My loyal readers, I can’t thank you enough for buying my books. It can be a long, hard slog bringing a book to life and knowing you’re waiting for my next one is a great incentive. I hope you love Summer of Serenity as much as I do.

  Happy reading!

  Nic x

  PROLOGUE

  Melbourne

  Thirteen years ago

  ‘Natasha Trigg.’ The bouncer—sporting five piercings in his right brow, a nose ring and bulging muscles stretching his black T-shirt to ripping point—consulted his list before nodding. ‘Head on through.’ He lowered the crimson rope to let Tash pass.

  She hesitated, fear of what she had to do rendering her immobile, and earning her a glower from the bouncer.

  ‘In or out?’

  She willed her feet to move towards the main entrance of the Princeton Hotel in cosmopolitan St Kilda. The pub showcased local talent, but tonight, she didn’t care about the music. She’d come here for one reason only.

  To break up with Kody Lansdowne, front man for Rock Hard Place.

  Ironic, as that’s exactly where she’d found herself: between the proverbial rock and a very hard place. But she’d made her decision. She had to follow through. No way would she be responsible for ruining his dream. Even if hers had come crashing down the moment she’d peed on that white stick and glimpsed two vertical blue lines.

  Leaving Brockenridge to study nursing in Melbourne, escaping the watchful eyes of her zealous parents, whose religion ruled every aspect of their lives and hers, had been a dream come true. Maybe her do-gooder parents had passed on their benevolent genes, because she loved helping people. She’d kept her head down for the first two years, hiding out in the nursing quarters attached to the university, determined to focus on her studies and not be distracted by the glitter of the city. Until she’d been dragged to the Princeton one balmy summer’s night by a bunch of nursing students determined to consume their body weight in vodka and had met Kody.

  Her first love. Her first everything. Tonight, she’d come here to tell him the truth. Her version of it, because no way in hell would she be responsible for ruining his dream when her own lay in tatters courtesy of dodgy contraception.

  Hiding this secret burned a hole in her gut, making it impossible to keep anything down. Though that could be the morning sickness.

  She’d rehearsed her spiel many times over the last twenty-four hours, knowing Kody would use every weapon in his charismatic arsenal to sway her. But she’d made her decision. She had to stick to it, no matter how badly her chest tightened with sorrow every time she thought about having to push him away.

  She’d timed her arrival for the last song of the band’s set, knowing she couldn’t stand around for hours pretending to enjoy herself. A jarring guitar riff assaulted her ears as she edged her way into the crowded room where the love of her life and his band took centre stage. Her heart flipped as it always did when she caught sight of him and she blinked back the sting of tears. Damn hormones.

  Kody dominated the stage and it had nothing to do with his six-two height, dark curly hair, mesmerising brown eyes and smile that made women fall at his feet: he had a presence that captivated everyone in the room and when he opened his mouth to sing—she’d never heard anything like it. Deep, gravelly, sexy, his voice transcended time and she wasn’t surprised he’d captured the attention of an LA recording studio. Ironic that the night he’d told her all his dreams of being a rock star were about to come true was the night she’d planned to tell him about the baby.

  She’d had it all figured out: they’d rent a small two-bedroom bungalow by the bay. Maybe Elwood, Elsternwick or South Melbourne, somewhere close enough for him to continue inner-city gigs while she completed her nursing degree. Kody had a massive network of friends and she’d envisaged arranging babysitting through one of them while juggling her studies. They would make it work, creating a close, loving family, the kind she’d never had.

  But Kody had been hyper that night, pouncing on her the minute she stepped into his tiny studio apartment, picking her up and swinging her around until she’d become dizzy. He’d kissed her, deeply, passionately, in the way she’d never been kissed before him, then told her his good news in a rush, the words tumbling over themselves in his excitement.

  A leading LA producer had been in Melbourne for a music awards show, seen Rock Hard Place at a gig and waited to speak to Kody afterwards. While he couldn’t promise anything, the producer had the power to catapult Rock Hard Place towards the kind of fame most musicians only dream about.

  Tash had been genuinely happy for him, swept up in his excitement even as a small part of her died. There’d be no moving in together, no shared parenting, no family. Instead, she’d be forced to move back to Brockenridge to live with her disapproving parents who would alternate between berating her for being so stupid and lecturing her about falling prey to the devil. But it would be a small price to pay if one of them got to live their dream. She loved Kody that much.

  As if sensing her presence now, Kody’s eyes locked on hers across the crowded room. He smiled, lighting up the part of her soul that would never forget him. He hauled the microphone stand close, caressing it, and she tingled with the memory of how he did the same to her body.

  ‘I’d like to dedicate this song to the most beautiful girl in the world,’ he said as raucous cheers and foot stomping filled the room. The lights went out, save for a lone spotlight on Kody, who was sitting on a bar stool, an acoustic guitar resting on his knee. And when he began to sing about love and adoration and soul-deep connection, Tash couldn’t stem the tears. She could’ve sworn the entire room disappeared and it was just the two of them as he crooned lyrics meant for her.

  When he plucked the final chord, the room erupted into applause and Tash knew the time had come. Dragging in a shaky breath, she shouldered her way to the side of the stage. One of the roadies saw her and waved her over, allowing her to slip backstage, where Kody swept her into his arms and buried his face in her neck.

  She loved the smell of him after a performance: sweat mingled with deodorant—uniquely Kody—and she wished she could imprint this on her memory for the long, lonely nights ahead.

  When he released her, he tipped her chin up so he could stare into her eyes. ‘You’re usually as pumped as me after a gig. What’s up?’

  ‘Not here,’ she said, snagging his hand and tugging him towards a door that led out into a laneway. When the door slammed shut behind them, she led him to a quiet corner behind some stacked beer kegs.

  ‘You’re worrying me—’

  ‘I’m pregnant, Kody, but you don’t have to worry because I’m getting rid of it.’ She had to say the words in a rush, otherwise she’d never get them out. She needed him to believe she was the worst person in the world or she wouldn’t get through this without burying herself in his arms for comfort.

  He paled, then blinked several times, before releasing her hand and staggering back like she’d slapped him. ‘Don’t I get a say in this?’ He shook his head, his lips flattening. ‘This is my kid too.’

  ‘Yeah, but it’s my body, and I don’t want a baby now. It would ruin everything.’

  His upper lip curled in derision. ‘Right. Your precious nursing degree.’

  He made it sound like she wanted to pole dance for a living. He’d never stared at her with loathing before and his narrow-eyed glare made her second-guess her decision for a moment.

  But she had to do this. Had to make him hate her. There was no other choice.

  ‘Good luck in LA,’ she said, managing to stop her voice from quivering as she turned and walked away.

  She willed him to come after her, to say that he wanted a baby with her, that he wanted a family, that he wanted her to come with him.

  Instead, she heard a string of muttered curses before a door slammed.

  Kody had believed her. She should be relieved. Yet all she felt was soul-deep sorrow.

  ISBN: 9781867225423

  TITLE: SUMMER OF SERENITY

  First Australian Publication 2021

  Copyright © 2021 by Nicola Marsh

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  Nicola Marsh, Summer of Serenity

 

 

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