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Back The Lucky Escape Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR LAURA JANE WILLIAMS
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. Epilogue
  51. Acknowledgements
  52. Publishing Credits
  53. Keep Reading …
  54. About the Author
  55. Fiction by the same author
  56. About the Publisher

I paced around the sunken living area, up and down, processing his words. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wished Patrick was there to say something silly and witty and oddly insightful.

Patrick. What would he have told me to do?

Patrick would have said we only have one life, and to make the most of it. That if Alexander didn’t want me, I could just go on right ahead and enjoy myself without him. He didn’t get to elbow his way into my inbox and change the whole mood of my holiday. And Patrick would be right.

I went into the bedroom and pulled on my bikini, wiping away the tears that had gently fallen down my cheeks without me really noticing. Resolutely, I put on my sunglasses, picked up my bag and a bottle of water, and pulled open the door. On the other side was Patrick, and I almost collided with him.

‘Jesus!’ I screamed.

‘Hi! Hello! Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.’ He looked sheepish, and held out a fridge magnet that said, I love Margaret River.

‘What’s this?’ I asked, taking it. If I sounded angry, it’s because I was. I was angry at Patrick, at the email, at the world.

‘I missed you,’ he said.

I pouted at him. ‘You’ve been gone less than half an hour.’

‘I know. I was being stupid. I don’t know why. I don’t need a Mona Lisa day. Can you forgive me?’

I took his gift and inspected it in the palm of my hand. Alexander had never apologised to me. He’d never snapped and made it right immediately, or opened the door to reconciliation after a fight. It was always me, my fault, and if I brought it up he told me never to make a fuss. And then here was Patrick, apology gift and all, accepting full responsibility for acting like a weirdo.

‘Only because this is an exceptional magnet,’ I settled on, softening. ‘Yes.’

‘Good,’ he replied, and he exhaled loudly. I hadn’t noticed he’d been holding his breath, bless him. ‘I got all caught up in my head, but that’s not for now. I want to spend time with you, not in my thoughts. So, wherever you were going – can I come with you?’

I grinned. ‘Yes. Of course you can. Come on. Let’s explore.’

He held out his arm for me to loop my own through, and together we headed off.

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