Bound by Their Love (21 page)

Greta turned so Dad wouldn't see her roll her eyes. Being around him always brought out her teenager tendencies. She decided to hit them with the mock advert showing both the diamond mine and the pearl farm.

‘I think you'll be really pleased with this. Here is a mock-up of the ad for prime-time television spots. These adverts will be to let everyone know about Jeffrey's new collection, coming soon to Regents Hotels.'

Without waiting for a response, she pressed play. Greta stood back and watched. Trying to gauge their feelings from their facial expressions.

Her father's remained neutral, but at the slight raising of his eyebrows she knew he liked what he saw. Graham, on the other hand, his face hardened. What she saw there could only be described as jealousy. A feeling of triumph filled her.

Yes, Dad, see. I can do this and I can do it bloody well.
It was what she wanted to say, but refrained. She still had the print layouts to go through, but she had a feeling that her dad wasn't going to have anything to argue about. Would he say he was proud of her?

Twenty minutes later she sat down and waited, determined she wasn't going ask her father what he thought. Hopeful that he'd turn around and tell her what an amazing job she'd done.

‘This is very impressive. You've done a good job. I'm sure once we actually shoot the models with the jewellery on and edit the footage to incorporate them, we will have a stunning campaign. Well done, Greta. Well done.' Her father shifted his shirt cuff and looked at his watch. ‘I need to get to another meeting, but I think you've done a splendid job.'

She took the praise and warmed inside. ‘Thanks Dad.'

Just wait until she told him about the possible new account with the mining company. After she landed that account, he might actually have to say he was proud of her.

Jeffrey looked up at the building and smiled. Greta had no idea he was arriving today. He'd decided after he'd spoken to her he was going to surprise her. The need to keep Greta close was an unfamiliar emotion. One he didn't know how to deal with. All he knew was he couldn't ignore it.

He'd contacted the airline and managed to get on a flight that landed in Perth early in the evening. The fact he was able to get a seat at the last minute made him feel that his action, although impulsive, was the right one.

As he approached the building, he saw a doorman and smiled in greeting. ‘Good evening, I'm here to see Ms Adamas. The only thing is,' he leaned in and smiled conspiratorially at the man. ‘I don't want to let her know it's me who's wanting to see her. I'm hoping to surprise her.'

‘I'm really sorry, sir. I'm unable to do that. I don't know you. I can call her to let her know you're here. That's the best I can do.'

Disappointment coursed through him, but he had to admire the man's stance. It was good to know Greta lived in a safe, secure building.

Jeffrey nodded at the doorman. ‘Fair enough, tell Ms Adamas that Jeffrey Courteux is here to see her.'

The man looked at a clipboard before lifting the phone. He then looked back at Jeffrey without touching the phone. ‘Well sir, it looks like you'll be able to surprise Ms Adamas after all. She must have already spoken to one of our staff and added you to her allowed visitors. Go on up, apartment 24F.'

‘Thank you.' Jeffrey said as he picked up his bag.

Anticipation at seeing Greta again had him all but running to the lift. He was acting like a teenager on his first date. He stopped and took a moment to get himself under control.

This wasn't him. He wasn't the type of person who got excited about seeing a woman. Perhaps he shouldn't be here. Perhaps he should've stayed in Broome. This was so far removed from his normal character he wasn't sure what he was doing.

‘Is everything all right, Mr Courteux?' The doorman called out to him.

Jeffrey couldn't very well turn around and leave. The doorman would be bound to mention something to Greta and then she'd wonder why he had been at her home but hadn't gone up to see her.

He turned around and looked at the other man. ‘Everything's fine.'

The doorman nodded but he didn't look convinced. Jeffrey didn't care what the man thought. He was here and he had to follow through.

He convinced himself he was doing the right thing the whole lift ride up, and as he walked the short distance from the lift to Greta's front door. Once he got there, he took a deep breath and knocked.

‘What do you need, She—?' The words died on Greta's lips when she saw him standing at the door.

‘Hi Angel.'

‘Jeff? What are you—? I don't understand.'

