The Next Season (novella)

by Rachael Johns

  Toby smirked. ‘Some men not so good with their hands,’ he all but purred in her ear.

  She giggled as if Toby was the funniest comedian on the planet.

  Shaun glowered, fighting the urge to point out his hands had been responsible for the counter and most of the furniture in this place, thank you very much. ‘I’m very good with my hands, I just…’ He stopped speaking abruptly. He could hardly tell them the truth—that the way Toby had looked at Zoe had made his blood boil and his fists clench. It wasn’t any concern of his who the chocolate guru flirted with, and if Zoe wanted to get suckered into rebound sex in her tender post-break-up state that wasn’t his concern either.

  ‘Fine,’ he relented. ‘Take a look, but be quick, I’ve got things to do.’

  Shaun slumped back into the chair, gritting his teeth as Toby examined his hand as if he were some kind of elite surgeon. He cleaned the wound, applied ice and then wrapped a gauze bandage around the thumb. Halfway through the application of the bandage, Hannah returned from the bathroom looking somewhat shamefaced.

  She pulled a chair up alongside his. ‘Sorry. I’m nauseous at the best of times at the moment, but it seems blood is the trigger to push me over the edge.’

  ‘It’s fine,’ Shaun said, trying not to wince as Toby wrapped the bandage far tighter than was surely necessary. ‘And I’m sorry about the wall. I’ll clean it up before I go and I’ll come back and finish hanging the frames when the swelling’s gone down.’

  Toby laughed as if this was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. ‘With that thumb? I don’t think so, amigo.’ He turned his smile on Hannah. ‘Bella, I will hang the frames myself so they are ready for our grand opening.’

  Over my dead body, Shaun thought.

  ‘Oh, that’s so lovely of you,’ Hannah said, fluttering her eyelashes and looking as if she were about to cry at his kind-heartedness. ‘Is there anything you can’t do?’

  Toby rubbed a finger along his jawline and frowned slightly as if pretending to think a moment. ‘Not much,’ he said eventually and then laughed along with the women, who appeared to be hanging on his every word.

  Shaun had to get out of there before he went the way of his sister. He could already feel the bile bubbling in the back of his throat. Cradling his injured thumb against his chest, he vomited out a quick ‘thanks’ to Toby without looking at the man, and then shoved back his chair.

  ‘Should you get a tetanus shot or something?’ Zoe asked, looking away from Toby and back to Shaun before he even had the chance to stand.

  He shook his head. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘Maybe she’s right,’ Hannah said, biting her lip a little. ‘When was the last time you had one?’

  Women. It was like they were programmed to fuss or something. As if this wasn’t mortifying enough. ‘A couple of years ago,’ he lied, hoping they’d buy it.

  Hannah didn’t look convinced. ‘Still, maybe you should get checked out at the medical centre?’

  ‘I could take you,’ Zoe piped up, her eyes seeming to light up at this suggestion. For a second he thought he saw something there and he swore the air crackled between them, but then she added, ‘You might not be able to drive properly.’

  Her words dashed his stupid hope and he decided the pain was getting to him, making him think crazy thoughts and contemplate doing crazy things. Zoe was merely showing polite concern; offering to help him out like he’d helped her when she’d driven into town on an empty tank. Only problem was…he was beginning to question his motives for doing anything where Zoe was concerned.

  ‘Thanks, but I’ll be fine,’ he snapped, before standing and striding towards the door. It was time to drop the Good Samaritan act, and steering clear of Zoe while he finished sorting himself out wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

  Six

  Early on Saturday morning, the OPENING SOON signs in the window of the new Chocolate Dreams Café were ripped down and replaced by a large, bright, welcoming OPEN sign on the front door. Zoe was glad she’d chosen comfortable shoes when she’d dressed in her uniform that morning, for within half an hour of the local mayor cutting the ribbon to officially open the shop, the place was swamped.

