Blame it on the Moonlight

by Emily Harvale

  ‘Love you,’ Severine said, kissing Raven through the duvet.

  ‘Love you back,’ came the reply.

  Anxious that Raven may have seen or heard something at the party, Severine stayed a while longer.

  ‘Did you have a good time last night?’

  Raven threw back the cover. ‘Brilliant! I can’t believe how many people were there.’ She propped herself up with her elbows. ‘Robin Merry came. Did you see him? He was with his parents.’

  Severine smiled and shook her head. ‘Briefly, I think. But as you say, there were so many people, it was difficult to say hello to everyone. Did … did your father have fun?’

  Raven nodded. ‘I think so. He said he did. He looked a bit fed up when we came home. He asked where you were when I went into the kitchen to have my hot chocolate, but I told him you were tired and had gone straight up to bed. Granny M and everyone asked about you, actually. I think they wanted to have a chat.’

  ‘I expect they did. I’ll catch up with them later. Are you sure you don’t want to come out with Evie and me?’

  Raven smiled and flopped back on her pillow, pulling the duvet back over her head. ‘I’m sure,’ she said. ‘Have fun.’

  Fun was the last thing Severine was expecting to have.

  She crept back downstairs as quickly and as quietly as she could, using the other staircase to avoid being seen by anyone in the kitchen. Then she ran into reception where Evie was patiently waiting.

  She and Evie, dressed appropriately for the weather, umbrellas in hand, made their way across the wooden bridge to the mainland of Snowflake Cove. They hurried past the row of cottages, in case anyone came out to chat about last night. Severine couldn’t help but cast a quick glance at Jane’s cottage, wondering if Logan sat inside, as confused and surprised by the turn of events at the party as she herself was.

  ‘Don’t even think about it,’ Evie said, obviously reading Severine’s mind.

  ‘I’m trying not to.’

  By the time the bus to Michaelmas Bay arrived, their hair was sodden, even beneath the shelter of their umbrellas, and they exchanged glances, both wondering whether this had been such a good idea, after all.

  Thankfully, the bus was empty and it trundled up the hill from the village, passing through the winding lanes at the edge of Michaelmas Great Wood and the few houses scattered here and there, down the other side and into Michaelmas Bay without another single soul boarding.

  ‘My treat,’ Evie said, as they entered Beans and Leaves, one of Michaelmas Bay’s best cafés – even if it did have a rather idiotic name.

  ‘I’ll get it,’ Severine offered. ‘I was the one who dragged you out for coffee.’

  Evie threw her a look. ‘Are we going to have an argument about this now? I’ll get this. You get the next one. Go and grab a table by the window before it gets too crowded in here.’

  Severine laughed. ‘I don’t think anyone else is stupid enough to come out in this weather.’ But she headed to the table with the best view of the promenade and the marina beyond.

  She and Evie were the only people there, and they had seen just one other person walking along the road, and that was probably because the dog that person was accompanying, needed a pee.

  ‘I treated us to chocolate fudge cake, too.’ Evie placed two plates, each one with a large slice of cake on it, on the table. ‘It’s an unwritten rule that rainy days require chocolate fudge cake to be eaten.’

  ‘That’s one rule I would never break.’

  Evie smiled. ‘You’ve broken all the others.’

  The waitress brought the coffee over a mere matter of seconds later.

  Severine rested her elbows on the table, her fork liberally piercing the chocolate cake topping.

  ‘Did you understand any of what Gran said this morning?’

  Evie sipped her coffee and shook her head. ‘Not really. But I think the gist of it was that she doesn’t believe you’re deeply in love with Harvey. I wasn’t sure if she was saying she thinks you’re still in love with Roggero, or that you’ve fallen for Logan. Which I have to say, Severine, if you have, is a little bit weird. We’ve known him all our lives. If you’ve waited until you’re engaged and pregnant by someone else to decide Logan is the man for you, your timing sucks.’

