‘I thought you liked me!’ I replied, laughing.
‘I do. I love you. You’re one of the main reasons I was able to keep mostly sane during my pregnancy and I can never repay you for that.’
‘Except by firing me.’
Inis grinned.
‘There’s nothing to repay. I didn’t do anything that anyone else wouldn’t have.’
‘You know you did.’ With that, she gave me a squeeze and headed off to do more professional mingling.
I stole a glance at Colette and Greg, basking in happiness. If I took the lecturing position, which it seemed that both Inis and I knew I would, it would keep me busy. Perhaps it would also be a way to keep my thoughts from drifting to what might have been.
Unexpected tears prickled at the back of my eyes. I told myself they were tears of happiness for my friend and made my way towards the small courtyard that had been part of thenew addition. A thoughtful haven incorporated so that staff had somewhere to come and enjoy their lunch or just a little nature in the midst of the city. Fairy lights wound around the slim trunk of the central feature tree and the area was bathed in a soft light from artfully hidden uplighters. A recycling water feature provided subtle noise distraction from the city outside the walls as well as providing water for the birds that were being encouraged by a couple of feeders hung from the walls. Insect houses and lush, almost tropical, planting completed the scene. It was perfect. I’d watched it coming together and been excited about one day sharing a quiet, celebratory drink with Finn here. But some things just weren’t meant to be.
‘Do you like it?’
I spun round so fast, I was in danger of leaving my eyeballs behind.
We stood there for a moment, staring at each other until I gave myself a crash refresher course on how to form words.
‘Finn… what are you doing here?’
20
‘I could ask you the same question.’
My brow wrinkled. ‘I think all that sun must have gone to your head. I work here, remember?’
His mouth tipped briefly into a half smile. ‘Not something I’m ever likely to forget. But from what I understood, shouldn’t you be somewhere in the deepest, darkest depths of Egypt about now?’
‘And shouldn’t you be in the deepest, darkest depths of Dubai?’
The other side of his mouth joined in and I saw the smile I’d loved from the first moment I’d met him.
‘Touché. How about you go first?’
I paused, then turned away from him, swallowing hard as my hand reached to touch the furry leaves of a plant that felt like puppy-dog ears. I’d thought I was getting over Finn. Yes, it still hurt, yes, I still missed him but I’d convinced myself it had been a little less every day. His appearance tonight had well and truly blown apart the myth I’d been telling myself. I hadn’t got over him at all and I couldn’t decide if seeing him tonight made me happy or mad as hell.
‘I didn’t go,’ I said, my back towards him.
‘I kind of guessed that.’ His voice was soft and closer than it had been. I kept my back towards him.
‘Then you have your answer.’
‘OK,’ he said, closer still. ‘Perhaps I didn’t ask the right question?’
‘Which is?’
‘Why didn’t you go?’
I closed my eyes, trying not to remember how good being this close to Finn felt. How soothing his voice could be one moment, and how downright sexy the next. My chest tightened as anger, hurt, love and want collided, tears burning in my eyes.
‘What do you want, Finn?’ I asked, spinning to face him. He was so close now that I could have reached up and kissed him. And part of me really, really wanted to. I gave that part a hefty mental shove and glared at Finn.
I saw his Adam’s apple bob. ‘I want to apologise.’
‘For what? Walking out on our relationship without giving it a chance? Buggering off to Dubai without even saying goodbye? Leaving this job without notice because you want to be a reality TV star? Or perhaps,’ I said, giving him a solid poke in the shoulder with my finger, ‘you might like to apologise for letting me fall in love with you when you had absolutely no intention of us ever going anywhere!’
