by Mandy Magro
‘Hi, love.’ Sherrie’s warm smile shone through her gentle voice. ‘Are you over at our place yet?’
‘Almost. I’m heading down your driveway as we speak.’ Horses stirred in the paddocks and heads popped up and looked in Juliette’s general direction as she passed. ‘I’ll call into your place for a cuppa before I unpack, if you’re not too busy, that is?’
‘Oh, I would have loved that, but I’ve had to pop into town to run a few errands. Can I take a raincheck?’
Juliette smiled. ‘Of course, how’s tomorrow?’
‘Perfect. I’m home all day.’
‘Okay. Thanks again, Sherrie, for everything.’
Sherrie tutted. ‘Don’t speak of it. You’re always welcome, love.’
Juliette blinked back grateful tears. ‘You’re lovely.’
‘So are you.’ Sherrie paused and Juliette fought to pull her turbulent emotions in check. ‘Enjoy settling into your new home, love, and I’ll see you sometime tomorrow, okay?’
‘You sure will. Bye.’
‘Bye, love.’
She slowed as she neared the paddock closest to her new home, for now. Warrior, the first of her prized possessions, she’d moved this morning. He was now over the other side of the enclosure, strutting his stuff while clearly trying to woo the pretty Appaloosa mare in the neighbouring paddock. Chuckling to herself, she shook her head. Men. They were all the bloody same.
Reaching Zoe’s cottage, she pulled up beneath the open lean-to carport and hopped out. Staring at her life, stuffed into the back of her ute, she sighed resignedly. There was nothing like having to start from scratch, all over again. She hoped her lawyer would get what was justly hers, but for now, it was one step at a time. After settling in here, she was going to tackle the visit to her mother, with the photographs. She prayed that it would change her mother’s life for the better. Then, if her mother made the right choice and left her berating, abusive husband, Juliette was going to face her fears and, with Joel by her side, go to the police station and make a statement about what Levi and Jackson Muller had done to her. It was a good plan, but one that wasn’t entirely up to her.
Grabbing two bags filled with her clothes and toiletries, she circled the water tank at the side of the cottage and wearily made her way towards the front door, the soft tinkle of wind chimes welcoming her. Wandering down the pebbled pathway, she looked to the purple-blossomed creeper lining the lattice that edged the wraparound verandah, and then to the green oasis that gave privacy and shade to the front and back of the house. White-petaled, sun-centred jasmine flowers flourished on either side of the four front steps, the heady scent a little overpowering as she climbed them. Kicking her thongs off when she reached the welcome mat she’d bought Zoe for Christmas, which asked Did you bring wine?, a smile bubbled up from within. She shoved the door open with a creak and stepped inside. The air was several degrees cooler and, as always, the cute home was as neat as a pin.
Brute padded in beside her, his collar jangling, and headed to where he always sat when visiting – his special spot on Zoe’s cowskin rug in front of the telly. The lingering scent of the many candles, combined with the hundreds, if not thousands, of sticks of incense Zoe had burnt here over the years, tantalised her senses. The three-seater couch, with a throw and matching cushions, was a place where she and Zoe had shared many a night over glasses of wine, chatting about men, life, and random subjects. The familiarity of it all gave her a sense of being welcome here.
Home.
Dumping her bags on the queen bed in Zoe’s room, she decided she was done moving for the day. There was always tomorrow to tackle the task of unpacking. For now, all she wanted was a nice hot shower and to slip into her favourite PJs, before putting her feet up with a glass of wine and watching the sun go down on the day she’d changed her life.
Once she was freshened up and feeling a little more human, she went to feed her four-legged friend – it was past his dinnertime. Wandering into the quaint kitchen, with its white cupboards and pale blue walls, she tugged open the groovy sky-blue Smeg fridge, which matched the kettle and toaster, plucked out a ziplock bag with Brute’s kangaroo mince, her bottle of sauvignon blanc, deli-wrapped pepperoni and a block of Cracker Barrel cheese – thank goodness she’d dashed into town earlier on to grab the essentials – and busied herself preparing a slap-dash dinner. Then, with Brute basically inhaling his food, she fetched the box of BBQ Shapes from the bench, grabbed a long-stemmed glass from the overhead cupboard and made her way outside.
