26
Rhett
‘I’m not being stupid, Heath. Stop calling me that.’ Rhett tried her best to walk to her front door with all the ease of someone on a leisurely stroll. She wanted to stomp but that would have told Heath he was right about her stroppy mood.
His arm flapped back along the driveway. ‘It was just a game. Florence isn’t my type. You are.’
Florence had already seen sense and went to bed, and Rhett had hoped to avoid Heath on the way home from Pepper River Inn, but no such luck. He was close behind and wouldn’t go home.
‘I told you, Heath. There’s nothing wrong. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed. It’s late, and I get up early.’ She watched his mouth flap open and close before he turned and stormed off.
Rhett went straight to her room and practically ripped her beautiful green dress from her body, tossing it into a corner. She faceplanted the bed, growling into the duvet, and took a moment. Then she slowly released the tight grip she had on the cover and sat up.
‘Flipping heck!’ she mumbled.
Even though part of her knew it was silly, she couldn’t help but feel deflated at the thought of Heath matched with Florence at the speed-dating night. It all seemed so unfair and so typical. Why would anything go right for her? Heath should be left in her past, but that was no easy task. He was her business partner now as well as her daughter’s father.
Rhett went into the bathroom to wash the makeup off and put her pyjamas on. A good sulk in bed was due, and she couldn’t do that with mascara irritating her eyes. She’d blinked way more times than normal all night, thanks to the thick black goo.
It felt adventurous at the time. Florence had morphed into a fairy godmother, and Rhett felt like a million dollars. She didn’t know she could look such a way. It seemed a shame wiping Florence’s work away, but bed called, and her pores would thank her in the morning.
Even with the light off, Rhett couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of Heath and Florence as a couple suffocated her to the point she needed fresh air. She grabbed a blanket, opened her balcony door, and went out onto the small veranda to perch on the rail, legs dangling. There had been many times she’d sat like that as a girl, wondering what else was out there. Wishing she could run off and find out.
I could go over to Heath’s. Make amends. Tell him I’m stupid. Oh, blimming heck, I am stupid. I’ll go see him.
‘No,’ she whispered to the warm night, still happy to wallow in the doom and gloom she had created for herself.
Florence caught her eye. What on earth was she doing walking around in the dark?
‘Oi, Florence. You okay down there?’
Florence jumped and looked up. ‘Goodness, Rhett, you scared me. What are you doing?’
Rhett waggled her dangling legs. ‘Just being at one with the night. You?’
‘I couldn’t sleep.’ She wrapped the small pink blanket around her shoulders further across her chest. ‘I’m worried about my presence here. I need you to know there isn’t anything going on between Heath and me. I’m a sisters before misters girl, I’ll have you know. I can’t have you upset simply because Heath and I like the same food.’
Rhett felt stupid. ‘Do you think that’s what swung it for you two at the dating?’
‘I don’t know. We cheated, mostly. However, even if we are two peas in a pod, it doesn’t mean we should hook up. To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t want someone just like me. Some days, I can hardly handle myself.’
Rhett laughed, then abruptly stopped. ‘Hey, wait. What do you mean, you cheated?’
Florence swirled one foot in the grass and giggled. ‘It was my idea,’ she replied, looking back up. ‘Blame my ego. I don’t even want a man, but still. I didn’t want to be at the bottom of anyone’s list. I’m thinking this is an area I need to work on.’
Rhett silently urged her to get to the point. How could anyone cheat at speed-dating? It was a mystery in need of immediate solving.
‘Anyway,’ added Florence. ‘I suggested we give each other ten out of ten, and Heath did that for me. I don’t think he cared if he didn’t make it onto anyone’s list but yours.’
‘I gave him all tens as well.’
‘Yes, but you obviously didn’t pick the same food as your favourites.’
Rhett slumped and sighed deeply. What a stupid night all round. ‘I’m sorry, Florence. You didn’t do anything wrong. It was me, acting daft, as usual. Oh, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re just on a healing journey right now, and that road is full of setbacks and ups and downs.’
‘You’re too kind, Florence.’
‘No, I’m not. I just know what it feels like, that’s all.’
Rhett smiled warmly at her new best friend. ‘I’ve never stopped loving Heath, you know.’
‘I know. And it’s obvious he feels the same. I think he’s really nice, and I haven’t come across many men like that. I know you have history, but somehow you’ve got to move forward, because men like Heath Silver should be snatched up and held on to forever.’
He is my forever.
With all that had happened, Rhett wasn’t sure what to do for the best. At first, it was all about keeping him at arm’s length, but after Benton died, so much changed.
Florence cleared her throat, gaining attention. ‘Would you care to join me in the kitchen for some hot chocolate? I’m starting to get a pain in my neck looking up at you.’
Rhett clambered off the framework. ‘Yep. See you there.’ She glanced once more in the direction of Heath’s home. It was so hard to wipe away the what-ifs, especially as she had so many hoarded away. She had spent years feeling sorry for herself, fighting off demons, and making pointless wishes.
She had to sort herself out. Change was happening whether she liked it or not. She’d have a BB soon, and Willow would be home, and Heath was expecting harmony between them all.
I can’t keep living in the past, and I won’t let it destroy me anymore.
With a huff to her step, Rhett marched out her bedroom, desperately trying to shake the weight of the world from her shoulders. It was time to throw her all and all into a new life.