The Secrets We Keep

CHAPTER TWO

Olivia farewelled the three new teachers to the island after an intensive workshop session. None of them had taught in a small school previously and she was aware of a tendency among educators to see life in small school as an easy job. It wasn’t. While the staff/student ratio was what most teachers could only dream of, there were plenty of pitfalls. Parents like Hunter Lewis for one, not that she was going to waste energy thinking about him. Returning to the kitchen she cleared the table and stacked the dishwasher.

“Hey Mum!”

Olivia turned to find Leo, Mason, and Izzy in the doorway.

“Hey yourself. What have you been doing?”

Leo shrugged, “I’ve been helping at the vineyard. Hunter said I can be there when they bottle the wine in a few days.”

Olivia froze. Leo was so upbeat, and she didn’t want to rain on his parade. Mason and Izzy looked as happy as he did, talking about the vineyard, the words tumbling out of his mouth. How much longer could she keep the truth from him?

“That’s great, Leo,” she said at length, “You’re sure Hunter is okay with this?”

“He is,” Izzy answered, “Dad was amazed at how easily Leo understood about the vines.”

A tsunami of guilt flattened her. Again. “Was he?”

“Yep,” Mason replied, “He showed Leo how to prune and he did a whole row without any bother.”

Leo was beaming with pride and Olivia hugged him,

“I’m proud of you, mister.”

“Thanks, Mum. We’re going swimming is that okay?”

“I guess. Don’t forget you need to water Grandma’s plants today, though.”

“Already done so I’ll just get my stuff.”

Mason followed Leo but Izzy hung back, there was a sadness to her that bothered Olivia.

“Everything okay, Izzy?”

She nodded then, “Can I ask you something personal?”

Personal? She didn’t want to field any questions about Nina or even Hunter for that matter.

“Depends how personal,” Olivia replied lightly.

“It’s about Leo.”

“Okay.”

“I was just wondering about Leo’s dad. He doesn’t talk about him and I wondered if he was – well you know, dead or something.”

“Nothing as serious as that, Izzy. I thought we shared the same feelings but then – well we had an argument and he asked me never to talk to him again and never to come near him or his children. I didn’t know I was pregnant until a month or so later.”

Tears filled Izzy’s eyes, “He was married? You had an affair with someone’s husband?”

“Nothing like an affair, Izzy. We had known one another growing up and then someone came along and that was that.”

“He dumped you?”

“I guess.”

“So why was he so angry with you?”

“We all do crazy things at one time or another, Izzy. People sometimes lash out when they’re sad or when they’re confused.”

Olivia watched the girl process the information, “But your mum and dad helped you?”

“They did and I would be lost without them.”

“Come on Iz!” Mason yelled.

 She rolled her eyes “Dad’s right, Mason was born in a field. I better go. We’re meeting Lucas in your bay,” she gave a deep sigh, “I wish either Leo or Lucas was a girl. Sometimes those guys have the most stupid conversations,” she rolled her eyes again and Olivia laughed.

Once the kids had disappeared down the wooden boardwalk to the bay at the end of her garden, Olivia picked up her phone and hit Marron’s number.

“I need help,” she said the moment Marron answered.

“An exorcism to remove Hunter Lewis from your conscience or a couple of bottles of red wine and a shoulder to cry on?”

Olivia laughed, “I’ll have the wine. The exorcism sounds painful. I have all the kids swimming in the bay, are you free to give me that shoulder?”

“I am. I need a break from checking fermentation levels.I’m going to be lazy and drive, so I’ll see you in a couple of minutes.”

Olivia busied herself in the kitchen, making a fresh pot of coffee then opened the fridge door and grabbed an assortment of cheese as well as crackers and some grapes. Next came some cold meat and the remainder of the delicious sourdough she’d bought for the meeting with the new teachers.

“Ta da!” Marron stood in the doorway holding two bottles of wine, “This looks nice,” she added, “Shall I get a couple of glasses?”

“You know where they are. Do you want to sit out on the deck or here?”

“Outside please.”

Olivia carried a tray loaded with the snacks and Marron followed close behind with a bottle of wine and glasses which she set on the table. Olivia turned the bottle around,

“You’re buying wine from him?”

“Well technically, he wasn’t here when this one was harvested, see” she pointed to the label, “2017, That’s BH.”

“BH?”

“Yeah, Before Hunter.”

Smiling, Olivia sat down and breathed in the fresh salty air before opening the sun umbrella to keep the sun off the food.

“So,” Marron mumbled through a mouthful of cheese and cracker, “What’s going on?”

“Izzy Lewis is what’s going on.”

“Doesn’t she look like Nina? I can’t see any of Hunter in her, what about you?”

