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Jess looked to him and shook her head in awe. ‘Wow, this place looks like it’s right out of a fairy tale.’
‘Doesn’t it ever. Shanti’s mum has gone to a lot of trouble, by the looks.’ At the thought of spending a few hours here, alongside Jess, warmth poured through him. ‘It’ll be nice to let the world fade away for a little while.’
She nodded as if agreeing wholeheartedly.
Finding their nameplates, then pulling out her chair, he waited for Jess to sit before taking his next to her. Shanti and Roberto clearly weren’t giving up on the notion of getting them back together. He had to give them credit where credit was due – not that their efforts were going to come to anything. His life was here. Jess’s was a million miles away. Or at least that’s what it felt like. A waiter arrived at their side in seconds and poured them both a glass of bubbly, and the night officially began.
Jess took a delicate sip. ‘This champagne is yummy.’
Morgan did the same, grimacing. ‘I’ll have to disagree, I’m afraid.’
‘Ha, yes, you’re more of a prosecco and red wine man, aren’t you?’
‘Hell yeah, and beer, I like beer.’
She giggled, nodding. ‘Yes, you do.’
The rest of the night flowed along without a hitch. The food was delicious, the company was excellent, and the conversation was easy and enjoyable. And as the night wore on, he found himself growing more and more relaxed in her company and he could feel the weight of the past slowly lifting from his shoulders.
Before he knew it, it was his turn to stand and raise a toast. ‘To Roberto and Shanti.’ Holding the stem of the champagne flute, he raised it. ‘May they continue to make all of us envious of the amazing love they share.’
Glasses were raised as cheers erupted.
He took a swig and tried not to grimace again. Give him beer over this dry, expensive muck any day. At least he could get a firm grip on a beer bottle. After a few more toasts, the night slowly began to wind down. The guests started to leave, and he once again found himself alone with Jess. As they made their way through the packed club, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness. He’d truly enjoyed her company more than ever, and he didn’t want the night to end. Stepping into the cool night air, he sensed everything around him stilling as a wave of nostalgia hit him hard, along with something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was strange, because for the first time in a long time, he felt the emptiness of being childless and very single. Would he ever find the one, who’d outshine the glow that this beautiful woman beside him had left in his heart? If he didn’t, he’d die a very lonely, regretful man. He wanted a wife, he wanted a family, he wanted to share every day with his better half. He just wished it was Jess, because the love they’d shared could happen again in a heartbeat. He was sure of it.
She swayed a little in her heels as they walked towards the waiting limo, and he placed a steadying arm around her. As much as he longed to make love to her, he was going to see her home like a gentleman should. Make sure she was tucked up in bed before he hit the sack himself, alone, like he had for years. The ride home was quiet, but comfortably so, as she rested her head on his shoulder, and they watched the stars out the open roof. When they arrived home, way too fast for his liking, he headed up the front stairs and into the homestead.
Slipping off her heels, Jess tilted her head and glanced up at him. ‘Can you sit with me, just for a little bit, so I can wind down before bed?’
‘Yeah, of course I can. Would you like a hot chocolate with all the trimmings?’
She smiled softly. ‘That sounds perfect, thanks, Morgan.’
‘You get yourself comfortable wherever you like, and I’ll be back before you know it.’
‘Okey-dokey, I think I’ll go out to the back verandah.’
He liked her thinking. It was a perfect night for it. ‘See you out there soon.’
Ten minutes later, with two mugs of hot chocolate topped with lashings of canned whipped cream and dusted with cocoa, he carefully made his way out to her. Teeny had made himself comfortable at the foot of the swing chair and Jess had her legs curled up beneath her. The moon was high in the sky, casting a soft light over everything around them. He handed her a mug, and she smiled gratefully. Then they sat in another comfortable silence, sipping their hot chocolates and looking out and over the property.
Finally, Jess spoke up. ‘Thank you for tonight. I had a great time.’
Morgan smiled. ‘Me too. It was nice to spend time with you again.’
The easy conversation continued, and they chatted about their memories of growing up in Silverton Shores. Both were in agreement about how wonderful it had been. Reliving their happier times made him feel as happy as she looked, and it felt good to be the reason she was smiling. But then, in what felt like a blink of an eye, she brought her fingertips to her cheek, to wipe a few stray tears away.
Backpedalling in his mind, he tried to think of what he’d done, or said, to upset her. ‘Oh, Jess, sorry if I put my foot in my mouth.’
‘No, it’s not you.’ Her hand momentarily rested on his arm. ‘It’s just, being back here makes me miss my mum and dad so much.’ She sucked in a breath. ‘I just wish I could have one more day with them, you know, so I could tell them how much I appreciated and loved them.’
‘I’m sure you made them know that every single day they were here.’ He placed his hand over hers, gently squeezing her fingers, at the same time wishing to god he could tell her what he knew. ‘I suppose, in a way, coming back here is like peeling back a band-aid.’ There was still so much grief in her eyes, and it killed him to see it.
‘That’s a perfect analogy.’ Her tear-ravaged eyes met his, and almost broke him in two. ‘It’s been so long, and I didn’t think it would hit me so hard.’
A sudden surge of protectiveness overcame him, and he wished he could erase the pain from her eyes and make everything better in an instant. But for now, there was only one thing he could do. Hold her close. So he pulled her into his arms, feeling the warmth of her body against his. She rested her head on his chest, and he could feel the softness of her hair tickling his chin. It was an intimate moment, and he couldn’t help but feel a familiar stirring in his chest. For a long moment, followed by another, they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s arms, taking comfort in each other’s presence. He could feel the rise and fall of Jess’s breaths, and he knew that she was starting to settle. He stroked her hair gently and whispered words of comfort, promising that everything was going to be all right. She nodded, then met his gaze. And in that fleeting moment, it actually felt like it could be.
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