‘Because I was a stupid, insecure idiot, too blinded by fear of losing you to think straight. So I’ll ask you now. Why are you going to France to see your ex-husband?’
‘You might be going too,’ she said.
‘Now you’re the one talking in riddles.’
‘Let me explain,’ she said, uncrossing her arms.
‘Please do,’ he said. Man, had he made a mess of this.
‘Philippe asked me to keep this secret for Amy’s sake. But you’re more important than keeping his confidence. He’s getting married and his fiancée wants me and Amy to be there at the wedding next April in Lyon. You’re invited too. Actually, I invited you. But Philippe didn’t want Amy to know until closer to the time and he asked me not to tell anyone in case she overheard.’
‘Your ex is getting married?’ That was the last thing he had expected to hear.
‘Is it so surprising? People do get remarried, you know. And I’m happy for him.’
‘I thought he wanted you back.’
Now her eyes were accusing. ‘How could you possibly think I’d go back to him after what you and I have shared together? The...the fairy tale magic. What kind of a woman do you think I am?’
‘Obviously one I’m not worthy of,’ he said slowly. He tasted regret, bitter and stinging.
All her indignation and anger fled from her face and her eyes softened. She reached up and laid her fingers across his mouth. ‘Oh, Jesse, don’t say that. After all we’ve been through to get here.’
He took her fingers in his hand. ‘Can you forgive me?’
‘If you’ll forgive me for keeping secrets from you. I should have told you straight away about the wedding in Lyon. I love you, Jesse. I couldn’t bear to lose you.’
Relief swelled through him. ‘That’s twice you’ve told me you love me. Can you give a man a chance to catch up?’
He couldn’t wait another second to gather her close to him. She squealed. ‘You’re wet and cold but I don’t care.’
He claimed her mouth in a kiss. ‘I love you, Lizzie,’ he said, revelling in the sound of the words and how it made him feel to say them. ‘I love you, Lizzie,’ he repeated. ‘That’s twice I’ve said it. We’re even.’
She locked her arms around his neck. ‘I’m going to tell you how much I love you a lot more times than that. I’m coming to Texas with you. Amy too.’
‘You’d leave the café?’
‘Funnily enough, though it didn’t seem the best job in the world when I came down to Dolphin Bay, I’ve got attached to it. But not as attached as I am to you. So yes, I’ll leave it after training someone else to take over so I don’t let Sandy down.’
‘You don’t have to leave. I’m staying right here in Dolphin Bay.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m going into business with Ben.’
She frowned. ‘Is it what you really want? You’re not compromising for my sake? Because if—’
‘It’s what I really want. I want you too. No more pretending to be “just friends” either. No more being jealous because we’re not certain of each other.’
‘Jealous? You?’
‘You turned me into a jealous guy when I saw you hugging and kissing Philippe.’
She shrugged in that Gallic way. ‘It’s just a French thing. The kissing. Nothing to be concerned about.’
‘I didn’t like it.’
‘So we’re both jealous. Do two people being jealous cancel out the jealousy?’
She was making light of it. But he knew how concerned she was about her jealousy causing problems.
‘I have a better idea,’ he said. ‘Love. Security. Commitment. Knowing the other person is always in your court. That could go a long way to cancelling out the jealousy.’
She went very still. He was aware of the sound of the waves. The thudding of his own heart. ‘I...I’m not sure what you’re getting at,’ she said.
He’d thought about this when he’d been swimming up and down in the surf. How he couldn’t bear to be without Lizzie in his life. How he could think of nothing better than making her and Amy his family. How what she needed had become what he needed. ‘A wedding ring firmly circling your finger is my idea of a jealousy buster,’ he said.
‘And a matching one circling yours is mine,’ she said. Her wonderful warm laugh rang out across the beach. ‘Did you just propose to me, Jesse Morgan?’
‘Did you just accept my proposal, Lizzie Morgan to-be?’
‘I did,’ she said, planting a kiss on his mouth. ‘And...and I couldn’t be happier.’
‘Me too,’ he said and kissed her back. His heart actually ached with joy.
She broke away from the kiss. ‘You realise there will be a lot of upset people in town when this news leaks out?’
‘Who? My family will be delighted.’
‘The punters who laid bets you’d never marry.’
‘Serves them right for giving you the wrong impression of me and making it so tough for me to win you.’
She smiled. ‘I’m glad you changed my mind about that. I love you, Jesse.’
‘I love you too,’ he said. ‘That makes three times we’ve said it.’
‘Shall we try for thirty times before the day is over?’
‘Why not?’ he said. ‘I’ll never tire of hearing those words from you.’
EPILOGUE
Two months later
AS A CHILD, Christmas had not been Lizzie’s favourite time of year—her family Christmas Days had always seen the sad cliché of every bitterness and conflict getting a good airing over the roast turkey and plum pudding.
As an adult, she had embraced Christmas as a joyous celebration, growing to love festive traditions whether celebrated in the winter of Europe or the Australian summer.
But this year’s Christmas was going to be the most magical and memorable of all—because this year Lizzie was celebrating Christmas as a bride.
On Christmas Eve—a perfect sunny south coast morning—Lizzie let Sandy fuss around fixing her hair, which had been braided into a thick plait interwoven with white ribbons and creamy frangipani flowers. In her ears were the exquisite diamond studs Jesse had given her as an early Christmas present.
