The opening of the shop is happening on Monday and I’m nervous but excited. Sarah and I have unpacked all the stock that we’d bought in Melbourne and with the help of Dalton and my parents, the shop sparkles. A new counter has been made from corrugated iron and a rough-hewn timber counter top. It fits perfectly with the décor in the space and I’m grateful to Dalton for surprising me with it. I recall him saying he would deal with organizing the counter, and I thought he meant he would get someone to build it for me, so I was amazed when he pulled up with it in the back of his truck, knowing he must have spent a lot of hours crafting it. I’m touched and grateful for his assistance.

Sunday night sees Sarah and I sitting in the break room sharing Chinese take-away, after putting the finishing touches to the shop. I’m really proud of our effort and I push down the butterflies in my stomach as I realize that tomorrow is D – Day. All our hard work would either be rewarded or we’d be severely disappointed by this time tomorrow night. I hope it will be the former, but am preparing for the latter.

Sleep doesn’t come easy tonight, between my anxious excitement and the image of Dalton standing before me in just a singlet and cargo shorts. Somehow those ice blue eyes have taken over my waking moments as well as filling my dreams. The smell of his body wash and manly sweaty scent fills my nostrils in the dark, even though he’s miles away, probably sleeping soundly.

Giving up the idea of sleeping at five am, I decide to go to the gym to work off some nervous energy, before heading in to open the shop for the first day of trading.

The gym’s crowded and smells of sweat and floor cleaner as I make my way in for my workout. I could do this with my eyes closed. Following the same routine I always have, ignoring the subtle and not so subtle glances of admiration, I finish and head for the change room. Just as I’m about to open the door, I’m bumped unceremoniously on the shoulder, almost falling sideways with the force. “Hey!” I admonish, whipping around to face my assailant. I’m met by deep brown eyes and one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” he asks, reaching out with strong tanned arms to steady me. His eyes fly to mine, a look of recognition shining in the pupils brightly. “Hey, do I know you from somewhere?”

“I doubt it.”

“Yes; I do. I’ve seen you in magazines. Are you an actress?” he asks with a half- smile.

“No sorry. You’ve got me confused with someone else.”

“I never forget a face. A model maybe?”

“Yeah okay, I was; in a former life. Right now I’m just a shop owner who’s going to be late for her first day if I don’t get home and showered.” I say, trying to move past him.

Stepping in front of me, he smiles widely and says. “I’m Micah Donovan. I apologise once again. I won’t hold you up any longer, if you agree to have dinner with me tonight? Let me make up for my clumsiness.”

Shaking my head, I say, “I’m sorry. I can’t. I’ve got a long day today and I’ll be celebrating hopefully, with my family. I’m really sorry, but I have to go.”

Pushing past him into the change room I hurriedly grabbed my gym bag and head home.

At nine am sharp I unlock the front door with Sarah at my side. I’m so nervous I hadn’t been able to eat any breakfast and my stomach has a whole flock of eagles in there, instead of butterflies. I take some deep breaths, give Sarah a small anxious smile, and wait for our first customer to arrive. It doesn’t take long, and we spend the morning fielding questions and helping women with their choices.

Finally getting a break, Sarah goes to get lunch, while I put away some of the clothes that need to be placed back on the racks.

The doorbell surprises me, and I whip my head around to see the same deep brown eyes which had greeted me this morning at the gym.

“Hey” He says, tentatively walking in the door.

“Somehow I get the feeling you aren’t here to buy a dress.” I say suspiciously, continuing on with what I’m doing.

Stepping closer, he grins at my remark. ‘Na, nothing in my size, although that brown one matches my eyes.” He says, pointing his head at the chocolate shift that I have in my arms and fluttering his eyelashes exaggeratedly.

“Don’t think it’s your style. You look more like a flowing kaftan wearer to me.”

“Ouch” he laughs, pretending I’d shot him through the gut. “How could you?! I’d never be seen dead in a kaftan. Strictly pearls and lace for this guy. No exceptions.”

