chapter Twenty-Three
Honey awoke slowly, conscious of the sunlight streaming through the open curtains and falling across her face like a warm blanket. She opened her eyes and peered at the clock on the bedside table—nine thirty. Jeez, almost lunchtime!
She pushed herself up onto one elbow. The bed was empty. The faint smell of Dex’s aftershave lingered on the pillow.
She’d woken a couple of times in the night, thirsty and needing to pee. The first time she’d slipped from the bed, changed into her pyjamas in the bathroom and returned just as quietly, only to find him waiting for her, his arms tightening around her as she curled up to him once again. He was still fully dressed and on top of the bedclothes, but she didn’t ask him to undress, and he didn’t suggest it. They didn’t speak, but he stroked her hair and back until she dozed off again.
The second time, when she returned he was still asleep. She sat up in the bed for a while, watching him. He lay sprawled, still gorgeous in his blue shirt and trousers, ruffled and sexy even in sleep. She watched him for a long time, her gaze lingering on his face, the stubble on his cheeks and chin, his large, strong hands resting on his chest, bare of the ring he would be wearing should they get married on Saturday.
Then she curled up and fell asleep again, conscious as she drifted off of how safe she felt having him with her, as if nothing could go wrong with him by her side.
He’d probably gone to work, she thought as she got out of bed and slipped on her dressing gown. A shame he didn’t wake her, but she’d obviously been in a deep sleep.
The night before was a jumble of moonlit shapes and murmured words, blurred by sleepiness and the numbing effect of the whiskey. She could remember everything he’d said, though, every heartfelt word he’d used to try to convey his guilt and his sorrow over what he’d done. But could she forgive him? And even if she did, would she have the courage to go through with the wedding with Cathryn’s words ringing in her ears: He’s already left one woman at the altar… Aren’t you worried he’s going to do it again?
Refusing to think about it for now, she padded out to the living room, expecting to find it empty, and stopped in surprise to see Daisy sitting on the sofa, drinking a cup of coffee.
“Hey! What are you doing here?”
Daisy looked up, stood and walked over to her with a smile. “Come to see my baby sister.” She put her arms around Honey.
Honey stood stiffly for a moment, shocked. She’d never been as close to Daisy as to her other sisters. The fact that they were so near in age probably had something to do with it, but Honey had always disliked her sister’s superior manner, her bossiness and her cold-hearted attitude toward everything, especially money and her relationship with Chase, who Honey adored.
Still, she knew Daisy hadn’t been planning to come home until the next day, so one of her sisters had obviously spoken to her. And in spite of Honey’s coolness, Daisy didn’t relax her hug but instead squeezed her sister, kissed her hair and stroked her back. The only time she’d done that in the past had been when Honey had walked out on Ian.
So Honey relaxed and returned the hug, resting her cheek on Daisy’s shoulder. “Nice to see you,” she mumbled, realising it was true.
Daisy gave her a final squeeze and stepped back. “Want a coffee?”
“Sure.” She followed Daisy out into the kitchen. “Is Reuben here?”
“No, he’ll come up tomorrow.”
“Who called you?” Honey wondered.
“Dex,” Daisy said. She turned and leaned on the counter, waiting for the kettle to boil. “He told me everything. Said he wanted me to hear it from himself. I understand he gave the same speech to everyone else last night, before he came and found you. Apologised to everyone and said he hoped they would forgive him.”
“Oh.”
“He’s pretty sweet.”
Honey picked at a sticker that someone had left on the tabletop. “I guess.”
“He loves you.”
“I know.”
“You shouldn’t let him go, Honey.” Her tone—as usual—was slightly superior, scolding even.
“Says the woman who dumped the love of her life,” Honey said, unable to hold back the retort.
Usually Daisy would have answered with a snidey remark, but this time she just looked at her shoes. Honey cursed out loud, leaned on the breakfast bar and sank her hands into her hair. “I’m sorry. Ignore me. I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“It’s all right, it’s not you.” Daisy turned and made the coffee. “Reuben and I had a row last night.”
“Oh, why?”
She slid the cup over to Honey. “He says I always put my family before him.”
“He was angry because you wanted to come up a day early?”
“Yeah. He’s right of course. I do put my family first. I can’t explain to him how much I miss it up here.” Daisy bit her lip.
Honey stared at her, shocked beyond words at this uncharacteristic display of emotion from her sister. “We all miss you too,” she said softly. “But I thought you loved the city.”
Daisy looked out of the window. “I do. I like the lifestyle. The bars, the suits, the busy-ness of everyday life. It’s so…slow up here. And yet, when I come back, I feel like I’m coming home. Which is crazy really, considering we’ve only been here a few years.”
“I know what you mean. I feel the same.”
“But when I come here, I always see him and then…” Her words tailed off and she cleared her throat. “It just makes things more difficult.”
She meant Chase, Honey thought. Daisy still loved him. They were such an unlikely pair. But who could stop Cupid when he had his eye set on a couple?
