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‘Oh, stop it already, there’ll be no shooting of cupid’s arrow from your romantic bow, thank you very much.’ It was Shanti’s turn to give Jess a little shove. ‘Roberto likes me as a mate, and that’s that.’
‘Righto.’ Jess pulled an I’m-not-buying-it face. ‘Whatever you say.’
Grinning, Shanti gave her the two-finger salute. ‘Hey, shouldn’t your mum and dad be here by now?’ She looked at her watch. ‘It’s almost eleven.’
‘Yeah, they should be.’ Jess huffed. ‘God only knows what’s held them up, literally.’ She chuckled. ‘Most likely Mum wanting to stop at every roadside produce trailer on the way back from the church Dad was pastoring at.’
Shanti rolled her eyes at the thought – Julie Sabatini was well known for her love of roadside fruit and vegetable stands. ‘Maybe give them a call, or I can if you like, while you start getting your hair done?’
‘Nah, all good, I’ll give them a quick ring.’ Grabbing her phone from herBRIDErobe pocket, she dialled her mum’s number. ‘Can you let the hairdresser know I’ll just be a sec, please?’
‘Sure thing, soon-to-be Mrs Savage.’ Shanti beamed then disappeared back inside.
Five rings sounded in Jess’s ear, then her mum’s recorded voice greeted her. ‘Hi, you’ve reached Julie and Enzo, we’re busy right now so please leave your message, and we’ll call you back as soon as we can. Ciao.’
‘Hey, Mum, it’s me, where are you? I hope everything’s okay. Call me back as soon as you get this message please.’ Hanging up, she gulped a breath of salty air as her heart began to beat faster.
Taking a moment, she tried calling again, but once again it went to message bank. ‘Me again, please call me back as soon as poss. I’m starting to get worried.’ Turning then stepping inside, she looked to where her big sister was pouting as she had lip-gloss applied. ‘Hey, Annie, I just tried calling Mum and Dad, twice, but there was no answer.’
Taking a moment to reply, until the make-up artist was done with her lips, Annie swivelled in her seat to face her. ‘They’ll be here soon, I’m sure. Dad likely just got caught up trying to leave church.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘You know how much they all love his sermons and like to tell him so afterwards.’
‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’ Jess offered the hairdresser a smile as she settled into the seat in front of her. ‘It’s not like them to be late, though, to anything, let alone my wedding day.’
‘Annie’s right, mate, they’ll be here soon.’ Reaching out, Shanti gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. ‘Your mum’s most likely knocked the silent button again, and she just can’t hear your calls coming in.’
‘Yeah, you’re both probably right, but you know me, I’m a worry wart sometimes.’ Trying to ignore the snowballing sick feeling in her belly, Jess looked Annie up and down. ‘Wowsers, sis, you look bloody amazing.’
‘Ha, yeah, take my scrubs off and I can scrub up like the best of them, my sweet Jessie.’ Hugging her fluffy pinkBRIDESMAIDrobe to her, Annie turned left to right, posing as if she were Marilyn Monroe. ‘You just wait until I pop my bridesmaid dress on, then I’ll be turning heads quicker than you can say bombshell.’
‘Truth, Annie, I’m so used to seeing you in your nurse’s uniform, I forgot there’s a whole lotta woman underneath all that starched blue.’ Chuckling at her much older and, in her opinion, much prettier sister as she struck a few more poses, Jess tried her best to ignore the growing sense that something was wrong.
* * *
Ribbons of gold sunlight filtered through the paperbark trees, and the chatter of crickets, lowing of cattle and whinnies of horses carried across the rolling thousand acres that was the renowned Savage Acres Angus Stud. Standing on the wide back verandah of his parents’ sprawling two-storey Queenslander homestead, a cold mid-strength beer in hand, with Chris Stapleton’s honkytonk voice carrying from the speakers, Morgan Savage enjoyed the sensation of the early-afternoon sunshine warming his back while the laughter of his groomsmen kicking back on the outdoor settee set the tone for what he was sure was going to be a gloriously happy day.
Leaning on the railing, he smiled to himself.You’re one lucky SOB, Savage …
Soon he’d get out of his singlet and boardies, and slip into his tailored navy suit, snakeskin boots and brand-spanking new black Akubra. He’d been counting down the years, months, weeks, then days, then hours, until this very day, and he couldn’t be any happier that it was finally here. Just picturing his stunning bride-to-be walking down the aisle, towards him, to be with him forever, his heart picked up the pace from a happy canter to a saddleless gallop. Jess Sabatini had a way of making him feel so alive, so happy, so loved. After six and a half years together, their connection had only strengthened, deepened, intensified as each day had passed. He found it hard to believe that he could love her any more than he already did, but with a bond like theirs, it was inevitable he would one day die a very happy man after spending his life with her by his side. And once they added their longed-for children into the mix and made the two of them a family of four, he could only imagine just how wonderful their life was going to be. He was a very lucky man to be loved by a woman as magnificent as his precious Jess.
With his phone chiming from his back pocket, he plucked it out and looked at the caller ID. Why would Jess be calling him now? She should be sliding her beautiful self into her beautiful gown – heck, she’d look good in a hessian bag – then into the back of the classic candy-apple red 1968 HK Holden Monaro he’d had restored as a surprise matrimonial car for them.
‘Hey, my sexy bride-to-be.’ He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face.
‘Morgan, it’s me, Annie.’ She was sobbing so hard she was barely comprehensible.
‘Annie, is everything okay?’ The wild gallop of his heart was no longer pleasant.
‘No, it’s not.’ Annie’s voice shuddered. ‘It’s Mum and Dad, they’ve been in a terrible accident.’
‘Jesus.’ The world suddenly swayed, and he grabbed hold of the railing with a vicelike grip. ‘Are they okay?’
‘We don’t know.’ Racking sobs echoed as the phone muffled. Momentarily lost for words, and worried sick about how Jess would be handling this, he dragged his gaze from the recently renovated cottage up the rise – the one he and his new bride were about to call home – and instead looked to where Jess’s brother, Roberto, was clinking beers with another of his groomsmen. How in the hell was he supposed to pass this horrendous information on to his best mate?
‘Hey, Morgan.’ Shanti’s trembling voice came down the line. ‘All we know is that they’ve been involved in a head-on with a drunk driver.’ She sniffled. ‘Mum’s on the phone now, trying to find out more, so when we hear anything, anything at all, I’ll be sure to let you know, okay.’
‘Okay.’ A supportive hand came down on Morgan’s shoulder, and he turned to catch eyes with his father – the grief in his dad’s gaze let him know he’d just taken a similar call. ‘How’s Jess doing?’
‘Oh, Morgan, she’s not good at all.’ Sobs sounded in the background and Shanti cleared her throat. ‘I better go and comfort her and Annie, talk soon, mate.’
