by Lucy Clark
‘Don’t tell Jeffrey or he’ll be jealous of fate.’
Zac chuckled. ‘Good point.’ He kissed her briefly again. ‘Aren’t you going to invite me in for breakfast?’ His voice was low and personal.
‘Zac,’ Julia warned.
He stepped back and held up his hands in defence. ‘Just breakfast,’ he said with a teasing grin. ‘I’m starving, Jules.’
She smiled at him but it didn’t reach her eyes. She knew she had to tell him about Edward, even though she didn’t want to—not yet. Julia knew Zac would retreat once he found out she was a single mother. Families and Zachary Carmichael just didn’t mix. She took a deep breath, hoping amongst hope that time had changed him as she said softly, ‘I would, Zac but…I don’t live alone.’
The teasing look in his eyes disappeared immediately, to be replaced by a serious glare. ‘You said you weren’t involved with anyone. I asked you straight out and you said no,’ he reminded her.
‘I’m not,’ she mumbled as her mobile phone rang. She stopped and reached into her bag, quickly connecting the call. ‘Hello,’ she said after clearing her throat, watching as Zac raked one hand through his hair, the other hand in his trouser pocket.
‘Julia, it’s Mum. Edward’s just come into my room saying that he can’t find you.’
‘There was an emergency. I’m outside the front door right now,’ she said, still watching Zac.
‘Oh! In that case, we’ll be right out.’
Julia didn’t reply but disconnected the call. Whether she was ready for it or not, Zac was about to meet Edward.
‘Who’s Edward?’ Zac asked the instant Julia had ended the call and she frowned. Had he been able to read her mind? When she didn’t say anything, he continued, ‘I thought I heard Mona tell you to give Edward a kiss. I know Edward was your father’s name and I also know that he died just before you finished med school. I went to the funeral, remember. Or did I just overhear Mona incorrectly?’
‘Edward.’ She nodded. ‘You heard Mona correctly. Zac, Edward is my—’
She was stopped as a loud, excited shriek came from inside her house. ‘Mummy! Mummy! Where my mummy?’ A split second later, the front door was wrenched open and Edward hurtled himself past his grandmother, heading straight for Julia.
She bent down and scooped him up, giving him a kiss. As she straightened, she turned her gaze to meet Zac’s.
He looked at her with absolute astonishment, his jaw open in disbelief.
CHAPTER THREE
‘I FOUND my mummy,’ Edward squealed as he wrapped his little arms about Julia’s neck.
‘Zac,’ Julia said, after taking a shaky breath, ‘I’d like you to meet my son. Edward.’
Edward shifted in her arms to look at Zac. ‘Hello. I E’ward. Wha’s your name?’
‘Ah…Zac,’ he replied after a moment, looking from Julia to her son and back again.
‘Zac Carmichael!’ Cassandra said, and leaned over to kiss his cheek. ‘What a surprise to see you on our doorstep.’ Julia watched as her mother looked from her to Zac and back again. A smile started to spread across her face. ‘Oh, don’t tell me that Zac was your blind date last night?’ She chuckled, neither Zac nor Julia saying a word. ‘Did Jeffrey know? I mean, did he know that you two knew each other?’
‘Uh…yes.’ Julia was watching Zac carefully, still trying to gauge his reaction.
‘Oh, that’s just like Jeffrey.’ Cassandra continued to laugh and Julia glared at her mother. ‘Listen, why don’t we all go inside and catch up?’ Cassandra suggested. ‘You two both look exhausted and in need of strong coffee.’ With that, she turned and led the way.
‘After you,’ Julia said as Edward scrambled from her arms and ran after his grandmother. It was out in the open and now she was waiting desperately for a sign from him as to what would happen next.
‘I…should go,’ he mumbled, but didn’t move.
There’s your answer! His words pierced her heart. So much for hoping he might have changed his attitude. She crossed her arms defensively in front of her and nodded silently, unable to speak.
‘The coffee’s fresh,’ Cassandra called from the kitchen.
Zac still hadn’t moved and Julia sensed there was a war taking place deep within him. Edward came running back, holding something in his hands. She instantly recognised them as his two favourite little cars which Jeffrey had given him when they’d arrived last week.
