As the years ticked over and the friendship flourished, Karen had thankfully concluded that unlike many women, Libby and Jess knew how to maintain their friendship. So, when Jess had returned to Kurnai Bay, Karen believed she loved Libby to the best of her ability. She just hadn’t realized Jess loved Nick too—none of them had twigged to that. Yet now, it was glaringly obvious to anyone who looked that Jess had loved both Libby and Nick for years.
“And what the hell is wrong with Libby?” Jess said. “One minute I’m family and we’re loving and mothering each other’s children and the next she’s treating Leo like he doesn’t exist. How can she turn her love on and off like that and hurt my gorgeous boy? Hurt her daughters? I know they miss Leo and me.”
Karen agreed with Jess that Libby was putting her own needs ahead of the children—it was the driving force behind her offer to do the transfers. But loyalty stopped her from saying so. She focused on the job at hand. “This afternoon will go quickly. It’s only three hours. Have you got something nice planned?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m getting my eyes tested.”
“Good idea. I used to split up the trinity.”
Jess looked confused.
“All the check-ups. Doctor, dentist and optometrist. It’s important to look after yourself.”
“I need to find a new doctor,” Jess said pointedly. “Your caring daughter is insisting Leo comes home at 6:00. By then it’s cold and dark. Can you bring him home to me instead of doing this BS transfer in the park?”
She doesn’t get to set the boundaries. Libby’s voice rang loud and clear. Karen opened her mouth to say, “I’m sorry,” but she noticed the fine lines of strain and the black shadows under Jess’s eyes. Images of Linda’s alcohol-ravaged face were followed by Lisa’s deathly pallor. A weight pressed on her chest. This situation was already difficult enough without it spiraling further out of control. At least if she returned Leo to the house she could look for tell-tale signs of Jess’s drinking. Karen owed Jess that care and concern. Owed it to Leo.
“I can do that.”
Jess’s eyes widened in surprise. “I didn’t think you’d agree.”
“It’s my one concession. Please don’t ask for any more.” Karen lifted Leo out of the swing.
“I never told Libby about your mother,” Jess said abruptly.
Karen wondered at the fact Jess felt honor bound to keep that secret for all these years yet she justified sleeping with Nick to have Leo.
Jess kissed Leo’s head. “I won’t tell Libby about this either.”
“Thank you.”
Karen added yet another secret to a lifelong pile.
Alice pulled up outside the Waxmans’. Usually, Harry dropped Holly off at Pelican House, giving Alice a cursory wave from the car as Holly jumped out. Now the weather was improving, Alice wanted to take Holly to the silt jetties. It didn’t make sense for Harry to schlep all the way out there so she’d offered to collect her. As Alice turned off the ignition, her phone beeped.
She checked the message and her heart swooped into overdrive, racing heat all over her.
Hi, Alice, I know your first reaction will be to delete this but I’d love it if we could talk and I could explain.
Months had passed since Tim went silent on her, but she still remembered the heady excitement she’d gotten just from anticipating his calls, let alone the electrifying connection they’d shared. The conversations that lasted hours. The way his voice made her go weak at the knees and took her a good way down the path toward an orgasm. Despite all the men she’d spoken to and met since, none had come close to generating the same feelings Tim could create with one text.
But it had been such a long time since he’d last made contact. What would she reply to someone who wrote to her column: Dear Alice, this guy I really like behaved like a total dick. Now he wants to reconnect. What should I do? Confused.
Dear Confused, perhaps he wants to apologize and start over. Everyone deserves a second chance. Alice.
Alice was already typing her reply to Tim when a completely new internal voice chimed in. Sure, give him a second chance but don’t be needy. Do it on your terms. Let him stew for a bit.
Her fingers slowed but it took real effort to completely stop. She closed the message app and shoved her phone deep into her bag where she wouldn’t be tempted to look at it. Turning her mind to Holly, she got out of the car and crossed the road. As she opened the Waxmans’ side gate, she pulled a dog treat out of her pocket.
“Hey, Brutus,” she said softly, approaching slowly. “I bought you a Schmackos.”
The lanky greyhound backed up, his body shaking all over. Alice sighed and put the treat back into her pocket.
A smiling Harry appeared at the back door. “Nice idea, Alice, but he has a complicated relationship with food.”
“He has a complicated relationship with everything.”
Today was Alice’s third visit to the house and each time, without success, she tried something different to lessen the neurotic dog’s fear of her. She thought of McDougall, her parents’ enthusiastically friendly border collie, and of Libby’s mutt, Monty. Both dogs were great with people.
“Exactly why is Brutus a good pet?”
“He makes us look and feel emotionally healthy.”
Alice laughed. She was learning Harry had a wicked sense of humor when he chose to unleash it. “The superiority effect?”
“Pretty much. Come in.”
The house was in a much neater state than previous visits and the scent of melted sugar and chocolate wafted on the air. She noticed jars of daffodils, freesias and jonquils scattered around the living area—the sirens of spring. “I see Holly’s been busy decorating.”
“Sorry?”
“The flowers.”
“No, I picked those. The garden’s exploding
