by Iris Blobel
Seeing her hands tremble, he could tell that she was trying to hold back her tears, and he placed his hand over hers. He waited until she expelled a breath, then asked quietly, “So he is your ex-husband?”
“The ceremony was wonderful. It was a glorious day. A day I thought I would remember as the happiest in my life. That’s what a wedding day is supposed to be, right?”
“Right,” he agreed with a smile.
“Still on cloud nine, within twenty-four hours of the wedding I found him in someone else’s bed. It became apparent he'd taken my wish not to sleep with each other until after the wedding the wrong way. He'd slept with about everyone, but me.” Then she added in almost a whisper, “The marriage was annulled only a few weeks later.”
There was another brief silence before he asked the one question that’d been on his mind. “What’s he doing here in Hobart?”
Her gaze didn’t meet his. “Rekindle an old flame I suppose.”
“Any success?”
“No. The wounds are still not healed. I’m not letting him add salt to them again.”
Her eyes displayed her emotions like an open book, and he knew she was still not coming to terms with the fact that her first love had betrayed her so much. The hurt was still there, just buried a bit deeper. And probably the knowledge of wasting so much time on something that had never been right from the beginning.
“Sophie told me about your job, and how she had the wrong impression about it just as I did.” And then her face broke into a wee smile. “She really loves you, you know.”
Scratching the back of his head, he replied, “Not as much as she loves Mark,” he murmured.
A small nervous laugh escaped her lips. “Jealous?”
“Nope. Envious of what they’ve got, but not jealous. Anyway, you were saying about my job.”
Exhaling a deep breath, she continued, “It was supposed to be more about you, than your job. But there’s also the fact that you don’t really know me.”
Zach stood. It surprised the crap out of him, but he needed distance. He finally had her on his sofa, talking, being near, and he was sure that with one right move he could steal another kiss from her. Something bugged him, but he couldn’t quite figure it out.
He startled when he felt her presence right next to him. “You’re in love with her.”
The question caught him completely off guard. “Come again?”
Meeting her gaze dead on, a combination of worry and sadness was spread across her face.
“I love Soph,” he admitted. “But as a friend. As a very good friend.”
“I don’t understand. Before, at my place, you kissed me and then you just left. Then I come here, tell you about my hesitation to fall for you, and you put up a wall.”
What was it that niggled at the back of his mind? Something he couldn’t connect, but knew it was there. Refusing to return her stare, Zach walked over to the window. The sun was setting already and leaving an array of colours in the sky. There was light across the road in Number Forty-Six, and suddenly it made sense to him.
Without looking at Natasha, he said, “I’ve always had to fight my own battles. No one there to help. No one to interfere, and I’ve done just right for myself.” Then he turned, and after a moment’s hesitation, he continued. “I know Sophie meant well by talking to you, but it’s not the way I do things.” Scratching the back of his head, he was momentarily searching for the right words, but was at a loss. He so much wanted her, but at the same time, he wanted her without anybody interfering. “I’ve come across a lot of woman and had my share of relationships. I've learned from them and moved on. One thing I’ve learned is not to judge–“
“I’m not judging you,” she interrupted.
He narrowed his eyes. “You did exactly that. You heard the word and backed off.”
“I'm very sorry,” she said softly and with thoughtfulness. “You’re right, I initially did have the wrong impression.”
“And it was for me to clarify this, and not Sophie,” he emphasised.
“Would you have?”
Arching a brow, he said, “Would I have what?”
“Clarified the situation.”
He thought about that for a moment. “Have you ever listened to Mia talking about her romance stories?”
A little frown line appeared between her eyes.
Shaking his head, he choked back a chuckle. “She’s obsessed with those books. Anyway, she once read a line to me that said, When he’d meet the right person, it would hit him right between the eyes. I cracked up laughing and couldn’t stop for days.”
Now laughing as well, she said, “I’m sure she didn’t take that well.”
“Nope. She grounded me for a week.”
She laughed. “You poor little soul. I would’ve loved to have seen that.”
He nodded. “It’s true though.”
A frown marred her forehead.
“I saw you, and it hit me right between my eyes is what I’m saying. So, yes, I would’ve made an effort to clarify.”
With a sigh, she headed towards him. Her dark blue eyes were pleading. “Please give me your version of the clarification.”
His gaze slid to her face. Cupping her face, he stroked her lower lip with his thumb then pulled her in for a kiss.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mia lay spread-eagle on the bed. The week had not only been busy but exhausting too. Little Hope was a cutie, but demanding, and she couldn’t wait for her niece to be able to go to the toilet or at least hold back with the smelly nappies. Josh had been back at school as well, and she’d enjoyed the lunch breaks they’d spent together. Except when Miss Peterson had told her off in front of him for being late for class. Talk about embarrassing! Although, thinking about it, all the other days she’d been very nice. Actually, too nice, and it was a freaky thought. Thankfully, she’d been out with Olivia on Thursday when Miss Peterson came to meet Hope. Mia wasn’t sure whether she could’ve coped with having her teacher at her home.
A knock at the door startled her. “Only come in if your nappy’s clean, your name is not Peterson, or you don’t want to talk.”
