everything, didn’t I?’ He looked at her with great sadness. ‘Don’t answer that. Sorry. I tried to stop it, you know, but I couldn’t help how I was feeling. You’re an amazing woman, Izzy Simpson.’
‘Rob —’ Izzy went to protest.
He held up both hands. ‘I know, I know. I guess this is goodbye.’
‘Well, normally I’d invite you in to stay the night, but Mum and Dad would ask questions and it would be too awkward. I hope you understand this is for the best. Where are you staying tonight?’
‘At the pub in Lake Grace. Why?’
‘How about I meet you there for tea and a few drinks and we can chat some more. But nothing else, okay? I want my good friend back. Can you do that?’ Izzy asked.
‘Yes, I think enough crap has gone down for me to start putting things into perspective. I would really like to see you later and clear the air,’ he replied, the sadness still so evident in his eyes. ‘You’ve been a part of our family for over two years. I hope one day you can forgive me, Izzy, and come to visit us again?’
Izzy nodded in reply, her throat too tight to speak.
Will adjusted his sunnies quietly. He could see the look in Rob’s face and the defeated slump of his shoulders. This bloke cared about Izzy a lot. It sounded like Izzy had been working on Rob’s farm, and she was a good worker, apparently. He was curious to know more. From what Bill had told him, she’d been looking after kids and keeping house. Well, somebody’s been keeping secrets, he thought, smiling. Then he remembered that he had a big secret of his own and his grin dissolved.
‘What time will you come, sevenish?’
‘Yep, seven’s good. Till then,’ she said quietly as he climbed into his car, gave one last glimpse behind, and left.
Izzy turned around and headed back towards Will, not daring to watch Rob drive away. Rob wasn’t the only one whose emotions were in turmoil.
Will tilted his head like a puppy, waiting for her to say something.
‘Oh, just shut up,’ Izzy blurted, then stormed off into the house.
Will sat quietly on his bike, his mind churning with questions. Listening to Izzy and Rob’s conversation made him realise that he didn’t know much about her at all, apart from the bits and pieces Bill had mentioned, and even those seemed wrong now. The last time he’d seen Izzy was a few months after Claire’s funeral, before he’d left the farm to seek solitude and find some answers. That was over four years ago, and a lot could change in that time. Will started the motorbike and rode home.
Izzy headed straight to her room and sat on her bed. She glanced at the package with money bulging out of it and placed in on the bedside table. Carefully she examined the envelope from Alice. Izzy’s name was written on the front in beautiful sweeping handwriting, with a line and a little heart underneath. Turning it over, Izzy gently opened the back and pulled out the letter.
My dearest Izzy,
When Rob said he was going over to WA to see you, I quickly wrote this letter. I don’t have the nerve to call you but hope this will do. I had noticed Rob pulling away from me these last few months. He’d begun to work late and little things started to register. But it wasn’t until you up and left that it clicked. The way Rob’s been moping around the house, I figured it must be over you. I don’t know if anything happened between you, but I assume that you’ve left to prevent it. I know when women are attracted to Rob and you definitely weren’t. Never once did I feel like I had to be watching you two. I haven’t mentioned anything to Rob yet as I think it’s too soon. I’m sure he’ll open up to me later. Fingers crossed he does. But I just want you to know that I still care about you lots and hope this doesn’t affect our friendship. Emma and Chris miss you like mad and are seriously hounding me to death.
So thank you for putting us first. I know it must have been hard. I’d love to hear from you.
‘Rob —’ Izzy went to protest.
He held up both hands. ‘I know, I know. I guess this is goodbye.’
‘Well, normally I’d invite you in to stay the night, but Mum and Dad would ask questions and it would be too awkward. I hope you understand this is for the best. Where are you staying tonight?’
‘At the pub in Lake Grace. Why?’
‘How about I meet you there for tea and a few drinks and we can chat some more. But nothing else, okay? I want my good friend back. Can you do that?’ Izzy asked.
‘Yes, I think enough crap has gone down for me to start putting things into perspective. I would really like to see you later and clear the air,’ he replied, the sadness still so evident in his eyes. ‘You’ve been a part of our family for over two years. I hope one day you can forgive me, Izzy, and come to visit us again?’
Izzy nodded in reply, her throat too tight to speak.
Will adjusted his sunnies quietly. He could see the look in Rob’s face and the defeated slump of his shoulders. This bloke cared about Izzy a lot. It sounded like Izzy had been working on Rob’s farm, and she was a good worker, apparently. He was curious to know more. From what Bill had told him, she’d been looking after kids and keeping house. Well, somebody’s been keeping secrets, he thought, smiling. Then he remembered that he had a big secret of his own and his grin dissolved.
‘What time will you come, sevenish?’
‘Yep, seven’s good. Till then,’ she said quietly as he climbed into his car, gave one last glimpse behind, and left.
Izzy turned around and headed back towards Will, not daring to watch Rob drive away. Rob wasn’t the only one whose emotions were in turmoil.
Will tilted his head like a puppy, waiting for her to say something.
‘Oh, just shut up,’ Izzy blurted, then stormed off into the house.
Will sat quietly on his bike, his mind churning with questions. Listening to Izzy and Rob’s conversation made him realise that he didn’t know much about her at all, apart from the bits and pieces Bill had mentioned, and even those seemed wrong now. The last time he’d seen Izzy was a few months after Claire’s funeral, before he’d left the farm to seek solitude and find some answers. That was over four years ago, and a lot could change in that time. Will started the motorbike and rode home.
Izzy headed straight to her room and sat on her bed. She glanced at the package with money bulging out of it and placed in on the bedside table. Carefully she examined the envelope from Alice. Izzy’s name was written on the front in beautiful sweeping handwriting, with a line and a little heart underneath. Turning it over, Izzy gently opened the back and pulled out the letter.
My dearest Izzy,
When Rob said he was going over to WA to see you, I quickly wrote this letter. I don’t have the nerve to call you but hope this will do. I had noticed Rob pulling away from me these last few months. He’d begun to work late and little things started to register. But it wasn’t until you up and left that it clicked. The way Rob’s been moping around the house, I figured it must be over you. I don’t know if anything happened between you, but I assume that you’ve left to prevent it. I know when women are attracted to Rob and you definitely weren’t. Never once did I feel like I had to be watching you two. I haven’t mentioned anything to Rob yet as I think it’s too soon. I’m sure he’ll open up to me later. Fingers crossed he does. But I just want you to know that I still care about you lots and hope this doesn’t affect our friendship. Emma and Chris miss you like mad and are seriously hounding me to death.
So thank you for putting us first. I know it must have been hard. I’d love to hear from you.
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