Page 1 of Sharing Forever in Hope Creek (Hope Creek #2)

‘Stella and Mitch are here!’ Margaret called out from the living room to Callie as the Richardsons’ two dogs started barking excitedly.

‘I’ll be there soon. Just cleaning up the kitchen.’ Callie paused in wiping down the timber bench to look out the window.

A few brown cows had separated from the main herd and grazed peacefully along the fence line in one of the nearby paddocks, too busy eating to bother answering the occasional lowing from the rest of the herd.

It was always restful watching the cattle, but what really drew her eye were the beautiful shades of orange and pink that slashed across the afternoon sky.

The vista was spectacular with the gum trees stretching up their gnarled limbs to embrace the sun’s last beams of light as it disappeared over the distant, rolling hills.

Home.

Callie let out a satisfied sigh.

It was wonderful to be home for two weeks at Hope Creek Station with her foster family. Now, as she worked out how to navigate her way through the upheaval in her life, it was especially good to be away from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne and surrounded by all the love and stability here.

Blue, the Richardsons’ elderly station hand, came up the back steps and into the kitchen, the old screen door clattering shut behind him.

She watched his chest expand as he breathed in the aroma of roast beef. A wide smile spread over his weathered features and revealed crooked teeth. ‘Smells delicious.’

‘Some things never change!’ Callie laughed.

He winked at her. ‘Wouldn’t be Hope Creek Station if there wasn’t something tempting cooking in Marg’s kitchen.’

‘And you’ve never been known to turn down a good meal, right?’

‘I wouldn’t dream of insulting the cook.’ He placed his right hand over his heart. ‘And nothing beats Marg’s Sunday roast.’

Blue waxed lyrical about everything that came out of Margaret’s kitchen. Tonight it was the roast. Tomorrow morning it’d be the bacon and eggs for breakfast and by morning tea, it’d be her scones.

‘Dinner will be ready in about half an hour. Do you think you can hold out until then?’

‘Hm. I might make it.’ Amid their laughter Blue’s expression grew serious. ‘How are you coping, love?’

She looked away from him. ‘I’m coping.’

‘You’ve got some important decisions to make, but we’re all here for you.’

‘I know.’ She bit down on her lip as tears suddenly pricked her eyes. Throwing the dishcloth in the sink, she took a few steps forward to give the elderly ringer a hug. ‘I love you all so much.’

‘And we all love you.’ Despite his ageing, there was still solid strength in his wiry frame as he hugged her back.

‘Even if you three girls have started causing me no end of worry lately, I don’t know what I’d do without you all.

Jim and Marg may have fostered you three but, in a sense, they fostered me, too. They made us all one family.’

‘And Mitch and Kade are part of it too now,’ Callie added in reference to her sister Stella’s fiancé and his son.

‘Yep,’ Blue agreed. ‘This family keeps growing. I’m looking forward to the big shindig this Saturday to welcome Mitch and his young scamp into the family officially.’

Pulling out of Blue’s embrace, her conscience bit as she wondered again whether she should’ve waited until after Stella and Mitch were married before she shocked the family with her news. Eventually she’d decided to tell them two nights ago, giving them a week to digest it before the wedding.

Besides, nothing could take the shine off Stella’s wedding. It had been an amazing journey for Stella and Mitch to recapture their love through all the trials they’d faced. Saturday was going to be a huge celebration.

Callie heard Margaret exchanging greetings with her sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law in the living room. ‘Let’s go and join them.’

‘As soon as I’ve washed my hands.’

‘Kade sends his apologies.’ Mitch’s words carried clearly down the hall.

‘He’s stayed at home with Aunt Liz tonight because he’s got a sore throat and I want him to rest up and be well for Saturday.

But we’ve brought someone to eat his share.

Margaret, meet Jack Marshall—one of my groomsmen.

I think I’ve mentioned Jack’s a friend of mine from my brief days of playing rugby in Melbourne.

Jack, this lovely lady is Margaret Richardson, Stella’s mum. ’

‘Hi, Mrs Richardson.’ The deep baritone voice made Callie start, then a shiver of awareness caused goosebumps on her arms. ‘It’s lovely to meet you.’

Jack?

The surname provided no confirmation of his identity because they’d never been formally introduced, but his voice …

No. It couldn’t possibly be the same Jack.

Dismissing the ridiculous notion, she still listened to every word for reassurance.

‘It’s lovely to meet you, Jack. Welcome to Hope Creek Station and please call me Margaret.’

‘Jack had some business in the area so he’s a day earlier than expected,’ Stella explained.

‘Well, that’s great,’ Margaret said. ‘We can put you to work with the wedding preparations.’

