Her Mistletoe Wish (4 page)

Now, though, not only had he been granted the opportunity to see her but to also work alongside her. She wasn’t married, didn’t have children, and if the way she’d just whispered his name into the pillow was any indication, perhaps there was a small spark of hope. It was clear, on his part, that the attraction he’d felt all those years ago certainly hadn’t diminished. The question was, could Reggie forgive him for his past behaviour? If she couldn’t, there was no hope of them moving forward together.

His phone started to ring and he quickly left the room, wondering who would be calling him at this hour of the night. Another emergency? He hoped not. He didn’t want to leave Reggie alone in his town house, concerned she’d wake up and not know where she was.

He checked the caller ID and saw it was Violet. He quickly answered the call. ‘Hey, Vi. Everything OK?’

‘It’s Ian,’ she told him. ‘He has a temperature. I don’t know what to do. You know I fall to pieces when he gets sick.’

‘What are his symptoms?’ Flynn walked through to the lounge and slumped down into a comfortable
chair as he listened to Violet describe five-year-old Ian’s symptoms. ‘It does sound like it’s just a tummy bug, especially as you haven’t been feeling well. You’ve given him paracetamol?’

‘No. No. Good idea. I’ll do that. Hold on. Don’t hang up.’

Flynn closed his eyes, feeling strange receiving a phone call from Violet while Reggie was asleep in the next room. It was as though the two different parts of his life, family and the separate life he was trying to build, were once more colliding. He’d been given a second chance with Reggie and he wasn’t going to blow this one. If she knew he was still in contact with Violet, that might jeopardise everything, and the fact that she’d just been murmuring his name in her sleep was a good sign that things
were
progressing the way he was hoping.

However, he also knew he’d have to tell her about Violet…at some point. Right now, though, he was going to do his best to keep his two very different worlds as far apart as possible. He didn’t want anything jeopardising the chance that he and Reggie might be able to pick up where they’d left off six years ago. Now, that certainly would be something to dream about.

Reggie opened her eyes, stretching her arms above her head. She’d had a wonderful sleep but a moment later, as her mind began to wake up, she remembered the events of yesterday evening. Her apartment had burned down.

‘Melva!’ She sat bolt upright in the bed, thinking fast. She’d get out of bed and go check on Melva, then start figuring out what to do next. No doubt she’d have to go shopping as the clothes on her back were literally
the only clothes she had. She could borrow some from Mackenzie and…

She frowned, looking around the room, taking in her surroundings. This wasn’t a tiny room in the residential wing. ‘Where am I?’ As she continued to inspect the room, she realised she was in Sunainah’s spare room…or what had previously been Sunainah’s spare room. Her friend had moved out of this town house when she’d married Elliot. The town house had been vacant since then and listed on the hospital’s bulletin board. Her eyes widened as realisation dawned. ‘Oh, no!’

Reggie flicked back the covers and checked the floor for her shoes, quickly slipping her feet into them as she tried to piece together what she could remember of last night’s events
after
the fire.

She’d been at Melva’s bedside. Sunainah, Mackenzie and Bergan had all come to find her once they’d heard the news—her friends were always there when she needed their support. Then, being the stubborn woman she was, she’d refused to leave Melva’s side until her neighbour had been settled in the ward. She could remember sitting by Melva’s bed…then…she’d fallen asleep. Someone had woken her up and—

‘Flynn!’

Reggie shot to her feet and opened the spare-room door, pushing her hands through her hair as she walked through the lower part of the town house towards the kitchen—Flynn’s kitchen. She was in Flynn Jamieson’s town house and by the scents of coffee and pancakes wafting from the kitchen it appeared he was making breakfast.

Sure enough, she found him standing at the stove,
expertly flipping pancakes in the air and catching them in the frying pan. ‘Flynn?’

