Page 45 of Ruby’s Outback Love

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’m off home.” I leaned over and gave Elouise another hug. “I’ll drop by the motel during the week, it would be nice if you and Cam could come to my place for dinner one night.”

Elouise glanced at Cam who nodded.

“We’d like that, thank you.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

The two smiled as we left the room before turning back to each other. Once we were far enough away so as to be out of hearing range, I stopped and turned to Phil.

“I believe our wild brumby has been corralled. Did you see the way he stared at Elouise?”

“Yes, I did and I believe you’re right. The love bug has hit him hard if the way he looks at her is any indication.”

Phil wrapped his arm around my waist and led me from the hospital. The warmth of his touch set my body on fire and what was left of my previous resolve to remain angry and unforgiving, disappeared into the flames. Hopefully never to be resurrected again.

***

After unlocking the door to my cottage, I led Phil inside. “Come through to the kitchen and I’ll put the kettle on for a cuppa. Have you had breakfast?”

“No. You?”

“No, I didn’t bother. I assumed you wouldn’t eat, so thought I’d wait until we got here to have something. What would you like?”

“Cereal and toast?”

“I have both. I keep bread in the freezer for when I can’t be bothered shopping. I like to have a slice of toast and a cup of tea for breakfast.”

I moved around the kitchen gathering cereal from the pantry, bread from the freezer, margarine and spreads from the fridge. I placed everything on the bench top near the kettle and toaster.

After flipping the kettle on, I opened the packaging and placed two slices of bread into the toaster, ready for after we’d had cereal.

Phil slid up behind me, placed his hands at my waist and nuzzled my neck. I tilted my head, giving him better access.

“Need any help, you’re supposed to be resting?”

I couldn’t think straight as he placed light kisses over my jaw and down my neck to the crook of my shoulder. Shivers of delight danced down my spine.

“I missed you, Ruby.”

Tears welled in my eyes. I spun in his arms and gazed up at his face. “I missed you so much, Phil, but I need to know what happened to cause you to throw me away.”

He squeezed me tight. “I never threw you away, sweetheart. Come and sit down. Leave breakfast for now and I’ll explain everything.”

I willingly followed him to the table where he turned two chairs to face each other before we sat. Scooting forward, Phil moved his legs to the outsides of mine, gathered both of my hands and rested his on my knees.

Over the next twenty minutes, Phil explained everything while I sat quietly listening. The final part of my heart, trapped in ice generated by anger, finally thawed. He really had loved me. I hadn’t been a conquest of some sort. He’d wanted me desperately, but when he was backed into a corner, he did the honourable thing and I couldn’t fault him for that. What had happened between him and Francine to create a child had done so before he’d been with me. He wasn’t to know what the ramifications of his actions would be.

“I’m so sorry you found out the way you did, Ruby. If I hadn’t been so gutless and I’d explained from the beginning, maybe…..”

I squeezed his hands. “I’m sorry I got so angry and wouldn’t give you a chance to explain. If I’d known the truth, that you hadn’t been using me, I would have been hurt, maybe even angry, but I doubt my level of anger would have persisted. It was hard finding out from a stranger that the man I had loved for most of my life, the man I thought I had a future with had plans to marry someone else.” I lowered my eyes and spoke quietly. “I don’t know where we go from here.”

Tears dripped onto our joined hands.

Phil freed one of his hands, placed his fingers beneath my chin and tilted my head back before wiping the wetness away from my face. “What is your heart telling you, sweetheart? We can take things as slow as you need us to and I promise, I will never betray you again. There is no one, has never been anyone else for me and if I have to wait for all eternity for your forgiveness, I will.”

I chuckled. “I wouldn’t make you wait that long. My heart is telling me to dump the past, leave it where it belongs and look forward to the future.”

“And?” Phil raised his eyebrows, hope shone in his eyes.