Finding Trust (Centre Games)

by Natalie Gayle

  “You know I love you and would only ever do what I thought was best,” Jazz said sincerely.

  “Yeah and you’re the master of tough love at the moment.”

  Jazz shrugged her shoulders. “Takes something pretty severe to penetrate all the layers you put up, Rih. Did I get anywhere?”

  “Yeah, you did—but you already knew what the outcome was going to be before we started.”

  Jazz looked a wincey bit smug. “Well, I was pretty confident. And the reason I could be was because I know you love him.”

  “You never did tell me what you’re going to do about the job.” Rihanna decided to switch the conversation to Jazz for a change.

  “Not sure, Rih. It’s a very tempting offer but I’m not sure I want to do something so obscure and potentially limiting at this point in my career.”

  Rihanna could understand that. As professionals, everything they did for the Centre would be highly confidential. They both had some thinking to do on the job front.

  ***

  Her father had arrived earlier and Rory had again excelled in the culinary department. The sirloin steaks were mouth-watering; evidently, he was a connoisseur of meat. No guesses for why. In fact, Rihanna was confident he’d be happy to exist on a diet of pure meat. The salad and jacket potatoes were almost an afterthought but delicious nonetheless.

  As promised, Jazz had excused herself and the guys shortly after dinner to allow them some time to chat privately. She used the excuse of checking Quade’s wounds and needing Rory to sit on him to stop him from wriggling around. They all knew it was a ruse but appreciated her thoughtfulness all the same.

  Her father took a long sip of the coffee he was nursing. “So how are you feeling, sweetheart?”

  “Much better. I’ve next to no pain anymore. The bruises will take a bit longer but getting there.”

  “Good, but that’s not really what I wanted to know.”

  Rihanna dropped her head. She knew what he was asking. He wanted to know how she felt about Brayden and the baby.

  “Mmmm, still thinking things through. Brayden made it very clear before he went on tour that he wanted to give us a chance.” There was much more to it than that and they both knew it. But she really struggled to have these sorts of conversations with her dad.

  Her father just nodded, taking it all in. He wasn’t a big talker but when he did have something to say, it was usually worth listening to.

  “And are you going to give him and yourself that chance?”

  She sucked in a breath and let it out in a long sigh. “I’d like to, Dad, I really would. But the truth is I’m so scared of getting hurt. I just don’t know what to do.”

  He nodded again. It was his way.

  “Do you love him?”

  She didn’t hesitate. “I do. I really do.” This was not the first time she’d been asked this question today and each time it got easier to respond.

  “You love him but you’re not sure you want to give a relationship with the father of your child and my grandchild a go?” He shook his head as if to clear the confusion. “Doesn’t seem to make much sense to me.”

  “Oh Dad, what if it doesn’t work out? Then where will I be?”

  Her father squared his shoulders a little. She knew he was about to deliver something big. “I’ve never known you to be a coward, Rihanna. The way I’m seeing things, this is about the best thing that has happened to you in a long time, probably forever. I think you’ve met your soul mate. Why you’re not grabbing it with both hands and hanging on is beyond me.”

  She ducked her head but answered him just the same. Her voice came out but was barely above a whisper. “I’m scared, Dad.”

  “Rihanna, we’re all scared at various times in life. The fact is, in most cases the bigger the fear, the bigger the gain because we know deep down how good it could be.” He took another long swallow of coffee.

  “I think what you’re really not saying is that you don’t want to end up like me. Someone who lost the love of his life.” He looked at her and she nodded ever so slightly.

  “Thought so. Well, let me tell you a little something about your mother and I. She was about the best damned woman a man could ever wish to have. Couldn’t have asked for better and we had twenty amazing years together. For that, I’ll be forever grateful. And even though things may not seem so grand for me now, I wouldn’t change a thing. They were the best twenty years of my life, would have loved that there’d been more but that wasn’t to be.”

  “But Dad, you have seemed so unhappy for years.” Rihanna pushed.

