21. Twists and Turns
21
TWISTS AND TURNS
Curled up under the duvet, Tayla struggled to fall asleep as she rehashed her encounter with Prue. And as the house creaked its secrets into the stillness, a part of her wished Mitch would join her.
They’d been physically close before—during their practice kiss and at the wedding ceremony. So why did sharing his bed worry her? Her nerves strung tight, she was just about to check the time on her phone when the door opened and closed with a whispered click.
Listening as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly, she stilled. He slipped into bed behind her and lay on his side, so close his breath lightly caressed her skin.
She wanted to turn around and ask how he was, to reach out and trace her fingers over his chest and down the contours of his abs, until his skin warmed her touch…
“You still awake?” he murmured.
“Only just. I’m overtired.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m sorry I ruined your night.”
“You didn’t ruin my night. But it’s late, and I’m a little drunk, so I’d rather leave the debrief for now. ”
Hugging the edge of the bed, Tayla pulled the duvet tighter. He might not want a debrief, but she couldn’t stop thinking about his world and how little she knew of it.
He moved closer, and as she shifted, searching for comfort, Mitch nuzzled into her hair and whispered, “Goodnight.” Then he rolled over and fell asleep.
With Mitch burning like a furnace beside her, his body too close for comfort, Tayla slept poorly, then woke with a fright, uncertain for a moment of her surroundings. She looked around the room for any sign of him. But there were no jeans on the chair, no watch or phone next to the bed, no warmth on the sheet beside her.
She flung back the covers and placed her feet on the floor, loving the texture of wool underfoot. When she drew back the curtains, muted sunlight washed the room with warmth and uncertainty. With its white on white palette, iron bed, and lamps that hung from the ceiling over each nightstand, the room held no mementos of his childhood. For some reason, Tayla found that sad. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she wondered what kind of boy he’d been. Ambitious, sweet, kind?
With no signs of life in the house, Tayla donned her running shoes and went for a jog along the coastal road, timing herself for thirty minutes before heading back to the orchard under the threat of rain. The solitude allowed her time to think. Although, to be fair, she’d had plenty of time for wayward thoughts lately. Too much time.
Although there was no point in giving weight to Prue’s insistence that Mitch was still in love with her, their conversation had helped Tayla separate fact from fantasy. Mitch wasn’t hers and never would be. She was merely a visitor to his world.
When she walked into the kitchen, hot and sweaty after her run, CeCe sat at the table, her head bowed over a cup of black coffee.
“Good morning,” Tayla said. “How’s the head?”
“I need a new one. This one’s in pain.” CeCe sipped her coffee. “How come you’re up and about so bright and early?”
Tayla checked her Garmin. “It’s after eleven. I needed to blow out the cobwebs.”
“Where’s Mitch?”
“I have no idea. He was gone when I woke up.”
CeCe studied Tayla over the rim of her cup. “Have you called him? What if he’s lying under a bush somewhere?”
“He’s a big boy. I’m sure he’s fine.” Tayla grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. Did Mitch’s family know about the conditions of Normans will? She turned to face her sister-in-law. “I just don’t want to be that wife. The needy nag who has to keep tabs on her husband.” And one who lies to people.
“That’s fine normally. But add a dash of Prue to the mix, and all hell could break lose.”
Tayla bit into the apple, catching the juice with the back of her hand as it dripped down her chin. She was just about to shut down the conversation when Mitch strolled into the kitchen. He dropped his keys, wallet, and phone on the table.
“Where have you been?” CeCe asked.
“Having brunch with Otis. He’s not in a good space.”
CeCe cocked a questioning brow. “Was Prue there?”
Ignoring his sister’s question, Mitch addressed Tayla, his expression warm, caring. “Sorry I didn’t text, babe. My phone’s flat.” He leaned in for a quick kiss, taking her by complete surprise. “I might go for a run. We need to be away by three.” With that, he walked down the hall and disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Tayla: Hey. How are you? In a better mood?
Lisa: A bit. Aren’t you in Tulloch Point?
Tayla: Yep, in the truck waiting for Mitch. What’s new?
Lisa: I’m still in shock about the wedding TBH.
Tayla: Me too.
Lisa: I had a tiny crush on Mitch back in the day. Now he’s my brother-in-law. WOGE?
Tayla: I never knew that. What does WOGE mean?
Lisa: * Eye roll*. What On God’s Earth. And you knew.
Tayla: Honestly, I didn’t. Wait. You haven’t slept with him have you?