  Aside from training the last two days with Hannah’s other staff and helping finish prepare the café for today’s grand opening, Zoe had kept a low profile in town since her return, so this also felt like a reunion of sorts. At almost every table she took an order, someone recognised her. Mostly this was a good thing—people remarking over how good she looked and how pleased Sandee must be to have her back for a bit—yet she tried not to get too hung up in conversations as she was on Hannah’s clock and didn’t want to get a reputation as being slack.

  ‘It’s fine,’ Hannah told her after she’d apologised for lingering at the table where she’d been chatting to her old high school English teacher. ‘Part of good customer service is making small talk and making the customers feel important. You’re good at that.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Zoe smiled as she retrieved two molten lava cakes from the kitchen hatch—so far Toby’s most requested dish.

  ‘You think it’s going well?’ Hannah asked, biting her lip and glancing wistfully out at her packed full café.

  Zoe raised an eyebrow. ‘I’d say that’s the understatement of this millennium. I’ve heard so many good things about the food. People love the quotes on the wall and everyone adores the uniforms.’ She glanced down at her t-shirt, a lovely chocolate brown one with Did you ever notice there are no recipes for leftover chocolate? scrawled across it. The other waiters wore similar tops, with varying quotes. ‘What do you think about getting more of these made and selling them as souvenirs? You could even get hats and stubby holders, tea towels—the list is endless.’

  Hannah’s eyes lit up and her ever-present smile grew even more. ‘Oh my gosh, that is a brilliant idea. You’re a genius. Matt’s gonna kick himself for not thinking of that one. Thank you.’

  Zoe shrugged. ‘It’s the least I can do. Now, I’d better get these desserts to their owners before a riot kicks off.’

  Hannah laughed as Zoe turned back towards the tables. She was just delivering the two cakes to a couple of ladies she didn’t recognise when the bell above the door signalled the arrival of yet more customers. She looked up, already contemplating where she could squeeze them in, when her heart halted in her throat and her stomach turned in on itself.

  Shaun and his mum.

  Although she’d been anticipating his arrival, the way he wore his denim shorts and his fitted black tee sent desperate messages to her private places.

  She hadn’t seen or heard from him at all the last couple of days—not since his sudden departure after the accident. She’d wondered at times whether he was avoiding her, but had told herself he was more likely busy with work. There was no reason for him to stay in touch. And besides, even if he were avoiding her, that was his prerogative and she had bigger fish to fry. At least that’s the line she fed herself.

  She’d been focused on helping Hannah get the shop ready during the day, and at night, she’d helped Sandee with the kids, cooking dinner and assisting with homework and washing. A number of times she’d typed a text message asking Shaun how his thumb was, only to delete it before pressing Send. She didn’t want him to think she was getting ideas, but she had hoped they could be friends.

  While these thoughts whirled around her head, Shaun and his mother began to weave through the tables to Hannah at the counter. Zoe noted his bandaged thumb and wondered if the pain had eased. Their eyes met and Zoe swallowed, wondering— hoping—he’d come say hi, but he merely nodded and continued on. Her heart sunk but she covered her disappointment over with a smile and went to take orders from a group who’d arrived just before him.

  ‘Hi, ladies. What can I get for you?’

  None of the four women at the table even glanced her way. They were engrossed in conversation.

  ‘I shouldn’t have come,’ said an immaculately groomed bottle-blonde b
efore covering her face with her hands. ‘This is so awkward.’

  ‘Don’t be silly,’ said her red-headed, big-busted friend. ‘This is your town as much as his now and you both need to learn to live in it separately.’

  The penny dropped and Zoe only just managed to cover her gasp. The blonde was Melissa? Her grip tightened on her order pad while the conversation continued before her as if she were invisible.

  ‘Yes, but it’s his sister’s café,’ Melissa whined. ‘Surely there are boundaries.’

  Yes, girlfriend, there are. Zoe’s jaw clenched as she tapped her shoes against the floor and contemplated the things she’d like to do to Shaun’s ex. Perhaps Melissa would order a molten lava cake too and then Zoe could accidentally drop the hot dessert in her lap, leaving a nasty stain on her white skirt. She’d felt so angry when he’d told her about Melissa. Maybe she had no right to feel this way—she’d turned down his proposal once too—but that was different. They’d only been eighteen years old for crying out loud. Everyone knew marriages between people so young never lasted so she’d probably done him a favour. But it sounded like this Melissa had totally strung him along. And now here she was, flaunting herself in his face. Not even the decency to keep away.