Jeffrey moved toward her, giving her no option but to take a couple of steps back to let him in. ‘I had to come down earlier than expected. Luc wanted to see me.'

The words tripped off his tongue, even though they were the exact opposite of the real reason why he was there.

‘Plus,' he continued, ‘I wanted to see how the meeting went with your father.'

For a moment, disappointment flashed in her eyes. She walked over to him, putting her arms around him. ‘Thank you. It's good to see you.'

Jeffrey's arms automatically closed around her and he sighed in contentment. He could try and tell himself this wasn't the way he acted. In the past it was true. Now, well, now he could let himself admit that he loved Greta. He'd missed her from the moment she'd left that morning. He wanted a future with her and their baby. He wanted to build a life up in Broome where he could work on his designs and help Greta raise their son or daughter.

A future beckoned him and he was willing to take the risk. Grasp it with both hands. Greta was completely different from Kelly. She wasn't using him.

Or was she?
An insidious voice crept into his mind for the first time since he'd met Greta. Had she known who he was the first time they met at Fierro's gift store?

Jeffrey quickly pushed the thought away. The look of shock and fear on her face when she'd seen him at the meeting in Luc's office squashed the thought. It was completely ridiculous to even consider she'd known who he was that first day they'd met.

Even still, he had no idea what her feelings were for him. He knew she cared. But he also knew how important her career was. He would keep his feelings to himself. It would be safer that way. And he would cut short his trip.

The official opening was still six weeks away. He could go back home after a couple of days here and then he'd come back closer to the opening.

‘I'm glad you're here,' she whispered against his chest.

‘Me too.' He rubbed his hands up and down her back. Wanting nothing more than to take her up against the wall. He controlled the urge. He'd just arrived.

‘This is a really nice surprise,' she pulled away a fraction and looked up at him. ‘But why are you here to see Luc? Is there something wrong?'

Now he'd gotten himself into trouble with his little white lie. He could come clean and tell her the real reason he was there or he could continue with the lie.

He couldn't lie to Greta. That would be so wrong and she didn't deserve to be lied to.

Disentangling himself from her, he took her hand and led her over to her couch. He sat and pulled Greta onto his lap.

‘I lied earlier.' Greta moved quickly off his lap to stand in front of him, before he had a chance to react.

‘What? What do you mean you lied?'

He stood and rubbed his fingers down her cheek, happy when she didn't pull away from his touch. ‘It's not bad, Angel.'

‘A lie is a lie is a lie, Jeff.'

‘I don't have a meeting with Luc. I wanted to surprise you.' He leaned in and kissed her softly. ‘I missed you the moment you walked out the door. I told you that when I phoned. I walked around the house and wanted to be with you. I'm sorry for lying.'

Jeffrey had no idea what to do when Greta burst into tears. ‘Greta? Angel? What's wrong?'

She shook her head and brought her hands up to cover her face. He'd never been comfortable around a woman crying. Kelly had done it often and he'd soon learned that it was a tool to manipulate the situation. He knew Greta's tears were the real thing.

‘I'm sorry,' she hiccupped. He pulled her into his arms, holding her face against his chest.

‘I didn't think it was that bad a lie. I thought you'd like hearing that I missed you.'

‘I do,' she sniffed. ‘It's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. Or even done for me. Thank you, Honey. Thank you for making me feel so special.'

‘You and our baby are special. More special than even the most beautiful diamond I've ever worked with. I want to tell everyone that I'm going to be a father.'

Greta went to pull away from him, but he tightened his hold. ‘You promised you wouldn't say anything, Jeff.'

‘I know, but I don't think—'

‘That's right, you don't. Please Jeff, this is important to me. We can't say anything to
anyone
about the baby. Not yet. And you promised. Please don't let me down.'

Her eyes glistened from the residue of her earlier tears. His heart swelled with love for her. He couldn't let her down.

‘I promise not to say anything. Not until you're ready.'

‘Thank you.'

As he pulled her back into his embrace Jeffrey knew, for Greta, he was willing to do anything. Including leaving the shadows behind.