“I hadn’t given it much thought but now you come to mention it, yes she is certainly like her mother.”

“So, let’s hear it.”

“She asked me about Leo’s father, and I gave her a condensed version of the truth because I didn’t want her asking Leo and making him uncomfortable.”

“How condensed is condensed – just so I know what to say if she asks me.”

“I said we’d argued and that I didn’t know I was pregnant when he said I had to stay away from him and his children.”

“Well, that’s certainly a condensed version. Did she buy it?”

Olivia leaned forward, took a sip of wine, and placed a few grapes on her plate, “She thought I’d had an affair with a married man.”

“Well, all’s fair in love and war. He took advantage of you the rat bastard. I mean he easily succumbed to Nina’s charms while he was dating you. As far as I’m concerned, he has betrayed you twice.”

“I know but I’m worried that she’ll tell Hunter that story.”

“Sweetie, she won’t and even if she did, I doubt he’ll put two and two together and get four. He’s a man.”

“You don’t think so? God, when I saw he and Leo together at the barbecue last week I was sure he was comparing Leo with Mason.”

“He hasn’t talked to you since then?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s good. Isn’t it?”

Olivia shook her head, “Not exactly. When the kids arrived here a short time ago, Mason and Izzy told me that Hunter has been showing Leo how to prune the vines and that he was impressed how easily Leo understood what to do.”

Olivia sipped her wine again and then again before deciding to drain the glass and get a refill.

“Whoa, there sister! Goes easy on that red. So now, rewind to the part about Hunter showing Leo the basics of pruning grape vines.”

“Only if you fill my glass. Please.”

Marron gave a theatrical sigh and half-filled Olivia’s glass. That done, Olivia recounted the conversation she had with Mason, Izzy, and Leo.

“Wow!” was all Marron could say.

“Do you think it was just a fluke?” Olivia asked.

Marron’s face turned from smiling to serious, “I want to say yes but I have a feeling it wasn't.”

Olivia sat back against her chair, lifted her glass toward Marron and said, “That's what I thought.”

Leaning forward, Marron helped herself to some cold meats and the sourdough then relaxed back into the seat,

“At this stage I say you continue as you are. If he has an issue then let him come to you with it,” she said.

“Okay, that sounds reasonable. You’re right I doubt Izzy would say anything to Hunter.”

“Anyway, I heard he’s got some woman from Spain there.”

A spear of jealousy stabbed at her which was plain silly. Wasn’t it? Hunter had probably had dozens of women interested in him over the years.

“From Spain?” she echoed.

“Something to do with the vineyard he has there with his brother,” Marron paused, lifting her glass to her lips then returned it to the table, “Please tell me you’re not still carrying a torch for Hunter, are you?” Marron’s eyes had narrowed, and Olivia knew better than to try and fob her off.

“After what he did? I don’t think so. Of course, there is a part of me that wants Leo to know his dad, to have a relationship with him but how can I make that happen?”

“Perhaps you need to have that conversation with him now? I mean he set the rules then left the country.”

Groaning, she slid her plate onto the table and sat back, “I did it all wrong didn’t I? I should have called his bluff.”

“No! You were right to withhold Leo’s existence from Hunter. I mean how was that all going to work out?”

“I don’t know. Just like I don’t know how it’s going to work out now. Those kids are inseparable now and he’s already warned me off. I feel I have to tell him but then I can’t get past the way he threatened me at the meet and greet.”

“What do you mean? Have you been withholding vital evidence from me?”

“No! Well maybe. After you’d gone to rescue Xavier, he told me he was thinking of running for the school board and that he was sure my status as a single mother was a bad influence on impressionable teens.”

“God he’s an absolute d**k, isn’t he? Okay, we need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, how about a girls weekend in Auckland before school starts? We’ll drag Alex along as well.”

Olivia mulled over Marron’s suggestion which had merit. Perhaps what she needed was a new perspective on the matter as well as getting away from the island for a few days. But who would look after Leo?  With her parents away and with Marron going, her options were limited.

“It’s a great idea Marron, but I don’t have anyone to look after Leo.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Marron replied with a regal wave of her hand, “Xavier would be more than happy to step in. He loves that boy, why do you think he put his hand up so quickly to be his godfather?”

“If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure. So, we go Thursday and come back Sunday. Yes?”

“Absolutely but there is one thing I’m going to do before then.”

Instead of looking puzzled, Marron wore a worried expression,

“Maybe you ought to make this decision when your blood alcohol levels have returned to normal?”

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this in here,” Olivia replied, patting her hand against her heart.

“Okay, so here’s the deal. We have a wild weekend and then you can tell him.”

“This is a fantastic setup here Hunter and that view from the house – it’s amazing!”