‘A special moving present,’ he’d called them, and Edward hadn’t left the house without his two special cars ever since.
‘Look, look,’ he said, and thrust the cars at Zac. ‘D’are mine. D’ere E’ward’s shpeshial cars!’ His eyes were so alive with excitement at showing Zac his special cars that Julia couldn’t resist smiling.
She looked up at Zac who appeared to still be in shock.
‘Ah…nice,’ he mumbled towards Edward, but didn’t take the cars her son was so eagerly holding out to him.
‘Toast is up,’ Cassandra called, and Julia headed into the kitchen, hoping that Zac would follow.
‘Tum on,’ Edward urged Zac, as he followed his mother and grandmother. ‘Tum on. Play with shpeshial cars,’ he said excitedly.
Julia looked back over her shoulder to see her son tugging at Zac’s trouser leg with his free hand. ‘Tum on,’ he urged again. Julia found it difficult to keep the smile off her face—Edward was just so cute!
Hesitantly, as though he was fighting it with everything he had, Zac allowed Edward to drag him through the house and into the kitchen.
‘How do you take your coffee, Zac?’ Cassandra asked as she poured three cups.
‘Ah…sorry. I need to go,’ he said firmly, and turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen. Edward started to follow him but Cassandra called him back. Julia slumped down into a chair at the kitchen table and buried her face in her hands, wincing as she heard the front door shut with finality.
Zac strode down the front path and climbed into his car. He forced himself to slow down. He was in shock, as well as being fatigued from the long night at the hospital. Pushing all thoughts of Julia to the back of his mind, Zac drove the Jaguar to his apartment ten minutes away.
It was situated in one of the many high-rise apartment buildings scattered along the coastline of beautiful beaches. He promised himself a dip in the warm sea water later—after he’d caught up on some sleep.
He parked the car in his designated place and rode the lift to the nineteenth floor. After collecting his morning paper, he unlocked the door and walked in. Once a week, his apartment was cleaned and he acknowledged his own superior judgement in purchasing a place that was serviced.
Several of the apartments in the building were available for rent on a permanent or casual basis and so the building came complete with its own room service. A facility that a busy doctor like himself frequently used, such as now, he thought as he crossed to the phone and ordered breakfast.
‘I’m a single man,’ Zac said out loud. ‘And I like it.’ So why didn’t the words sound as convincing as he’d hoped? He looked towards his study before shaking his head and walking into the kitchen.
Zac poured himself a glass of cold orange juice and took a sip. Glass in hand, he prowled around the apartment, trying to control his thoughts. Eventually he ended up in his study and slowly crossed to his desk. He sat down in the comfortable leather chair, old memories starting to encompass him—not of Julia but of what she represented.
He placed his glass on the desk and extended his hand to the bottom drawer. Taking a deep breath, Zac pulled it open and looked sadly down at the woman smiling back at him from the silver frame.
He took it out and sat it in the middle of his desk, forcing himself to breathe deeply. Cara’s blue eyes stared laughingly back at him. She looked so well, so healthy, so happy. They had been happy. Maybe there hadn’t been the immense spark or chemistry that flowed so naturally between Julia and himself, but he had loved Cara. Loved her enough to marry her—and now
she was gone.
Zac wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there but the buzz from his front door brought him out of his reverie. Carefully he replaced the photograph in the drawer before closing it—locking away the memories that played no part in his current life.
The buzzer rang again.
‘Coming,’ he called impatiently, and hurried to the door.
‘Room service,’ the attendant called. As Zac opened the door, the phone rang.
‘Ugh,’ he groaned, and left the waiter to set up as he hurried to the phone. ‘Dr Carmichael,’ he answered.
‘Zac? It’s Rodney.’
Great, Zac thought. His registrar was calling him—he glanced at the clock—just over an hour after he’d left the hospital. There must be a problem. Into the receiver he said, ‘What’s the problem, Rod?’
‘Aki Ishimaru has a problem with one of the drains.’
