‘There’s not a person at work who doesn’t know that. Same goes for Conor. He is totally smitten. I want to bang some sense into that skull of his.’
If only it was that easy. ‘Tea?’
‘You got anything stronger? Even if you’re not drinking, with baby on board, I need something with more punch than tea. And it’s wine o’clock somewhere.’ Kelli grinned.
Opening the fridge, Tamara found a half-full bottle of wine Conor had left there. ‘This do?’
‘Yep.’ Kelli got a glass from the cupboard and filled it to the brim. Bringing the stool to the bench, she perched on it and studied Tamara like she didn’t know her.
‘What?’ Tamara demanded.
‘You haven’t told Conor how you feel, have you?’
‘Yeah, I did. But it was like a last-minute confession, as though I was using my love to keep him here.’ She looked away, ashamed at the censure in her friend’s eyes. ‘It wasn’t easy to come right out with it, you know?’
‘Sure it is. Don’t let him get away, Tamara.’
Her head tipped up. ‘That’s what I’ve done, isn’t it? Let him go without a fight. Wrecked everything for me and the baby.’
‘Phone him, put your heart on the line. But don’t beg, whatever you do.’ Kelli’s voice softened. ‘He’s nothing like Peter. Conor adores you and would never do a thing to hurt you.’
‘He left for Sydney on last Friday without coming round to say goodbye, or—or anything.’ Tamara hesitated. ‘Sounds like I’m laying all the blame at Conor’s feet, doesn’t it?’ Why hadn’t she told him how hard it was to put her feelings into words? ‘Is telling him I love him often enough going to make him shelve his fears? Or is there something else I can do?’
‘There’s only one way to find out. Put your heart on the line. You’ll get an honest answer. He’s not going to take advantage of you.’
‘He talked me into writing to Mum.’
Kelli looked stunned. ‘And you let him get away?’
Suddenly Tamara laughed. Where that had come from she had no idea, except that it felt as though a huge weight had lifted off her. ‘I must be mad.’ Or was that bonkers? Seemed she could fit right into Conor’s family.
‘I’d say so, but then you’d probably want to kill me.’
Another laugh. Slightly hysterical, but filled with relief. ‘Just remember this advice you’ve been throwing at me. I can see a time coming when I’m going to give it all back.’
Kelli’s smiled dipped. ‘Not happening, girlfriend.’
We’ll see. But not now, not today. Today—
‘I’m going online to book a flight.’
‘It had better be to Sydney.’
‘Where else?’ The laptop was already booting up.
‘Want me to start packing some clothes for you?’
‘What are my chances of a flight tonight?’ Tamara stared at the screen, trying to hurry it up. Remembered to ask, ‘How was your week in Queenstown?’
‘Went mountain-climbing for three days. Awesome.’ Kelli leaned over her shoulder. ‘Looks like you’re going to have to pay big money to go tonight.’
‘Don’t care. That seat’s got my name on it.’ Now she’d made up her mind to go to Conor, a shortage of cattle-class seats wasn’t going to stop her. She clicked on the flight and filled in her details. Booked a seat. Business class no less.
Ding-dong.
‘Get that for me, will you?’ Tamara was entering her credit card number into the airline’s booking page.
‘Yes, Your Highness.’ Kelli saluted. ‘Do I get to drive you to the airport as well?’
‘You don’t think I can afford a taxi after paying top price for my ticket, do you?’ There—number in...expiry date too. She pressed ‘pay now’ and watched the little circle go round and round and round. What was taking so long for the airline to grab the money?
‘Tam?’
Her hand wobbled over the keyboard. She’d have sworn she’d just heard an Irish lilt saying her name but that was impossible. Lack of sleep did strange things to her mind. Better get Kelli to check her booking to make sure she wasn’t flying to Brazil next week.
‘Tam.’
Don’t do this, mind.
But she looked around anyway. And froze. ‘Conor?’
Really? Truly? She closed her eyes. Opened them. Yeah, really. Truly.
‘Conor,’ she squealed, and leapt at him, wrapped her arms around that amazing body she loved and held on like she’d never let go again.
‘Hey, Tam. You okay?’
The hesitancy in his voice changed her mind and forced her back, away from him. Just because he’d turned up here when he was supposed to be in another country, it didn’t mean anything had been resolved.
‘I’m fine,’ she muttered.
Then she glanced at the table where the screen of her laptop showed her payment had been accepted. She was leaving for Sydney in four hours.
‘No, I’m not. I’m all over the place.’ Leaning across, she stabbed the ‘continue’ key on the screen and up came a ticket.
‘What’s that?’ Conor asked, sounding confused. His eyes were fixed on the image.
‘Take a closer look.’
He did. ‘You were coming to see me.’
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
Just do it.
‘To tell you I love you. Tell you with all my heart this time. To ask you to reconsider about not being with me.’ There. It hadn’t hurt a bit. Conor hadn’t started running for the hills. In fact, he looked stunned even as a smile began breaking out across his face. She said it again. ‘I love you, Conor.’ Dang, but that felt good. ‘And I don’t accept your reasons for calling off our marriage. I’m perfectly capable of coping with whatever happens. It might be messy but I’d pull through.’
‘I know.’
‘What do you know?’
‘That you won’t let me dictate what we’re going to do in the future—about Sebastian and about us.’ The smile widened, soft and warm and, oh, so sexy. ?
??I know you love me. You showed me countless times how much you cared about me. It was there in how you wanted to wait for me to go with you to that first scan. In how easily you chose Sebastian as the name for our son because it meant so much to me. I can’t walk away from that.’
‘What about your fears of another heart attack?’
The smile faded. ‘They’re always going to be there, and I’d worry about how Sebastian and you would manage even if I didn’t live with you as my wife.’
‘Conor Maguire, I would rather live with you than have to watch you from afar, no matter what the future brings us.’ Tamara stepped up to him. ‘Now, can we kiss and make up? It’s been too long without you.’
Kissing Conor had always been her favourite pastime but this one surpassed them all.
‘So you’re back here and I’m flying out to Sydney shortly,’ she teased.
His arms tightened around her. ‘No, you’re not, sweetheart. You’re not going anywhere yet.’
‘Oh, and what am I doing this afternoon, then?’ Hang on. ‘Kelli?’ she called. ‘Where are you?’
‘She’s gone. Just opened the door, saw me and kept on walking down the path with a great big grin on her dial.’
‘That sounds like my friend.’ She knew when she wasn’t wanted.
‘One in a million, I reckon.’
Tamara felt all her muscles melt as that Irish brogue washed over her. ‘I’ve missed you.’ She stretched up to kiss him but was stopped by two big hands on her upper arms.
‘Wait.’ Conor’s expression turned serious.
Strange how that didn’t worry her at all. He wouldn’t have come back only to hand her another load of grief.
He took her hands in his. ‘Tam, will you marry me?’
Damn, she was crying a lot today. ‘Yes...’ she choked. Then she shouted, ‘Yes!’
His lips touched her cheek, oh, so gently. ‘Can we set a date this time?’
‘We could apply for a licence on Monday.’
‘Could?’
‘We’re moving to Sydney, right? A new start for both of us. Why don’t we wait and get married over there? It would give your family time to come out for the wedding too. If they want to.’