Amy breathed a sigh of relief. Day one had finally come and gone. She stretched her long legs under the table to work some blood-flow back in to her limbs. She’d been sitting down for the better part of the day signing copies of her book “Betrayal and Lies’ and now she was ready to go back to the hotel and soak in a long, hot bath.
Her gaze went to the cover of her first published novel. The name in bold, embossed writing was Amy Blue, but that wasn’t her. Her full name was Amity Jacqueline Fischer. She’d wanted the world to know her story, but she didn’t want the spotlight nor the fame. Closing her eyes for a moment against the lingering pain, her peace and tranquillity were interrupted by the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching.
“Signings over,” she said without opening her lids. She knew it was rude but there came a time when the diva within had to exert herself.
“You needn’t worry about me,” the smooth deep voice drawled, “I believe I already have your autograph.”
Amy’s blue green eyes flew open and she launched herself to her feet, her incredibly unsteady feet.
“Jesus,” she swore as her numb legs gave out beneath her.
“God, Amity. What the hell?”
She felt like cursing again as huge muscular arms encircled her waist, holding her steady as though she weighed no more than a feather.
“Let me go,” she hissed, worried someone would see them.
“Not until you can stand on your own,” the deep, deep voice murmured close to her ear. That voice did things to her. It always had.
“I’ve been standing on my own two feet long enough. What are you doing here Hayden?” She was furious that he’d snuck up on her.
“Saving you from falling flat on your face by the looks of things.”
“I was doing perfectly fine before you scared the crap out of me.” With each angry breath she took his arms slid further up her ribs until his broad tanned limbs were pressed against the undersides of her breasts.
“Is that any way to welcome your husband?” he asked.
Amy pushed away from the man who was about to become her ‘ex-husband’. He was still as sexy as hell standing there all cocky and suave in tight dark blue jeans and a navy blue shirt that did nothing to hide his rippling biceps. The sexual awareness between them had been there since they’d been in their mid-teens, but that was about all that was between them. Her friends and parents had tried to warn her not to build a relationship on sex alone. She hadn’t listened.
“What are you doing here Hayden? It’s been almost eight years.” She’d woken up one morning a year ago and decided if she ever wanted to move on with her life and make a future for herself, she’d have to severe her ties with the past. They were holding her back.
All of them.
“And imagine my surprise after all this time, to get one of those dreaded yellow envelopes in my letterbox telling me I was about to be a divorcee.”
Amy had the good grace to look down at her feet, shamefaced, and a little embarrassed that she hadn’t had the nerve to call him and speak to him about it.
“Yeah, well, when was the last time you called me?” she fired back defensively.
“You told me you never wanted to hear my voice again. Ever.”
Of all the conversations and fights they’d had shortly after separating, that was the one he remembered? It figured that a man would listen to the words but never hear their meaning.
“So after seven years of silence, you wanted me to call you out of the blue and tell you I want a divorce.”
“Do you?” Hayden asked earnestly. His emotions showed in his eyes and it was enough to make her doubt herself, and her actions.
“Do I what?” she asked. Her concentration was severely handicapped while he was looking at her like that. Like a puppy that had been kicked but was hopeful of still getting a treat.
Amy trembled when his hand reached up to caress her cheek. It was a lover’s caress and it was nearly her undoing. All this man had to do was look in her direction and she was putty in his hands.
“Why did you come back?” she whispered, her will power rapidly failing. Soon she would be back in his arms. Back in his bed.
“When Warwick died I realised life is too short for this kind of crap.”
“What kind?” Amy asked, still dazed.
“To let go of love.”
That snapped her out of it. She took a fast step back and kept stepping till she was out of caressing distance. Love? What did he know about love?
“Look I’m really sorry about your brother, it must have sucked to lose him so suddenly but what has that got to do with us?”
“Everything.”
She looked up into his big green eyes, “Why didn’t you sign the papers?” They’d been returned to her with a question mark next to the takeaway place she’d inherited at Turquoise Bay. Her first instinct had been that he wanted it. Her second was that he could have it.
“I couldn’t give you to someone else without knowing if you still feel something for me. For us”
“There is no-one else,” she murmured, instantly regretting giving him the foresight.
“Why not?” Hayden asked.
“Maybe I haven’t met the right guy.” Ouch. Maybe she shouldn’t be quite so harsh on the man. The break down of their marriage hadn’t been completely his fault. They’d both had different ideas on what role a spouse was supposed to play. They had failed each other, and then separating had been an easier option at twenty-two than trying to work out the issues.
“Do you remember the promise we made to each other when we were thirteen?”
“What promise?” she asked but she already knew what he was getting at.
“We made a promise that if we weren’t married by the time we were thirty we’d marry each other,” Hayden reminded her.
She groaned. Why couldn’t he just let it go?
“We are married,” Amy pointed out.
“Exactly.” Hayden’s look of triumph, and his convoluted logic, made her groan again.
She went back to the signing desk and gathered up her gear ready to head back to her hotel for that bath, and a drink. As she went to walk around her husband, his hand shot out and grabbed her arm.
“Do you think it’s a coincidence that you’re back here? That after all these years you’ve been off the radar, I’d forget about you?” he asked.
