Let’s Pretend
Page 15
The harpist we chose for the ceremony strikes up as I enter the grand hall of the church. It is dappled with a gorgeous golden light, sparkling everywhere I look, but all I can see is him.
Zach is smiling at me like I am the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in his life.
All the nerves fall away, and I hope that, somewhere, my mother and father are looking down on me, glad that I have chosen to share my life and their old home with a man who loves me so much. Sometimes, I think my dad knew exactly what he was doing when he left the house in Victoria’s name, but made sure Zach and I would hold the controlling interest if we joined up and got married. I’ll never forget his words on his dying bed, when he said, ‘I love you, Scarlett my darling. You are my first born and have always been my favorite. I have set it up so that you will be safe from this cruel world.’
This is what he’d meant. Somehow, he knew Ernest would remember about the shares Zach owned. Then the fact that he had sold Zach those shares with no real reason to have even done so… I believe he had it all set up. So I would have this day when I married Zachary Winston Black for real.
I meet Zach at the end of the aisle, as Lori and Molly fall into place behind me. I smile at him, and he takes my hand.
"You ready?" he asks
I am so happy—I can’t speak. I nod.
"Then I’ll begin," announces the priest.
Zach squeezes my hand tight, and I squeeze back. The sunlight streaming in warms my body, and I know that everything is right now. Everything is exactly as it should be.
I am safe from the cruel world.
Epilogue
Scarlett
Almost six years later
I lie on the cool grass of the peaceful little cemetery where all my ancestors are buried and look up at the sky. It is going to be a fine day. Already the summer sun is filtering through the trees in the woods.
“Happy Birthday, Mom,” I whisper.
A gentle breeze answers me and makes me smile. I know the breeze has nothing to do with Mom, but somehow it makes me feel as if she is in that breeze. She is watching and she is happy that I kept my promise to her. I turn my head and see Dad’s tombstone next to mom’s.
A year after Florence was born, I was in his study going through his papers when to my shock, I found a letter from him to me. His words are burned in my memory.
Hello Darling,
If you have found this letter it means my little plan worked, and you know that wherever I am, I’m chuckling to myself. I always was a smug bastard!
But isn’t he just the perfect husband for you?
I died easy because I knew he would protect and take care of you until his last breath. Actually, I always knew he was the right man for you. From the first moment I introduced him to you, but I didn’t want him to have you too young. It is the nature of youth not to appreciate life’s gifts so I kept him away. If not for my early demise I would have made him wait another two years, but what can you. Death and taxes…
Well, my darling, there is no more to say, except I love you and I’ll be the butterfly that alights on your hand, the breeze that lifts your hair away from your cheek to caress your skin, the snow crunching under your feet. No matter where you look, I’ll be there watching you and doing everything a spirt can to protect you.
Until we meet again, be happy always, Scarlett my love.
As I close my eyes to remember my father, I hear a shout. Lifting my head, I see my daughter, Florence running towards me. In the sunlight, her hair glows like a golden halo around her head. She is holding a flower in her hand. I sit up and wait for her.
“I brought a flower for Nana,” she shouts, holding up the flower. She has squeezed the stalk so hard it is broken.
I hide a smile. My daughter is so cute I want to bite her. “That’s nice.”
She stomps up to me and sticks her abused flower in the vase with the flowers I brought. “Happy Birthday, Nana,” she says solemnly.
For a while I stay silent and allow her words to fill the air.
“Where’s Daddy,” I ask.
“Making pancakes.”
“You mean you walked all the way here by yourself?”
She shrugs casually. When she does that she reminds me so much of Zach. That is exactly how he shrugs. “I took the shortcut.”
My jaw drops. “Through the woods?”
“Yes,” she confirms proudly.
I frown. “I don’t want you walking through the woods by yourself.”
“Daddy said I could.”
“Well, I’m going to have to speak to him about that because—,” I stop as another gust of wind blows hair into my face. I look at my daughter’s innocent eyes. Now is not the time to scold her. Not here where my parents rest in peace. “Flo, do you know that one day,” I make a sweeping gesture with my hand, “all this will be yours.”
Her eyes widen. “All of it?”
“Yes. All of it.”
