Common Ground

by Wendy Smith

  “And you’re still here for a few weeks?”

  He nods. “I’m all yours.”

  I flop back on the bed. “Wanna come and show me, then?”

  We spend so much time christening the house, we get to school just as the bell rings.

  But I have no regrets at all.

  Having Josh home is wonderful.

  It’s like he never left and the past few months didn’t happen as he slots into our daily lives effortlessly.

  It helps that there aren’t people waiting for days outside my place, hoping for a glimpse of him. It’s peaceful, and while he gets stopped in the street sometimes for the odd selfie or autograph, he settles in like one of the locals.

  Melly’s happy she’s got her daddy.

  By the middle of the second week, he’s well established. He drops Melly at school in the morning and picks her up in the afternoon. For the first time, I haven’t had to rush anywhere, and I like it. Maybe a little too much.

  All it will really do is make it harder when the inevitable happens and he leaves.

  During the day, he sits at home on his laptop, working on something. I’m not sure what it is, but the little bits he has let me in on tell me it could be big. I don’t really care what it is because he’s smiling, and Melly is smiling, and I love him being there at night with us and waking up with me in the morning.

  It’s Sunday morning, and I’ve been lounging around in my pyjamas. The house is warm, so I can get away with wearing shorts and a tank top, my hair piled up into a messy bun so it looks like I’ve made a little effort when I haven’t.

  Josh has been with us for three weeks, and hasn’t said anything about leaving yet. I’ve just decided to make the most of it until that day comes.

  “Want to see what I’m doing?” Josh pats the leather couch beside him in invitation.

  “Of course.” I sit and lean against his arm.

  “Reece and I have started a production company. We’re going to make our own movie.”

  I stare at him. “What? When?”

  “As soon as we can get this off the ground. We’ll fund it together, but we’re going to try and get some interest from one of the big studios for distribution. He’s doing all the groundwork in LA, and he found us an office. He’s even hired a couple of people to get us going and we’re on the lookout for others who know more about how all this works.”

  I grin. “Josh, this is wonderful.”

  “I wouldn’t have done it without you. If I hadn’t made the break from Mac, I’d probably still be going from film to film without feeling like I was moving forward. I found our first story, and Reece has had a screenwriter working on it for months. All he needed was me in on it, and you were … are my motivation for doing this.”

  I’m not sure what to say. I’m blinking and my eyebrows seem to operate by themselves as they rise.

  Josh takes my hands in his. “I’ve wandered the world for so long when everything I ever wanted was here. I’ve made no secret of wanting you and Amelia to move to LA with me, but doing this means I’ll be based there. No more running around.”

  What he’s saying is huge. The last thing I wanted was to up and move to LA only to be left there while Josh travelled from location to location. It’s not only a change in direction for his career—he’s doing this for us.

  If I didn’t love him already, I’d fall in love all over again.

  But there’s something left unsaid, and I don’t have to be a mind reader to know what it is.

  “You’re going back to the States.”

  He nods. “I have to be hands on for this. Reece can’t do it all himself, and I can only do so much from here. All our contacts are in Los Angeles and so are the studios.”

  “It’s okay. I knew you weren’t here forever.” I lick my lips. “When are you going?”

  “I’ll spend another week. I want you two to come with me.”

  I swallow hard, blinking back tears. “We can’t. Not that quickly. I need to work out everything. There are business decisions with Pania, and it’s a big change for Melly when she’s settled into school here.”

  “I know. And if you want to stay here, that’s fine too. We’ll make it work.”

  His smile’s reassuring, but I can already feel the chunk of my heart that is his leaving my chest. These past weeks have been the best of my life. It’s all just been so normal.

  “I have a lot to think about.”

  Josh pulls me into his arms. I breathe in that familiar earthy tone of his and it helps ground me when everything else in my life feels up in the air.

  “Just know that I love you and Amelia. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy and for all of us to be together. Wherever we end up.”

  I bury my face in his neck, unable to speak for the moment.

  “Mummy,” Amelia calls from her room where she’s been playing.

  I look up, and Josh palms my cheek. “Go and see what our daughter wants. I’ll be right here.”

  He kisses me with so much tenderness, all it does is make it worse.

  How am I going to go without this? Even for a little while?

  Forty-Two

  Delaney

  I feel so empty when Josh leaves.

  The move he’s making is so good for him—for us, but I still have a business and a job to do. Melly still has school. We have our lives to get on with while I make the biggest decision of my life.

  “Delaney.” Pania’s voice knocks me out of my thoughts. I’ve barely paid attention since Josh left a week ago, and I screw up my face as the smell of burning pancake hits me.

  Flames leap up in front of my eyes.

  The pan’s on fire.

  “Shit.”

  I pull the pan off the burner and drop it in the sink. It hisses as I pour cold water on it, copious amounts of steam filling the room.

  “What are you doing? You never burn anything.”

  I frown. “Well, apparently today I’m making up for lost time.”