“No.” She had hoped he’d be engaged or at least seeing someone by now. Who’d have thought he’d still be in Exmouth? It was the last place in the world she wanted to be. Too many painful memories lingered where her life had begun.
“Do you know what day it is?” He was full of questions and she didn’t want to answer them. She hung her head and nodded slowly.
“Have dinner with me Amity, for old time’s sake?”
“I don’t know Hayden. It’s not going to change anything. I haven’t changed and neither have you.”
“A lot changes in eight years, sweetheart. You’re a popular writer now. You’ve had your taste of the world, you’ve lived. Maybe now you’re ready to settle down.”
She tried to think of a smartass remark but there was nothing, only the heat of his grip where it held her bare arm.
“I’ve changed,” he assured her sincerely.
Amy looked up into his eyes, unsure whether to believe him. It was Christmas and she was about to spend it alone, again. She’d been alone for too long. Maybe they could have this one night before she said goodbye for good.
With a sinking feeling she stood up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “I’m staying at the Inn. You remember, on the main street?”
Hayden nodded.
“Room 35. Just give me an hour to freshen up. I’ll give you your dinner.”
“And that’s it?”
"Depends on dinner,” Amy shrugged and walked out of the bookstore, her heart thundering in her ears with each step.
Could he know? She shook her head. He wouldn’t be here if he did.
“I want you to tell me what you’re really doing here,” Amy sighed as she leaned back in her chair. They’d finished dinner and were sipping the last of the wine, trying to delay the inevitable.
“I know what you’re thinking and it’s not about the money,” Hayden said, staring thoughtfully at her as she toyed nervously with her napkin.
“What money?” Amy asked. She didn’t have any money and what she did have was swallowed up pretty quickly by rates, mortgage and car payments, and all the other boring details of every day life.
“I’m here because I love you and I want to give it another shot.” Amy stared, speechless and unmoving as his hand crept across the table to take hers. He linked their fingers and squeezed gently. “I know you feel it. It’s still there in your eyes.”
“Things are complicated now.”
“Things were complicated then,” Hayden pointed out.
“I have to tell you something.”
“It won’t matter,” he said squeezing her hand a little harder.
“You don’t know that.” Amy felt as though she was betraying him by not laying all her cards down on the table. He had the right to know but then he’d walk away. She was sure of it.
“I do. There’s nothing that’s going to make me walk out that door. Nothing you can do or say.”
Tears spilled over her lids and tracked down her cheeks to fall on her sheer black blouse. She forgot where they were. She forgot the other diners, the clutter of cutlery and the tinkle of stacked glassware. There was only the two of them. And the enormous dark cloud hanging over their heads.
Her body shuddered with the force of her sobs. She knew what he was offering. She knew what his words meant.
Unconditional love.
Once again he was offering her his heart and soul. It was something they’d sworn in their wedding vows before God and man. It was what they’d talked about all those long nights and rainy days spent in bed.
She cried as he gathered her in his arms and led her back to her room. Her vision was blurred and her steps faltered but he held her up. He guided her steps, safe and sure, until she was sitting on her bed in her room.
“I don’t know what to say,” she told him, her head was fuzzy and she felt a million years old.
“You can’t say anything. We made a pact.”
“It was a silly promise made when we didn’t know better.”
“I did,” he said.
“You did not. I really don’t understand. Why now?”
Hayden checked his watch and sat back on his heels, smug and oh so sexy. “I have five after midnight. What about you?”
“What the hell does the time have to do with anything?” Amy was getting angry and she hated getting angry. She shoved Hayden so hard he fell on his back on the ugly brown carpet. Instead of the explosion she expected, he started to laugh.
“Give it up Amity. It’s too late and a promise is a promise.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re thirty,” he chuckled.
“Not until tomorrow smart-ass. I still have until tomorrow to get you to sign those papers and be on your way.”
“It is tomorrow honey,” he stood up, pulling her with him, and wrapped her in a bear hug. The kind you give someone you love. The kind that leads to so much more.
Amy gave up squeezed him back. She was far beyond trying to find reasons why they shouldn’t be together. She wanted to be wanted and she was so sick of fighting the world. She just wanted to be loved and to have the chance to love.
Before it was too late.
“Why are you crying sweetheart?” Hayden pulled back and wiped her wet cheeks with his thumbs.
“I really have to tell you about… about…” she hiccupped and sobbed and hiccupped some more. How could she tell him? How could she tell the man who’d just confessed to still loving her, to wanting to be married to her that she had cancer?
“I know,” Hayden kissed her lips softly and gently. “I told you nothing could make me walk away from you. Nothing”
“You know?” she asked him, astounded.
“When your soon to be ex-wife writes a book titled ‘Lies and Betrayal’, a man with a big head thinks it’s about him. When he buys the damn thing and steels himself for the worst… Who’d of thought you’d write a book exposing the hospital’s ‘Best Cancer Surgeon’ as a fraud.”
Amy groaned. She couldn’t quite believe it either.
“Do I need to tell you again that I love you and I’m not going anywhere?” His unwavering gaze was full of promise.
“Till death do us part,” Amity promised her husband. She stepped back and opened her collar, revealing a chain around her neck. Opening the clasp, she pulled the ring from the gold links.
Taking it from her, he placed it back on her finger where it belonged.