by Lucy Clark
‘But when will the plane be here?’
Anthony’s impatience was even worse than her own. Phemie walked into the front office and asked Ben to radio Sardi to check.
‘I radioed her three minutes ago.’ Ben was a rational man but he could quite understand Phemie’s need to know everything about this flight. ‘But I’ll radio again.’
‘Thank you, Benjamin.’ She patted his shoulder and headed outside to where Anthony was peering up at the sky. She picked up his hat from the verandah and placed it on his head. ‘Don’t forget your hat, darling. The sun is super-hot here.’
‘Yes, Phemie,’ he responded, and she couldn’t help but hug him close.
‘I love you.’ She was so proud of everything he’d achieved. He was her baby brother and, as such, was so vitally important to her. It wasn’t too late, she realised, to achieve that sibling relationship with him. All she needed to do was to let go of the picture perfect family image she’d had in her head and move forward to what she had. Anthony was a great brother who loved her. What more could a sister ask?
‘I love you, too, Phemie,’ he replied in his normal voice, eyes still glued to the sky. ‘I’m going to be the first one to find the plane. I’m good at that, and heaps of other stuff too.’
She laughed and danced around him, her excitement unable to be contained. ‘I know you are.’
‘I’m good at finding planes.’
‘You’re the best, and this plane is my kind of plane.’ Gil was coming home. Home to her. To where he belonged. The past month had been the longest of her life but they’d spent the time talking and finding out more about each other.
Gil had turned down job offers, sold his apartment, made arrangements for his ‘jalopy’ to be transported to Australia and packed his belongings. The last time he’d moved had been when his family had died. Now he was moving towards his new family and he couldn’t wait.
Gil’s impatience was mounting. ‘How much longer, Sardi?’
‘Three minutes since you last asked me,’ Sardi returned, but smiled, understanding his need.
Gil had been flying for, what felt like for ever, which he guessed it was, given that he’d simply been either in a plane or in an airport for the past couple of days, not wanting to stop over and spend the night anywhere, instead preferring to get to his Euphemia as soon as possible.
Finally, they were there, the hangar and the house getting larger and larger as they approached.
He looked out the window and saw Anthony jumping around excitedly, waving his arms about. What surprised him more was to see Phemie joining in with the jumping and the waving. He laughed, pleased she was excited he was back.
They’d talked so much on the phone and whilst he knew the separation had been good for both of them, giving them time to think things through, to be one hundred per cent sure this was what they both wanted, he had never been so glad to return to a place as he was right now.
‘Wait until I land the plane first,’ Sardi called jovially as Gil impatiently drummed his fingers. He’d been in this plane enough times to know how to operate the doors. The instant the wheels touched the runway, he unclipped his seat belt and checked his jeans pocket, patting the ring concealed there. Everything was ready.
Gil didn’t know who was more impatient, himself or Euphemia, but the instant the plane door was open, she was in his arms, his mouth on hers, and they were reunited in a fire of passion and need.
‘I love you,’ she murmured against his mouth as she kissed him, tears of joy streaming down her face.
‘Why are you crying, Phemie?’ Anthony wanted to know.
‘Because I’m happy,’ she called over her shoulder, her arms still tight around Gil, never wanting to let him go. ‘I’m so very happy.’
‘I’ll bet I can make you happier,’ Gil said softly in her ear, and in the next instant, right there in the middle of the airstrip with the plane’s engines still whirring behind them, he eased away and dropped down to one knee.
‘Gil?’ Phemie’s eyes were wide as she looked at him.
‘I didn’t want to do this over the phone. I needed to be here, with you. To see your face, to watch your eyes light with amazement. Euphemia Grainger, you have no idea just what you do to me and I want you to keep doing it for the rest of my life.’ He held her hand and to her utter astonishment he slipped on a diamond ring. ‘Will you marry me?’
She gasped and covered her mouth with her free hand, a fresh bout of tears starting up. ‘Oh. Oh.’ This was it. She hadn’t realised it until the moment was upon her but this was definitely it. Standing there, hearing Gil’s words, safe in the love she could see reflected in his eyes, Phemie knew there was nothing more important in her life than achieving her own happiness, and Gil was the one who had not only helped her to realise it but was the one who was providing it.
All those years ago, when she’d cried herself to sleep, her mother stroking her hair, telling her that one day she would meet a man who’d love everything about her—well, that day was today and Gil was most definitely that man. Happy? She was more than happy. She was blissfully content, wrapped in his love and secure in the knowledge that whatever their life threw at them, whatever might or might not happen with regard to children, they would face their future as one.
‘Oh, Gil,’ she whispered again.
‘What’s the matter, Phemie?’ Anthony wanted to know. ‘More happy tears?’
‘Yes. Oh, yes.’
‘Was that answer to me or Anthony?’ Gil asked.
