Common Ground Read online

  Common Ground

  Wendy Smith

  Edited by

  Creating Ink

  Cover Design By

  Golden Czermak/ Furiousfotog

  Glossary

  Te reo - Māori language

  Wahine - Woman

  Kuia - Grandmother

  Dairy - Convenience Store

  Hangi - Traditional Māori style of cooking underground

  Whanau – Family

  Piece of Piss - Easy

  Boot - Trunk of car

  One

  Josh

  “You’ll hear from us.”

  Usually famous last words, but this audition has been something special. I’ve got a good feeling about this one.

  Although, I’ve been wrong about that before.

  Something has to come through before the end of the year. That’s the target I’ve set, and there are only a few months left before I have to pack up and go home to Florida.

  I’ve managed to pick up small jobs here and there, but nothing that’s going to keep paying my rent for any length of time. My savings are nearly non-existent—I worked a year to fund the pursuit of my dream. It’s not been long enough, and time is running out.

  Fuck it. I’ll treat myself to a decent coffee and go home. I deserve it for the long day I’ve had, and I just want to curl up in front of the television and chill for a while.

  I walk to the coffee shop, enjoying the short stroll past Tiara Street Park on the corner.

  The coffee shop can get quite crowded in here sometimes, but it’s the middle of the afternoon and I timed this trip perfectly from the empty tables that greet me

  A brunette I haven’t seen before is standing behind the counter, and I approach her, digging through my wallet for spare change.

  “Latte, please.”

  “Sure thing.”

  I look up at the sound of a foreign accent, and into the deepest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

  “Let me guess. Australian?”

  She scowls, narrowing her eyes at me, but still taking the money I’m offering her. “New Zealander.”

  I fist my hand in annoyance. “Shit. Sorry. You guys are real sensitive about that, right?”

  She rings up the coffee on the register, and hands me the change before moving across to the coffee machine. “I don’t sound Australian.”

  The machine whirs as it grinds the beans, and I breathe in the fresh scent of coffee.

  “I’m sorry. I only had two words to make a guess.”

  “Do better next time.”

  I lean on the counter to get a better look at her. She’s got long, chocolate brown hair that hangs in big curls just below her shoulders, and her light makeup doesn’t hide her flawless complexion. I’m in love, and she’s literally said … twelve words to me.

  “Are you new here? I haven’t seen you before.”

  She nods. “I started last week.”

  My eyes drop to her name badge. Dee. “Live around here?”

  She pours the milk into a metal jug, and starts frothing it. “You’re just full of questions, aren’t you?”

  I shrug. “I’d have been here last week if I’d known you were working.”

  A small smile breaks through, and she shakes her head. With a roll of her eyes, she lets out a big sigh. “Well, I’m sure my day will be a lot brighter now you’ve been in.”

  I can’t take my eyes off her, and when she shoots a glance at me through those long eyelashes, I’m gone for good.

  She hands me the coffee, our fingers brushing, and for just a moment, our gazes lock before she lets go with a smile.

  It’s not until I’m out the door that I realise she’s written something on the cup.

  My favourite Canadian.

  People turn and look at me when I laugh out loud.

  I’m definitely coming back in tomorrow.

  Two

  Delaney

  Six years later

  “Excuse me, miss.” A broad American accent calls me across the room. “Could I please get your help with something?”

  I suck in a breath. Most customers are great, but we get the odd pain in the arse who wants more than just a breakfast. If he propositions me, I swear I’ll kick him in the nuts so hard they’ll retract into his body. Permanently.

  “Sure.” I smile brightly. “What did you need help with?”

  “My friend and I are here to make a movie. You might have heard of it: Twisted Hearts?”

  I shrug. We’ve had a couple of movies filmed locally a year since the whole Lord of the Rings craziness. I don’t keep track of which movies are being made.

  “Anyhoo, I just got this itinerary, and I was wondering if you could help me translate a word?”

  Whew. “Sure thing.”

  “It says here they're planning a …” He looks closer at the paper, as if it might reveal some hidden message. “What does that say? P ... po …” He shoves the piece of paper toward me, and I cock an eyebrow in return. “Please, could you tell me what this says?”

  I take the piece of paper from him and smile. “There's a pōwhiri organised for you on Friday,” I say.

  “What the hell is that? And how do you get the ‘f’ sound out of this word?” His confused expression is comical.

  “The ‘wh’ is pronounced ‘f’.”

  He nods, but he doesn’t look that convinced.

  "It's a welcoming ceremony."

  "Well, why doesn't it just say that?"

  "It does. That's the Māori word for it." I hand him back the paper.

  He looks from me to it. “Well, I'll be damned."

  "I would think they'll have a representative to help guide you through it. There’ll be a challenge that will need to be accepted."

  "A challenge?" the man sitting across the table says.

  “Yes.” How the hell do I explain this? “There’ll be singing, maybe speeches, and a challenge. But like I said, someone should be with you to go through it as it happens.”

