31 ~ OLIVER

We spent Sunday morning going through the weekend papers. Darcy critiqued every mention of the fundraiser.

“Do they not employ journalists these days? These lazy bastards used the press release word for word.”

“Well, at least they’ll get the story right.”

Darcy lowered the paper and made a face at me. “People don’t buy papers to read press releases.”

The next paper made her laugh. They’d devoted an entire page of their pullout entertainment guide to the event. “They’ve run a list of who they think the plus-one will be. They’re not even close, but I’m glad they’re interested.” She drained her coffee, leaned back and stretched. “Everyone’s picked it up. That’s a good start. We need to get you back on the television talking about it. Radio, too. Why hasn’t anyone called?”

She started tossing the papers around and I had to slap my hands down before the newspapers resembled a kitten attack.

She made her annoyed face at me. “I’ve lost my phone.”

“I’ve confiscated it.”

“Oliver!”

“It’s Sunday, goddess, your day of rest.”

“I don’t have time to rest.”

“Everyone does. I’m going to take you into the wilderness today, and force you to relax.”

“Oliver, I don’t know you if you’ve noticed, but we’re in Waitapu. It is the wilderness.”

“It’s a thriving town. Come on, we’re going to hike, and I’m going to show you places you’ve never seen.”

“Shall I pack lunch?”

I shook my head. “Your day is planned. Wear your sneakers because it’s a bit of a trek in.”

Eden, the place I was taking her to, is a retreat designed for overworked people. Ideally, you’d stay a week. Luther and I invested in it a couple of years ago, but we’re silent partners. Josh and Gabi, who run it, had their own dream which was sound, and we didn’t want to interfere. Electronic devices were banned. That was one of the reasons I’d hidden Darcy’s phone because I was certain she’d try to sneak it in.

We were going to hike in even though I could have taken the car right to the gate. This place was as off-grid as possible, but rather than having any sort of hippie vibe, it was pure, unadulterated luxury. The clientele read like one of those fantasy dinner guest lists, and Eden took pride in the fact it could get famous people in and out of the country without anybody knowing they’d been there. They never advertised, and getting a booking was by recommendation only.

“Tell me where we’re going,” Darcy said, five minutes into the drive.

“It’s a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises. What if it’s something I’m allergic to?”

“What are you allergic to?”

“Surprises.”

I laughed. “You’re just annoyed because you don’t have your phone.”

“I might want to take a photo.”

“Photography isn’t allowed.” I swung off the main highway onto a narrow dirt road and after a few sharp corners we were heading into the wilderness.

“You see? Right there, that tree? I should photograph it. Quick. Pass me my phone.”

“It won’t work, Darcy. Your phone is hidden away at home.”

“What if I sulked?”

“I’d spank you.” I pulled over into a small clearing. “Look, we’re here.”

Darcy made a play at looking out every window, then tapped my shoulder. “Oliver. We’re nowhere.”

“That’s the point. Out of the car, we’re walking in.”

One minute along the track and Darcy became enthusiastic.

“Wow, this is stunning. I feel as though we’re in another world. The Jurassic one.”

“Pure virgin forest. Untouched since the planet was made. Let me help you down here, we’ll walk along the stream.” I jumped down the bank, then took her by the hips and swung her down with me. We followed the stream all the way to a small waterfall. The sun broke through the forest canopy throwing rectangular shafts of light across the spray, creating miniature rainbows.

“You’ve blown me away, Sackville. Is this public land?”

“No, it’s private property.”

She stopped on the track. “Don’t tell me it’s yours.”

“It’s not mine. Well, a bit of it is, I guess. Luther and I are partners with a couple of others.”

“Is there anything in this area you and Luther aren’t involved in?”

“Waitapu was dying when we were growing up, but its natural features are world class. We decided we had two choices. Get out and move to the city, or turn the town into something. The decision wasn’t that difficult and now we’re getting investment from all over the world. Luther’s the brains, though. He convinced me we had to buy whatever we could afford while it was cheap, because the only thing we couldn’t create ourselves was more land. We were young and foolish, but it worked, which makes us look intelligent and wise.”

“I think you’re intelligent and wise. I’m going to think you’re a miracle worker if you’re going to feed me lunch anywhere around here. Are you packing protein bars in your back pocket?”