‘Ah.’ He turned and looked at her over his shoulder, his smile bright and welcoming. ‘Good morning, Reggie.’ He indicated the table, which was set with plates, knives and forks, a glass of juice and a bottle of maple syrup in the middle. ‘Take a seat and I’ll bring you your breakfast.’

‘You know how to cook now?’ Still trying to wrap her head around this surreal moment, of having Flynn cook breakfast for her, she moved towards the table and dropped down into the chair, glad of its support. ‘Back in the Caribbean you weren’t sure how to boil water.’

He grinned at her. ‘I wasn’t
that
bad but, yes, during my time there I realised a lot of things about myself and how I needed to become more self-sufficient.’ He checked the pancake again. ‘Almost done.’

‘You always were full of surprises,’ Reggie murmured, her tone indicating that some of those ‘surprises’ hadn’t always been good ones.

Flynn’s answer was to wink at her, and her insides instantly flooded with a tingling warmth. Why, oh, why couldn’t she be immune to his charm? She immediately looked away from him and stared at the empty plate in front of her, trying to get her thought processes jump-started.

‘I’ve called the hospital,’ Flynn said a moment later, ‘and been informed that Melva has slept peacefully throughout the night and was sitting up, drinking a cup of tea.’

Reggie lifted her head and sighed with relief. ‘That’s great news. Thanks for the update.’

‘You’re welcome. Coffee?’

‘Uh…most definitely, please.’ She frowned as she watched him pour her a cup of coffee, not adding any milk or sugar before placing it on the table before her.

‘You still take it black, right? No sugar?’

‘Correct.’

‘That’s because you’re sweet enough.’ He smiled brightly. ‘Isn’t that what you always used to say?’

‘Flynn, stop it.’

‘Stop what?’

‘Trying to take us down memory lane.’ She spread her arms wide. ‘What are you doing here?’

He stared at her as though she’d gone completely loopy. ‘Did you hit your head last night? Are you feeling all right?’

‘Flynn,’ she growled, her teeth gritted, her tone filled with warning. He had the audacity to laugh.

‘Reg, I’m not exactly sure what you mean.’

‘Here. In
this
particular town house.’

‘It was listed on the bulletin—’

‘I know. I know it was listed but why did
you
, of all people, have to move in?’

‘I don’t follow.’

‘Sunainah used to live here and Richard lived here before her and before that Richard’s parents and before that…I don’t have a clue, but the point is, you’re living slap bang in the middle of my three closest friends.’

‘And the problem with that is…?’ he asked, carrying the frying pan towards her and placing a perfectly round, perfectly cooked pancake onto her plate.

‘Thank you,’ she said politely. ‘It’s just odd that
you
, the man I was once going to marry, is living
here
. Among my friends. In the town house they wanted me to move into. Joining the cul-de-sac crew.’

‘There’s a crew?’ His eyes were alive with delight at this news. ‘Do they get together for movie nights and dinners?’

‘Flynn, be serious.’

‘I am. Do You know how much I’ve always wanted to be accepted as just part of a crew, part of a team?’

That stopped her. ‘You have?’ She was surprised at his words and stared at him for a moment, realising there was still so much she didn’t know about him.

‘Anyway, you were saying your friends wanted you to move in here?’

‘Yes, but I was more than happy where I…was.’ Reggie sighed as the weight of the previous evening’s events fell on her shoulders like a tonne of bricks. She slumped forward and buried her head in her hands, not even the delicious scent of the pancakes able to help in this situation.

Flynn put the frying pan back on the stove top, adding more mixture before coming over, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently starting to massage them. ‘I’m sorry your place burnt down, Reg.’ His words were simple, effective, perfect.

‘So am I,’ she said, leaning back a little to grant him more access to her neck, her eyes closing at the touch of his hands. How did he still manage to know exactly what she needed? Straightforward words and a bit of support. No flowery sentiments, no immediate solutions to problems. Just support. That was all she needed at this moment and he was offering it in a caring and gentle manner.