Daisy smiled. “Anyway, enough about me. I’m going to run you a bath and do your hair, and then Koru’s coming to pick us up and we’re going out to lunch.”
“Shouldn’t I go to work?” Honey protested half-heartedly, finishing off the coffee.
“No, no. Dad’s asked Aroha to help out in the café and she’s also got a niece who’s a pretty good cook by all accounts, so they’re fine. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
Daisy bullied her into the bathroom, then out of it again an hour later, helped choose her outfit—a pretty, long dress in a light blue that gave her skin a warm glow, and sat her in front of the mirror and proceeded to braid her hair the way she used to when they were girls. Honey wondered whether once again Daisy felt guilty for not being there when all the drama occurred. When Honey had left Ian, Daisy had been away on a trip to France, although she’d returned the moment she heard what had happened. It wasn’t her fault, of course—what could she have done if she’d been there? This really wasn’t something that someone else could sort out for her—not Koru, not her father, not any of her sisters. Honey had to decide her course of action for herself.
“So what are you going to do?” Daisy asked as if reading her thoughts. She was finishing off braiding Honey’s hair, and their gazes met in the mirror.
Honey opened her mouth to say I don’t know, but at that moment her phone—which she’d turned on again earlier—buzzed on the table. She read the text. It was from Dex.
Are you up yet?
I’ve been up for hours, she replied, finishing with a ;-)
Lazybones.
Yeah, that’s what happens when you ply me with alcohol.
LOL. You looked lovely sozzled. Miss you.
Miss you too.
She waited, wondering if he would press her to see if she’d made her mind up about Saturday, but the phone didn’t buzz again, and she placed it on the table. He was at work, so he was probably busy.
“Well?” Daisy pressed, wrapping an elastic band around the bottom of the braid.
“I don’t know,” Honey said honestly. “Wow, that looks nice.”
Obviously realising she didn’t want to talk about it, Daisy slotted a blue flower clip into the side of her hair and held up the mirror. “You look lovely. If a bit pale.”
“I’m hungry,” Honey realised.
Daisy smiled. “Come on then. Koru will be here soon.”
Honey wasn’t sure quite why they were taking her out to lunch. She presumed they wanted to talk to her about the wedding, maybe try to convince her to go ahead with it. After all, everything was planned and paid for—her father had given her a generous budget, which was no mean feat considering she had six siblings that he also had to put money aside for. Not that she could ever imagine Koru getting married, since it meant settling down with one girl and forsaking all others.
Her brother turned up within ten minutes. He looked smart, she thought. He’d exchanged his usual jeans for black pants and wore a dark dress shirt instead of a T-shirt.
“Where the hell are you taking me?” she joked. “The Ritz?”
“Ha ha.” He came in and gave her a big hug. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
He held her hands and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure? You look sad.”
“I am sad. But I’m okay.”
She thought he might press her for more details, but instead he just glanced at Daisy and then smiled. “Come on. I’ve booked a table for twelve thirty.”
“Where?”
“The Apple Tree.”
It was her favourite place to eat—a relaxed restaurant and bar right on the inlet, the outside chairs and tables overlooking the water right across from the Stone Store, the oldest stone building in New Zealand. “Nice.”
She relaxed back in the car and watched the scenery flash by, thinking of nothing in particular as Koru drove them there. He and Daisy chatted in the front, but she was happy to let her mind wander, thinking about Dex and what he’d said the night before.
She looked down at her hand, at her engagement ring twinkling in the sunlight, still not able to bring herself to take it off. He’d proposed at the Apple Tree, funnily enough, after a long lunch, getting down on one knee and smiling as the diners around them cheered. She’d thrown her arms around his neck and whispered, “Yes, yes, yes!” without a second thought. Had she been stupid? Should she have taken longer to decide? But her heart had screamed the answer, and she hadn’t had to think at all.
The car threaded through the town and down to the inlet, and Koru pulled up in the car park outside. She got out and Daisy linked arms with her as they walked inside.
Koru went up to the guy serving behind the bar and had a quick word, and the barman nodded and pointed through the restaurant to the lawn out the back. Koru turned and indicated with his head for them to follow him, and Daisy guided her through the tables and chairs with the half a dozen customers to the outside area, which appeared to be mostly empty, just a few people standing by the table near the old apple tree that gave the restaurant its name.
Daisy held her hand and led her out onto the grass. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the bright blue sky, and everywhere smelled fresh, of late summer with a hint of autumn. The tide was high and the inlet glittered in the sun.
Honey’s heart started to pound. Under the huge apple tree stood Dex in his police officer’s uniform, talking to Jude and a slim woman dressed in a pale yellow suit. Honey couldn’t place her at first, although she vaguely recognised her. The woman touched Jude’s arm—an intimate gesture—and Honey remembered; it was Jude’s mother, Wendy. What was she doing there?
Dex turned to look at her, and she stopped walking. He murmured something to Jude, then walked across the lawn to them, took her hand from Daisy and led her down the riverbank to the water’s edge.
“What’s going on?” Honey whispered.
Dex cleared his throat. “I have an idea,” he said softly.