  Pania grasps my arm. “Breathe, girl. Breathe. It’s Josh, isn’t it?”

  I nod. “I keep thinking about how good it was when he was here. We were all happy, and now I just feel lost.”

  She wraps her arms around my shoulders. “You’re in love with him, Delaney. It’s only natural.”

  “But I’m letting you down.”

  She lets go of me, meeting my gaze and scanning my expression. I know this woman, and I know she has something to say.

  “Spill it, Pania.”

  “It’s just … this whole thing with you telling me about how Josh is following his dream and doing his own thing? I decided I should do the same.”

  I’m so confused. “I thought cooking was your thing.”

  “It was. But I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much I also wanted to learn fashion design, so I applied to go to design school next year.”

  My mouth falls open. “Wow.”

  “I know it might feel like I’d be leaving you in the lurch, but—”

  I shake my head. “No. It’s wonderful. You’re such a talented dressmaker, but this could really help you build a career in it.”

  She smiles. “Well, someone has to design your dresses for the red carpet.”

  I freeze. Even though I spent so long avoiding news of Josh, I still caught the odd glimpse of him on the news and I’ve seen him on red carpets at award ceremonies. I never thought about that being a part of his life. There’s so much that comes with being his partner, and it’s terrifying and exciting all at once.

  “You never even thought about that, did you? When you move to be with him, and I’m positive you will, I’m sure you won’t be sitting around some mansion all day mooning after him while he works.”

  I sigh, pulling away from her and sitting at the table. “I guess I knew how different our lives really were when we were in Hawaii. It’s like a whole new world.”

  She nods. “Very different from this place.”

  “I just fe
el so lost. Ever since we came here and started the diner, I’ve known what I wanted. Now he’s gone and thrown a big spanner in the works.”

  Pania shrugs. She pulls out the next chair at the table and sits beside me. “This is a huge opportunity for you, Delaney. Josh is following his dream, and maybe you can go to LA and grow your own. I’m sure he’d back you.”

  “I know he would.” Knitting my fingers together, I squeeze them. “But I keep coming back to how we built this place from nothing. Gran’s money started us off, but this diner has been a success because we worked hard. It feels like cheating if Josh funds a business over there.”

  “You’re his partner and he loves you. What’s his is yours. And what’s yours is yours. Isn’t that how it goes?” She laughs, placing her hand on mine. “You’ve been distracted from the moment he left. Go and claim that life you should have always had. We can find a manager for the diner, or …”

  “I sell it.”

  She nods. “Whichever you decide, I’m right behind you.”

  I meet her gaze, and see nothing but affection from my best friend. We’ve done everything together these past few years, which has made me super protective of her. We rise or we fail together.

  We both need to choose to rise.

  “Go home and have a think. I’ll take over the cooking today, and then maybe we can meet up tonight for dinner and talk about it?”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure I don’t want any more burnt meals because you’re distracted.” She smiles. “I’ve got your back. Always.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now get out of here so I can get this kitchen re-organised.”

  I grimace. “Sorry.”

  “No harm done. I’ll take care of it.”

  I get to my feet. “Come over tonight around seven?”

  She nods. “I’ll be there.”

  Melly’s asleep when Pania shows up at seven-thirty, and I have the wine bottle open.

  “A woman after my own heart,” she says as I hand her a glass.

  “I figured we could both do with it after today.”

  She nods. “Given any more thought about what you’re going to do?”

  I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “I’ve thought of nothing else.”

  “You have to go, Delaney. Give him the chance to have his family together. And give yourself what you always wanted. You two are on fire when you’re together.”

  She says that just as I take a mouthful of wine, and I spray it all over the living room as I nearly choke with laughter. “On fire.”

  Pania laughs. “I didn’t mean you have to literally set fire to things.”

  “I don’t really want to burn the business down before I make up my mind about it.”

  “Do you want my opinion?” She fixes her hazel eyes on me, and I know I’m going to get it whether I want it or not.

  “Sure.”

  “I think you should sell. It’s done well here, and you’ll find a buyer. I can manage it until it sells, and most importantly it’ll give you a little nest egg for your new life.”

  I nod. “Makes sense.”

  “I know you two want this to work, but maybe having the money of your own will give you a little piece of mind in case it doesn’t.”

  Swallowing hard, I nod again. I hate that idea, but I’ve also been in a situation already in my life when I had nothing, and only the small inheritance from my grandmother got me started in business. Pania’s right in that regard.

  Besides, I’ve never not paid my own way. No matter how much Josh earns, I’ll still want to contribute in whatever way I can.

  “If I do this, I want to try and make sure that Trina and Jo still have jobs with the new owner.”

  Pania nods. “I think that’s fair. I mean, worst case too is that it doesn’t sell, and we find someone to run it for us.”

  I blow out a breath. “That is another option.”

  She smiles. “This is real. I can’t believe it, but this is all real. I’m so happy for you.”

