Page 38 of Wedding Bells By the Creek

‘I guess you don’t. But Ed … your wife is just across the road. Staying in the same pub as my mother. That’s not good. And it’s especially not good for my mother.’

‘I honestly did not know Steph was going to come back. I never asked her too.’

‘That’s not good enough.’ Tia took a deep breath. ‘You know, my father ran off when she was pregnant. He never married her. She tried to make a good home for me. Even tried to find a father figure for me. Sure, she made some bad choices, but sometimes she didn’t even have a choice. I was the one thing she loved. And then I ran away.’

She had to stop. She dashed her hand across her eyes to brush away the tears that were forming. This was not how this was supposed to go.

‘We’ve found each other now, thanks to Max. She’s going to see me and Max get married. She is the happiest she’s been in years. You are part of that, Ed. She likes you. But you’re married. What on earth were you thinking leading her on like that?’

‘I was thinking that she was beautiful. And that I felt good around her. I wanted to make her smile. And I was thinking that I would never see my wife again. I was going to be divorced. I’ve even got the papers.’ Ed waved his hand in the direction of his desk. ‘I never for one moment thought Steph would show up.’

‘Well, she did.’

Ed hadn’t moved all through her tirade. Now he did. He walked over to the desk and picked up a large brown envelope and stared at it.

‘Are those your divorce papers?’ Tia asked.

‘Yep.’

‘Then either do something with them, or tear them up and leave my mother alone.’

‘It’s not as simple as that.’ Ed dropped the envelope back on his desk.

Tia almost stamped her foot. ‘Yes, it is. It is exactly that simple. And I’ll tell you something else that’s really easy to understand. I like you, Ed. I think you and my mum would make a great couple. But, if you hurt her, I’m likely to do something that will force Max to arrest me, not marry me.’

She turned and stormed out of the workshop.

Ed stood listening to the sound of the Harley heading back the way it had come. Tia was right. He was being a coward letting things drift like this. He looked down at the envelope lying on top of a pile of other letters that he had not yet bothered to read. It was sealed and stamped ready to go. He picked it up and stared at it for a very long time.

Tia was right. He had a choice. He could stay true to his vows and the woman who had not remained faithful to him. Or he could end his marriage with nothing more than a faint hope of a future with a woman he barely knew, but would never forget.

And in the end, the choice was as easy as it was clear.

He tucked the envelope under his arm and walked across the road in the direction of the post office.

As he approached, a car pulled up in front of the pub and two people got out.

‘It’s good to be home,’ Trish said. ‘Why, hello, Ed. How have things been while we were away? We had a lovely holiday but it’s good to be home. Nothing is as good as home is it? Our bags are in the back of the car, Ed. If you could help with those we would be very grateful.’ Trish set off up the stairs and into the pub.

Ed helped Syd with the bags. It was easier than arguing.

Trish was in the bar, talking to Jack.

‘Our holiday was wonderful,’ Trish exclaimed. ‘We should have done that years ago. I feel like a whole new woman. Now, Jack, how have things been here at home? Did the school building get sorted out? I would have stayed to help, but I figured the town could manage without me just this once. And how about our guests? I assume Tia’s mother is still with us, but what about that Mrs Wills,’ Trish continued. ‘When she booked she didn’t say how long she’d be here.’

Jack threw a quick glance at Ed. ‘She is still here.’

Ed frowned. Mrs Wills? Who were they talking about? There were only two people staying at the pub. Helen and Steph.

‘Who is Mrs Wills?’ he asked the room in general.

‘I am.’

Steph walked through the doorway.

‘How can you be Mrs Wills? You are still married to me.’

Beside him, Ed heard Trish’s sharp intake of breath as she recognised Stephanie.

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