“Come in, strangers,” Greg was saying as he ushered them in the door. They stopped when they saw Madison sitting on the sofa. She rose and shook Lucas’ outstretched hand.
“Hi, I’m Madison,” she said.
“She’s my accountant,” Greg explained. “She’s spent the day here helping me to set up my books. They were a mess,” he grinned.
“They still are,” Madison said wryly. He stuck out his tongue at her in a flash of the old Greg.
“Anyway, Madison has come from down south to help me so I invited her to join us instead of going back to Kempsey by herself.” Rissa’s bright eyes were watching the whole exchange and after a moment, she stepped forward.
“I’m Rissa,” she said, holding out her hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Rissa,” Madison shook her hand. “It’s a bonus getting to eat pizza and meet new people instead of lurking in my motel room with a bunch of messy files for company!” Rissa laughed and Madison liked her even more.
“It’s never been Greg’s strong point,” she agreed. “It’s a good thing he’s done something sensible at last and found someone to help him.”
Introductions over, Greg suddenly couldn't wait to eat.
“I’m starving,” he announced. “That pizza smells too good. Let’s eat!”
Over dinner, Madison learned that Lucas had just begun work as a policeman at the Kempsey police station. She laughed at some of the bizarre incidents he’d had to deal with, such as herding a cow out of town after it had wandered into an old lady’s yard and eaten her roses.
“What do you do, Rissa?” she asked.
“I’ve just started work as a physiotherapist at the hospital,” Rissa said. “It’s been a steep learning curve but I enjoy meeting new people every day.”
The conversation moved on, but Madison was only half-listening. She watched Greg out of the corner of her eye. She loved his ease in the kitchen and the way his large hands deftly sliced the fruit salad for their dessert. Her ear was attuned to the deep rumble of his voice among the other voices at the table and she couldn’t help but look when he raised his arm and his shirt rode up to reveal his taut belly muscles. She was so confused. How could she still find him attractive after everything that had happened?
Greg loaded the last bowl into the dishwasher and stood up. He was enjoying listening to Madison get to know his friends. A little voice in the back of his head whispered caution to him.
After tomorrow, she’ll be gone and she won’t be coming back. Much as you might like what you’re seeing here, it isn’t real. Keep your distance. It’s the safest way to play the game.
He ignored the voice of caution. He didn’t want this evening to end.
“Who’s up for a walk on the beach?” he asked. “I’ve been sitting in front of a computer all day and I could use some exercise.”
Lucas and Rissa looked at each other. Lucas shrugged.
“Sounds good to me. Are you OK with that, Riss?”
“I’d love a walk, actually,” she replied. All eyes turned to Madison.
“Sure, why not,” she found herself saying, despite the conviction that she should just say no and go back to Kempsey.
A few minutes later, they found themselves walking towards the white footbridge that crossed Killick Creek. In the west, the fading glow of the sunset illuminated the distant mountain skyline. In the east, the deep blue of the approaching darkness was starting to steal over the pinks and pastels of the twilight. A bright crescent moon hung low in the western sky as the first stars appeared. Madison couldn’t imagine a more beautiful setting to go for a walk.
But for her, the beauty had a massive flaw. She knew that after tomorrow, she would go back to Sydney and would return to her normal life. And she knew that she could no longer be content with it in the same way. Hard work would no longer suffice to blot the memory of Greg from her every waking moment. After tonight, she would be unable to go back to her comfortable misery and convince herself that she was doing just fine. Spending time with him in a social setting had been a terrible mistake.
But she was here now. She might as well make the most of this wonderful place and time, even if she had to suffer for it for the rest of her days. Greg fell into step beside her.
“It’s a beautiful evening,” he said softly. She looked up at him. His expression was hidden in the shadows but somehow, she felt that he was trying to tell her something.
“It is,” she agreed. “You’re lucky to have this so close to home.” His arm brushed against hers, sending a shiver down her spine. Only this time, she didn’t move away. They walked close together, their arms touching. It was electrifying. He turned to look at her in the faint light of the silvery moon.
“Maddie …” His words trailed off as Lucas and Rissa caught up to them. Rissa squealed as Lucas chased her with a small sand crab, threatening to drop it down the back of her shirt.
“Save me, Greg!” she gasped, realizing she was about to lose the race. “My cousin is a bully.”
“You shouldn’t say unkind things,” Lucas retorted, grabbing the back of her shirt. Rissa screamed and fell against Greg, collapsing with laughter.
The force of Rissa’s sudden weight caused Greg to stumble sideways against Madison. Unprepared, Madison staggered forwards and caught her foot on his ankle. In a split second, all three of them were lying in a tangled heap on the sand. Breathless with laughter and shock, they were unable to move. Lucas loomed out of the shadows, waving something above their faces.
“Crab, anyone?”
