Page 37 of Awake in Cheshire Bay

“And I was happy too.”

He stepped close enough to brush a strand of hair off my face. “That why I fly around world to see you.”

All my life I’d wanted someone to pine after me and make me feel important enough to be with. Hearing Antonio say it and follow it with actions, my heart went into overdrive and my brain turned to mush – the rest of my thoughts vacated their logical resting place.

“You think I crazy?” His chin tucked into his chest. “Maia says no, says is something more. Something I not have since Emelia.”

I reached for his hand and wrapped my own through it. “Maybe a tad crazy, since we only met by happenstance, and we live in two different worlds. Two. Very. Different. Worlds.” Regardless, my heart swelled, and a sensation of butterflies took flight. “But it’s not completely crazy either. When I was with you, I was totally happy. You make me feel things I haven’t felt before.”

He waited, but the smug smile on his face said it all. He just wanted to hear it. “Feel?”

“Strong feelings. Powerful feelings, but all good.”

“Oh, Ember.” He cupped my cheeks and brushed his lips across them. “I sorry I made you mad.”

“Never make me sad again.”

“I will promise.” He bent down, but before I allowed those sweet lips to touch mine, I had something else on my mind.

I pushed his shoulder gently. “I need an explanation first.”

His gaze locked with mine. “Anything.”

“Why were the Captain and Sorcha in such a hurry to leave that morning? What was with the sudden urgency, and where the hell did you go? I went to the airport and you weren’t there. I checked with the helipad in Port Alberni, and you never left from there either.”

“Is long story.”

“I have time.” Let my friends pace on the deck a little longer.

He sighed and motioned to come and sit beside him on the log. “I had problem.”

I sat and dug my feet into the sand, turning to give him my full attention.

“Forgive my bad English while explain.” He sighed and there was a long pause. “After plane accident, CEO was to lead at meeting. I cannot say about what.” It was okay to not know the details on that, as it was something I understood. “He call many times over night.”

“That’s who that was.” I nodded my understanding. Whatever deal was going on, clearly it was a big one.

“I sorry for interruptions.”

“It’s okay. Trust me, I understand business.”

“Ja, thank you.” He shifted. “In morning, I ignore CEO message by mistake. He had ‘mergency with daughter and sent meeting to me from Seattle but only early hour work, not late afternoon.”

“In Victoria?” It was starting to make a little sense. If the time got changed, and he wasn’t expecting it, yes, it could explain most of it.

“Ja.”

However, it was only part of the answer. “But after that, you never called me, or even tried to get in touch. You knew where I worked and lived, it would’ve been easy to get a hold of me.”

“I did.” His brows knit tightly together.

I tipped my head. “When?”

“Guy took call. Left number.”

My jaw unhinged and I gaze around the rolling ocean. “You what? When?”

Where had that message gone? Someone at work had a ton of explaining to do because all this time, I’d been hoping he had tried.