Hannah curled her hand into a fist and began to knock on the weathered door in front of her. She glanced down in time to see an ant scurry across her shoe which she promptly kicked off.

'Just because we live in the sticks does not mean we have to live in the sticks.' Hannah pressed a hand down her dress looking every part the southern belle. In the crook of her arm, she held a wicker basket filled with home baked goodies, just another one of her tactics. Her husband had promised that if she came over at the crack of dawn, she would be able to snatch Leo before he trotted off to the back paddock where he would spend his entire day.

The door creaked opened on rusty hinges and in front of her stood Leo, eyes shadowed by sleep. Success chanted Hannah in her mind. Leo stood a good head above her, with broad shoulders and dusty blonde hair. Unlike his younger days his hair was cropped short and stylish as opposed to the matted lions main he proudly touted at school. Hannah was taken aback by just how much growing he did after he graduated. No longer was he the scrawny, lanky boy who managed to be friends with everyone. She could hardly recognise him, and she hoped that her shock wasn't too apparent on her face.

His smile seemed almost subdued as he eyed Hannah a knowing look crossing his deep brown eyes. 'Rob warned me you'd be over.'

Hannah gasped lifting her hand to cover her mouth. Just like that the betrayal of a husband.

'That isn't no way to greet your new neighbour, is it?' She almost rustled at the sound of her husband's name although she should have known. Rob and Leo were as thick as thieves when they were in their late teens before Leo vowed to leave the city with his one true Love Cynthia Bodkin.

Leo cocked his brow a deeper smile slipping across his weary face. He had obviously spent some serious time cleaning up inside. His cheeks were mottled with dust and cobwebs clung to the sleeves of his shirt. 'If it makes you feel any better, he also warned me you wouldn't breeze into the house empty handed.' He gestured to the basket offering to take it which Hannah gladly gave up slipping it off her arm.

Shuffling inside he opened the door wider and allowed Hannah in. 'You better believe when I get home Rob is going to get an ear full of this, he probably thinks I am meddling you know how he is.' Leo failed to stifle a laugh, 'and is that because you are meddling?' he asked unable to make the innocent coo in his voice remotely believable.

'No!' Hannah spat out almost taking Leo by surprise. He raised his hands in defence. 'When I heard Net came back to town, I knew you two would be hanging out, but I did not expect her tempter to rub off on you so quickly.' He tutted letting out a cool laugh as he led them into the kitchen. It was till rather dusty, but all the windows were opened the fresh early summer air was seeping into the room breezing back out taking the stale old air with it.

'How does it feel being back?' Hannah asked taking one of her biscuits from the basket. Leo busied himself in the kitchen preparing a pot of coffee. He inspected a few cupboards for fresh mugs but quickly gave up resorting to washing the dirty ones in the sink. He should have prepared better for Hannah's visit.

'Odd, it feels odd but also in a strange way it feels more like home?' He contemplated his answer for a moment before placing a mug in front of Hannah and following her lead in the pursuit of buttery goodness. Hannah watched him for a beat almost examining him to pull out more meaning behind his answer. Leo poured her cup of coffee first before pouring his own. Hannah watched him with expert eyes.

'Well, I for one am very glad to have more people our age moving back in, perhaps I can try some more contemporary haircuts.' She took a step back framing his face with her fingers in a square. 'I am not joking Leo, if I have to smell perming solution one more time, I may throw myself into the river.' She hissed as her words left her mouth, 'gosh don't tell Nettie I said that will you?' She offered a pleading look. For a moment Leo looked confused before simply nodding. 'Oh, bless you don't know, well I guess isn't my story to tell.' Hannah sucked in a breath and drew her attention to the back window. The overgrown grass had a stranglehold over the once pristine pastures.

Hannah could remember when the farmhouse was alive with all the kids when they were youngsters. Leo's mother and father always put on the most delicious spread whenever the grownups got together. All sourced from their own backyard. Pausing for a moment Hannah let herself enjoy the memory of fresh tomatoes, their delicious fragrant smell which she wished she could bottle up and.... Turn into a candle. Okay well that idea I MUST share with Net.

Leo was quiet, he simply watched Hannah, he was waiting for what Rob had really warned him for. Almost as if Hannah could read his mind she cooed, between sips of her coffee. '...So, since you and Net are both back in town how about you two come over for some dinner with Rob and the kids? I am sure Lachlan would love to get some style tips from someone who also suffered from the wildest hair as a child. It takes everything in me to not just shave it off.'

Letting out a deep laugh Leo nodded. 'I had already discussed it with Rob, and I have already agreed.' Leo watched the red raise in Hannah's face. 'That scheming ba...' her words were cut off by the warble of her phone. Confused she fished the noisy instrument our of her dress pocket. Leo could see the concern on her face as she turned away to answer the call.

'Is everything okay?' There was a tense beat. Leo strained to hear the noise on the other end. It was muffled and Hannah has purposefully positioned herself, so it was harder for him to listen in. After a few moments Hannah sucked in a tight breath, the air holding in her lungs. 'It's okay, no...really it's fine you're going to be okay... did you call...' Her words were cut off as she listened.

The hairs on the back of Leos neck stood up. He could tell from Hannah's tense shoulders that something was wrong. 'Let me think for a second, I don't have the truck at the moment.... No, no well yes because Rob needed to borrow it and I guess you can't leave.'

Without thinking Leo piped up from behind Hannah 'I can drive you? Where do you need to go?' Hannah looked up at Leo before her eyes darted to the floor, 'Sorry that was Leo.... Yes Leo Sinclair.' She turned herself away from Leo once again, this time taking a step away from him to create more space.

Leo arched an eyebrow, Leo Sinclair? Why did she say it like that? It slowly dawned on him that they must have spoken about him. Well obviously, they spoke about you, you just turned back up in town with no hi hello how are you. Leo immediately kicked himself for his curiosity, it doesn't matter what they were discussing but... he paused in his thoughts they were talking about me so that's a good start....right?

Hannah hung up the call and turned to face Leo, the colour had drained from her face. 'Could you... please drive me to Nettie's?' Fear tingled across Leo's chest but without a moments hesitation he grabbed his keys off the counter and strode for the front door. Hannah turned to follow him 'wait up my legs aren't as long as yours.'