Chapter 8
Delicious memories floated through layers of consciousness as Madison woke up. Sunlight again flooded into the bathroom, lighting the entire room. Her eyes still closed, she lay for a moment savouring the memories of starlight and sand. Greg, walking beside her under the silvery crescent moon, his arm brushing against hers. The three of them falling in a heap on the sand as Lucas chased Rissa with the crab. She hadn’t minded one little bit if it meant that she would feel Greg’s warm, solid body against hers. When they had finally worked out whose limbs belonged to whom, he had taken her hand and helped her up. He didn’t let go immediately, giving her hand a little squeeze. She tried to analyze what that meant. Did he still have feelings for her? What about Josie? Where was she?
And then there was Rissa, too observant for her own good. She had noticed the interactions between the two of them and in her teasing way, had told Greg that it was about time that he found a pretty lady to take care of. What did that mean? Didn’t he already have someone in his life? Was it possible that he had a secret life that Rissa knew nothing about? She doubted that, somehow. Rissa was too smart, too observant, and Greg was too open. She would have picked up on it if Greg had something going on. It was all so baffling yet she was still too afraid of the consequences if she asked Greg about it. Somehow, it seemed better not to know.
Madison drove to Crescent Head in a state of confusion. Part of her wanted to believe that last night wasn’t a one-off, that she could be a part of that delightful group forever. It was something she craved, that sense of belonging and friendship. She wanted to belong where she could be herself and still be loved and accepted as she was. She had friends, yes, but her youth group at church had dwindled as her friends moved away for work or adventures. The friends that remained were scattered all over the city and it was rare that they all got together at once. She missed being part of a tight-knit friendship circle.
Another part of her was screaming caution. Greg had already hurt her deeply and she didn’t want a repeat performance, did she? As she pulled up outside his parents’ house, she resolved to keep her mind strictly on business today. And she needed to; there was still a lot to do.
Greg seemed to have the same resolve because he tackled the day’s tasks with an intense focus that left no room for wayward feelings. At last, he looked at his watch in surprise.
“Wow, time got away this morning!” he excl
aimed. “It’s way past lunchtime! I’m sorry, you must be starving.” For the first time all morning, he looked at her and his expression softened. “Shall I make us a sandwich?”
“That would be great,” she replied. “We got a lot done this morning but I don’t think we’ll finish it all today.”
That was both good news and bad news. It meant that the project would go unfinished on this occasion. If it did, it was possible that someone else from the team could be assigned to complete it. Projects of this scope were usually handled by more experienced team members. Having come this far, she wanted to see it through to the end. Besides, she had a better grasp on where they were up to with it. Someone else would need to spend time getting acquainted with what she already knew. She hoped that Mandy would ask her to continue to work on it, despite first assigning it to Jodie. The good news was that if that happened, she would get to spend more time with Greg and he might even become her permanent client. She hardly even realized that a few days ago, such a thought would’ve filled her with horror. Greg stuck his head around the office door.
“Your lunch is ready, Madame.” He bowed and she laughed. The old Greg had reappeared, at least briefly. She got up from the desk and followed him out to the kitchen, where a simple but delicious lunch awaited. Tomato and cheese sandwiches followed by fruit and cookies.
“Mmmm, what more could you want?” she asked when it was all gone. Greg smiled.
“I take it that it was to your liking?”
“Delicious. You could make sandwiches instead of building houses.” He laughed.
“I prefer to make things that don’t get eaten in under a minute,” he said. “At least when I make a house, I know it will still be there in ten or twenty years. Earthquakes and tsunamis excepted.”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get back to work. Thanks for lunch.”
“That was my pleasure.” His eyes held hers for longer than was necessary and she dropped her gaze. Better stick to business.
Late in the afternoon, Greg pushed his chair away from the desk and stood up.
“I need a break,” he said. “I think my brain is turning inside out.” Madison laughed.
“You’ve done an amazing job,” she said. “We’ve achieved a lot today. It’s gone really well.”
“Thank you. That was before my brain became paralyzed.” She laughed again.
“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that I can probably do the rest from Sydney. Which means that you won’t have to be stuck in the office with me any more. You can get on with building and un-paralyze your brain.”
“Maddie, it’s been good to have you here.” She noticed his use of the nickname that only people close to her were allowed to use. At the same moment, the phone rang, shattering the peace and making them both jump. Greg picked it up and wandered out to the kitchen.
“That was Dad,” he said a moment later when he came back. “He and Mum won’t be home for dinner again tonight. They are pretty busy during the week and I often don’t see them till late.” He stopped and looked at her.
“To celebrate our success, how about I cook you dinner tonight?” Madison instantly knew that accepting would be a dangerous move. Her defences were already close to crumbling as it was. They would be alone, without the distraction of Lucas and Rissa for company and Greg’s parents wouldn’t be home until late. Her brain tried to form the words to decline but her heart won.
“That would be nice, Greg. I’d like that. What are we making?” His face lit up as he realized she’d said yes.
“How about lasagne with a crisp side salad and a rich tiramisu for dessert?” Her mouth watered.
“Yes, please! You’re making me hungry!”
“Dinner will be worth the wait, then.”