‘Get him prepped. I’m on my way.’ Zac disconnected the call and looked at his breakfast. Stopping long enough to put plastic wrap on the bacon and eggs and store it in the refrigerator, he grabbed the croissant and took a few mouthfuls of the hot coffee. ‘That’ll have to do—for now,’ he mumbled as he grabbed his keys and walked out of the door.
‘Wake up, Mummy. Wake up.’ Edward’s little voice pierced through her dreams of Zac and Julia opened her eyes to find her son’s face only millimetres from her own.
‘Whoa!’ she said as she drew back, momentarily shocked. Edward giggled.
‘I’s morning, Mummy. I’s morning,’ he said at the top of his lungs.
‘Shh, darling. I know.’ Julia shifted in the bed and made room for her son, helping him to climb onto her bed. He snuggled beside her and she closed her eyes in delight. ‘Mmm, what a lovely cuddle.’
‘I know, Mum. I know. Let’s have a pillow pight.’
‘I know, I know,’ Julia replied sleepily as she held onto her son, kissing his forehead. ‘Let’s not have a pillow fight just yet. Mummy’s still waking up.’
‘Oh-tay.’
She felt Edward’s arms come around her neck and he hugged her close, his little fingers tangling in her hair. She winced but didn’t dare take his arms away. Cuddles like this were a precious gift from her son and she cherished every single one she received. Besides, Edward was incapable of staying still for more than three seconds together!
But this was what life was all about. Until she’d had Edward, she’d only been existing. ‘Where’s Grandma?’ she asked him.
‘I know, I know,’ he bellowed in her ear, before scrambling from her bed. ‘Tum on, Mummy. Let’s find Gr’ma.’ ‘You go first,’ she suggested as she stretched. ‘I’m coming.’
‘Oh-tay,’ he said as he ran off at top speed.
Julia smiled. He was gorgeous. So is Zac, her subconscious chimed in. She breathed in deeply as the memory of his kisses returned. Zac was wonderful. Charming, good-looking, caring…the list went on and on but…She came down to earth with a thud as she remembered the way he’d left yesterday morning.
‘But,’ she said aloud as she swung her legs over the bed and sat upright, ‘he doesn’t want a family.’ It was the way he’d always been and his reaction to Edward had rammed that home. The kiss they’d shared just before Edward’s appearance had shown her just how much she still cared for him. She knew a relationship between the two of them could never be and, besides, right now Edward was her first priority. ‘Natural chemistry or not,’ she said with finality. So why did she feel so…melancholy? ‘This is no way to focus for your first day on the job. You’re a professional.’ With that, she set about showering and dressing, ready for the big day ahead.
‘I found ’er, Mummy,’ Edward called as she walked into the kitchen. ‘I found Gr’ma,’ he said and launched himself at his mother’s legs. He grabbed hold of one, making it impossible for Julia to walk. She reached down to tickle him and he collapsed on the floor in a bundle of giggles.
‘Morning, Mum.’ Julia crossed to where her mother stood in the kitchen, putting the coffee on, and kissed her cheek.
‘Ready for work?’ Cassandra asked around a yawn. She was the same height as her daughter, five feet six inches, had short brown curls and green eyes. Julia’s brown eyes had been inherited from her father just the way Edward’s blue eyes were inherited from his father.
‘As ready as I’ll ever be.’
‘To work with Zac, you mean.’ Cassandra shook her head, a small smile playing around her lips.
‘That’s right. As of this morning, we’re officially colleagues.’
Cassandra laughed. ‘Do you honestly believe you’ll be able to keep your relationship strictly professional?’
‘He doesn’t want children, Mum, and I have a child. I think that might put a dampener on anything that might flare up.’
‘Wait and see, dear. You never know.’
‘You’ve been watching too many romantic movies, Mum. No, Zac and I will just have to be…old friends. Nothing more.’
‘With a frightening natural chemistry that still seems to exist,’ her mother added.
‘Just because we shared a couple of kisses—’
‘Julia.’ Cassandra tried interrupting.
‘Doesn’t mean—’
‘Julia—I’m teasing you. Go and get Edward dressed while I finish making breakfast.’