  ‘That’s the story of my life. Bad timing.’

  ‘Or bad choices.’

  Severine met her sister’s look. ‘Or both. Sprinkled with a bit of bad luck just to be sure.’

  Evie laughed. ‘I know it isn’t funny, and I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but your love life does seem to be a bit of a disaster area. I hope mine doesn’t turn out like that.’

  ‘You’ve got Zachary. Your love life is going to be perfect.’

  Evie beamed at her. ‘You only met him yesterday. How can you be so sure?’

  ‘Because I saw the way he looked at you. I hope you’re going to ask me to be a bridesmaid.’

  ‘We only started dating at Christmas. It’s a bit premature to be thinking about bridesmaids.’ She grinned. ‘But now that you mention it, yes, and Raven and Juniper. So don’t break Roggero’s heart, or anything else of his, at least for the next year or two. I’d like all my bridesmaids to be on friendly terms.’

  ‘The only one at risk of heartbreak is me. I can assure you of that.’

  ‘Can you?’ Evie took a bite of cake and quickly swallowed it. ‘I saw Roggero looking at you more than once or twice last night.’

  ‘He was probably wondering why he ever got involved with me.’

  Evie shook her head in an exceptionally dramatic fashion. ‘Nah uh. If anything, I would say that Roggero Tazzeone was wondering whether there was any possibility of getting involved with you again. Honestly. You should’ve seen the expression on his face when the Mayor put his arm around your waist. It was almost the same as the expression on the face of the Mayor’s wife.’ She grinned, showing her teeth, which were covered in chocolate.

  ‘Stop messing around. He wasn’t in the least bit bothered.’

  Evie nodded. ‘I think he was. Would you be interested?’

  ‘Oh hell, I don’t know. Everything was so clear before I came here. I was marrying Harvey. We were moving to New York. How can so much change in just one night? How can I have so many doubts? When I saw Roggero again after all these years, it was as if he had only walked away the day before. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. Honestly. That’s how I felt. Suddenly, I wanted to make him jealous. Why? For heaven’s sake. So I kissed Logan. And then all I could think about was him. After just a couple of kisses in the moonlight. Crazy, huh?’ She shook her head. ‘Why don’t I know what I want?’

  Evie shrugged. ‘Search me. I suppose you could always put it down to your hormones. Or for want of anything better, you could … Blame it on the moonlight.’

  ‘Oh very funny.’

  Evie grinned. ‘I’m serious, even though I may not look it. People do crazy things when the moon is reaching its full phase. Especially a moon like the one last night. So you’d better take care, because it reaches its peak in a couple of nights’ time.’

  ‘Great. I wonder what crazy thing I’ll do next.’

  ‘I don’t know. But if I did, believe me, I’d start selling tickets.’

  ‘Thanks for the support.’

  ‘You’re very welcome. Now eat your cake and then make up your mind whether it’s Harvey, Logan, or Roggero who you want to grow old and wrinkled with.’

  ‘If only it were that simple. We’re chatting about this as if I’m choosing a pair of shoes or something equally as trivial.’

  ‘I never thought I’d hear you say shoes were trivial.’

  Severine smirked. ‘You know what I mean. These are people. Men, made of flesh and blood. With feelings, hopes and dreams. I can’t simply pick one and then toss him aside when I think I may prefer someone else.’

  ‘And yet, that’s exactly what you may need to do. If you want to be happy, that is.’

&nbs
p; ‘Is it really that easy?’

  ‘I didn’t say it’s going to be easy. And nor did Gran. But you can’t go through life being miserable. You can’t spend it with a man you only think you love, knowing that there’s a man living his life without you. A man you really, truly love. A man you may have a chance to be with. Sometimes we have to take a risk. And sometimes we have to hurt someone to find our own happiness. And to help them find happiness of their own. Imagine how Harvey would feel if he discovered you’d rather be with someone else. That you were only marrying him because you thought you had gone too far down the track to halt the train you’re on. He’d be as miserable as you would. I don’t know what the answer is. I’m not sure I can be much help. But you need to give this thing some serious thought. And as much as you may not want to, I think you should discuss this with Mum and Dad, and also, let Raven know you’re having doubts. Don’t let her be the last to know what’s going on. She may only be fifteen, but she notices more than she lets on.’

