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‘Oh, Jess, I’m sorry you couldn’t find her passport; it must have been really hard, deciding to come without her.’ Morgan’s heart ached for her, knowing how much she missed her daughter. They’d talked about Chiara quite a lot, and he loved learning about her little girl. ‘I’m sure she’s having a great time with your nonno, though,’ he said, trying to offer her some comfort. ‘And you’ll be back with her before you know it.’
‘Yes, time flies.’ She smiled but it was a little wobbly. ‘It’ll be good to get back into the sweet Italian life, too, I do miss it.’
While grabbing a glass of water from the tap, Morgan bit his tongue. It was as if she was acting, pretending to be content with her life back in Italy. But she wasn’t fooling him. Not in the slightest. He innately knew she’d be happier back here, with Chiara, surrounded by family and friends like him, Roberto and Shanti. And she was hiding something. He could feel it deep down in his bones. Not that he was going to try and pry it out of her. Essentially, it was none of his business, and besides, he was hiding something too. But not for much longer. Annie was on the clock.
Turning back to her, he cleared his throat, trying to shake off the thoughts that plagued him. ‘I’m going to run through the dip, then I’ll be back to make us that dinner I promised.’ He gave her a small smile before making his way towards the door. ‘And don’t you do a thing, because it’s my turn to cook.’ He pointed towards the lounge room. ‘In fact, how about you go and pick a record, or pop some tunes on the stereo.’
‘I reckon that sounds like a good idea.’ Her voice was warm, and her eyes held a hint of sadness that he couldn’t quite place. ‘Enjoy your shower.’
‘Thanks, will do,’ he called over his shoulder, at the same time thinking,I’d enjoy it a lot more if you were showering with me.
By the time he got back downstairs, Jess was nowhere to be seen and the weather had taken a turn. Gusts of wind lashed the trees down one side of the house. Humming to the Garth Brooks tune playing – he liked Jess’s choice of music – he looked up to the ceiling as the lights flickered when the electricity surged. Pan and tongs in hand, he held his breath. He’d decided against candles, just in case Jess thought he was trying to be romantic, but now he probably needed to light some in case there was a power cut. And just as he sparked the lighter and lit the last one of the six that he’d dotted around the kitchen and lounge room, there was a crack of lightning and the homestead fell into flickering dimness.
Thank goodness he had a gas stove. He flicked it on, and a whoosh sounded as the flame caught. He turned it down a little, not wanting to burn the two pieces of prime scotch fillet to a crisp. Next up he’d boil some sweet potatoes for a nice buttery mash and steam some green beans. Hopefully he had mushrooms in the fridge so he could make his favourite steak sauce. As he worked in the kitchen, the smell of the sizzling meat filled the room, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment. Cooking was his passion, and he loved nothing more than sharing it with the people he cared about. When he heard Jess’s footsteps on the stairs, he glanced over his shoulder, watching as she walked into the room, wrapped in a cosy blanket with the torch on her mobile phone lighting the way.
‘Is the power still out?’ she asked, her voice soft.
‘Yeah, looks like it.’ Morgan nodded, turning the steak over in the pan. ‘It’s okay though, we’ve got candles and a gas stove. We’ll make do.’
Meeting him at the stove she smiled, her eyes glittering in the candlelight. ‘You always know how to make the best of a situation, Mr Savage.’
He grinned back at her, feeling that familiar pull in his chest. ‘It’s just one of my many talents.’
As they got ready to sit down and eat, the conversation flowed easily between them. He’d always loved her laugh. Sweet, melodic, infectious, it was music to his soul. They talked about everything and nothing while they set the table, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other’s company. Pulling up a seat opposite her, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of happiness wash over him as he watched her take her first bite of the steak. Her eyes closed momentarily, savouring the flavour, and he knew he had nailed it.
‘This is amazing.’ She set down her fork. ‘And this mushroom sauce, oh my goodness, you really are a fantastic cook.’
