“Layoffs?”
Her head hung lower. “I should have known there was more. There always is with my father. That was my mistake, too.”
“When did you learn about the bankruptcy?”
She looked away. “When Lillian came home. She knew.” She swallowed hard. “I didn’t know how to tell you the truth and protect my workers at the same time. All of this was one big mistake.”
“A mistake you played along with,” he said.
“And lost myself in the charade,” she whispered. Taking a breath, she glanced up at him. “If we’re finally being honest, what was I to you? Were you trying to win me over for the sake of the merger?”
He shook his head. “That might have motivated me at first but then…”
“Things changed.”
He inclined his head.
That brought a brief smile to her lips. “At least we can hold on to that. We met at the wrong time for the wrong reasons, but at least our feelings were real.”
That’s enough.
A salve on her damaged heart.
“For whatever it’s worth,” she said. “When I tried to say goodbye to you on the beach, I was telling the truth. I think you’ll be someone I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
She stepped back. It was time to go. No more stalling.
She gave him a smile, not wanting his last memory of her to be a sad one, and slipped from the office. As she closed the door behind her, she exhaled softly.
It was done. Over. Finally.
And that knowledge had her gasping for air.
Blindly, she navigated the hallways to the elevator. Within minutes she was practically running across the lobby in a desperate bid to get outside.
Pushing through the revolving doors, she burst into the world, drawing in deep, gulping breaths.
Breathe. Just breathe.
Everything was over. She was free to fall apart now. There was nothing left to hold together.
Tears threatened even as she stumbled onto the sidewalk.
Looking up at the sky, she closed her eyes and let them stream silently down her face.
Will I ever love anyone the way I did him?
She couldn’t imagine it. What she felt for Julian was too raw to risk again. Better to draw back into herself. When she stood on the sidelines, life might be bland, but it wasn’t devastating.
And right now, she’d do anything to escape the cloying loneliness that pulled at her.
“What if I want to be more than a memory?”
The voice came from behind her, startling her eyes open. Julian stood there, breathing hard as if he’d been running.
“What?” she asked, swiping at her tear-stained cheeks.
Something gentled in his expression as he closed the distance between them and thumbed away a tear.
The touch was both welcome and terrifying. A simple brush of his fingers and all she wanted was to step into his arms. Instead, she forced herself to stand still.
“I don’t want to be someone you think of,” he said, cupping her cheek. “I want to be someone you can touch.”
Her breath caught. “I lied to you.”
“Yes.”
“How can you forgive me for that?”
“Because I know who you are,” he said, the words rough. “I know you’ll always put the good of others above yourself. If you thought you were protecting your workers, I understand the decision you had to make.”
“Don’t,” she said. “Don’t forgive me.”
“Why not?”
Because it will make me want everything I can’t have.
“I did everything wrong. Made all the wrong choices.”
“You made one mistake,” he replied.
“Just one?”
“Yes.” His arm wrapped around her. “You should have trusted me. We would have sorted out all the rest.”
“I would have,” she whispered. “If it had only been me on the line.”
“It’s just you and me here. Trust me now.”
“How?” she said.
“Tell me the truth. What was there between us?”
Tears pricked her eyes again, but she refused to let them fall. Staring up at him, she said the words she’d vowed never to speak. “I loved you,” she said. “Completely and utterly. And I wanted a future with you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”
His mouth claimed hers in a fiery kiss that burned away all memory of their light goodbye embrace. This time he held nothing back, kissing her with equal parts passion and fury.
She clung to him and kissed him back with everything in her, trying to show without words what her feelings really were.
“Say it again,” he demanded against her lips. “Not in the past tense.”
“I love you,” she replied. “You’re the only person I’ve ever said those words to outside of my sister.”
“You’re the only one I’ve ever said them to at all,” he replied, smiling down at her. “You destroyed all my best-laid plans, and I love you for it.”
Her heart leaped in her chest. “You love me?”
“I think I fell in love with you when we were back at the B&B, when you were rushing around the kitchen with Judy and Pete.”
“Damn. Wait until you see me decorate for Christmas if that’s the way to your heart.”
He laughed. “You looked like the rest of my life that day,” he said. “I don’t want to lose that.”
“But all the rest of it…”
He pulled the ring box out of his pocket, stilling her words. “We made a promise to each other the first time I gave you this,” he said.
“Us against the world.”
“I meant my vow.”
A tear rolled down her cheek. “So did I. You’re all I want, Julian. A lifetime with you. I promise I’ll never lie to you again.”
“You trust me?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“You love me?”
“For the rest of my life.”
He took her hand and slid the ring back on to her left hand. “This is one promise I’m holding you to, sweetheart,” he said.
“Forever,” she replied.
“Do we have to invite your father to the wedding?” he asked as he leaned down to kiss her again.
“Absolutely not,” she replied with a laugh. “But my sister has to be there.”
“Not a problem,” he said. “After all, this time, I’m marrying the right Abbott.”
As his lips closed over hers, Holly couldn’t help but smile. He’d been the last man she was meant to love, and now he was the only future she wanted. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t the B team anymore. No more standing outside her life looking in.
With Julian by her side, the lifetime that stretched out ahead of them was everything she’d always wanted.
And she couldn’t wait to start it with him.
Epilogue
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” she called, twirling in front of the mirror.
The door opened, and Julian poked his head around the corner, a hand over his eyes. “Do you think it’s really bad luck if I see you?”