The sound of Valentina Alvarez’s voice broke into Hunter’s less than pure thoughts about Ella. He shifted in his chair to counter the pressure from his rapidly hardening erection. s**t!

“Yeah, it’s something. Are you still going to Auckland tomorrow?”

She shrugged, “I’d like to go but I was thinking perhaps you and I could go, spend a night or two?”

“You’re forgetting I have a couple of kids, Valentina and as you know, I’m going to be busy with the harvest for the next couple of weeks.”

She pouted her perfectly red lips, “I’ve been here over a week and we’ve spent almost no time together.”

“I’m sure Marcus explained this was the busiest time of the year for me, not to mention the kids are starting a new school in ten days.”

She gave a nervous laugh and crossed her legs. If she thought that would do something for him, she was wrong. There was nothing and he was in deep trouble because the woman sitting opposite him had travelled to the other side of the world and then some with a master plan of seduction.

“Will they always be first?” she purred.

“That’s a no brainer, Val. They will always be first, they’re my children and they’ve been through a lot.”

Valentina got to her feet and moved toward him, “You’re a wonderful father, Hunter and I envy your children, but remember they won’t be children forever.”

Getting to his feet, Hunter said, “Look Val, I’m not sure when I gave you the idea, I was interested in more than friendship but there are complications that I don’t want to burden anyone with.”

“Complications?”

“Baggage then. I can commit to my grapes and I’m doing my best to commit to my kids but emotionally that’s about all I can offer.”

She smiled, running a finger down his jaw, “Perhaps Marcus was right, that someone in your past is preventing you from moving forward?”

“Marcus knows nothing, Val,” he tilted his head, “So you’re good to go to Auckland tomorrow?”

“Of course. In fact, I was thinking it was time I headed back to Spain, so I ought to do something about that.”

“You don’t have to leave, but please understand that friendship is all I can give at this stage.”

Glad to be away from Valentina, Hunter checked the vines furthest from the house, his eyes seeking out the immaculate prune Leo Porter had given the vines in that corner and remembering the look of pride and satisfaction on the boy’s face. He’d found it hard to take his eyes off the boy. He needed to have this out with Olivia but how? What did Leo know about his father and maybe, just maybe he was reading too much into the physical similarities to Mason. Shame and guilt filled him remembering the angry words he’d thrown at Olivia all those years ago. In hindsight there had been no reason to take his anger out on Olivia. The memory of Olivia grabbing her clothes, her face pale with shock and running from him was certainly not his finest moment. To be brutally honest, he had been a complete jerk and then some. He had spent the following two weeks drinking himself stupid; barely recognising where one day finished and another began. He would have kept going with that until his parents reminded him of his responsibilities to his fifteen-month-old son and six-week-old daughter.

“Dad!” Izzy’s voice short circuited re-visiting memories he would rather not have.

“Hey, you, where did you come from?”

“We’ve been swimming, and Lucas said that the bay where Leo lives is just around those rocks over there and here we are.”

Hunter peered over her head, “I only see you.”

“Those boys’ gossip like a bunch of girls,” she complained as she rolled her eyes.

“So, Leo and Lucas were with you?”

“Yep. Leo had to water his grandma’s garden because she’s on a cruise right now. Then we stopped by his place for a while. I talked to his mum, she’s cool.”

“Cool?”

Hunter watched her roll her eyes, “Nice, friendly, not to mention pretty.”

“Iz, she’s going to be your teacher and school Principal, don’t get too attached or upset if she seems a bit remote once school is in.”

“I know. Leo told me how hard it can be, but he manages and after all, she’s his mother.”

He smiled at her, one of these days he was going to have to sit down with her and explain why he wasn’t her biological father, but for now he would protect her as best he could because it wasn’t Izzy’s fault that her mother had been a selfish and faithless witch. Blake swung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, kissing the top of her head.

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked.

“Try me and see.”

“Is it true that you and Ms Wainwright knew each other in school?”

He knew it would come to these questions because Izzy was, by nature, an inquisitive soul. Her need to know often had him scratching his head, wondering where her questions had come from.

“That’s right. I was a couple of years ahead of her in high school.”

“Was she your girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?” It was his way of stalling while his mind clamoured over all the reasons why he a simple negative response would be the easy way out.

“Well?” she prompted.

“I guess you could say that.”

“So where did Mum fit in with it all?”

He groaned and pushed a hand through his hair, “Who told you about Olivia - I mean Ms Porter – and I?”

“Mason. Some guy told him.”

“Some guy from school?”

Izzy lifted a shoulder in casual nonchalance, “Don’t know.”

“It’s complicated, Izzy. Can I give you a short version?”

