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Ten minutes later they were pulling through the gates of Savage Acres. ‘This all looks the same as I remember, too, except for the fence line – it seems, closer, maybe.’ Pulling her eyes from the glorious rolling hills dotted with horses and cattle, she turned to him.
‘Yeah, Mum and Dad sold off most of the land when Dad took the new job and left me with just enough to run my own herd.’
She nodded, taking it all in. ‘So, you’re living in the homestead now?’
‘Sure am, have been for seven years, or thereabouts.’
‘On your own?’ She had to ask, seeing as she’d be calling this place home for now.
‘Uh-huh, all on my own.’
She didn’t like the fact that learning he wasn’t shacked up with some lucky woman made her heart skip an excited beat, but hey, she used to love this man with all her heart, so it would’ve been hard to meet his newer, better half, if there had been one. They followed the meandering gravel drive lined with bush lemon trees, then pulled to a stop, and her vision momentarily blurred as she took in the glorious two-storey building on one side, and the quaint chocolate-box cottage over on the other. Painful could-have-beens pummelled her heart, but she sucked in a sharp breath and shook the sensation off as she stepped out of the passenger-side door. Morgan hightailed it from his side and barricaded her, as if protecting her. Before she had a chance to process any more emotions, or assess if there was indeed impending danger, a mountain of fur came out of nowhere, bounding straight for her.
‘No, buddy, manners maketh man, remember.’ Hooking his finger into the fuzzy Great Dane’s collar, Morgan successfully stopped the incoming missile in its tracks. ‘You cannot lick every one of our guests to death.’ He ruffled the top of the dog’s head. ‘Even though I know you really want to.’
Jess stepped forward but kept a little distance. ‘So, who do we have here?’
‘This here is Teeny-weeny.’ He grinned. ‘Or, Teeny for short.’
‘Teeny, hey?’ With the woolly mammoth staring back at her, she couldn’t help her explosion of laughter. ‘Have you seen the size of him?’
Chuckling, Morgan nodded. ‘You should see the amount of food he eats, and don’t even get me started on the size of what comes out his back end.’
‘Way too much information.’ Laughing, she waved a hand through the air. ‘So, tell me, is he as scary as he looks?’
‘No way, he’s a big teddy bear, aren’t you, Teeny?’
Sitting on his haunches, with his tongue drooping out to one side, Teeny tipped his head a little and whined.
Her heart turning to mush, Jess bent, took the paw he cutely offered her, and shook it. ‘Hey, buddy, it’s really nice to meet you.’ Having been given what he clearly felt was an open invitation, Teeny proceeded to plonk himself onto her feet as she straightened. ‘Are you right there, mister?’ She smiled down at him.
‘Come on, buddy, I’m sure Jess doesn’t want you playing the part of a foot warmer.’ Morgan clicked his fingers, and Teeny faithfully raced back to his master’s side.
‘Come on, I’ll show you to the cottage, then I’ll grab your luggage for you while you settle in.’ He took steps towards the cottage, with Teeny hot on his heels.
Jess followed, adoring the way the two seemed the best of mates. Morgan had always had a special way with animals. It was one of the many things she’d adored about him. Climbing the three front steps, she admired how the scuffed timber floorboards of the verandah anchored the white weatherboard cottage to its surroundings. And the lush blooming gardens, popping with so many colours, were to die for.
Without needing a key, Morgan opened the timber door and waved her inside. ‘Ladies first.’ He glanced down at Teeny. ‘You stay here, bud.’
After kicking her shoes off, she stepped in, and Morgan followed her. The slap of the flyscreen sounded as she turned left to right, surveying the recognisable, yet updated lounge room. Gone were the old louvred windows, replaced with sliding glass doors and bay windows that drew the majesty of the outside in. Wandering to the middle of the room, she stopped on the cowskin rug and turned in a circle, her mind’s eye recalling how it used to look all those years ago. Memories bombarded her, and the weight was overwhelming. Feeling tears building, she stepped out of Morgan’s line of sight, desperate to pull her emotions into check. Padding over to the bay windows, she peered outside, drinking in the endless views of untainted beauty.
‘It’s absolutely perfect.’ Turning away from the familiar view, she smiled. ‘Thank you, Morgan, for letting me stay here.’
‘No need to thank me.’ Reaching out, Morgan briefly touched her arm. ‘You get comfortable, while I’ll go and grab your luggage.’
‘Okay, thanks.’ The brush of his hand left a seductive kind of warmth that spread through her like an ache.
‘There’s some essentials in the fridge, and tea, coffee and a couple of other things in the cupboard, including a couple of bottles of local red,’ he said, taking steps towards the front door. ‘I remember you used to love wine.’
Jess sucked in another shaky breath as emotion welled at his kind-heartedness. ‘You didn’t have to go and do that, Morgan.’ She blinked faster. ‘But thank you, so very much.’
‘I know I didn’t, but I wanted to.’ He paused in the doorway. ‘I’ll have a cuppa as a thank you, if you’re making yourself one.’
‘Ha.’ She instantly relaxed. ‘Bossy, much?’
‘Always.’ Chuckling, he grinned playfully.
‘I’ll get to it then, still two sugars?’
