Wednesday's Child (8 page)

Eve laughed. “No, no, it’s fine. I don’t want to spoil your fun. Besides, I know how much you hate being stuck in an office. How’s it going?”

“It’s going really well. I’m getting a feel for the place and some great ideas. Did you just call to check up on me?”

“No. I trust you implicitly—that’s why you’re doing this one. The reason I called is to ask if you’ve heard of the Horatio Corporation.”

Jacqui frowned as she thought. “No. It’s not even ringing any bells. Why?”

“They’ve rung twice now asking for you. Maybe you’re being head-hunted.”

“Not likely. Can you find out about them for me—see if they’ve got a website? Just don’t give them my number until I know a little more about them. I’ll be in the office at some point tomorrow, to draw these plans up. And before you ask, no I’m not thinking of moving on.”

“Miss Dorne?” Mr. Forbes appeared in her field of vision.

“I’ve got to go, Eve. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow. Bye.” She closed the phone and slid it into her pocket. “I was just coming to find you. Would you like to see what I have come up with so far?”

****

Liam arrived just after six.

Jacqui answered the door, still dressed in jeans and she promptly got flustered. “Hi…I, ummm, I’m not ready yet. I still need to change.”

“I know I’m early. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, you said seven. It’s only six.”

“When you’re with me, you’re on Irish time.” He laughed. “You’re just fine for what I have in mind. Have you been to the steam fair yet?”

“No. It’s not something I ever fancied doing on my own.”

“Would you come with me? I used to go each year with Niamh before she got married. Now she’d rather go with Jared, and it’s just not the same going as a threesome, or even going with Patrick. Mind you, Patrick’s a workaholic—hardly ever takes a day off.”

He’d never gone with Sally.

“So I’m your third choice?” Her eyes sparked and there was a hint of a teasing tone in her voice, but he wasn’t sure and hesitated.

“No. For one thing you’re far prettier than Patrick.”

“Thank you—I think. Sure, I’ll come with you. I should change first though.”

Liam shook his head. “Really you look fine. So, how did your day go?”

“Fine. Come in a sec while I find my shoes.” She grabbed her trainers and sat on the floor to tie them. “Mr. Forbes liked my ideas. I’ll spend tomorrow in the office to draw up the plans. I can get the plants and so on fairly fast so should be able to start on Thursday.”

“Wow. You don’t hang around, do you? What do you have planned?”

“That would be telling. You’ll just have to wait and see like everyone else.”

Liam laughed. “Fair enough.”

Jacqui stood. “Right, I’m ready.”

“Then let’s go. Thought we’d walk as it’s a nice evening and it’s not far.” He opened the front door for her and followed her out.

****

Jacqui had hoped Liam would hold her hand as they walked and was disappointed that he didn’t.

They could hear the music from two streets away. The huge rides and shows spread out all across Victoria Park with colored lights dancing in the air.

Jacqui pulled out her purse as they reached the payment booth.

Liam’s hand closed over her wrist.

“Liam?”

“I’ll pay. I asked you, remember? I can’t ask someone out, even on a ‘just friends date’, and expect her to go Dutch. Or offer to pay for us both before you say anything.”

“And you bought dinner the other night. Both dinners come to think of it.”

“And? Please don’t tell me you’re one of those women who don’t like men paying for stuff when they go out.”

“It’s my turn to pay for something. It has to be. Isn’t that what friends do?”

“Aye, but I’m paying this time. Don’t argue with me, Miss Jacqui, as no one wins an argument with me.”

“Is that so?” She moved up in the queue. “Has anyone ever tried?”

“Several times, but puppy dog eyes have been known to break down my resistance on occasion.”

Jacqui immediately turned puppy dog eyes on him.

His laughter was infectious.

She laughed with him.

“Fine, Miss Jacqui, you can buy the candy floss.” He handed over the entrance money.

“Sounds good. You can’t go to the fair and not have candy floss.” She let Liam lead her inside the fairground. “So where first?”

“That will be the ghost train.”

“You’re kidding.” She laughed. “The last time I went on one of these I was terrified.”

“How old were you?”

She pulled a face. “Ten.”

Liam’s deep laugh sent chills running through her. “Well, there you go. That was at least nine years ago.”

