Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
Indigo shifted on the hospital bed, eager to get out of there. The last ten days had been stressful, but she’d gotten through it all with Wilt by her side.
“He’ll be here, like he has since the day you were brought in. I don’t know why you’re fidgeting,” Zara commented, looking up from her phone.
“I know he will.” And she did. Her nervousness about seeing him made no sense, especially today of all days.
Zara was right, Wilt had hardly left her side. He’d been the first person she saw when she woke up after surgery. He’d smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her hand. It had triggered a memory of him doing it when she’d been in the ambulance.
The next time she was conscious and able to string more than two words together, she’d asked him if he’d done it.
He’d smiled beautifully, and told her he had.
In that moment she’d almost blurted out that she loved him, but she didn’t want him to think it was because of the drugs flowing through her bloodstream that had caused her to say them.
A couple of times she’d been sure he was going to say the words to her, but then he’d say something else, and she convinced herself her feelings for him weren’t returned.
“What if he was only coming every day out of obligation?” she blurted out to her friend.
Zara stared at her for a heartbeat before a loud bark of laughter burst out of her. “You have got to be kidding me, right?”
She shrugged. “It’s not an unreasonable assumption.”
“Oh Indi, that man is so smitten with you, it’s ridiculous.”
“Then why hasn’t he said anything?” Now she sounded like a whiny teenager, which so wasn’t her, but she couldn’t ignore how she was feeling.
“Have you?” Zara countered back.
“No.”
“Well, there you go.” Zara got up and sat next to her on the bed. “Maybe he’s waiting for a better time to say something than in a hospital. But I don’t think you should doubt anything about that man. He is one hundred percent gone on you. I’d be jealous if I hadn’t met someone before I came here.”
Indigo stared at the blush blooming in Zara’s cheeks. Nothing ever embarrassed her friend. “And you’re just telling me now? How long have you been here?”
“I was waiting for the right time.”
“Tell me everything! I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on me.”
“I met him at a function with Daria. He’s got his own business, and he’s very successful, so he doesn’t feel threatened by me like so many other guys I’ve dated.” The happiness in Zara’s voice was evident, along with the way her eyes sparkled with excitement.
“I’m happy for you. I can’t wait to meet him.” Her plans, after the shoot, had been to spend an extra week in Broome, but that changed with her stabbing. She didn’t even know if she would be going back to Broome to finish the shoot. She wanted to.
She had come to terms with what Louella had done to her.
How she’d found someone to use their computer skills to send the messages to Indigo.
It was also likely he’d arranged for the drone to take the photos.
The police suspected the person lived overseas.
The information Louella gave them was sketchy, so they didn’t even know if the name she’d been given was a real one.
The authorities were sure whoever it was wouldn’t come after her as they’d been paid by Louella to do her dirty work so she could continue doing her job and no one would suspect her of committing the crimes.
Indigo trusted them to be right. Wilt was still trying to find the person responsible.
He’d told her that, and she believed that one day he might find the culprit.
All that mattered to Indigo was that she was alive, and hopefully she had a future with Wilt.
She didn’t want to go back to Sydney. She wanted to stay with him.
She and Zara had already talked about it, and traveling to places overseas from Perth might take a little longer than from Sydney on occasions, but it wasn’t impossible.
All of that was subject to how Wilt thought of her, and if he believed they had a future together. Something she was determined to ask him once she left the hospital.
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Wilt asked as he knocked on the door.
He looked devastatingly handsome in his dark blue jeans and light blue chambray shirt. The color accentuated his eyes.
“Nope, I was just going. My flight leaves in a few hours, so I need to go collect my stuff from the hotel and get to the airport.” Zara hopped off the bed.
“I can get one of the guys to drive if you’d like?” Wilt offered.
“It’s fine. I’ve arranged for a car, but thank you.” She gave Indigo one last hug. “I’ll be in touch.”
Indigo returned the hug, knowing that the dynamic had changed in their relationship.
Not in a bad way, but in a way that showed they were about to head in different directions of their lives.
With the way Zara spoke about her new man, Indigo could tell it was serious. And she was happy for her best friend.
“You ready to blow this joint?” Wilt asked, coming over and brushing his lips against hers, lingering for a little longer than he normally did when he greeted her. Her body warmed, like it always did when he was close.
“Sure am. Just waiting for the doctor to arrive to sign my discharge papers.”
“Hopefully he won’t be long. I’ll start taking these to the car.
” He indicated to the vases of flowers and other gifts that had been sent to her.
She’d received some from Jeffrey and Greta, and even Jordan and Kyle.
Power Security had given her a big fruit basket, which had been heaven sent.
She’d loved the variety of it all. There’d been flowers from friends, and even from some of the brands she’d worked with.
“Are they all going to fit?”
“It’s okay, I hired a trailer.” He winked as he picked up two of the vases, wincing a little.
“You shouldn’t be doing that, you’re going to strain your shoulder even more,” she admonished.
“Diva, the shoulder is fucked, and I’m going to have surgery on it soon. Nothing I do now is going to make it any worse.”
“So you think.” But she didn’t get a chance to argue more with him, as the doctor came in and examined her and Wilt slipped out of the room.
