At Any Cost (30 page)
Fallon's stupefied silence protracted out an uncomfortably long time. She became aware of the silence, the buzzing emptiness of the darkened outer offices and the fact that they were pretty much alone. She'd never heard such honesty from Tom, possibly from anyone. He was speaking to her like an equal, not a protectee. Like a lover.
Just when she was about to ask why he was saying this now, Tom spoke again.
“Your father sent me away from the hospital,” he said flatly. “In case you were wondering why I wasn't there and why we haven't spoken in these weeks. It was because I was told you didn't want me there.”
“I did ⦔ Her voice was a strangled whisper.
Tom's lips narrowed to a sealed, flat line. There was something about his manner that seemed to suggest regret and pain. It passed so quickly that she wondered if she'd imagined it.
But the anger lingered in her blood. It was the last straw. She would have to renegotiate the terms of her relationship with her father. She wanted a more authentic life; she detested being his prop for political purposes.
“I love you,” Tom said.
The fault line heaved. That woozy, tilt-a-whirl feeling came cartwheeling through her, and there was no possibility of refusing it.
“You mean more to me than anything. I almost lost you, and if I had, it would have killed me.”
“I'm right here,” Fallon said, tears springing to her eyes. “You didn't lose me.”
“I'm not sure what it's worth to you, but I love you and I want to make you happy every day for the rest of our lives. Though I don't really deserve it, I want you to give me an opportunity to do that. No sneaking around. No lies. No misunderstandings about our feelings.”
Tom stood up and walked around the desk, pausing just close enough to make her body respond in the way it always did. He did to her what spring did to cherry blossoms.
“Can you forgive me?”
Fallon nodded her head, not trusting her voice in that moment.
Fallon began to smileâshe couldn't help but smileâand Tom caught her lips to his. She buckled to the pleasure and twined her arms around his neck as the joy swept her up in its magic.
Tom pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Is that a yes?”
“It's a yes.”
“In that case ⦔ Tom reached inside his pocket and pulled out some papers, folded into quarters, and handed them to her.
“What are these?”
“Two e-tickets to Paxos, Greece.”
Fallon bit her bottom lip, looking at the tickets with teary, lovestruck eyes. The whole world was waiting. Open and inviting, and she could see it all with Tom. She hadn't dared dream of so much.
She glanced over at the work on her desk, the same work that never seemed to diminish, the same work that was giving her an ulcer.
It was immediately obvious in that moment that she was done with it. She had no idea what she would do instead, but she desperately wanted to find out.
The future seemed as wide open as the blue Mediterranean horizon. She could do anything, and she'd happily do it all with Tom Bishop by her side.
“When can we leave?”
“Anytime we want.”
Just when she thought she couldn't take any more happiness, her heart squeezed and tears began to pool again. “Okay, Bishop,” she said, grinning wildly. He held out his hand for her, and she laced her fingers with his. With her other hand, she grabbed her purse from the desk.
“Ready, set, let's go!”
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