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“Oh? Where are you going?”
“Back to Sydney, I’m afraid. I’ll be gone until Monday. Maybe we can catch up next week?”
“Next week would be perfect. What’s going on in Sydney?”
She hesitated before answering. “I’m meeting Preston to go over our divorce terms. We have to figure everything out before we make things official.”
“That makes sense,” he said. “Just a warning—he may try to hide some of his assets from you. I’ve seen it happen a dozen times with the guys I know.”
Her stomach clenched. She hadn’t even thought of that. Surely Preston wouldn’t stoop so low. “I’m sure he won’t do that.”
“Have you kept a handle on your finances?”
His words made her anxious. “Well, yes. I mean, not exactly. I don’t have all the details and figures, but I have a general idea of how things stand.”
“I don’t mean to upset you. I’d hate to see you taken advantage of.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“Next week?” he asked.
She pushed a smile onto her face. “I’ll see you next week. I have my phone on me if you need anything before then.” She grimaced at her own transparency. The last thing she wanted to do was to seem like a needy woman, begging for his attention. She was still married, and although he was being more friendly than she’d expected, he could clearly get a date with any woman he chose. It wasn’t likely he’d want that to be Bea, especially given their history.
After she hung up the phone, she found a seat outside the ferry cabin and sat down. She pushed her hands into her pockets and let her hair blow wild in the wind. A seagull watched her from its perch on the handrail nearby. The ocean looked like jewels had been flung across its surface as the sun danced over the water.
How had her life gotten to this point? She had a crush on her old boyfriend—there was no point denying it any longer. Her husband had a fiancée. And she was on her way to dissolve the marriage she’d believed would last a lifetime. Tears drifted down her cheeks and were whipped away by the wind as the seagull looked on with its head cocked to one side.
Fifteen
The rushand bustle of the Sydney airport was a shock to Bea’s system after several weeks of quiet, lazy life on the island. People in business suits with laptop cases slung over their shoulders hurried here and there.
People were pasty, pale-faced and stressed-looking, while she had a glowing tan and felt completely relaxed apart from the ball of nerves in her gut over the meeting with Preston the following day. But for now, she could push all thoughts of that confrontation aside and instead anticipate her dinner date with Harry.
She caught the train into the city and met Harry at his dorm room. He seemed happy to see her and pushed out of their embrace to look her up and down.
“Is this really my mother?”
She blushed. “What do you mean?”
“You’re tanned and happy-looking. I mean, you always look great, Mum. But have you lost weight? And are these biceps?” He pinched her arms lightly.
She shrugged. “I’ve been renovating.”
“Well, you look good. Well rested. Younger, in fact.” He winked.
She smiled. “You’ve always been a charmer. Are you ready to go to dinner?”
“Isn’t it a little early for dinner?” He quirked an eyebrow. “It’s not even dark yet. Or are we senior citizens now?”
“Fine, we’ll have drinks and then dinner. Although I might have to eat something with the drinks because I missed lunch since I was on the plane and they didn’t serve us a meal — can you believe it?”
“They only do snacks for short flights now. At least that’s what I’ve heard since I never actually go anywhere.” He picked up his wallet from his desk and shut the dorm room door behind him.
“You poor thing,” she teased. “I suppose you’ll have to save some money to go travelling.”
“Oh, come on, Mum. Everyone else’s parents just pay for them to travel.”
“You know I’m not that kind of mother. At least, not anymore. I’m a poor island dweller now.”
