by Len Webster
“Do we leave?” Julian asked his fiancée, interrupting Rob and Allison’s kiss and causing them to break contact.
Stevie made a humming noise. “Oui, mon soleil rayonnant.”
“God, I love it when you talk French. Grab your things, Blondie, we’re going out,” his brother announced.
There was laughter before Stevie and Julian left the apartment. Rob glanced down to see Allison panting with a smile on her face. The twinkle in her eyes made him believe she was happy to be here with him.
“Oh, shit. I’m not supposed to kiss you, am I?” he asked; though, he didn’t really care. But he wanted to make sure that she was all right.
She laughed lightly. The sound made his heart expand. He missed her laugh. Three weeks away from her were three weeks too many. Deals were made, but deals were also altered to suit businesses. Negotiation. That was what he’d have to do to have Allison back and not break their deal. Negotiate a way to bend the terms.
“We didn’t really talk through the terms of our deal. Still on track for the Olympics, Robbie?” she asked as she looped her arms around his neck.
Robbie.
He still had a place in her heart.
He was still someone different for her.
He saw her love in her eyes. The same love he felt for her.
Rob’s nose grazed hers. “Yes. I’m still gonna take us to Rio. You’ve been in Melbourne for a few days?”
She bit down on her lip and nodded as if she felt guilty for keeping it from him. “Meetings with Adam and the Melbourne office. The company’s doing really well with him in his new role. I would have come and saw you earlier, but I couldn’t get away, and I was exhausted each night. I wanted to see you rather than call you.”
He nodded, proud of the confidence in her eyes. “Heard from your brother?”
“No.” She shrugged. “He keeps ignoring me. He did speak to Adam recently. I don’t even think he’s in Europe anymore.”
The sadness she tried to hide flashed brightly in her hazel eyes. He knew she loved her brother. But him ignoring her made Rob hate him just that little bit more. More so than when he was engaged to the love of his best friend, Noel’s, life. He needed her to stop thinking about her brother and stay with him. He was sure Liam wouldn’t be happy if they were together. Liam O’Connor had never been a fan of Rob.
“Nationals are tomorrow. Come to the race, Allison. I need you there.”
Her smile faded. Instead, paleness swept the surface of her face and she untangled her arms from around him. Then she took a step back and her eyes fell to her hands. “I can’t.”
“Why?” he asked, trying to settle his voice and make it sound strong.
Her now teary eyes met his. “I have a flight to New York in the morning. I have to go. I was supposed to fly back to Sydney tonight,” she explained.
“New York?”
She nodded. “I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have come back.”
Stepping forward, he brought her back into his arms. “No. I’m glad you’re here.” He kissed the top of her head when she settled her ear against his chest. “I’m gonna compete like you’re there with me. We’ll make it, Allison.”
“I know. I won’t be in New York for long … I hope. The moment I’m back, I’ll come see you. I love you, Robbie.”
Rob hugged her more tightly, afraid to let her go. “That a deal?”
She nodded. “Deal.”
His heart tightened. “I love you, Allison. I love you so much.”
Ally hadn’t told Rob that she had cooked the walnut-crusted pork chops with figs when he had covered them with tin foil. She’d learnt how to make this recipe after she’d eaten at Rick Stein’s restaurant in New South Wales. His food had been amazing, and she was glad to have taken her assistant, Frankie, with her. Although she was hungry, Rob’s offer of spending tonight together was much better than the food she had prepared.
All night they had lain in each other’s arms in Ally’s old bed. For most of the night, they had caught each other up on the three weeks they had spent apart. His rowing technique was improving and his overall row was consistent, but he hadn’t reached or broken the world record. She was still proud of him, no matter what his finishing time was. She wished she could be there for his race. He’d be national champion by lunchtime. But Ally couldn’t. The nausea and fatigue came back, and her blood pressure had increased. It was time she returned to New York, visit her specialist, and talk about dialysis. She couldn’t put it off any longer.
She wanted a long and as healthy as possible life with Rob. She might not offer him children, but she’d offer him her love. Maybe he’d understand when she told him. It had been the loneliest three weeks of her life. The deal they’d made was like slow torture. She missed him. But she wanted this for him and for them. Because then she’d know there’d never be any regrets or resentment.
Ally took a deep breath and enjoyed the feel of Rob’s solid chest against her back and his arms around her one last time. Then she slipped out of his hold and got out of bed. The moment she stood, the pounding in her head increased. Wincing, she picked up her phone and saw that it was just after six a.m. She’d heard Stevie and Julian stumble into the apartment, giggling at around two a.m. But they had fallen asleep moments after their bedroom door closed. Unlocking her phone, she noticed that Serge had texted her.
Serge: Piccola, I’m downstairs and will wait for you. I will call your phone to remind you when we need to leave. The plane is ready.
Her flight to New York wasn’t until noon, but she had to fly back to Sydney, get her passport, and pack several weeks’ worth of clothes that Frankie had prepared last night. She wasn’t sure when she’d return to Australia, but she wasn’t packing light. The trip to New York came at the worst timing, but she was glad that her assistant was able to prepare everything so Ally could have one night with Rob.
