nodding her head. ‘I understand. I've just had a really emotional few days. No, actually, come to think of it, I've had an emotional
nine years
since Scarlet died.' She rubbed her eyes, sighing wearily as she looked down at the floor. ‘I'm sorry I'm being a sook. I think I just need to have a hot shower and go to bed, and then start the day afresh tomorrow.'

Dylan's soul ached. Seeing the woman he'd treasured for most of his life so vulnerable was heart-wrenching. He wished there was some way things could be different, that the words they'd so harshly spoken to each other all those years ago could be taken back, so he could take her into his arms and love the pain right out of her, but there wasn't. They'd crossed that bridge many years ago, and there was too much water under it now.

‘You're not being a sook, Renee. You've been through a lot. More than most people go through in an entire lifetime.'

‘Thanks for understanding, Dylan. I really appreciate it.' Renee smiled softly through her tears as she looked around the shack. ‘Can you believe the last time we were in here at night we…' She shook her head as she bit in her bottom lip. ‘Oh shit, I'm sorry, I shouldn't be bringing something like that up when you're married.'

Dylan instinctively touched his wedding ring and began spinning it on his finger. ‘Oh, um, I'm not really married, Renee. Well, I mean, I am married, but… My wife, she um…' He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. He was afraid he'd crumble into a million tiny fragments if he did, and he didn't want Renee to see him like that—it wasn't a pretty sight. He turned away, not wanting her to see his pain. ‘I'll explain it to you another day. We better get you home.'

Renee walked to stand in front of him, gazing at him, her mouth slightly open as if she was about to say something, realisation in her eyes. She reached out and rested her hand on his heart, saying nothing. Dylan felt a pull on his heart and soul, like they were trying to interlace with hers, the connection between them what most only dreamt of. The energy shifted as the rest of the world faded away, the magic of the moment so intense it was as if time had stood still.

Succumbing to her magnetism, Dylan leant in, his lips only millimetres away from hers. Renee followed suit and melted into him, her body pressing against his as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. He could feel her warm breath on his cheek, and smell her sweet, familiar perfume—it reminded him of the beautiful scent left lingering after summer rain—and then he felt himself being transported back to that enchanted night, back to when Renee and he had made love for the very first, and very last, time.

It was like it had happened only yesterday, the passion, the hunger and the sensuality, all of it so poignantly real. Neither of them moved, their lips almost touching, their breathing getting heavier. He could feel Renee running her hands through his hair and feel the beating of her heart against his chest. Finally, unable to stop himself, he broke the last remaining distance between them and rested his lips against hers, just as a man's panicked voice carried into the shack, calling for Renee.

The sounds of a galloping horse brought him crashing back to reality. And then he recalled the argument they had had, the words Renee had spat at him. She had left him hanging on those words for nine long agonising years… Suddenly, the mystical moment shattered like a piece of glass, the dangerous shards lethal enough to slice through his skin and puncture his heart.

What was he thinking? Hadn't she already done enough damage to his heart, without taking it from him again? She had left without saying sorry, without even a goodbye, without giving him a chance to apologise for what he'd said in the heat of the moment—and it had ruined everything.

He stepped back from her. ‘I can't do this, Renee. We can't do this. Not now. Not ever. I'm sorry.' Turning away, he headed outside just as Stanley pulled to a stop on his horse.

He cleared his throat, his emotions still high. ‘I found her, Stan. She's just inside grabbing her backpack.' Dylan pointed to the four-wheeler. ‘Apparently the battery's gone flat so she couldn't get home. Lucky we found her, really, otherwise she could have been stuck out here all bloody night.'

Stanley's expression was full of relief. ‘Oh thank Christ.'

Dylan put his boot in the stirrup and got himself settled back in the saddle with one fluent movement. ‘I'll head off, Stanley, if that's okay. Mum and Annie will be waiting for me for dinner. You'll be right to get her home from here, won't you?'