A bark of laughter echoed through the room as Mark opened the door and Jared stepped beside him. “My nappy’s clean, name’s Fraser, and I’ve never been much for talkin’.”
Mouth slightly open, she stared at Mark’s friend. She had no idea why he was here, not only here, but in her room.
“Can I come in?”
She nodded.
Mark gave her a wink. “I’ll be at the front.”
“How’re ya goin’?” Jared asked when Mark had left.
All she was able to do was to give him the thumbs-up.
He nodded towards her chair next to the desk. “Can I sit down?”
“Knock yourself out.”
Mia watched him as he casually walked over and sat down. At first he checked out her posters of the various boy bands she liked and then the mess on her desk.
“Excuse me,” she interrupted his silence. “Anything I can do for you?”
And if the last few weeks hadn’t been weird enough, he just shrugged and said, “Nope. Just wanna see how ya goin’.”
“For real?”
“Yup. Why not?”
Well, for one, he had never talked to her much or one-on-one. Second… Well, she didn’t know a second reason.
“’Cause you’ve never have before.”
“So sue me. I liked the idea that ya came to me when ya were in trouble.” He shrugged.
Mia’s eyebrow shot up. “Oh wow, Jared. Is there a man underneath that Aussie bloke?”
In one smooth motion, he stood and walked to the door. “Buzz off.”
“Jared.”
He turned and looked at her.
“Thanks. Does that mean I can come over more often?”
With a big grin he winked at her. “Anytime, mate.”
That took her completely by surprise, but she liked the idea. After all,
this true-blue Aussie wasn’t that bad after all. She thought back to the night when she had stood in front of his door. No questions asked, he’d welcomed her into his house. Not once had he reprimanded her or criticised. But he had cared, listened, and done what he’d thought was best. And she’d appreciated it.
As Mia threw herself back onto the bed, she heard the doorbell. A small sigh escaped her. It seemed the constant stream of people wanting to meet Hope didn’t want to stop. Muffled voices made their way to her end of the house, but she wasn’t interested. She heard Mark’s distinctive steps coming down the hall. Hope obviously needed another nappy change. She smiled. It was Mark’s turn. But instead of going into the bedroom across the hall, he knocked at her door. Again. Propping herself up on her elbows, she told him to come in.
“Honey, you wanna join us at the front.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
She frowned, but stood and followed him. “What’s the matter?”
Mark stopped momentarily and placed his arm around her shoulder. “Darren Schuster’s here.”
Mia shot him a look. “What?”
Placing a kiss on her forehead, he said, “It’s all okay. But you deserve to be part of it, right?”
“Thanks,” she said, her voice hardly audible to herself.
They stepped into the lounge room, and she sat down next to Sophie, who took her hand straight away.
“Hello, Mr. Schuster,” Mia said.
One corner of his mouth tilted up in a smile. “How are you, Mia?”
It was meant in a way of greeting, so she didn’t reply.
“Darren Schuster is here in Hobart to discuss details with Mark on Monday,” Sophie explained.
“Ohh-kay.”
“But also to make sure that you and Sophie are okay. He feels that his approach of just coming here and causing havoc wasn’t the best idea,” Mark added.
“Right.” Mia nodded.
“I’m truly sorry about the pain and trouble I’ve caused you both,” Darren finally said. “Relationships aren’t my best virtue.”
“Right,” Mia agreed.
Darren’s smile reached the corners of his eyes, and she was sure that smile took off at least ten years of his age.
“I accepted Sophie’s wish not to be part of your life, and I should’ve asked her first. I’m no good at being someone’s somebody, and I felt like making sure that making you part of the company wasn’t because of any guilt I feel. It may sound harsh, but I don’t feel guilty. However, you’re my daughter, and you deserve it. Mark’s a brilliant lawyer, and it’s been an absolute pleasure fine-tuning the details with him.”
“I’m too young for all this financial stuff,” Mia said quietly.
“You have people, very good and talented people, running the place for you. And you have Mark, who’ll keep an eye on the books.” A muffled sound that might have been an embarrassed chuckle escaped him. “Knowing myself, I’ll probably be coming and going once in a while as well.”
“That is just the weirdest thing ever. Me and a company,” Mia said more to herself than to anybody in particular.
“On paper,” Mark told her.
“Party pooper,” she replied.
They all laughed at that.
Then Sophie tried to get Mia’s father’s attention. “Mr. Schuster. I’m not sure what to say. I mean, we’re not talking a couple of hundred dollars or the fees for her school.”
He held up his hand to indicate to her it was okay. “I’ve lived most of my life alone. Even when I was married, I was mostly on my own. And I liked it that way. One thing I learned from my ex-wife, though, is generosity goes a long way. Mia is my daughter and she deserves it.”
“Cool,” Mia piped.
****
Zach stepped into the O’Connor lounge with Natasha by his side. It took him a minute or two to take in the scene in front of him. What on earth was going on? Darren Schuster was sitting over on the single seater next to the coffee table, and fancy that, he even had a small smile on his face. Sophie’s face carried some signs of concern, Mia sported a big grin, and Mark was blank-faced and expressionless.
