Miss White and the Seventh Heir

by Jennifer Faye

  Trey’s heart lurched into his throat.

  No. No. No. This can’t be happening.

  She just has to be okay. Please, let her be okay.

  By now traffic had ground to a halt in all the lanes. Trey shut down his car and jumped out. He wasn’t the only one. Others were getting out to help the passengers in the now-wrecked cars. But the red sports car was nowhere to be found. It must have slipped away on the off-ramp.

  He ran toward Sage’s car. The driver stepped out. He grimaced as he rubbed his neck.

  Trey kept moving until he was next to Sage’s door. He eased it open and found her sitting there with her head lulled off to the side and her eyes closed. A trickle of blood trailed down the side of her face.

  Trey’s chest tightened. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t be too late to tell her that he was sorry. That he loved her. And he would do whatever it took to make her happy.

  “Sage?” No response. “Sage, please open your eyes.”

  The driver moved around the car to stand next to Trey. “How is she?”

  “I... I don’t know.” The breath caught in his lungs. He needed to see if she had a pulse. He reached out and placed a finger on the side of her neck. Her skin was warm and...there was a pulse. The pent-up breath whooshed from his lungs. “She’s alive.”

  “I called 911. The paramedics are stuck in traffic.”

  Trey turned back to Sage. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.” He gently traced his finger down over her cheek. “I’m so sorry. That’s what I came to tell you. And that I love you. I love you so much. Please be all right.”

  He leaned forward and pressed his lips ever so lightly to hers.

  When he pulled back, he noticed her eyes start to open. He reached for her hand and took it in his own. “That’s it. Come back to me.”

  Sage’s eyes opened wide. She glanced around until her gaze settled on him. “You love me?”

  “You heard that?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Just tell me that it wasn’t a dream.”

  “It’s definitely not a dream.” He stared deep into her blue eyes. “I love you, Sage. With all my heart. I’m just sorry that it took me so long to figure it all out.”

  “Why did you leave me at the château? Why couldn’t we have figured it out together?”

  “Because you kept talking about everything being perfect. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a person—especially someone like me. I didn’t think I could give you a perfect family—in fact, I knew it.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the pressure I was putting on you. I was so excited about what we could have together that I didn’t think about how your past would color your view of the future.”

  “And I let the past get in the way of my future—of our future. But thanks to you, my father and I are talking. I’m learning that everything in the past wasn’t black and white. I think the truth is somewhere in the shades of gray.”

  Sage smiled. “I’m so glad to hear that you two are talking.”

  “I never thought I’d say this, but I am, too.”

  She squeezed his hand. “I’ve had time to think about us. And I don’t need a perfect family. All I need is you. I love you.” She leaned into him and pressed her lips to his. A kiss had never tasted quite so sweet.

  When she pulled back, she pressed a hand to her injured forehead. “What happened?”

  “You were in an accident. Don’t you remember?”

  It took her a second and then she nodded. “I remember some of it.”

  She started to move around, but the seat belt was still holding her in place.

  “Hey, you need to stay where you are until the paramedics get here.” He didn’t want her to hurt herself further.

  “Why? I’m fine.” She released the seat belt.

  “You have blood on your face. You aren’t fine.”

  “It’s just a little cut.”

  “I’d rather hear an experienced medical professional tell me that.”

  She smiled at him as the paramedics entered the freeway via the exit ramp. “I never knew you were so protective.”

  “Only about those I love.”

  Sage got to her feet. “See. I’m fine.”

  “You’re still going to the hospital to be checked out. Do you hear me?”

  “But I need to get to New York. My investigator has important information about Elsa.”

  “While you get checked out, your investigator and my investigators can put their information together and see if it’s enough to take to the police.”

  Her eyes widened. “You had people looking into Elsa even after our blowup over your father?”

  “I never stopped. And I have some other news for you.”

  “Is it about the future of the magazine?” The smile slipped from her face.

  “It is. The board voted unanimously for you.”

  “They did?” She threw her arms around his neck. “If this is a dream, don’t wake me up.”

  “It’s not a dream. I love you and everything is going to work out as long as we’re together.”

  He lowered his head and claimed her lips with his own.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  ELSA STOOD IN front of the gold leaf mirror.

  “Beautiful as always.” She smiled at her reflection.

  Her latest facelift had done wonders to erase the years. Perhaps the doctor had been a bit zealous with how much skin he retracted as her eyes were a little off, but he assured her that she’d look like herself in no time.

  The doors to her office burst open. She spun around. A distinct frown pulled at her very tight skin. “What are you doing here?”