‘Yup, sure will be. Thanks for all your help, Dylan, appreciate it. I owe you one.'

‘You don't owe me anything,' Dylan said, giving Turbo the cue to head home. ‘Catch you in the morning,' he called out over his shoulder.

February 14
^th

I can't believe it! I'm over the moon! Of all the days, he chose today to finally admit he likes me, on Valentine's Day. How romantic!

I knew it! I knew he had the hots for me. A girl can just tell these things. This morning he surprised me behind the little shed at the back of the school, where he was waiting with a single red rose in his hands. He gave it to me and then he kissed me…tongue and all. I could have just died right then and there. He must have secretly been watching me for a while, because how else would he know I cut through the Bestmans' paddock to get to school? It's a bit freaky to know he's been spying on me, but exhilarating all the same…and it's so exciting to know he's interested enough to have been checking me out all this time.

He reckons he's going to leave her for me, and he even told me he couldn't imagine his life without me in it. Oh my God! He made me promise to keep it a secret for now, just until he leaves her, and I swore to him I would. Nobody can find out about us yet, nobody! I can't risk losing him. I love him too much to lose him.

Ohh, I'm so happy right now but then I'm kind of scared at the same time. I mean, how am I going to tell Billy? Maybe I'll just wait until he leaves her, and I can be with him, before I break it off with him. I don't want to raise anyone's suspicions. Decisions. Decisions. It's so frustrating!! I just don't know what the right thing is to do.

I don't want to upset Billy. He's got the worst temper. And I know he's going to be really mad with me when I tell him I don't want to be with him anymore. And just wait until he finds out who I left him for, when
everyone
finds out who I left him for… All the shit is going to hit the fan then!

I'm so worried Renee and Nan and Pa are going to be furious with me, but hopefully they will eventually understand and forgive me. Argh! Anyways, I can't think about the mess I'm in right now. I just want to think about the good things so I'm going to go to sleep now and dream about my sexy new man all night long. I hope he's dreaming about me too… I betcha he is!

Scarlet xx

Renee closed her eyes, and rested her head back on her pillow, shaking with anger. Her throat was tight with emotion and her thoughts were spiralling like a whirlwind. She needed to find a good head space to be able to filter everything she'd just read. Counting to ten, she took a few deep breaths, the conscious action calming her a little.

Who the hell was this mystery bloke? And why would it be such a problem if she and Nan and Pop found out who he was? For a second Dylan's face flashed before her eyes, but it couldn't have been him Scarlet was referring to. Dylan would never do such a thing. He had loved her too much to hurt her like that, by cheating with her sister. And Scarlet wouldn't stoop that low either. Renee reprimanded herself for even considering it. She clearly wasn't thinking straight—just like the day she had said those things to Dylan about his father. She knew she had to find a way to apologise to him for it, but she was afraid of opening an old wound he may have already healed. Or was it her own self-inflicted wound she was afraid of reopening?

Changing her train of thought before she drove herself mad, Renee went back to analysing the diary. Was Scarlet's intuition right—had Billy snapped and lashed out at her after finding out about her mystery man? Renee had seen him get into fights at high school a few times, and on a couple of occasions she'd overheard arguments between Scarlet and Billy, so she knew he had a bad temper when triggered. But was he capable of murder? Perhaps. The police had believed his alibi of being home all night with his parents. But she wasn't so trusting of him.

But there were so many different scenarios and her mind was painfully playing over each and every one. The words she'd just read chugged around and around in her head, taunting her, infuriating her. Whoever this bastard was had quite possibly killed her sister, or most certainly had something to do with her disappearance. Or was it his girlfriend? Had he left her for Scarlet and evoked a fit of jealous rage from this woman that Scarlet kept mentioning?

Or maybe it was none of them. Maybe it was someone she hadn't even considered. She groaned. There were so many possibilities, but no definite answers. And poor Scarlet. Her sister truly believed this mystery man loved her, and that she loved him. The very thought made Renee sick to the core.