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Watching him disappear outside, Jess finally remembered to breathe. She gasped in a lungful of air, then looked to Shanti, who was watching her with amusement written all over her face.
‘What?’ she asked, her cheeks feeling hotter than hot.
‘You know what.’ Shanti took her hand. ‘Come on, let’s go meet your big sister, so we three can have those massages we’ve been looking forward to.’
They arrived at the day spa ten minutes later, along with Annie, and as soon as they stepped inside, Jess felt a wave of relaxation wash over her. The air was thick with the scent of lavender and lemongrass, and the soft sound of relaxation music filled the air. The masseuse greeted them warmly, and they were led into a dimly lit room, where they were left to change into plush robes. As they all picked a table to lie down on and the masseuses began to work their magic on their tense muscles, Jess tried to focus on the feeling of the warm oil flowing over her skin. She took a few deep breaths, letting the tension slowly melt away with each passing minute. With skilled hands moving to her shoulders, she felt herself drifting into a state of utter relaxation. She could feel the knots in her muscles slowly dissolving, and a sense of deep calm washing over her. It was a welcome reprieve from all the chaos and stress that had been consuming her lately. Closing her eyes, she drifted off with the gentle rhythm of the music, letting the warm oil and trained hands take her to a place of pure bliss.
CHAPTER
13
With his joggers on his antsy feet and AirPods snugly in to drown out the world’s noise, Morgan stepped out of the coolness of the homestead and into the first light of day. Deciding on the longer track, he headed west, away from the main buildings and up the ridge. As his feet rhythmically hit the ground, one after the other, a light sheen of sweat covered his body. As tough as the incline was, he increased his speed, pounding his legs harder and harder as he went upwards. He felt the blood pump through his veins, and with that his mind emptied. By the time he’d reached the top, sunshine poured over the landscape below, igniting the distant ocean in glistening splendour. Admiring his view, he turned right, following the track that hugged the hill and overlooked the sea. It was here, where he could run and see the vast, empty expanse before him, that he felt truly at peace. Keeping his breathing in check, he could just make out the bobbing boats, moored in the harbour, along with the glint of the hall where Roberto and Shanti were holding their reception.
Running was his escape from reality, a momentary reprieve from the stresses of life. Here, he only needed to focus on the rhythm of his breathing, the pounding of his feet on the ground, and the direction he was heading, and it felt invigorating. Anything to keep his mind off Jess was a good thing. But try as he might, his thoughts kept drifting back to her. It was hard not to think about her when she was only a stone’s throw away. But he had to. To save his sanity. Stretching his legs in a bid to widen his gait that little bit more, he relished the thumping of his feet upon the earth he called home. Pushing his limits helped him ignore the pestering thoughts of Jess being way out of his reach. Glancing at his smartwatch while maintaining his pace, he checked his heart rate then, happy it was in the fat-burning range, kept pounding the dirt track that would lead him back down the hill, and back to Jess. He could have chosen to go the other way, the easier way, but that was no fun. No fun at all. He liked to test his limits, make it that little bit tougher, because it all added to his gain.
As he descended, to his frustration, Jess’s face kept popping into his head. He’d been trying his hardest to ignore the feelings he had for her, but they were becoming increasingly impossible to deny. The way she looked at him, the way she smiled at him, the way she made him feel so high on her when she was around him, it all made his heart race. But he had to be careful. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship or make things awkward between them. He’d already seen the way she’d reacted to him at the haberdashery store, and he didn’t want to push his luck.
Slowing, he turned the corner of the machinery shed and there she was, out on the front verandah, her feet resting up on the railings as she sipped from her ritual morning coffee. And right beside her sat Teeny. The morning sun illuminated her features, highlighting the softness of her skin and the curve of her lips, making her hair and eyes sparkle. He couldn’t help but feel drawn to her like a bee to honey as he approached. She looked up and their eyes met, and a jolt of electricity shot through him. Their connection was almost too much for him to handle.
Slowing as he went through the front gate, he pulled to a complete stop at the bottom of the steps. ‘Morning, Jess.’
‘Hey, Morgan.’ Her voice was softly sweet. ‘You’re keen.’