  Sage stood in the doorway with a smile on her face. For a moment, she didn’t say anything. A sickening feeling took hold of Elsa’s stomach. It was just like her nightmares. But that couldn’t be. She’d worked so hard to keep the truth from Sage.

  “It’s over, Elsa.” Sage stepped into her office.

  “I... I don’t know what you’re talking about.” There was no way Sage knew the truth. She was lying. “And if you don’t get out of here, I’m calling security. In fact, I’m calling them right now.”

  As Elsa picked up the phone, Sage said, “There’s no need to call them. I have the police with me.”

  At that moment, two New York City uniformed officers stepped up behind Sage. Elsa took a step back. This couldn’t be happening. She refused to lose everything.

  “You all need to go,” Elsa said as though it would make it so.

  “The only one leaving here is you. In handcuffs.” Sage was no longer smiling. There was a very serious look on her face. “We’ve just handed over all of the proof the district attorney needs to prosecute you for fraud, embezzlement and a few other charges. And when they are done with you, the SEC wants their turn to try you for manipulating the company stock price. And don’t worry, your buddies at the investment firm are getting their own set of bright shiny handcuffs.” A big smile came over her face.

  Quentin Thomas Rousseau III stepped up next to Sage. “Didn’t you forget something?”

  Sage turned to him. “Did I? That’s a lot of charges to remember.”

  He nodded. “Would you like me to say it?”

  “Sure.”

  “Stop.” Elsa’s stomach lurched. She didn’t know which made her sicker, the pending charges or their sickening sweet act. “How did you figure it out?”

  Sage lifted her chin and leveled her shoulders. “I took a page out of your book. I hired the best private investigator after I found him snooping through my office.”

  Elsa’s gaze narrowed. “You hired Hunter?”

  Sage’s smile broadened. “I did. I guess you could say he was acting as a double agent.”

  Quentin spoke up. “Now what w
as I about to say?”

  Sage elbowed him. “You know, what happens to Elsa after the SEC.”

  “That’s right. Once the SEC is done with you, the IRS wants their turn at you. It appears that you’ve been hiding assets.”

  “How could I have forgotten that one?” Sage turned to Elsa. “Looks like you’re in a mess of trouble. I just hope you didn’t mess up my house too much. That’s right. The house is coming back to me now that a copy of the original will has been located.”

  As the officer placed the cuffs on Elsa’s wrists, the reality of the situation sunk in. Elsa glared at her stepdaughter. “Your father always loved you best. He never paid attention to what I needed. It was always Sage this and Sage that. He was never worried about me. I had to take what I deserved.”

  The officer started to read her rights to her. Elsa took one last look around her precious office. And then her gaze landed on Sage and Quentin as they shared a tender look.

  “You will never win,” Elsa said as she was led toward the door.

  “We already did.” Sage leaned over and kissed Quentin.

  EPILOGUE

  Six months later...

  IT WAS FINALLY HAPPENING.

  Trey was at last going to have the family that he’d always wanted—and wondered if he deserved.

  Sage had taught him to forgive himself—and his father. He glanced off to the side to find his father sitting in the back row of their small wedding. If it wasn’t for Sage, he didn’t think he would have ever been able to open his heart up to his father. He never would have known the truth—his father hadn’t left voluntarily. His mother had pushed him away because she wasn’t able to share him with his work. She was an overly insecure person. But his mother had never shared that information with Trey. She’d only said his father had chosen his work over them.

  With his father permanently retired, the future of QTR was now Trey’s responsibility—and Sage’s. Not only were they merging their hearts and lives, but they also were merging their companies. They were going to be a dynamic duo, at work and at home.

  Trey returned his attention to his almost-wife as Sage repeated her wedding vows. He stared into her eyes, seeing his future. He couldn’t imagine choosing his work over her. Nor could he imagine her issuing an ultimatum. Sage enjoyed her work as much as he did. But they both enjoyed their time together. Sometimes it was a balancing act. Some days work won out. But other times, they’d slip away for some alone time—which they would do shortly for their month-long honeymoon.

  “You may kiss your bride,” the minister said.

  Arf! Arf!

  They both looked down at Happy, who sat between them wearing his little black bow tie. His tail rapidly swished back and forth. Was it Trey’s imagination or was the dog smiling at them?

  Trey gave himself a mental shake. He lifted his gaze until it met his wife’s. They both leaned in close and he pressed his lips to hers. Her kiss excited him just as much now as it had the very first time that they’d kissed. There was definitely something magical about Sage. And he was so lucky to have her next to him for life.

  They turned to the couple dozen people that they’d invited to the small, intimate affair. Standing and clapping were all the people that held a special place in their hearts.

  Sage leaned closer to Trey. “Is that your father in the back row?”