I can’t help but laugh at his words, as I wonder what on earth he’s doing in my dress shop at lunchtime on a Monday. “Did you want something, or are you really here to pick out something nice for your wife?”

He frowns deeply. “No wife. No girlfriend. Not even a cat.” He smirks, while watching me hang dresses. “I wanted to ask you to dinner again. I understand you can’t make it tonight, but how about tomorrow night? I was thinking we could go to that nice restaurant on the beach and get to know each other better. I’ll even leave the pearls at home.”

I study him again, taking in the sandy blonde hair and deep brown eyes, now crinkled with laughter lines as he smiles widely. Quickly running my eyes down the length of his body I take in his broad shoulders, flat stomach and large legs. This guy is big. Very big. He takes his work at the gym seriously.

“Persistent aren’t you Micah.” I state. “Okay. Tomorrow night’s good. Pick me up here at 6.30 and I’ll be ready. We can walk down there if it’s a nice night.”

Grinning at me, showing even white teeth which stand out against his tan skin, he says quickly, “Sounds good. Now do you want to tell me your name so I know what to call you? Though I was thinking, Sweetheart sounds right.”

I take in his cockiness with a smile. “Sorry. It’s Haven...Haven Montgomery. Born and bred in Esperance. I know you weren’t, because I know everyone born here.”

“No, I’m a blow-in. Only been here five years or so. Not a local yet, but planning to stay for a while. So Haven Montgomery, I’ll pick you up here at 6.30 tomorrow night.” He starts to walk away and turns. “Wait. The Haven Montgomery?! I knew I recognized you! I never forget a pretty face...or a Sportsworld Cover model.”

“Okay.” I say, laughing loud, as he waves and steps out the door, just as Sarah returns with lunch. She smiles up at him as he holds the door open for her to walk through.

“Hello Handsome!” She says with a laugh, showing her even white teeth in a huge smile. “I dreamed about you and it’s finally come true. Are you here to take me away and make me your princess?” she asks, fluttering her dark eyelashes at him flirtingly.

“Sorry luv, your friend got in before you. You’ll have to take it up with her.” He says over his shoulder with a mile-wide grin, walking backwards to his car, watching her through the window.

“Oh. My. God! Who was that beautiful stranger? Do you know him, and if so, how come you’ve never introduced me?” Sarah demands, placing their salads on the small table in the break room.

“I don’t really know him.” I reply, following her, “We bumped into each other this morning at the gym and he asked me out tonight. I told him no, and he just appeared to ask me again, but for tomorrow night.”

‘I hope you said yes...otherwise I’m going in your place.” Sarah states, around a mouthful of food. Sarah had no shortage of dates, her deep green eyes and flaming auburn hair an immediate attraction to most guys.

“I did say yes, but now I’m not sure. I don’t know if I’m ready to date anyone just yet. Geez it was just a few weeks ago that my boyfriend died. I should still be mourning, and now I don’t know how to contact Micah to tell him that I’ve changed my mind.”

Sarah studied her friend of twenty years and pointed her fork at her. “Don’t you dare not go! If you hadn’t been ready to do this, you wouldn’t have said yes, and there wouldn’t be a glow of happiness on your face like there is now.”

Scoffing at my best friend, I say, “A glow? Really? I don’t think I’ve ever glowed in my life. It’s probably the humidity making me sweat. Honestly, I shouldn’t be going on a date. It’s not right. It’s too soon. I don’t know anything about him.”

“Which is why people go on dates – to get to know each other. Sweetie, I know losing Ryan was hard and you need to grieve, but this is one dinner, not a marriage proposal. Go. Enjoy yourself. It might cheer you up.”

“That’s just it. I shouldn’t want to be cheerful. It’s too soon. It’s only been a few weeks.”

“No Hun. It’s been a few years. You two haven’t really been together for a long while now have you? I’m not trying to be hurtful. I know you loved Ryan, but I think if he was alive right now, you wouldn’t still be with him, would you?”