Chapter 22

‘So, Jeff,' Luc drawled. ‘To what do we owe this unexpected lunch invitation?'

Jeffrey shrugged, having known the minute he issued the invitation to Nick and Luc he'd be asked questions. ‘I was in town and thought we should catch up.'

Nick sat back, folded his arms and looked at him. Jeffrey withstood the scrutiny, raising his eyebrow when the silence lengthened. ‘You going all girlie on us again, Jeff?'

Jeffrey laughed at the reference to their past conversation. ‘Well, it worked for you, didn't it? You and Pamela are together now, aren't you?'

‘True. But seriously, Jeff, you've spent the last God knows how many years secreted away up in Broome and this is what,' Nick looked over at Luc, ‘your second trip in as many weeks to Perth?'

‘The first trip wasn't exactly by choice. Luc made me come.'

‘Seems I must have done you a favour,' Luc said with a wry grin. ‘I'm assuming the reason for this trip is because of a certain advertising executive who just spent the last week and half with you?'

He should've been prepared for the question. It wasn't like he could hide anything from his two friends. He'd done a pretty good job at hiding away. Keeping the circumstances of his return after his accident quiet.

The time had come to lay everything out on the table with his friends. ‘Yes. Greta is a major reason for me being here.'

‘I thought as much,' Luc replied smugly. ‘I knew something was going on between you two at that first meeting. Nothing gets past me.'

Nick rolled his eyes. ‘Do I need to call Jasmine to get your ego under control, Luciano?'

At the mention of his wife's name, Luc's smile widened. Jeffrey didn't think the threat was all that scary for Luc. He knew his next words were going to get the attention back on him. ‘I need to tell you both something. About what happened to me in Europe.'

That had both of his friends sitting straighter in their chairs. Jeffrey took a sip of the iced water sitting in front of him. The noise of the restaurant faded into the background as he started to speak.

‘Luc knows the bare basics. I told him I was hurt in a skiing accident. It was a little more than that. I was caught in an avalanche. My girlfriend at the time was wrenched from my grasp and swept away by the snow.' He paused. He never liked talking about the avalanche. He didn't need to be reminded how he failed Kelly. But he needed to tell them. They needed to know everything. He tapped the side of his glass and continued. ‘They never found her. In the meantime, a tree and I got very well acquainted. If I'd collided with it a few inches higher I wouldn't be here with you both today. As it was, I suffered pretty severe injuries. For a while there they didn't know if I would be able to walk again.'

As he reflexively rubbed his leg, Jeffrey looked at Luc and Nick. He appreciated neither man had a look of sympathy on his face. Instead, shock and a touch of anger was etched on their features. Perhaps sympathy would've been better.

‘Shit, Jeff, why didn't you tell us?' This came from Nick. Luc sat quietly, drumming his fingers on the table.

‘What was I supposed to do? Ring you and tell you what had happened?'

‘Yes,' Luc bit the word out. ‘Or you could've told me when I finally found out where you were and came to see you. When I came and visited you, how long after the accident was it?'

‘Over a year.'

Luc drummed his fingers a little louder. ‘So the half a dozen times I phoned, thinking you were in Europe, you were actually at your house in Broome?'

‘Yes.' He'd had his European phone number directed to his Broome home number. For a year the bills had been huge. But he'd wanted to be alone. The cash outlay to get that was totally worth it.

Jeffrey held up his hand as Luc started to speak again. ‘Look, Luc, I know I should've told you one of the times you called. But you and Nick were busy with the Morelli Corporation. Neither of you couldn't have done anything for me anyway. It was something I needed to do. Alone.'

He'd needed to be alone to deal with the possibility of not being able to walk without having an aid of some sort to help. He needed to be alone to work through his rehabilitation and the frustration with the slowness of it all. He needed to be alone to deal with the guilt he'd felt at causing Kelly's death.

‘What has all this, telling us about your past, got to do with you being here? Now?' Luc asked curtly. Jeffrey knew he'd let Luc down by keeping so much from him. About the seriousness of his injuries. About him almost losing his life.