Lisa: Very funny. I wasn’t even on his radar. When do we get to see the photos?
Tayla: Soon. Talk later xx
Mitch said little as they drove away, less as they passed the town limits sign, and nothing as they joined the main highway south. Tayla stared out the window. The straight roads gave way to twists and turns as they hit the mountains, and the story streaming through the speakers seemed to do the same. Twisted and turned.
Right on dusk, they pulled into a gas station complex comprising of the usual: a restroom, a small convenience store, and several fast-food outlets.
He cut the engine. “I need to fill up.”
“Okay. I’ll just go to the restroom.”
When Tayla walked back onto the forecourt, Mitch and his pickup had vanished. She sat on a seat outside the convenience store, looking around for any sign of him. Nothing. She fished in her bag for her phone, then realized she’d left it in the truck. The minutes ticked by. She was just about to walk inside to look for him when a familiar voice said, “Do you want something to eat? ”
Relieved, she shook her head, overwhelmed by the trip, the restless night before, and Prue’s cruel tongue. “Where did you disappear to?” she asked, managing a small smile.
“I needed to check the tires. You sure you’re not hungry? They do great burgers here.”
“I might just grab a juice. I’m still full from lunch.”
Mitch narrowed his gaze and studied her. She waited for him to comment on her lack of appetite, but instead, he turned and walked inside. Tayla followed two steps behind.
She sat at a small table in the harshly lit interior while Mitch went to order. When he returned, he tucked into a double cheeseburger and large fries like he hadn’t eaten in days. She sipped her vegetable juice, suddenly hungry as the smell of deep-fried food wafted across the table.
He studied her for a long moment. “So, are you going to tell me what happened with Prue?”
Until now, Tayla had seldom seen Mitch in a negative mood. He seemed more the ‘glass brimming to the top and overflowing’ sort. “I introduced myself, Prue told me exactly what she thought of me, and when I stood to walk away, she said if I didn’t hear her out, she’d make a scene. You know the rest.”
Mitch leaned back in his chair. “Prue reckons you gave just as good as you got.”
Full of second-rate juice and worry, her stomach lurched. “Is this why you’re angry? Because you think I encouraged her?”
“I’m tired and a little hungover, not angry.” He sighed. “Look, I don’t blame you for what went down, but I don’t understand why you didn’t walk away sooner.”
“Oh, I wish I had, believe me.” Tayla picked up his fries and started to eat. “She’s a bully.”
“I know what she can be like, and I trust you to be discreet. But that discretion doesn’t apply between us.”
“Surely that discretion works both ways? ”
He took back the fries. “Meaning?”
“A little heads-up would’ve been good. But you just went about your night without even a thought for how I might feel.”
He nodded, picked up his coffee and sipped it. “I didn’t expect her to be there, but Otis is a family friend. I had no idea they were even together, neither did CeCe. Look, Prue can be an abrasive drunk, but despite everything, she’s not a bad person. She does have a habit of lashing out when she feels threatened though.”
“Yes, I got that vibe.” She looked him straight in the eye. “But then, she obviously still loves you and says the feeling’s mutual. That doesn’t make my position an easy one when I’m around your family and friends.”
“I understand.”
Tayla noticed he didn’t address her comment. Never said he didn’t love Prue. Did his friends see her as the bitch who’d stolen another woman’s fiancée, as Prue had so eloquently put it?
She reached for the fries again. “Do any of your family know about the conditions of Norman’s will?”
“Just Mum and Frank. But I haven’t discussed the purchase of Cherry Grove with them in depth. They’re curious about our marriage, but it’s no one else’s business. As long as Ken’s satisfied, it’s all good.”
Was it? All good? Living a lie where the truth would never be told? “And what about Prue?”
“She knows Norman left me the orchard but not about his final condition. I wasn’t marrying her to get the money, so the subject never came up. She wasn’t interested in my business affairs.”
“She probably thinks I married you for your money. In a way, she’s right, isn’t she?”
With a shrug, Mitch grabbed the now almost empty pack of fries and helped himself to the last few. “It doesn’t matter what she thinks, or anyone else. We both had our reasons.”
“Maybe, but no matter your reason for marrying me instead of Prue, I’d like to try to get through the next few months without any more drama.” Tayla stood. “I’ll be outside.”
Mitch followed her through the door and into the truck. “Hope you enjoyed my fries.”
She clicked her seatbelt into place, then looked at him. “I did. Thank you.”