Jade watched her sister as she walked through the front door and placed her bag on the table. She picked up the remote and shut of the TV, turning to face Dani with a questioning look on her face. “What are you looking so happy about?”

Dani either didn’t hear her, or chose not to answer, instead she walked through to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Jade stood up and followed her with urgency. “Dani! What’s with you?”

“Scott” she answered simply and took a sip of her orange juice.

Jade leant on the counter. “Are you going to move back into the palace?”

“Trying to get rid of me?”

Dani didn’t sound hurt. She had the biggest smile plastered across her face and she was pretty sure nothing anyone said or did to her could change that. “I don’t know, I don’t really want to ask.” She put her empty glass next to the sink. “I mucked things up pretty badly Jade, it’s up to him if he wants things to go back to the way they were.”

The smile that had slipped slightly was now back in full force. “I’m just happy he’s talking to me.” She paused. “And taking me out. Tonight.”

Dani’s smile was infectious. Jade now wore the same expression. “Really?! Where? What time?”

“I don’t know” Dani replied, with a whimsical look on her face. “He’s surprising me.”

* * *

“Wow.” Scott opened the Sutherland’s front door and the simple expression of astonishment left his lips before he could stop it. He looked at Dani in her figure-hugging red floral dress and high heels and felt drastically under dressed in his shirt and jeans. Her hair had a slight wave to it, and it flowed over her shoulders beautifully. He wanted to kiss her hair that moment, to smell the sweet aroma of her shampoo, and run his fingers through her silky locks. But he shook his head and told himself to focus.

“You look fantastic” he continued when his brain had finally caught up with him.

Dani gave an apprehensive smile. “Thanks, you’re not looking bad yourself.”

Scott laughed nervously and looked at the floor like a bashful school boy. “I didn’t expect you to go to this much trouble…”

“It’s no trouble” Dani’s eyes glistened, and Scott felt reassured. “Me and Jade had a girly bonding session, it was fun.”

Scott seemed to gain confidence. “Well, I hope my company will live up to a Sutherland pampering session.”

“Of course. So what have you got planned.”

“Ah, now that would be telling. Close your eyes.”

* * *

Dani wasn’t expecting a fancy restaurant. Secretly she was hoping it wouldn’t be a fancy restaurant. When she felt the soft sand between her toes and opened her eyes to see the candle lit picnic before her she left out a sigh. This is what she wanted. In her dreams, when she had been imagining her and Scott sorting things out and finally getting back on track, this is exactly what she’d had in mind. Just them and some wine and the gentle lapping of waves against the rocks. No distractions. Not that she thought in a million years this was the way it would turn out.

Scott gripped her hand and with his other arm guided her down the grass slope towards the picnic blanket. For a moment he just enjoyed her touch, not caring about anything else. But then suddenly he seemed to realize what he was doing and nervously pulled away. He was scared of touching her again, holding her. Scared that she’d reject him after the way he’d acted. She said it wasn’t his fault but…

She grabbed his right arm and replaced it around her waist where it had been only moments before. He caught sight of her eyes in his and understood. She didn’t need to say anything, one look conveyed it all. She truly had forgiven him, and she wanted things to return to normal.

Sensing Scott’s unease, Dani grinned and skipped forward with enthusiasm. “This is beautiful Scott, how did you organize all this at such short notice?”

He didn’t want to tell her that he’d been planning this moment out in his mind for weeks. Every hour he was awake or dreaming he’d been planning exactly what it would be like when she’d take him back. But they’d said no lies, so he didn’t answer her question.

“You like it then?”

“I love it.” Dani looked more closely at the scene now. The soft blue blanket was laid out at one end of the beach, near some rocks. At least 2 dozen candles were spread around, on the sand and the rocks, and the flames flickered gracefully in the darkness. There was just enough light where they stood to see he deep mysterious brown eyes and the glow of his skin that she so desperately wanted to reach out and touch.

“Madam, do take a seat.” Scott beamed at her. He motioned towards the blanket with a gentlemanly bow and she obliged with a girly giggle. “Would you like some wine?”

Half an hour later they were sitting there, totally at east with each other like the past few weeks had never happened. Scott reached for the bottle of white wine and topped up Dani’s glass and then his own. They had eaten a meal of pasta courtesy of Leah and the Diner and now Scott brought out of the hamper a large bowl of fresh strawberries and pineapple and mango.