“Did we interrupt anything?” he asked.
Nobody answered, but they all stared at him. Them.
“Miss Peterson,” Mia said quietly, and Zach knew that he was going to have a tough battle ahead of him, trying to convince her that her teacher wasn’t really a horrible dragon. Actually, she was a very loveable one. He placed his hand at the nape of Natasha’s neck.
“Hello, Mia,” Natasha replied.
Mark nodded towards Zach as a hello. “I suppose we don’t have to introduce Mr. Schuster, do we?”
Zach shook his head. “Mr. Schuster. How are you?”
He didn’t have a chance to reply as Sophie said, “Darren Schuster’s been in Hobart again to work out details with Mark regarding the inheritance.”
Zach rubbed his thumb over his lips. “You girls have a thing with inheriting big, right?”
Sophie’s smile came hesitantly, but there was a hint of a smile. Zach noticed that Mia was still staring at Natasha. Having her teacher in her house didn’t seem to go down well.
“Nice meeting you again, Mr. Schuster. It’s good to see you’re looking after your offspring.”
Darren nodded and mumbled. “The least I can do.” And then he stood and walked towards Zach. “Thank you very much for looking after my ex-wife during her illness.”
Zach looked past him until he met Sophie’s eyes. “You’re one bugger of a chatty person. I won’t even mention your meddling in my business with Natasha.”
Sophie shrugged. “He deserved to know. And so did Natasha.”
Then Mia stood with her hands on her hips. “Excuse me. Why is Miss Peterson here?”
“Pumpkin, I’m really sorry we stumbled into this massive family reunion. How about we’ll come back later?”
“Listen, everyone. How about we deal with one issue after the other.” Mark had difficulties raising his voice above everyone else, but he succeeded.
“Ever the lawyer.” Sophie chuckled and her husband shot her a look.
“Miss Peterson.”
Everyone looked over to Natasha.
“We’re giving the whole relationship idea a try,” Zach said as his hand moved to her shoulder, and he gently pulled her closer.
“Say what?” Mia was obviously not impressed.
And finally Natasha tried to get a word in within this whole chaos of conversation. “After talking to Sophie, we had a couple of good chats, and we think this could work.”
Mia fell back into the couch. “Well, I’m screwed.”
They all laughed.
“Okay. Darren Schuster,” Mark said before he quietly snuck out of the room.
Darren shrugged. “As Sophie explained, I’ve been negotiating and drafting the company transfer with Mark. I wanted to leave on better terms with Mia and Sophie unlike last time, and Sophie was kind enough to invite me here.”
Mia stood again and walked over to Zach and Natasha. “I just wanted to make it clear that he was my babysitter first.”
Natasha smiled. “And always will be, Mia. I hope nothing changes between you two.”
“You do?”
“Of course. You’re too important to him.”
The girl blushed. “Righteo. Sorted.”
Then Sophie stood as well and came closer. “What about your job?” she asked warily.
Zach winked. “Under control. I’ve quit my job in Sydney and enrolled into the Uni.”
“Uni?” Mia and Sophie asked in unison.
“Yup. I’ve been listening to ladies in need for years. I reckon I’ve got a good shot at a counselling degree.” Then he touched the tip of Mia’s nose as he said, “And you’re gonna be my guinea pig.”
“No way!” she exclaimed.
“Yes way!” he replied with a big smile.
They all turned when they heard little Hope cooing behind them on Mark’s arm.
“This is our daughter, Hope,” Sophie said to Darren.
And at that moment, Zach thought that the old guy showed some emotions towards the baby. A small smile tugged on the corner of Darren’s lips as he stepped towards Mark and took the baby for a cuddle.
“You’ve truly come a long way since your new beginnings here in Hobart. Your mother would’ve been so proud of you.”
About the Author
Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she actually had met her future husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only recently emerged, but now her laptop is a constant companion. Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as her dog. Next to her job at a private school she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.
Also from Astraea Press
Chapter One
Suddenly, a tremendous wave of terror ripped through her. Clutching at the pain in her chest, she couldn’t breathe. Chills racked her body, causing her to shiver as she wiped the sweat beading on her upper lip with her fingertips. Her heart was racing, her shallow breaths coming fast. I’m dying, she thought and fought with the darkness wanting to encompass her. Forcing her eyes away from the mass of packed boxes surrounding her, she fell back on her bed, feeling the puff of air as her back hit the naked mattress. She managed to stretch her petite frame over the length of her bed, concentrating only on slowing her breathing down. She studied the ceiling with such intensity her eyes burned, but the battle was turning in her favor, and salvation was hers.
Jenny Hammond knew she wasn’t currently dying, or so she told herself. But as close as that panic attack came to shoving her over the edge, she started to fear this time it was the real thing. She would have a heart attack, leaving her body to be found when the new tenants took possession next semester. So what if her roommate thought she was being melodramatic; things were happening faster than she’d ever imagined, and it frightened her. Interlacing her fingers behind her head, she emptied her lungs of the air she had been holding. Refusing to look at the boxes again, she confined her gaze to the ceiling as though her life depended on it. “Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six…”