“More like nineteen.” She put her hand over her mouth in mock shock. “Oops.”

“So now I know how old you are. Come on, I’ll hold your hand the whole time if you want.” He slid his hand into hers.

She half expected him to comment on how cold her hand was, but instead he just held her close. The ride was nowhere near as terrifying as she remembered. Of course that could have been because of the hand gripping hers, and the warm pleasant feeling stealing over her.

“You didn’t scream.” Liam joked as they got out of the ride. “I’m most disappointed. Maybe we should try the roller coaster.”

“Love them.”

“Then let’s do it.” Still holding her hand, he led her over to the huge ride.

Jacqui looked up and swallowed. It seemed so much bigger than the last one she rode. She started to have second thoughts as Liam led her to the cars. Grateful he didn’t pick the first one and not willing to back down and look stupid, she climbed into the car and buckled up her harness.

The first plunge had her screaming and screwing her eyes shut tight. The second had her burying her face in Liam’s leather jacket, clinging to him tightly.

Liam wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Only when the ride was finally over did she look up at him.

“Good grief, woman, you scream like a banshee. I think I’ve gone deaf,” he teased as he helped her from the car. “Scarier than you thought, huh?”

“Yes, much, much scarier. Not doing it again if you paid me,” she mouthed, her throat sore from all the screaming.

Liam tilted his head and cupped a hand behind his ear. “What was that? Did you say something? Because I can’t hear you.”

“I said yes,” she mouthed again, grinning at him.

“I’ve gone deaf and you’ve lost your voice from all that screaming,” Liam laughed.

She flung her arms around him, hugging him out of the blue.

He hugged her back then looked at her quizzically. “What did I do to deserve that?”

“That was for bringing me here. No one has done anything this nice in a long time.”

“A nice girl like you deserves nice things. And you’re not the only one having fun. Come on, you can buy me an ice cream before we go on the dodgems.”

“Dodgems?”

“Sure. I’m a little bumper car, number forty-eight. I went around the corrrr… I can never remember what comes next.”

“That’s a skipping rhyme.”

“Ah. Just as well I don’t know it then. I don’t skip.” He kept hold of her hand as they wandered through the stalls, eating ice cream until they reached the dodgems.

Jacqui wondered if Liam had made it his mission in life to hit her car as he seemed to hit nothing else. She screamed with laugher as he went straight for car number forty-eight. He then ignored the signs and rode her tail, bumping her car every chance he got. Next they raced each other down the huge Astroslide, flying over the humps. Jacqui won every time.

When Liam suggested they go on the Arrow, she had no idea what she was letting herself in for. It wasn’t too bad at first, just rocking back and forth, but its swings got longer and higher until they were hanging upside down for what seemed like forever.

She screamed, her heart racing. Her hands gripped the railing, and she hoped the harness was going to hold. Back on the ground, she stood there, panting, trying not to throw up. She glanced up to see Liam’s white face a stark contrast to his dark hair and beard. “Are you OK?”

“That has to be one of the most terrifying things I have ever done in my life. Voluntarily that is.” He sucked in a deep breath. “And now I feel sick.”

“It was your idea.”

“Was it? So it was. Well, if I ever suggest anything that stupid again, will you please…?” He broke off.

“Would I please what?” The normal completion of the phrase would be ‘shoot me’, but under the circumstances, that wasn’t remotely funny.

“Drown me with a bucket of water,” Liam finished finally. “I never want to go on one of those again.”

“That makes two of us,” Jacqui assured him. “So now what?”

Liam winked. “Something safer and less nauseating,” he said. “Like candy floss.”

“I thought you felt sick.”

“Not that sick.”

Jacqui bought cotton candy and let Liam drag her over to the hook-a-duck. “Oh wow, not seen one of these in years, Liam.”

“I haven’t done this since I last came here with Niamh. I’m out of practice. Hence my desire to do catch a duck. I may be some time.”

“You’ll be better than me, at any rate.” She stood next to him as he handed over his money and took the rod.

He spent a small fortune before he finally hooked one of the winning ducks.

“Which prize do you want, mate?”

“Ask the lady.”