  Severine took a mouthful of the delicious, gooey chocolate and closed her eyes whilst she savoured it. When she opened them again she said, ‘Perhaps I’d be better off on my own, even though that thought terrifies me.’

  ‘You’ll never be on your own, Severine. You’ll have Raven. And us. We may not always see eye to eye, and we may not agree with some of your choices, but the entire family loves you. Even Gran.’

  ‘Oh well, if Gran loves me, life can’t possibly be as bad as it seems.’ Severine pulled a face. ‘But you’re right. And perhaps it is just my hormones.’

  Evie shrugged. ‘Perhaps. But personally, my money’s on the moonlight.’

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  For the life of him, Roggero simply could not understand what was happening. He had not returned to Snowflake Cove for Severine. He had returned for Raven and her siblings. Other than a longing to know that Severine was safe and well and a sudden and uncomfortable feeling that life had moved on without him, he was sure his feelings for Severine were buried long ago. He had returned to find forgiveness for the huge mistakes of his past. And he had done that, to all intents and purposes. Sylvie still harboured some resentment, but that was to be expected. His children had exceeded all his hopes and dreams. They had forgiven him, if not entirely, then as near as was humanly possible. And for that alone he was truly thankful.

  So why was he feeling like this? Why did he feel as if he might be about to lose everything?

  He had found out at Christmas, when he’d returned to meet Raven and make amends, that Severine was engaged and about to be married. And not only that, he knew that she was expecting her fiancé’s child. The news had hit him harder than he had expected, but he was glad that she was happy. Pleased that she had found love again.

  He had known that Severine was coming home. He had known he would have to face her. He had never expected her to understand. Never thought for one moment that she would forgive him for what he had done. But he had also never thought that he would feel the way he did.

  The moment he saw her, standing in the doorway of Snowflake Inn, he had felt it. Felt like a pilgrim must, when travelling for miles to view some holy relic, and finally being able to glimpse that revered object. All his life he had been searching for something, for someone, and yet when he had the chance for happiness – true happiness – he had not taken it. He had run away like a frightened, church mouse. To this day he had no idea why he had done that. No idea why he had stayed away.

  He was convinced that it was in the past. That he no longer harboured strong feelings for Severine. But when he saw her standing there last night, it was as if the universe was giving him a second chance.

  And if it was, he would take it.

  It would not be easy, he knew that. There would be many problems to overcome. None of it made sense to him – and yet it felt so right.

  Until he had seen Severine outside the restaurant with Logan.

  Why had she kissed Logan?

  Why had she done that?

  Why had she rushed to her bedroom last night?

  Was she avoiding him?

  He was sure that there had been something in her eyes when she had looked at him before the party, standing by the door, anger flashing, mixed with a look he had seen so many times before, so long ago.

  Was he mistaken?

  Had it been no more than wishful thinking on his part?

  He simply did not understand.

  Was this merely his heart hankering for someone it knew it could not have?

  Was that it?

  Was this jealously?

  Was this love?

  After all these years and all the women he had known, was it even possible?

  Did he still love Severine?

  Could that be so? Could that happen?

  And if he did, what of it?

  She was engaged to another man. She was carrying another man’s child.

  Roggero did not understand what was happening. But he did understand one thing. He had to find out how he truly felt about Severine and if she felt anything for him.

  Her fiancé was in New York.

  She had come to Snowflake Cove and outside a restaurant in Michaelmas Bay, she had kissed Logan Dorset.

  That must mean her feelings for her fiancé were not as strong and true as they should be. Perhaps she was not in love with her fiancé, after all.