“You’re healing nicely. The stitches can come out next week. You can make an appointment with your regular doctor to do that. Don’t do anything strenuous over the next month. Your body took a bit of a beating. You need to let it heal thoroughly.”
Considering Zara had cleared the next month of Indigo’s work calendar, she had no option but to rest. Not that she minded. She could do with the break. But she was going to call Jeffrey and Greta anyway and see when she could finish the job for them.
“That won’t be a problem,” she told the doctor, and accepted the packet of papers he held out.
“A nurse will be here shortly to wheel you out.”
“Thank you for everything.” The doctor acknowledged her words with a smile and left.
Wilt came back in. “All good to go?”
“Yep.” She held up the envelope and looked around the room. She wouldn’t miss this place, for sure. And she hoped it was a long time before she ever spent time in hospital again.
A nurse arrived with a wheelchair, and once she sat, Wilt hooked her small overnight bag on the back and then placed a couple of vases in her lap, while he collected the last ones.
The transfer to his car was done smoothly, and soon they were on their way. “Where are we headed?” she asked.
“I thought we’d go for a quick walk. It’s a beautiful day, and you’ve been cooped up inside for long enough. You’re probably craving fresh air.”
“You got that right.”
The drive passed in a comfortable silence, and soon they were pulling into the driveway of a single-story house that overlooked the ocean. She had no idea where they were, but the area was stunning.
“Whose place is this? And what are we doing here? I thought you were taking me for a walk?” Now she was really confused. There hadn’t been any calls or messages come through asking Wilt to drop something off or go visit someone.
“This is where we’re going to stay for the next week,” Wilt said, a huge smile on his face as if pleased with himself for pulling off the ultimate surprise.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“But I don’t have any clothes.” The only bag she had in her current possession contained the sleepwear she’d worn while in hospital and a few toiletries. Definitely not enough for a week’s stay.
“Sorted. Zara arrange for your bag from the resort in Broome to be sent down to her. She washed everything for you, replenished your favorite skincare products and a few other things. It’s in the back of the car.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
He reached across the center console and brushed his fingers down her cheek. “I hope I have. Now let’s get our stuff inside and take a walk along the beach.”
She looked at the water. It was calm, and the house appeared to be across from a bay, so it was protected from any rough breeze. “Sounds perfect.”
It didn’t take them long to transfer their bags inside. She noted Wilt set them down in the main bedroom.
The house looked gorgeous and the furnishings were beachy and calming. She would have a better look around when they got back. All she wanted to do was enjoy the sunshine with the man she loved.
She was going to throw caution to the wind and tell him she loved him. Given the thoughtfulness of this staycation they were about to have, she was convinced Wilt cared for her too.
Carefully, they made their way across the road and down the short, shrub-covered dunes to the shore.
The water swooshed over her feet, and she shivered. “Oh, that’s cold!”
“You’ll get used to it,” Wilt assured her, before tucking her closer to his side.
They didn’t say anything as they enjoyed the view while the freedom of knowing they were both alive and healthy settled between them.
They’d gone a few hundred meters when Indigo stopped.
“Is everything okay?” Wilt turned her to face him, concern darkening his blue eyes.
“I love you.” The words exploded out of her, and she held her breath waiting to see how he would react.
He inhaled deeply before he pulled her close and his mouth found hers. This was the first real kiss they’d shared since the day of her attack when she’d kissed him in front of everyone.
Her fingers found the hem of his shirt, and she slipped beneath the fabric, needing to feel the warmth of his flesh.
Their tongues dueled, and she poured every ounce of feeling she had for him into the kiss. When they broke apart, they stared deeply into each other’s eyes.
Was he going to say he loved her too?
The thought flitted through her mind while he continued to look at her.
“You take my breath away,” he started. “I see you, and I can’t think clearly.
My life hasn’t been the same since you walked into our conference room.
I can’t imagine not being with you every day.
I can’t believe you love me.” He framed her face, and tears prickled the backs of her eyes. “I love you Indigo Elara. So much.”
All the tension in her body drained out of her at his declaration. “I don’t want to live without you too.”
“I know your life is in Sydney, so I’ve talked to Steve about working remotely from there.
I don’t know what’s going to happen with my shoulder after surgery, apart from a long recovery.
I might not be able to do what I once did, but I can still be part of the team, just from a home base, even if that is on the other side of the country. I want to be wherever you are.”
Happiness filled her. He was prepared to upend his life for her. Her heart melted more for him. “I told Zara I was going to move here,” she finished with a laugh.
Wilt looked at her in disbelief for a moment before joining her. “You did?”
“I did. But I want to move here. There’s so much more here for you and for me than there is in Sydney. There’s a family here.” Everyone from Power Security had visited her and made her feel like part of the team. She’d never had anything like that in Sydney.
“Oh, Diva.” He pressed his lips lightly against hers. “My home is wherever you are. If that’s here or Sydney, it doesn’t matter to me. So long as you’re next to me every morning when I wake up. That’s all I want.”
“Same.”
“But I won’t be sad if it’s here.” He tapped her lightly on the nose.
“Then here it is. Perth is beautiful, and this is where we fell in love. How can we live anywhere else? I love you, so much.”
“I love you, too.”
Their lips met again in a kiss full of love and promise. Indigo couldn’t wait to see what the future held for them.