by Lucy Clark
‘Stop,’ he commanded, and when she looked at him, her eyes wide with concern and worry, she noticed he was smiling at her, slowly shaking his head from side to side. ‘I can hear your thoughts from here, Reg.’ He cupped her face and brought his lips down to warm hers. ‘Of course we’re in a relationship. Together. Both of us. Mutually exclusive. But apart from our closest friends, no one at the hospital knows that. To pull out of the auction now would raise suspicion.’
‘And you don’t want to do that?’
Flynn tugged her into his arms, nuzzling her neck once more. ‘I like having you all to myself, Reg. I like not having people gossip about us as we walk by. During our lives, and for different reasons, we’ve both been the topic of discussion and while I know it will happen one day, that the cat will be out of the proverbial bag, I just want a bit longer to have you all to myself.’ He pressed his mouth to hers, making her swoon with delight from his glorious kisses.
‘I guess it is for a good cause,’ she rationalised.
‘And I’m absolutely positive that there’s a very special woman who’s going to ensure she wins the auction.’ He glared pointedly at her.
‘Really? Which woman is that?’ Reggie giggled but pretended to ponder the question. ‘Ingrid Brown? She’s very interested in you.’
He wrinkled his nose. ‘A great surgical registrar but not my type.’
‘Clara from Outpatients? Or perhaps—’ Her words were cut off as Flynn kissed her into silence.
‘You are going to win that auction, Reg,’ he whispered in her ear after tantalising her with a thread of butterfly kisses, a spate of delighted goose-bumps flooding her skin. ‘Even if I have to give you every last cent.’ He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. ‘I don’t want to be with any other woman—except you.’
Reggie sighed into him as his wonderful words penetrated her heart, accepting the way his mouth continued to create havoc with her equilibrium.
She was still walking on feathers, on pillows, on air when she met Bergan, Mackenzie and Sunainah for coffee. Christmas wasn’t that far away and everywhere she went there were people collecting for charity, Santa Clauses in every store, tinsel, carollers and a generally festive atmosphere that was difficult to ignore.
‘So…you and Flynn? Still super-happy?’ Mackenzie asked.
‘Do you even need to ask? Just look at her,’ Bergan pointed out. ‘It’s as plain as the nose on your face,’ she remarked, before sipping her coffee.
‘You are even happier than usual,’ Sunainah added.
‘And this time,’ Mackenzie remarked as she grinned widely at her friend, ‘the happiness you’re shining out at the world isn’t forced—it’s real.’
Reggie giggled, nodding her head at the three of them. ‘It’s so wonderful and exciting and new and scary and—’
‘We’ve all been there.’ Bergan’s tone was matter-of-fact. ‘A mixture of emotions that keeps your insides churning with angst and delight. You don’t need to go on about it.’ She wasn’t usually one for gushy sentimentality but she reached over and pressed a kiss to her friend’s cheek. ‘And I couldn’t be happier for you,’ she said softly, and all of them laughed.
‘So are there any plans for a wed—?’
‘Stop!’ Reggie held up her hand, cutting off Mackenzie’s sentence. ‘There has been no discussion about anything except that last time we rushed into things far too quickly and this time, well, Flynn wants to take his time.’
‘Are you two sharing…a room?’ Bergan asked coyly.
‘No. Again, he wants to take it slowly.’
‘But you have told him about your past? He knows who your parents were?’ Sunainah asked quietly.
‘Yes.’
‘Then it is good he is wanting to take it slowly.’ Sunainah nodded in approval. ‘I am liking this Flynn Jamieson more and more.’
‘But it would be great if we could get to know him better,’ Mackenzie pointed out.
‘Uh-oh.’ Bergan rolled her eyes. ‘I’d know that organising look anywhere. Warning. Warning. Cul-de-sac crew gathering imminent.’
Reggie laughed. ‘I think it would be great for Flynn to get to know the rest of you much better, too.’
