The Gift of a Child. Sue MacKay

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      This one’s for my friend, Anne Roper,

      who is always so cheerful and fun to be with.

      Thanks to her lovely daughter-in-law, Michelle,

      for her help on YOU, ME AND A FAMILY.

      And for Leslie, number one fan.

      Also a big thank you

       to Melanie Milburne and Fiona Lowe

       for way back in the beginning.

       This might be late but you’ve never been forgotten.

      CHAPTER ONE

      JODI HAWKE SWUNG the budget rental car against the kerb and hauled the handbrake on hard. Her heart was in her mouth as she peered through the grease-smeared windscreen towards the small, neat semi-attached town house she’d finally found after an hour of driving around, through and over Parnell. Auckland was not her usual playground. But that was about to change—for a time at least. No matter what the outcome of this meeting.

      A chill lifted goosebumps on her skin. ‘I can’t do this.’

      Brushing her too-long fringe out of her eyes, she turned to glare at her guilt-ridden reflection in the rear-vision mirror, and snapped, ‘You have to.’

      Think what’s at stake. ‘Jamie’s life depends on you doing this. And doing it right. This day has always been hovering in the background, waiting for show time.’

      Before she could overthink the situation for the trillionth time Jodi elbowed the door open and slid out onto the road. The unassuming brick town house sat back from the road, a path zeroing in on the front door with the precision of a ruled line. The lawn had been mown to within a millimetre of its life, and the gardens were bare of anything other than some white flowering ground cover.

      ‘So Mitch’s still too busy working to put time or effort into anything else.’ It followed that he’d still not be taking care of any relationships either.

      ‘Some things never change.’ Which was unfortunate because, like it or not, big changes were on Mitch’s horizon. She was about to tip his world upside down, inside out. For ever.

      Whatever his reaction he would never be able to forget what she was about to tell him. Mitchell Maitland, the man who’d stolen her heart more than three years ago, was about to get the shock of his life. The man she’d walked away from in a moment of pure desperation when it had finally hit home that he was never, ever going to change. Not for anyone, and especially not for her.

      Unfortunately she’d needed his total commitment, not just the few hours he’d given her in a week. Growing up, she’d learned that when people were busy getting ahead they didn’t have time for others, not to mention handing out love and affection. Except, silly woman that she’d been, she’d thought, hoped, Mitch might’ve been different despite all the warning signs to the contrary. She’d believed her love for him would overcome anything.

      Lately she’d learned the hard way that there was more to a relationship than love and affection. There was responsibility, honesty and integrity. Things she’d overlooked in Mitch. Because of that, Mitch wouldn’t forgive her in a hurry—if at all. And now it was payback time for what she’d omitted to tell him in the weeks and years since she’d told him to go.

      Stepping up the path, she ignored the butterflies flapping in her belly, and went for bravado. ‘Hello, Mitchell. Remember me? I’m the one who got away still mostly intact. Left you when it became apparent you had no more time for me than it took to have a good bonk.’