“And leave Jake behind?”
“If I have to. His life is here even if he says he’ll think about moving. I can’t take that away from him.”
Mari slapped the photo down on the counter. “Don’t be stupid. You’ll never get back the kind of love you’ve got here. Trust me. I know what it’s like to walk away from someone when you think it’s too hard. If you leave him, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“But you ended up marrying Rake and having Noah. How could you regret that?” She took the photo, wondered if what her sister said was true.
“I don’t regret that part, of course I don’t, but I do regret being young and stupid and leaving someone else behind when things got rough. So scared about what I’d done that I thought there was no going back.”
“But you made it all work out. You were lucky.” Bella pegged the photo back on the refrigerator door. “I’m doing my best, believe me I am. But at the end of the day, what will be will be.”
“I might have been lucky in the end but in the process I hurt the family who took me in when my mother wasn’t capable of looking after me. They meant the world to me and I let them down. Don’t be that person, Bella. You might not be so lucky as I was.”
*
Jake rolled the water hoses back up into the truck and locked them in place. The fire had come dangerously close to the spot where he kept his boat moored at the Christmas tree farm. Now they had to find out who owned the burned-out and probably stolen car and inform them that it was a write-off.
Ben bent down and pointed out a gas can close to the empty beer bottles. “Here’s your culprit. Seems that someone decided it was a good idea to use the jetty and park up here for a few drinks after a joyride and burned the evidence. Just as well they didn’t break into the cabin. Some people never learn.”
“I know. Lucky we were called when we were. Would have hated to have seen the damage it could have caused the farm with someone throwing fuel around here. They’d be devastated if it’d gotten out of control amongst these trees. From what I understand, this stand is for next Christmas.”
“It’s good we got here in time then.” He looked at the damage to the old timbers of the jetty. “I think these will be fine. They still seem solid enough despite the charring on the posts.”
“Thank goodness. It’s a handy spot to have the boat moored.” Jake ambled over and stood looking out over the lake.
“Yeah, ’cause you spend so much time out here fishing lately.”
“I try, okay? With Cory training so much at the moment, I don’t get a lot of free time but I was out here last week and the week before that scraping the hull down ready to repaint before we launch it again and doing work on the cabin. You know you can use the boat anytime you like too, once she’s in the water again.”
“Did you bring Bella out all those times?”
“Maybe.”
Ben chuckled. “Did I tell you the wife bought tickets to the dinner at the hotel? Said we need a night of romance away from the children and what better excuse than when Bella is cooking?” He wiped soot off his hands onto his pants. “Not often we get someone as famous as her in town. With the way they’re making it a red carpet affair, how could I say no? That doesn’t happen often in this town.”
“Seriously? Red carpet. I didn’t know that. I guess I’ll see you there then.”
“How come? I thought Bella would be busy cooking. You’re not taking someone else are you?”
Jake shook his head, looked out over the lake. “No. She convinced me to come to dinner. Once the main course is on the table she won’t have to be stuck in the kitchen. Desserts will all be done in advance so we can have time together and in the meantime, I believe you’re at my table.”
“That’s good then. I’m looking forward to it, actually. The wife’s been singing her praises, watching her shows over and over. Said it’s to get into the mood of being around someone so famous and clever. I’m surprised she hasn’t mugged her in the street yet and asked for photos.” Ben turned and walked back to the fire truck.
“She does get stopped a fair bit but she’s pretty chill about it. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
Ben lifted his foot and rested it on a tire, leaned his hand on his knee. “How does it feel dating someone like her?”
“That’s the funny thing. I didn’t know who she was when we met so I didn’t manage to make a fool of myself. Just as well I guess.” Jake gazed at his boat and wished he could hop aboard with Bella and get away from the hype. Even though she seemed relaxed, her nerves were getting slightly frazzled.
“You going to go with her when she leaves?”
A hand squeezed his heart. “No. I can’t, not with Cory.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Jake opened the door and put his foot on the step, ready to climb in. “I don’t know. I honestly have no idea.” He climbed up, slammed the door behind him.
Last night he’d been in heaven sleeping with Bella in his arms. He’d panicked when he’d woken up alone, wondering if it had all been a dream. But she’d been in the kitchen, ready to sneak out to work.
Jake had thought he led a busy life until he met Bella. She was constantly on the move, always busy with plans that would make most grown men cringe at the breadth of them. He didn’t know how she did it and wondered