  “Can you be that someone?”

  I smile and shake my head. “No. I’ll be here. But enjoy. It’ll be a lovely way to kick things off for your movie.”

  I’m not sure if he believes me, but I give him another smile and walk back toward the kitchen.

  “What was that all about?” Pania asks.

  “Something about a movie that’s filming here soon. There’s a pōwhiri on the main production site according to the paper they had.” I grin. “He was trying to work out the word on his little sheet of paper. Maybe you should go out there next time. A Māori speaking te reo might just make his head explode.”

  Pania laughs. “I’d just confuse him. He could have looked it up on the net. Speaking of which …” She pulls out her phone. “What’s the name of the movie?”

  “Uhh.” For a moment, I’m blank. “Twisted Hearts?”

  She taps something into her phone.

  “Do you know who the star of the movie is?” Pania looks at me over her glasses.

  My sinking stomach tells me I know what she’s getting at. “No.”

  “No, you don't know, or no you don't want to know?” Her smarmy smile rankles me.

  “Smugness is very unbecoming.”

  She laughs. “Should I tell you who the star is?”

  I shrug, already knowing what she's about to say. She wouldn't be acting like this if it was anyone else on the planet.

  “Let me guess. Josh Carter.” My delivery of his name is flat, as it usually is on the odd occasion when I’ve been forced to acknowledge his existence.

  “He's coming to town, Delaney.”

  I swallow hard. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how hurt I was that morning six years ago. He broke my heart in two.

  “Delaney?” I shak
e my head as Pania says my name as if to shake me out of my thoughts. “If I find out where he’s staying, we could go and egg his house.”

  I chuckle. “I thought you might have some idea to hook us up. I’m relieved you're only thinking of a little vandalism instead.”

  She cocks her head, giving me her sympathetic expression. “Why would I try getting you together with that arsehole?”

  “Because you’re a hopeless romantic who likes hot arseholes?”

  She lets out a burst of laughter. “Oh, that is going in the Delaney smart mouth hall of fame.”

  “Even the thought of him gets under my skin. How long are they filming for?”

  Pania shrugs. “How would I know? Maybe you should have spent more time talking to those customers. I bet they have all the details.”

  I blow out a breath. Based on prior experience, they’ll be in town for at least two to three months. And if Josh is the star, chances are he’ll be here the whole time.

  Fuck my life.

  I’m still brooding about it by the time I arrive at school to pick up Melly. The sight of her breaks me out of my weird mood.

  “Mummy,” she calls out as she skips toward me.

  “Hey, baby. Have a good day?”

  She leaps into my arms, and I twirl her around, pressing a kiss into her hair. “The heater wasn’t working in the classroom, so we were in room four today.”

  “Were you?” I walk out toward the school entrance and down the road a little until we reach the car.

  She climbs into the back seat, and I fasten her harness before giving her a kiss on the forehead. “Love you.”

  “Love you too.” She’s so cheery, and it warms my heart.

  My heart that’s been as frozen as my feet since I left the diner.

  The cold probably isn’t helping my mood.

  I drive back toward the diner, and my mind is not on anything other than Josh. I’m not sure how I’d cope if I saw him again. Time might have passed but the memory of how things went bad and the fallout afterward are raw.

  I’ve got my daughter and my business to focus on, and I haven’t had a man in my life for a while. And no one I’ve introduced to Melly.

  Seeing him again adds complication to my life that I could do without.

  But is it realistic to think we won’t run into one another at some point?

  After Melly’s gone to sleep for the night, I can sit and take stock of the day.

  I have to stop worrying so much.

  But it doesn’t make thinking of the past hurt any less.

  I smile as Josh’s lips graze my neck. “Are you making breakfast?”

  “I told you I would.”

  His dark eyes are so full of affection, and I melt just looking into them.

  I knew Josh Carter would be trouble. The last thing I was looking for was any kind of romantic attachment in the weeks leading up to me leaving the US and going home, but when he walked into my life, he walked into my heart.

  Even if he managed to accidentally insult me on that first day.

  Somewhere on the floor on his side of the bed, a phone buzzes its way across the carpet.

  Josh frowns. “Who the hell can that be?” He shrugs, kissing my lips this time.

  “Get it. It might be important.”

  “You’re important.”

  I grin. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  He leans over the side of the bed and plucks his phone off the floor. His face tells a me I was right.

  “I have to take this call.”

  Smiling, I stretch, and his eyes darken as the sheet falls, revealing my breasts. His lips curl.

  “I’m so back here as fast as I can. Promise.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  I close my eyes. Sleep claims me, but when I wake, Josh is still nowhere to be seen.

  There’s a digital alarm clock on his bedside cabinet. It reads a little after nine, and as much as I don’t want to, I need to get going.

  My flight home to New Zealand is at some ridiculous hour of the morning tomorrow, and I need to work out if I can extend my trip at all or if I really do have to go home. The thought of the latter fills me with sadness. With another stretch, I roll out of bed.

