“What I did that day was borne out of tiredness and frustration within myself. There’s no excuse for my unprofessional behaviour. During my time away I’ve re-evaluated my career goals and will now make sure that I take time out to look after myself, so that I don’t find myself in the same emotional situation I was in two weeks ago.”
She reached forward and lifted the glass of water in front of her, her hand shook slightly. It didn’t matter that everyone in the room saw this little bit of vulnerability from her, she was done hiding.
Now came the difficult part of her speech. She would do it, though; she owed the public that courtesy.
“Finally, my heartfelt apology goes out to the general public who read the statement and offered unconditional sympathy and support to me. It was wrong to lie.” No sooner had she finished the word, cameras whirred and the reporters all began to shout questions.
Laura pulled the mic toward her and spoke loudly. “Questions will be answered later. Please allow her to continue.”
“Thank you.” Pandora nodded and continued once they’d all settled down and remained quiet. “As I said, it was wrong to say that I had a pet die. It was an idea that was presented to me and I went along with it. I shouldn’t have. I should’ve faced the music and been truthful with everyone from the beginning. I promise that I will never do something like that again. I hope you can all forgive me.” There, she’d done it. She’d owned it and the weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “My agent will now address you all.”
Twenty minutes later Pandora thought she would’ve fared better had she gone ten rounds in the boxing ring with the current heavyweight champion than she’d done facing a crowd of rabid reporters. Even with her and Laura’s statements, each one of them strived to get her to stumble and admit she’d lost her mind. Or she’d actually been in rehab. Or bait her into saying something derogatory about her parents.
The whole process was exhausting, and she wanted it over and done with. She was about ready to stand up and walk out, regardless of the consequences it would have to her and her career.
A commotion at the back of the room momentarily stopped Laura from asking for the next question, but it settled down and she didn’t think too much of it.
Laura pointed to a man in a yellow shirt and he stood. “Pandora, I have it on good authority that you were seen visiting an older male patient in a rural hospital. Is he your lover? Is he the reason you stayed there?”
Pandora sputtered in shock at the accusation. And who the hell at the Waratah River hospital had spilled the beans that she’d been visiting Ray? When this was all over, she’d be getting on the phone and calling Scott to tell him that his staff should be more respectful of visitors and not gossip. Although it may not have been a staff member but another visitor who’d seen her and decided to make a quick buck. Either way she wasn’t going to have a sweet old man dragged into the mess. “Your question is distasteful and really doesn’t deserve to be answered, but I’ll humour you and answer it. No, the man in question is not my lover. He’s a lovely person and a dear friend who doesn’t deserve the disrespect you’re giving him.”
“Any more questions?” Laura asked and Pandora blew out a breath. The torture was almost over. “Yes, you there in the back with the blue shirt.”
Pandora kept her eyes on the front row, hoping that whoever was about to ask the question would direct it to Laura and not her.
“I have a question for Pandora.”
Her head shot up faster than a meerkat poking up from a hole in the ground. She had to have imagined that voice. It couldn’t be Jonas, he was in Bunya Junction. Yet there he stood—tall and strong and real. His blond hair was shining beneath the light he stood under, his own personal spotlight. Her heart stopped, then kicked back into a rapid tattoo rhythm.
“Yes?” The word a mere whisper that she doubted the reporters in front of her could hear. She cleared her throat and lifted her chin. No way was she going to let Jonas see how much he’d shocked her, even if her shaky voice had pretty much given her away. “Yes?”
“Jonas from Horse and Hound magazine.” The room erupted in chuckles and every head turned in his direction. She heard Laura gasp and she, herself, had to swallow down her own sound of surprise.
“Yes, Jonas from Horse and Hound, what is your question?” Laura prompted when the buzz in the room got louder as Pandora and Jonas continued to stare at each other.
Hope swelled inside of her, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t push it down again. She’d landed in the middle of her very own rom com.
From where she sat she could see the enormity of the situation had hit him square in the middle of his chest. “Umm. Okay,” he muttered, but it was loud enough for the reporters around him to understand something big was about to happen. How could they not, he was basically recreating the famous scene from one of her favourite movies?
He took a couple of steps forward, stopped and appeared to compose himself before walking to where she sat. Beside her Laura leaned closer and hissed, “What’s going on? Do you know him?”
“I have no idea what’s happening and, yes, I know him.” The fact Jonas was here when he should’ve been back in Bunya Junction serving the regulars their nightly meal and drinks wasn’t lost on her.
He’d come after all.
For her.
There was no doubt about it. From where she sat she was close enough to see the apprehension—and was that hope?—in his eyes. His tongue darted out and she tracked the movement as he swiped it across his lower lip. She resisted the urge to copy the action with her own tongue.
“Pandora, can you forgive a man who let the best thing that ever happened to him walk away? Can you forgive a man who should’ve been here when you needed him the most? Can you forgive a man who was too scared to admit he loves you so much he can’t imagine life without you in it?”
