Page 13 of One More Time

‘I’d really like that.’

Lying back on the sand, they got comfortable beside each other. Charlie made sure to leave a bit of space between them, not wanting her to think he was trying to make a move on her. He wanted to take this slowly, carefully. She was so special, there was something about her, so delicate and yet so strong. It was a heady combination, one he wanted to understand more.

Right before their eyes, the day gradually gave way to a star-dazzled sky. Tucking his hands behind his head, Charlie turned to gaze at the most beautiful being he’d ever laid his eyes upon. Between her company and the peaceful rhythm of the waves, he’d found his little piece of heaven, right here on earth. Just like that.

And in that instant, he wanted to give up on his plan of returning to Vietnam to find Sergeant Joseph Baker, the man who’d saved his life and was now MIA. He wanted to quit the army entirely and move back home to Sapphire Bay, and be Grace’s boyfriend, her husband, and the father of her children, and make her happy every single day for the rest of his life.

But practicalities intruded. How was he meant to tell her any of this without sounding like a crazy person? And what would he do if he wasn’t a soldier? It was all he’d ever known.

Am I losing my mind?

Grace rolled onto her side and met his gaze. ‘What are you staring at, Charlie?’ She wiped at her cheek. ‘Do I have food on my face?’

The twinkle in her eyes promised adventure and laughter and, if he was lucky enough to win her over, a rare kind of love – the unconditional kind that not everyone finds. ‘You, sweet Grace. I’m staring at you.’

She blinked faster. ‘Why?’

‘Because you amaze me.’

‘I do?’ Her gorgeous lips curled into a bashful smile. ‘How?’

‘Just by being you.’

‘Well, that’s not really telling me much, Charlie Wilson,’ she giggled.

Charlie could imagine the blush on her cheeks deepening. He released a slow, deliberate breath in an attempt to gather his wits. ‘I don’t know how to put it into words, but I’ll try.’ He cleared his throat. ‘You somehow make me feel like I don’t have this gaping hole in my heart anymore, as though this weight of my past is no longer there. It’s kind of like I can breathe properly for the first time in forever.’

‘Wow.’ She regarded him seriously. ‘Well. I’m happy I can help you feel so happy.’

‘Me too, Grace.’ He sighed, smiling. ‘Because after everything I’ve been through, I didn’t think happiness would ever be possible again.’

They fell silent, but not the uncomfortable silence Charlie had grown accustomed to when it came to the company of women. It was the kind of silence felt between two people who had known each other for an eternity.

‘So, tell me, Charlie, how did you come to live with your grandparents?’ Her question was so sweetly innocent.

Charlie’s breath caught in his chest. ‘I’m not sure you really want to know.’

‘I’m sure I do.’ She tucked flyaway wisps of blonde hair behind her ears. ‘I actually want to know all about you.’

How could he refuse that? ‘Okay, well, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just cut to the chase.’ He sucked in a breath then let the horrific words tumble from his lips. ‘My father killed my mother in a drunken rage. Then, like the coward he was, he shot himself.’ He said it almost mechanically. It was so long ago, he felt as if it were part of his past life, not this one. ‘I can still feel the weight of my mum’s head in my lap as I tried to stop the bleeding. The look on my father’s face, the gun in his hand, sirens coming down our street.’ Charlie shook his head, as if the action could clear away the images. ‘It all happened so fast.’

Now bolt-upright, Grace moved a little closer to him. ‘Oh my god, Charlie, I’m so sorry.’ She shook her head, her hand over her mouth and her eyes filling with tears. ‘I honestly didn’t know.’

‘That’s okay. How could you have known when my grandparents swore me to secrecy?’ He sat up too, and touched her arm, soothingly, tenderly. ‘I think my grandfather was ashamed that it was his son, that he’d raised a man like that.’

She took his hands in hers, and gave them a squeeze. ‘I’m here for you, any time, if you want to talk about it, or not, okay.’

‘Thank you, Grace. That means a lot.’ He offered her an appreciative smile – nobody had ever made him feel so understood, and so alive. ‘I don’t want to talk about the past. I want to know more about you. How about you tell me three things you love?’

‘Hmm. Okay, well.’ She looked to the sky, her head tipping side to side. ‘I love all there is about food. Shopping for it, cooking it and eating it. I love the smell of the ocean, and I love music.’

‘I really like your answers.’ He studied her more closely now. ‘You do know that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, don’t you?’ He laughed the line off, enjoying how easy it was to pull her into the present moment.

‘Yes, Dad says that to Mum all the time.’ Her laughter was music to Charlie’s ears. ‘Your turn. What are the three things you love the most?’ She watched him with keen interest.

You, you and you. ‘I love sitting by the ocean, eating good food and dancing.’

‘Oh my gosh, really?’