Mango Kisses (33 page)
Authors: Elisabeth Rose
‘I’ll probably sell the shop. You’d approve, wouldn’t you? You always said it was a dud. I’ll keep the house though. Go back occasionally for holidays.’ He forked up a piece of fish.
‘Holidays from what, Miles?’ she demanded, startling him with her vehemence so he dropped his knife on to his plate with a clatter. She hadn’t touched her own food despite the fork clutched in her right hand. The luscious mango and pineapple slices reminded him of that time, those kisses. Did she remember too?
She glared at him. ‘You can’t just float about the world doing nothing, you’ll go mad.’
Now she was angry, fuming, her cheeks pink, brow sporting furrows born of barely suppressed rage. Why? A whole other scenario was going on here and he had no idea what it was.
‘I know that.’ What sort of person did she think he was? Did she really believe, still believe, he was so laid back he couldn’t bring a brain cell to bear on anything beyond the next day’s weather. ‘Give me some credit! I have plans.’
‘What plans?’
‘Why should I tell you?’ The bubble of annoyance grew into anger. ‘What’s going on, Tiffany? What’s it to you what I do with my money? Or my life, for that matter?’
To his amazement she didn’t respond. Instead she picked out a slice of mango with her silver fork and ate it slowly. He watched mesmerised as a trickle of juice escaped and ran down from the corner of her mouth. She wiped it with her serviette.
‘I think it’s a shame.’ Her mouth quivered slightly. ‘I would have liked to get to know you, properly this time, not as a client — but I don’t live in Sydney any more. I’ve moved. I suppose it’s a waste of time going on with this.’ She laid the white napkin on the table by her plate and sat motionless with her hands in her lap.
Miles heard the words but the meaning took a moment to register, she spoke so matter of factly. Then one fact slammed home.
‘Moved?’ She couldn’t have moved! ‘Moved? Where, where have you moved?’ Why? No doubt to a bigger, better job. His world began to collapse, shatter around their table.
She took a shaky, stuttery breath and whispered, ‘Does it matter? You want to be in Sydney. I don’t anymore.’
‘But where? Where are you living?’ He leaned forward and his hand reached out for her across the table as though he could physically grab her and stop her from leaving. He could move anywhere she was. He wasn’t committed to Sydney, if she wanted him.
Her blue eyes gazed into his. ‘Birrigai.’
Tiffany watched the impact of her answer registering on Miles. He blinked. He frowned. He half opened his mouth and then closed it. His outstretched hand collapsed on to the snowy tablecloth. The fear and desperation left his face. He began to smile and the smile spread to his eyes. She knew for sure then, she knew exactly what she wanted to know.
He asked in a voice soft and gentle as warm night air, ‘Why Birrigai?’
She rested her hand in his open palm and his fingers closed over hers. Tightly. ‘Because you were there.’
He nodded. ‘That’s why I came to Sydney. Because you were here.’
‘I love you, Miles.’ Now it was the easiest thing in the world to say.
‘Come to my room.’ It wasn’t a question. Tiffany nodded.
On the way out of the restaurant, Miles, holding her hand in his, said to the waitress, ‘Would you send up a fruit plate for two to my room, please?’
‘Tell them lots of mango and strawberry,’ added Tiffany.
She saw Miles’s grin widen as he said, ‘And a bottle of champagne. The best you’ve got.’
Tiffany laughed. ‘Do you know how much that will cost, Mr Frobisher?’ she asked sternly.
‘One of the advantages of being filthy rich,’ he whispered in her ear just before he kissed her, ‘is you don’t have to ask.’
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ISBN: 978-0-85799-090-7
Title: Mango Kisses
Copyright © 2013 by Elisabeth Rose
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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