Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Debbie Holmes thumbed through the photographs on her phone. Images of Venice—gondolas, glasses of wine, plates of cheese and crackers, colourful buildings and cathedrals. She couldn’t help wishing they were back there. It had been such a romantic trip. She and Caleb looked so happy in each of the snaps. They had renewed their vows in a beautiful cathedral overlooking the sunset across the ocean. It’d been a spontaneous thing, the vow renewal, but it was the most touching and sweet gesture Caleb had ever made.
It was hard for her to imagine a better way to reconnect after so many years of silence and such a large void between them. They’d finally had the conversations they needed to in order to bridge the gap. Caleb had been devastated by a miscarriage she’d had in their younger years, and the fact that they were never able to have a family. She had been too. But they hadn’t spoken of it, both trying to protect the other from the pain. And in the end, they’d only made it worse.
She was so grateful they’d hashed things out. But on the last night of their trip to Venice, they’d had a big fight over their future together. Caleb had told her he wanted her to sell the business. She was the senior partner in a legal firm. She’d built her firm from the ground up over decades. And instead of the family she’d hoped for, it was her baby. She hated to give it up, even though she would be sixty-one this year. He thought it was time for her to slow down and used their recent isolation from one another as proof that her work was getting between them.
When he’d finished telling her this over a plate of dessert outside a gorgeous little café in Venice, she’d been furious.
“I don’t see why I have to be the one to make the sacrifice. What about your work?” she’d ranted. “It causes issues in our relationship more than mine does. You’re always working. I hardly see you.”
After they’d had it out for a good ten minutes, he’d walked back to the hotel with her, then left in a sulk. She’d been even more angry then. Why did he get to walk away in a huff and leave her alone in the hotel for hours? What was he doing? Where did he go?
She’d called his mobile and left a message about not running away from conflict. Then she’d gone to bed. He was there when she woke up in the morning. And he’d acted as though nothing had happened, that there was no conflict between them. But there was a definite chill in the air, and she’d worried that it would take them back to the time when they barely spoke. He was the type of man to hold on to hurt—that much was clear after all these years. And as much as she loved him, she found that resentment from him utterly frustrating. Couldn’t they have a conversation about something, a disagreement even, without it being the end of the world?
The one thing she hated was that he was right. She knew he was right. Her work was too consuming. She’d obsessed over it for so many years, she didn’t know how to live any other way. And for the past eight months or so, she’d been working only three or four days a week. The rest of the time, she allowed her legal partners to carry the slack. So far, they’d managed reasonably well. There were emergencies, of course, that she’d had to deal with. But the day-to-day was handled without her in the office.
She’d been able to live in a more balanced way. She’d written a cookbook with her friends and spent more time with them in general. She’d been at home once or twice a week when her husband arrived after work. And she tried to prepare a delicious meal for the two of them on those days as well. When she pointed this out, Caleb had doubled down.
“It’s been great having you around. I want more of it,” he’d said.
And she couldn’t argue with that. It was how he felt. But she couldn’t help thinking it was unfair that he didn’t hold himself to the same standard.
“It’s different,” was his only response.
And that’d made her even more infuriated. So much that she’d had to throw on yoga pants and head down to the hotel gym to work out.
How dare he say that? He didn’t know how hard it’d been for her over the years, having to prove herself as a woman and as a business owner. She’d had to smash the glass ceiling so many times that her fists were bruised. And now, close to retirement, he had the audacity to suggest she should sell the one thing she’d built over a lifetime of hard work.
She laid her phone back in her lap and stared out the window of the Uber that was carrying her to Sunshine. They would stay in the beach house tonight. Her car was there already, and Caleb had promised to take her out to dinner. It was Thursday night, she wouldn’t go into the office tomorrow, and they’d have a night out, a lazy morning, before he had to head into the city for work.
It was exactly what they both needed. Some time away from it all. Time together to relax and think. It’d been three months since they returned from Venice, and she already felt as though she hadn’t vacationed in years. It didn’t take long to get back into the swing of working, and the stress of it all had her shoulder muscles in a bunch.
The restaurant was a seafood place on the water’s edge. It clung to a pier that jutted out at the end of Sunshine Beach into the cool, clear water. The sun had already dipped toward the horizon and was sending pink and orange shafts of light glimmering across the ocean when Debbie arrived.
She was to meet Caleb there, and she found him at their favourite table, tucked away on the outside deck. The air was humid and sticky, but there was a light breeze. She wore her business suit from work and slipped out of her jacket, hanging it on the back of her chair before bending to kiss her husband.
“There you are,” he said. “Did you make good time?”
“It was fine,” she replied. “The traffic was heavy, but I made it. How did you get here so early?”
“I came around lunchtime and have been working from the beach house,” he replied casually.
She frowned. “Oh, you should’ve told me that. I would’ve moved some things around to join you.”
He smiled. “Never mind. Next time.”
They ordered a plate of salt-and-pepper calamari, as well as two Coronas. Then they clinked the beer bottles together and took a swig.
“What a beautiful night,” Debbie said, taking in the view of the beach and the small waves that rolled over the sand.
“It’s perfect. I’m glad we bought this holiday home when we did. It’s been a great place to relax over the years.”