  Zoe found herself turning to look at him and her heart cramped at the expression on his face. Melissa being here must be simply awful for him. She looked back to her customers and cleared her throat. ‘Are you ladies ready to place your order?’

  All four heads snapped up to look at her as if they’d only just realised she were there. She smiled down tightly at them, a little shaky about being rude, but knowing—considering who sat at this table—that her boss would likely be lenient if they complained.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Melissa gushed, then after another quick glance in Shaun’s direction, she asked, ‘What do you recommend?’

  ‘The molten lava cake,’ Zoe retorted without having to think twice. She wouldn’t really dump it in Melissa’s lap, but…

  ‘Thanks. That sounds good.’ Melissa turned to her cronies. ‘Girls?’

  The redhead made a show of taking her time reading over the menu. ‘Anyone want to share the dipping platter with me?’

  ‘I will,’ said the other two at the same time, then one of them added, ‘Just don’t tell my Weight Watchers leader.’

  ‘Actually, I’ll share too,’ Melissa decided, ‘and can we have a bottle of sparkling water and four glasses, please?’

  ‘Sure.’ Zoe didn’t bother with a smile as she collected their menus and departed back to the kitchen to deliver the order to Toby. She expected to see Shaun still chatting with Hannah, but he and Mrs Elliot had found a tiny table in the corner and one of the other waitresses was already taking their order.

  An irrational stab of jealousy shot through her as the pretty teenager leaned in a little too close to Shaun to go over the menu with him. Zoe fought the urge to go and explain that Shaun, being Hannah’s sister, had already had a sneak preview of the delights on offer and didn’t need such assistance.

  ‘One dipping platter,’ she called through to Toby and his kitchen hand.

  ‘Whatever you say, bonita,’ he returned, grinning at her with the smile the other waitresses had been whispering about amongst themselves. While Zoe recognised the appeal of Toby’s Latin looks, accent and practiced charm, none of these things made her girly bits even the slightest bit excited. She’d once have thought this because she was still damaged over Jasper, but her body’s reaction to Shaun showed how untrue that was.

  Simply being in the same room as him set her blood racing and her temperature skyrocketing. Not good when he was so obviously still cut up over his ex.

  She tried to summon a smile at Toby but ended up rolling her eyes instead. When she looked back to the corner table, Shaun was gone.

  Zoe tried her best to concentrate on her job for the rest of the day, but every time the bell over the door rang, she snapped her head towards it to see if he’d come back. It didn’t seem fair that Melissa had spent a couple of hours laughing with her friends and crowing over the food—they’d ordered more to follow the tasting platter—while Shaun had felt too uncomfortable in her presence to stay and enjoy Hannah’s grand opening.

  By the end of her shift, despite aching feet, Zoe felt all het up inside with anger for him. If she didn’t do something about it, she’d never get any sleep that night.

  ***

  Shaun ran like he’d never run before, pounding the hard, wet sand in an effort to ward off the migraine that had sparked right about the time he’d entered Hannah’s café. He felt bad about not sticking around to support her on the big day, and also about leaving his mum even before their orders had been delivered, but tried to console himself with the knowledge that the rest of his family would have turned up soon after. Once his nephews arrived, neither Hannah nor his mother would have missed him as they’d have been far too busy making sure Ned, Clancy and Banjo didn’t step out of line. And Hannah had Matt there in her corner, whereas he’d had…

  ‘Two exes in one room. How unlucky can a man get?’ He glanced down at Eeyore, half-expecting his big dog to let out a bark of sympathy, but when the beast was in the throes of a good run nothing distracted him from his enjoyment. Besides, he was neutered and thus lived blissfully free of women problems.

