The Geary Series Boxed Set (19 page)

My love for this woman had driven me to distraction over the last month. I told her that I loved her by text message. Probably the most unromantic thing I had ever done. Who tells a woman they love them for the first time using technology?

Me, that’s who. I was such a stupid idiot.

I wanted to smack my head against the steering wheel when I sent it. Olivia’s text message coming through whilst I was driving made me pull into the hard shoulder. Looking at her beautiful face gave me palpitations, and I knew at that point I loved her. I didn’t want to wait until I saw her again I needed to tell her. I should have at least called.

I hadn’t heard anything from her since. I had left countless messages on her phone, and email, sent her messages over Twitter and other social sites. I had even written blogs about her, and how I felt, omitting who she was. The comments that people had made on my blog pages about my heartfelt poems and musings, were heart-warming, but none of them were from her.

I had a few fake people who claimed to be her. I nearly fell for one of the dirty tricks one of them did to get me to reveal her name but caught myself just in time. Once she’d given me the silent treatment for a week, I realised that I had no idea where she lived, not even a city. There were many Olivia Gage individuals dotted around England, I had no idea which path to follow.

As a self-published author, she had full control over which pieces of information were released, and she’d carefully avoided where she lived. She was hiding her secret of her husband’s condition, and she’d done it very well. Cecily, who had helped me at the gallery opening for her work, wouldn’t answer any calls either. I contacted the gallery for information, but they were tight lipped too.

Finally, I had a breakthrough. She’d written a book and was releasing it. Uncharacteristically she’d agreed to a book signing to promote her new book. She’d never done that before.

I knew where she was going to be and when. I was going to be there too.

I shuffled out of the back of the shop with Cecily at my side and made my way to the chair and desk they had set up for me. I had been coming to this shop for years to write as well as to purchase books. They had a café on the side with the biggest and most battered leather chairs. I would spend many afternoons typing away in my own little world.

I had heard that they were on the brink of closing and badly needed some publicity to their location. There were no other book shops around in the area so they should have had more footfall. Their money had dried up for advertising, so Cecily persuaded me to have a book signing for my new release and I reluctantly agreed.

Since I left Jack, I hadn’t spoken to him, and it broke my heart each time I saw his face flash up on my screen. He called me religiously every night at ten o’clock, and each time I let it go to voicemail. After a few days, I knew that I couldn’t see him again, it would be too much to love and lose again. It would hurt too much to see his face fall if we met up again and I told him. I stopped reading his blogs because it pained me to read about his love. Cecily thought I was bonkers to ignore him and vowed to get on a plane and go and see him on my behalf, but I swore her to secrecy. She was more than chuffed that her pictures were on his wall.

I reached the table and rested my hand on it as I looked out to the shop, it was empty. I suspected as much, I didn’t believe that people would want to come out on a rainy night to get a book signed by me.

I sat down and burst out laughing, the only chair they had was a low seated arm chair, and when I looked at the table, it came to my breasts. I looked like a child behind an oversized table. The chair was so low I could rest my legs on the floor.

“You look ridiculous Olivia. Surely they have a proper chair for you.” Cecily scoffed at me.

“I don’t mind, at least I can crawl under the table and have a sleep until someone wants to come and get a book signed.” I said and sighed at the imaginary tumbleweed scurrying past.

Cecily looked down at me and slapped my arm. “You’re kidding, right? There will be no sleep for you for the next few hours, I hope you can remember how to use a pen.” She said and then tutted.

I slapped her thigh because that was the nearest limb to my hand. “There is no one here, and the signing started five minutes ago.”

“That is because they are waiting outside, they are queuing round the block, and they locked the doors until you were ready to sign. So grab a pen and get ready.”

“Oh.” I said stunned, I had no idea, I hoped this saved the coffee shop because I was not looking forward to this session.

Cecily nodded to the owner of the shop, and she snapped open the lock and let the queue make their way to the table.

Elijah and I had made good time driving the entire length of the country to see her. Elijah insisted on coming with me in case I backed out. He was fed up with me changing my mind about coming to see her again. Why did she have to live on the south coast? She couldn’t live any further away if she tried. I parked up in a nearby car park, and we walked to the book shop and joined the end of the queue.

“What are you going to say to her?” Elijah asked me for the hundredth time. I didn’t know the first time he asked, and I didn’t know now. I was going to go with whatever came out at the time.

“I don’t know, I’m too scared that she won’t want to see me. If she does see me then I’m scared she will say no to what I want her to do. I’m in such a mess about her.”

“I know, I’ve had to live through it for the last month and it’s driving me crazy. I hope she puts you out of your fucking misery. For my sake more than yours, you’re making my ears bleed with your woe is me routine.” Elijah grumbled as we walked down the street.

