Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,37

up. “We’ve finished hearing the testimonies. Tomorrow we have to make our decision.”

“Cut and dried or is it a difficult one?”

She glanced up then and bit her lip. “I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

He smiled. “I know. But you look worried. I promise not to give my opinion, if you want to get something off your chest.”

She looked into her wine glass. “It’s about a woman who’s been abused by her partner.”

His heart sank for her. “Oh, sweetheart…”

“I know. Of all things. He’s just horrible, Dex. He’s sitting there watching her the whole time with a smug, superior look on his face, because he’s so certain we’re going to find him the innocent party.”

“Do you think you will?”

“I think she meant to cause him harm when he came into her house. But I don’t know that I can find her guilty.”

He studied her face. He should tell her that she shouldn’t bring her own experiences into the courtroom—that she should make a judgement based on the facts alone. Of course she would sympathise with the woman, but she shouldn’t find the defendant innocent just because she felt sorry for her. But the judge would have already told her that. What was the point in irritating her by telling her what she already knew?

He studied her face, her intelligent eyes bright with an unusual fervour. She painted herself so often in the role of victim where Ian Mc-Fucking-Idiot was concerned that Dex realised he’d fallen into the trap of thinking of her that way. But she wasn’t a victim, and she wasn’t stupid. She had a heart as big as an ocean and just as deep, but even though she’d been abused and it had taken a while for her to escape Ian’s claws, she’d had the courage to walk out of the relationship and start a new life for herself. She wasn’t weak and this wasn’t the Palaeolithic period where he could cart her off to his cave by her hair. She wasn’t going to stay with him just because he loved her. He’d do best to remember that.

The front door clicked and then Cam appeared in the doorway, looking across at them with surprise. “Hey, you two.” He placed his jacket over the dining chair. “I thought you’d be out walking, sorry.”

Good job they hadn’t gone to bed, Dex thought with relief. His heart thundered at the memory of his conversation with Cam earlier that day, but he forced his mouth into a smile.

“It’s okay, Dad. We’re just talking,” Honey said, casting an amused glance up at her fiancé.

“There’s a bottle of pinot gris open in the fridge if you’d like some,” Dex said.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Cam went and poured a glass, brought it back and sat heavily in the chair opposite them. “Phew. What a day.”

“Have you missed me?” Honey asked.

“Of course.” Cam took a large mouthful of wine and gave a long, approving sigh. “Missy’s not keen on the pastries but she has a go. She does well, but they don’t have your fine touch.” He winked at his daughter. His eyes met Dex’s momentarily, and Dex had to force himself not to drop his gaze but to meet Cam’s openly, to show him everything was fine.

“Has Aroha been helping out?” Honey asked innocently.

Cam gave her a wry look. “Don’t start.”

Honey smiled. “Just wondered.”

Cam knocked back another mouthful, slipped down a little in the chair and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m not looking to marry again.”

“You don’t have to marry her, Dad,” Honey berated him. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have some company? To go to the cinema and stuff?”

“I can go to the cinema with you guys.”

“Yeah,” Honey said, “’cause that’s completely the same thing.”

He raised his head and gave her an exasperated look. “Why does everyone keep feeling the need to push me into dating again?”

“We’re not trying to push you, sir,” Dex said, seeing the way Cam clutched his glass, the frown lines on his forehead. “Of course it’s your own business.”

“No, it’s not,” Honey said. “You know when you have kids you don’t have private moments ever again.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

They all laughed.

Cam looked across the living room to the large windows that gave a beautiful view of the large lawn and the Waitangi Forest beyond, and Dex followed his gaze. The setting sun stained the grass with orange and reflected off the river as it tumbled over the rocks.

“She is nice,” Cam said absently. “And that’s kind of