Page 4 of Trusting His Heart

“I didn’t have to.”

The two men sat in the swaying boat with the fishing lines extended. Geoffrey was relieved they returned to silence.

Of course, he hadn’t read the letter. What could it possibly it say that he didn’t already know.

It would say she loved him – feelings he already knew. They were childhood sweethearts – he the football star and she his cheerleader. She had been his first love and he hers. He didn’t need to see the words written to know she loved him.

She would no doubt thank him for trying so hard to save her, possibly thank him for staying with her until the end. Clearly, he hadn’t tried hard enough or he would have saved her and in the process, saved himself. His fight was for him as much as for her, knowing if he lost her, his own life would also be over. He failed. Guilt overwhelmed him – he should have tried harder.

The letter might tell him to move on with his life and find love again. These were the words he never wanted to face, not in her handwriting. There would never be a time he would be ready to move on.

The letter remained folded in his wallet. While ever he held the letter unopened, it held the power of saying whatever he wanted yet leaving the words themselves unsaid.

He didn’t need to move on and find love. He already had love, she died.

Right now, he needed a cab. More importantly, he needed his ride to the airport, put the last two weeks behind him and go back to the pathetic, empty excuse Prof David determined his life had become. And find another stupid blonde or brunette to share the next year with.

Finally, the distinctive yellow cab pulled up to the curb. Only as Geoffrey turned and reached for the handle of his bag, the doorman opened the car door for some woman guest of the hotel.

Unbelievable! She stole his cab!

Geoffrey glanced at his watch. He didn’t have time to be a gentleman and allow ladies first, he needed to get home and this woman was in his cab.

Lips pursed, he took the couple of steps towards the cab, wondering if anyone would stop him from yanking her out by the arm.

A hand brushed ash blonde curls from her face and clear blue-grey eyes looked up at him. “Are you going to the airport, too? I’ve been waiting for half an hour for this cab, I’m happy to share if you are?”

Her smile took the sting out of whatever he intended to say. The doorman placed his bag with the woman’s luggage in the boot. She moved over in the back seat for him to join her.

“Bec Garran,” she offered her hand.

“Geoff Swains,” he replied, shaking her hand and noticing the long, glossy black painted nails. He looked again at her face. Early thirties, well kept and classically presented in a pale pink knit suit and pearl earrings. Nothing matched the black nails.

“Where are you heading?” she asked, clearly wanting to make polite conversation.

“Home.”

“Can you be more precise or are you still looking for it?” A gentle laugh.

“Am I looking for what?” As infectious the laugh and lovely the eyes, Geoffrey had tired of superficial conversations and small talk.

“Are you going home, or are you still looking for what home is?”

“Lady ..” he started.

“Bec, Rebecca but my friends call me, Bec.”

“Rebecca,” he continued pointedly, “It’s been a tough couple of weeks and all I want to do is get to the airport, survive customs and go home.”

“Point taken.” Bec leaned into the far corner of the cab and shut her eyes for the rest of the trip.

Geoffrey avoided the judgement in the eyes of the cab driver. Yes, the woman who offered him a ride to the airport didn’t deserve his rudeness. At any other time he would apologize – his attitude had nothing to do with her – it was all about him.

“How long?” Geoffrey kept checking his watch, frustrated and anxious at traffic and chaos leading to the airport. They wouldn’t have more than five or ten minutes to get from the drop off to the check in. Luckily, as a premium member, he would get fast tracked through – if the cad driver got them to the airport in time.

“Here we go, heaps of time,” why were cab drivers so cheerful?

He jumped out of the cab and removed the three bags from the boot as Bec paid the driver.