‘That anything is going to happen,’ Julia finished. ‘Besides, those kisses were before he knew about Edward.’ She picked her son and his cars up off the floor. ‘Come on, monkey. Time to get dressed.’
‘No,’ Edward protested, and wriggled a bit. Julia knew it was just for effect and that, whether he liked it or not, he was getting changed.
‘What would you like to wear today? Green shorts or red shorts?’
‘Um, gween.’
‘And how about your aeroplane T-shirt?’
‘Yes.’
Edward continued to play cars as Julia changed his clothes. She didn’t mind that her son’s attention was occupied as her thoughts were still focused on Zac. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the touch of his lips on hers. The scent of his cologne, the way his arms had held her firmly against his chest. Zac made her feel…everything. Happy, cherished, beautiful, intelligent—everything. Now, though, she had to brush it all aside and be professional. It was the only way they were going to get through the next twelve months.
‘Hold still, darling,’ she said as her son wriggled.
Edward put his arms through the T-shirt holes and pronounced himself dressed. He ran off to show ‘Gr’ma’.
‘I dressed, I dressed, Gr’ma,’ she heard him call, and her smile increased.
How could Zac not want children? They were so gorgeous, so lively, so full of unconditional love.
‘Breakfast is ready,’ her mother called as Julia washed her hands.
‘Coming.’ They ate breakfast as a family, both she and her mother delighting in Edward’s antics. He was the apple of her eye and he had so much energy that she wished she could harness it and use it for herself!
She showered and dressed in khaki shorts and a white shirt before slipping her feet into a comfortable pair of flat shoes. Next, she brushed her curls and pulled them back into a plain ponytail.
‘Make-up,’ she said out loud, and looked at her reflection. Usually she wore only mascara as she generally didn’t have time for beauty routines and hated the look of lipstick that was half worn off. Should she put full makeup on today?
‘No,’ she told herself, and quickly applied the mascara. ‘Besides, Zac has seen you looking your worst a million times over so there’s no need to impress him now!’ She was also sure that he probably wouldn’t care. When he looked at her, all he’d see was a single mother!
She brushed her teeth before packing her bag. When she was ready she went in search of Edward, who was busy driving a toy car over the packing boxes that littered the floor of their house.
She picked up another car and brought it over from the other side of the box.<
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‘Hello,’ she said, putting on a funny voice.
‘Hello, car,’ he replied, not looking at her but at the car she held. ‘Where going?’
‘Off to work.’
‘Oh, good. I go work, too. Brrmmm,’ he muttered, and drove his car off in the opposite direction, waiting for her to follow him. She did so, crawling around on her hands and knees.
They played like this for ten minutes until her mother said, ‘It’s a quarter to eight, Julia. Were you going to walk today?’
‘Yes. Time for Mummy to go, darling,’ she told her son, and pulled him into her arms.
‘Mummy go work now?’
‘Yes, darling. You have a good day with Grandma.’
‘Yes.’ He went back to his cars.
‘Does Mummy get a kiss goodbye?’
‘Yes,’ he said again, and returned to her side. He placed his hands on either side of her face before pressing a sloppy kiss onto her lips.
‘Ooh, I love you, honey-man.’
‘Love you, too, Mummy,’ he said matter-of-factly, and was glad when she released him so he could return to his cars.
She stood and looked at her mother. ‘Have a good day. Are you going to the swimming pool?’
‘We’ll see how things go.’
‘I’ll give you a call later to let you know when to expect me home.’
‘All right.’ Cassandra hugged her daughter. ‘Have a good day and don’t worry about Zac. Everything will be fine.’
Julia forced a smile. ‘I know.’ Butterflies started to churn in her stomach as she blew kisses to her son, picked up her bag and walked out the door. It was a beautiful January morning that was simply perfect for a short walk to work. It wasn’t too hot and the humidity hadn’t yet reached its peak, which made Julia determined to enjoy it.
She looked at the beautiful gardens with their flowers in bloom, enjoying the sounds of birds chirping in the trees that lined the street. A car horn sounded behind her, breaking the moment, and she turned with a frown on her face to see who the culprit was.
