Page 12 of Silverton Shores

‘Yup, a man can never have enough sweetness.’ His laughter wrapped around her like a familiar hug.

* * *

Nightfall had arrived at Savage Acres, and the crickets and frogs were in chorus with one another after a fleeting sunshower had carried the eventful day to an end. The encroaching night air had an edge to it, unsettling Morgan’s already frazzled nerves. He was closer to his past than he’d ever been, and it felt surreal, daunting, confusing, and at the same time, it carried the promise of a new start, a clean slate where hopefully a nice friendship could form with Jess.

Against all odds, it had really happened.

Jess Sabatini was back.

Here.

With Roberto and Shanti over at the cottage with Jess, even though he’d been invited to join them for a takeaway dinner of pizza, he’d decided to stay home. Not only because he wanted to give the three of them time to catch up, but he needed time to catch up with his own churning emotions – as well as give himself a stern talking-to. There was no going back to what he and Jess used to be. There was way too much turbulent water beneath that bridge. Trying to get back what they had once had would be perilous. He wouldn’t make it. Having her here had seemed like a doable notion at the time. But realistically the ex-love of his life was way more than he bargained for.

When he’d first caught sight of her amid the sea of faces, the intensity of feeling as ifhewas the one arriving home had shaken him to his core. And her eyes, with all the years that had passed them by, he’d gone and forgotten just how magnetic the green windows to her soul were. Hopefully, he’d hidden the poignant sensation coursing through him well enough. Because he didn’t want her knowing he still felt anything other than friendly towards her. The crushing pain of their break-up was seared into him. Forever. Once bitten, twice shy. There’d be no getting back up on that horse – it had long ago bolted. He was every broken-hearted analogy and every sad country song. And he loathed the fact. Wished he could find a way to move past it. Wished he could move on with one of the local women who had made their fancy for him known, and made a life, had a family. But he just couldn’t bring himself to. He couldn’t find the key that opened his heart up again. And no woman deserved to be loved lukewarmly.

Even so, he did hold the belief that with the amount of time that had passed them by, giving them both the space to grow and heal, they could move past their past. But then again, his gut was telling him that he had no control over the outcome of this situation, or what would come of her being here. And not having control of the reins scared him. What he did know without a shadow of doubt was that since Jess had left, and he’d put all the broken parts of himself back together, he’d made damn sure that he was always in control of his life, and he liked it that way. Making himself unavailable, impenetrable, somewhat stand-offish, had saved him a whole world of drama, headaches and heartbreak. It had also cost him – his unfulfilled dream of becoming a father was a deep regret. At thirty-four there was still time, but the reality of it never coming to fruition was closing in on him.

Releasing his deathlike grip on the top railing, he straightened. He didn’t want to go down that same old road of self-pity again. He’d travelled its potholes and bumps way too many times, and he knew all too well it only led to devastating dead ends. Flexing his fingers back to life, he briefly squeezed his eyes closed and took a breath as an explosion of riotous laughter carried on the night air. It was coming from the cottage and straight over to him. Although he didn’t feel comfortable within himself to join in, he couldn’t help but be happy for the reunion of loved ones. If only he could have included himself in the equation, but he was no longer part of the Sabatinifamily, in the true sense of the word.

Wandering over to where Teeny had curled up on the day bed, he sunk down beside his doggy pal. With his head resting on his paws, Teeny acknowledged him with a kind-eyed, brow-scrunched stare, one that spoke of just how much he understood how Jess being here was affecting his human. His unwavering compassion meant one hell of a lot.

‘I know, bud, I know.’ Morgan gave his mate a tender pat. ‘Only a couple of weeks, and I’ll be back to myself in no time, I promise.’

Yeah right, who are you trying to kid, Savage, Teeny or yourself?

Morgan shook his head. Sweet, sassy, Jessica Sabatini. He’d always been able to read her heart and soul like a book, although now, with her substantial walls up, not so much. But a person rarely changedthatradically. Leopards, spots, and all of that. In the book of her life his referential bookmark was between the pages of way back when. He knew that. And in nine years, he was certain there’d been a hell of a lot of new threads, plot twists, black moments and unexpected turns added to her story. Nevertheless, just one look at her, with that cute smile and scattering of freckles over her elfin nose – well, hot damn, their story had all came flooding back. The heartache. The hurt. The happiness. The powerful love that they’d shared. It was all still there, faded and hazy in parts, but definitely there.

In a flicker of a moment, between his quickened breaths, he was right back there, early in the morning of their wedding day, experiencing all the feelings that came with imagining her as his wife. He wanted to get a firm grip on the images, and hold each still, so he could reminisce, but with one forced deep inhalation came the painful memory of Enzo and Julie’s fatal accident, and just like a mirage, the happy memories rippled then hovered, before he forcibly grabbed hold of the bittersweet sensation and shoved it back to where he’d hidden it for all these years. He didn’t need to go over stale emotions.

No effing way!

What he did need was to get a grip on now, today, reality, and face up to it. They’d had their chance, and they’d missed it. End of story. There was none of this happily-ever-after nonsense on the cards for them. He’d become habituated to his heartbreak, had learnt to live with the echoing emptiness she’d left within his heart. So it should be a cinch to do it for a couple of weeks when he’d been able to endure the hurt for almost a decade. There’d be no chance of a sequel to their tragic love story. Neither of them was crazy enough to pen that. And even if she was, he sure as hell wasn’t.