  “I can’t quite believe it all myself.” I bite my bottom lip. “I’ll grab my laptop, and we’ll start making some plans.”

  And just like when we originally planned to go into business together, we sit and drink wine while we dream of my future.

  Regardless of what happens, we’ll always be close.

  She’s the peanut to my butter. The Minnie to my Mickey.

  Of everyone I know, Pania will be the hardest to leave behind.

  But I know she’ll always have my back as I’ll always have hers.

  By the time we’re finished, Pania makes her way to my spare room to sleep off all the wine we’ve consumed, but I’ve got something else to do before I get some sleep.

  I change into my pyjamas, and crawl into bed.

  It’s 1:30 a.m. in Los Angeles, and I flick off a text to Josh just in case he’s awake. I know he’s been working late nights on this new movie.

  Me: Are you awake?

  My phone buzzes with an incoming call, and I smile. “I take it the answer is yes?”

  Josh laughs. “I lost track of time.” He sounds tired, but happy to hear from me. The sound of his voice just makes me miss him.

  “I’ve got news.”

  “Really? What kind of news.”

  I take a deep breath. “I’m selling the diner.”

  “Woah.” Now he sounds awake. I guess that’s not what he thought he was going to hear.

  “Pania and I talked it over tonight. Apparently you can’t run a food business when you burn the food, so …” I laugh.

  There’s silence for a moment. He’s probably processing what I just said.

  “Does that mean you’ve made a decision?” he finally asks.

  I close my eyes, lying back on the bed and cradling the phone next to my ear. “Amelia has only ever known this as home, and she has friends that we’ll have to say goodbye to, but I want to give her the chance to live her childhood with her father. She deserves that. It was never her fault that you weren’t part of her life.” I let out a sigh. “Besides, Josh Carter, I am absolutely, totally, hopelessly in love with you, and I want to be a part of your journey.”

  “You are my journey. Get your butt over here.”

  I lick my lips. “I’ll apply for Amelia’s passport tomorrow and we’ll take it from there. I also have to talk to an agent about the sale of the diner. Pania’s going to manage it until it’s sold and then we’ll see what happens. I want to try and help the staff retain their jobs.”

  Josh lets out a sigh of relief. “I hope you get everything you want. But I can’t wait for you to get here. I love you so much.”

  “I burned food at the diner thinking about you today.” I laugh.

  “No way. Probably a good idea to get out of there, then. Before you burn the place down.” He pauses. “Does this mean no more teasing about me burning the grilled cheese?”

  “Maybe.”

  “The sooner you get here, the better. I’m looking forward to showing you the house, and you can meet Reece and—”

  “Wait.” I grin. “I can meet Reece Evans?”

  Josh laughs. “I wish you’d stop fangirling over him.”

  “I’m sure I’ll stop when I actually meet him and give him shit about how he was always too busy to meet me the first time around.”

  “He’ll love it.”

  I sigh. “I should get some sleep, and you do the same. I’ll start the ball rolling here tomorrow, and let you know what’s going on.”

  “Okay. Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  After the call is ended, I place the phone on the bedside cabinet and stare at the ceiling for a while.

  Just because I’ve made up my mind doesn’t mean I’m not scared. I’m terrified.

  But I was no less terrified when I bought the diner and moved here.

  That worked out well.

  Surely, everything will get better from here on in.
<
br />   Forty-Three

  Josh

  “Have you got ants in your pants?” Reece laughs as I look at the clock for about the millionth time this morning.

  “You know Delaney and Amelia arrive today.”

  He walks around my desk and grips my shoulder. “I know. Why don’t we head over to the airport and have a drink or something before they arrive?”

  “We?”

  He grins. “I want to meet this woman. You’ve kept us apart for way too long.”

  I shake my head. “She wants to meet you too. But I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.”

  “You’re worried I’ll steal her from you.”

  I laugh and stand. “That is one thing I’ll never be worried about. She loves me.”

  Throwing on my jacket, I lead the way out of the office. Reece follows me as we walk to my car.

  “If you want to come in my car, you’ll have to sit in the back on the way to my place.”

  He shrugs. “It’s easier going in one vehicle.”

  I smile. There’s no shaking him. But it does make me feel good that he wants to make the effort to meet my girls.

  My girls.

  I’ve been so anxious for this day to come. And once they arrive, that’s it. No more being apart. Where I go, we all go. We talked about what we would do if I did have to travel, and Delaney has agreed to her and Amelia coming with me if it’s for any length of time. Amelia will attend school in LA, but we’ll hire a tutor if we have to. And that won’t happen until she’s settled and made friends to come back to.

  The only thing missing is Mom and Dad. Mom is champing at the bit to meet Amelia, but I managed to persuade her to wait a while and let Delaney settle in. I know that this whole life can be overwhelming, and my girlfriend doesn’t need the extra stress.

  It’s not a long drive, but I’m relieved when I pull into the car park.

  Reece orders a beer at the bar, but I want a clear head for today. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.