“Liam…”

“Don’t argue.” He winked. “Choose.”

Jacqui looked at the vast array of stuffed animals and finally pointed to the huge monkey dressed in a striped red and white tee shirt and blue trousers. The stall holder took it down and presented it to her.

“Oh, he’s gorgeous, Liam. Thank you.” She hugged him. “I shall call him Jacko. He’s like the one I had when I was a kid.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek, his lips sending shards of flame shooting through her. “You’re welcome.” He slid his hand into hers again. “Want to go down the helter-skelter?”

Jacqui tilted her head back to take in the huge tower with the slide around the outside of it. It had to be the tallest she had seen. “I haven’t done that since I was ten, either.”

“Then it’s about time you did. I’m beginning to think you haven’t lived.” He dragged her and the monkey over to the slide and chased her up the dark stairs which wound up the inside of it.

Jacqui sat at the top on the course canvas mat and shoved the monkey in front of her. “After you, Jacko.”

Liam snuggled up close behind her, his long legs appearing either side of hers.

She twisted her neck to look at him. “What are you doing?”

His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her back against him. “Having fun.”

His breath was warm against her ear, and she shivered as goose bumps appeared on her neck. “You’re mad.”

Liam pushed off, laughing as they flew down the slide. They landed in a tangled heap at the bottom.

The attendant shook his head at them. “Yer lucky yer didn’t get stuck, mate.”

Laughing, the two of them ran off. Jacqui hadn’t had this much fun in ages. She didn’t know much about Liam, but she was comfortable with him. Maybe he was the one. But he wasn’t a Christian. Did God have some kind of plan for him? If He did, was she wrong to hope that plan included her somewhere? If her part was simply to lead Liam back to his relationship with God, that would be enough, wouldn’t it?

Liam took her on every ride at least once, until breathless, they stood in the darkness lost in each other’s company.

Fairground music played, and the colored lights illuminated his face and hair. Neither spoke. There was no need for words. Their eyes met, lips smiled, fingers entwined. Even their breathing was in tune. Liam slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

Turning her face to his, she saw the way the lights reflected in his eyes. His gaze held hers, her heart skipping a beat with the intensity of the emotions filling her. Did he feel the same way?

Liam ran a finger along her jaw and inclined his head to hers, touching foreheads. “You’re beautiful. Especially when you smile.” His accent seemed deeper than usual.

“Thank you. You’re not bad, yourself.” She could feel heat flooding her face and hoped he couldn’t see the blush. “I’m sorry, did I really say that?”

“You did. So would you like to see me again?”

Her heart leapt, then fell in the same instant. “Yes, but what about Sally? She’s such a huge part of you.”

Liam took a deep breath. “I will always love her, but she’s gone.” He smiled. “How about I take you out on Wednesday, and we see how things go?”

“Sounds good. And I want to beat you at pooh sticks again.”

Liam took her hand. “Surely it must be my turn to win by now?”

Jacqui laughed. “Nope.”

7

Every day for the next three weeks, Liam met Jacqui after work. The check for the laptop cleared leaving him short, but he’d manage if he ate packed lunches for the rest of the term. Jacqui worked all day, including lunch, and Liam started doing his marking in his lunch hour to leave his evenings free. The only day he didn’t see her was Sunday when she was at church.

She tried to get him to go with her, telling him God loved him and was waiting for him to return to Him, just like He had done with her. Liam listened and then ignored her pleas, not liking the way it made him feel. Something twisted inside him each time she spoke about God, almost as if someone were poking him with a very sharp stick, chipping away at the wall he’d erected. Nothing she said could convince him to step through the door of a church. God should have saved Sally and He hadn’t.

He decided to wait another month before he booked his ticket back to Endarra and started the search for Sally’s killers. Neither the local police nor the missionary organization seemed interested in hunting down the people responsible, so he would do it. Vengeance was without doubt his. Sally deserved at least that.

Or was vengeance his at all? Had it ever been?

Even as he thought that, the sharp stick inside him poked harder, almost painfully. He noticed that he was no longer trying to deny the presence of God. He wouldn’t say he was softening in his attitude as he was still mad at God, but something moved inside him. It was what Sally would call ‘God dealing with him.’