Chapter Seventeen

Kyle

Despite the crowds, I spot John's dusty ute when he pulls up at the terminal at Circular Quay. He waves and pulls over to the kerb. I toss my suitcase and duffel bag in the back and hop into the passenger seat.

"Good to have you back!" John claps me on the shoulder and flashes a warm smile.

"Yeah. I feel like I've been gone for ages," I reply, buckling my seatbelt. So much has changed it feels a lifetime. "How are things at home?"

John merges into the line of traffic crawling away from the Quay, and briefly fills me in on the latest. "Not too much. I finally finished the fencing along the back paddock. Bet you're glad you got out of that one, huh?"

"Absolutely!" I laugh. I picture the farm and the vineyards, and the never-ending tasks required to keep it all running smoothly. "But I'm back now, so I'm sure you'll have me making up for it in no time."

"Reckon so." John chuckles. "But enough about the farm. Tell me, how was the big cruise adventure?"

Snippets of memories play through my mind—the gorgeous tropical destinations, the diversity of the people, the endless party with cocktails and pulsing music, glittery drag queens, Axel…

"It was incredible," I say. "Way out of my comfort zone at first, but I'm glad I went. I met some interesting people. There was this lovely couple, Kate and Lindy, who had the cabin next to mine. We got on like a house on fire."

"Bloody brilliant. I'm glad you made some new mates." He looks pleased. "What else did you get up to?"

"Where to start? There was this wild drag show one night with this amazing performer. Crystal Starlight was her name. She was awesome," I say, remembering all the innuendo, her cheeky winks and risqué dance moves. "Let's just say it's not something you'd be likely to see at the local country pub. I did some snorkelling too and saw all these tropical fish. The islands we visited were just breathtaking, like picture postcard perfect."

As I rattle off my favourite moments, I find myself thinking of Axel because he was involved in most of them. I debate telling John, but it feels precious, like something I want to keep to myself for a little while. So instead, I focus on the other details—the sightseeing, my cabin, the buffet restaurant, trying a martini.

The scenery changes as we drive, city giving way to suburbs, then bush. With each kilometre we get closer to home and I can already feel myself slipping back into my old life where the vineyard and my responsibilities wait for me, however I'm not quite the same man who left nearly two weeks ago. The cruise opened my eyes—and my heart—to new possibilities. Maybe there's more to life, even if it's a little scary to put myself out there.

As the gum trees whiz by outside the window, my thoughts drift back to my farewell with Axel earlier that morning. It was bittersweet. We'd hugged before I left the suite, and promised to keep in touch, but I have doubts. Will he remember me once he's back in his world of fame and adoring fans?

The radio plays softly in the background, a generic pop tune that fades into the next song. Suddenly, a hauntingly familiar melody fills the car. It's Axel's voice, raw and emotive, singing about a love that slipped away. "Shattered Heart," the song he performed on the cruise, that brought his fans to their feet.

John reaches for the volume, turning it up. "Damn, this Zelman guy is good."

I'm surprised. John's more into 80's rock. "Actually, I met him on the cruise. Saw him perform live."

John's eyes widen, as he takes his eyes from the road and looks at me. "No fucking way. You met Zelman? The Zelman?"

I nod, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah. He was… different than I expected. Really down to earth and so easy to talk to."

"Mate, that's wild. Can't believe my little brother rubbed shoulders with a rock star."

I heat at his words—I rubbed a hell of a lot more than shoulders with him. But John isn't paying attention to me. His fingers drum a beat on the steering wheel as he watches the road in front of us.

As I listen to Axel pouring his heart out, I miss him already, but I'll cherish the memories I have, how he made me feel alive, and more confident in myself. The song fades out, and we listen to the radio host's chatter for the rest of the drive.

When we pull up at the farm, I'm immediately greeted by the farm dogs—Laney and Mutt—who run excited circles around me. I give the cattle dogs a quick pat and send them on their way, just as Mia and Leo come barrelling towards me.

