Page 53 of Where She Is
“Okay, let’s talk, but you can’t go mad and I haven’t got my head around any of it so don’t ask me what I’ll do.” He nods and waits for me to explain.
“Do you remember I said there was a boyfriend in London?”
I see his eyebrows rise. He clasps his hands in prayer and rests his mouth against them while he inhales through his nose. “Uh huh.” I stare at my fingers fidgeting on my knee and then back to his him.
“His name is Rob, and we were together for about three years. To cut this part of the story short, the situation between us was bad for a while and I’ve told you about the cheating.”
He mumbles under his breath, “Bastard” which I ignore.
“When Grant’s gave me the opportunity to transfer out here, I accepted the job before I put an end to the relationship. In hindsight, it was the wrong of me. We parted on messy terms, but finding that bitch slapper whore in our flat with her manky minge confirmed I was doing the right thing.”
“So, you’re not bitter then?”
“Not funny,” I say, giving him the side eye. Now it’s me with a sense of humour failure.
“Sorry. I couldn’t help it. I promise I am taking this seriously.”
“So anyway—”
“Has he been in touch today? Is he the ‘friend’ that called?”
“No, it was Lucy.” I take a deep breath and let it all out. “My ex is on his way here. Apparently he wants to win me back and take me home to England. Lucy wanted to warn me about it.”
“Why is that a problem? You’re with me now. Oh, unless—” Scratching his forehead he asks, “Are you still in love with him?”
I sigh, “I’m not sure I was ever in love with him. I mean… I care about him, but I lost any respect I had as soon as I found another woman in our bed.” His head tilts to the side, trying to catch my eyes. “If it’s not clear enough, he’s an arsehole who doesn’t give a shit about anyone other than himself!”
Daniel reaches over the table and takes my hand. “I got it,” he breathes out “and selfishly, I’m thanking God.” His shoulders relax. Did he honestly believe I could still love that tit after everything he did to me? “So, back to my original question. Why is this a problem?”
He doesn’t understand, and that’s my fault. I’ve missed a few crucial details.
“Daniel, I had a lucky escape from him and so far, coming here has been the best decision I’ve ever made. Part of me was unsure at first because it was thousands of miles from home, but then I also needed to put as much distance between us as possible. I never want to lay eyes on him again and for some stupid reason, I was certain another continent would guarantee that.” I gaze into his eyes and try hard to hold back the tears as they threaten to spill again. I’m sick of Rob making me crying. “There’s a little more to this than cheating.”
“So what else did this Rob do to you?”
I sigh and question myself as to how this conversation developed. Daniel’s finger and thumb massage his eye sockets in slow circles as if to brace himself for yet more tales about a man he’s never met, but I can imagine, hates with a vengeance. His eyes open and I carry on.
“I owed Rob an explanation about my decision to take the job here and to give him a final answer. I went to the flat so we could sit and talk things through like adults. There was no going back for us and—”
“Give him an answer to what question?” Our eyes connect and I’m aware I’m a rabbit caught in a headlight. I hadn’t planned on telling him about the proposal but my mouth has run away with itself so I have no other choice but to be straight with him.
“The ‘will you marry me’ one.”
DANIEL
… and so, I have to sit here and watch her wipe her tears because of him. This bloke is a bloody idiot. What kind of arsehole proposes then sleeps with someone else? No wonder Hannah is so far away from me right now. What if she refuses to take this chance with me? What if she says no to moving in because of how he treated her? Does she realise I’ll never hurt her? I’m not sure. She’s been through so much, and I hate his fucking guts for putting her through it. I hate even more that she was ever his. If he takes just one step near her, I’ll rip his fucking head off. He will never plead his case and try to win her back because she has me now and I won’t let him, or anyone else, get in the way. I’ve got to make her understand, he is her past, and I am her future. The day I ask her to marry me—and that day isn’t so far away—will be the happiest fucking day of my life. Hannah is forever and always mine.
HANNAH
“I was staying with Lucy the night he proposed over the phone. He couldn’t even get that right and I’m not sure he was ever truly committed to me. I needed to come to Australia, so I went home the next morning to tell him my answer was no. He didn’t love me in the way I wanted to be loved and we were in a rut. … and that’s when I found him in our bed with that woman.”
Daniel has been grinding his teeth and dreaming for the last few minutes. I wonder what the hell is going through his mind. Without warning, he shifts his chair round to mine then takes back my hands, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. At least now, his eyes are smiling. “Just to make it perfectly clear, I want you to live with me which shows you how committed I am. And I’m not pushing you into an answer, just letting you know where I stand.”
I sense my tear ducts filling again, but for all the right reasons this time and when I smile, he says, “For now, let’s concentrate on us and take this one level up from exclusive. Let’s agree from this moment on, you’re mine and I’m yours.”
I smile, “Haven’t we done that already?” He looks me in theeye for confirmation, so I stop teasing and give him what he wants. I nod, “I’m yours and you are mine.”
“And as for your ex, don’t waste anymore time on him. He had his chance, Hannah.”
