Chapter Twenty-Five
Joel
When we finally decide we should move before someone slaps an exhibit sticker on us, Zoe returns to the conservation room to show Hallie the necklace. I spotted Fraser heading back to his office a few minutes ago, so I follow in his footsteps, crossing the foyer and jogging up the marble staircase, then turning left toward the offices.
His door bears a sign that says “Fraser Bell, Museum Director”. It’s the biggest office in the building, apart from the boardroom, and has a terrific view over the harbor. I knock on the door, even though it’s open, and he looks up from where he’s standing behind his desk, rifling through his papers.
“Got a sec?” I ask.
“Sure. Want a coffee?”
“Please.”
He presses a button on the intercom. “Can you make two coffees please, Louise?”
“Will do!” his assistant says brightly.
“Look at you,” I tease, “with an office and a secretary like a real businessman.”
“I even did up my own tie,” he jokes, flipping it. He gestures to the light-gray suite that sits to one side of the room, and we cross there and sit in the comfortable armchairs.
“You’ve done so well here,” I say. “I was thinking downstairs how you’ve completely turned the museum around.”
He looks amused. “Well, thanks.”
“I mean it, bro. You should be proud of yourself.”
He studies the coffee table in front of us for a moment. I can tell he feels awkward accepting the compliment. Dad really did a number on us both.
He changes the subject, talking about some exhibit he’s planning, and we chat for a few minutes until the door opens, and Louise—a thirty-something mum of two who bears Fraser’s eccentricities with amazing patience—comes in with our coffees and places them before us.
“Thanks,” we both say, and she smiles and goes out.
“Zoe liked the necklace?” Fraser asks, changing the subject.
I smile. “Yeah.”
“I’ll be interested to see it.”
“She wants to display it in the Love Under the Southern Stars exhibition.”
His face lights up. “Oh, that would be cool.”
“Yeah, she said she wants to write a display explaining all about the Relentless and Mair and his wife.”
“That would be great. Shame we couldn’t get the original, but the replica will be a good substitute. I’m guessing it cost a pretty penny?”
“Just over ten thousand dollars.”
“Ooh. Yeah, we’ll make sure it’s well protected. So… how did the interview go?”
“I withdrew.”
He gives a short laugh. “Good for you.”
“You’re not surprised?”
“Nah. Can’t see you behind a desk despite what Dad says.”
I sip my coffee, then say, “I want to talk to you about something.”
“Uh-oh.”
“I had a text from Elora this morning. She said she’s going to go with Linc to Europe.”
His eyebrows rise. “Oh…” He looks away, out of the window at the view of the ocean.
I feel for him. When she moved to Wellington after her assault, he took on the parental role and looked after her while she recovered. I did my bit to support her, but I was away a lot, whereas Fraser was always there for her. He took her to university every day until she felt safe enough to go alone, he drove her to her therapy sessions, he encouraged her to go out with him to the cinema and sightseeing around the city, and he was generally instrumental in her recovery. Maybe he’s been a bit overprotective at times, but I can’t blame him for that as it’s born out of love. It must be hard for him now to let go and trust Linc to look after her across the other side of the world.
“Anyway,” I continue, “I’ve been talking to Zoe about where we go from here. You’re right—I don’t want a desk job. And although she loves it here, she needs a change. So I was thinking about suggesting to Elora and Linc that we join them on their trip to Europe. Spend a couple of years traveling, going on excavations, seeing the sites, and we’d be there for Elora, too.”
His gaze is carefully guarded, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking. For a moment, I wonder whether he’s going to protest. For a start, it does mean losing two of his staff, and the three of us have always been close, so I’m sure it would be strange to think both Elora and I were on the other side of the world.
But then he smiles and says, “That sounds like a great idea.”
My heart lifts with relief. “I thought we could do some work for the museum while we’re over there. Spread the word, you know. Find some exhibits for you. Sing your praises.”
“Unnecessary, but I’m always open to ideas, as you know.” He hesitates. Then he says, “You’re sure this is what you want to do? I can understand why you didn’t want the job at MOANA. But you could always join me here—we could run the museum together.”
I give him an amused look. “Dude, I’d be terrible at it. You’re the one with the head for business. And like you said, neither of us can see me behind a desk for long.”
“You could be the museum’s roving director. Liaising with other museums and archaeology groups.”
I frown at him then as I get a prickle of warning. “Is everything okay? The museum’s not in trouble?”
He pauses briefly, and I wonder whether he’s about to admit something. Then his lips curve up. “No, of course not. At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I’m going to miss you, that’s all.”
I give a short laugh. “Fair enough. I’ll miss you, too. You’ve always been there for both Elora and me.” I pause, feeling a tad awkward. We don’t talk much about our emotions. I want to express how much he means to me, but I don’t know how to put it into words. “Look, just because I’d be a long way away physically, I’m always at the other end of a phone. Don’t hesitate to call if you need me. For anything.”
Fraser raises his cup and takes a long sip. “Will do.”
We study each other for a moment. “How are things going with Hallie?” I ask eventually.