I take a minute before answering, knowing she’s right. When I do, there are visible tears in my eyes. “It’s true. I wasn’t home that night because I told him that I was moving out, which caused a huge fight. I spent the night at my friend Carla’s flat. I only went back to the apartment that morning to get my stuff sorted. That’s when I found him.” I feel my lip quiver as a tear falls onto my cheek. “What if it was my fault Sarah? What if that fight made him have a heart attack or something? How will I live with myself?”

Sarah pulls me in for a hug, saying, “There’s nothing that indicates it was his heart Luv, it could be anything...or nothing. I’ve heard that people die every day for no reason. Perfectly healthy people just drop dead. Maybe that’s what happened to Ryan?”

“Yeah and maybe it was the stress from flying back in from New York that day to have an argument with me. I’ll never really forgive myself. Maybe if it hadn’t happened, he’d still be alive today. I should have been there with him that night. I could have done CPR and called an ambulance...who knows?”

Wiping away my tears with a tissue, Sarah hastily reassures me. “You don’t know that. How much worse would it have been if you’d woken up beside him that morning? That would have been bad - very, very bad.”

“I should contact Micah and tell him that I can’t go out with him. It’s not right. It’s too soon. But I kinda got caught up in the moment when he asked me, and the ‘Yes’ just fell out of my mouth.”

“How do you intend to contact him? Do you have his number? Do you know where he works?”

“No and No. I have no idea where he works and I don’t have his number. I never thought to get it from him.”

“Looks like you’re going on a date then.”

“No.” I say, shaking my head vigorously. “No, I’ll just wait for him to come tomorrow and I’ll tell him then. I know its late notice for him, but I’m sure he’ll understand, once I explain.”

After a busy day the next day, it almost slips my mind about the dinner invitation. My brain is fried from trying to keep up with everything today, as more stock arrived and had to be unpacked, and the customers kept coming.

After locking the door, I’m trying to decide what I want more; a glass of wine or a nice hot bath... or maybe both – with a good book to keep me company. A knock on the glass door startles me and I turn quickly, meeting smiling deep brown eyes and a wide grin. I hurriedly open the door, about to tell him that I can’t go with him, when he thrusts an armful of roses at me, stepping through the door.

“You look amazing.” He says, taking in my short summer dress and high heeled sandals.

“Oh; thanks Micah. Listen, I need to say something. I can’t go out with you. I never should have agreed. I’m sorry. I feel awful, but I had no way to contact you.”

I watch as a look of confusion covers his face. “I don’t understand. Did something happen? Are you alright?”

Studying the new carpet at my feet, I slowly raise my eyes to meet his. “I just lost my boyfriend a few weeks ago. That’s why I came back. To mourn and recover. It’s too soon. I shouldn’t be thinking of dinner with anyone. I’m so sorry. I feel really bad, and I’ll understand if you never talk to me again. If I were you, I wouldn’t.”

Taking a deep breath and running a hand up over his chin, he lets out a long sigh. “Okay, that was unexpected. I understand that you don’t want a relationship, but maybe you could use a friend? I’m a good listener, I’ve been told.”

“I really shouldn’t. I kinda feel like I’m betraying him, just by talking to you.” I say apologetically.

“Right. Now as I understand it; you need to eat, and so do I. Why don’t we just agree to eat together and enjoy a nice meal? You can tell me what happened and we can have a nice relaxing evening.”

“Are you sure? I don’t blame you if you want to say no. Not sure I’ll be very good company.”

“Let me worry about that. Now can we go? My stomach thinks my throat’s been cut.”

“Okay, I give in. One meal and that’s it. Just let me get my purse and lock up.”

Strolling down the street in the dusk light, I’m grateful that I’d made the decision to come home. There is nothing like the sun going down on the ocean, and the mild salty breeze coming from the water, to remind you that you’re alive. I take a deep breath in, savouring the smell that always reminds me of home and my happy place. No matter where I had been in the world, the smell of the ocean takes me back to my childhood, and brings back happy memories.

