Page 115 of Fling

‘I was hoping you would see the signs as a sign not to sign the papers.’

‘Seems like a very over-elaborate plan.’

‘Did it work, by any chance?’

Tara bent over and grabbed the separation agreement out of her handbag. ‘See for yourself,’ she said, handing the papers to him.

Colin flicked through to the final page of the agreement. It was blank. ‘You didn’t sign,’ he said, looking up. ‘Is there something wrong with the agreement?’

‘No, it’s fine . . .’ Tara said coyly. ‘I just think it’s funny how—’

Colin ripped the separation agreement in half and shut Tara up with a kiss. As he pulled her close and held her tight, she felt safe enough to let go.

In that moment, Tara had complete cosmic certainty of her place in the world. As her husband held her in his arms, she knew she was right where she belonged. She felt the sunshine of his love melt the cold ice of winter and bring forth her summer bloom.

Her inexplicable feelings for Jack finally made sense. She had her proof that there was an underlying design to the universe, that there was no such thing as coincidence. When two people are destined to be together, fate will always find a way. The synchronicity wasn’t guiding her into another man’s arms.

Destiny was guiding her home.

‘I love you, Jack,’ Tara said, safe in his grasp.

‘I love you too, Claire,’ Colin replied, gripping her tightly.

‘Forever and always?’

‘Always and forever.’

‘Of all the pubs in all the towns in all of Ireland, you had to walk into mine,’ Tara said, smiling, unable to hide the joy emanating from her soul, the love radiating from her heart.

‘So tell me,’ Colin said. ‘Would you get on the back of my bike and do it all again?’

‘It depends on your answer to one very important question,’ Tara said coyly.

‘Yes, babe,’ he said with a knowing smile. ‘I’d still love you if you were a worm.’

‘That’s all any girl ever needs to hear, honeybun,’ Tara laughed as she leaned in for another kiss.

They both knew they had renewed their vows to each other there and then, without needing to say another word.

But as Tara kissed Colin once again, she suddenly felt the knot in her stomach return. This time, however, the nausea was far worse than before, to the point where she felt like she was about to throw up. She could feel an overwhelming dizziness taking hold of her. She didn’t know how to describe what she was feeling but she knew it wasn’t normal.

‘Colin, I don’t feel so good,’ Tara said, as her vision started to fade.

‘Tara, what’s wrong?’ Colin said, terrified.

‘I . . . I . . . think I’m about to—’ Tara said as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. As she faded into unconscious darkness, she could hear Colin desperately shouting for help as he watched the colour fade from his wife’s face.

Chapter 40

When Tara woke up in the hospital, she saw something she never thought she would ever see. She saw Colin praying. She had slipped in and out of consciousness several times after fainting, and she vaguely remembered the sound of Colin calling an ambulance and being taken to the hospital. This was the first time she felt lucid enough to realize what was happening.

‘Colin,’ she said, reaching for him.

‘Oh my God, Tara, you’re awake!’ he said, standing up and kissing her forehead.

‘What happened?’

‘You fainted on the pier. We don’t know why yet. The doctors are running some tests now. You fainted again when they took a blood sample so they brought you here.’

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