CHAPTER

5

The new day dawned mighty bright through the open curtains, much to Jess’s exasperation. Not that she could point the finger at Mother Nature. It was all on her, being woken up so early. If she hadn’t played a big part in guzzling three bottles of red wine with Shanti and Roberto, she might have closed the blackout blind before faceplanting into the plush mattress sometime after midnight. Hazy memories of them dancing around the lounge room to Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ made her chuckle, then wince when her head pounded in a snappy retort. Rolling onto her side, she eyed an empty pizza box alongside her strewn clothes as she tried to encourage her body and mind to life. There was a lot to be done over the coming week in preparation for the wedding. Just thinking about the list Shanti had shown her made her instantly weary. Florist, dressmaker, baker, good lord she might as well add in the candlestick maker too, because somewhere on the list of to-dos was the decor shop to finalise the table decorations.

Drawing in a deep breath, she wiggled her fingers and toes, then stretched her arms above her head. She could hear the distant chick-chick-woosh of sprinklers along with the whinny-chatter of horses. Both enjoyable sounds, and ones she hadn’t heard in many years. She hadn’t had the pleasure of a colossal backyard since living in Florence, and horses were only ever seen hauling carriages of people along the cobblestone streets around the Duomo.

After a few deep breaths and her eyelids finally becoming lighter, she glanced at the bedside clock and adrenaline fired like bullets through her vino-clogged veins. So much for it being bright and early, as she’d wrongly assumed. Holy moly, it was almost ten. Kicking the covers off then heaving herself out of bed, she wandered over to the bay windows and shoved both open. The day smacked her in the face, nice and bright. Blinking faster, she rubbed her eyes. The cloudless sky was a brilliant blue, and the fresh scent of untainted earth promised a beautiful spring day. Just the sight of Morgan’s extensive property made her hangover a little less hungover, although the aftermath of her drinking wasn’t going anywhere fast. A strong coffee and something to soak up the alcohol remnants, that’s what she needed to help kick it in the butt.

So, deciding to nourish herself before having a steaming hot shower, she shuffled down the hallway of the cottage while tugging her knotty hair up and into a messy bun. A quick glance into the lounge room confirmed they’d mostly cleaned up the night before, and she was relieved she didn’t have to contend with a mess now. Passing the black-and-white aerial shot of Savage Acres in its heyday, the very one that used to hang on the wall in the homestead, she paused to admire the family treasure. It reminded her of the days when she, Roberto, Shanti and Morgan used to spend every waking hour outside, exploring the countryside with tousled hair, mud-splattered clothes and the widest of smiles. If only they could turn back time. What she’d give to be able to feel the freedom of that again. And to have Chiara experience growing up like that – well, that would be magical.

Sighing, she straightened her skew-whiff pyjamas as she headed towards the kitchen for a much-needed hit of caffeine. Jet lag really did suck. As did the adverse result of a long-overdue catch-up with her brother and best friend. Too many hours of being crammed into two consecutive planes, as well as dealing with the time difference, was bound to take a toll. Factor in way too many glasses of wine and overly salty nutrient-deficient food, and it was no wonder she felt like death warmed up. With no concrete plans for the day given that Roberto and Shanti were still dealing with their flooded house, she supposed she should just go with the flow of it, and see where it took her, or didn’t. Either way, she wasn’t fussed. A rest day was probably a good idea. Tomorrow she’d be hitting the ground running as the wedding planning resumed.

Ten minutes later, taking her coffee and peanut butter on toast out to the balcony, she was greeted by a very eager Teeny. Catapulting across the driveway, all legs and paws, he headed down the garden pathway and skidded to a stop at the bottom of the steps, his big brown eyes wide and his tongue lolling out to one side as he panted like billy-o.

‘Hey there, buddy.’ She tapped her leg, welcoming him up the stairs. ‘Come on, come and say hi then.’

He did so with enthusiasm, and after she raised her hand to stop him from bowling her over, Teeny sat politely on his rump at her side, with his leaf-laden tail swishing back and forth over her bare feet.

‘You look like you’ve been up to no good, mister.’ She ruffled his ears, cackling at the state of his dirty schnozzle. ‘Whatever have you been sticking that nose of yours into, huh?’ A whiff of something rotten was her swift reply. Swishing the intrusive air away, she screwed her face up. ‘My goodness, Teeny, you reek to high heaven.’ She pinched her nose. ‘How about we go for a wander, and let you air out a bit.’

Leaving her cuppa on the railing, she took her toast with her and munched away as she and Teeny strolled around the outskirts of the cottage. It made her heart ache to know this would have been her and Chiara’s home, but she couldn’t dwell on the sensation, for it would have her crumbling to the ground in tears. Looking left to right, the sheer scope of the horse-dotted paddocks along with a mob of moseying cattle up the rise left her speechless. It had been far too long since she’d immersed herself in the Australian countryside, and she wished with all her heart that she could be sharing the experience with Chiara. Her little girl would adore it here, she was certain of it. The sun-kissed landscape that Morgan called home was like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was also the destination the two of them had never reached together. The very thought of what they could have had stabbed at her heart again. They would have been so happy together. That was a given with the love they’d shared.

Hindsight was a royal pain in the butt.

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