  “Yeah, I probably have and in a lot of ways I’ve been a very poor role model to you about relationships. Your mother and I brought you into this world based on love. We always wanted the best for you. For you to have and experience every one of life’s joys. We wanted you to find your soul mate and have the joy of raising kids together. What she wouldn’t have wanted is for you to be too scared to step up and grasp happiness with both hands. She certainly wouldn’t want to think that her passing had something to do with you not taking the chance on having what we did.”

  “But what if I lose him, Dad?” Her voice was full of pain that had not yet been realised.

  “What if you don’t?” he shot back. “You need to focus on the good here, Rihanna, and not the bad that could possibly happen. If your relationship is anywhere near as good as what I had with your mother, you will be thankful for every single day you spend together. Every one of those days together cancels out thousands of the days without, and I wouldn’t trade it for a second. “

  She thought on his words for a long time in the comfortable silence.

  “Dad, I think it’s time you let go a bit, too. Maybe you need to get out and meet some people as well. I’m sure Mum wouldn’t want you to sit at home alone for the rest of your life.”

  “Well, I’m thinking you’re probably right. The last couple of weeks I’ve been thinking that it’s time to move on a bit, make some changes.” Peter took his coffee cup and drained the last of it.

  “You need your own life, as do I. I’ve always had you at home and the practice as well. Seems it’s time we both came out of our shells a bit and decided to live in the light. I’ve been thinking I might either scale back the practice or sell it. I’m not getting any younger and I don’t particularly like the three a.m. call-outs anymore. I’m quite happy to potter around in the lab. I’ve still got some Hendra stuff to finish up and if the final testing goes as we predict, I think we’ll have ourselves a vaccine. ”

  “Tom offered me a job,” she blurted, not at all sure how he’d feel about it.

  Her father had a twinkle in his eye. “I know. He spoke to me first. I told him to go for it. Best damn vet he’d ever get and that’s the honest to goodness truth.”

  She patted him on the forearm. “Thanks, Dad, that means a lot, but I learnt from the best.”

  “Damned straight. That’s why he offered me a job, too.” They both burst out laughing.

  She considered this a little while. The fear was still there but she could feel something else now as well. It was hope. And its warmth chased away the cold claws of the fear that had been gnawing at her for days. Maybe it would be enough.

  They probably should have had this conversation a long time ago.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Rihanna woke feeling much better. The bright sunlight streaming through the plantation shutters announced that she had overslept. Way overslept. Not that it mattered. Yesterday had been draining. No, correct that. The last week or so had been very draining. Last night, she finally slept and given that it was almost lunchtime, she’d slept well.

  Now she was ready to act.

  She knew what she wanted. Talking to Jazz and her father yesterday had clarified things. Put them into perspective. She’d known the answer all along; she just had to go through the process of analysing everything to death. It was her way. What she did.

  Now she had to trust that she’d made
the right decision. Sleeping on it hadn’t changed her mind; in fact, she felt even more confident and content in what she’d decided.

  Decision made, she was acting on it. Talking to her dad last night, she was going with the carpe diem approach. She was seizing this day and every one after it, if it meant she could be happy with Brayden.

  He hadn’t contacted her since he’d left. He hadn’t said anything about it, but she knew he wouldn’t. He was giving her the space she wanted. Well, she didn’t want space anymore. She wanted him. And she wanted him here and now.

  She didn’t wait a second more; she sprang out of their bed, threw on the first clothes she found and headed off to find Rory. He’d know how to find Brayden.

  ***

  Come on, come on, she was internally yelling. She fidgeted and rearranged herself in the front seat for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. The traffic was moving slower than a snail into Byron.

  Byron Bay was close to heaven on earth. Its gorgeous beaches and waves made it a mecca for surfers and tourists. The locals are all laid back and led life at a different pace. One thing Byron did really well was put on an open-air concert, and today the headline act was none other than Steel.

