Second Chance Lane (Brockenridge #2) - Nicola Marsh Page 0,24

whisked to safety first, but in a situation like that who knew what could happen? Whatever he’d seen, being witness to a tragedy could seriously mess with his head.

‘Someone’s got a crush,’ Ruby said, peeking over Tash’s shoulder. ‘Kody Lansdowne is seriously hot.’

Tash whirled around, cheeks burning as she slipped her mobile back into her pocket.

Ruby hooted. ‘Look at you, all hot and bothered over a rock star—’

‘Kody is Isla’s dad.’ The truth tumbled from her lips before she could consider the wisdom of telling one of her closest friends a secret she’d kept hidden for over a decade.

Ruby’s eyes widened and she burst out laughing. ‘You had me there for a second—’

‘It’s true. We were a thing in Melbourne before he got famous, and now he’s here in Brockenridge and he’s moved in next door, and I had to tell Isla the truth and everything’s a bloody mess …’ Tash trailed off, almost relieved to get all of that off her chest.

Ruby grasped Tash’s arm, led her to the nearest seat, and pushed her into it. ‘Be right back.’

Now she’d told her friend the truth, Tash had the distinct urge to unburden herself. Silly to have kept this inside for so long, because Alisha and Ruby were the least judgemental women on the planet, and when she’d told Alisha years ago, her friend had said nothing beyond urging her to tell Kody the truth. Then again, not so silly after all, because Tash knew if she’d told all her friends about Kody she would’ve been tempted to look him up again and no way did she want to end up back in that spiral of doubting her decision and wishing for things that couldn’t be.

She’d done enough of that when Isla had been a toddler, when Tash had come home from a long shift at The Watering Hole, tucked her daughter into bed, and spent way too much time online, analysing every aspect of Kody’s glamorous life. The parties, the awards, the women … it had driven her crazy, imagining the kind of life she could’ve had with him. Then she’d tiptoe into her adorable daughter’s room, stare at her innocent, cherubic face lax with sleep, and know she’d made the right decision. Dragging a child from one city to another, dealing with intrusive paparazzi, not having a real home—that was no life for a child. Tash had definitely done the right thing, but in those early years it hadn’t stopped her wondering what if and yearning for something, or someone, she could never have.

‘Here. Drink this.’ Ruby placed a glass of port in front of her. ‘This aged tawny will go down easier than whiskey or brandy. It’s super sweet.’

‘I’m not drinking that, I have to pick up Isla in a few hours.’

‘Fine, then. I will. I need it more for shock than you do anyway.’ Ruby downed the port in three gulps, slamming the glass down hard and making them both jump. ‘Damn, girl, you’re full of surprises.’ She leaned in close and said, in an exaggerated whisper, ‘You shagged the Kody Lansdowne?’

‘Many times.’ Tash winked, relieved she could joke about this now. She hadn’t felt like laughing earlier when she’d told Kody the truth and seen the devastation mixed with fury in his eyes.

‘Wow. Go you.’

Tash knew her friend. She’d want to ask a million questions but wouldn’t want to pry either. ‘It’s okay. Go ahead and ask. I know you’re dying to.’

Ruby grinned, leaned over and poked her in the shoulder. ‘You actually dated him? What happened? Who ended it? Does he want you back? Is that why he’s here? And what about Isla? How will you two parent—’

‘Whoa, slow down.’ Tash held up her hands. ‘But in answer to your questions, yes, we dated for a few months in Melbourne. I fell pregnant around the time he was offered his big break in America and I didn’t want him to stick around because of the baby, so I told him I was coming home.’ Not the entire truth but nobody knew about the abortion lie except her and Kody, and she intended on keeping it that way. The more who knew, the more risk Isla would find out, and she couldn’t have that. There were enough people hurting; she didn’t want to complicate it. Her daughter would never understand. And Tash would never put her in that position.

‘So what’s he doing here now? Pure chance?’

‘Apparently.’ Tash shrugged. ‘The drummer in his band owns the