Flowers on the Water (3 page)

When George went missing, and they feared he'd drowned, she'd been furious with Dominic for falling asleep when he was supposed to be watching George. She said some terrible things. She blanched now at the thought of how much she must have hurt him when he was already distraught.

Lucy's parents had descended on Beach View Cottage and taken her home with them. Too lost in her own grief to think of anything but her son, she'd been content to hide in her childhood home and be looked after.

She barely glanced at Dominic at the funeral. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing left between them but grief and bitterness. Divorce seemed like the only option.

Wiping her eyes, she read on. The sun dipped into the ocean on the horizon. Pink and orange clouds streaked the sky. Shadows lengthened and the tide came in, eventually washing the sand at her feet. She stirred and glanced up, bleary-eyed from reading through her tears for hours.

Every word in this book resonated with Dominic's love for her and George. Why had she been so stubborn and not even opened the book five years ago when he sent her a copy? If she had, maybe they could have tried again.

But it was too late now. He wouldn't have waited all these years for her to come to her senses. A sick sense of loss settled in her tummy. He must have another woman in his life by now.

Lucy closed her eyes and waited for the surge of pain to fade. She would go on as before, and leave Dominic in the past. That was all she could do.

It was time to cast the lilies on the water, say her prayer, and get back to her life. She dropped her phone in her pocket with a sigh and waded ankle-deep to the much reduced beach. The water was approaching the high tide line. Soon it would turn, and carry the lilies out to sea where they belonged—with her little boy's spirit, playing forever among the waves.

She stared at the horizon for long minutes, then unwrapped the cellophane from the bouquet. Something made her turn, a noise maybe, although she hadn't consciously heard anything. Dominic strode down the beach towards her, a bunch of wildflowers in his hand.

He angled his head, a sad smile on his lips. "Can I join you, Luce?"

Almost unbearable sorrow welled in Lucy's chest. For so long she'd been empty. Like a cracked vase, everything inside her had leaked away. She'd loved Dominic so desperately, but taken him for granted. At twenty-one, she had no idea how rare it was to find that total love and devotion. Ten years down the line, she now realized what she had thrown away.

That day in August, when the ocean took George from them, they lost so much more than their little boy. They'd been too young and grief-stricken to fight for each other.

"I've just read your book on my phone," she said.

Dominic halted. Hope flashed across his face, then his expression grew wary. "What did you think?"

"It wasn't what I expected."

He pulled off his shoes and joined her at the water's edge. "I guessed that from your comments earlier."

"Why didn't you contact me, Dom?"

"I did. I sent you the book."

Lucy tipped back her head and stared at the darkening sky. She knew why he hadn't done more to get her back—he blamed himself for George's death and thought she did too. He had every reason for that belief after the horrible things she'd said to him.

"You weren't responsible for George's death," she said softly. "It was an accident."

Dominic dropped his gaze, separated out some stems of pink
campion
, and tossed them into the water.

"It wasn't your fault, Dom. If you'd been the one to go shopping, and I'd stayed here, it could just as easily have been me who dozed off in the sun."

"But you didn't."

"I was the one who kept you up late." Memories she'd banished to the deepest, darkest recesses of her mind rose from the depths, memories of fooling around with Dom, of drinking wine, laughing, making love. George slept soundly after being out in the sea air all day. The vacation gave her and Dominic rare undisturbed evenings and nights.

Dominic tossed a few more flowers into the water. They both watched the delicate stems and papery petals bobbing around on the waves, so fragile against the mighty power of the ocean.

Lucy separated her lilies and tossed them out one by one, whispering a silent prayer, asking that her baby boy be happy wherever he was, and that she would one day see him again. Dominic threw his final few flowers to join hers.

"I owe you an apology," Lucy said. "I was terrified that day. I lashed out at you."

Dominic stared silently out to sea, his lips pressed tight. He'd remained silent ten years ago when she screamed and shouted at him, kept his head when she lost hers. He called the police and the Coast Guard. He phoned both sets of parents. He tried to comfort her, but she hadn't let him touch her. She shut him out and ran away with her mum and dad like a child, instead of turning to her husband so they could support each other and get through the tragedy together.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you," Lucy said.

"You only said what I was thinking."

"Don't blame yourself, Dom." She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "We were young. We did our best."

"I miss you, Luce."

Forgotten emotions surged back like a springtide, filling the empty places in Lucy's heart. She stepped towards Dominic as he opened his arms. Relief almost swept the legs from under her as she buried her face against his shirt, breathed in the familiar scent of him.

The years fell away as she snuggled into the embrace of the man she now realized she had never stopped loving. Then fear chased in on the heels of her pleasure, a terrible sick feeling that she had left it too late. "We shouldn't be doing this. Don't you have a girlfriend who'll object?"

His hand cradled her head to his chest."No other woman has ever touched my heart, Lucy. I still love you."

A smile caught at her lips. "Aren't you going to ask me if I have a man in my life?"

"I know you don't. I call your mum every few months. Have done for years. I like to make sure you're okay."

Lucy drew back and stared at him. She'd tried to forget Dominic, but he'd kept tabs on her. And her mum had helped him.

"Knowing you hadn't fallen in love with another man was the only thing that gave me hope."

"You wanted me back?"

"I never wanted to lose you in the first place."

"Oh, Dom." Lucy framed his face in her hands and really looked at him, at his beloved hazel eyes, his thick dark lashes, and his lips. "I still love you too, Dominic. I didn't realize till I read your book."

"Come back to me, Luce. Give me a second chance."

"It's me who should be asking for a second chance." Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The hollow place inside her overflowed with love for this man who never gave up on her. And as they kissed, she thought she heard the echo of a little boy's laugh on the salty breeze.

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