And it was perfect.
They spoke, they kissed, and they held each other whispering ‘I love you’ until Rob had fallen asleep first.
Ally: I’ll be down in ten.
Thankful that no clothes were shed last night, Ally crawled on the bed and brushed his brown hair from his face. It was tender and intimate. A memory for her. An experience for her. Rob at peace within the confines of sleep, he’d never looked more free. The closed off and reluctant Robert Moors was nowhere in sight.
“Robbie,” she whispered. His nickname that only she and his family used felt natural leaving her lips.
“Hmmm,” he mumbled.
“Robbie, I have a flight to catch.”
That had woken him. He rolled onto his back, staring up at her with hooded eyes. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I don’t either,” she said as she lay down next to him, turning her body against his. “We have ten minutes.”
“Not enough time,” he muttered into the top of her head.
Ally breathed him in and nodded. “I’ll be back. I’m sorry I can’t be at your competition today. I promise I won’t miss any more.”
Rob took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. “I’ll walk you downstairs—”
“No.” She cut him off and set a hand on his chest. Then Ally pushed herself up. “Didn’t you say that your dad was coming over for breakfast? Julian and Stevie will be up soon to make it.”
“You’re right.” He sighed.
Ally bent down and pressed her lips to his. When she pulled back, a grin stretched across her face. “Walk me to the door?”
“Of course.” Then he sat himself up and cupped her face. “Don’t go breaking our deal, Miss O’Connor. Heard you don’t back out of them.”
“It’s Allison,” she corrected with humour lacing her voice. “I’m coming back for you because I love you.”
His thumb brushed her bottom lip. “I love you so much.”
Her lips pursed, kissing the pad of his thumb. “Then you better be waiting here for me with a national championship placing.”
“I’ll
do you one better. You come back to me and I’ll be waiting here as the national champion.”
“You’re extremely cocky before a competition,” she teased. Then she watched the sadness consume his face.
“I wish you were coming today.”
Her heart dipped and so did her stomach. Nausea came swirling back and Ally hated it. But she had to get better for him. She couldn’t make it to the national championships in hopes of being able to be at all his other races.
“I know. But I have to go to New York. It’s important for me and for us that I go,” she said, hoping that he’d trust her.
“Just come back to me, Allison.”
“I will, Robbie,” she promised him softly.
“Good morning, Miss O’Connor. Beautiful day to fly,” the captain said as Ally boarded the company plane.
She smiled and said, “It is.” She made her way towards the back of the plane, Serge following right behind her.
Once she’d left Stevie and Julian’s apartment, she’d returned to her hotel room at the Crown Towers to pack her things. By the time she had breakfast, packed, showered, and had a last-minute call with Adam, it was eight thirty. She had called Frankie and had her meet her and Serge at Sydney International Airport with her luggage for her flight to New York. She would go through her bags before check-in.
It had been hard to say goodbye to Rob. It was even harder knowing that in some way, shape, or form she was letting him down. She wasn’t there for one of his most important races. But she needed to get better. She needed to see Dr Fuller in New York. She should have done it weeks ago, but with her father teaching her everything there was to know about O’Connor Investments, life got away from her.
Once she’d put on her seat belt, Ally set her bag on the table and pulled out her phone. The red alert balloon on her email app had her frowning. Every day, more and more emails that had to do with the company flooded her inbox. But she loved them more than the notifications she had gotten from magazines. Since she’d left her socialite life, nobody really cared about her. Someone had taken her place as Sydney’s party princess. Some days, Ally wanted to reach out to Lynette Hunt and warn her, but Lynette had finally climbed the social ladder. And sometimes, the only way off was to slip. To learn the hard way when your back hit the concrete below.
“Piccola, we have a problem,” Serge said next to her.
Setting her phone down, she peeked up at her concerned bodyguard. “What is it?”
“Remember the navigation issue from last time?”
Her brows furrowed. “Yeah.”
“It’s back. It’ll take about an hour or so to fix. We’ll still make your flight to New York. The captain doesn’t want to take off just in case it affects the other instruments,” he explained.
Ally nodded. “Okay.”
Serge’s lips had pressed together in a fine line before he made his way towards the front of the plane. Ally sighed and then picked up her phone. The sooner she was in New York, the sooner she could be with Rob. Rubbing at her left temple as she unlocked her phone, she hoped the headache she had would ease. It was becoming more painful than annoying.
When she glanced down at the phone, she smiled at the message Rob had sent her.
Rob: Have a safe flight. Message me when you land in Sydney. I love you.
Ally: I love you, too. I’ll be on my flight to New York when you compete. Text me as soon as you finish so I can read it when I land.
Rob: I will. We’re about to drive up to Lake Nagambie now.
Ally: How are you feeling?
Rob: Nervous but I’m confident I can win The President’s Cup and get Victoria the eight points. I wish you were here.
Tears formed. She was getting emotional. Last night, he had told her in detail about the events held at the national championship. She thought it had been rowers from around the country competing. Turns out it was an interstate regatta and Rob was representing Victoria in The President’s Cup, also known as the Men’s Single Scull Championship. It was a state against state competition for the Rowing Australia Cup. Or at least, that was what she had managed to understand from everything he had said to her.
