so.
Rebecca was surprised to find that Meg had not changed one iota. Her appearance still shouted executive secretary from her well-groomed short black hair, her tailored black suit with its white lace blouse down to her highly polished black, high heeled shoes.
“You have no idea how pleased I am to see you again Rebecca,” Meg greeted her warmly. “You can go right in.” She waved her hand toward the second door in the office. “I’ve cleared his calendar for the entire day.”
“Thank you,” Rebecca murmured but she did not move. The thought that Dominic was on the other side of that closed door made her hesitate for a moment.
Finally, she sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She had travelled thousands of miles to instigate this meeting it would be stupid to chicken out now.
Besides, she had nothing to fear. Dominic had always been kind to her and treated her with respect.
Her hand was not quite steady as she pushed the door open then quickly stepped into the office, the thick pile carpet muffling her footsteps.
Rebecca glanced around the room and noticed that nothing had changed. It was exactly as she remembered it.
Dominic was standing with his back to the room, gazing out of the window with his hands pushed deep into his pockets, and she wondered if he was appreciating the beautiful view of Sydney Harbour or gazing at nothing, his thoughts elsewhere.
A myriad of emotions swept through her slim frame as her eyes slowly inspected his body. Mike was right, he had lost a lot of weight, and his shoulders drooped as if he had the weight of the world on them. His suit hung on his large frame loosely as if it was a size too large and perhaps it was now.
This was not the suave, sophisticated man she remembered, and she knew then that whatever happened between them in this office today, she would forever be pleased that she had returned to settle matters between them one way or the other.
They had unfinished business and it needed to be resolved so they could both move on with their lives.
Her eyes softened with tenderness as she gazed at his broad back. She also knew now that whatever her future held in store for her, she would always be very fond of Dominic John Farrell.
With a silent prayer, she reached her hand behind her back and made sure she pushed the door closed hard enough that it made a loud click.
It was vital that she observe his expression when he first caught sight of her before he had a chance to conceal his reaction to her sudden, unexpected appearance.
Only then would she know what her next step would be. If she saw hate and condemnation in his eyes she would turn around and leave.
“What is it?” Dominic asked disinterestedly when he heard the noise of the closing door.
He knew it would not be anything important as he did not have any appointments until this afternoon.
Meg had decided that he would realize something was going on and become suspicious if she informed him that his entire day was free, so she had invented a few phantom appointments for the afternoon.
When silence greeted his query, Dominic frowned in annoyance and glanced over his shoulder expecting to see Meg entering the room.
Rebecca!
Dominic sucked in a sharp breath and all the blood drained from his face when he caught sight of Rebecca standing across the room.
Rebecca took an involuntary step toward him; afraid he might faint as his face was so pale.
For a moment, Dominic was convinced he was hallucinating. That she was a figment of his imagination. Wishful thinking on his part. He had been thinking of her and she had appeared as if in answer to his prayers.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he recalled how he had felt her presence two days ago. Apparently, it had not been his imagination after all.
Love and desire blazed in his eyes for a moment before he quickly veiled them, but it was long enough to answer all Rebecca’s questions. She knew now that he had forgiven her for killing their baby.
Without conscious thought, Dominic pulled his hands out of his pockets and turned to face her, unable to believe the sophisticated woman gazing calmly back at him was the same naïve, young girl he had married five years ago.
This woman was beautiful, and her appearance shouted lady with a capital L. Her hair was styled up and her skillfully applied makeup actuated the colour of her eyes and her high cheekbones.
Her skin was tanned a golden brown as if she spent a lot of time outdoors, and she was wearing a bright blue skirt and jacket with black stockings and black, high heeled shoes.
“Are you real?” he asked in a whisper and a smile flickered across her face.
“Hello Dominic,” Rebecca greeted him softly and he sighed with regret.
Her voice no longer resembled that of an uncertain young girl. Now she spoke in a mature woman’s confident tone of voice.
Ignoring Rebecca, and not bothering to answer her greeting, he strode across to the desk and savagely punched the intercom button.
He knew who to blame for her sudden appearance in his office.
“I want to see you and Mike in here now,” he ordered in a clipped voice when Meg answered.
“No, you don’t,” Meg contradicted him firmly and disconnected the line.
Dominic glanced up in surprise when Rebecca laughed gaily.
“Don’t you go blaming Meg and Mike,” she ordered, and his heart skipped a beat or two when her mouth curved in a cheeky smile. “The blame is entirely mine. I pulled rank on them. I am after all still your wife.”
Dominic watched in silence as she walked confidentially across the carpeted floor and sank gracefully into the visitor’s chair in front of the desk.
A deep sadness filled him when he recalled how she had once skipped around a room boisterously, curious to discover all that it contained. Her boundless energy used to make him feel tired just watching her constantly moving.
“Which indirectly is one of the reasons I am here,” Rebecca stated as she placed her handbag onto the floor beside the chair then gazed up at him serenely. “I recently learned that you cannot get a divorce without my signature, so here I am.”
Dominic strode around the desk until he was standing directly in front of her and gazed at her intently, his eyes filled with steely determination.
“If we ever divorce Rebecca it will be at your instigation,” he stated emphatically. “It will never come from me---ever.”
Rebecca shrugged her shoulders in dismissal. “It occurred to me that this could be the reason you have been searching for me these past five years.”
Her eyes widened in surprise when his eyes filled with anguish, his face becoming ashen, and she felt a flicker of fear and uncertainty. What was going on here?
He