‘I’ll be happy to help.’

‘We did try to phone a few times to see if you’d mind if we brought Jack over for dinner,’ Mitch said, ‘but the phone was engaged each time we rang.’

‘That was Mavis!’ There was a note of despair in Margaret’s voice as she mentioned the biggest gossip in the area. ‘You know a quick call always turns into an hour-long conversation.’

‘More like a monologue,’ Blue said quietly to Callie as he dried his hands beside her.

‘You really should turn on the mobile phone we bought you,’ Stella complained.

‘Then I’d have to remember to keep the battery charged and have it with me.’ Margaret laughed. ‘Anyway, one phone is usually enough—unless it’s Mavis!’

‘When we were showing Jack around Stella’s tennis development, we saw Jim out in the adjoining paddock,’ Mitch said. ‘He was adamant we bring Jack along for dinner.’

‘Right,’ Blue said. ‘All done. Let’s go and meet our guest.’

As Blue ushered Callie out, Margaret said, ‘Of course, Mitch! Goodness me. You’re part of the family and there’s never any need to phone. You know there’s always room for a few extra at our dinner table.’

‘I appreciate it, Margaret,’ Jack said.

‘There goes my third helping tonight,’ Blue joked quietly enough that his words were for Callie’s ears only.

She barely registered them.

Instead of responding to his humour, her stomach clenched. With every word Jack uttered, she was more certain it was him and her feet refused to take one more step towards the living room.

If it was Jack …

Who was she kidding?

That deep, sexy voice … It has to be Jack.

But he couldn’t possibly be Mitch’s friend. Mitch’s groomsman .

‘You okay, Callie?’ Blue asked with a frown.

Callie stood frozen in the middle of the hallway and she was far from okay. Her head was light, her breathing shallow and—after having initially skipped several beats when she heard Jack speak—her heart hammered frenetically in her chest.

She swayed and Blue grabbed her arm. ‘Marg—’

‘I’m okay,’ Callie rushed out. The last thing she wanted was to cause a scene.

‘You sure?’ The line between Blue’s eyebrows deepened.

‘Yep.’ Hoping against hope that she was mistaken, she forced herself to take a few more steps, past the entrance to the separate dining room and towards the living room where everyone was gathered.

It’d been months.

There must be hundreds of men called Jack who had rich baritone voices that could send quivers of longing up and down a woman’s spine.

There was no way the Jack she’d met in Melbourne could possibly be here at Hope Creek Station.

No way .

But as she rounded the corner and entered the room it was impossible to prevent her quick, audible intake of breath.

Blue’s hand tightened around her arm as she stumbled.

Jack .

All six foot four divine inches of him.

Here.

In her family’s living room.

With broad shoulders that made him look as though he could’ve been a member of Mitch’s NFL team, Jack possessed lethally attractive features.

His strong square jaw shadowed by masculine stubble hinted at his virility.

His thick jet-black hair enticed a woman’s fingers to comb through its softness and his full sensual lips …

She almost sighed out loud as she remembered the impact of their first kiss.

Oh Lord!

Jack.

When she’d met him, he’d come straight from business meetings and had been in a suit, minus the tie. Now he was dressed in a white t-shirt that outlined his muscular torso and denim jeans that …

Her mouth had already dried so no, she wasn’t going to think about what she knew was packed into those denim jeans.

Jack was the sexiest man she’d ever met.

The only man who’d ever made her lose all sense of time, place and reality.

Far out.

Struck mute, Callie stared at him and wished she possessed a superpower to make her disappear.

Why hadn’t she told Blue she was feeling unwell the moment she’d suspected it was Jack? She should’ve retreated immediately and locked herself in her bedroom, giving herself time to regroup and figure out how to face him.

‘Oh, there you are, Callie and Blue,’ Margaret said. ‘This is Jack. He’s—’

‘A friend of Mitchell’s,’ Blue finished for her, letting her know they’d already overheard the conversation. ‘Good to meet you, Jack.’

Time stretched.

Everything played out in slow motion.

Jack’s eyes widened.

His jaw slackened momentarily before he regained control of it.

Has anyone else noticed?

Through a tight throat, Callie forced out, ‘Hello, Jack’, willing him not to let on they’d met before.

Stepping forward quickly to shake the hand Blue offered, Jack then moved to stand straight in front of Callie. He took her left hand in his and glanced down at her fingers—bare of any rings.

Even in her inner panic, she registered his almost imperceptible— satisfied? —nod. ‘Callie! What a pleasant surprise to see you here.’

Shit.

‘You two know each other?’ Margaret puzzled aloud at the same time as Mitch asked, ‘Are you serious?’