The room was so quiet a pin could drop and it would sound like a sonic boom. Shock at Jonas’s declaration had her stuck to her chair, unable to move. Blood rushed through her body, pounding in her ears. Forming an intelligent response was impossible. Shock had taken hold of her vocal cords.
Laura discreetly jabbed her in the ribs, jolting her into action. She shot to her feet. While everything in her screamed at her to leap over the table, her sheath dress prevented her from doing that.
Aware that every eye in the room was on them, but also not caring either, she walked around to where Jonas still stood, waiting for her.
She still couldn’t believe he’d come to Sydney, that he’d walked away from the place he said he wouldn’t be able to.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered and reached out to touch his cheek.
He laid his hand over hers so that it was trapped against his cheek. Over his shoulder she was aware of photographers jostling for the best angle, cameras clicking, as a front-page story unfolded in front of them.
“I had to come. I should’ve come when you asked. You needed me and I let you down. I’m so sorry. But it won’t happen again. Whenever you need me. For whatever reason. I’ll be there. If you’ll let me.”
“You didn’t let me down, because here you are.” She closed the gap and freed her hand from his grip so that she could wrap her arms around him.
He rested his forehead against hers and even in a roomful of people, many of them yelling questions, it was as if only the two of them existed. “I’ve been drifting in my life, believing I had everything I wanted and needed.” He spoke softly and she could picture the reporters leaning forward trying to capture what he was saying on tape. “I didn’t realise until you left how much having you in my life anchored me and showed me what I needed.”
What he was saying to her was even better than any declaration in any rom com she’d watched. “What is it you need?”
“You. Always you. It’s way too soon, I know, but I love you. When I saw you sitting behind this table facing a crowd of reporters, every part of me that had sh
attered when you left this morning, glued back together. I need you in my life, Pandora. You make me a better person. A more complete man.”
As if his words were what she needed to hear, her heart burst and love flowed through her, warming her up and giving her a joy she couldn’t explain. No one would believe her if they weren’t living in her body right this second. “Jonas, I love you too. And I need you in my life as well.”
“Thank God.” His lips landed on hers and she sighed. The kiss was brief and over far too quickly for her, but it conveyed a lot of emotion. Even with the flush of love swimming around her, she was aware that there were so many things they needed to sort out. One of them was his pub. Until a few moments ago she’d thought it was the most important thing in his life.
“What about the pub? My career? How is this going to work?”
“We’ll figure out a way to make it work. Believe me, though, I’ll not stop you from continuing on with your career. My support of you is unwavering. As for the pub, we’ll work something out. You are the most important thing to me. As I said, I can’t live without you.”
Relief swamped her, along with resolute belief in what they would build together. “You’re right, we’ll make it work. Because I can’t live without you either.”
As their lips melded together the crowd around them erupted into applause. Whatever the future held, with her career and with the pub, they’d face it together.
As a team. As a united front that couldn’t be torn apart.
Epilogue
Three months later
Jonas looked up as Pandora stormed into the pub, wedding dress flying behind her. A sense of déjà vu washed over him. “Should I expect an irate groom and wedding party to descend on us soon?” he quipped.
His beloved stopped and laughed. “No, and you don’t have to worry about an irate photographer either. The shoot is over, everyone has packed up and left. I’m free as a bird.”
“You didn’t look too happy when you came in.”
“That’s because it’s hot out and I wanted the air-conditioning.”
Jonas came around the bar and pulled her into an embrace. “Well darn, here I thought I needed to go and fight for your honour.”
Pandora threw her head back and laughed, the sound resonating through him. He would never get tired of hearing it. After they’d kissed and made up in the city, she’d gone to see her parents, not wanting to wait any longer. The meeting hadn’t gone well. Her parents still didn’t agree with her career choice, which was why they’d tried to sabotage it with the tell-all interview.
In the end he and Pandora had walked out and when they’d got to her place, he’d held her all night as she cried over the lost relationship with her folks. Time would tell if it would heal, but he was hopeful, for Pandora’s sake, that the fence could be mended. No matter the outcome he would always be by her side, would always put her first in his life.
He admired the gown she was wearing now. It wasn’t as stunning as the one she’d had on the day she burst into his life, but she really did make a beautiful bride.
One day she’d dress that way for him.
“Hmm, you know, I could speak to Reverend Jack and he could hitch us right now. Seeing as you’re in a wedding dress and all.”
Pandora’s eyes widened at the suggestion. “If that’s a proposal, Jonas Carruthers, it’s one of the worst I’ve ever read about or seen in a movie. Or on television.”
“She’s right, Jonas. When I proposed to my Janette, I at least got down on one knee.” Jonas looked over his shoulder at Ray who was sitting next to his wife, Janette. The funniest thing had happened: when he’d been recovering from his open-heart surgery his first love had walked into his room. She volunteered at the hospital and it was like the years hadn’t separated them. His and Pandora’s investigation to try and get the two together hadn’t ended up being needed.