The setting sun’s rays lengthened across the backyard as she settled on the top step and rested her back against the banister. A huge poinsettia tree shaded the front of the home from the afternoon sun. Beyond the couple of horse paddocks, rows of fruit trees and rolling green pastures drew her attention. As a teenager, she’d spent many a day in the school holidays picking and packing fruit or helping to sort cattle for the markets. The echoes of the past gripped her, and the heaviness of memories slipped over her. A familiar ache crept across her chest as she recalled all the happy times she’d spent here, by Joel’s side.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to block out the utter heartbreak of the day she’d come here to say she didn’t want to break up with him only to find Joel gone. To never speak to him again, to smooth things over had, in itself, broken her. Even now, allowing herself to rest in the feeling of it all, anger and resentment and hurt washed over her. She quickly shook the melancholy from her mind before she drowned in it.
Instead, she imagined what it would feel like to be free to follow her heart, like Aunt Janey had said, despite the warnings of her mind. She visualised sitting on the back of Joel’s LandCruiser, wrapped up in his arms as they gazed at a star-studded night sky, at peace, in love. Safe. And as her fantasy progressed, she pictured kissing him, imagining what it would be like to feel his strong hands sliding over her naked skin. Never having made love to him, she wondered how it would feel, especially now they were adults. Her nerve endings firing to life, she was more than tempted, but reality broke through too soon and she came to her senses, although her body still lingered in the possibility of him and her being a them.
The mournful cry of a curlew carried upon the gentle breeze, pulling her attention into the here and now and sending the hair standing up on the back of her neck – the sound had always given her the heebie-jeebies. Brute pushed through the old cat door and joined her, curling up at her feet. Staring into the golden gloriousness of the setting sun, she wondered what was next on god’s agenda for her. It felt strange, no longer identifying herself as Mrs Lachlan Davis, and stranger still to be back here, at Joel’s place. Full circle. A harsh lesson learnt in not rushing into things. As messed up as she’d been after breaking up with Joel, she’d gone into the relationship with Lachlan determined to be a good wife, and she had been. At the very least, she could hold onto that.
Sipping her wine, she tried to foresee the whispers around town once word got out of her impending divorce and the fact she’d moved here. Like a match thrown to dry grass, the break-up was going to spread like wildfire, the story becoming more and more twisted as it passed down the line. And she knew for certain, one way or another, the blame would be all on her. She’d have to take it on the chin, because she wasn’t about to put Lachlan under the bus to save herself. The only solution, right now, was to take one steady step at a time, by herself, for herself.
Stirring out of his food-induced coma, Brute wriggled up beside her, his kind eyes staring at her. ‘So, do you like your new home, boy?’ she said, as she scooped him up and held him close. He settled into her, his cold nose wet against her neck. ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’ She smiled and added, ‘So do I.’
The rumble of an engine pulled her attention down the drive. Raising a hand to shield her eyes, she squinted into the setting sun. Pulling the LandCruiser up, Joel stepped out, the sunlight silhouetting his strapping shoulders. In his T-shirt and jeans, he looked so fierce with his clipper-cut hai
r and angled jawline, Juliette didn’t know which response she felt the strongest, the need to remain aloof from the animalistic attraction she’d always had around him or the desire to tumble into his burly arms.
‘Howdy, neighbour,’ he said, swaggering over then coming to a stop before her.
‘Hey, Joel.’ His hair was damp and he smelt like Imperial Leather soap. She ached to kiss him. ‘How goes it?’
‘Yeah, can’t complain.’ His cavalier smile widened. ‘Well, I could, but I don’t want to. How ’bout you?’
‘It’s been a long day, but I feel much better now I’m here.’
‘I feel better now you’re here, too.’ His smile faltered. He turned it towards the ever-changing horizon, then back to her. His eyes seemed to glow like the fiery orb of the sun.
Involuntarily, her fingers went to her lips as she tore her gaze from his, her heart pounding and her cheeks hot. ‘It’s a beautiful sunset, hey?’
He looked to the warm-hued sky. ‘Ain’t it ever?’
