Echoes Of The Past (Fermosa Bay #1) (8 page)

There were another three rooms on the ground floor, plus Ethan’s study and a couple of bathrooms. Emily could easily see herself living in a place like this, despite loving her small house.

With a sigh, she went into the kitchen and prepared some snacks and drinks.

“The girls think Dad’s friend looks cool.”

Emily turned around to find Nick digging in the lolly jar. She laughed. “Is that so?”

He nodded as he stuffed a handful of chocolate into his mouth.

“Have you had dinner, yet?” she asked.

“Sausages at the school.”

“Very healthy indeed.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw through the window as Jack’s car pulled in front of the house. Apparently, so did Nick, because he raced to the front door to open it.

Ethan came into the kitchen. “He’s very excited to finally meet Connor.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “So it seems.”

“How are you coping at the moment?” he asked as he stepped closer.

Not understanding the question, she raised her brows and asked, “What do you mean?”

He lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “Jack’s illness. Connor. Pick your choice.”

She looked away, suddenly feeling a heaviness in her chest. “I’m annoyed with Jack for not taking his meds.”

“You need to accept his decision.”

Sadness spread through her. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she whispered.

“What about Connor?”

She met his gaze. “What about him?”

“Jack said Connor stayed the night with you the other day. And he said it with a smile.”

Emily shrugged. “He came over for dinner and decided to stay the night so he could have a drink.”

Thankful for Nick’s noisy return to the kitchen, she picked up the plates with food and carried them into the lounge room. With everyone arriving at once, there was chaos in the entrance. She met Connor’s gaze and heat rushed to her cheeks.

With a smile, he asked, “Need a hand?”

She shook her head. “I’ll be right. Ethan might need a hand with the drinks, though.”

He helped Jack to get comfortable on the single seater before heading back into the kitchen.

When they’d all sat down, Nick sat on his father’s lap and turned to Connor.

“We learnt about England. My teacher said it’s winter over there now. Does it snow over there?”

Connor chuckled. “Yes, we have snow. It can get bitter cold in England.”

The boy nodded. “Here as well. But we don’t get snow. Only in the Alps.” He crossed his arms. “So Dad tells me you’re a lawyer.”

“I am indeed,” Connor replied, and Emily was sure she saw a smile on his face.

“Any murderers you got off the hook?”

Ethan laughed. “Buddy—”

Connor shook his head. “That’s okay. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not that kind of lawyer. I deal with businesses and contracts.”

Emily saw the boy’s disappointment, but it seemed it didn’t last too long.

“Ever seen the Queen?”

“I have. A few years ago at Ascot.”

“Where?”

“Ascot. They hold a very famous horse race there every year.”

But Nick didn’t seem interested in that. Emily could literally see his mind going into overdrive with all the questions he had. He asked about Christmas in winter, the long twenty-four-hour flight to Australia, as well as whether he’d be allowed to keep Connor’s old boogie board.

“You most certainly can.”

“Cool.”

Jack coughed and an eerie silence hung in the air for a long moment.

Niall leaned forward, first to break it. “We might have to take Connor to the cricket in Melbourne.”

Nick stood, hands up. “Yes, please. I reckon they’ll beat the pommies this year.”

Connor laughed, and Emily assumed it was more because of the boy’s excitement than his statement. “In your dreams.”

“Nah-ah,” the little boy replied with all his conviction.

“How about being there when it’s happening. I’m sure there’s got to be a chance to get tickets.”

Nick’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”

Connor shrugged. “If your dad approves. Why not?”

“Cool.”

Looking at his dad, he gave him the
Please, Dad
look.

Emily was pleasantly surprised with how much patience Connor demonstrated as he answered all of the Nick’s questions.

And she liked it. And liked him even more for it.

They chatted, or mostly Nick kept the conversation going with still more questions on his mind as well as their upcoming trip to New Zealand.

It was well and truly after the child’s bedtime when Niall finished his drink and got up.

“Time for me to call it a day.” He ruffled Nick’s hair. “Great job tonight, buddy. We’ll see you Christmas Day for dinner, righteo?”

Jack followed him. “Give me a lift, Niall, won’t you? Then Connor can drive Emily home.”

Emily wasn’t sure whether to say thanks or decline the offer. Another night with Connor would be the perfect end to a wonderful week.

“Will you read me a story first?” the child asked.

She stood. “Of course I will. Connor can help your dad with the mess here.”

She placed a kiss on Jack’s cheek, then gave Niall a kiss as well, and followed them to the door, helping Jack.

“Will you be right at home?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “I’m not a child, Emmy. Of course, I’ll be right.”

Letting out a soft laugh, she said, “Good night. I’ll see you Monday for another visit.” Then placed a hand on Niall’s arm, saying, “Thank you.”

Niall nodded. “I’ll see you for Christmas dinner.”

She nodded and followed Nick upstairs into his room, every nerve twitching in anticipation of what might happen later that night. As she read the words, her mind wandered off, remembering what he’d told the boy about his life in London, about what he liked or disliked, and the way he described where he lived. Although he hadn’t spoken about his life on the other side of the world in a yearning way, Emily started to worry that he might return home sooner rather than later.

She pushed that thought out of her head and focussed back on the book, but a quick look at Nick and she saw that he was already asleep.

She placed a kiss on his forehead and pulled up the duvet a little bit more before she returned downstairs.