‘You still have magic hands,’ she sighed after a few minutes. ‘And thank you for the pancakes. They’re my favourite.’

‘I remember.’

‘They do make me happy, Flynn, I just can’t…’

‘You can’t show it the way you usually do. The ever optimistic, happy and bubbly Reggie. I get it.’

‘Get what?’

‘With me, everything’s different. You think there’s too much water under the bridge between us. That it would be impossible for things to move forward between us.’ He nodded. ‘I understand.’

‘Do you?’ Did he really understand just how much he’d hurt her all those years ago?

‘I might even be so bold as to declare that I understand
you
, Reggie.’

She laughed without humour. ‘I’ve changed.’ She shifted a little in her chair, acutely aware of the way he was making her feel with his hands on her shoulders, massaging gently. The air between them seemed to be charged with unspoken conversations, things they should have said but hadn’t…things they shouldn’t have said but had.

‘Everyone changes, Reg, but hopefully not in essentials,’ he offered, releasing her shoulders. ‘I think you’re still the same Reggie, wanting to help others, smiling, laughing, spreading sunshine wherever possible. I watched you do that when we were together in Sint Maarten, amazed and in awe of your ability and—’ He dropped his hands and quickly pulled out the chair next to her and sat down, facing her, his expression determined. ‘I’d like to help, Reggie. I’d like to take a leaf out of your book and spread a little sunshine.’

‘Wha—? Flynn?’ She closed her eyes and shook her head for a moment. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘I want to help you and your friends. I can help by
relocating Melva and your other neighbours.’ His words were intense and earnest. ‘And…’ he held up a hand ‘…before you say I’m doing what all wealthy people do and throwing money at the problem, I want you to know that’s not entirely true. My intentions are pure and honourable. Even if these people weren’t your friends, even if they were complete strangers, if I’d heard about their hardship, I would still have wanted to help.’

Reggie thought on his words for a moment, seeing the truth in his eyes. He seemed so completely animated at the idea, his eyes twinkling with anticipatory delight. She wished he wouldn’t look at her that way because right now he was far too handsome for his own good and that simply made it all the more difficult for her to keep her distance. Besides, who was she to stop him from helping others? ‘I think that would be a nice thing to do, Flynn. Thank you.’

‘So you’ll accept my help?’

‘Yes. I think my neighbours and I would be very grateful for your help, especially if you can help with relocation. Trying to find a new place to live this close to Christmas? It really
would
take a Christmas miracle to pull it off.’

‘Then be prepared for a miracle.’ He stood and returned to the stove, expertly flipping the pancake. ‘Because I already have a plan with regard to temporary accommodation for you and your neighbours.’

‘You do?’

‘Yes. I’ve had a look online and there’s a small apartment complex, near shops and public transport, with three partially furnished vacant apartments.’

‘Three?’

‘Yes. One for Melva, once she’s ready to leave hospital, and the other two for your other neighbours.’

‘What about me?’ she asked, her tone a little indignant.

‘Ah. Now, for you I have the perfect place. It’s not going to be too far from Melva and the others, it’s close to the hospital, it’s furnished and the landlord has said you can move in today.’

‘Today? It sounds like a miracle. Where is this place?’

Flynn winked at her and spread his arms wide. ‘It’s here. You’re going to live with me!’

‘W
HAT
?’

Reggie stared at him as though he’d grown another head but Flynn either didn’t notice or didn’t care. ‘Live…with you?’ Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest at the mere thought of living with Flynn, of sharing the same intimate space as him, of seeing him last thing at night and first thing in the morning. She was glad she was sitting down as her entire body had turned into a trembling mass of jelly.

‘Why not? It makes perfect sense. I have a spare room and you’ll have sole use of the bathroom. I can use the
en suite
and we work at the same hospital.’ He shrugged one shoulder. ‘It makes perfect sense.’

‘And you’re sure this other place you’ve found only has three free apartments?’

He smiled and nodded as though humouring an indulgent child. ‘Yes, Reg.’