Moments passed. Comfortable moments, with both of them lost in the rich shades of orange, purple and crimson. Juliette knew the tingling warmth deep inside of her had nothing to do with the lingering heat of the day. Lachlan and Joel were such polar opposites – white collar and man of the land, shallow and deep, hurtful and heartfelt. She knew she was susceptible to her childhood sweetheart’s charming ways. She needed to get a damn grip before she went and did something recklessly selfish. She was barely out of a marriage and needed time to find her feet and who she was again. So as much as she craved to tear off his every inch of clothing, to feel his strong body bearing down upon her, she shifted to standing, the empty plate in hand, and sculled the last of her wine.
At her bare feet, Brute stood too, his head going from her to Joel and back again – he clearly knew the humans were acting a little weird around one another.
Turning his attention back to her, Joel hesitated at the foot of the steps. ‘Anyway …’ He sucked in an uneasy breath. ‘I hope you don’t mind me just dropping in, but I brought you a little housewarming gift.’ He held up the box of Lindt assorted chocolate balls. ‘As I recall, these little beauties were your favourites.’
‘They still are. And if I remember rightly, they were yours too.’ She smiled with fond memories. ‘Do you remember how we used to battle over the last one, but you were always chivalrous and gave it to me in the end, though you loved stirring me up.’
‘That I did.’ A touch of a smirk quivered on his lips. ‘A woman should always get what she wants from her man.’
His brazen statement stole her breath, but she quickly retrieved her pulse and pulled it into line. ‘Well, in that case …’ Sweeping her gaze over the magnificence that was all of him, her heart begged to be closer to his. What would it hurt, just spending some time with him? ‘… you better get your Wrangler butt up here and share those chocolates with me.’
He beamed. ‘I thought you’d never ask.’ Joel clearly didn’t need any more of an invitation, clearing the steps two at a time.
Juliette gestured to the swing chair. ‘Pull up a seat.’ She held up her glass. ‘I’m just going to duck inside to get a refill. Would you like one while I’m at it?’
His shoulders lifted casually as he flashed her a roguish smile. ‘I don’t have anywhere else better to be, so why the hell not?’
She returned in minutes with the rest of the bottle and two glasses, only to find Brute curled up in Joel’s lap. Juliette’s heart melted. ‘He’s got you wrapped around his little paw already.’ She settled down beside Joel, liking the feel of his thigh up against hers.
‘It’s not hard.’ Joel smirked. ‘He’s insanely loveable.’
‘Only to people he likes.’ She chuckled, rolling her eyes. ‘He’s a right little turd to people he doesn’t like.’ She pointed to her doggy mate. ‘Those teeth may seem tiny, but they hurt when he nips an unsuspecting ankle.’
Joel feigned absolute shock-horror. ‘Oh, come on, look at him, all sweet and innocent. It’s not possible he could be so unfriendly.’ Joel stroked Brute’s head so gently Juliette wished it were her that he was running his hands over.
His eyelids heavy, Brute looked as if he’d died and gone to heaven. Joel’s genuine kindness to his new friend was endearing. Lachlan had never had the time of day for Brute, or Warrior, or her, for that matter.
As the sun began to slip behind the mountain ranges, Juliette poured them each a generous glass of wine. Accepting his with a dreamy dimpled smile, Joel one-handedly opened the box of chocolates, making sure to offer Juliette the first. She went straight for the white chocolate filled with creamy sweetness. Joel grabbed his preferred one, salted caramel. Time stalling and rewinding, they tucked in, laughing and playfully slapping each other’s hands away from their chosen chocolates. Before she knew it, she’d gone and scoffed eight, and had lost count of Joel’s heists.
Simple things gave such simple pleasure.
Sitting so intimately close, she watched him lick the chocolate from his fingertips, the gesture doing something insanely erogenous to her insides. ‘Talk about knowing exactly how to make a gal feel better,’ she said.
Joel peered at her over the rim of his long-stemmed glass, all too dainty for his manly hands. ‘No probs. Anything to make you smile.’
‘Aww, shucks.’ She playfully batted her eyelashes. ‘You’re such a sweetheart.’