“Ready?” Connor asked.

Turning to Ethan, she asked, “Need some help cleaning up?”

He shook his head. “I’ll get stuck into it tomorrow morning. You go and have a good night’s sleep.”

She nodded, gave him a kiss, and replied to Connor, “Ready.”

He opened the door, and they both went out, heading towards the car.

It was about five minutes into the drive when Emily asked, “Do you miss home?”

Contemplating the question, he answered after a long moment. “I can’t tell you that. I’m still in holiday mode. Everything is better and brighter when you’re on holidays.”

“You love London, don’t you?”

He gave a slow nod.

Suddenly she laughed and said, “Nick loves you.”

Meeting her gaze, he replied, “He’s a great guy. Ethan has done a tremendous job raising him.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

They drove the rest of the way in silence until he parked in front of her house. Connor took her hand and just the small touch caused her to shiver.

“You know I have to go back, don’t you?”

Curving her lips into a smile, she let out a little sigh, but didn’t reply.

“London is where I belong. It’s where my life is.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“I’m not…I don’t…” He sighed. “The other night…us…I mean…” Taking her hand, he said, “I’m not playing with you. Although we were apart for over twenty years, it feels I’ve always known you. But whatever happens next, you need to know that it’s not forever.”

“It could be,” she said barely above a whisper, but she knew she was barely hoping. He was right. Her heart hadn’t caught up to that news.

He didn’t reply.

“This could be your home, Connor. You were born here. Your father lives here. And I can see it in your eyes you’re enjoying your time here.”

Choking back a chuckle, he said, “Sunshine. This is like holidays. Sitting at the beach, driving along the coast, or having a barbeque in the forest. I would have to start all over again to find a job, to make money—”

“Part of the hotels would be yours.”

He shook his head. “The hotels are in good hands with Ethan and Niall.”

She looked away, desperate to hold back the tears.

“Emily.”

She let out a long breath.

“Sunshine, look at me.”

Shaking her head, she opened the door, got out, and ran towards the house, tears blurring her sight. After a short struggle opening the door, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. With her back against the wall, she slid down, closed her eyes to collect herself. Emily replayed the conversation over and over in her head and despite wanting him to be wrong, deep inside she knew he wasn’t.

Damn him!

She brushed her tears with her hand. Why was she in love with such a stubborn man? Why wasn’t he able to see that Australia was his home, that Fermosa Bay was his home?

Letting out a whoosh of breath, she opened her eyes, and stood. She walked into her room, undressed, and headed into the bathroom for a long bath. Stepping into the warm scented water, she sank bit by bit into the tub. Resting her arms along the edges of the tub, she shut her eyes, drifting in the heat, thinking again about Connor.

Emily thought about his dark, chocolate brown eyes…and the expression of anger and hurt in them when she briefly looked at him as she’d closed the car door. She thought of that one stubborn curl just above his ear. It’d been like that even when he’d been a kid.

The sudden ache in her stomach told her she’d been so wrong to get angry with him. Or the situation. There was no way she’d move anywhere else but Fermosa Bay. Her whole life was here. Her whole history.

How could she ask him to uproot himself, leave his mother, family, and friends behind? It didn’t matter whether his life had been memorable or not. It was his life. There was no way she should be angry with him for being hesitant to consider a life at this end of the world.

Pinching her nose, Emily dunked her head under the water, letting it rush through her hair, before coming up for air.

A few minutes later, she towelled herself dry before crawling into bed. But sleep didn’t come easy. Not only were there a multitude of emotions rushing through her, but there was also something building inside her.

***

Connor was woken by the soft touch of a hand on his shoulder. With the help of the moonlight, he looked around to orientate himself. That’s when he saw Emily standing next to his bed.

“Are you awake?”

“I am now,” he groaned.

“I’m sorry.”

“What’s up, sunshine? What’s the time? Are you all right?”

She placed a finger on his lips. “It’s just after two. I wasn’t able to sleep.”

“So you thought you’d wake me?”

Without looking at him, she took off her shoes, dropped her jeans to the floor, and then lifted the duvet. “Move over.”

He blinked a couple of times when she crawled next to him into bed. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm around her, resting his chin on her head. He inhaled her scent, revelled in the feel of her, and swallowed down the temptation.

“What’s up?” he asked again.

“
I didn’t mean to push you regarding staying here. And I didn’t mean to run off like that. It was stupid and immature.”

“You came to apologise?”

She leaned back to look at him, and he moved a stray strand of hair behind her ear. In the dimness of the moonlight her face seemed paper white beneath a dusting of freckles.

“In the middle of the night?”

“It bothered me.”

Connor placed a kiss on her forehead. “Sunshine. I’m a big boy. I can handle female hormones…
oompf
—”

He felt her elbow in his ribs.

“My apologies have nothing to do with my hormones, Mr. Hot Shot, but everything to do with the fact that I did the wrong thing. It bothered me, and I’m here to apologise.”

Rubbing his hand over his sore rib, he replied, “Still, not sure why you had to come in the middle of the night—”

“Bee-cause. It. Bothered. Me.”

“Okay, be that as it is, Emily, I know this is not easy. Fact is that it seems we have an instant attraction, and fact is, I need you to remember this is not for good. The last thing I want you—”

“Ever the lawyer,” she said with a sigh.