‘No doubt Elliot, Richard and John will want to take him under their wing, teach him the dos and don’ts of dealing with the four of us?’ Mackenzie clapped her hands. ‘Oh, it’s just the way I’ve always wanted it. The four of us, living near each other, helping each other, being a family together.’
Reggie wanted to point out again that nothing was permanently fixed between herself and Flynn but one look at Mackenzie’s brightly smiling face and Reggie swallowed the words. For now she could keep her concerns to herself. Like Flynn, she wanted to take things slowly, make sure that they were both on the same page, that they wanted the same things out of life.
For example, she had no idea whether he planned to live in the Sunshine Coast once his contract at the hospital had ended. Did he want to have children in the future? Did he want to travel? How did he see their working relationship? Did he want to work at a different hospital from her? When would he be ready to take their relationship to the next level? Was he still in contact with his father? Did he want her to meet his father? What had really happened between himself and Violet, his ex-wife?
When they’d been together in the Caribbean, he’d occasionally spoken of Violet and his family. ‘I’m an only child and so is she,’ he’d once told Reggie as they’d walked hand in hand along the beach, admiring the breathtaking sunset.
‘Our mothers are the closest of friends and although Violet is a few years younger than me, the two of us have sort of been raised together. We went to the same schools. I was told to look out for her. We played together when we were young. We celebrated birthdays and Christmases with each other’s families.’
‘So she’s just a friend?’ Reggie had asked, slightly jealous of the wonderful life he was describing.
‘Yes. Nothing more than a friend,’ he’d confirmed.
And yet not too long after they’d had that conversation he’d been married to Violet. Now that he’d told her the true circumstances surrounding that union, Reggie still had questions. Was he still friendly with Violet? If so, how friendly? Or had their forced marriage been the undoing of a lifetime of friendship? Was that why he didn’t talk about her much?
That evening, as they sat watching an old movie together, Reggie really wanted to ask him about Violet, find out some of the answers to the questions that were spinning around in her head, but every time she opened her mouth to speak, she found the words simply wouldn’t come out. Surely if he was still in close contact with Violet he would have said something. Wouldn’t he? Perhaps the fact that he hadn’t spoken much about her indicated their marriage had indeed wrecked the friendship and now the two of them were estranged.
‘What am I supposed to do?’ she asked Mackenzie as the two of them put the final touches on the ballroom, ready for tomorrow night’s Christmas auction. They’d worked closely with the event co-ordinator and she had to admit that the room did indeed look incredibly festive, with green and red tinsel around the place, twinkle lights and a large Christmas tree in the corner. Still, they were responsible for the table decorations and as they’d spent the last few weeks making them, as well as getting people to donate things for the auction. But no matter how many great items were up for bidding, the bachelor auction was most definitely the highlight of the night.
‘You’re supposed to talk to him,’ Mackenzie told her. ‘If you want to know about Violet, just ask him. He’ll tell you.’
‘It’s not that I don’t trust him,’ Reggie began, and Mackenzie raised one eyebrow in question. ‘OK.’ She spread her arms wide. ‘So perhaps I do have a few trust issues. I just want to be sure, this time, that he’s not going to up and leave me again. I won’t be able to live through the pain a second time. I just won’t survive.’
‘And you think he’s still in touch with Violet?’<
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‘He has to be. Their families are connected and yet he’s said nothing about seeing his father at Christmas, or—’
‘OK. OK,’ Mackenzie interrupted, and put her hands on Reggie’s shoulders. ‘The only way for you to get rid of this stress and anxiety you’re heaping on yourself is to talk to him.’ Mackenzie’s phone rang and she stared at Reggie for a moment longer before answering it.
‘You’re right. You’re right. I know you’re right,’ Reggie said, more to herself than to her friend. ‘I’ll talk to him about it tonight. He’d be open to the discussion…’ She bit her lip. ‘I hope.’
Mackenzie finished her call. ‘That was John.’
‘Emergency?’
Mackenzie grinned. ‘Yes, but not of the medical kind. Ruthie’s having a sleepover at a friend’s house and my husband needs me.’ She waggled her eyebrows up and down and Reggie couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Then you’d better get out of here.’
