Wednesday's Child (25 page)
Patrick crossed over to them. “Hey, sorry it took so long.”
Liam stood and helped Jacqui to her feet. He held out a hand to his brother. “Not a moment too soon. I’m glad you got here.” He paused. “How did you get here so fast? If Jacqui rang you last night then…”
Patrick raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think I’d send you in without any kind of backup? I’ve been in the next village, but had to wait for a team from Endarra before I could get here.”
Jacqui released Liam and watched the two men embrace. Someone wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, and she hugged it. She moved to one side, adding her prayers to what Liam had already said, thanking God for saving them. Liam’s arms came around her.
“Are you sure you’re all right, love?”
She leaned against the strong chest, closing her eyes. “I’m all right, Liam. I just want to go home.”
Patrick’s voice came from her left, and she opened her eyes as he touched her arm. “You can go home as soon as you’ve both been debriefed. Again, I apologize for being rude on the phone. The line wasn’t secure, and you didn’t have the code word.”
“It’s fine. Just out of interest, what was it as it wasn’t the next line of the rhyme?”
He grinned and turned at Liam. “The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown.”
Liam wrung the water from the edge of his shirt. “Seven for a secret, never to be told.”
“Well, that makes perfect sense. How’s a girl meant to guess that?” Jacqui complained. “Men.”
Liam raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. “And what’s wrong with men?”
She kept her face straight, despite wanting to grin at him. “Can’t live with them, can’t kill them, just have to kiss them.”
“I can go along with that.” He smiled and kissed her.
Jacqui closed her eyes, and parted her lips, returning the kiss with as much passion, not caring he was kissing her in front of his brother and several armed police officers. All that mattered was that she was here with Liam and that God had protected them through this, just as she asked.
22
By the time they reached Headley Cross after a long flight and a ninety minute train journey, the sky was grey and threatening rain. So different from the clear blue African skies they left behind.
Patrick offered to have them driven home from the airport, but Jacqui refused. She wanted stability and some things that were quintessentially British—a train, long queues, and coffee from the railway buffet cars that neither resembled nor tasted anything like coffee.
The only thing she’d let Patrick do was deal with the luggage, which he promised to have delivered to their respective houses that evening.
Liam hugged her close. “Want to go straight home?”
She shook her head as she hugged him back. “No. Can we do something normal first?”
“Like what?”
“I want to go shopping. Hit the town center.”
“What’s the town center done to deserve being hit?”
Jacqui snorted and playfully tugged on his arm. “Not literally. I need milk and bread and silly things like that.”
“We can do that. Especially as I need those, too. Along with some cereal or something for breakfast in the morning. And a ready meal for dinner.”
“Then I want to go play pooh sticks. In a river that doesn’t have crocodiles in it. At least I don’t think it has.” She winked at him. “You want to swim in it to find out?”
“I’ll take a rain check on that one. Thanks for the thought.”
They visited the refreshingly boring supermarket where the most exciting thing that happened was Liam insisting on paying. He promised Jacqui she could return the favor by cooking him dinner later in the week, and then ran ahead to open the door for her. “There you go, my love.”
“Thank you.” She made her way through it.
“You’re welcome.”
“So where next?” She tugged up her collar. “Ugh, it’s raining. Now I know I’m back in England.”
“Hey, I thought you wanted boring and normal and British. You can’t get more normal in England than rain.”
“True. And it’s your fault.” She playfully nudged his arm.
He rubbed it and nudged her back. “How’d you work that one out?”
“You said you’d take a rain check. Well check it out, it’s raining.”
Liam roared with laughter. “OK, OK, I’ll take the blame for the rain. However, the rain isn’t going to be a problem.” Liam pulled an umbrella from the bag and held it over her as they walked down the street.
“You’re being terribly gallant, Liam. Would you lay your coat over puddles, too, so my feet don’t get wet?”
“No. I’ll carry you over them.”
Jacqui glanced at him and then down at the bag in her hand. “You’re not going to offer to carry the shopping as well?”
“How am I meant to open doors, hold umbrellas, and carry you over puddles if my hands are full of bags?”
She shook her head. “Men.”
Liam grinned and kissed her. “I know. You can’t live with them, can’t kill them...”
“Just have to kiss them,” Jacqui finished. The rain thudded against the umbrella, but she ignored it, losing herself in the company of the man walking next to her. So much had changed, but so much had stayed the same.
As they reached the bridge, the rain stopped. Jacqui grabbed a couple of sticks and handed one to Liam. She stood still, the wind blowing her hair as she leaned over the edge. “One, two, three.” The sticks fell and she ran to the other side, cheering as her stick won.
“Well done.”
“Thank you.” She leaned on the barrier, staring down at the water.
Liam stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “Penny for them.”
Jacqui smiled. “Thinking how pretty it is.”
“Like you.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Page.”
“That’s what I’m hoping, Miss Dorne. Especially since my love is even prettier than sunsets.”
She smiled and wrapped her arms over his. “Not as handsome as mine is.”
She leaned against him, as the sun peeped through the clouds and touched the water, sending an orange glow across it.
“Jacqui, I have something I want to ask you.”
She twisted her head over her shoulder at him, gazing into his eyes. The light set them afire and made them more gorgeous than ever. “What’s that?”
Liam looked at her seriously. “When are you ever going to let me win at pooh sticks?”
“Never.”
“All right…guess I can live with that. On one condition, though.”
“Uh oh. What’s the condition?”
He turned her to face him. “I love you, Jacqui. I have since the moment I met you. That moment you said you’d rather die than be without me, made me realize how much I loved you and that you loved me the same way. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Jacqui held his gaze for a moment. “Liam, I...”
He smiled. “I love you. I came so close to losing you, and I don’t want that. I don’t want to spend another day without you in my life. I’ve put the past to rest, we both have, and I’m convinced the path ahead that God wants us to travel is together.”
Tears sparkled in her eyes. “Yes...yes, I’ll marry you.”
He hugged her tightly, his arms folding around her back. “I love you.”
Jacqui looked up into the eyes of man she had been willing to die for, rather than betray. Joy bubbled up and overflowed. “I love you, too.”
Liam leaned down and kissed her, showing her how much he loved her in a way words couldn’t express.
She tried to contain the blush spreading over her cheeks and the way her knees weakened and her legs didn’t want to hold her up anymore.
Liam adjusted his grip to keep her upright.
Jacqui held him tightly, stars dancing around her. She parted her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss, kissing him until they both stood breathless, foreheads touching, arms and fingers entwined. She stifled a yawn, not wanting to spoil the moment.
He ran a finger down her face, sending sparks of electricity pouring through her. “Can you stay awake long enough for a rematch before I take you home?”
Jacqui nodded. “Just don’t expect me to let you win.”
Liam smiled and leaned down picking up two sticks. “We’ll see. One more game, then home.”
“That sounds good. Homeward bound.”
Liam grinned as he counted to three and the sticks fell. “Heavenward bound, actually.” He ran to the other side. He had won the woman he loved, salvation from a God who loved him and as the sticks passed underneath them, his hand punched the air. “Finally. Yes!”
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