She tilts her head. “But what about Brandon? I don’t think he’ll like that.”
“Brandon will get Daddy’s house.”
“Oh!” She thinks about it for a moment. “Is Daddy’s house bigger?”
“Yes.”
She nods slowly. “That’s all right then, because Brandon always wants the bigger piece.”
I smile. “That’s true, but the thing is this house has been in Mommy’s family for six hundred years, and it has been always passed down through the girls. So after me it will be your turn to have the house.”
“Okay, Mommy.” She jumps up. “Now can we go back. I don’t want Brandon to eat all the pancakes.”
I get to my feet and together we walk back through the woods. We take the footpath hidden by the big hedges and go into the house through the kitchen door.
Zach is busy at the stove. No one can rock an apron like him. He looks up when we enter, his face breaking in a large grin. “Just in time.”
“Excuse me, but did you tell Flo, she can walk through the woods all by herself?”
“I did.”
“Zach. She’s five.”
“What are you scared of. She might get mauled by one of the deer?”
I cross my arms. “Very funny. What if she falls and hurts herself?”
He leaves the stove, comes up to me, and wraps his strong, warm arms around me. “How many times do I have to tell you, my little Scarlett? We are in paradise, and in paradise nothing bad can happen.”
“Zach, you know—”
He swoops down and steals the words right out of my mouth.
When he lifts his head, I continue. “I still don’t think she should be—”
He bends his head again. This time he slips his tongue between my lips. Something inside me melts. What the hell am I doing? It’s my mom’s birthday. Everything is perfect. There’s no need to be over-protective. The woods are not dangerous. I’ve been playing there all my life.
He lifts his head and looks into my eyes.
“You’re right,” I whisper weakly.
“That’s better.” He grins. “I thought I was going to have to kiss you again. Which reminds me I didn’t get to taste you this morning.”
“Don’t worry. You can do that tonight,” I murmur.
“Oh, I intend to. Prepare to be eaten out for a very long time,” he warns wolfishly.
“Oh, that’s making me cream,” I tease.
His eyes glint. “Are you trying to provoke me, Mrs. Black?”
“Maybe.”
“Can both you stop kissing and whispering, please?” Florence asks impatiently next to us. She looks unbearably cute with her hand on her hips.
Zach laughs as we break apart. One day, young lady, you will have a man, then I will be come to your house, and stop you from kissing him.”
“I’ll lock the door,” Florence shoots back.
“I’ll blow down the door,” Zach roars.
Florence starts laughing uproariously. “Like the bad wolf?”
“Like the
bad wolf,” Zach agrees
“Where’s Brandon?” I ask.
“I’m in the toilet doing a very big poo, Mommy,” my son screams from the downstairs toilet.
I look at Zach. “I thought you said nothing bad can happen in paradise?”
“Brandon’s very big poo notwithstanding,” he concedes, bending down to pick up Flo and swing her around.
Laughing, I walk towards the stove. I can see smoke coming from the pan. There’s Brandon’s very big poo, and there is a burnt pancake to contend with, but it’s paradise for sure.
The end
Coming Next…
Sample Chapter
PRETEND YOU’RE MINE
Dane
“Oh man, I’m so tanked,” Robert says, running his hand through his sandy hair.
I’m pretty gone too. It’s been so many years since Robert and I got drunk together. He used to be my best friend back in Blue Rock, before I moved to the city and became a workaholic. It’s paid off big time, but sometimes, like now, I feel as if I’ve missed out on real life. Other people are getting married, having kids, and all I do is just make more and more money.
“Want to call it a night?” I ask.
He pours us both another whiskey. “Nah. I don’t know when I’ll get to drink with you again. I don’t wanna sleep until I can’t take it no more.”
I lift the glass to my lips and knock half of it back while I study Robert over the rim. For a man who is getting married in two-weeks time, Robert doesn’t look too happy. The more drunk he becomes the more morose he seems. I put my glass down and catch him looking at me. “What’s up, Rob?”
He shrugs. “I was just wondering, you know.”
I look at him curiously. “No. What?”
He sighs heavily. “Nah, forget it.”
“Spit it out, man. You look like you’re about to choke on it.”
He straightens his spine and looks me dead in the eye. “What was it like when you were with Catherine?”
