He didn’t answer in words, instead opening the door of the car and climbing out, pulling off his sunglasses and standing stock still.
‘I can see how you don’t want to lose the place.’ Eventually he spoke. ‘And I’m the least likely person to be impressed by a view. I rarely set foot out of the city—any city!’
‘Because you don’t get the time?’
‘A bit.’ Hunter shrugged. ‘And because I’ve never felt the need. If I need to relax I’ll get a massage or…’ He didn’t finish his sentence, but turned his head towards the house and craned his neck upwards, staring at the mountainside, squinting into the sunlight.
‘Come and see inside,’ Lily suggested.
‘See what I’m buying?’
‘I haven’t said yes.’
‘Yet.’
She didn’t respond, just guided him toward the house. Pulling out her keys, she almost tripped over a large picnic basket on the verandah.
‘How on earth did this get here?’
‘Abigail.’ Hunter shrugged. ‘I told her to arrange lunch for us.’
‘But how did you know the address?’ Utterly perplexed, she led the way as he carried the basket and followed her through to the kitchen.
‘Mortgagee’s auction in Red Hill in two weeks—that’s more than enough information for Abigail.’
‘She’s efficient, then,’ Lily said, giggling a bit as Hunter rolled his eyes.
‘So she keeps telling me.’ They were wandering through the house, Hunter’s knowing eyes taking in every detail as he chatted. ‘She wants me to change her job title from Personal Assistant to Personal Secretary and Diary Planner.’
‘And what did you say?’
‘I didn’t say anything—I haven’t told you the best bit yet. She didn’t ask! She actually wrote a letter and—wait for this—she posted it to me. We see each other for twelve sometimes eighteen hours a day and now she’s posting me letters! She must have thought I’d take it more seriously if it was a formal request.’
‘And did you?’ A reluctant smile wobbled on Lily’s lips.
‘Absolutely. I wrote back to her saying that she can call herself what she bloody well likes so long as she stops hounding me with stupid requests. I suppose I should post it really.’
They were in the study now. Lily flicked on the light, which promptly popped. Despite a bay window it was the one dark room in the place, courtesy of a vast gum tree shadowing the window, but even in the semi-darkness it was beautiful and Lily let out a pensive sigh. ‘This is my favourite room—or was.’
She had expected him to move on. Already she’d sensed his restlessness in the bedrooms and realised he was nearing his boredom threshold but, maybe sensing something in her voice, instead of a cursory glance, he came over and wrapped his arms around her, and they stood for a moment in silence, taking in the book-lined walls, the piles of red-gum wood stacked beside the fireplace.
‘Was?’ It was Hunter who finally broke the heavy silence.
‘Dad and I used to spend a lot of time here…’ Lily gave a small shrug, kicking herself for giving him an opening. ‘When I was studying psychology, I used to be working away at the desk and he’d sit in that recliner…’ She pointed to a well-loved leather chair.
‘You’re a psychologist?’
‘Not quite,’ Lily corrected. ‘I dropped out after my second year.’
‘That wasn’t very motivated of you,’ Hunter admonished, but his teasing tirade halted as he saw the anguish on her features. ‘How come?’
‘Dad was sick—we needed the money. I did some waitressing and some work at the library—that’s how the motivational workshops started. They had some groups that met and I’d often pop in and listen. One night one of the speakers didn’t come so I stepped in and found out I really did have something to say, that I really was good at guiding people with their problems and helping them to set goals. It sort of snowballed from there.’
‘You should have gone back and completed your studies.’ Hunter was blunt and as Lily looked at him the denial that had been on her lips faded, that tinge of regret for past choices made ebbing as finally she nodded.
‘I know,’ she said slowly. ‘I just…’
‘Didn’t?’
‘Couldn’t.’ Screwing her eyes closed, she dragged in a deep breath, pain filling her as she glimpsed her past, but she slammed the shutters down in her mind, absolutely refused to go there, instead shaking her head as if to clear it. And when it did, when the memory was gone, when she opened her eyes, everything was OK. Hunter was smiling softly down at her.