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She stayed in the spare room, assuming he would go out as he had done every night for the last two weeks, but instead she heard his footsteps stop outside her door.
‘Hayley, I’d like a word with you.’
She got off the bed and tentatively opened the door. ‘Yes?’
His gaze swept over her pale face and disordered hair. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Of course … I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.’
‘Well, I guess that more or less answers my question without even asking it,’ he said.
‘What did you want to ask me?’
‘I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me this evening,’ he said.
Hayley hid her secret delight behind sarcasm. ‘Have you run out of alternative dates?’ she asked.
‘No, but I have a work function tonight and I thought you might like to join me.’
Her delight swiftly turned to anger. ‘So the only reason you’re asking me is because you need me to play the role of devoted new wife.’
‘That is one of the reasons, yes, but there’s another one.’
‘Which is?’
He seemed to hesitate before he answered. ‘I realise I’ve been uncommunicative lately. It’s hardly fair to take it out on you. I’m sorry but I’ve had a lot on my mind.’
Hayley knew she was being a fool for allowing herself to be mollified by his uncharacteristic apology, but she felt her defences melting all the same. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’ she asked.
He brushed her chin with the back of his knuckles, the touch so soft she felt as if her heart had swelled to twice its size. ‘How soon can you get ready?’ he asked.
She put a hand to her hair and grimaced. ‘I need to have a shower and put some make-up on.’
‘I’ll give you fifteen minutes.’
The dinner was held in a restaurant overlooking Bondi Beach and even with the lively chatter and clinking of glasses and rattling of cutlery Hayley could still hear the sea pounding against the shore below.
She was seated on Jasper’s left next to a man in his late thirties who owned a construction company that Jasper used for some of his larger projects.
‘I must say I was surprised but delighted to hear about your marriage to Jasper,’ Dave Braithwaite said. ‘I’ve been telling him for years he needs to settle down and have a couple of kids.’
‘Are you married?’ Hayley asked, conscious of Jasper’s arm draped along the back of her chair.
‘Yep, been married ten years now. My wife, Anna, would be here tonight except she’s expecting our third child. She’s been having bouts of morning, midday and afternoon and evening sickness, poor darling.’
Hayley felt a hot blush move up from her toes to pool in her cheeks. ‘I hope she feels better soon,’ she said, shivering when Jasper’s fingers wove their way into her hair at the back of her neck.
‘So how about it, old boy?’ Dave addressed Jasper by leaning in front of Hayley. ‘Don’t you think Hayley would make a beautiful mother? You don’t want to leave it too long. Have your kids while you’re still young enough to keep up with them.’
Hayley felt the tension in Jasper’s fingers and answered for him with a forced laugh. ‘We’ve only been married just over three weeks. Give us time.’
Dave grinned. ‘My eldest child, Julie, was conceived on our honeymoon. Never once regretted it either. She’s an angel, so too is my son, Ben. Kids make you complete; there’s nothing like seeing your children born. I haven’t cried since I was a kid, but I howled like an idiot when they came into the world.’
Jasper’s attention was called away by the person sitting on the right and Hayley felt her shoulders sink in relief. She chatted a little longer to Dave about his children before politely excusing herself when she saw the waiter approaching with coffee.
Jasper found her standing on the balcony of the restaurant a short time later, the sea breeze lifting the curly strands of her hair. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked.
‘Yes, of course.’ She forced a bright smile to her lips. ‘I just felt like some fresh air.’
