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‘Have I been that rude? Sorry.’
‘Who is she?’
His jaw dropped. Julia’s blunt question had caught him completely off guard.
She laughed again. ‘I’m right. I knew it was something personal. You’re never like this when it’s work. If you were worried about a business matter you’d be on the phone getting to the bottom of the problem.’
He lowered himself into a cane wicker chair beside her and shoved his hands deep in his trouser pockets. ‘Am I really that transparent?’
‘To me you are, but then I’ve known you for nearly twenty years. And you’re so like Jack. He has a hard time keeping secrets from me too.’
The sound of taped laughter floated out from the living room where young Jack was watching television.
For a little while they sat in companionable silence.
‘What a deliciously balmy night this is,’ Julia said. ‘I know this tropical climate is going to be wonderful for me.’ She laid a cool hand on Liam’s arm. ‘Thank you so much. For everything.’
They shared a smile and then Julia gave his wrist a playful slap. ‘Now why don’t you hop on the phone and talk to this woman? Put your mind at rest. Where is she? In Sydney?’
‘Actually, no, she’s here in Cairns.’
Julia’s eyes widened. ‘That was quick. You were only here for a week or so before I threw a spanner in the works with my dash to hospital.’
‘Yeah.’ His shoulders lifted in a brief shrug. ‘It was kind of spontaneous.’
‘Spontaneous? How unlike you, Liam.’ Her eyes sparkled. ‘I really like the sound of this.’
‘It’s nothing serious,’ Liam insisted when he saw the hope that flared in her eyes.
Liar. His right hand closed around the little jewellery box in his pocket.
In an act of complete spontaneity – or insanity – he’d bought a ring in Sydney – an emerald, of course. It had been a totally off-the-wall, spur of the moment impulse, fuelled by a whim of fierce sentiment and Liam still couldn’t quite believe he’d done it. He knew it was reckless and impulsive.
But it hadn’t felt foolish.
Not at the time.
Now, however, he realised just how rash he’d been. There were difficult bridges to cross before he asked a woman to share his life. He would have to reveal the shadows that stalked him.
Beside him, Julia let out a worried sigh. ‘Liam, don’t look so gruff. I didn’t mean to sound as if I was criticizing you just now. I’m all for spontaneity. You know I’d be only too delighted to see you indulge in a little romance. It would be better still if you fell completely head over heels in love.’
He smiled at her. ‘You’ve been pushing me at other women for years.’
‘With very little success.’ After a bit Julia said, ‘I hope you haven’t stayed in this evening to keep me company.’
‘It’s your first night in town. You’ve been ill. I’m certainly not going to desert you.’
‘I’m absolutely fine now.’ She glanced at her wristwatch. ‘It’s not very late. Why don’t you go out? I’ll watch a little television with Jack. I’d like an early night.’
Liam nodded, but he didn’t move. He sat staring out across the dark, moonlit water of Trinity Inlet, thinking about Alice, worrying about her. She was ill apparently and she’d gone home from work mid-morning, but she hadn’t answered his calls. He’d left three voicemail messages on her phone and she hadn’t returned any of them. And yet her workmates were almostcertain that she was at home, which meant she was either too sick to answer the phone – or she was avoiding him.
Either way he was worried.
Movement beside him dragged him out of his dark thoughts. Julia had turned her wheelchair and was heading back inside. He leapt to his feet.
‘Shoo, Liam,’ she said waving a hand over her shoulder. And then she dropped her head back and winked up at him. ‘I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course.’
Bending down, he dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. ‘All right, if you insist, I’ll go.’