“It’s a surprise, Darcy.”

We climbed up the side of the waterfall and along the ridge until we looked into a small valley. Specimen trees remained throughout the pasture where a small mixed herd of horses and Nubian goats grazed. On a northern hill was an orchard and, out of sight, a vast vegetable garden.

“It looks like the Garden of Eden,” Darcy said.

“It’s called Eden, and it’s a magical place.”

Accommodation was built around trees and rock formations, each guesthouse well-spaced to give clients privacy. The main building had a restaurant and a spa area. A helicopter rose from behind a small copse, as the track we were on opened to a broader path.

Josh and his Brazilian wife, Gabi, escorted by a couple of mixed-breed dogs, walked up to meet us. With the introductions done, Gabi sized up Darcy with a critical eye, then took her hand.

“Oliver was right. You need to slow down.”

Darcy gave me a questioning look, and I shrugged back.

“Gabi’s part-therapist, part-witch. She can see you’re out of balance. Go with her. I’ll see you in a more balanced state in a couple of hours.”

She gave me a little wave over her shoulder and I watched her disappear with Gabi, looking sexy as hell.

“You like her a lot,” Josh said.

“Why do you say that?” Was I that obvious?

“For a start, you’ve never brought anyone here before.”

“Dead giveaway. She’s special. I like her immensely, but she’s pretty stressed right now.”

“Gabi will take care of her.”

Josh and I walked to the orchard where he proudly showed me the heritage fruit trees. “We’re picking the first plums, and the other stone fruit are coming on beautifully.”

“And how’s business?”

“One hundred percent occupancy. We could take more if we increased the accommodation—and believe me, we regularly get offers from clients wanting to invest—but that would defeat our purpose. It amuses me that I have to point out to them that bigger means they’ll lose their privacy.”

When Josh was called away, I went to one of the private hot mineral pools fed by a thermal spring, and settled in for a soak while I waited for Darcy. A member of staff brought me lunch, and Darcy would be fed, too, along with being massaged and pampered. I wouldn’t see her again until it was time to leave.

Gabi stopped by for a chat, and told me Darcy would be ready by four. I planned to walk back and get the car because I’d been through one of the therapy sessions and if they’d done their work properly, she wouldn’t feel like doing much more than sleeping once she was done.

“Watch her, Oliver,” Gabi said. “She carries guilt and sadness, and she is protecting her heart.”

“Her last relationship was toxic.”

“I sense that. You need to be patient with her, but she will be worth it.”

Deciding Gabi was closer to eighty percent witch and probably shared DNA with Stella, I climbed from the pool smelling like the earth, and set off to walk back to the car.

I waited another half-hour for Darcy, even though I was already late. She hopped into the car bringing with her the scent of almond and spices, her skin faintly pink.

“I’m exhausted. Thank you. It was amazing, I could stay there a week. It feels like a dream already.”

“Are you sleepy?”

“Sleepy, and happy, and thankful. That was so kind of you to take me there. Were you bored waiting?”

“Not at all. I soaked in a mineral pool, and was fed a delicious lunch.”

“Ah, but did you have magic hands, scented oils, hot rocks, and deep, probing, philosophical conversation?”

“No. It was just me and the birds.”

“Gabi’s one of those clever women who are all sweet and nurturing, and before you know it, you’ve dropped your guard and are telling her things you never intended to tell a soul.”

“Wow, you got the full treatment.”

“Have you had it?” she asked.

“Yes, I have, several times. It sticks with you, and it’s helpful. You know what they say: Life isn’t meant to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Find someone you love to roll through it with you, to help you over the hard parts, celebrate the good parts, and walk beside you when it’s just plain ordinary.”

“You’re never plain ordinary, Oliver.”

“Nor are you, Darcy Austen Kennedy.” I turned onto the highway back into town. “You know, Gabi was the person who put the idea into my head that my best revenge was not to be an asshole. She didn’t say it in so many words, but she led me in that direction, because believe me, I was hellbent on revenge.”

“In that case, I have a lot to thank her for.” She took my hand to her mouth and kissed it. “You smell like a hundred good minerals, and you have lady-soft hands.”

“Don’t worry, I can still do man stuff with them.”

Our perfect contentment lasted one week.