‘To you,’ she said softly. ‘You come first.’
Gil stood and swooped her up into his arms, spinning her round a few times as he kissed her.
‘We come first,’ he corrected. ‘You and me. Together.’
‘For ever.’
EPILOGUE
‘WHEN will the fireworks and stuff start, Phemie?’ Anthony asked.
‘Soon. Very soon,’ she told her impatient brother. ‘You keep watching the sky.’ They were all gathered in the main street of Didja for the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks and Phemie knew she’d never had a happier start to the coming year.
Last year, she’d preferred to stay at the RFDS Base, seeing the New Year in by going to bed early and waking up the next morning with a headache. This year, she thought as she hugged her husband close, would be so very different.
In a few weeks time, both she and Gil would head over to Tarparnii for three months to work with Pacific Medical Aid. The RFDS would send another doctor to the Base to cover them until their return…and when they returned their numbers would increase.
Gil had indeed had a plan brewing and when he’d talked about the amount of orphaned children in Tarparnii and the poor sanitation most villages experienced, Phemie’s heart had turned over with need. The more he’d talked, the more Phemie had wanted to see these places for herself, to see those children and help in any way she could.
‘When will the adoption be final?’ Iris asked Phemie as they all stood together, waiting for the fireworks to start. Iris held her squirming daughter, Anya, in her arms and when the toddler saw Dex, she squealed with delight. Iris put her down and watched as the little girl ran over to her adoptive father.
‘One month after we arrive in Tarparnii.’
‘That’s fantastic. Instant motherhood isn’t easy,’ Iris laughed. ‘I should know having inherited Anya upon her parents’ death but it’s…’ she sighed with happiness. ‘Fantastic. You and Gil are going to love being parents.’
Phemie smiled up at her handsome husband who was busy talking to Joss and a very pregnant Melissa. ‘I think we will.’ She had a sparkle in her eyes and a glow which was perfectly radiant. She had some special news to share with her husband, news she was sure he wouldn’t quite believe but she wanted to wait for the right moment. ‘We have so much love to give, to share with our children.’
‘Love does that,’ Iris confirmed.
‘When will the fireworks and stuff start, Phemie?’ Anthony a
sked again and Phemie checked her watch.
‘It’s almost midnight, Anthony. One more minute.’ Excitement coursed through Phemie as Gil tightened his arm about her waist.
‘He’s so excited,’ he murmured, brushing a kiss to Phemie’s lips. ‘It’s addictive.’
Gil had loved his first outback Christmas and now seemed to be intent on enjoying his first outback New Year. Phemie’s parents and Anthony had been resplendent at their September wedding and had been more than happy to return to Didja to share in the newly weds’ first Christmas. A few days later, the Graingers had left for another short holiday, Anthony wanting to stay on to experience New Year in Didja and who could blame him? The atmosphere was indeed electrifying.
‘You’re addictive,’ Phemie returned and urged his head down for a more thorough kiss.
‘Hey,’ Melissa protested. ‘You’re supposed to wait until midnight actually strikes before the kissing starts.’
‘You can talk,’ Dex teased his big sister as he tickled Anya’s tummy. ‘Last year, you and Joss almost couldn’t wait to lip-lock.’
Joss grinned at Melissa. ‘Our first kiss and now—a year later—look where we all are.’ He placed a hand protectively on his wife’s belly, caressing the baby within.
‘It’s been quite a year,’ Gil agreed, smiling at his Euphemia. He’d never thought he’d ever be this happy again and yet every day, his love grew for the woman at his side. He loved outback life, loved the vast, remoteness of it all and couldn’t wait to fill their home with the children they both yearned for. Soon. It would all be happening soon.
‘When will the fireworks and stuff start, Phemie?’ Anthony asked and Phemie giggled as the ten second countdown began. Soon, she would tell her husband the good news, the most amazing news. When Melissa had confirmed Phemie’s own suspicions, she hadn’t believed it.
‘Would you like me to do an amniocentesis to check for Down’s?’ Melissa had asked and Phemie had declined the offer. Gil had been right all those months ago. Together, with him by her side, she could do anything. She would make the most wonderful mother and he would be the most incredible father.
‘Keep watching the sky,’ she told her brother. ‘It will light up your life.’ She, however, wasn’t watching the sky. Instead, she was looking as intently into Gil’s eyes as he was into her own.
‘You light up my life,’ she murmured.
‘Ditto,’ he replied and kissed her passionately as the fireworks cracked and sparkled above them.
‘By the way,’ she murmured against his lips with utter happiness filling her heart. ‘I’m pregnant and I’ve never been happier in my life.’
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
First published in Great Britain 2010
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Anne and Peter Clark 2010
ISBN: 978-1-408-91795-4
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Excerpt
About the Author
Other Books By
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Copyright