He felt his cheeks heat up at her compliment. ‘Thanks, I’m glad you like it.’
They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, until Jess spoke up again. ‘You know, Morgan, I’ve been thinking a lot lately.’
Stabbing a piece of medium-rare steak, he fell short of bringing it to his mouth. ‘About what?’
Jess took a deep breath, her gaze steady on his. ‘About what we mean to each other and what that means moving forward with our newly formed friendship.’
Morgan’s heart rate quickened, and he felt a sense of anticipation building inside him. ‘I don’t understand what you’re getting at,’ he said, trying to keep his cool.
‘I suppose that I hope you’ll come over to Italy sometime, and stay with me and Chiara, so we can spend more time together.’ She cleared her throat. ‘As friends, I mean.’
Morgan felt a pang of disappointment wash over him. He’d been hoping for something more, but he knew he couldn’t force her into feeling anything she didn’t want to. ‘That sounds great,’ he said, trying to keep his voice light. ‘I’d love to visit you and Chiara, and get to see all of Florence with you two as my tour guides, for sure.’
Jess smiled at him, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that she still wanted him in her life, even if it was just as a friend. ‘Good,’ she said. ‘I think it would be great for Chiara to have another positive male influence in her life, other than my nonno.’
‘I’d be honoured to be that for her,’ he said, meaning every word. He loved kids, and he had a feeling that he would really like Chiara if he ever got the chance to meet her. He chose his next words carefully. ‘You don’t talk about Salvatore much. Does Chiara have a good relationship with her father, even though you’ve separated?’
Jess sighed, her gaze dropping to her plate. ‘Salvatore and I ended things on a bad note, and unfortunately, Chiara has been caught in the middle of it all this past eighteen months. He seems to be more interested in chasing women than spending time with her, and sadly, he’s made that quite clear.’ She shrugged. ‘He tries to make up for it by buying her gifts and taking her out occasionally, but it’s not the same as being present in her life on a daily basis.’ She finally looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness. ‘It’s hard, you know. Trying to be both a mother and a father to her. And I quite often feel as if I’m failing at both.’
Morgan felt his chest tighten with anger. How could anyone just abandon their child like that? He reached across the table and took Jess’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. ‘I’m sure you’re doing the best you can. And from what you’ve told me, and how you talk about her, you’re doing an amazing job.’
Jess gave him a watery smile, and he could see the gratitude in her eyes. ‘Thank you, Morgan. That means a lot.’
He felt a sudden urge to take her into his arms and hold her close, to comfort her in any way he could. He knew that they were just friends, but the way he felt about her was more than that. It was an ache that he couldn’t ignore. ‘Jess, you’re an incredible woman, and Chiara is lucky to have you as her mother.’ Leaning across the table, he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. ‘You’re doing an amazing job, and you should be proud of yourself.’
Jess looked at him, her eyes shining with tears. ‘Thank you, so very much,’ she said softly. ‘You always know how to make me feel better.’
Their eyes locked onto one another’s, and he felt an all-consuming, heart-wrenching emotion. It was love. And it both buoyed and hurt him in equal measures. All he could do in that poignant moment was smile softly, while his heart ached with a deep tenderness that he couldn’t express. He wished things were different between them, that they could be more than just friends. But they weren’t meant to be anything but.
With their plates empty, he stood to clear everything away. Jess helped him to pack the dishwasher, with her rinsing and him stacking. They worked like a well-oiled machine and he treasured how the conversation flowed so freely. All concern had now left her gaze, which was now lit with the flicker of candlelight. As he leant on the kitchen bench beside her, the intimacy of her gaze had the power to undo him, but he wasn’t about to let all his years of hard work in building a wall around his heart crumble. Being attracted to her was one thing, wanting her with every inch of his heart was another. And he couldn’t deny the magnetism he felt towards her, nor could he ignore the feelings that were bubbling up inside him. It was like a wildfire that he had to fight to control, one that threatened to consume him whole if he didn’t.
