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‘The best one I’ve had in ages.’ She shrugged softly. ‘I don’t know if it’s the fresh country air here, but I feel like I could sleep for days.’ Her smile was soft and alluring, and Morgan couldn’t help but feel the magnetic pull between them.
‘Glad to hear it,’ he said.
‘Would you like a couple of eggs while I’m at it?’ She pointed to the frying pan with her spatula.
‘Yeah, nah, but thanks. I might just have a couple of bits of toast.’
Jess leant against the counter, sipping her coffee. ‘So, what’s on the agenda for today?’
He grabbed two bits of bread and popped both into the toaster. ‘Well, I need to mow the two acres around the homestead, fix the windmill, and get a lick of paint on the tack shed.’
Jess raised an eyebrow. ‘Sounds like a busy day.’
‘Yeah, it is, but it all needs to be done.’ He grabbed the butter and Vegemite. ‘What are you up to for the day?’
‘I haven’t got any definite plans.’ She popped her eggs on top of sliced avocado, then glanced over her shoulder. ‘I’m going to head out for a bit, maybe do some shopping or something like that.’
‘Okay, sounds good.’ Morgan tried to keep his voice casual as he contemplated what would happen if she called in to Annie’s while he was there.
His toast ready to go, he lathered butter and Vegemite in equally thick layers and decided to eat on the run. ‘I’m off, so I’ll catch up with you later on.’
‘Righto.’ Sitting at the breakfast bench, Jess smiled as he headed towards the door. ‘Enjoy your day doing.’
‘I’ll try, and you enjoy your day moseying,’ he called back.
As he strode towards the front door, his heart felt achingly heavy with what he knew he needed to do. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out and into the sunshine-filled day, grabbed his work boots and welcomed his offsider to join him. Patting Teeny’s furry head, he felt comforted by his doggy mate’s company. He’d always been in awe of the unwavering loyalty that dogs provided, something he’d found sorely lacking in most of his relationships with people. Even Jess. For a brief moment, as he walked towards the machinery shed, he entertained the idea of confiding in Teeny, imagining he was a wise old sage who could give him advice. But then he laughed at the ridiculous thought, shaking his head and instead focusing on the tasks that lay ahead.
By mid-afternoon, he’d accomplished everything on his to-do list. He was covered in sweat, horsehair, Teeny fur, grease and dirt, but it felt good to get things completed. As he made his way back to the homestead for a quick freshen up and a big drink of icy cold water, he saw Jess’s VW was still gone, which filled him with relief. Knowing what he was about to go and do, he’d find it tough to look her in the eyes right now. He wanted to face the music and get this over with as soon as possible. But how would Jess react when she found out? Would she understand he’d been stuck in the middle of it all? Would she forgive him? He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Completely. Again.
Time would tell if that was going to be the case.
After a quick pit stop at the bakery, he pulled up out the front of Annie’s. The encroaching storm clouds had pushed their way across the sky, and now hogged almost every square inch of it. It felt like a fitting move by Mother Nature considering he, too, felt as if a storm was brewing. It sucked to be torn between two women he cared about, but he had to withstand the torture. Once and for all, Jess deserved the truth. And he wasn’t leaving here until he made Annie see the sense in that.
On autopilot, he stepped out of the Troopy and made his way up the garden path, towards the tiny duplex. He stood at the front door, mammoth lamingtons and two pieces of macadamia slice in hand, knocked, then waited for it to be answered. Footfalls approached, and then the wooden door swung open.
‘Morgan, hey.’ Annie glanced past him, as if expecting Jess, too.
‘Hey, Annie, is this a good time?’
Her eyes fell to the brown paper bags, stamped with the bakery’s logo. ‘It’s always a good time when you come bearing treats.’ She pecked his cheek then stepped aside. ‘Come on in and please, mind the mess.’
As he stepped inside he was immediately hit with the strong scent of cigarettes and stale alcohol. His eyes scanning the living room of the studio-style duplex, he was shocked to see it looked like a war zone. Clothes were scattered all over the place, and there were empty pizza boxes and beer bottles littering the coffee table, as well as an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. Annie had always been a bit of a wild child, but it seemed like things had gotten out of control. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness for her, and guilt for not seeing the signs.
‘What’s going on, Morgan?’ she asked, settling onto the couch and patting the spot next to her. ‘And please tell me this visit has nothing to do with me talking to Jess.’
Huffing, he contemplated the demon that had been plaguing him for way too long, while struggling to stay calm and keep his head straight. ‘Yeah, it does, Annie.’
‘Morgan,’ she said, her tone cautionary. ‘I thought I told you to drop this.’
‘Well, I’m not going to.’ He shifted in his seat, stalling for a few moments. ‘I’m sorry, Annie, but Jess doesn’t deserve to be kept in the dark any longer.’
‘Don’t you think I know this, Morgan, I mean for god’s sake, can you see the state of my place?’ She waved her arms around as she shot to her feet. ‘You keep going on and on about how it’s affecting you, and what I should do, but have you stopped to think about the pressure I’m under right now, between back-to-back shifts and Jess being back here, and how it’s affecting me?’
‘Yes, I have thought about it, Annie, quite a lot.’ Seeing her like that sent his heart careening off its tracks. ‘And you’ve always played it so cool when I’ve broached the subject.’ He cleared the emotion from his throat. ‘But now, seeing you, and this place, I can see what it’s doing to you.’
Annie’s eyes flickered with a hint of sadness. ‘It’s not your problem, Morgan. I’ll deal with it in my own way.’
‘But you’re not dealing with it, Annie. You’re drowning in it.’ Morgan’s voice rose in frustration as he watched her grab a cigarette and light it. ‘I care about you, you know that, but I care about Jess too. And I honestly can’t keep this secret any longer.’