  Rory glanced across at her and smiled from his position behind the wheel. They’d taken Brayden’s cruiser. She smiled back; she was hardly able to contain her excitement. She was going to get her man.

  Quade was lounging in the back seat. His colour had returned in the last couple of days now that he’d left the hospital. Against everyone’s better judgement, he’d demanded to come. Jazz was still pissed at him but casting worried glances out of the corner of her eye. The truth was she was glad he’d kicked up such a stink. She wanted them all here. And unless Quade had come, someone would have had to stay at home with him. Quade had been adamant that he was not going to miss all the fun. Besides, he’d argued he had a doctor with him, and he was correct, he did—one who Rihanna suspected cared far more than she let on.

  She’d found Rory at the kitchen bench this morning, sipping juice and trawling through his iPad. He’d pegged her as soon as she moved into the kitchen. One glance at her had obviously told him all he needed to know.

  “Made your decision, sweets?” he’d asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Yep. I have.” And she’d turned and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you for being there.”

  He smiled and tapped his index finger to her nose. “Anytime, Rih.”

  They spoke few words but said so much.

  She’d pulled back and nestled her butt on the stool beside him. “Do you know where he is?”

  Rory just grinned. “Of course I do. Wanna go see him?”

  She nodded like a little kid being asked if they wanted ice-cream.

  “Okay. Let’s see what the other two are up to and we’ll get this show on the road.”

  “Where is he?” She couldn’t wait any longer; she had to know.

  “Not far, about an hour away down at Byron Bay. They’re headlining some music festival down there.”

  She let out a little squeal so unlike her. “You’re joking—he’s that close?”

  “He’s that close.” He laughed at her surprise and excitement.

  She couldn’t believe her luck.

  Rory hopped up and headed to the bedrooms. “Get something to eat. I’ll sort these other two out. Throw a change of clothes in a bag as well. We may end up staying the night down there.”

  “’Kay.”

  That was five hours ago. It seemed like it was taking forever to drive the few short kilometres. First they’d argued about who was going and who was staying. Then they’d all seemed to take their sweet time getting ready to go. Jazz had to check and recheck her medical bag. Just in case. Then they’d stopped for fuel. Then they’d stopped for something to eat because Quade and Rory were perpetually hungry. The delays were killing her. She just wanted to see him.

  She shifted in her seat again.

  “Rihanna, wriggling in your seat isn’t going to make it go any quicker,” Jazz piped up from the back seat.

  Rory just laughed and she noticed a slight grin on Quade’s face when she turned around to look at Jazz.

  “You know what I’m like once I decide I’m doing something—I just want to get on with it.”

  Jazz looked between Quade and Rory. “Hey, you guys don’t happen to have the power to teleport in your kit bags, do you? Rihanna could sure use that right about now. If she doesn’t sit still, I’m going to kill her.”

  “Sorry, Jazz. Not that I’m aware of. That one would sure come in handy, though,” Rory confirmed.

  “Maybe you two super medicos can figure out how to make it happen,” Quade suggested. He’d been quiet the whole trip, which was understandable. From the looks of things, he was ready to start sounding off against Jazz.

  “Actually, Rihanna, it’s almost worth taking the job just to see what weird and wonderful research and experiments I can come up with. Tom did say I’d have free rein, if I recall correctly.” Jazz flashed Quade an evil smile. “It’s great that you’re volunteering to be my guinea pig.”

  “Guinea pig, my ass, honey nose,” he spat back.

  “Rihanna—” Jazz wailed.

  “Leave me out of this, Jazz. I’m not having my good mood spoiled.”

  “We’ll see. Bet I could convince Tom that I needed you, Quade.” She battered her eyelashes at him.

  Rihanna and Rory exchanged sly smiles as Quade and Jazz continued to trade verbal barbs. Seems they never tired of it. Also seemed a few very interesting undercurrents were running rife.

  They got through a roundabout and the traffic flow marginally increased. They drove past the park in front of the beach, where the stage was set up and a crowd had already formed, listening to the support acts. Rory drove farther along and pulled into the driveway of a swanky-looking beach house.

