Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,18

the sole reason for Dex turning his life around. His sudden, shocking death from a heart attack two years before had been the reason Dex had decided to leave Wellington behind and start again.

Dex continued, “He talked to me about getting fit—about eating healthily and exercising, things I’d never been told before. I worked hard, lost twenty pounds, ran every day, joined several sports clubs, and grew fit and strong. I went back to school and got my level one literacy and numeracy. And then Charlie suggested I apply for the Police Force. I didn’t think I stood a chance, but he organised my referees, told me what to expect and encouraged me, and to my amazement, I got in.”

Of course that wasn’t the whole story. There were the gruelling interviews, the years of training, of self-doubt, of having to prove himself, of being tempted by his old life, and of having to fight to break away completely from the chains of the past that kept drawing him back. But it was a start.

He glanced around the room, taking them all in. “I’m not saying it’s easy. You have to work at it—nobody’s going to give you anything in this life. But what I am saying is that there’s always a way out. And if you want something badly enough, you shouldn’t use your past, or your family, or your social status or your race or your sex or anything as an excuse, because you’re more than all those things. You’re better than that.”

He was talking too much. He ran a hand through his hair and hoped he wasn’t blushing. “Okay, enough from me. Any questions?”

Every student in the class lifted a hand.

***

Half an hour later, he left the classroom and walked back through the school and across the road, feeling light of spirit. He hoped he hadn’t come across as preachy. He certainly hadn’t meant to sound like that. He’d just wanted to pass on his absolute conviction that you had to take control of your own life. He’d done it, Honey had done it—they’d both overcome some terrible trials and tribulations to get where they were. But perhaps life was all the sweeter for it.

Thinking of sweetness made him think of his fiancée, and thinking of Honey made him smile. He put on his hat, reminding himself to bring it with him on Saturday to the hotel for the wedding. She wanted him to wear it on the honeymoon, and he had every intention of doing whatever she desired in bed.

He wondered how she’d got on at the courthouse. If she hadn’t been chosen, she should have been home by now, and he was surprised he hadn’t heard from her. On impulse, he took out his phone and sent her a quick text message.

As he clipped his phone shut, his gaze fell on a woman leaning against his car. Arms folded, she watched his approach, her posture calm, as if she’d expected him. Her long hair fell about her shoulders in soft brown waves, and she wore a tiny pair of denim shorts and a skimpy white top that emphasised her fantastic figure. She licked her lips as he approached, and pushed herself off the car, saying, “Hey Dex.” She fanned her hands out and made a jazz hands gesture. “Surprise.”

Fucking right, it was a surprise.

It was Cathryn.

Chapter Eight

The judge called lunch at one o’clock for an hour. Honey bought a sandwich and a drink from the café near the courthouse and sat in her car. She didn’t feel hungry, but she made herself nibble the sandwich because she wasn’t sure how long the afternoon session would be.

In the end, though, she only ate one half, the bread and chicken sitting uneasily on her churning stomach. It had been an unsettling morning.

The defendant, Sarah Green, had taken the stand. The defence lawyer had summarised the case and asked her to tell her side of the story.

Honey had grown cold as Sarah related her tale. Sarah had worked in the advertising department of a paper mill, and James was a salesman at the same firm. She’d fallen for him the first moment she saw him, and when he finally asked her out a few months after she started working there, it was like a dream come true.

In the beginning, it had been wonderful. She was deeply in love and he was attentive, loving, generous and caring. Yes, he’d been possessive from the beginning, but she’d kind of liked that.