Could he hear the hysteria in her voice, see the panic in her eyes? She was positive he could from the way he was still trying to sell her on the idea. ‘So what do you say, new roomie? Let’s start the day with a healthy…’ he stopped and looked down at the pancakes ‘…or sort of healthy breakfast.’

Reggie continued to gape at him, her mouth hanging open as he plated up his pancake and carried it to the table. Before he sat down, he removed bowls of fresh strawberries and whipped cream from the fridge, placing them on the table next to the maple syrup. As far as he was concerned, this was a done deal. She had no say in it and anger started to replace her earlier incredulity.

‘I am not moving in here.’ She enunciated each word crisply.

He considered her words for a moment then asked logically, ‘So where will you go?’ He added strawberries, cream and syrup to his pancake, behaving as though this was just another ordinary breakfast conversation.

‘I’ll go to a hotel for a while.’

‘And waste your money when there’s a perfectly good room—free of charge—here for you? Until the insurance money comes in, you’re better off using your funds to buy clothes and shampoo and other essentials you’ll need, rather than having to pay for accommodation.’ His words were matter-of-fact and logical and she hated him for them.

She sighed again, her frustration clear. Didn’t he realise that with what had happened between them, with the way he’d taken her to the highest of highs when he’d confessed his love and proposed to her then plummeted her to the lowest of lows less than twenty-four hours later when he’d broken her heart by cancelling their engagement, that there was no way she could move in with him?

‘Mmm, smells good.’ He pointed to her plate. ‘Come on, Reg. Eat up. We’re due at the hospital in an hour’s time.’

‘What?’ She blinked at him in astonishment. ‘You’re not even going to suggest I take the day off? That given the circumstances of my recent emotional trauma, of losing practically everything I own, except for my laptop, my phone and the clothes on my back, I shouldn’t stay in bed and rest?’

‘I know you, remember.’ He leaned over and spooned some strawberries onto her pancake. ‘Regardless of what may or may not be happening in your life, the last thing you would ever do is let your patients down. You’re not about to cancel a fully booked outpatient clinic because of personal reasons. You and I both know that being with your patients, helping them out and making their lives just that little bit easier, is going to be the best medicine to take your mind off things…at least, for a little while.’

She frowned at him. He did know her, at least on some levels. On other levels…she’d kept a lot hidden from him, previously rationalising that they had a lifetime together to discover all there was to know about each other.

‘True. Working will help me to process everything that’s happened,’ she rationalised, including Flynn’s offer for her to stay with him. ‘Working will keep my mind focused.’ She would go to work, see her patients, help people out, spread a little sunshine, as Flynn had termed it, and then, she was sure, life would seem a little clearer. At least, so she hoped. She looked down at her pancakes and breathed in appreciatively. ‘These do smell good.’

‘They taste good, too.’ He ate another mouthful and winked at her, the action causing Reggie’s insides to start fluttering. Why was it that one simple look from
him, whether it was a wink or a smile or one of his long stares across a crowded room, made her feel so…special, so unique, so feminine? Flynn had always had been able to turn her insides to mush, to make her want to fan her face because her cheeks were tinged with heat from excited embarrassment. Now was no exception and it was far easier to concentrate on eating than trying to avoid his hypnotic gaze.

She really had no intention of permanently staying here with him because even the thought of living under the same roof as Flynn set her entire body on fire. The man was too dangerous at the best of times but to be around him both at work and at home, no doubt dreaming about him whilst she slept, would make it nigh on impossible for her to keep her emotions in check.

Still, his offer did solve her immediate problem so for the moment she would just let everything roll. She would have breakfast and a shower, mentally and figuratively washing the grime of yesterday away before popping over to Mackenzie’s to borrow some clean clothes. She was glad he’d mentioned that he’d use the en suite because even thinking about standing naked beneath Flynn’s shower, with him in the same house, made her feel all flushed with self-consciousness. Perhaps it would be better to just go to Mackenzie’s and shower there.

