‘No mix-up,’ said the voice at the other end, a voice that made her breath catch, shivers run up and down her spine, goosebumps break out all over her skin and her heart lurch. ‘And as I can’t wait an hour, or even another minute really, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to come up.’
Celia’s heart began to thump as her head swam and emotions like joy, relief, love and hope began to surge through her. Oh, God, this was what she’d been waiting for for so, so long. He was here. At last. And in all the scenarios she’d envisaged she was looking immaculate and composed instead of a washed-out wreck, but it didn’t matter. He was here, and that was all that counted.
Unless, of course, he was here to tell her that she’d been wrong, she thought, her heart suddenly plummeting and all those lovely feelings vanishing. That while he’d always be there for the baby he’d never be able to be there for her. That he didn’t love her and never would. Because of what happened with his parents. Because he was as stubborn as a mule, because... Well, because of just about anything, really.
Ordering herself to get a grip before she got hysterical, Celia pulled herself together. Whatever the reason he was here she wanted to know, and the only way she was going to do that was by letting him in. So, reminding herself that she’d be wise to keep her emotions in check and her face blank, even if it killed her, she took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer.
* * *
Marcus pushed open the downstairs door and felt a wave of relief sweep over him. He was in. That was a start. Now for the hard bit.
He jogged up the stairs, his heart beating hard and fast, which had nothing to do with the energy needed to climb four flights of stairs and everything to do with the woman at the top of them.
Who was standing there, looking neither ecstatic nor horrified to see him, merely inscrutable. And so utterly, gorgeously magnificent he couldn’t believe he’d taken so long to realise just how much he loved her.
‘Marcus,’ she said coolly.
‘Hello, Celia,’ he said, not fazed by the coolness one little bit because what with the idiotic, selfish way he’d been behaving he hadn’t expected anything less.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I’ve come to see you.’
‘Clearly,’ she said witheringly. ‘However, I’m about to go out.’
‘Not for another hour.’
She frowned. ‘OK, fine. What do you want?’
‘How have you been?’
‘Me?’ she said, looking a little surprised at the change of conversational direction. ‘Oh, absolutely fine.’
‘And the baby?’
‘Fine too.’
‘What have you been up to?’
‘Well, I resigned.’
‘I heard.’
‘So I’ve been relaxing.’
‘About time.’
‘And learning to cook.’
He grinned. ‘How’s that going?’
‘Messy. I’m a long way off roast beef with all the trimmings, but I’m getting there.’
‘I can’t wait to try it.’
She arched an eyebrow as if to suggest there wasn’t a hope in hell of that, and if it hadn’t been for the desire in her eyes, the faint blush that stained her cheeks and the way she was tightening the belt on her dressing gown he’d be worrying that he was too late. That he’d lost her and she’d already moved on.
‘I’ve been offered a job that I think I might take.’