“I love it.”
“We should retire here.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather live. Although I’d quite happily keep the house in New Zealand for the occasional trip to the snow.”
“We can do that. I enjoy that place as well, although we don’t get to use it as often as I would’ve liked. It’s only a three-hour plane ride, but as busy as we are, it might as well be ten.”
“It would be good to do some of the things we’ve always wanted to. We should write a bucket list. I’ve had one in my head for a while. Maybe we should formalise it.”
He shrugged. “Not a bad idea. I’d like to add more time in New Zealand to the list.”
“And another European trip. There are so many countries there I’ve never seen.”
He nodded. “I agree. I loved Venice. And we’ve seen most of Italy on previous trips. But we’ve never been to Russia or Austria, and I hear they’re both stunning.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Debbie said, suddenly feeling excited. There was nothing more thrilling to her than exploring new places, meeting new people, and tasting exotic cuisine.
“Have you thought any more about what we discussed in Venice?” Caleb asked.
Her good vibes vanished as quickly as they’d come. “What do you mean?”
“About slowing down, retiring, selling your business.”
She inhaled a slow breath to calm her irritation. “I have.”
“What do you think? Can you do it soon? Maybe we can book those holidays and really start to enjoy ourselves.”
“Start?” she asked, one eyebrow quirked. “You haven’t enjoyed the years with me up until this point?”
His cheeks blushed red. “No, that’s not what I mean.”
“What do you mean, Caleb?”
He frowned. “There’s no need to get upset. We’re having a conversation.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. Go ahead. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
He smiled. “I’d like us to have more time. Time together, time to relax. I want to relax more with you. To really enjoy the years we have left together.”
She sighed. “I want that as well.” They could agree on wanting to be together and to have more quality of life. She didn’t mind admitting that.
“I think you selling the business is the best way to achieve that. You’re sixty years old. Don’t you want to retire?”
She frowned. “Of course I’ve thought about it. I’ve considered retiring so many times. But many people don’t retire until sixty-five or later. What’s the rush?”
“What if we don’t make it to sixty-five? Some people don’t. And they miss out on their bucket list items because they’re too busy working.”
“Are you suggesting we both retire?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I can’t just yet. You know that.”
“Why can’t you? I don’t understand. You want me to retire, on my own. But you’re not going to. How does that make any sense?”
“You could arrange our social events, activities, holidays… You would be so much more relaxed. But I’ve got a responsibility to my family. The firm I run is a family-owned business—you know that. I can’t sell it, and I can’t simply walk away. They need me. My family relies on me to keep things running smoothly.”
“Matthew could take over,” Debbie countered. Matthew was Caleb’s nephew and had been working at the firm for over ten years. He was fully capable of taking on the senior partner position, and Caleb knew it. In fact, he was the one who’d sung Matthew’s praises so many times, Debbie couldn’t count.
“Yes, he could. And I intend for him to do just that when the timing is right.”
“When will that be?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied, looking irritated. “Can we drop it for now, please? We’re talking about your partnership. You’ve built it into something great and could get a good deal of money for it, I’m certain. Just ask around—see if there’s any interest in the partnership to buy you out. It can’t hurt.”
She sighed. “Yes, it can. If the partners think I’m leaving, there’ll be blood in the water. The whole thing could collapse. You know how partnerships go. If one person leaves, then two might, and suddenly there’s a mass exodus and the whole thing comes crashing down.”
“That won’t happen. What you’ve built is solid. And your partners care about you and the firm.”
“I hope you’re right. And I will definitely consider it. I’m going to talk to Phil. He’s my most senior partner and he could be interested in buying me out. But going part-time has already caused some political game playing. I’ve been watching from afar, hoping I don’t have to get involved in their little spats.”
“Think about it,” Caleb said as their calamari arrived. “It might be the best for us. And that’s something we should prioritise for the first time in our lives.”
She studied his face as he bit into a piece of calamari. So calm, measured, handsome and thoughtful. Was he right? Had they never prioritised them? Their relationship? Maybe it was true. And if that was the case, it could be the time to do it. Although she still wasn’t happy that he wasn’t willing to do the exact thing he expected her to do. It would be hard for her to give up her firm. But if it was what mattered to him, to them, she would consider it.
“I still don’t understand why you have to keep working. I know it’s your family business… But…”
He sighed. “It’s hard for me to let it go.”
“It’s difficult for me as well.”
“I understand that,” he replied. “I’ll think about it. Okay?”
“I will too,” she said.
“Good,” he replied. “Now, what else should we order?”
“I was looking at the seafood chowder. I haven’t tried it before, and it has Moreton Bay Bugs in it.”
“Perfect,” he replied. “Then, I might get the Garlic King Prawns. And I’ll order a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to go with it.”
“Delicious.”
He flagged down their waitress and relayed their order to her. Debbie’s stomach was tied in knots. Their entire conversation had stirred up her anxiety. She hated to face the idea of retiring. What would she do with herself? She’d always worked. Her company had been her priority for so long. Who would she be without it? She wasn’t ready for that step yet. And Caleb should respect and understand that, given he felt much the same way.