He gives me a wry look. Then, without answering, he takes out his phone and studies the screen. “Text from the board chairperson,” he mumbles. “Give me a sec.”
I stand and walk over to the window to look out at the view. It sounds incredibly corny, but today I understand what people mean when they say it’s the first day of the rest of their life. Everything changed for me this morning. Instead of just living for today, I’m excited about the thought of what life is going to bring in a way I never have before.
Zoe’s done that for me. She’s helped me to break the hold that my father had on me, and to believe in myself. For the first time I feel as if I’m creating my own future rather than just reacting to whatever life throws at me.
I turn and look at Fraser. His brow is creased in a frown as he texts the person back, and I can’t rid myself of the niggling feeling that something’s wrong. But I can’t force him to talk. I just have to make sure that when he’s ready to open up, I’m there for him.
He puts down his phone, sighs, then looks up at me and smiles. “So when are you thinking of leaving?”
“No idea yet. We’ve only just talked about it. We’ll discuss it with Linc and Elora and see what date they’re planning on—we might even fly out with them. I’m suspecting it’ll be late Feb or early March because we’ll need time to wrap everything up.”
“So you’ll probably be here for Valentine’s Day?”
I know he’s planning a party in the museum to celebrate the Love Under the Southern Stars exhibit. “Oh yeah, I’m sure.”
“Well, that’s something.”
“All right,” I say, “I’m going back to work. I’ll catch you later.”
He lifts his coffee cup in a toast and returns to his desk.
I head out of his office, go back down the marble staircase, and then stop as I see Zoe standing in the doorway to the conservation room. She smiles and crosses the foyer when she sees me, so I think she was waiting for me.
“Hey you.” I slide my arms around her waist, not missing how relieved I feel to see her, even though we’ve only been apart fifteen minutes.
“I missed you,” she says, echoing my feelings, and she sighs in my ear. “Do you want to stay at my flat tonight? Elora’s staying with Linc at his hotel.”
“Mmm. Yeah. I’d like that.”
We stand there in the sunshine, just hugging. I glance at the reception desk and catch the two women who work there watching us, whispering behind their hands and smiling. My lips curve up, and I pull Zoe back behind a display of Māori pounamu or greenstone pendants, then close my eyes, concentrating on the feel of her in my arms.
“Did you speak to Fraser?” she whispers.
“I did. I told him our plans. He doesn’t want you to go, but he’s happy for us.” I nuzzle her hair, enjoying its strawberry smell. “Did Hallie say how things are going between them?”
“No, she said she’d rather not talk about it.” She moves back a little so we can look at one another. “I can’t believe how different the two of you are. He’s so stiff and formal, and you’re… not. I don’t quite know what she sees in him, actually. I mean, he’s a lovely guy, but he’s so… proper.”
My eyebrows rise. “I’ve never seen him like that. I have too many memories of him falling into rivers and forgetting lines on stage at school, and generally making an idiot of himself.”
She giggles, then says, “I hope whatever’s going on there works out, anyway. Hallie seems really keen on him.”
I consider telling her the niggling feeling I had that something was wrong, but I push it away. It’s too beautiful a day, and I don’t want to spoil it by worrying about something I can’t do anything about.
“So what ideas do you have for tonight?” I murmur, nuzzling her ear, then kissing down her jaw to her mouth.
“Stop it,” she protests, while clutching at my jacket and pulling me closer. “No PDAs.”
I kiss her, chuckling. “I think we should get a takeaway and eat it in bed. Preferably with ice cream for dessert that I can drip all over you and then lick off.”
“Joel!” She giggles and kisses me back. “If you insist. What flavor?”
I sigh. “Strawberry. It will always remind me of you.”
“Aw.” She presses her lips to mine, and we kiss for a long time in the summer sun, thinking we’re hidden from sight, and not realizing until we eventually separate and everyone in the foyer cheers that the wall next to us is a huge mirror, and we’re currently the most-watched exhibit in the museum.
Possession Under the Southern Stars
She’s off-limits, but for Hallie, I’ll break every rule…
I’ve spent years building the National Museum of New Zealand into something I can be proud of, but now, it’s all on the line. The museum’s future is in jeopardy after we lost a critical source of funding, and the board has given me one final chance to save it: a priceless collection of historical love letters locked away at a remote estate. The problem? I need a conservationist to handle them, and Hallie Woodford is the only one available.
I’ve had my eye on the brilliant, sexy archaeologist for ages, but she also works for me, and that makes her off-limits. I’ve been reprimanded before by the board for getting involved with an employee, and I don’t want to lose my job. With the museum at risk, I can’t refuse the assignment. But Hallie irresistible, and even though giving in to my desire could cost me everything, it’s impossible to keep my distance from her.
As our desire ignites, I become convinced I’ll risk everything to have her. But doubt creeps in when it becomes clear Hallie is concealing a secret—one that could change everything we’ve started to create together. As the truth begins to unravel, I’m left questioning whether love can truly conquer the shadows of the past.