SIMONE couldn’t believe how disappointed she felt. She’d arrived home from work to discover a message from Ryan on her answering machine. He’d gone to Tasmania.
Tasmania?
What about her diary?
It could remain sitting in his mailbox for days! She’d taken it to his flat during her lunch break, hoping to catch him at home, had needed to see him, to reassure herself that she’d been imagining that troubled, distanced light in his eyes.
She’d agonised over the decision all morning at work, but decided she had to do it. She was sure that Ryan was the one man in the world for her. She loved him, couldn’t begin to imagine her life without him.
And she was so worried that the story she’d told her grandfather had upset Ryan. That was why she’d wanted him to read her diary, wanted him to see the full picture, wanted him to know that she was able to put the past behind her now. And she wanted him to understand exactly how important his help had been. What it meant to her.
But he’d gone to Tasmania.
It was ridiculous really. If only she could laugh.
Without changing out of the red suit and high heels she’d worn to work, she hurried back down to her car, garaged in the basement. It was still peak hour and she hated driving at this time of day, especially now when she was worked up and shaky. Heartsick. But she couldn’t leave the diary sitting in Ryan’s mailbox until he got back.
She reversed her car out and there was a blast of a horn as she almost ran into a flashy BMW convertible that was backing out from a bay behind her. Slamming on the brakes, she jerked her car forward, out of the sports car’s way. Wanted to cry with frustration.
Get a grip, girl.
Once the other car left, she reversed again, this time making it out of the car park without mishap, and she emerged on to the street, only to have to brake again to avoid a pedestrian dashing across the road.
Zap!
A lightning-like jolt hit her as she recognised the pedestrian. It was Ryan.
Ryan, looking every kind of gorgeous in blue jeans and a long-sleeved navy shirt. Ryan on the footpath now, waving to her.
Why wasn’t he in Tasmania?
There was another blast of a car horn behind her. Oh, heavens. Here she was, sitting in her car in the middle of the road, holding up traffic, while she gaped at Ryan. She sent him a frantic wave and drove off down the street, had to continue on for a block before she could turn around and come back.
She parked in the street, got out, a picture of confusion.
But Ryan was smiling. Laughing. Running to her. He swept her into his arms and held her tightly against him, as if he couldn’t bear to ever let her go.
“What happened?” she cried, her head spinning with bewilderment and joy. “I thought you were in Tasmania.”
“I’ve read it, Simone. I’ve read every word. I was just about to board the aircraft and I read the final entry in your diary and I had to come back.”
Ryan set her down, but she felt as if she was still in the air. Her heart was a balloon, taking off for the stratosphere. “I wanted you to know everything, Ryan. You’re the one person in the world I wanted to have no secrets from.”
“You have no idea what that means to me, Simone. I just couldn’t get back here quickly enough.”
“But I didn’t want to upset all your plans. Weren’t you going to see the ultimate wave? The one you’ve always wanted to report?”
“Forget about Tasmania, darling. I can wait another hundred years for the next one. This is more important.”
“What is?”
He took her hands in his. “Us. I’m your one man in six billion, remember?”
“Oh, Ryan.” She wanted to laugh and cry. “I’ve been panicking about whether I did the right thing.”
“It was the perfect thing…the sweetest thing.”
“I’ve been so worried about you.”
“Why?”
“The story I told my grandfather seemed to upset you.
You’ve been different ever since we went to Murrawinni, Ryan. Troubled.”
“Not because of your story.”
“What, then?”
He lifted a strand of her hair, wound it lightly around his finger. “I was humbled by how brilliantly you’ve coped with everything, Simone.” He released the curl. “You’ve had this terrible emotional burden for years but you’ve still got on with your life and reached the pinnacle of a business career. You are a truly remarkable woman and I started to think I was a poor match for you.”
“A poor match? Are you joking? You’re a perfect match, Ryan.”
“But I’m just a part time writer and a beach bum, as my father has so kindly pointed out.”
“You’re not a beach bum.” Simone stared at him, totally shocked. “You’re the most exciting man I’ve ever met.”
“I don’t even have a proper career plan.”
“I don’t want a man with a proper career plan. I can’t love a career plan. A career plan can’t make me feel the way you do, Ryan. I want you, Ryan Tanner, just as you are. There is nothing about you I want to change.”
His eyes sparkled as he grinned at her. “But I do intend to make some changes. I’ve got trust fund investments that I’ve tried to ignore. If I did come up with a proper career plan, would you object?”
“I—” She paused to give this thought. “I don’t suppose so. Not if you choose something you enjoy.” A disturbing thought struck. “But I hope this doesn’t mean you’re going to give up surfing.”
Ryan laughed. “No chance of that. I still have plans for us to hit the beach and I’m not going to sell my surfboard. But you might have to get used to seeing me in a business suit more often.”
“I’d rather see you in nothing but a towel.”
He chuckled sexily.
“Although I can cope with business suits,” she decided. “Actually, I believe you’d look rather dashing in a double-breasted pinstripe suit.”
“I have lots of plans that I want to run past you. If you like, we can make those decisions together. You might even want to get involved.”
“You bet; I insist on being involved. What kind of plans?”
Ryan smiled again and his gorgeous, dark brown eyes shone very brightly. “Well…my first plan is to tell you that I love you, my darling girl.”
“Oh, Ryan.”
Simone didn’t care about the traffic rushing past; she kissed Ryan in full view, right where they were standing in the middle of the footpath.
“You know you’re the man of my dreams.”
With gentle fingers he traced the curve of her ear. “My next plan is to ask if you would do me the incredible honour of becoming my wife.”
Happy tears gathered in her eyes.
“And the mother of my children.”
Too overcome to speak, she nodded ecstatically.
“We can have a good life, Simone.”
“Yes, a wonderful life.”
Happy beyond words, Simone threw her arms around Ryan and kissed him long and hard. A horn blasted behind them and they both turned to see an elderly woman in a passing car grinning madly as she gave them a cheery thumbs up.
Ryan and Simone laughed, waved back, but then they grabbed hands and hurried inside, out of view, up the stairs.
They had a lot to discuss…among other things…