  Rihanna immediately turned to him. “Whose place is this?”

  “Not really sure. I think the band owns it or something. I’ve been here a few times with Bray. This is where he told me to park.”

  Rory shut off the engine. “We need to head down to the park.” He checked his watch. “They should be on soon.”

  Rihanna immediately skipped out of the car and almost ran towards the road. Come on, guys, hurry, she was screaming inside.

  “Hey speedy, wait up. He’ll be busy for a while yet.” Rory loped up alongside her.

  She grinned at him.

  “Got it bad, hey?”

  “I guess,” she confirmed.

  Rory threw his head back and laughed. “Lucky bastard.”

  With every step closer to the park, the butterflies in her stomach had gotten worse and worse. She was nervous, anxious, excited, and impatient all at once. She felt like one giant bundle of nervous energy.

  Rory must have noticed. He leaned in close to her ear. “Relax, Rih, it’s going to be fine.”

  They made it to the park and joined the queue to get through the gates. Quade seemed surprisingly sturdy on his feet. This was good news. Rihanna had been worried the trip might be too much for him. Rory said something to the guy at the gate and showed him ID. He then handed over special armbands that indicated they were able to go backstage.

  As they made their way forward into the park through the tall barriers that blocked the outside visibility, the unmistakable chords of “Spinnin’ Way Too Fast” started up. It was a huge Steel hit and the crowd went wild. The chords had come from Brayden’s guitar. He played the first four bars and then the other instruments joined in as Jace began to sing. Jazz had started dancing and bopping along. She wanted to yell and scream and cheer. He was here.

  The chute opened out into the park and people were either crowded shoulder to shoulder at the stage or had chosen to stand back a bit to get a view from farther back. Two giant screens beside the stage gave them a view of the guys on stage. The camera was focused on Jace as he sang the lyrics. Then it pa
nned to Brayden and there he appeared—on the giant screen right before her eyes.

  He was so magnificent. Hard, sexy, totally hot. He had his rock God persona happening: faded jeans that fit him like a second skin, white T-shirt, motorcycle boots, messed up hair, and his signature cherry red Fender guitar. His presence on stage was even harder hitting than last time and she was only seeing him via the screen. He looked amazing and he was all hers. She only had to tell him.

  They’d arrived too late. She had no choice but to wait for him to finish. Guess she’d enjoy the show.

  Rory manoeuvred them into a better position. The crowd wasn’t so thick, which allowed Quade a little breathing room. But they were far enough back that they could see over the initial mosh pit of bodies that were crowding the front of the stage.

  The sun was setting lower in the sky and there was a gentle breeze coming up from the beach but it was still hot and balmy.

  The first song finished and they immediately started into another one of their hits. Rihanna was swapping her vision between the stage and the screens, craning her neck trying to get a better view. Her eyes were hungry for any sight of him.

  Rory leant over and spoke in her ear. “Relax, sweet, he knows you’re here.” He tapped his nose and pointed at the corner of his eye.

  Not fair, not fair—they had such an advantage.

  She looked at Rory and then focused back on the stage. She could just see him over the heads of the crowd. She put her hand on Rory’s shoulder for balance and rocked up on her tippy toes, trying to get a better view. She was too far back to see his face clearly. Then the camera panned to him and he looked right at the camera, lifted the side of his mouth in a smirk and winked. The women in the crowd screamed even louder.

  But she knew.

  The look had been for her. Only her.

  Her heart leapt into her mouth and the butterflies flapped their wings until it felt as if a cyclone had sprung up in her belly. The energy from the concert crowd had combined with all her nervous energy to make her literally a powder keg of excitement and emotions.

  Jazz moved over to her and nudged her in the ribs, a huge smile on her face. She was having an awesome time. Jazz loved nothing better than a rock concert. It was infectious; she let go and danced and sang along to song after song. She couldn’t remember ever having this good of a time at a concert.