Ally: Can I call you? Need to speak to you for a few seconds.
Rob: Sure.
The smile she’d made was so natural that she couldn’t have prevented it even if she tried. Ally pressed the phone icon next to his name and then brought her phone to her ear as it rung. It took Rob seconds to answer.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, sounding concerned.
She nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “I’m stuck on the tarmac for an hour. I just wanted to wish you all the best for today.”
“God, I love you,” he breathed. “I hate that you’re going to New York.”
“Get off the phone!” Julian screamed in the background. “You’re ruining mine and Blondie’s game of I spy! Hi, Ally!”
She laughed and then she exhaled, preparing herself for what was next. “I’ll explain New York when I come back. We’ll figure out everything, okay?”
“Definitely,” he sounded … committed. And that made her heart flutter. “Call me when you land in the U.S. I love you, Allison O’Connor.”
Hearing those three honest and truthful words almost had her choking on air. She never imagined he’d love her, and yet he did.
“I love you, Robert Moors,” she said with so much love that her eyes had brimmed with unshed tears. She hung up before he could hear the hint of sadness she had. Setting her phone down, Ally wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hands. The headache she had continued to bash against her temples. It was getting harder to breathe.
As she craned her neck to see the sunshine glaring against the window, she thought about Rob competing. Gliding his boat across the glittering water and towards the finishing line. His family would be there to congratulate him.
Everyone but her.
Her heart squeezed violently, expelling the air from her lungs. Ally’s hands shot to her seat belt as she yelled out, “Serge!”
He bolted from the cockpit to her. In her hurry to remove her belt, she found it difficult to unbuckle it in her hastiness. Serge’s hand on her shoulder had her giving up and he reached for the belt and unfastened it.
“Are you okay, piccola?”
“No,” she confessed. “Call Frankie and have her cancel my flight or reschedule it. I’m not flying to New York. Rob’s competing and I’m going to be there.”
Serge grinned and nodded. “We’ll have to wait for the captain and the first officer to clear the plane before we can disembark.”
“So long as I get to the race before it starts.”
The traffic was a nightmare. And waiting for the company plane to be done with its checklists was exhausting. A supposed hour and a half drive out of the city and to Lake Nagambie took over two. By the time Ally and Serge had parked at the designated parking area, it was after eleven. Just as her bodyguard had cut the engine, Ally’s stomach churned and that burn in her lungs returned. The dizziness had come and gone during the drive. She needed to lie down, but she pushed through. The man she loved was about to race, and she was going to support him.
A hand on her shoulder had made her quite aware of how tense she was. “Are you okay, Allison?”
She reached for her seat belt and unclicked it with a nod. “Of course, Serge.” The smile she made felt incomplete. She felt glorious inside, but her body wasn’t reacting the way it should. Something was wrong. But right now, she was okay enough to stand.
Once she’d gotten out of the car, Serge had made his way around the Jaguar, and looped his arm around hers, providing her with the strength she was quickly losing. “Piccola, you’re pale.”
“I’m always pale,” she teased.
“But—”
“There are Stevie and Julian.” She pointed out her old roommates near the lake’s edge. “Come on, Serge.”
As she led Serge towards her friends, Ally shook her head trying t
o rid the aches. But it only made it worse. Her steps weren’t as swift or as strong, and she wondered if Serge had noticed. When she had approached Stevie and Julian, their expressions had gone from shocked and surprised to relieved and happy.
“You’re here!” Stevie said in excitement and wrapped her arms around Ally and Serge. “You’re not going to New York?” Stevie stepped back and the worry flashed in her bright blue eyes.
Ally gave her a reassuring smile. “I will. But this is Rob’s big day, and I can’t miss it. New York can wait a few more days.”
Julian’s smile grew as he said, “Old man, someone here you need to officially meet.”
Oh.
Crap.
Her eyes widened. She’d never met a guy’s father before. Ally wasn’t exactly parental-approved material. Her past wasn’t one any parent would be proud of. If she hadn’t felt nauseated before, she sure as hell did now.
“Relax, Ally,” Julian assured.
“Ah, this must be Allison. I’ve been waiting forever to meet you,” Mr Moors said as he stood next to his son with bottles of water in his hand. Then he handed them over to Julian.
Ally swallowed the lump in her throat and pulled away from Serge. She held out her hand to Rob and Julian’s father. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mr Moors.”
His sons were the spitting image of him. Although his eyes weren’t as light as either Rob or Julian, he had the same strong jaw and brown hair. Mr Moors was beautiful, just like his sons. He glanced down at Ally’s hand and then let out a light laugh. His arms wrapped around her and her eyes widened at the contact. From the corner of her eye, she could see Serge’s body tense. Like he wasn’t comfortable and sure if Mr Moors was a man with ‘clearance’ to hug her.
“Thank you for loving my son, Allison,” he whispered in her ear.
Ally’s eyes stung. No parent would have said such kind words of approval. “Thank you for raising him, Mr Moors.”