“Sure. That’s what Ms Wainwright did.”

“Yeah, we were pretty close, our families had known one another forever and maybe they thought we’d marry.”

“What happened? Why did you marry Mum instead?”

“We’re all guilty of doing stupid things, Iz.”

“Ms Wainwright said exactly the same thing.”

She’d talked to Olivia about the past. He shook his head,

 “Nina came to Waiheke halfway through our last year and…Izzy, I don’t want to say anything negative about your Mum.”

“She broke you up?”

“Something like that. She told me Olivia – Ms Wainwright - was seeing someone behind my back, I got really angry at how easily she’d betrayed me, so I asked Nina out on a date and that was the end of that.”

 “You thought Ms Wainwright had broken your trust even though you’d known her forever?”

“I didn’t behave very well. I overreacted and it was a pathetic thing to do. I hurt her badly.”

Izzy rested her hand on his arm, “Do you still have feelings for her?”

Hunter shook his head, “Right now Izzy, the only feelings I can cope with are those involving you and Mason.”

The sound of voices rose from the track below distracted them both as the three boys came into view.

“You boys have a good time?” he asked.

“The best,” Mason replied, and Hunter had to admit that his son was lighter, happier in the short time he’d known Leo as well as Lucas Weston. The admission heaped more guilt onto Hunter because not only was he failing Izzy, but his relationship with Mason had also altered in the last couple of years.

“Here you are!”

Hunter watched the four teenagers turned their heads to take in the sight of Valentina approaching. She looped her arm through Hunter’s making his body tense, as if marking ownership or at least a suggesting they were close. Her eyes raked over Leo and Lucas.

“These are your new friends?” she asked Mason and Izzy.

Mason’s response was a monosyllabic grunt while Izzy remained silent. Valentina’s presence in their home had put even more pressure on the relationship with his children. During their time in Spain, Valentina had been a frequent visitor, but Hunter had assumed it was his brother Marcus she was interested in.

“Valentina, this Leo Wainwright and Lucas Weston.”

Valentina flashed a fake “I’m not interested” smile at both boys although he noticed her gaze settling on Leo before moving to Mason and then himself.

“I was thinking we could have pizza tonight, as a treat, what do you think, Hunter?”

He shrugged, “Sure. We can get it delivered or walk down to the beach and eat it there.”

“We’ll have to take a rain check, Dad,” Izzy cut in, “Marron asked us to come to a barbecue to their place.”

“Marron?” Valentina inquired.

“That’s my mum,” Lucas replied, “I guess you could come too.”

“That sounds charming, doesn’t it?” She tightened her hold on Hunter’s arm, “Or why don’t Mason and Izzy go, and Hunter and I can go for pizza.” She turned to face him, “What do you say?”

One look at the faces of his children and their friends told Hunter they were less than charmed but good manners prevailed, at least in front of Valentina. Later it might be a different story.

“The Weston’s are neighbours Valentina, and I’d like to catch up with them.”

He watched the briefest flash of anger in her eyes before letting a hand rest on his arm,

“A barbecue it is then,” she purred.

“I’m going to go home and have a shower,” Leo announced, “We’ll see you at six, okay Lucas?”

“Sure.”

Seizing on the opportunity to put some space between himself and Valentina, Hunter said,

“I’m going to take Leo home, Valentina. We’ll be back to pick you up.”

If she was annoyed by the brush off, she never let on and he let out a sigh of relief when she turned and made her way back toward the house.

“Come on you guys, Lucas I’ll drop you home and then we can drop Leo.”

“Dad, she is going back to Spain, isn’t she?” Izzy asked.

“She’s going to Auckland tomorrow and said she would arrange her flight so hopefully not much longer.”

“Did you invite her to stay here?” Mason asked, “You could’ve at least asked us for our input.”

“Hey, that’s enough, Mason. The only notice I got was a text saying she was in transit in Hong Kong and her flight number.”

“Sorry, Dad. It’s just -,” Mason shrugged, “Anyway, if it’s only for a few more days I guess it doesn’t matter.”

 Hunter placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and squeezed it gently, a reassurance for him because he didn’t want to bare all of family issues in front of Leo and Lucas who had already begun wandering toward the house with Izzy in tow.

“Come on bud. Best get a move on.”

They retreated toward the house, his mind on Olivia. What the hell was he doing? Even the thought of her had him hard, like now, he mused, hoping Mason didn’t notice. Maybe he just needed to get laid and there was no doubt Valentina would be a willing participant, but he wasn’t going there. No, he was going to the home of the woman he once loved with everything he had, the woman he had warned off not once but twice. Instead of staying away from her, his children were drawn to her like moths to a flame and he was following the same path.