Page 14 of Road to Rosalee

The dripping subdued and he stopped short of her. ‘Are you okay?’ he finally asked, the strange connection he was feeling baffling him. Women, even gorgeous ones, usually didn’t have this effect on him.

‘Mm-hmm,’ she murmured, her body language speaking otherwise. Clearing her throat, she looked at him sheepishly then, as if unable to hold his gaze, lowered her red-rimmed eyes to the floor.

‘Can I get you something to drink? Water, coffee, tea?’

‘You got anything stronger?’ She actually smiled. ‘I could do with something to take the edge off, if I’m being honest.’

‘Afraid it’s a dry house.’

‘It is?’ She finally held his eyes.

‘Yeah, but it’s not really my place to explain.’ There’d been enough laid on the table for today, he thought. Besides, it was up to Matt and Sarah to tell her about Matt’s five years of sobriety, if they chose to.

‘Fair enough,’ she said gently. ‘I’m okay for a drink, then, thank you.’

Zai could see she needed a hug, and he had this immense hankering to touch her. Less than a metre out of his reach, he almost did just that, but then, afraid he might make her more uncomfortable, he stopped himself. Again. Leaning against the kitchen bench, he shoved his hands deep into his jeans pockets and shifted from foot to foot. There was a strong air of independence about her, despite her vulnerability right now, and he liked that about her, a lot. To be able to hold her own at a time like this showed immense courage.

He had an urge to take her into his arms, to allow her to cry the tears she was holding back into his chest. Then, like a slap to the face, his voice of reason told him to snap out of whatever was going on here. He had a reputation as a bit of a Casanova for a reason, though no one knew he kept women at arm’s length because he was terrified of being hurt.

He cleared his throat. He needed to get a damn grip on whatever was going on between him and this stunning woman.

After a few hushed words in the hallway, Matt and Sarah returned. ‘How about we all sit, and have a chat about …’ Matt paused, as if not knowing the right words, ‘… this?’ He gestured to the table with a tip of his head.

‘Tea or coffee?’ Sarah asked, looking from Zai to Melody, as if on autopilot.

‘Ahh, I’m good for a cuppa, thanks Sar.’ Although sympathetic to Melody, Zai felt so sorry for Sarah too – this would be a jolt to anyone’s life. ‘I think this might be my time to exit the building so you three can talk candidly.’

Matt offered a grateful half-smile. ‘Yeah, probably a good idea, do you mind, mate?’

‘Of course not. I’ve got a few things to do in town anyway, so all good.’ Zai grabbed his keys from the bowl on the bench.

‘You’ll be back in time for dinner, won’t you?’ Sarah asked, almost pleadingly.

‘Of course.’ Zai beamed her a smile. ‘I wouldn’t miss your cooking for the world.’

The room feel unnervingly silent. ‘Right then, I’m off.’ He offered Melody one last look of encouragement. ‘Deep breaths. You’ll be right,’ he said quietly as he passed her.

‘Thanks,’ she replied with a tiny grateful smile, one that lingered in Zai’s mind all the way into town.

* * *

An hour and a half later, with the floodgates well and truly open, and once Beau was down for a nap, Melody had filled in the blanks while pouring her heart and soul out to kind listening ears. Sitting across from Matt and Sarah at the tissue-scattered dining table, with the mouth-watering scent of a leg of lamb slow-roasting filling the room, she offered a shrug to fill the tiny silence that now ensued after the lengthy, and at times very emotional, conversation. It was so strange to be gazing at her father while not really knowing much about him – but this was a good start. He’d become justifiably weary before her eyes, his clamped hands atop the table at times white at the knuckles and his jaw muscles occasionally tight, especially when she’d been explaining why her mother had chosen to keep it all a secret. Even though they had good reason to, not once had he or Sarah had a bad word to say. She admired their resolve in not hitting below the belt, but instead doing their best to comprehend why her mum had felt it best. And Sarah’s subtle touches of support to him, along with her genuinely compassionate attention to Melody, revealed they both had empathetic natures. Melody counted her blessings – there weren’t many people like Matt and Sarah Walsh in this dog-eat-dog world. She could see why her mother had fallen for him, that one night. Part of her wondered what would have happened if they hadn’t come from opposite sides of Australia. But there was nothing to be gained from living in the past.

Finishing the last of her glass of water, Sarah leant forwards, her sympathetic gaze fixed to Melody’s. ‘Why did you choose to arrive out of the blue instead of calling first? I could imagine it would have been scary for you, turning up here.’

‘It was terrifying, but I was more worried you wouldn’t want anything to do with me, and at least by being here in the flesh, I thought it would be harder to be avoided, or forgotten.’

‘Oh, love.’ Sarah’s hand went to her heart. ‘We’d never turn our back on family, no matter what, isn’t that right, Matt?’ With him staring off into space, a million miles away, she gave him a little shove with her elbow. ‘Hey, love,’ she said, louder this time.

‘Oh, yes. I mean, no, of course we’d never kick a mate to the curb, let alone one of our own.’ Sitting up straighter, he reclaimed a look of composure. ‘Sorry I’m a little out of it, it’s just all such a shock to the system.’

Nodding, Melody smiled for the first time in hours. ‘No worries. I totally get that.’

‘You know …’ Sarah tipped her head to the side. ‘Now I know you two are related … you’ve got your dad’s eyes, Melody.’

‘Yes, I do.’ Melody had realised this the second she’d met her father’s eyes. ‘Mum had blue eyes.’ Thinking about the last time she’d peered into the windows to her mum’s soul, she thrust back the need to cry again. ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything to you when I got here, Sarah, it’s just, I didn’t—’

‘Please, don’t apologise,’ Sarah said, gently cutting her off. ‘I haven’t walked in your shoes, so I’m certainly not going to judge the way you handled things.’ She smiled now, right from the heart. ‘The way you’ve conducted yourself at a time like this, well, what can I say other than wow, what a strong-blooded woman. Anyone would think you’re from country stock.’ With that, she offered a wink and a grin.