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Reaching the fence line at the side of the cottage, she turned and looked back. Dappled sunlight danced across the manicured lawn and the gentle breeze played the wind chimes dangling from the corner of the balcony. Turning to her right, she looked towards the two-storey homestead with its enveloping verandahs shaded by wide wraparound awnings. The blooming gardens had evidently had quite a bit of love poured into them. Just as his mum had been when she’d called the house her home, it was nice to see how house-proud Morgan was. And that pride most certainly extended to his land, too. Every nook and cranny she could see was preened to perfection, and all the buildings were glowing with tender loving care. How he found the time between here and his job with the RFDS, she hadn’t a clue. But she commended him, tenfold, for achieving such a mammoth feat.
Lost in thought until the rumble of a four-wheeler motorbike caught her attention, she spun to see Morgan heading in her direction, looking bright and handsome as ever. Oh god, she could only imagine the state she looked. Abandoning her bun, she ruffled her hair into what she hoped was an artful tumble of silky locks. If only she could have caught her reflection, she would have been mortified, she was sure of it.
‘Hi.’ She offered a quick wave.
‘Hey, Jess.’ Morgan pulled to a stop at the other side of the fence and Teeny met him there. ‘Bit of a rough night?’ The engine silenced when he turned the key.
She feigned ignorance. ‘No, why?’ Desperate to smooth out her crumpled linen pyjamas, she instead stuffed her hands into the pockets.
He stepped off the bike, then leant in, a cheeky grin on his lips as he plucked a leaf from her hair. ‘Looks to me like you’ve been rolling around in the garden.’
‘Oh, ha ha, I’m not sure where that came from.’ Oh no, she was Teeny’s doppelganger. ‘Oh, hang on.’ She suddenly recalled Roberto waltzing her down the path when their lift back home arrived in the form of the township’s one and only taxi. ‘Ahhh, that’s right, my two left feet caught me off guard when Roberto decided it was time to teach me some tango moves so I could wow the dance floor at their wedding.’
‘Right.’ Morgan grinned then chuckled. ‘I would’ve liked to have seen that, but then again, I might get a repeat performance at the wedding.’
‘Ha, yeah, last night’s tango wouldn’t be one of my finest moments.’ She was alarmed at how comfortable she was in this dazzling man’s company, even when she was bedraggled and under the weather. ‘And no, there’ll be no drunken dancing on their special day.’ She gave him a cheesy grin, one she mentally slapped herself for. ‘Come to think of it, why didn’t you join us last night, Morgan?’ She tipped her head a little, waiting for his delayed response.
‘Oh,’ he said, shifting from boot to boot. ‘I wanted to give you three time to yourselves.’
‘Okay, that was nice of you.’ The muscles of his jaw were the only giveaway that he was grappling with some strong emotions. Even so, she didn’t want him to feel excluded from the group that used to be inseparable, so she hastily added, ‘Next time, though, you have to join us.’
‘I don’thaveto do anything, Jess.’ He looked instantly apologetic for his snappy response. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out so …’ he floundered, and he sucked in a breath.
‘Crotchety.’ She finished his sentence. ‘Grumpy, grouchy.’ Planting a smile on her face, she made sure to say it playfully, hoping it would entice some healthy banter.
Remaining silent, he briefly turned his downtrodden gaze to her, instantly searing through the protective wall she’d built and right into her soul. And in between her shortened breaths, she could feel his heartbreak, and she knew instinctively that most of it was due to her. And she hated herself for it.
‘Grouchy sums it up.’ He half smirked.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come across harsh.’ Talk about royally putting her foot in it. ‘I was just playing around.’
‘You’ve never been one to beat around the bush, Jess, and I am being a bit of a grump.’ He shook his head and sighed. ‘I’m the one that’s sorry. It’s no excuse, but I didn’t sleep well, and I’ve just spotted a gaping hole in the new fence, thanks to my cantankerous new-to-the-crew stud bull, so now my day is going to be spent doing things I didn’t plan for, instead of focusing on the mountain of things I should be getting done.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘So much for having a month off, hey.’
‘All good, Morgan, there’s no need to apologise.’ Noting the black rings beneath his eyes, and the slump in his shoulders, she realised he did look exhausted, and she felt for him. ‘Would you like me to come and give you a hand to fix it?’
‘Oh, nah, but thanks for the offer.’ His downtrodden expression faded. ‘You shouldn’t have to work on your holiday, Jess.’
‘I don’t mind getting my hands dirty one little bit.’ She shrugged at his look of scepticism. ‘Honestly, it’ll give me something constructive to do, instead of sitting around twiddling my thumbs, and besides, two sets of hands are better than one, right?’
He took a breath, regarding her. ‘Yeah, seeing as you seem keen, a helping hand would be great, thanks.’ His charming smile broke and spread. ‘And while we’re both being honest, I’d welcome a human sidekick for a bit, rather than this scallywag who does nothing but get up to mischief.’ He looked to Teeny, now leaning up against his leg with his doggy eyes glued to him. ‘You’re all about fun and adventures, aren’t you, bud?’
Teeny responded with a hearty woof.
Jess smiled at their exchange. ‘Do I have time to grab a quick shower?’
‘Of course. I’ll go and chuck the tools we need into the Troopy, and make us some lunch to take, and then I’ll be back to grab you in about half-a, does that work for you?’
‘Yes, groovy as, I’ll be ready and waiting.’
And true to her word, she was, five minutes earlier than promised. As for Morgan, he was right on time, as always. Meeting him, she climbed into the passenger seat, and went to tug her seatbelt on.
‘We’re only going half a k or so up yonder, so no need for that, Jess.’ He chuckled. ‘Unless you don’t trust my driving, that is.’
‘No, it’s nothing like that.’ She’d never sat in a car without a seatbelt since her parents’ deaths, nor would she ever, no matter where she was, or how safe someone’s driving was. ‘But if you don’t mind, I’d rather wear it.’
‘Fair enough, you do you.’ He pulled a casual ‘whatever’ face then turned the Troopy around. ‘I suppose you’re used to having to belt up in Italy, hey; driving city streets would turn anyone into a bit of a city slicker.’
‘I do belt up over there, yes, but it’s not because I’ve become citified, Morgan.’ Feeling annoyingly misunderstood, she took a cautious step into uncomfortable territory. ‘It’s because of my parents’ deaths that I wear it.’ She said it far too bluntly to come across as casual as he had, and she instantly felt bad for doing so.