  His room is sparse. But I know he's a struggling actor trying to make it in a city full of them. I slip my shirt over my head, run my fingers through my hair, and make for the door.

  The deep rumble of a man's voice comes from the living room, and I walk down the small hallway to see Josh. His back is to me, and his phone is to his ear. He’s still on the phone?

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll ditch the bitch and come to you.”

  I freeze. Did I hear that right?

  “She’s history.”

  For a moment, I stand there, unable to move, unable to speak.

  For weeks we’ve danced around, and I resisted him for so long because I knew I had to go home soon. But in the end I caved, and gave in to our mutual flirtation. We dated for two weeks before last night.

  Last night—the best night of my life.

  Now, in the cold light of day, I find myself mourning every kiss, every touch with his heartless words.

  I open my mouth to speak.

  “All I ever wanted to do was make you jealous.” He laughs.

  My stomach hurts. It’s like I’ve been punched in the guts, and I want out. I thought I meant more to him. I thought we were the real thing.

  I turn and go back to the bedroom, drag on my jeans, and stuff my phone and money card into my back pocket. Screw it. I’ll be on that flight tomorrow and out of here, complete with my broken heart.

  I tiptoe back down the hall. Josh still sits with his back to me, his ear pressed against the phone. Taking one last look, I pick up my shoes, open the door and quietly sneak out.

  It’s not until I’m half a block away that I let myself cry.

  How could someone so sweet and genuine turn out to be such a monster?

  How could I have been so wrong?

  Josh destroyed me. Pania helped me pick up the pieces. If it hadn’t been for her friendship, and her family around me, I wouldn’t be the person I am now.

  I would have constructed bigger walls around my heart.

  Which is why I’m so worried. I’m not sure it’d take much for the walls I do have to crumble if Josh and I meet again.

  The only question is how bad the fallout would be.

  Three

  Delaney

  For the next few days, I hold my breath every time the bell above the diner door rings.

  Will he even remember me if I meant that little to him?

  I’m torn between curiosity over seeing him and wanting the weeks to pass by with him not knowing I’m here.

  On Wednesday afternoon, a short, blond man walks in carrying a tablet like a clipboard. A clipboard would probably be more effective. Mobile coverage is nothing much to speak of around here unless you’re toward the mountain where the rich have holiday homes. While the rest of the world is moving to 5G, we’re lucky if we have 3G.

  “Are you Delaney?” he asks as he approaches the counter. He’s American, but his accent is different to the guy who I spoke with the other day. It’s much more gentle.

  I nod. “Sure am.”

  “My name is George Wood. And I have a really big favour to ask.”

  “What kind of favour?”

  “I’m working on the movie that’s starting production next week. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. Twisted Hearts?”

  Ugh.

  “Yes, I’ve heard of it.”

  “There’s a big welcoming party to kick things off on Friday, and I really need a caterer.”

  I raise myself up as tall as I can and eyeball him. “Don’t you think you should have thought about this earlier?”

  His sheepish expression tells me everything I need to know. “We do have in-house catering, but they’re not going to be ready in time. And Mitch raved about the burger he had here the other day
. So, he wondered if you’d be prepared to help us out.”

  “How many do you need catering for?"

  Another sheepish look. "Two hundred. I'll make it worth your while."

  Two hundred? I've no idea how I'm supposed to feed two hundred people with less than forty-eight hours’ notice from my small kitchen.

  "How much are we talking?"

  He gives me a figure that makes me gasp. And then it turns out to be in US dollars, so I gasp even more. I’d have to be insane to walk away from this. "What kind of food?"

  "The stuff you serve here. Most of the cast and crew live Stateside so appreciate home-cooked fare. But throw in some Kiwi delicacies as well.”

  For a moment, I ponder. Cooking two hundred sausage rolls would be a piece of piss. Throw in some hot dogs and burgers, and it’d be sweet. But I need to source all those things before the supermarket closes tonight otherwise I'm not going to get them from anywhere else. Not with this kind of notice.

  “I’ll do it. But I need to be paid upfront.” I can cover it, but I’m not going to offer anyone credit. Especially when they’re not locals.

  “Agreed.” He pulls out his credit card.

  For a moment, I’m stunned.

  “We’ll have to do it in more than one transaction. My credit card floor limit isn’t big enough,” I say.

  “Whatever works. You’re a lifesaver.”

  I lead him to the other end of the counter, punching the numbers into the machine. One by one the transactions go through, and I hand him back his card with the receipts.

  “Thanks again, Delaney.”

  “What address are we delivering to?”

  “I’ll confirm and email it to you if that’s okay? I’m not completely sure of it myself.”

  I nod. “That’s fine. Just make sure you let me know before ten-thirty tomorrow morning.”

  “No problem. I’ll send it to you in around half an hour if you could give me your details.” He taps them into his phone. “Thanks again. I was desperate until Mitch suggested this place.”