He led the way into the kitchen and began to set out the ingredients for the lasagne.
“What can I do to help?” she asked. “I like to feel useful.”
“Well.” He rubbed his hands together in glee. “I can put you to work then. I need garlic out of the pantry. It’s with the onions on the second shelf on the right.”
She walked into the pantry and looked for the garlic. She found the onions in the right place but no garlic.
“I can’t find the garlic, Greg,” she called over her shoulder as she continued to look. “I have no idea where …” her words trailed off as a large shadow fell over the pantry. She whirled around in the narrow space and found herself face to face with Greg.
“Oh!” she spluttered. “The garlic …”
Greg was so close that she could feel his warmth. He was looking down at her with a mixture of emotions on his face.
“The garlic doesn’t matter right now,” he said, his voice husky. He reached out and pulled her against him, the thin fabric of his shirt doing nothing to disguise his hard - muscled torso beneath her fingertips. She gasped in shock. What was he doing? His big frame completely blocked the doorway, making escape impossible. The problem was, she didn’t want to escape. It felt too good to be in his arms.
He wasn’t finished yet. With gentle fingers, he tilted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. It was almost unbearable to return his gaze. His searching look turned to one of hunger and he lowered his head and kissed her firmly on the mouth. She was too shocked to respond for a moment. He drew back and looked at her again. Silently, she pleaded with him to do it again in spite of her misgivings. He must have read her mind because his lips found hers once more. She was amazed at how silky-smooth they felt against hers. This time, he lingered over the kiss, grazing her lips gently with his before claiming her mouth as his prize. Her heart hammered in her chest and she felt as if she might suffocate.
At length, he pulled away and looked into her eyes.
“Madison, what went wrong between us?” he asked, his voice shaky. She forced herself to meet his eyes and saw hurt and bewilderment there. Suddenly, she knew that he was no two-timing cheat. He was just as she had first thought; honest, open and authentic. It was time to be honest in return.
“When you last came to Sydney, I overheard you ordering flowers for Josie.” She had to ask. She had to be sure. “Are you involved with someone called Josie?” Realization spread across his face.
“Oh Maddie, no! No! Josie is my great-aunt, my Dad’s aunt. It was her 80th birthday and I ordered her some flowers. That’s all. Oh, my girl.” He crushed her against him and held her close.
“All this time I couldn’t figure out what was wrong and you thought I was cheating on you! I’m so sorry.”
“I’m the one who needs to say sorry. I jumped to conclusions instead of talking to you about it. I can see that it must have hurt you and I’m sorry.”
He squeezed her close again.
“We both have a lot to learn about this stuff,” he admitted. “I was too much of a chicken to contact you again because I was sure you would reject my attempts at reconciliation.”
“I might have,” Madison said quietly. “I don’t trust easily.”
“Can we start over again?” Greg asked. “I’ve missed having you in my life.”
“I’ve missed you, too. It hasn’t been the same without you around, teasing me and getting me into trouble!” She tried to keep it light but he wasn’t deterred.
“You haven’t answered my question,” he reminded her.
“Yes, please. I would like us to start over. There, is that what you were waiting to hear?”
“I think you’d better show me that you mean it,” he said seriously and a moment later, his lips descended on hers. There was nothing more desirable at that moment and she gave herself up to the exquisite pleasure of his kisses.
Later, after they had finally finished making dinner, they sat at the table and talked. It didn’t matter what twists and turns the conversation took. All that mattered was that they were together. But there was something he had to know.
“Maddie, why don’t you trust easil
y?” She looked at him, wondering whether it was safe to reveal her past.
“I had a serious boyfriend named Phillip after I finished high school. We dated during university and he proposed to me in our final year. We were planning to get married at the end of the year. But one day, I saw him on campus with another girl. They were sitting on a bench under a tree kissing each other. There was no mistaking him; he had a distinctive red and blue jacket that he liked to wear and he was wearing it that day. Plus, he had red hair. It was definitely him. And I was devastated. He didn’t deny it when I confronted him, nor was he sorry. He was just regretful that I’d caught him.” She paused and looked down. “It was a good thing to find out before the wedding rather than after. But it broke my heart and I’ve found it hard to trust men ever since.”
He took her hand across the table and laced his fingers through hers.
“I can understand why. But I hope you can learn to trust me.” His gaze was both earnest and pleading and she couldn’t help but respond.
“You’re different, Greg. I just know you are.” His face broke open in a smile of pleasure.
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
Chapter 9
“Oh go away,” Greg muttered as his phone rang for the tenth time that afternoon. It was hard to get any work done when he had to stop to answer it. He was tempted to ignore it. Then sanity kicked in; he couldn’t afford to ignore possible work coming in. With a sigh, he flipped open the case and forced himself to sound upbeat.
“Hi, Greg Lockyer speaking.”
“Hi Greg, Dave Richards here. I wondered if you might be interested in doing some work to a property I’m thinking of selling. Would you be able to have a look at it?”
Meet Me at Crescent Head Page 4
