Ten
THE TAWNY FROGMOUTH’Swing was bent at an odd angle. Penny held the bird steady on the table as the vet fixed it and wound a bandage around its body.
“You have any plans for the weekend?”
“Wedding preparations. We’ve got to plan our honeymoon as well,” Penny replied with a sigh. “Any suggestions?”
“Cairns is nice, or Port Douglas.”
“We have such lovely beaches here on Coral Island, I’d probably prefer to go somewhere really different. Rowan travels all the time, but I’ve hardly been anywhere.”
“Then you should try New Zealand. It’s close, but it’s very different to what you’re used to. And it’s stunningly beautiful.”
She chewed the inside of her cheek. It was a good suggestion. Perhaps she should talk to Rowan about it. He’d said she could choose where they went, since he’d already been everywhere. He’d finished up the last of his contracted stories and wasn’t taking on any more now that they’d decided he should work with her at the refuge. It’d been three days so far, and already she was relaxing into their new partnership. It was going better than she’d thought it would.
“Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll take a look at it. But honestly, it’ll be so nice to get away, just the two of us, that I’m not very fussed about where we go. I’m looking forward to having that time together. I can’t believe I’m finally getting married.” Nerves stirred in the pit of her gut.
Karen, the vet, smiled at her over the top of the bird’s raised head. “I know… I never thought I’d see the day that Penny St James would tie the knot.”
She swallowed. “It’s exciting and a little scary.”
“Piece of cake.” Karen winked. “You’re going to love it.”
“You like being married, right?”
“It can be wonderful and hard all at the same time. I wouldn’t give it up, though.”
“Everyone says it takes work, and I’ve been in long-term relationships before, so I get it. We never walked down the aisle, but I’ve had my fair share of conflicts. I even went to couples’ counselling with one old boyfriend. I thought we’d get married, but in the end, we weren’t right for one another. I can’t imagine being married to him now.”
“I know what you mean,” Karen said as she packed up her things. “I hate to think how my life would be if I’d married that sailor from Seattle years ago. Some things aren’t meant to be.”
The idea of getting married was a little overwhelming for Penny. But whenever she pictured Rowan’s smiling face and his hand holding hers, she knew they’d made the right decision. Whatever the future held, they’d face it together, and she was certain they’d be able to make it through.
When Karen left the refuge, Penny went looking for Rowan. He was in the small office behind the snake enclosure, staring at a computer screen. He tapped on the keyboard, then his gaze drifted up to meet hers and his mouth broke into a wide grin.
“Are you almost finished?” she asked, walking over to sit in his lap.
He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Just about. You?”
“I’m done for the day. It feels good to be able to say that. Thanks to you, I don’t have to take home a pile of paperwork to do after dinner.”
He arched an eyebrow. “That’s good news. It means more time and attention for me.”
She laughed and pried herself free. “Finish your work, and we can leave. I’ve got some fish in the fridge. I thought I’d make you a curry.”
“I love fish curry.”
“I know you do,” she quipped. “I’ll meet you at the beach house. I’ve got to talk to Charmaine one last time about our wedding plans.”
“I’ll see you there, then,” he said with a wave.
She stood at the door, leaning against the frame, watching him as he got back to work. Her heart thundered against her rib cage. Had they made the right decision? She loved that his being there took the load off her shoulders, but what about him? He was used to travelling the globe, chasing down stories and publishing them for all the world to read. Now he was filling out boring paperwork at a small animal sanctuary.
“Are you sure you’re going to be fulfilled working here?”
He glanced up at her, eyes narrowed. “Huh?”
“You gave up a pretty glamorous career to move back to Coral Island and work a menial administrative job.” She shrugged. “I don’t want you to equate boring admin work with being married to me.”