I wanted to be the last one in, so as more people joined I left. I walked round the block and joined the queue again. I wanted to be the last person she saw, I didn’t want an audience, even though I had told my virtual audience what I was about to do.

After an hour of queue hopping, I stood next to Elijah on the pavement looking through the glass window at her. Her long blonde hair shone under the lights and curled down her front covering her breasts and disappeared under the desk. She looked bizarre like she’d shrunk, what the hell was she sitting on?

The manager looked relieved that there were no more people coming through the door. I was immobile. The door was shut and locked, and I was left standing out in the cold.

“What the fuck are you doing dude, get your arse in there.” Elijah yelled at me.

“I can’t go in there, I don’t think I can take the rejection. Let’s go.” I said and started to turn to walk away.

“No fucking way are you leaving here without talking to that stunning woman in there.” Elijah told me whilst pulling out his phone.

“Come on Cecily, answer the fucking phone.” Elijah said into the phone.

I was so tired I could have cried, but these people had made an effort to see me, so I made an effort to keep cheery. Cecily squeezed my shoulder and whispered that this was the last person, and she was nipping out to the bathroom. I was grateful she’d stayed with me as this was my first signing.

I sighed and reached out for the book and opened the cover and poised my pen ready to sign.

“Who shall I sign this to?” I said

“Mr Geary.” Said the low, deep voice of the man I adored.

I dropped the pen I was holding and kept my eyes on the book, I didn’t dare look up. He was here in front of me, and I was too chicken to look at him.

“What would you like me to write Mr Geary?”

“Olivia I want you to look at me and then I want you to tell me that you have no feelings for me whatsoever, and that is why you have not spoken to me since I told you I loved you.” He bit out.

I could feel his anger, it was palpable, he was angry, and he should be. I was a total bitch to him, and it was unforgivable. I was scared and found it easier to walk away.

“Well, Ms Gage, I’m waiting.” He said and tapped his finger on the table.

I looked up at his beautiful, angry face and grinned at him. I couldn’t help it, my heart swelled at the sight of him. His face hadn’t altered, stern green eyes and his usual full lips, thinned.

“I can’t tell you that I have no feelings for you because that would be a lie. The truth is that I love you too Jack. I realised that a few moments after you sent that message, but I was too scared to tell you. So instead of telling you, I busied myself with the release of this book.”

I looked down at the book he had placed in front of me and picked up a pen and started to write.

Dear Mr Geary

I hope that you will forgive me.

Ever yours

Olivia

X

I passed the closed book back to him and faced his wrath. He read the message and frowned and read it again.

“Why do I need to forgive you? Do you mean that the fact that you cut me out of your life like some meaningless fling?” he barked at me.

“Listen Jack you can stop with the mean tone, I get that I hurt you, but I thought I was making the best decision.” I said.

Cecily came around the corner and stood by my side.

“Have you told him yet?” Cecily asked.

“Yes I’ve told him, pipe down.” I snapped back.

Cecily ignored me and held out her hand to Jack.

“I’m Cecily her best friend and I’m thrilled that you’re here tonight so I can say thanks in person for buying my pictures.” She said and grinned at him and then at me.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?” I asked her sulkily.

“You bet, you may not have followed his heart-achingly beautiful blogs, but I have, and I cannot wait for the next bit.”

“What is she talking about Jack?” I asked.

Jack fidgeted on the spot, and I sighed and whimpered pathetically and stretched my neck back. I was stiff from sitting so long, and my legs had gone to sleep. Something I had complained of at least two hours ago and Cecily had no sympathy for me.

“Help me up.” I snapped at Cecily.

“Pull the table towards you Jack and give me a hand.” Cecily said

“Why what’s wrong with her?”

I could see the alarm on Jack’s face and I chuckled and let Cecily help me up before Jack could get round the table. I placed my hands on the base of my back and let out a groan of relief from sitting down so long.

“Nothing is wrong with me, calm yourself,” I said “I’m just a bit sore from sitting down.”

He put his hand on his suit clad hips, he was in his custom three piece suit and looked divine. I hadn’t had sex in a month, and my hormones burst at the sight of him. Going three years seemed a breeze compared to the last month.

I nodded at him and rubbed my belly and grinned. Truth be told as soon as I knew he loved me I was the happiest woman alive for ten seconds. Then fear hit me as I thought that meant I had trapped him into being monogamous, and I didn’t want that for him. I had decided immediately that he was not going to know. The only way to achieve this was to cut him out.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you loved me? If we weren’t in public, I would smack that backside of yours until it was red raw.” He said.