  But was she in love with Logan?

  Or could she ever be in love again with him? Roggero Tazzeone, the man who had broken her heart so many years before.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Logan felt as if he were dancing on air. He could dance in the rain, like Gene Kelly had done in his gran’s favourite film. But that would make him look stupid. What would people think if he danced with an umbrella, around a lamppost, and in rain-filled gutters?

  Did he care?

  He had kissed Severine. He had told her how he felt, after all these years.

  And Severine had kissed him back.

  All his dreams had come true in one glorious day. One glorious, moon-filled night. He did remember that. He did remember the moon. A huge, silver-white celestial ball throwing moonbeams and magic on to Michaelmas Bay and his restaurant.

  Shit. He must be more hungover than he realised. He was getting all poetic and flowery. He grinned as he walked towards the car park. The grin turned to a smile as he glanced across at Snowflake Inn.

  Should he go and say good morning to Severine? He should have asked for her mobile number. What an idiot he was not to have done that. What an idiot he was to have got so drunk last night. On his opening night, too. Did he do anything else embarrassing? Anything he shouldn’t? Other than kiss the woman of his dreams, the woman who was another man’s fiancée?

  He cringed at the thought. Not the thought of kissing Severine. The thought of behaving like a shit. He believed he was a man with morals. Apparently, he was wrong. Last night he had behaved completely out of character. He didn’t usually get drunk either. But he probably wouldn’t have had the balls to kiss Severine if he had been sober. How had the kiss happened?

  The last thing he could remember was looking at the moon after Zachary and his crew finished filming everyone standing outside the restaurant, for one of the segments for his show, ‘Thorn On Your Side’.

  Looking at the moon with Severine. And she had said something wonderful about the moon and his dad and the restaurant. What was that? What had she said?

  No, wait. He hadn’t been with Severine. It wasn’t Severine who said those words. He was looking at the moon with someone else.

  He was looking at the moon with Luna Blake.

  ‘Logan!’

  It was as if someone had thrown a bucket of iced water over him even though he was already half-soaked by the rain.

  He looked across to the bridge and saw his mum closing in on him, calling his name as if she was about to read the Riot Act to him, which undoubtedly, she was. But it was more than that. He may not remember very
much at all about last night but he did remember staring into Luna’s eyes and feeling something he was sure he had never felt before. He remembered wanting to kiss her. A woman he’d met just a few hours earlier. He definitely remembered that.

  So why had he kissed Severine?

  And where was Luna when he had?

  ‘Logan. You and I need to talk.’

  ‘Hi, Mum. Yes, I’m sure we do, but can it wait? I’m having trouble remembering what happened last night and I need to clear my head. I need to think it through.’

  ‘Well, I can fill in some of the details, if you like.’ From her tone, she wasn’t pleased.

  ‘I’m not sure that would help.’

  ‘I’m not offering to help. I would rather like an explanation. But I’m not having this discussion in the rain. We’re going back to Jane’s.’

  ‘I need to get to the restaurant.’

  ‘Fine. Then we’ll have this conversation there.’ She glared at him. ‘You weren’t thinking of driving, were you? After the amount of alcohol you had last night, I hardly think that’s wise. We’ll take my car. Unlike you, I only had one drink.’

  ‘Great. Thanks.’

  Logan no longer felt like dancing in the rain. And he had an uneasy feeling that this was going to be a very long, and rather unpleasant day.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Severine was not particularly looking forward to lunch. All her family would be there, and no doubt Roggero, too. She and Evie had spent a lovely morning in Michaelmas Bay, all things considered and when they returned, they had both headed back to their room, where Raven had joined them. They played a game of Monopoly, whilst the rain lashed against the windows and the DJ on Michaelmas Music FM played every song with rain connotations. Severine was enjoying herself, until New York Raining by Charles Hamilton drifted into the room. It was one of Harvey’s favourites and without a moment’s warning, Severine burst into tears.