The Morning After The Wedding Before (14 page)

‘Oh. Okay. Thanks.’ She bopped her little balloon against his arm. ‘And thank you for tonight.’

‘Pleasure.’

He glanced her way. She had a dreamy expression on her face. He looked away quickly.
Accountant? Sure
. She knew exactly what had gone through his mind.

On Saturday Emma caught up with all the things she hadn’t been doing, such as grocery shopping, washing and
cleaning. In the evening Jake took her to a little out-of-the-way café where the pasta was hot and the jazz was cool.

She was thrilled when Jake asked her to share dogwalking duties the following morning. They took Seeker for his walk before Jake went in to the office to catch up on his own neglected work.

Emma spent the afternoon looking forward to seeing him again at dinner while she put together a gourmet beef casserole and whipped up a batch of Jake’s favourite lemon poppyseed cakes.

But how long would this thing with Jake last? How long before he tired of her? The way her father had tired of her mother and taken a mistress. The way Wayne had tired of her and found Rani. A guy like Jake with good-looks and all the charisma in the world could have any woman he wanted.

He’d never mentioned anything lasting.
Don’t look too far ahead
, he’d told her.
Enjoy the ride
.

And it was one amazing ride.

She could handle it if—when—it came time to let go. Whatever happened, she’d be fine. Because he’d changed her, made her a confident woman who could meet life head-on. She loved him. But a wise woman knew if her love wasn’t returned there was nowhere for it to go. She hoped she was strong enough now to let him move on. At some point.

She needed to stand on her own two feet with this business. And she could. He’d given her the belief in herself to give it a really good go. After he’d shown her what to do with the accounting side of things she was going to say thank you very much and be her own businesswoman.

When Jake arrived after work on Monday night, Emma was looking more than a little harassed.

At the front door they spent a moment with their lips locked before she broke away with a sigh. ‘This is impossible,’ she said, walking to her work spot at the dining room table. She flicked at an untidy pile of papers, sending a couple sailing to the floor. ‘I can’t do figures. It’s a mess.’

‘First off—calm down.’ He took her hands in his. ‘I’m in business law. That makes me a figures guy. Brew us a coffee while I look over your books.’

She stared up at him, eyes panicked. ‘Books? I don’t have books. I have paper. Piles and piles of paper.’

‘Okay. Why don’t
I
make us coffee while you gather them together? Then I can take a look. And don’t worry. That’s what I’m here for.’

‘But it’s
not
your worry. I have to be able to do it on my own …’

She trailed off, but not before he heard the hiccup in her voice. A sombre mood fell over him, a dark cloud on a still darker night. He squeezed her hands that little bit firmer. ‘I’ll be available for however long you need my help.’

She looked away at the clutter on the table. ‘I’m not a complete moron. I should be able to handle it myself.’

‘You’re not and you will,’ he reassured her. ‘I’ll sort it, show you how it all works, then you can take over.’

A few hours later he’d organised her paper filing system into some sort of order. He’d set up an accounting program on her laptop and entered her details. All he had left then was to show her how to manage it.

He’d hardly been aware, but at some point she’d finished packing and stacking and made another coffee. He sipped his, found it stone cold. Stretching out the kinks in his spine and neck, he turned to see her zonked out on the couch, fast asleep, a book on the Pitfalls and Perils of Small Business still open on her stomach.

He didn’t get nearly enough time to watch her in that state, so he took the opportunity while it presented itself. Turning his chair around, he straddled it, resting his forearms along the back.

Her waterfall of glossy dark hair tumbled over the side of the couch. Her long, dark eyelashes rested on pale cheeks. Her mouth … a thing of beauty, full and plump and turned up ever so slightly at the corners, as if waiting for one chaste kiss to awaken her …

Her eyes would open and that glorious sapphire gaze would fix on his and he’d kiss her again … not so chaste this time …

His lips tingled with sweet promise. His heart beat faster, re-energising his bloodstream, reawakening sluggish muscles. Desire unfurled deep in his belly. Amazing—this feeling, this need for her, never waned. In fact, it was stronger than ever.

But he touched only her silky hair. She needed her sleep. She looked pale, worn out. He should leave, let her rest. They’d catch up tomorrow. But he couldn’t leave her to finish the night on that spring-worn couch.

Gathering her in his arms, he carried her to bed, laid her down, and for his own peace of mind pulled the quilt right up to her chin.

She stirred and looked up at him through sleepy eyes …

And it was as if he saw all the days and nights in a fantasy-filled future when he’d wake and lose his heart over and over every time he gazed into those captivating blue depths—

When I saw my children in her eyes …

A bowling ball rolled through his chest. His throat tightened as if the air was slowly being squeezed out of him by an iron fist, and for a few crazy seconds he thought he might black out.

But his moment of panic slid away like an outgoing tide over hard-packed sand, replaced by a shiny and unfamiliar warmth which seeped deep into his heart.

Love
.

It had to be love. What else could it be? He’d not recognised it before because he’d never experienced it. Never believed in it. Not for him. Love had always been an unknown. His childhood had been one of rejection and indifference. His entire adult existence had revolved around relationships that never lasted. The women in his life had been about fun and good times. He’d never really taken the time to get to know them on a deeper level. Hadn’t wanted to. Maybe he’d been afraid to.

