Part 4 of 4
He sits back with a disapproving frown, "There IS no better, I searched years for her, and I don't have to defend my life choices to you. If you have any residual feelings for me at all, please respect my wishes and leave us in peace."
She studies the table top, a speculative look in her eye, "Do you intend to marry her?"
"I do," he replies stoutly, suddenly realizing there is more than dinner on his plate tonight.
"Will you stay here on the island and make a life for yourself?"
"I will," he replies somewhat absently, now thinking about house hunting and life up on a hill as opposed to life down on a beach, both of which he would prefer to living in town. However, Camille must have a say in all this… as well as Harry… and…
Megan darts a demure look up at him, "That's fine, Richard, I understand. This is a small island; I imagine everyone knows everyone else's business here.
He comes back to the moment, wanting only to return to his Love waiting so impatiently, "Yes, they do. Apparently everyone knew about Camille and I before we ourselves did. It was a bit of a shock, people knowing my heart. I never paid much attention to public opinion before but in this case I bowed to cooler heads and did what I was told. Best advice I ever took."
Now he's thinking about Camille again, Megan can see his eyes losing focus so she reaches out once more, captures his hand, and deals her ace card, "But that's all right, Richard, I can find a place on another island. You can visit me there. No one ever needs to know."
The silence spins out. As he stares down at their co-joined hands, she smiles, certain she's solved the problem, ended the argument, and won the Grand Prize. Certain, that is, until his eyes come up and with a shock she realizes she's misjudged him, misjudged him badly, as he pulls his hand roughly away and stands, all effort at civility dropped.
She stands too, trying to halt him, trying to hold him, trying to prevent him from walking out of her world again. She holds out a beseeching hand, "Richard! Please! Don't go! I didn't…"
He turns away and says low but clear, "We're done. More than done. Stay away from me and Camille. I never want to see you again." She watches him weave through the tables and slumps in bitterest defeat as he walks out of her life without a backward glance.
Much later that night
Megan Talbot returns to her suite having made a very thorough trawl of every dining room, lounge, and bar in every resort and half-way decent venue on the island. She'd grown increasingly incredulous then desperate then despondent as she was forced to realize that nowhere, no place, no HOW could she find a quiet, polite, buttoned-up, gorgeous, green-eyed ANYone to assuage her sorrows.
As she sits on the edge of her unexpectedly empty king-sized bed (fitted with special rose-coloured celebratory silk sheets), she sinks her head into her hands and mourns. She'd known he was special - but just HOW special? - not until this very day. Against all her hopes, against all reason, against everything that Life has taught her to date - he has shown himself to be a true gentleman - just not hers.
She readies for one of many sleepless nights to come, not knowing that she missed her little slice of heaven not once, not twice, but three times this day; first at the Resort when she forever alienated him, again at the Bay Cove where he had just left for the Blue Lounge, and lastly at the Blue Lounge where he had just left to go home.
Which is just as well since a woman pushed beyond her jealousy threshold has been known to commit murder - but who would have been her victim will remain forever a mystery because Megan Talbot leaves Paradise the next day without finding and claiming an angel.
A lot later that same night (but still pretty early the next day)
After they are done, he strokes her back. "I've crafted you a poem," he tells the dark.
She stirs, turns to his voice, "Tell me."
"Um," he clears his throat then says softly, "You summon like a secret summer night, sooth like a soft winter eve. You make my blood shout, my heart sing. You fill my head with storms, my heart with peace. You are my clarion call to battle, my sweet thrill of surrender. You are my life and my love. You are my Camille."
Turns out they aren't done after all.
Are they ever?
Really?
Not in this life.
END