She heard a splash in the water and stepped closer. Someone was swimming. Might it be? Had Gareth come back to Tabiq? Could they replay their time together, but this time with a happy ending? She looked closer and could tell it was a man in the water, and he was swimming to shore.
Her heart raced in anticipation. What would she say? How could she explain not calling him? Not being there when he woke? She’d thought it was the best thing for him and his family, but it sure as hell hadn’t been the best for her. It was pure hell wondering each moment how he was doing but not knowing. When she accepted that she’d been wrong in not going to the States with him, it was too late. Too much time had passed. He’d woken up and found her gone.
She wanted their paths to cross again. Had she come here hoping against hope they would? But now that he was heading her way, she was . . . wasn’t ready. But she couldn’t turn and make her escape up the beach and duck back into the hotel. A couple more strokes then he stood and walked toward her. You can do this, Brooke. It’s what you wanted. Just . . . not how you pictured it.
So she stood watching, anticipating as the waves crashed upon her toes. As he drew closer, she knew he wasn’t Gareth. The man was fit, but she had kissed and nibbled every inch of Gareth and his body was etched permanently in her mind. The only place he exists.
“Good morning,” she said as the guest walked past her. He nodded and quickly continued on his way. That was fine with her. She wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Actually, she felt more like crying. Her heart was so heavy. “Gareth, why didn’t I tell you when I had the chance?” she whispered.
“What would you have said?” a voice asked from behind her.
She spun around to find Gareth holding a bouquet of gardenias. “Gareth. You’re here?”
“Yes. And wanting to know what you wished you had told me.” He stepped closer, now only inches away.
“I . . . I . . .” she stammered, not sure how to say it. They were the three little words she ached to say, but he deserved more. “Gareth, how are you doing?”
“I’m good. Healed for the most part. But that’s not why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?” She felt like a coward putting this on him. She knew how she felt. She’d told him each night as she looked at the stars.
“I’m here to see you,” Gareth stated.
“How did you know I was back?” Alex had to have told him.
“Would you believe me if I said your father told me?”
My father? No.“You called my father?”
“No. I went and saw him.”
“In Panama?” That made no sense. Why would he do that?
“Not my kind of place, but yes, in Panama.”
She had spoken to her parents last night, and neither of them mentioned anything about Gareth visiting them. “Were you there on vacation?”
“No.”
He wasn’t making it easy for her. Then again, she hadn’t answered his question either. Maybe she needed to ask the right questions.
“Did you go to talk about me?” That was pretty clear.
“I did.”
And that’s not much better.“About what?” How could he avoid that one?
“Us.”
Really? “Gareth, just tell me why you were there. What you talked about.”
“Hmm. Why don’t you tell me what you wished you had said before?” Gareth asked with a wicked grin.
Well played.“Fine. I would’ve told you that . . . that I love you.” There. She said it. Her stomach was doing flips and she waited, hoping to hear those words back. All he did was smile. Maybe he didn’t love her back. He’d made it clear he enjoyed his carefree bachelor life. But I changed. I thought maybe you did too. “Now I believe it’s your turn to answer me. Why did you go see my father?”
He stepped even closer. “To tell him that I love you, and I want to marry you.”
“You . . . you . . . what?”