‘I can stay and help you finish up here and—’
‘Just go. You’re lucky enough to have a husband who is crazy about you, so don’t go keeping him waiting.’
Mackenzie hugged her friend close. ‘Thanks, Reggie.’
Reggie sighed as Mackenzie went, going through the motions of setting up the rest of the table centrepieces before standing back and surveying the room. It looked fantastic. The auction night would be wonderful. They were going to raise a lot of money and she was prepared to pay top dollar for Flynn. No way in the world was she letting Ingrid Brown or any other woman secure the auction prize of a dinner date with the man she loved.
‘I’m looking forward to winning you at the auction,’ she’d told him the previous night. ‘Then I’ll have my very own slave.’
‘Hey, that’s not the terms of the contract. Whoever wins the auction gets to have dinner with me. That’s it.’ He’d shaken his head and waggled his finger at her. ‘No one said anything about slave duties.’
Reggie had playfully slid one hand up his arm and then walked the fingers of her other hand up his chest, and Flynn’s grin had widened. ‘That depends on what you classify as slave duties.’
‘Hmm.’ He’d accepted the kiss she’d placed on his lips. ‘I guess it does.’
After that, they didn’t talked much for a while, the two of them completely absorbed in each other, but when things started to get a little heated, Flynn was the one to put on the brakes. ‘You make it very difficult to take our time and to go slowly with this relationship,’ he murmured against her lips. ‘Especially when you are so incredibly delectable and addictive,’ he continued, pressing kisses to her neck.
‘Likewise,’ she returned, plunging her fingers into his hair and bringing his head back so their lips could meet once more. ‘It’s difficult, Flynn. I want you so much.’
‘I know.’ He pressed his mouth to hers, slowing things down before lying next to her on the soft rug on the living-room floor. He continued to hold her in his arms, the two of them just lying there. ‘I like just…being with you. There’s no stress or tension or pressure to be something I’m not. I can be myself with you and you can be yourself with me, and all of that means more to me than anything, Reg.’
He levered himself up onto one elbow and looked down into her beautiful face. ‘I don’t want you to think I take you for granted. I know what we have between us is rare and unique and incredibly special and I just don’t want to mess it up.’
Reggie grinned. ‘Slow it is, then.’
‘It’s the right thing for both of us,’ he remarked, before looking past her and frowning.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, a frisson of concern churning within her belly.
‘Huh?’
‘You’re frowning. Is there anything I can help you with?’
The frown cleared at her words. ‘Nothing’s wrong.’
‘Really?’ Reggie shifted her head so she could see him better. ‘Is it your father?’
Flynn shrugged one shoulder. ‘I haven’t seen or spoken to him in over three years and most of the time I’m fine with that but…’
‘Christmas can highlight the fact that families are estranged.’
‘Exactly.’
‘What did you used to do at Christmas?’
‘He’ll hire caterers, hold a huge, lavish affair at his house with lots of people he doesn’t know, as well as all the people who work in his companies. They’ll all get drunk, make mistakes by sleeping with the person they like least and wake up the day after with a multitude of regrets.’
‘Sounds like a riot,’ she remarked blandly, rubbing her fingertips over the frown lines on his forehead, wanting to do whatever she could to ease them. ‘Do you want to see your father?’
‘No.’ The answer was immediate. ‘I’ve tried in the past to make contact with him and he hasn’t appreciated it one little bit. As far as he’s concerned, he has no son.’
‘Oh, Flynn.’
He swallowed and she knew if she pressed him on the issue he might clam up. She knew what it was like to be disowned by people who were supposed to love you. The wealthy really did have their own set of rules. It was sad that they lived by them. ‘So this year,’ he said after a moment, ‘I am definitely looking forward to starting a new Christmas tradition.’
‘Really?’
‘With you.’
‘Yes.’ She kissed him.
‘And no doubt the cul-de-sac crew have their big parties and present-giving? Mackenzie and Bergan are already swamped with family. I met Richard’s parents yesterday.’