As we wander slowly down to the beachside restaurant, I ask “So what is it you do Micah?”

“Well, I’m a tugboat captain. I was born to be on the ocean and what better place to do it than right here?” he smiles at me as he leads me through the door of the quiet, refined, dimly lit, restaurant.

As I sit down I pick up the conversation again. “So how does one become a tugboat captain?”

He sits across from me, shaking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves to enjoy the air-conditioning. “First you get really good at being on the water, then you sit for your Skippers license and then you get experience on a tug. That’s probably the hardest thing to do. It’s not a very open occupation. You really need to know someone in the industry. I was lucky. My Dad was a captain at the Melbourne Ports, so he took me on, and eventually I took over and an opportunity came up to work here, so I grabbed it. Much nicer area to work in, I must say.”

“I love this place. I’ve always been grateful for my childhood. We were surfing and sailing all summer, camping out on the Cape. My brother and I loved it.”

“You have a brother?” Micah asks after ordering drinks.

“Yeah, he’s older by 2 years. Works up in Kalgoorlie as a Geologist, or rather that’s where he is at the moment. That changes quite often. Last year he was overseas for most of the year. Luke’s a bit of a wanderer. I love him dearly but he’s rarely home, though apparently he’s coming down next weekend for a quick visit.”

The dinner is amazing and I push down the feeling of betrayal that gnaws at my gut. I’m not sure who I think I’m betraying – Ryan or Dalton.

Walking back to the shop to collect my car, we continue making small talk and I realise that I genuinely like Micah. He’s easy on the eye, great to talk to and seems like a good guy to have on your side. We walk with him resting his arm around my waist until we reach my car. Normally I enjoyed the walk to and from the shop, but after dark I’m prudent enough to drive.

Halting beside the large red vehicle Micah grins at my choice of transport.

“A F250? Really? I wouldn’t have pictured you in such a huge truck.” He says, walking around to examine it from all sides.

“Actually, it’s my father’s car. He uses it to launch his boat and tow the caravan. I don’t have a car as yet. I only borrowed this today because I knew it would be late. I usually just walk wherever I need to go.” I tell him with a smile.

“Yeah, I must admit that I’ve done more walking here, than I ever have before. I think it’s the fact that you can walk along the path on the beach from one side of town to the other.”

“I know what you mean. The water is addictive”

“Yeah it certainly is.” He says, leaning closer as I lean back against the high door of the truck. “You’re really incredible you know that?”

I frown and wonder what I did, that he would think so.

Continuing on and completely ignoring my frown, he says, “You’re not only the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met, but also one of the nicest and smartest.”

Laughing softly, I reply, “You hardly know me. Believe me I have my bad side too. Ask anyone who pisses me off.”

“I don’t believe it for a second.” He says, leaning in to gently rub his lips over mine and I open slightly, meeting him in a long soul destroying kiss. His arms reach out to wrap around me and pull me closer as he deepens the kiss, enjoying the feel of my arms around his neck, my hands running through his long hair. I slowly open my mouth wider, allowing him entrance to tangle with my tongue, our breathing shallow and almost panting as we get caught up in the emotion of the moment. Micah’s hand slides up my slim waist to gently cup my breast over my dress. Instantly- as though a switch has been flicked - I pull back, breathless and flushed, arms dropping to my sides.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry Micah, I never meant to let it get that far.” I say shakily, moving away even more and bringing my fingers to my lips, as if I can still feel his kiss on them.

Shaking his head with a grin, he says, “No need to apologise Haven. That was one of the best kisses I’ve ever experienced.” Grabbing my free hand, he guides it to his trousers, allowing me to feel his solid length straining against the fabric. “You did this Babe. This is all your fault. It’s a shame we can’t continue this tonight but I won’t push my luck.” Stepping forward he gently lays a sweet kiss on my lips and steps back once again. “Goodnight Haven. Sleep well, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”