The weather was warm and Dani had discarded the light shawl she wore to the beach. Both of them had lost their shoes, feeling more comfortable as the evening went on. Scott hadn’t even looked at his watch, he didn’t want to know the time, he didn’t want the evening to end. Ever.

Neither of them had noticed but their bodies had got closer and closer by the minute. Their sides were touching and their fingers were intertwined between them.

“Cheers!” Scott said, raising his glass. Dani followed. “Here’s to us and the future.”

Dani felt calmer than she had in a long time. She was not pretending that the wine hadn’t taken effect, she knew it had, but it was something more. Being in the presence of the man you loved knowing that he loved you back was possibly the best feeling Dani had felt in her life.

She picked up a strawberry and tasted it’s fresh ripe juice. It tasted natural, and sweeter than any chocolate cake. Scott watched her, mesmerised. Some of the candles had flickered out, so the soft orange glow had died a little. But the silver moonlight was bright, and he could see her as clear as if it were daylight.

He could sense her too. He could hear her breathing, and feel her touch, and smell her familiar perfume that he loved. There was not one thing about her sitting in front of him right then that he didn’t love. Every bad thing that had happened between them was forgotten.

When the fruit bowl was emptied and their glasses drained, Scott took Dani’s hand in his and lifted her to her feet. “Let’s take a walk.”

* * *

The water was cool and refreshing. The calm surf splashed around their ankles as they walked from their secluded spot back towards civilisation, back to their lives. Dani & Scott were starting anew.

They’d only been walking for a few minutes but everything that wasn’t happening there and then was filed away somewhere deep in their minds. Even their picnic stuff that they’d been enjoying was forgotten and they were enjoying each other’s company. The only thing Scott carried was the soft blue blanket, in case the weather grew colder.

Beth would no doubt complain about her dishes being left out in the elements, and Colleen would complain about them littering the beach. Scott laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

He hadn’t even known he had laughed. “Oh, I was just picturing what a fuss mum would make when she realises we’ve abandoned her crystal glasses.”

“We’re not going back for it then?”

“Nope.”

Before he knew what he was doing, he was facing Dani and had encircled both arms around her waist. “I don’t care about the stuff. I don’t car about anything else.” There was a playful urgency in his words that captivated Dani and made her listen on. “All I care about is you and me, right here right now.”

Dani didn’t reply, not with words anyway. She didn’t need to say anything she just took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. When she released him and pulled away, a contented and relax smile was dancing on her lips. He still had hold of her. First her arms then his hands slowly crept down and were now draped around her waist. His touch soothed her and she couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t felt like this in his arms.

They stood there in silence, Scott studied Dani’s face, trying to figure out what she was thinking. He waited, and she was the first to speak. “I don’t want to go home yet.”

“Where’s home?”

Scott was asking the same question as Jade had earlier, she could see it in his eyes. She could see his silent plea and only thought for a moment. “Where do you want it to be?”

Scott didn’t hesitate at all. “With me, like it was. Like I want it to be again. Dani, I’ve been and idiot…”

She silenced him with her finger on his lips and he sighed, letting out a slight laugh. “Ok, sorry…”

Dani shook her head and pulled out of his grip. They continued their walk along the moonlit beach holding hands like a couple of teenagers with their first crush. It was nice, the quiet air of innocence that hung between them now, all their past angst and heartbreak forgotten.

As Dani stared out at the calm, still ocean, the urge that she never wanted to leave this time and place came over her. It had been niggling her all night, but now it grew stronger.

“I wish we could stay out here all night. I’m not ready to see anyone else, I just want be here with you.”

“Ok” Scott replied simply and kissed her quickly on the lips. “It’s a good job I picked up this blanket.”

“Are you serious?” Dani had only been half serious. But Scott felt the same. That felt good.

“Yeah, aren’t you?”

Dani looked up ahead to see the lights of the empty surf club only a hundred metres away and then looked up to see clouds forming in the sky. Scott followed her gaze.

“You’ve not lived until you’ve slept outside in the elements.”

“Oh, is that a fact?” Dani’s playfulness was returning. “Well then let’s live.”