She laughed, crossing the bridal suite to pull him into the room. “I think we used up our bad luck already, don’t you?”
“Agreed.” He dropped his hand and drank her in.
Holly grinned at him, swishing her white dress back and forth. “How do I look?”
“I think,” he said, pulling her into his arms before twirling them both in an expert turn, “that you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“You know there’s another version of me waiting out there in the church, right?”
“Not the right version,” he said before giving her a long, slow kiss.
“If you wreck my makeup, the wedding planner will hunt you down.”
“I’m willing to risk it.”
She draped her arms around his neck. “Me too.”
He kissed h
er again, and she wished they could skip the next few hours. It wasn’t the wedding she was looking forward to, it was the rest of their lives together. Today was just a day.
The day I promise to spend my future with one person.
But when it was the right person, there was nothing to hesitate over.
“How is it possible to love you more today than I did yesterday?” he asked.
“This from a man who once assured me he wasn’t the sentimental type?”
“Clearly, I was an idiot.”
“And I was a shadow. We do much better together than apart.”
“Now that’s one truth I wholeheartedly agree with.”
She smiled, resting her cheek against his chest. Contentment swirled through her. Everything was right in her world and in a few minutes, they’d walk down the aisle together.
“I love you,” she whispered.
His arms tightened around her. “And I love you. More than I ever thought possible,” he replied. “Good thing you two switched places.”
“Imagine where you’d be if we hadn’t.”
He shuddered. “I like Lillian, but that’s not a future I ever wonder about.”
“Better not be.”
“All I need is you.”
She smiled. “Me too.”
They stood, wrapped in each other’s arms, taking a small moment for themselves before the rest of the night became about their guests.
But their embrace was interrupted by another knock.
Holly groaned. “Who is it?”
Lillian ducked her head around the door. “We’ve got a problem.”
“Not words any bride wants to hear on her wedding day.”
“Father’s here.”
Julian stiffened. “What?”
“I didn’t think you’d want a scene.”
“No, he’s not going to ruin my wedding the way he tried to ruin my life,” Holly said.
“What the hell does he want?” Julian growled.
There was no love lost between John and any of them. The damned man had been over the moon to learn one of his daughters was still going to marry Julian. He’d been so thrilled, in fact, that he’d refused to sell, leaving them all back where they’d started.
Well, almost.
“We need to oust him,” Julian said, his voice grim. “The two of you should run the company. It’s your family legacy.”
“Wouldn’t that be ideal,” Lillian said, crossing her arms. “But as long as you’re a part of this, he’s going to use you as an ATM machine.”
“Then we trap him the way he tried to trap us,” Holly said. “Somehow, we can do it.”
Julian kissed her forehead. “We will,” he promised. “But let’s just get through today, and then we can focus on bringing him down.”
“Fine. But if he tries to make a toast, I’m tackling him.”
“I’ll ask Jason and Ryan to keep him busy,” Julian promised.
“We won’t let him mess this up,” Lillian agreed. “But right now, the two of you have a long aisle to walk down. Don’t trip.”
“Love you, too, Lil,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Come on.” Julian took her hand, and together the three of them left the bridal suite.
Butterflies started as they walked down the stone hallways of the church toward the entrance. The doors to the inner sanctuary were closed, giving them some privacy to get ready before they had to walk into the church.
“We’re really doing this,” Holly said.
His hand squeezed hers. “No regrets.”
“Not one.”
“Must be nice,” Lillian muttered behind them.
Ahead, the outside door opened to admit a man. Holly frowned, not recognizing the latecomer. He stood tall, with dark auburn hair swept away from his chiseled face.
He glanced around himself, his eyes widening when they landed on her.
The surprise in his expression quickly devolved into raw rage that took her by surprise.
“Lillian,” the man said, “if you think you’re getting married today, then you’re out of your goddamned mind.”
Holly glanced over her shoulder at her sister only to see her face had gone stark white.
“Someone want to clue me in?” Julian asked.
“Take your hands off her,” the unknown man said.
“Make me,” Julian shot back.
“Lil?” she asked.
Lillian stepped forward, her eyes narrowed. “Julian, Holly, allow me to introduce Dominic St. Clair. Probably the one man on earth who hates our father more than we do.”
Cold eyes swept to Lillian. “Not just your father,” the man said, his lip curling.
Holly glanced between the man and her sister before shaking her head.
“Fine,” she said to Julian. “You were right. Seeing each other before the wedding is bad luck.”
“Bright side, what’s the worst that could happen this time?” he replied.
“Oh, just wait,” Lillian piped in as the stranger strode toward them. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Holly sighed. So much for the perfect wedding day.
Julian slipped his hand into hers, giving it a squeeze that brought a smile to her face. Looked like she’d just have to settle for the perfect future with the man she loved.
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About the Author
Victoria Davies’s love for writing started young. Luckily she had a family who encouraged believing in magic and embracing imagination. Her love of storytelling developed from stories quickly scribbled in bright pink diaries. Since then her characters may have evolved and her plots may have grown decidedly more steamy but she never lost her love of the written word. Writing is not only a way to silence the wonderful voices in her head, but it also allows her to share her passions with her readers.
Also by Victoria Davies…
Right Billionaire, Wrong Wedding
The Billionaire’s Bet
The Billionaire’s Paradise
Love at Stake
Dying to Date
The Alpha’s Temporary Mate
Giving Up the Boss
A Baby for the Billionaire
Catching the CEO
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Betraying the Billionaire Page 19