Cecily giggled beside me, and I slapped her arm. It didn’t stop her, she laughed harder until she was doubled over snorting. It was at this point that I saw Elijah a few paces behind Jack laughing just as hard.

“Hi Elijah, it’s good to see you, please tell me that he didn’t make you come all the way here?”

“Hey beautiful, I insisted he come to say what he needed to say, so please let him say his piece.” Elijah pleaded.

“So, Olivia, explain yourself.” Jack demanded. I shot a look to Elijah, who smirked, and shrugged to indicate I was all on my own in explaining.

“I didn’t want to trap you.” I muttered.

“Trap me?” he said, “Trap me?” he yelled louder.

“I told you I loved you, why would you saying you love me back, trap me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Have half a dozen babies and go boating on my lake. I want to watch as your body swells making those babies, and I especially wish to make love to you to create those lives. I want to marry you, live my life with you and grow old together.” He stopped and drew breath. “Why the fuck would you think you were trapping me?”

He let out a long breath and stared at the ceiling. Cecily had stopped laughing after the first sentence and was sobbing quietly. The manager and the staff were also sniffing softly behind Jack. Elijah was stunned to silence. What had I done? Had I lost him, he just said he wanted to marry me?

“Was that a proposal?” I whispered, hoping he wouldn’t answer in case it was no.

Jack dropped to both of his knees and placed his hands on my belly and kissed it. Pressing his ear to my flat stomach and starting talking.

“Yeah, I agree.” Jack said.

“Who are you talking to?”

“Our future baby, who is going to be a boy, he said you’re a stupid woman.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes,” he paused and shuffled back “that wasn’t a proposal, this is.”

Jack pulled out a ring box from his pocket and opened it, still kneeling down, he took my left hand and slipped the purple diamond ring on my finger.

“Olivia Gage, I have been courting you for over a year and am madly in love with you. Will you do me the greatest honour and consent to be my wife?”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

I looked to Cecily, who was sobbing, Elijah, who was wide-eyed as was the rest of the room waiting in anticipation. Not one of them would be expecting my answer.

“No.” I said.

A collective gasp went round the room. I couldn’t marry him, I barely knew him. What madness makes me say yes to marrying someone after one week?

“No?” Jack croaked out.

“Jack I can’t agree to marry you, I’ve known you approximately thirty seconds. I don’t even know if you like baked beans or not.”

Jack still on his knees, holding onto my hands, let out an incredulous laugh that sounded a little like a snort.

“Baked beans? Well, I hate baked beans, will you marry me now?”

“No.”

“Will you be engaged to me?”

“No.”

“Will you wear the ring?”

“Yes, I’ll wear the ring, it’s gorgeous. You really do have great taste.” I said and gazed lovingly at it.

“So you won’t marry me, be engaged to me but you will wear my ring?”

“It’s my ring now.” I said and grinned.

He didn’t grin back, I’d hurt his feelings and I needed to remedy this quickly.

I knelt down with him so that we were nose to nose. I cupped his cheeks in my hands and stared into his eyes.

“Sweetheart, I do love you, goodness knows on what basis, I don’t know. I just know that I do, we have just met, and I know very little about you. I want to know all that there is about you. I’m not saying I’ll never be your wife but not right now. I know if I said yes, you would have the wedding arranged in two weeks and would want to rush it. I know why you would want to rush it, I do. Why waste time, right?”

“See you know me so well already, what are you hesitant about? Just fucking marry me.” He growled at me.

“Now, that is not very romantic is it Jack?” I asked and giggled, it lasted a second before his lips descended on mine.

He stood and kissed me indecently, and the cheers went up inside and outside the shop. We had attracted a gathering outside with our performance. I didn’t care at that point, I had missed his mouth on my lips and skin, and I craved more of it.

“Will you marry me now?” He asked hopefully.

“Just fucking say yes so that we can go to the pub and get drunk.” Elijah called over his shoulder to me.

“Fine. Maybe, Jack Geary, I may agree to be your wife but I’ll decide when, let’s go and get drunk.”

“That’s a yes isn’t it, anything apart from a no is a yes, I’m taking it as a yes.” He carried on chatting to himself as he walked us over to Cecily and Elijah. I laughed as I saw people wiping away tears and Cecily and Elijah arm in arm watching us.

“Dude, did she said yes?” Elijah asked.

“Yes.” Jack said and looked at me to contradict him, expectantly.

“Yes, I said yes.” I said, and I was instantly lifted off my feet and swung around.

“I’m getting you pregnant tonight, so make plans to be with child very soon.”

Chuckling, Cecily and Elijah rolled their eyes and hugged us in turn. I hardly knew him but also knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.