‘Yeah, running helps clear my head.’ Leaning over, he untied his laces.
‘I’m doing the same thing just by sitting here,’ she said, taking another sip of her coffee. ‘It’s nice to have the time to enjoy the peace and quiet before the chaos of the day starts.’
Morgan nodded, taking a swig from the water bottle he’d left on the bottom step. ‘It’s beautiful out here, huh.’ He took in the sweeping views. ‘Mind if I sit with you while I cool down?’
‘Of course not.’ She jostled over and patted the seat. ‘Come, join in the serenity with me and Teeny.’
Taking the steps two at a time, he sank down beside her. Wearing white shorts and a navy T-shirt, she had damp hair, like she hadn’t long stepped from the shower, and her skin looked silky smooth. As his eyes wandered covertly over her, he noticed her bare feet, and her toenails painted a pretty coral pink. And boy oh boy, she smelt so good. They sat in a companionable silence, the only sound the gentle rustle of the leaves in the breeze. It felt so good, so right, just being with her, doing the simplest of things. An ache clawed at his chest as his heart skipped. He wanted to tell her how much he loved having her here. And how her presence lightened the dark world he sometimes found himself within. He also wanted to tell her just how badly she’d hurt him. But he locked his lips shut, thinking better of it. What good would come of such revelations? Lightning never struck the same place twice. He couldn’t afford to let her know just how much he still felt for her, nor did he want to see the pity in her eyes if she learnt how his heart was still so broken from her. No. He needed to stay firmly planted on his side of the line. And she on hers. Safely out of his reach. Humouring any thoughts of rekindling their old flame was dangerous. He didn’t want to dwell on their relationship of the past. He wanted to relish their friendship in the present. But as he watched her take another sip of coffee, he couldn’t help but feel the temptation growing stronger. In a perfect world, he’d cross that line, he’d reach out and touch her, feeling the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips. The unspoken words that lingered between the breath she’d just stolen and his next one was palpable. He needed to apply the brakes to his yearnings. Immediately. They’d been down this road once before, and they’d hit a dead end. He wasn’t about to try it all over again. It would end up in the same place. With her gone. And him broken.
With his heart desperately reaching for hers, he knew he had to do something before he lost control. So he jumped to his socked feet, and said, ‘Catch you on the flip side.’
Tipping her head in his direction, she looked at him oddly, a smirk on her lips. ‘That’s pretty hip lingo, Morgan.’
‘Oh yeah, oops.’ He shrugged his awkwardness off. ‘I should’ve said, I hope you have a good day.’
‘Okaaay, I hope you have a good day, too.’ She sounded as confused as he felt right now.
He shook his head as he strode away, trying to clear the jumbled mess, but when he glanced back, she was still there, staring at him like he’d lost his marbles. He slowed as he approached the door, then disappeared inside. Talk about acting like a loon. He really needed to get his head straight before he faced the day. A dunk under a freezing cold shower should hopefully do the trick. First things first, though, he thought as he headed to the kitchen to make himself an extra-strong cup of coffee. The caffeine might help to jolt some common sense into him. As he waited for the water to boil, he gazed out the window, slowing his breath, and his thoughts, while taking in the beauty of the morning out the window.
Suddenly, there were footsteps behind him, and he jumped, startled. He spun around and flashed Jess a smile. ‘Hey.’
‘Hey, I’ve been thinking, and I really need to talk to you,’ she said, her eyes full of emotion. ‘You got a minute?’
Morgan hesitated before nodding. ‘Yeah, of course, what is it?’
‘Can we sit?’ She placed her empty cup down. ‘I promise it won’t take long.’
‘Sure.’ He led her to the lounge room and sat down across from her on the one-seater couch.
They sat in silence for a few brief moments before she cleared her throat and spoke up.
‘I know I hurt you when I left here, Morgan.’ She paused, and sniffed, as though reining in tears. ‘And I’m so sorry for that.’
Morgan’s heart clenched with the apology he’d longed for, for years, as memories of their past flooded his mind. ‘It’s okay,’ he said, trying to be nonchalant. ‘It’s been a long time.’