But he knew Emma. And she’d opened his eyes and his heart to a different world. A world where life held more meaning than he’d ever imagined.

‘Jake … Wha …?’ Her drowsy murmur drifted away.

‘Sleep, sweetheart,’ he murmured against her temple, and she snuggled into her pillow, eyes already closed again.

He woke before dawn, still fully dressed on top of her quilt, his eyes snapping open to the fading sound of a car’s tyres screeching in the distance. Emma was spooned against him as warm and soft as a kitten. He shifted carefully off her bed and let himself out into the pearl-grey of early morning.

He hurried to his car. He had plans to make before his working day started.

J
AKE
was wearing a groove in the floorboards in Emma’s studio. He’d left the office at lunchtime, dropped by Emma’s workplace and asked her for a key so he could work on her computer. She’d told him she’d be home by six.

It was now twenty minutes past.

The mustard chicken and orzo casserole he’d ordered from his favourite gourmet kitchen was in the oven. A bottle of her favourite bubbly was chilling in the fridge, along with a couple of his favourite gourmet cupcakes.

He’d cleared the work from her table and covered its scarred surface with a cream lace cloth he’d found in her kitchen drawer, placed on it a bunch of red poppies he’d bought.

Should he have taken her to some fancy restaurant instead? No. He didn’t want a bunch of strangers intruding. He wanted to share the moment with her. Only her.

A beam of light arced through the window and the familiar engine’s sound had him reaching for gas lighter and candles.

Grabbing the plastic carry bag of fried chicken and a bottle of fizzy stuff from the passenger seat, Emma swung her bag over her shoulder and almost danced down the steps.
She couldn’t wait to tell him her news. She hadn’t phoned. She needed to say it in person.

‘Honey, I’m home,’ she sing-songed as she pushed the door open.

She was met by some herby, aromatic fragrance. On the table, tall red poppies speared out of a jar alongside two squat red candles already lit.

Jake was pouring fine pink champagne into two glasses that were far too elegant to have come from her cupboard.
He
looked too elegant, in slim-fitting black trousers and a snowy-white shirt that looked as if it had just come out of a box.

‘Seems you beat me to it.’ She set down her own cheap bottle of fizz on the sideboard and admired the candlelight reflecting on crystal and silver. ‘This looks wickedly romantic.’

‘I thought it was time I took a chance on the romance bit. You don’t mind, do you?’ Hands occupied with wine and glasses, he grinned and leaned forward so that she could plant an enthusiastic kiss on his lips. He smelled of some exotic new fragrance.

‘I don’t mind. Taking chances is what it’s all about, right?’ Overflowing with excitement, she sashayed over to the oven, peeked at the delicious-looking meal inside. ‘And I bought take-away. You should’ve let me know you were planning a seduction.’

‘I wanted to surprise you.’

‘You did. And I’ve got—’

‘Everything’s ready. Sit.’

He didn’t appear to hear her. Okay, this wasn’t the moment, she decided. He’d obviously gone to a lot of trouble. ‘It smells yummy.’

‘It tastes even better.’ Pulling out her chair, he waited till
she was seated, then walked to the oven. He removed the casserole, set it on the table, then sat down opposite her.

‘You okay?’ She studied him. ‘You seem a little …’ she circled a finger in the air ‘… preoccupied.’

His mouth kicked up at one corner as his gaze drifted over the front of her shirt. ‘If I am, it’s your fault for looking so sexy after a day at work.’

‘And don’t you know just the right things to say?’ While he spooned the meal into shallow bowls, she fingered a poppy. ‘I didn’t know poppies had blue centres.’

‘These do.’

‘Made-to-order poppies? Hmm. You
have
put thought into this.’

‘They remind me of you in that sexy red coat of yours. Tall, slim. Blue-eyed. Gorgeous.’ He raised their glasses, handed her one. ‘To happiness.’ Did his eyes look different tonight? Deep and dark … Maybe she was imagining it.

Because everything looked different tonight. From the sunset to the sea, even her old studio apartment. Everything
felt
different tonight. Her life was about to change.

‘To happiness.’ She took a sip, then set her glass down. She was bursting to talk but she squashed it. She didn’t want to spoil his evening’s plans. She wanted him to see her make time and enjoy the meal he’d obviously taken so much thought with first. The crystal flutes were sparkly new and very expensive. He’d used her best silver cutlery and china and her grandmother’s tablecloth.

She spread a matching cloth napkin over her knee. ‘Did you cook this yourself?’

‘It’s from a gourmet shop in Bondi. I shop there so often the owner’s thinking of making me a partner.’ He passed her a bowl. ‘I’d have cooked, but today’s been a bit of a rush.’

So while they ate she asked him about his day. One of his colleagues in the office was taking on a high-profile case. He’d almost finished entering her data on the computer.

How was it going with Cherry and Kevin? He’d driven Cherry to the safe house and they’d chosen paint for the walls. Cherry and a couple of the other girls were starting that job next week in their spare time.