Two days after their reunion, Ray proposed and Janette had said yes. When he got out of the hospital they went to the courthouse and got married. Her kids from her other marriage had commented that they’d never seen their mother happier.
“Noted, Ray.” He pressed a kiss to Pandora’s nose. “When I propose I should get down on one knee.”
“Glad you listen to sage advice. Now, I need to go change. We’ve got a baby shower to host.”
Jonas looked around the main room of the pub. Bundles of pink and blue balloons were on every table and dotted around the rest of the area.
Just as he’d joked months ago, Sindy and Ryan were expecting twins. She’d been shocked when she’d been given the news but, according to Ryan, she’d declared that they needed to go get married right away. So being the dutiful husband-to-be that he was, Ryan organised everything and the next weekend all their family, including Yolanda, Michael and little Jayne, had witnessed their wedding. A big party was held at the pub a couple of weeks later, giving everyone in town a chance to make arrangements to attend. In a few hours, the pub would, once again, be at the centre of the action. When they cut the cake, the gender of their children would be revealed.
Life was pretty damn good, if he did say so himself. Together he and Pandora had worked out a plan for their lives. As she’d already decided to pick and choose her assignments and what products she wanted to endorse, she’d declared she would move to Bunya Junction and help Jonas run the pub when she wasn’t away. If the shoot was only going to be a couple of days, and in Sydney, Jonas would close the pub and go with her. If it was overseas, they’d decided that it would be best that she travel alone.
The arrangement was working well so far, and he was getting a break every now and then. With Pandora helping at the pub, his workload had halved. Plus, the townsfolk were all okay with the pub being closed on the odd day.
God, he loved his hometown.
Warm arms slipped around his waist and lips pressed the back of his neck. “You seemed miles away there, Mr Carruthers.”
And he loved this woman. He turned in Pandora’s arms, noting she hadn’t gone and changed. “Just thinking how life is pretty wonderful.”
She beamed up at him. “It is, isn’t it?”
Why should he wait? What could be a more perfect place to propose than where they were making their future? Not to mention the place where they’d first laid eyes on each other. And she was in a wedding dress, like that Saturday all those months ago.
He’d purchased a ring when they’d recently gone to Sydney so Pandora could do a shoot. Today, he’d put the ring in his pocket. Perhaps his subconscious had a better handle on what he needed to do, than he did.
Without second-guessing himself he got down on one knee. Pandora gasped, her eyes widening. “I know you thought I was joking a few moments ago, but I truly wasn’t. Why wait, when I know it’s right.” He pulled the ring from his pocket. “Pandora Sebastian, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she squealed. “A million times, yes.” He stood and slid the ring home. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he placed his hands on her hips, resting his forehead against hers.
“I love you, princess.”
“And I love you, Mr Horse and Hound.” He threw back his head and laughed, before capturing her mouth with his.
Behind him he heard the claps and whistles from the crowd, but all his focus was on the woman in his arms.
His one and only.
*
Scott Carruthers cheered when his twin and her husband cut the cake, revealing pink filling. They were going to have baby girls and he couldn’t be happier for them. Thank goodness that once her morning sickness had passed, it meant so had his nausea. He hoped to God he didn’t experience labour pains. That was the last thing he wanted.
He tossed back the rest of his drink and wished he could drink away the stress that was resting on his shoulders. The cause of said stress sat at a table just off to the side from where Ryan and Sindy stood. Why his twin thought inviting Dr Franceen Lewis to the party was a good idea, he’d never know. Although
the woman was his sister’s doctor now, so he supposed it made some sort of sense.
A new addition to the hospital, Dr Lewis had been nothing but a pain in his arse. Not in the work aspect; he liked her ideas. They were innovative and complemented his vision for the hospital. It was exactly what they all needed, an injection of new life.
The issue was his unwanted attraction to her. She couldn’t get within five feet of him without his body reacting and warming to her presence. He’d thought it would level out as time passed. How wrong he’d been. If anything, it increased every time they spent any time together.
As if aware of his scrutiny, she looked up and over at him. Their eyes met and held. A familiar heat sizzled through him.
Yes, a damn inconvenience.
The End
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Acknowledgements
To the fantastic Tule team, for the continue support of my career and the opportunities that you give me. It’s an honour to be a Tulligan.
Thanks to Lee Hyat for the most amazing cover for this book. I gasped when I saw it and still do every time I look at it.
To my fabulous Ninjas for always being there and supporting me, saying thank you never seems enough. Just know I appreciate and value every single one of you.
To my #TeamNicole crew who support, read, and pimp me I appreciate every single one of you.
Finally, my family who encourage and stand by me every day I’m working fills my heart with joy. Thank you for your unconditional love.
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