CHAPTER 1

‘Karl is dead.’

Sam’s words made little sense. The blood drained from Mandy’s head, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up, making her entire body tremble as if an icy breeze had travelled down her spine.

She slumped back down on the couch after Sam hung up, phone still in her hand, staring into space. Hot tears formed in her eyes. Karl was such a strong character. It didn’t seem right he was now dead. An immense sadness for Emma and the kids formed across her chest like a heavy lump of wood; she should have stayed in touch more with her once best friend.

What happened to the last 10 years?

Old memories flooded Mandy’s thoughts. The fun teenage summer holidays in Lake Haven with Emma; boy crushes; the walk down the aisle at Karl and Emma’s lavish wedding; the beautiful sandstone church; Sam… Ten long days and passionate nights. Hearing his voice again now produced the same heat she had tried so hard to forget all these years.

She looked around her spacious and modern lounge room; the cream leather sofa and recycled timber furniture; abstract colourful art on the walls, the stainless-steel kitchen with marble bench tops; two large sliding doors leading onto a huge porch overlooking Griffith Park. Mandy was proud of her success in life, clear in her surroundings, but now it seemed hollow. The death of Karl had shocked her to the core. Tears kept coming, triggering a cascade of long buried emotions.

Sam’s phone call had not only delivered the awful news about Karl, but had also somehow awakened a desire and longing mixed with a familiar hurt that no amount of deep breathing could dull. So many memories. So much time passed since they last saw each other. Her group of old friends at Lake Haven had been so carefree and eager for life. Promising to stay friends forever. But forever is easy to promise when you are young.

She grabbed her phone and tried to write a message to Emma. As a writer, she never struggled for words, but this time, they didn’t come easy. Even if no longer close friends, they had shared an important part of their past in Lake Haven. She deferred the message and decided to make contact once in the Lakes for the funeral. No way she would not support her old friends in this tragic time.

The soft fur of her feline flatmate rubbed against her leg, and she bent down to stroke the cat’s chin.

‘Sorry, Felix, I forgot about you. I’ll get you some dinner now, you poor thing.’ She stood up and walked across to the kitchen, with the platinum-coloured Burmese following right behind her, weaving in and out between her legs. While she was dishing out for the cat, she popped a frozen dinner into the microwave for herself, too exhausted to cook.

Mandy slumped back into the couch with her dinner and rested the fork on her lips. Part of her wished she could go back to ten years ago and do things differently.

Would he still be so damn good looking? The strong jaw and kissable soft lips that tasted so good.

At thirty-two, she had never had a relationship longer than 6 months.

She frowned.

Why am I even thinking about Sam like this when our friend Karl has just died? What is wrong with me?

Her favourite spicy Indian dinner had no taste tonight. The terrible news had killed her appetite. She threw it in the bin and decided on a hot shower and an early night instead to clear her mind and prepare for her return to Lake Haven.

The hot water relaxed her body and slowed her racing mind, but as she stepped out from the shower and wrapped herself in a large, heated, fluffy towel, her body still shivered. She loved the many happy memories from the Lakes, but would meeting her old friends open wounds best left to heal and cover over?

Thanks for reading.

Want to keep reading?