  Shaun sighed, his pace starting to slow as he realised that all the running in the world wasn’t going to change the facts. Melissa and he had to learn to live together in the same town, at least until she found a job elsewhere as she said she planned, and he had to stop getting all green-eyed and aggro whenever Zoe talked to another bloke.

  Because as loath as he was to admit it, that’s what had happened today.

  He’d seen her smile and giggle as she called an order through to Toby, and of course Toby had responded with his usual flirtatious charm. Sitting in the corner with his mum, Shaun had to summon all his willpower not to leap out of his chair, head into the kitchen and punch Toby in the face. He shook his head at the insanity of his reaction. The events of the last couple of months were sending him mad. It was like he was fifteen again and hadn’t yet learnt to control his urges. If he didn’t get rid of all this pent-up tension sooner or later, he’d have to move; to hell with the fact that his family and his livelihood were in Wildwood Point.

  ‘Come on, let’s go home.’ Shaun yanked gently on Eeyore’s lead, directing him over to the dunes that would lead them home. His migraine hadn’t diminished, so it was time for other measures. A long shower, something greasy to eat and then some strong painkillers or a few beers—he hadn’t decided which yet. And maybe some mindless television, which would hopefully put him into a dream-free sleep.

  This plan in his head, he let himself into the house and went straight into the kitchen to get a tin of dog food from the pantry. While Eeyore salivated at his heels, Shaun dumped most of the tin into the dog’s bowl and then set it down on the verandah, knowing it would likely be licked clean before he even turned on the shower.

  He stripped naked, wrenched on the hot water tap and was just about to step under the water when a loud bark announced the arrival of a visitor. He groaned—it’d either be the Siamese cat next door come to torment Eeyore or one of his family ready to lay into him about not supporting Hannah that day.

  ‘Eeyore, shut up,’ Shaun shouted as he turned off the shower and grabbed a clean towel from the bathroom cupboard. He wrapped it around his waist and then stormed off down the corridor, not at all in the mood to deal with his family.

  When he pushed open his door, his heart suddenly twisted in his chest and his mouth went dry. It was Zoe, still wearing her Chocolate Dreams uniform—a short denim skirt, plain black pumps and a fitted brown t-shirt with one of Hannah’s quotes scribbled across the swell of her chest. Swallowing, he felt the telltale signs of desire stirring below and he hoped the towel provided adequate coverage.

  ‘Hi,’ she said, her voice soft and tentative.

  He tore his ga
ze from her breasts, annoyed at himself for being caught looking, annoyed at the way she’d walked back into his life and kicked it off balance just when he was beginning to get himself together again.

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘And a very good evening to you too,’ Zoe retorted, her eyebrows raised as she held up a six-pack of Crownies. ‘Are you going to invite me in?’

  Still bamboozled by her unexpected arrival and her blatant hotness, he glanced behind him into the house, trying to remember the last time he’d done any sort of tidy-up. ‘What for?’

  Seven

  Standing on the doorstep, trying not to drool over the sight of Shaun in nothing but a fluffy white towel, Zoe struggled to recall why she’d thought visiting him was a good idea. Judging by the glower on his face, telling him it was because he’d looked like he needed a shoulder to cry on might not go down well. She felt the cool glass of the Crown Lagers pressing against her arm and decided to go with the mates sharing a drink angle.

  Summoning a smile and trying to ignore the magnetic pull that seemed to draw her eyes to just below his waist, she said, ‘I needed someone to share my grog with.’

  His lips twitched ever so slightly at the edges. ‘I thought you were broke. Did you break into the bottle shop or something?’

  She laughed. ‘Your sister had a very successful day today, and it appears the good people of Wildwood Point are rather generous tippers. Hannah shared the tips between the lot of us to say thanks.’

  When he didn’t reply, Zoe realised he might be thinking of seeing Melissa earlier and added, ‘We don’t have to talk if you don’t want. We could just hang out…’

  Still he said nothing. ‘Or I could leave these beers here to say thanks for the petrol and getting me the job and I could go home?’

  Except that now she was here, she found she really wanted to stay. Maybe it had something to do with his bare, well-muscled chest on display right before her eyes. She was only human after all.