Page 50 of Sharing Forever in Hope Creek (Hope Creek #2)

They sat on super comfortable sofas. Jack sat close to Callie, his arm stretched along the top of the couch behind her and his thigh touching hers.

The four adults conversed easily over a range of topics and Eden tracked back and forth from the couches to her toy box, gifting each adult various toys.

‘Have you guys set a date for your wedding yet?’ Jacinta asked.

‘Not yet,’ Jack told her. ‘We’re waiting for the sale of the vineyard to go through because we’d like to hold the reception there, but that could take some time because of all the legalities.

’ He put his empty coffee cup down on the low table.

‘The accountants are trying to work out how much the investors have lost in the Ponzi scheme and are hoping they’ll be able to value the vineyard at a price that will enable them to pay them all back the money. ’

Jacinta pulled a bit of a face. ‘You still want to buy that vineyard, Jack?’

‘You know I always wanted a vineyard,’ he answered. ‘This one produces good wine and you know we’ve decided to make Hope Creek our home.’

Callie could see that Jack’s sister wasn’t convinced. ‘But—’

‘Jacinta,’ James cautioned. ‘They’ve made up their minds and it’s their decision to make.’

‘I know what you’re thinking,’ Callie said. ‘Initially I went off the idea after what had happened there, but—’

‘But I convinced her it made sense,’ Jack said.

‘I’m going to get a manager in to run the vineyard, but we’ve already engaged an architect to design a home for us on top of a hill that will give us sweeping views of the valley, and we’ve been working on development plans for guest houses and a conference centre that Callie will run. ’

‘Sounds good,’ James said. ‘I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic business as well as allowing you both to be close to Callie’s family.’

‘If you guys are able to move forward, I’m happy for you,’ Jacinta said. ‘As James said, it’s bound to be a success.’

It had taken Callie a bit of adjusting to get used to the idea, but she wasn’t going to let Andrew Thompson’s murder haunt them.

Summoning every bit of pragmatism she had, she’d agreed they could be happy there and once they’d started making proper plans and meeting with an architect, she’d been excited that their mutual dreams could become a reality.

She put her hand over her abdomen where their child started to kick vigorously.

‘Jack and I have agreed that if it looks as though the baby will be born before we have ownership of the vineyard, we’ll have a small wedding at the courthouse with just our immediate families present, and then we’ll have a party at the vineyard later. ’

‘Give us as much notice as you can then,’ Jacinta pleaded before she leaned back and smiled at Callie. ‘Jack’s so much more relaxed with you, Callie. It’s good to see you both so happy together.’

Callie glanced at Jack, who sent her a reassuring smile. ‘I’m happier when I’m with Jack too, so I guess that’s what counts.’

‘Jack wouldn’t tell me initially how you got the information that led to Marcus being charged and Jack’s charges being dismissed. When you gave him permission to fill us in on your childhood and he told me what you’d done to get that information for him, I’ve got to say I was in awe of you.’

Callie was speechless imagining such a polished, professional woman being in awe of her. Her chest tightened at the unexpected and kind acknowledgement from Jack’s sister.

‘Visiting your mother and digging up all that pain …’ Jacinta trailed off, shaking her head. ‘It can’t have been easy for you.’

Callie went to speak but found her throat was so tight she had to swallow first. ‘It wasn’t.’

‘Jack said you were worried about us judging you because of what your parents have done but I want you to know I don’t care about that, Callie. I’ve seen enough in life to know that the blood we’ve inherited from our parents doesn’t define our characters.’

‘Thank you,’ Callie croaked out through tight vocal cords.

She knew from Jack that Jacinta had already told him that.

A little pang of guilt settled between her ribs because she also knew Jacinta and James would’ve come to Hope Creek to meet them months ago, but Callie hadn’t been ready to meet them.

‘Jack has told you, I hope, that we didn’t exactly grow up in a rosy family situation?’ Jacinta said.

‘He’s mentioned that your parents had an open marriage.’

Jacinta’s laugh was dry and Callie thought she detected a note of residual hurt in it.

‘It was good Jack and I were sent away to boarding school or we truly may have been scarred for life.’ She raised her eyes heavenwards before she said, ‘When we were home over the school holidays, neither of them had any compunction about parading their latest lovers in front of us. I was absolutely mortified on more than one occasion when I recognised my mother’s lover.