  “It is. I told him if he didn’t have anything planned that he could stop by.”

  “Really?” Sage sent him an astonished look.

  “What? I thought you’d be happy.”

  “I’m happy he’s here, but the way you invited him, it was like asking him over to watch a football game. I would have sent him an invitation if you’d have mentioned that you changed your mind. Now what’s he going to think? And sitting in the back row of all places.”

  Trey turned to his bride and cupped her face. “He’s going to think I’m the luckiest man in the world. And he has just gained the most beautiful and kindhearted daughter-in-law. Now give me a kiss.”

  She lifted up on her tiptoes and he met her halfway. But the kiss was much too short as Sage pulled away. He sent her a puzzled look.

  “You’ll get more later,” she said. “We have guests.”

  “Promise?”

  “I do.”

  He grinned. He’d never been happier in his life. Something told him with Sage by his side that life was just going to get sweeter.

  Outside the church, he held Happy in his arms while Sage gathered the single ladies around. She tossed her bridal bouquet. It tumbled through the air and landed in Louise’s hands. The woman’s face lit up with a big smile.

  Sage leaned into her husband’s side. “Looks like there’s going to be another wedding.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Watch.”

  As the crowd scattered, Ralph from the accounting department approached Louise. He took her in his arms. She smiled up at him and they kissed.

  “I think you’re right, Mrs. Rousseau.”

  Sage smiled up at him. “You keep talking like that and we’re going to have a very happy marriage.”

  Arf! Arf!

  He turned to Happy. “You’re supposed to be on my side. Us guys, we need to stick together.”

  Sage laughed and it was the best thing Trey had ever heard. He planned to keep her laughing the rest of their days.

  * * * * *

  Look out for the previous romance in the Once Upon a Fairytale duet

  Beauty and Her Boss

  And if you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Jennifer Faye

  Snowbound with an Heiress

  Married for His Secret Heir

  The Millionaire’s Royal Rescue

  Her Festive Baby Bombshell

  All available now!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Road Trip with the Best Man by Sophie Pembroke.

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  Road Trip with the Best Man

  by Sophie Pembroke

  CHAPTER ONE

  DAWN FEATHERINGTON STARED down the aisle at the perfect floral arrangements tied to each row of chairs set out on the grass. The string quartet was playing Pachelbel’s Canon—again—the officiant smiling serenely at the foot of the pagoda steps. The late-afternoon sun shone down on the manicured lawns of the Californian coastal mansion Justin’s mother had insisted would be the perfect venue for the two hundred and fifty
guests they needed to invite, lighting up the delicate white ribbons and lace strung around the pagoda.

  Everything looked perfect. Until she turned her attention to the expectant guests, all waiting slightly less patiently than they had been twenty minutes ago, and felt her stomach twist.

  Because the only thing missing now was the groom.

  Dawn ducked back behind the screens that the venue staff had put in place to keep the bridal party’s arrival a secret until the last moment. Behind her, her four sisters whispered amongst themselves, their rose-pink silk bridesmaid dresses rustling with them. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but then she didn’t really need to.

  Can you believe this is happening again?

  No. They were wrong. Justin loved her, he wanted to marry her. He’d hated even having to spend last night in a different hotel—although he’d insisted they had to, for tradition’s sake. He’d be here any moment. Probably.

  Dawn bit back a sigh. It wasn’t as if this exact thing had happened before, anyway—whatever her sisters were whispering. She’d never got quite as far as the altar with any of the others. They’d all called it off before it reached this point.

  Two broken engagements—one at the rehearsal dinner, but that still wasn’t the actual altar, right?—three long-term cohabiting relationships that had never even got as far as the ring and now Justin. Forty minutes late for his own wedding.

  It wouldn’t be quite so bad if every single one of her boyfriends hadn’t gone on to marry someone else within twelve to eighteen months. Including, in one particularly soul-destroying case, marrying her own sister.

  ‘The Dry Run.’ That was what her sisters called her. Dawn was the woman that guys tried out settling down with before they picked the woman they actually wanted to spend the rest of their lives with. And for some reason that woman was never Dawn.

  But Justin was different. Wasn’t he?

  From the moment they’d first met, she’d felt it. She’d been at a work event, one held at an estate not unlike this one, with vineyards stretching back from the gleaming white house. She’d been standing on the terrace, looking out at the sunset, when he’d approached her and made some comment about the hosts that she could barely remember. All she had taken in was his smile and his charm. They’d talked all evening—well, okay, mostly he’d talked, but he had so many interesting things to say! Then, the next day, he’d sent flowers and a note to her office, asking her to meet him at some ridiculously exclusive bar across town.