My eyes nearly pop out of my head. Where the hell did that come from? Catherine and I are ancient history. I can barely remember what she looked like. I might not even recognize her if I saw her again.
“Well?” he prompts.
I frown. “I don’t know. That was so long ago, Rob. We were just kids.”
“But what was she like? I mean, was she loving, aloof, clingy?”
I stare at him. “What’s this about, Rob?”
“I’m just asking,” he says defensively.
“Asking what exactly?”
He drops his head into his palms.
“What’s going on Rob?”
He lifts his head and stares at me sadly. “I think Catherine is still in love with you.”
“What?” I sputter in disbelief,
“It’s true, Dane. I’ve tried to pretend it’s not true, but I’m not a fool. I knlow she still has…feelings for you.”
“You’re wrong. We had nothing. It was just sex.”
He winces as if it pains him to think of Catherine and me having sex.
“Listen, Rob. I assure you that it was just a passing thing. It meant nothing for either of us.”
He stares at me intently. “So you feel nothing for her?”
“Hell, no.”
“Not even a bit?”
I shake my head so vigorously it starts up a throbbing pain. “Look. I don’t know where you got the idea she still has feelings for me from, but it can’t be right. We haven’t even spoken to each other since I left Blue Rock.”
“She keeps asking about you, though,” he insists miserably.
I frown. We had a great meal together and this is not at all how I envisaged the night ending.
“I’m worried she only got with me to keep close to you,” he adds. “And I’m worried that when she sees you again, I mean look at you, she might leave me at the altar for you.”
My jaw drops. “Jesus, Rob. What the fuck are you talking about?”
At that point, he holds his head in hands and starts sobbing. “Promise me, you won’t run off with her, man. Please, Dane. I love her so much. She’s the only woman I ever wanted. I loved even when she was your girl. I’d give anything up for her. Heck I’d die for that woman.” He looks up at me. “Promise me, man. You won’t tempt her. You won’t flirt with her for old time sake, and you won’t get too friendly with her. I hate to ask you this, but I’m desperate. I stood back last time and watched you have her, but it’s my turn. I’m the one who is going to be there for her when she gets old and no one else wants her.”
I stare at him in shock. I never realized he had been carrying such a soul-destroying idea all this while. All that time I was with her I never knew he was in love with her. To think of him suffering all this time with the thought that the woman he was crazy about and wanted to marry was still in love with me.
“God, if only you were married and you had a wife you could bring along. Then she’d know you were off limits. Shit. I can’t believe I’m saying this to you.”
“I have a fiancée…if that would help,” I hear myself saying.
“What?” he asks, his eyes lighting up. “How come you never mentioned it before.”
I feel a little sick to my stomach. It’s been a long time since I’ve drunk this much. “Yeah, I was going to tell you about her.”
“That’s wonderful news, man.”
I swallow hard. “Yeah. Wonderful.”
“So when’s the big day?”
“Oh, not for some time yet.”
“But still. That’s amazing, Dane. You’ll bring her along to the wedding, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Has she met the family yet?”
“Not yet.” I break a smile. “I’m trying to keep her to myself for as long as possible.”
“I totally understand.” He grins at me, but his cheeks are still wet with tears. “You know, all those things I said, you won’t repeat them to anyone else, will you?”
“What things?”
“Thanks, man.” He stands up, sways, then grins again at me. “I guess I better crash. I don’t want to sick on the plane”
“Good idea. I have an early meeting tomorrow so I won’t wake you, but I’ll call you later in the day.”
He nods and lurches towards the staircase. He stops at the bottom step, clutches the banister, and turns around to look at me. For a second, he looks like the old Rob, I knew. Swinging off tires and jumping into freezing cold rivers. Then the moment passes. “Thanks, Dane. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”
I smile back. “What’s a best friend for?”
I stand and watch as he unsteadily makes his way up the stairs towards my guest bedroom. Then I go into my study, walk around the desk, and drop into my chair. Lifting my legs off the floor I swivel in my chair to face the window. The garden is in darkness, but I can see the glint of the Roman statue standing in the middle of the lake. I exhale the breath I’ve been holding.
Shit. Looks like I need to find myself a fake fiancée.
To be continued…
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