And so they discussed plans for Christmas Day, Reggie more than pleased that it appeared he wanted to spend the day with her. She wanted to ask about Violet. About whether he’d wanted to see her, but she didn’t. And now, looking at the festive ballroom, looking perfect for the hospital’s Christmas party, she wanted to push aside that one niggling fear of doubt that kept telling her that things seemed too perfect.
‘Good things don’t happen to me,’ she whispered to herself as she headed out into the late-afternoon sunshine. It was such an odd feeling. She had good friends around her. She had a place to stay while all the insurance claims on her apartment were settled. Her neighbours were more than comfortable in the temporary housing Flynn had been generous enough to not only find for them but pay for them. He’d also insisted on remaining anonymous, telling Reggie he didn’t need people to be beholden to him.
And above all, she had Flynn back in her life, back wanting to be with her, back wanting a future with her? Hopefully that was the case. Why else would he be insisting they take things slowly? Why else would he be insisting they start their own traditions together?
As she headed down the street towards the hospital, which was only two blocks away, Reggie wondered whether she should tell Flynn that she loved him. Would her declaration change things? Was it what he was waiting to hear before they took their relationship to the next level?
‘Oh, why aren’t these things as easy as a hernia repair?’ she mumbled, as she stopped at the pedestrian lights and pressed the button. She looked down the side street, seeing a family—a mother, a father and little boy—chatting together. A family. A normal family. It was something she’d longed for all her life. The man had his back to her but the woman, with her long blonde hair falling slightly over her face, was folding the stroller and putting it into the boot of her fancy car. The boy was clinging to his father, clearly a little sleepy and more than content to relax in the big, trusty arms that held him.
Reggie sighed, instinctively knowing that Flynn would make a wonderful father. Wouldn’t it be nice if that were them? Having spent a lovely day out together, looking forward to heading home and relaxing. Normal people. Normal lives.
The woman closed the boot then held her hands out for the boy. As the man turned to hand the child over, Reggie saw his face. His smiling face—the face smiling at the blonde-haired woman.
‘Flynn.’ The whispered word left her lips in utter disbelief.
The pedestrian lights turned green. Reggie didn’t move. Couldn’t move as she watched the woman say something to Flynn, both of them laughing brightly. Flynn kissed the little boy and the boy kissed him back, both of them clearly comfortable with each other.
Part of Reggie’s mind was racing, panicking, trying to figure out what it was she was seeing, while the other part of her mind was stuck, standing still in stunned shock. Who was the woman? Who was she? Reggie thought back to all those years ago, of the times when she’d read the glossy society mags…and then she remembered where she’d seen that blonde woman. She’d seen her dressed as a bride, she’d seen her looking lovingly up at Flynn as he’d stood beside her—the groom.
The woman was Violet. His ex-wife. After Violet had put the little boy into the car, she’d turned, hugged Flynn close and then pressed a warm kiss to his lips.
Reggie’s heart was breaking. It was breaking again. Flynn was breaking her heart all over again…and yet it was impossible for her to move. Misery and despair flooded her as the pedestrian lights turned red. Stop. Don’t walk. Don’t move. Your life is over.
She waited, knowing the inevitable was about to happen, and her heart started pounding out a scared tattooed rhythm against her chest as he began to turn in her direction. In another moment he would see her standing there…watching him.
She shook her head. She didn’t want to see him. Didn’t want him to see her. Run and hide. Flee! Her mind was starting to scream commands at her body but her legs didn’t seem able to follow their lead as she remained exactly where she was.
He waved goodbye to the boy in the car, the boy who looked just like him, the boy who was definitely old enough to be his son. If Flynn had a son, why on earth hadn’t he told her about him? Was it a condition of his freedom from his father? To hand over access to his son? Was Violet supposed to be in contact with him?
She knew her mind was going into overdrive, clutching at straws to try and make some sort of sense from what she was seeing. The traffic around her was starting to slow again and she became peripherally aware of other people joining her at the pedestrian lights, pressing the button and waiting beside her.
