‘Is it any crazier than me opening a shop?’
He smiled. ‘That’s not crazy. It’s what you have a passion for. It’s exciting.’
Her heart chugged with so much love she had to lower her gaze in case he saw it shining there. ‘We can never know what the future might’ve held for your father, but he could’ve had a mid-life crisis and decided to go back to Australia and...and start a hobby farm.’
A bark of laughter shot out of him.
‘I know a lot of people have criticised the way your parents lived, wrote them off as irresponsible and frivolous.’ And she guessed she was one of them. ‘But they didn’t hurt anyone living like they did; they paid their bills. They were...free spirits. And free spirits, Finn, would tell you to follow your heart and do the things that make you happy. And to not care what other people think.’
His head snapped up.
‘If they were true free spirits they’d include themselves amongst those whose opinions didn’t matter.’
She watched his mind race. ‘What are you going to do?’ she asked when she couldn’t hold the question back any longer.
He shook his head. ‘I’ve no idea.’
She swallowed. He needed time to work it out.
When his gaze returned to hers, though, it was full of warmth and...and something she couldn’t quite define. Affection...laughter...wonder? ‘It’s been a hell of a holiday, Audra.’
Her name sounded like gold on his tongue. All she could do was nod.
A warm breeze ruffled her hair, loose tendrils tickling her cheek. She pulled it back into a tighter ponytail, trying to gather up all the loose strands. For some reason her actions made Finn smile. ‘I’m going to get it cut,’ she announced, not realising her intention until the words had left her.
His eyebrows shot up.
‘Short. Really short. A pixie cut, perhaps. I hate it dangling about my face. I always have.’
‘So how come you haven’t cut it before now?’
She had no idea. ‘Just stuck in the old ways of doing things, I guess. Walking a line I thought I should and presenting the image I thought I should, and not deviating from it. But now...’
‘Now?’
‘Now anything seems possible.’ Even her and Finn didn’t seem outside the realms of possibility. He cared for her, she knew that much. And look at everything they’d shared this last fortnight. Look how much he’d done for her. Look how much of an impact they’d had on each other. It had to mean something, right?
‘I’m going to ask Anna in the village if she’ll cut it for me.’
‘When?’
‘Maybe...maybe this afternoon.’ If she could get an appointment.
He stared at her for a long moment and she had to fight the urge to fidget. ‘What?’
‘I did something.’
There was something in his tone—something uncertain, and a little defiant, and...a bit embarrassed, maybe? She didn’t know what it meant. ‘What did you do?’
He scratched a hand through his hair, his gaze skidding away. ‘It might be best if I simply show you.’
‘Okay. Now?’
He nodded.
‘Where are we going? What’s the dress code?’
‘Into the village.’ His gaze wandered over her and it left her burning and achy, prickly and full of need. ‘And what you’re wearing is just fine.’
* * *
They stopped at the hairdresser’s first, because Finn insisted. When Anna said she could cut Audra’s hair immediately Finn accepted the appointment on her behalf before she could say anything. Audra surveyed him, bemused and not a little curious.
‘It’ll give me some time to get set up properly,’ he explained when he caught her stare.
She shook her head. ‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.’
‘I know.’ He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her brow. ‘All will be revealed soon. I’ll be back in an hour.’
He was gone before the fresh, heady scent of him had invaded her senses, before she could grab him by the collar of his shirt and kiss him properly. Dear God, what did she do with her feelings for him? She had no idea! Should she try to bury them...or did she dare hope that, given time, he could return them?
Don’t do anything rash.
She swallowed and nodded. She couldn’t afford to make another mistake. She and Thomas had only broken up six weeks ago. This could be a rebound thing. Except... She’d not been in love with Thomas. She’d wanted to be, but she could see now it’d been nothing but a pale imitation—a combination of loneliness and feeling flattered by his attentions. She pressed her hands to her stomach as it started to churn.