When they’d polished off the last cake crumb from their plates and were enjoying their filtered coffee, Jake decided the moment was right now. He took a gulp of coffee to moisten his throat and steady his nerves. His fingers tightened on the little box in his trouser pocket.

‘Emma, I—’

‘I have some news—’

Both spoke at the same time.

She was clutching her hands together beneath her chin. Her sapphire eyes shone like stars, reflecting the candlelight.

A premonition snaked down Jake’s spine and his breath snagged in his chest. Why did he suddenly feel as if the floor was about to give way? He nodded once. ‘You first.’

Her shoulders lifted and she leaned forward. Her familiar fragrance curled around his nostrils.

‘You talked about taking a chance earlier—on romance. And it’s been lovely. Everything. Thank you for making the evening so special.’

He acknowledged that, but didn’t speak.

‘I’ve taken a chance too. I’ve been offered work in Queensland.
Real
work. Work I love, work I’ve wanted all my life but never had the opportunity to do.’

Jake was having trouble processing the words.
Queensland
. He was grateful he was sitting down because his legs suddenly felt like lead stumps. ‘Queensland?’

‘I know. Isn’t it exciting? I can’t believe it.’

Neither could Jake. ‘Where? Who? You’ve made plans?’
Without discussing it with me?

‘You remember Daniel McDougal? From the mall last week? Well, he was so impressed with my products he had them analysed and everything, consulted with his partners, and rang me this afternoon. He wants to invest in my product line
and
take me on as a consultant to liaise with his client base all around the state.’

Daniel McDougal. Mr Pretty Boy. ‘But what do you know about him? Aren’t you jumping in without the facts? God, Emma, you can’t just—’

‘Turns out he’s Kelsey’s cousin. You know—the owner of the shop? I talked to her, and checked him out on the internet to make sure. Danny’s a real success story up there.’

So it was
Danny
now? Jake clenched his jaw. ‘You don’t have to make a decision right away, Emma.’ But she didn’t seem to be listening.

‘He’s got stores around Australia. He’s booked me an airline ticket for tomorrow morning to meet the staff and look over the factory before I commit to anything. He emailed me the information. I have a copy right here. Since you’re the expert, I’d be grateful if you’d check it out?’ She reached into her bag, pulled some papers out, set them on the table.

Damn right he’d check it out. He picked them up with a restraint he was far from feeling. ‘This isn’t something you simply say yes to, Emma.’ He flicked through the first couple of pages. ‘There are other considerations to take into account.’
Us, for starters
.

‘Of course, and I know that. Jake, put those pages down and look at me.’

He did. He’d never seen her so happy. That sparkle in her eyes, excitement glowing in her cheeks.

‘We’ve got something special,’ she said. ‘But it was only ever temporary, I’m realistic enough to know that. I’m a career girl, you said so yourself. This chance to do something meaningful with my life is what I’ve been waiting for. And if it wasn’t for you I’d never have had the courage to go for it. I have to try or it’ll all have been for nothing. Do you understand?’

His fingers clenched beneath the table. ‘Yes.’ She was thinking with her head, not her heart—she was doing the right thing. He knew she had to give it a shot. Because if he told her he loved her and asked her to stay and she missed out on her big opportunity he’d never forgive himself. He forced himself to smile. ‘I’m proud of you, Emma. You’ve come so far.’

Her answering smile and the dancing sapphires in her eyes faded a little. ‘It’s such a big decision, and I have to make it on my own, but … Oh, Jake, I …’ She bit down on her lip. ‘I … I almost wish I could ask you to make the decision for me.
With
me.’

Damn. Her heart was bleeding into the mix, threatening to sabotage everything. He needed to leave soon, because he didn’t trust himself not to try and change her mind—and that would be the worst thing he could ever do for her.

‘That’s the old Emma talking. Don’t listen to her. You know what you want, so go for it.’

A memory of his mother flashed through his mind. She’d left him too. The circumstances were at opposite ends of the spectrum but the hurt was the same. All these years he’d never allowed a woman into his heart, and in a couple of weeks Emma had managed to do what no other woman had.

‘Emma. You’re a very special woman and I’ve enjoyed being with you. But circumstances seem to have made the
decision for us. And I want you to go. I want you to have that opportunity to shine because I know you will.’

Rising, he swiped his jacket that hung over a chair, shrugged it on—he’d never felt so cold. He picked up her papers. ‘I’ll look this over and get back to you.’

‘Jake, wait.’ She pushed up, eyes wide. ‘Why are you leaving so soon? Didn’t you have something you wanted to tell me just now? You let me have my say—it’s your turn.’

He shook his head. ‘I was going to tell you I’m flying out too—tomorrow morning. A client’s set up a new business in Melbourne and wants my advice.’ He waved a hand over the table. ‘The meal was to … sweeten things.’ He smiled again but it felt as if his lips had turned to stone. ‘Turns out it was a celebration after all. And if I know anything about women, you’ll need the rest of the night to sort what you’re taking and pack.’

He took her in his arms, kissed her beautiful lips just once. Inhaled the scent of her shampoo, drifted his fingers over her silky cheeks as he stepped back and looked into her eyes one last time.

‘Go, Emma, and make me proud.’