After eating half of her pancake and enjoying her coffee, she was about to tell him of her plans when he beat her to it.

‘I need to dash to the shops before we head to the hospital so why don’t you make free use of the place? Wash away all the bad things that happened yesterday and reconnect with your usual optimistic self?’ He
smiled encouragingly as he said the words. ‘Oh, and I contacted Mackenzie last night and she’s brought over some clothes for you. They’re in the drawers and the cupboard in the spare room—or
your
room as it now is.’

‘You…contacted Macken—’ She stopped and shook her head, unable to believe how thoughtful he’d been. ‘It would have been very late.’

‘Your friends love you, Reg.’ He spoke softly and with sincerity. ‘They don’t care what time of day or night it is, they’re there for you. That type of friendship is rare and incredibly special.’ He looked down at his plate for a moment before meeting her gaze once more. ‘Only a fool would throw away such a thing.’

His words were slightly pointed and she wondered whether he was calling himself a fool. Was he admitting that he’d made a mistake all those years ago? Was he saying he wanted to reinstate himself into her friendship circle? Was he a friend who…loved her?

Reggie found it difficult to look away. There, seated opposite her, was the man who had always been in perfect control. He’d been immaculately groomed and dressed from the first day they’d met in Sint Maarten. Being raised in a wealthy, controlled environment where most decisions had been pre-set for him had been something he hadn’t even thought of rebelling against until he’d met her. He’d told her she’d liberated him, shown him a different side to life, and that his love was hers forever. And she’d stupidly believed him. She should be wary not to make the same mistakes twice.

She tried to swallow but found her throat exceedingly dry. Reaching for her orange juice, she was surprised to find her hand trembling a little. Still, drinking the cool, refreshing liquid helped to break the intense moment.

‘Had enough?’ he asked, pointing to her plate and breaking the moment. She nodded quickly, not trusting her voice to work. Flynn stood and quickly cleared the table. She watched him for a few minutes as he moved comfortably around the kitchen. He had such swift and defined movements, those broad shoulders of his looking firm and in control, the material from his crisp, white shirt pulling tautly across his triceps.

Reggie breathed out slowly, her gaze hungrily taking in every nuance of the man. She swallowed and cleared her throat, and when he looked her way, she realised she quickly looked away. ‘Er…’ She racked her sluggish mind for something to say. ‘Breakfast was delicious. Whoever taught you to cook did a good job.’

‘That would have been my cooking teacher at the community centre.’ His tone dipped a little as he spoke, his eyebrows raised in silent question, his eyes letting her know he’d been well aware of her visual caresses.

Reggie frowned and looked away. ‘Not your wife?’

‘My ex-wife,’ he replied pointedly, then shook his head. ‘She had no idea how to cook either. One of my patients put me onto the class and the next thing I knew I was learning how to make a beef Wellington.’

‘You can do a beef Wellington? I can’t even do that.’

He grinned. ‘Then I shall have to make you one.’ He gave the countertops a final wipe. ‘Perhaps there are quite a few things you don’t realise about me.’ Like how he was determined to show her he’d changed, that he was willing to make amends for the way he’d treated her all those years ago, like how he was almost desperate for her forgiveness.

‘Perhaps,’ she said, surprised at the huskiness in her voice. What was it about this man that set her alight so
instantly? They’d met, they’d worked together, they’d tried to fight the natural attraction that had sprung up between them but had failed. Flynn had confessed that perhaps it was a good thing, perhaps the mutual chemistry they felt for each other was one of those rare gifts that shouldn’t be ignored, so they hadn’t bothered to try ignoring it at all and thus had begun the happiest, most wonderful weeks of Reggie’s life. Flynn holding her. Flynn laughing with her. Flynn kissing her.

Six weeks. They’d known each other for just six weeks. Friendly colleagues for two weeks, dating for two more and then falling in love for two blissful weeks. So fast, so quick, so incredibly perfect.