My God, Jack. Do you remember when we were at the breakfast bar and Mother emerged from her boudoir with the guy who cleaned the pool? ’

Jack laughed. ‘You nearly fell off the stool.’

‘But the worst time was when Father arrived home with the dentist’s receptionist!

’ Jacinta covered her face for a moment as she laughed.

Then she told Callie and James, ‘Jack and I had been to the dentist that day for a check-up while we’d been home from boarding school.

The chauffeur who took us to all our appointments had become sick. So our father had come to pick us up.’

‘Never one to miss an opportunity, he chatted up the barely-out-of-high-school receptionist right in front of us,’ Jack said. ‘Then she was sitting across the table from us the next morning!’

‘Oh Lord! Talk about awkward! Do you still want to marry into this family, Callie?’ Jacinta asked.

James cleared his throat. ‘Let me vouch for both of their characters, Callie. I think both Jack and Jacinta must have taken a vow to be diametrically opposed to their parents because neither of them is anything like their mother or father.’

‘Thank you, darling,’ Jacinta said. ‘Anyway, the point in all those stories is to let you know that our family wasn’t perfect either. You’re like Jack and me. You’ve moved forward with your life despite the bad example you were exposed to, and you’ve proven you’ve got a tonne of inner strength.’

Something monumental shifted inside Callie. She’d felt the same way when she’d arrived at Hope Creek and been embraced by the Richardsons and by the broader community. It was a sense of acceptance and belonging.

‘Welcome to the family, Callie,’ James said. ‘Jacinta and I are very happy for you and Jack, and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming a cousin for Eden as well.’

Even though Callie knew that she was the one who’d been responsible for erecting the hurdles that stood between her and happiness, she knew she’d cleared the last one.

‘I’m sorry I’ve taken so long to meet you both. I hope you’ll come and visit us at Hope Creek and meet my family sometime soon.’

‘We’ve already looked at our schedules,’ Jacinta told her. ‘We think we can get there in three weeks if that suits you?’

Jack pulled out his phone and looked up the calendar. ‘I’m free.’

‘With so much notice, I can arrange the time off too,’ Callie confirmed.

‘Wonderful,’ Jacinta told them.

‘I’m looking forward to meeting Mitch and Stella too,’ James said. ‘I’ve never followed the NFL, but I used to love watching your sister out on the tennis court. How’s she adjusting?’

‘Really well,’ Jack told them.

‘I read recently that she’s developing a tennis centre,’ Jacinta said. ‘It’s fabulous so many underprivileged kids are going to be given a chance to go there and train.’

Callie agreed. ‘The opening has been delayed a bit due to all the rain we’ve had, but it’s getting there.’

‘And you have another sister, don’t you?’ Jacinta asked.

‘Yes. My sister Morgan is a pilot with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.’

‘Wow. You’ve got a very interesting family,’ Jacinta told her. ‘Is Morgan married too?’

‘Not yet,’ Callie replied.

But at least Morgan had been able to have a great time with Phil at the wedding, so she was starting to heal. Hopefully before too long Morgan would find the sort of deep and abiding love that Stella had found with Mitch and Callie had found with Jack.

There was a loud crash from the kitchen and Eden raced around the corner, seemingly uninjured but with guilt all over her expression.

‘Uh-oh,’ James said as he tore through to the kitchen with Jacinta hot on his heels.

‘Is ours going to give us this much angst?’ Jack asked Callie quietly.

‘Bound to,’ she told him.

‘I think you’re right, my darling. But as long as we have each other, I think we’ll cope.’

Callie’s heart throbbed as she absorbed the love in his regard. ‘I’m so looking forward to our life ahead.’

‘Me too. But right at this second, I’m looking forward to doing this more.’

Callie sighed as Jack lowered his head and kissed her lips with a tenderness that made her heart turn in her chest. Every kiss and every touch reaffirmed that their meeting at that nightclub months ago had been preordained. They were definitely destined to be together.

‘You know, darling,’ Jack said between kisses, ‘the more I think about it, the more I think it might be a good idea to get married sooner and have the celebration later.’

Callie had been thinking about it too. ‘Shall we say three weeks so that Jacinta and James can be there too?’

‘Done! I’ll make the arrangements as soon as we get back to Melbourne.’

Callie let out a contented sigh. Stella’s wedding had been wonderful, but Callie was happy to have something lower key. Besides, she wanted to enjoy herself at their wedding celebration and that would be much easier if she wasn’t still pregnant.

In three weeks, she would be Jack’s wife!