"Uncle Kyle!"

I hug them tightly, their infectious laughter bringing a grin to my face. "Hey, kiddos! I missed you both so much."

Sarah emerges from the house, and pulls me into a hug as soon as Mia and Leo release me. "Welcome home, Kyle. We're so glad to have you back."

I feel a surge of gratitude at the love and happiness radiating from them all. Despite the bittersweet ache in my heart from leaving Axel, I'm reminded of how fortunate I am to have such a wonderful, supportive family.

John hauls my luggage from the ute and I drop it at my cottage before wandering back to the main house. Sarah has prepared a spread of fresh sandwiches and mugs of tea. We settle in on the verandah, the breathtaking view of the vineyard stretching out before us.

Mia and Leo tell me all about what's happened at school this past week, and about a birthday party they attended while I was away. I nod along. It's nice to see their smiling faces and hear about their latest adventures. It doesn't take much to keep these kids happy. As soon as they've finished their lunch, they excuse themselves to go off and play.

Finally, Sarah turns to me. "So, tell us about the cruise! How was it?"

I finish off the last of my now lukewarm tea and put down my mug. "It was amazing, actually. I met some great people, like Kate and Lindy, the couple next door to my cabin. They really encouraged me to get out there and explore."

Her smile is wide. "That's wonderful! What kind of things did you end up doing?"

"Well, as the cruise went on, I started going to bars and seeing shows." I give her a rundown of the same things I've already told John on the car ride home.

She reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze. "Sounds like you had quite the adventure. I'm so happy you had the chance to try new things."

"The South Pacific Islands were amazing. You should see them!"

Her eyes light up. "Ooh, I'd love to see some photos from your trip! You have some on your phone?"

I nod, pulling out my iPhone and handing it to her. As she scrolls through the images, a grin spreads across her face. "Look at you, Kyle! You look so handsome and relaxed in your swimwear, and look, you're getting a proper tan. John, come take a look at these."

John leans over, peering at the screen. He chuckles, shaking his head. "Hey now, don't be perving on your brother-in-law, Sarah!" he says to a burst of laughter.

Sarah continues scrolling, her eyes growing wide as she lands on a photo of Axel and me, our arms draped around each other, our faces mere inches apart.

"Wait a minute… is that Zelman?" Sarah gasps, her gaze darting between the photo and my face. "Kyle, you met Zelman on the cruise?"

"How the hell do you all know who he is?" I say.

Sarah rolls her eyes. "Unless you've been living under a rock"—I nudge her with my elbow—"oh yeah, right. Anyway, you actually met him? You have photos with him!"

My cheeks flush as I nod. "Yeah, but I knew him as Axel. We became friends during the trip."

Sarah raises an eyebrow. "Friends, huh? These selfies look pretty intimate to me. Maybe more than friends?"

I duck my head, unable to hide the smile that tugs the corners of my mouth at the thought of the things we got up to, but they're not the sort of things I want to be talking about with my sister-in-law.

Thankfully Mia and Leo come bounding over, the farm dogs trailing behind them. They are a welcome distraction and Sarah drops the subject as she turns her attention to her kids, and John gets up to clear the table.

Everything seems to be normal on the surface, but something's changed, and as I sit there, lost in thought, I wonder what the future holds. Suddenly my phone dings. I reach for it and my heart races when I see a message from Axel.

Axel:

Hey, Kyle. Wanted to check you made it back home safely. Already missing the sound of the ocean and you. Don't be a stranger, okay?

A smile spreads across my face, warmth flooding my chest at the fact that he took the time to reach out, that he's thinking of me.

I quickly type out a reply, my thumbs flying across the screen.

Kyle:

It's good to hear from you. The fam are pleased to have me back. Hope all goes well with Rick. Keep in touch. – Kyle

As I hit send, something clicks into place, and I grin at the screen.