‘Can I ask you something?’ she said as she cut into her bacon.
‘Sure.’
‘Why don’t you have a girlfriend?’
‘You mean, what’s wrong with me that you haven’t noticed yet?’
‘No. Maybe.’ Seb was teasing her but she was serious. ‘Why is a guy like you single?’
‘A guy like me? What am I like, exactly?’
‘Oh, no, don’t go fishing for compliments. Just answer the question.’
‘Well, as long as you were thinking complimentary things, I’ll explain,’ he said. ‘I want the freedom to do the things I want to do, to go where I want to go. Last year I spent about forty weeks in the country in four different towns. I don’t see the point in long-distance relationships. I don’t have a girlfriend because I don’t want a serious relationship.’
‘Have you never had a serious relationship?’
‘Only one but that ended three years ago and I’m used to doing things my way now. I can’t really see the need to commit to one person, not when so many relationships end badly.’ He speared a mushroom with his fork before he looked up at her. ‘Would you go through it all again?’
Luci nodded. ‘I would. I liked being married,’ she said honestly. ‘I didn’t like how my marriage ended but I’m not going to let that dictate how I spend the rest of my life. I liked being part of a couple, sharing my life.’ It would be a long, lonely existence if she vowed never to go down that path again and if she was going to achieve her dream of motherhood she needed to be in a committed relationship. It wouldn’t work any other way. Not for her at least, who had always dreamed of the whole package. ‘You don’t want that? Someone to share your life with? A family of your own?’
‘No.’ Seb drained the last of his coffee and pushed his chair back. ‘I don’t,’ he said as he stood up.
Clearly that conversation was over. Luci would remember not to raise that topic again. She didn’t want to rock the boat. There was no need to. They didn’t need to have in-depth, detailed discussions about their hopes and dreams. This was all temporary, she reminded herself. It was supposed to be just a bit of fun.
They spent the next hour wandering through the markets in The Rocks before Seb took her to climb the south pylon of the bridge on their way back across the harbour. Their conversation stayed neutral, away from anything that could be considered remotely emotional, but Luci wasn’t going to let it ruin her day. There was no rule that said he had to open up to her, and besides that he was the ideal date. He was attentive, funny, thoughtful and gorgeous. It had been a perfect first date.
* * *
Over the next ten days Seb took her on several dates that were almost as good. They visited the zoo and shopped in Paddington. They ate dinner in Chinatown, oysters beside the Opera House, burgers in Manly and fish and chips in Watson’s Bay. But her favourite date was the day they’d hired a kayak and paddled to Store Beach. Just thinking about it now made her smile. She had been surprised by how many secluded coves there were around the harbour and she loved being able to escape the city so easily.
Store Beach was only accessible by boat, which meant it was quiet. She preferred the quieter beaches to the bustle of Bondi and Manly. Perhaps it was the country girl in her or perhaps it had something to do with the fact that when they had a beach to themselves they took advantage of that. They had made love in the water that day, something she was positive they wouldn’t have been able to do at Bondi, and she knew she was going to file these memories away and revisit them when Seb was gone from her life. This might be temporary but she would always have the memories.
Spending time with Seb was therapeutic, mentally as well as physically. She felt happier than she had in a long time and she no longer thought about babies and failed marriages or Ben and his new wife, Catriona, every day. She had other things on her mind. She was becoming the person for the next stage of her life and she was starting to feel that she would be okay. She still wasn’t sure that she’d be okay on her own but Seb was showing her how to put herself out there again. She knew that if she had been able to do it with him she’d be able to do it with the next guy. And maybe the next guy would be the one.
Her life was far from over. She would take her second chance. She would achieve her dreams, one way or another. Seb was right, she had time on her side and she wasn’t going to let Ben take it all away from her. She would go after her dream and she would make it happen. She would learn as much as she could about herself while Seb was giving her that chance so she could grow and move forward.
* * *
Luci’s time in Sydney was almost half-gone. The time was flying past; her days were busy and so were her nights. She wasn’t sure how she was going to manage back in Vickers Hill. She couldn’t remember how she used to fill her days. Work, housework, dinner with her parents and a game of netball once a week didn’t seem like much now compared to what she was packing into her days in Sydney. So she’d better make the most of it.
She was feeling more confident and comfortable at work. She’d decided not to be so precious about comments and questions from clients as to whether or not she had children. They didn’t know her circumstances so she replied with, ‘Not yet,’ and left it at that. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring so at least she was spared from those expectations that she and Ben had had. From the moment they’d got married that had been the next question. She’d initially used the excuses of ‘We’ve only just got married’ or ‘We’re saving for a house’ but the questions hadn’t really bothered her until she’d been trying to fall pregnant. She had needed to develop a tougher skin.
Spending time with Seb was definitely helping. He kept her mind and body busy and she no longer thought about having kids every hour of every day. She had relaxed. She had a little over four weeks remaining and she was determined to enjoy every second. The rest of her life could start after that. She had time.
But she very quickly got used to spending her days and nights with Seb and when he told her he needed to go away for a few days for work she found the prospect of being alone again quite daunting.
‘I have been asked to go to Budgee to work in their community health clinic for a few days later this week. The doctor’s wife and daughter have been injured in a car accident and the doctor has flown down to Sydney to be with them. There’s no hospital there any more so there’s no other cover.’
‘Why have they asked you?’
He shrugged. ‘I was there about eighteen months ago for six weeks so they figure I’ll be more familiar with the work than others. And, besides, it’s what I do.’
She knew that. He’d told her he spent a lot of time travelling to different parts of country New South Wales.
‘You could come with me if you like.’
‘How do you figure that?’
‘The doctor’s wife is a nurse so with her out of action the town has lost their nurse and doctor. I could arrange a few days there for you as part of your course.’
Luci didn’t care if people accused Seb of favouritism. Going with him was preferable to being left alone in Sydney, even if it was only for three days, which was how she found herself being driven down the main street of Budgee two days later.
It was a pretty town three hours west of Sydney over the Blue Mountains, with a small-town feel. The main street was wide, not dissimilar to main streets in most country towns across Australia, and this one was planted with oak trees and lined with beautiful old public buildings. A wide, grassy strip ran down the centre of the road. A military memorial stood at one end near the pub; a majestic building with wraparound balconies and elaborate wrought-iron railings. The two-storey red-brick post office stood