“What might’ve been,” Penny mused.
“Exactly. So, don’t make the same mistake—talk to Rowan before things get any worse. If you want your marriage to work, both of you have to sacrifice and do whatever it takes. And you have to communicate.”
“You’re absolutely right, of course.” Penny studied the food in her bowl. “I’m going to talk to him tomorrow.”
“I’m sure you’ll work things out. As I said before, you love each other. And love can overcome a lot.”
“But you loved each other, didn’t you?”
“I thought we did. But I suppose I was wrong.”
Penny sighed. “Let’s change the subject. I don’t want to talk about my failing marriage anymore or I’ll start bawling at this table. What’s next for your renovation?” She scooped up some curry and ate it.
“I have to get some new bookshelves and couches. I’m going to catch the ferry to Airlie Beach tomorrow to put in an order. Do you want to come with me?”
“Yes, please! Picking out furniture is exactly what I need to lift my mood.”
Eleven
“I can’t believeyou convinced me to go bushwalking with you,” Bradford said as he stepped over a cow pat in the field below Elias’s house.
Charmaine threw her head back and laughed. “You must know this area like the back of your hand. You grew up here.”
He smirked. “I know it too well. I wanted to take you somewhere luxurious and spoil you. Instead, I’m sweating through my shirt and jeans, and sliding around in cow poop in my Italian loafers.”
“I told you to dress comfortably.”
“I’m not sure I like this whole idea of us taking turns on deciding what to do on a date.” He reached for her hand and held it gently as they walked. Their joined hands swung in time with their footsteps.
“You took me to a fancy restaurant for our first date, and now I’m taking you on one of my favourite walks for our second. It’s going well, by the way.”
She couldn’t believe how confident she felt. Ever since they’d had dinner at theSurf and Searestaurant the previous Friday night, she’d been a different person. Conversation with him came so easily that her anxiety simply vanished. He was fun, lighthearted and warm. She’d been so intimidated by his handsome, athletic looks at first, but now she was completely at ease in his presence. Banter didn’t exactly come naturally to her, but she’d found herself exchanging witty small talk with him and she wasn’t awkward about it.
“I’m glad it’s going well,” he said. “By the way, where are we going?”
“The cliffs over here are amazing. They have a spectacular view over the open ocean, and the cliff faces themselves are so black and jagged. I love to sit at the top and mull.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“I don’t sit too close to the edge—unless I’m feeling adventurous, of course.”
He shook his head. “I had no idea you were such a daredevil.”
“There’s more to me than meets the eye.”
He winked at her. “Clearly. Okay, the cliffs. Then we head into town and I buy you a nice coffee at Bea’s.”
“That sounds perfect,” she said.
“How are things at work?”
“Pretty good. I sold my first painting today.”
“Really? That’s fantastic. You’re a professional artist now. There’s no turning back.”
She blushed at his words. “I don’t know about that, but it’s definitely a boost. Betsy has hardly been at work lately, so I’m basically doing everything the way I want. She’s so distracted by this whole thing with Buck and taking care of Samantha. Her focus is on her family, and I can respect that. It’s why she hired me — to give her some flexibility in her schedule. And this way, I can try out new ideas, something she’s encouraged me to do.”
“What kind of ideas?”
