She nodded, pushing away her half-eaten banana split with extra choc fudge.
Entering this small café had been like stepping back in time. Her parents’ coffee shop could have been its twin. From the faded Vegemite posters on the wood-panelled walls to the blue-and-white gingham curtains, the frilly-edged threadbare cream voile tablecloths to the limited selection of hot drinks, it resembled her folks’ place so much it sent a pang of nostalgia through her.
She’d even ordered her favourite childhood dessert in a pique of nostalgia, though it hadn’t tasted half as good as it had back then, only serving to ram home how much she’d changed.
‘I’m ready.’
She pushed away from the table and grabbed her bag, suddenly eager to escape the confines of the café. Having a sundae for old time’s sake reeked of sentiment, and she didn’t have time for it, not where her parents were concerned.
She’d loved them, trusted them, and they’d betrayed her. She’d wanted to believe it had all been some nasty mistake, but her mum had blurted the truth in anger and it couldn’t be taken back.
She’d put all her faith in them as a good kid should. She wouldn’t make the same mistake again. And she sure as hell wouldn’t let thinking about them ruin this day for her.
Today was a day for celebrating how she’d reconnected with Blane last night, how making love had cemented what she’d already known.
That despite her resolve to keep this thing casual, it had evolved into more, so much more.
He wanted a real marriage? It looked like he was about to get his wish.
How many times had she dreamed about happily ever after as a teenager but only in the vague, wishful fantasy sense, envisaging the perfect guy to make all her wishes come true? Lucky for her, her fantasy had come to life and stepped into her reality—twice!—leaving her breathless and amazed and slightly shell-shocked.
It was almost too good to be true. But she was through being super-cautious. She deserved this, deserved him. Being the best café operator in Melbourne might get her noticed in the hospitality industry, but it wouldn’t keep her warm at night.
Shrugging into her striped hooded top, she headed for the car, eager to see what her playful husband had in store. He was like a kid at Christmas with this grand surprise, and she had to admit he had her revved up, too.
She propped on the front of the ute, waiting for him as he chatted to some old guy leaning against the café’s striped post, using the time to absorb every impressive inch of her man.
That had a nice ring to it, her man, and with a smug smile she watched him rub the back of his neck in a habit of a lifetime, the simple action pulling his polo shirt up and revealing a tantalising sliver of tanned washboard abs above faded denim.
She’d explored every delicious muscular plane of his body last night, catapulted back to the past by the familiarity of it all, delightfully surprised by the newness of his adult maleness.
He’d been lean and scruffy and scrumptiously ruffled as a young man. Now her husband was an absolute dish.
After bidding the old guy goodbye with a snappy half-salute, he strode towards her, all long denim-clad legs and confidence. Her man. Oh, yeah, she loved the sound of that.
Swooping in for a swift kiss, he murmured against the side of her mouth, ‘That sundae must’ve been something else. You’re practically drooling just thinking about it.’
‘Who said I’m thinking about the sundae?’
Her hand slid over his hip and rested for a leisurely moment on the most tempting butt she’d ever seen, leaving him in little doubt what had put the dreamy look on her face.
He chuckled as he slung an arm over her shoulder. ‘I’m flattered. But I think you’re just buttering me up in an attempt to get a clue or two out of me.’
With a not-too-gentle pinch on his inspiring butt, she pulled away with mock indignation. ‘I wouldn’t resort to such underhandedness.’
‘Yeah, you would.’
He slanted his lips over hers again as she registered she’d probably do anything to have him kiss her like this.
‘Mmm…as much as I love that, I have to admit the suspense is killing me. When do I get to see this surprise?’
‘Right now.’
He held the passenger door open, and she smiled her thanks, thrilled by his impeccable manners. He’d always held doors open for her, but back then she’d thought he’d been trying to schmooze her. She hadn’t had time to appreciate what she had before she’d lost it, and this time she had no intention of making the same mistake.
After climbing in and revving the engine, he pulled out onto the quiet main street, and she settled back, trying to act nonchalant while she wanted to squirm with excitement.
‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Sure.’
He shot a quick glance at her, the concern in his eyes troubling. ‘You had a funny look on your face for a while back there. Did that place remind you of your folks?’
She could have bluffed her way out of it, but being so close to him, the faintest waft of cedar tickling her nose and a palpable heat radiating off him, she could barely think straight let alone come up with a half-plausible excuse.
Crinkling her nose, she said, ‘Yeah, it did.’
Before she could blink, he’d pulled over and turned to her and cupped her cheek, his touch instantly soothing. ‘Want to talk about it?’
‘You mean my parents or their time warp coffee house?’
Her forced jocularity fell flat as he drew her closer and brushed a gentle kiss across her lips, a kiss of understanding, of support, and she slid her hands up his chest, gripping his T-shirt, feeling more anchored and safe in that moment than she ever had before.
‘You said you left Rainbow Creek not long after I did. From what they told me before I left, once I was out of the picture everything would be fine with you guys. What happened?’
Sighing, she reached for the end of her ponytail and twisted it till she couldn’t twist anymore.
She didn’t want to dredge this up, not today, the first day of the rest of their lives, but he’d asked. Besides, she had no hope of denying him anything when he cradled her close like this, making her feel more cherished and secure than she’d ever been.
‘You name it, they did it. Lying. Manipulating. Controlling.’
Swallowing down the bitterness that arose whenever she thought about their final showdown, she forced herself to continue.
‘My nan died when I was sixteen. She and Mum never got on, so Nan left me everything. I never really asked how much it was all worth, but I knew it had to be hefty. Apparently, once her assets were sold, all the cash would be tied up in a trust fund I couldn’t access till I was twenty-one.’
‘Wow,
