They looked at each other for what seemed like an age. Then to Karen’s surprise, she saw his mouth break into a grin.
“God, you’re so damn stubborn,” he said, shaking his head as he started back up the stairs again. “Youhaveto have the last word all the time, whether you’re right or wrong don’t you?”
“I don’t always have to have the last word,” she mumbled contritely.
“So are you going to apologise?” Shane urged, waiting.
“For what?”
“Foronce.”
A flicker of a smile crossed her lips, but she didn’t say anything.
Shane shook his head. “Sometimes, I really don’t know what to do with you.”
“So whatareyou going to do?” Karen grinned, as he took her in his arms.
“I’ll show you.” Shane scooped her off the ground and headed back inside and onwards to her bedroom, kicking a pile of discarded clothes and shoes out of his path as he went.
Laying her carefully on the bed, he kissed and madelove to her with such intensity, that Karen thought all the time they’d spent apart had nearly been worth it.
After, they lay beneath the covers, bodies entangled.
Shane glanced across at her, smiling. Then his eyes lit up as if remembering something, and suddenly he threw back the covers, jumped out of the bed and onto his knees.
Grinning, he took her hand in his. “Karen Cassidy, for thesecondtime, will you marry me?”
This time there was no hesitation in her reply.
19
“Oh – that’s fantastic news!” Jenny gasped with genuine enthusiasm. “How romantic.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly romantic,” Karen laughed down the phone. “We had an argument beforehand and I took my time before I eventually said yes.”
“Typical,” Jenny said with a grin. “Poor Shane’s got his work cut out for him.”
“Poor Shane? Traitor – don’t you mean poor me? Still, Jen, I wasn’t sure whether to tell you or not. I know what you’re going through now, and –”
“Are you mad? I’d murder you if you didn’t. This is such lovely news, exactly what I needed to cheer me up, to be honest.”
“How are you feeling?”
“A lot better now, I think.”
“Good. Well, come back whenever you feel like it. We’re heading to Shane’s family’s place at the weekend, but otherwise, I’ll be here. Give me a ring when you’reback, OK?”
Jenny nodded, forgetting that Karen couldn’t see her. “Thanks. And tell Shane I said congratulations too. We’ll have to organise a big engagement celebration soon.”
Hanging up, Jenny tried to sound brighter than she felt. Although she was genuinely delighted for her friend, she couldn’t help feeling envious too.
It was the same old story, really. Her love life was in tatters while Karen’s couldn’t be better. Her friend was on top of the world, while Jenny was home in her parent’s house and feeling so low she might pop out Down Under again.
She was genuinely thrilled for Karen, though. She had handled the break-up with Shane in her own way and on her own terms. Having had a quick cry, she had taken some time to figure out her feelings and then moved on with her life. She definitely hadn’t collapsed in a heap and wanted to crawl into a hole, shutting herself away from the world. Not for the first time, Jenny wished she possessed just a tiny piece of Karen’s resilience.
This last week had been an absolute nightmare, and she hadn’t slept more than a few hours at a time. Her dad had been curious as to why she wasn’t at work, while Jenny’s mum had been more sympathetic because she’d known about the Venice trip, and must have figured out that all wasn’t rosy in her daughter’s love life.
Jenny had lied though, when she told Karen she was feeling better. The hurt was still very much present, underlying her confusion and disappointment since discovering that Roan had gone to Venice with his ex (though presumably, they were now back together) and hadn’t said a word. The same trip that he was supposed to be whiskingheraway on.