As he stared back at her from the other side of the kitchen, she really felt powerless to look away, as though the past and the present were colliding and both of them could sense it. When her cellphone rang, she almost jumped out of her skin. Flynn chuckled before reaching across to the bench where he’d obviously put it last night. He’d even plugged it in to recharge the battery. How thoughtful. She frowned for a moment. Had he been this thoughtful six years ago?

‘Mackenzie,’ he remarked, looking at the picture of her friend that had come up on the display.

‘Oh…uh…thanks.’ Reggie rose from her chair and accepted the phone, taking it into the spare room so she could have some privacy. ‘Mackenzie?’

‘How are you doing this morning?’

‘I’m at Flynn’s place!’ She leaned back against the door, ensuring it was closed. ‘I must have been so tired he brought me home with him and put me to bed!’ Her words were half whispered, half squeaked as she spoke at the speed of light.

‘I know.’ Mackenzie chuckled.

‘Oh, of course you do. You came over and helped him by delivering some clothes! Why didn’t you wake me up?’

‘Not on your life, Reggie. You needed sleep.’ Mackenzie said in her best motherly voice. ‘Flynn sent me, Bergan and Sunainah a text message telling us you were staying with him. I think it’s a great idea.’

‘But he doesn’t just want me to stay for last night, he wants me to
move in with him.’

‘I know.’

‘Do you know everything? Does everyone else know what’s going on in my life except me?’

‘It’s not like that, Reggie.’

‘And I’ll bet you all think this is a good idea? Are you insane? This is
Flynn
we’re talking about. The man who broke my heart into tiny little pieces and scattered them to the wind.’

‘I remember.’

‘I cried on your shoulder, I ate too much ice cream, I went over and over everything he’d ever said to me, trying to figure out what I’d done wrong to chase him away.’

‘I remember.’

‘I talked about him ad nauseam, I drove you insane. I told you time and time again that I was over him but I was just kidding myself and then, when I finally
did
get over him and moved on with my life, he swaggers back in and
takes over.’

‘He’s not taking over. He’s only trying to be nice and helpful, especially as since it’s Christmas the majority of hotels are already booked up. Add to that the fact that Bergan doesn’t have room because Richard’s parents
are coming home for Christmas, Sunainah’s place is full because she married into a ready-made family and I have one of John’s sisters and her family arriving the day after tomorrow.’

Reggie slid down the door, crumpling into a heap on the carpet, realising the truth of what Mackenzie was saying. ‘I’d forgotten all that.’

‘Not surprising. Look, honey, I’m not trying to make light of you losing everything in the fire, it’s completely devastating and it will take a while for you to process things, both with the mounds of insurance paperwork and on an emotional level, but staying at Flynn’s keeps you close to us, to
your
family, and right now you need to be surrounded by family. We’re all here for you and we’ll do whatever we can to help—and so will Flynn,’ she added. ‘He’s a good guy, Reggie, and no matter what happened between the two of you all those years ago, you know, deep down inside, that it’s true.’

‘It’s not a question of whether he’s good or not, Mackenzie, it’s a question of whether or not I can resist him,’ Reggie blurted.

‘Oh.’ Mackenzie said the word slowly as though realisation was just dawning. ‘Ah. Yes. I hadn’t thought of things from that angle, just the logistics of your present predicament.’

‘Well, start thinking that way. I can’t stay here with Flynn. I can’t stop staring at him, remembering how it felt to be held by him, to be kissed by him, to be in love with him.’ She closed her eyes, the pain from her past beginning to return. ‘He hurt me, Mackenzie, and, yes, it’s all in the past, but what if I allow myself to get close to him and he hurts me
again?’

‘What if he doesn’t? Reggie, the one thing I remember
you telling me a few years after you’d broken up was that you thought Flynn had never really opened up to you, that the attraction between you two had happened so fast—’