Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,50
soul and you go running whether you want to or not.”
“He’s right. Did Honey tell you that Mum was married when Dad met her?”
Dex’s eyes widened. “No!”
“We don’t talk about it much now—she probably forgot. Mum got married at seventeen, here in New Zealand, to an older guy. She was unhappy at home with her parents and I think she just wanted to escape. A year later Dad came on holiday here with a mate who was visiting his folks. He said he just walked in a café one day and Wham! That was it. He knew she was married, but he couldn’t keep away from her. He persuaded her to leave her husband and fly back with him. It was the scandal of the year in the small English town he lived in. But he didn’t care. He said he had no choice in the matter. She was his the moment he saw her whether she wanted to be his or not.”
Dex shook his head. “I never knew.”
“Yeah. That’s what women do to us. And look, not that I know anything—or want to know anything—about my sister’s sex life,” Koru continued, “but I don’t think you should worry too much about Honey in bed. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She lights up like a candle every time you’re near. And that’s the reason I’ll let it this go—this time.”
Dex met Koru’s brown-eyed gaze and let out a slow, shaky breath of relief.
“On one condition,” Koru said. “That you don’t tell her out of some fucking do-gooder need to absolve yourself.”
“I won’t.”
“She won’t be able to cope with it, Dex.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Koru nodded. “All right. Let’s forget about it. Are you going over there now?”
“Yeah. Any chance of a coffee before I go?”
“I’ve just cleaned the machine…” He sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”
The two men walked into the shop, talking about the rugby game that night, and Dex’s heart felt a little lighter for the first time in days. He was going to get through this. He’d take it as a warning shot across his bow. He couldn’t think that his past would ever be over and done—it would always be there, buried like an archaeological artefact, waiting to be uncovered. And maybe one day the winds of time would blow the surface dust away and it would rear its ugly head again, but he’d deal with it then.
Deep inside, a little voice reminded him that Cathryn could still be in Kerikeri, but he squashed it like a bug and refused to listen.
Koru set to making him a latte, grinding the coffee beans and steaming the milk. As he waited for the espresso to pour into the takeaway cup, his mobile rang where he’d left it on the table with his paperwork.
“Hello? Hey. Oh, sorry, it was on the table and I was outside with Dex. Yeah—about ten minutes probably. Er…” He glanced over his shoulder and looked through the window to the kitchen where Cam was tidying up. “Yeah, he’s still here. Why? What’s happened?” He listened for a moment, and then his eyes widened and he looked up at Dex. “Where is she now? And where’s Honey?”
An ice cube slid down Dex’s spine.
Koru banged the milk jug furiously on the table and turned off the coffee machine. “I’ll be right over.” He clipped his phone shut.
Dex stood. “What’s going on?”
“That was Lily. Your ex showed up at the house. Lily let her in—she didn’t realise who she was. The fucking bitch told her she was a friend of yours.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure, but Honey’s had a meltdown.” Koru grabbed his keys. “I’ll just tell Dad.”
Dex stood there, boiling with frustration and desperation as Koru marched into the kitchen to tell his father. Cam gave a loud expletive and then the men came through the door.
“Lock up behind us,” Cam said curtly to his son.
They went out and Koru locked the shop. Cam turned to Dex, anger written all over his face. “You’d best stay here,” he said. “We’ll go home and try to sort things out.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“I think it best if—”
“I’m coming with you,” Dex said again. “It’s my fiancée and it’s my ex who’s upset her. I need to get this sorted.”
Cam stared him, then nodded.
“I’ll go in my car and meet you there.” Dex walked off.
He’d never known a journey to take so long in his life. All the way to Stormwind, his heart pounded and he felt close to throwing