‘Only with people I like.’ He grinned like a bad boy about to do something terribly wrong. ‘Like Brute, I’m a bit of a turd to those I don’t.’ He smacked his teeth together. ‘I’ve got sharp fangs too.’
Juliette laughed at his antics. He’d always been able to make her laugh, even when she was sad – he clearly hadn’t lost the knack. Although doing her best to keep the atmosphere light and friendly, she still gushed beneath his blue-eyed stare. If she was being completely honest, she wanted to feel his arms wrap around her so much that she could barely stand it. She took a gulp of her wine, followed by another, as he continued to look at her with those piercing eyes.
‘You know what?’ she finally said, breaking the slightly awkward silence.
‘Nope, I’m afraid I don’t. Tell me about this “what”.’ The curl of his lips became even more playful, almost a little suggestive.
Their glasses empty, she poured them another, draining the bottle. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said, passing the glass back to him. ‘I’ve got more wine inside.’
He took his glass from her and raised it before taking a sip. ‘Good, because I reckon we might be on a roll here.’
The wine helping her relax, Juliette took a few moments to drink all of him in.
‘I can hear your mind ticking away.’ He turned and studied her with intense eyes. ‘What are you thinking about?’
‘I’m thinking that I can’t believe a woman hasn’t snapped you up yet.’ Curling a leg up beneath her, she turned a little in her seat and considered him with equal curiosity.
His smile all but disappeared. ‘I haven’t wanted anyone to snap me up.’ Looking away from her, he seemed to drift somewhere else. ‘I haven’t been interested in settling down, and I’ve been too busy working to bother with all the drama of a relationship.’
‘Mmhhmm.’ His answer was not overly convincing. Her gaze fell to his hard-worn hands. ‘That’s a shame. You’d make a good husband, and a good father, Joel.’
He flicked his gaze back to her and, unlike before, it was filled with so much depth she could hardly breathe. ‘I can’t go and let a woman fall in love with me when I’m already in love with someone else now, can I? That would just be selfish.’
She had to fight to control her breath, to keep it somewhat even. ‘I suppose that would be unfair.’
He nodded, very, very, slowly. ‘Mmhhmm.’ Seizing her eyes with his, he refused to let her go.
Like a deer caught in headlights, she blurted out the first sentence she could hustle together. ‘So, who’s the lucky woman then?’ She knew all too well t
hat she was that lucky woman, but what was she meant to do with such information?
His smile was deliberately slow. ‘That’s for me to know and you to find out.’
‘Righto then,’ she said, fidgeting as if she were covered in fire ants.
‘What the hell are we doing, Jules?’ he sighed, shaking his head.
She froze, swallowed hard. ‘What do you mean?’ She felt heat rise to her cheeks as his leathery, manly scent drove her wild.
He half-chuckled and then sobered, his gaze intent. Reaching out, he gently cupped her face. ‘I see you for the amazing woman you are, Firecracker. You know that, right?’
The hunger in his eyes rattled her, and the raw intimacy in his voice sent her heart into a fervent flutter. It felt really good to be cared for by a man like him, but equally terrifying and overwhelming. ‘Thank you, Joel. That means a lot,’ she choked out as she looked away, regarding the twilight sky.
Bracketing her face with his hands, he gently turned her back to him, his passionate gaze giving her the undeniable understanding of all he felt for her. And just like that, as though completely helpless, her soul tumbled. Before she could say anything, think anything, before she could talk herself out of what her heart craved, everything around them faded away, leaving just her and him, here, living in the moment together. Her voice of reason echoed in the back of her mind, but it was distant, incoherent.
Silently, he leant in and kissed the tip of her nose, so softly, so tenderly, her toes curled. Their magnetism was a force to be reckoned with, the flicker of old flames turning into an inferno of want and need. She captured his mouth with a hungry kiss, his lips feeling like a drug she’d been craving for an eternity. The clamour in her heart made it hard for her to think about anything other than making sweet love to him for the very first time. Grabbing hold of that profound irrefutable desire, she ran her hands beneath his shirt and up to his chest, loving how his muscles clenched beneath her fingertips, how his heartbeat quickened, and how his breathing grew heavier with her intimate touch.