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‘Jane. What are you doing here?’ I’d never noticed how bland his voice was before.
‘Doing where?’ I peeked over Linc’s shoulder. One of the men behind Brad was the pilot who’d been in the coffee shop.
‘Here. On Deception Island.’
‘More to the point what are you doing here?’ I demanded.
Linc leaned down and whispered in my ear. ‘He’s not here alone. Until he saw you, he was with a woman. I thought he was watching me, but he’d obviously spotted you.’
‘Hello, hello, hello,’ interrupted the huge man beside Linc’s mate. He was rubbing his hands together and a wide grin stretched across his plump face. ‘I assume this is your lady, Lincoln?’
‘Yes, it is David.’ Linc’s hand pressed into my side and I sensed it was a warning nudge. ‘Would you like to have a drink with us? We were about to head to the bar.’
‘That would be excellent. Come on, Jonathon, we’ll leave these lovebirds in peace and go and order some drinks. I think champagne may be in order?’
Linc nodded and didn’t speak, but I could feel the tension in his body beside me.
‘Don’t be too long,’ the man boomed.
Brad frowned as they left the small room. ‘I … um … I’m here looking for you,’ he stuttered.
‘And Serena is helping you? How thoughtful.’ My voice was as sweet as honey as I guessed who was with him. ‘I don’t believe you, Brad.’
‘Um, yes she came to help me look for you too.’ Brad was sweating and he kept looking over his shoulder.
Linc leaned down and whispered in my ear again. His breath was warm and sent goose bumps down my back. ‘You might like to know that he was kissing her in the customs queue.’
‘I’m not one bit surprised.’ I straightened in Linc’s arms and pointed a finger at Brad. ‘Tell the truth for the first time in your life.’
‘You tell me why you ran away from me, Jane. On our wedding day.’
‘Because I realised, I don’t love you. I love Linc and we’re engaged.’
The look on his face was comical. ‘What? Who’s Linc? Is that what that fat guy was talking about.’
‘I am.’ Linc moved one of his arms from around me and held out a hand to Brad. ‘How do you do. I’m Linc Martin, chief of police and Jane’s fiancé. And I don’t know that our president would appreciate being referred to as the fat guy.’
‘But, but—’ Brad’s Adam’s apple moved up and down as he spluttered.
Most unattractive.
I’d never been more pleased than this instant that we’d agreed not to sleep together until we were married. Although since Friday night I’d realised Brad had wanted it that way because his sexual interests lay elsewhere. I’d put it down to me not being attractive enough, but I was starting to wake up to myself. I also knew that I hadn’t been keen. Confidence filled me now as I realised how much Brad had impacted on my self-esteem over the last year.
‘I think your girlfriend is looking for you,’ Linc said.
I looked over his shoulder and sure enough, Serena was standing behind a large potted palm in the terminal looking over at the office.
‘Stay there, Jane. I’ll be right back.’ Brad almost ran out of the small office and Linc put his arms around me again. ‘I’ll tell her I found you.’
I couldn’t help the chuckle that rose from my chest.
‘Are you okay?’ Linc put his arms around me and put his cheek against mine. Just to make it look good, I told myself. Not because he was enjoying the contact as much as I was.
‘Actually,’ I said with a nod, ‘I’m the best I’ve been for a long time. You’d better tell me what’s going on before we go and join your friends for a drink. Did you say that man was the president?’
‘He is. That’s David Kekoa.’ Linc looked down at me and nodded as I grinned up at him.
‘It looks like I’ve got myself another fiancé. I wonder if that’s a record. Two in the same week,’ I said.