The sisters were getting ready in a location van parked on the approach to Silver Gull beach. As the most significant moments of their courtship had taken place on beaches, she and Jesse had decided Silver Gull would be the perfect venue for their exchange of vows.
The location van had been Sandy’s idea; she was familiar with such luxuries from her days working on advertising shoots. Lizzie marvelled at the set-up—the interior was like a dressing room complete with mirrors and even a small bathroom. It was the ideal place to prepare for a wedding at a beach.
‘Now, let me check the dress,’ said Sandy, who was taking her duties as Lizzie’s bridesmaid very seriously.
Lizzie was so happy to be getting married to Jesse she hadn’t imagined she’d be plagued by any wedding day nerves. Not so. She wasn’t worried about the details of the ceremony; they had all been organised by Kate Lancaster, who had done such a marvellous job as wedding planner for Sandy and Ben’s wedding. Or about the reception—a small informal affair which was to be held back at Bay Bites. Lizzie’s team had all that under control.
No. Lizzie’s concern was that she wanted to look beautiful for Jesse.
She did a twirl as best she could in the confines of the van. ‘Do you think Jesse will like it?’ she asked Sandy, unable to suppress the tremor in her voice. She loved the ankle-length dress for its elegant simplicity: a V-neck tunic in soft off-white tulle lace layered over a silk under-dress and caught in with a flat bow in the small of her back.
‘Jesse won’t be able to keep his eyes off you,’ said Sandy. ‘I�
�ve never seen a lovelier bride, and I’m not saying that because you’re my baby sister. That dress is divine—simple, elegant, discreetly sexy. Just like you.’
Lizzie hugged her. ‘You’re okay about me marrying Jesse, aren’t you?’ she asked. ‘You warned me off him so many times. But he isn’t what people said, you know. He makes me happier than I ever could have imagined.’
She was taken aback by Sandy’s burst of laughter. ‘Ben and I couldn’t be more delighted you two are getting married. You and Jesse are perfect for each other. But you’re so stubborn you would have run the other way if I’d told you that. You had to find each other in your own way.’
Lizzie’s first reaction was to huff indignantly. But instead she smiled. ‘You did me a favour and I’m grateful.’ She paused. ‘Sisters married to brothers. It’s worked out so well for us, hasn’t it? Our guys from Dolphin Bay.’
‘Yes,’ said Sandy. Her hand went protectively to the slight swell of her belly. She and Ben were expecting a baby in six months’ time—an event anticipated with much joy by the Morgan clan. ‘We’re both getting our happily-ever-after endings.’
Then Sandy bustled Lizzie towards the door of the van. ‘Come on, bride, your gorgeous groom is waiting for you.’
Lizzie waited at the start of the ‘aisle’ formed by double rows of seashells that led to a white wooden wedding arch adorned with filmy white fabric and sprays of the small red flowers of the New South Wales Christmas bush. The aquamarine waters of the ocean with the white waves rolling in formed the most glorious backdrop for her wedding ceremony. When she drew in some deep calming breaths, the salt smell of the sea mingled with the sweet scent of the frangipani in her hair.
Both Sandy and Amy, her only attendants, had preceded her down the aisle. They both wore pretty knee-length dresses in a shade of palest coffee. Barista coffee, Lizzie had joked. They were all barefoot, with their toenails painted Christmas red in honour of the festive season.
There was one more thing to do before Lizzie took her journey down the aisle. She laid aside her bouquet of Christmas bush. Then slipped off her diamond engagement ring from the third finger of her left hand and transferred it to her right hand. Jesse had surprised her with the superb solitaire in a starkly simple platinum setting just days after he had proposed to her on this very beach.
She watched as Sandy reached the wedding arch and took her place beside Ben, Jesse’s best man. On her other side, Amy held her aunt’s hand. Then it was Lizzie’s turn to walk down the aisle to get married to Jesse.
The sand either side of the aisle was lined with well-wishers but they were just a blur to Lizzie. She recognised Maura standing by with Amy’s adored Alfie and Ben’s golden retriever Hobo firmly secured by leashes. But the only face she wanted to see was Jesse’s.
And then she was beside him; he was clean-shaven, his black hair tamed, heart-achingly handsome in a stone-coloured linen suit and an open-neck white silk shirt. Any doubts she might have had about him finding her beautiful on her wedding day were dispersed by the look of adoration in his deep blue eyes as he took her hand in his and drew her to his side.
‘I love you,’ he murmured.
‘I love you too,’ she whispered.
‘That’s three thousand and sixty-three times we’ve said it,’ he said.
‘And we have a lifetime ahead of us to keep on saying it,’ she said, tightening her clasp on his hand.
The celebrant called the guests to order. Before she knew it, they’d exchanged vows and Jesse was slipping the platinum wedding ring on her finger and then her diamond ring on top. ‘I declare you man and wife,’ said the celebrant.
‘Now I can kiss my bride,’ said Jesse, gathering her into his arms. ‘Mrs Lizzie Morgan.’
Their kiss should have been the cue for classical wedding music to play through the speakers placed strategically near the wedding arch.
But, as Jesse claimed his first kiss as her husband, Lizzie was stunned to hear instead the distinctive notes of Jesse’s signature tune rearranged for violin and piano.
‘Where did that music come from?’ she asked Jesse.
Jesse laughed. ‘No idea. But I like it. Now you truly are Jesse’s girl.’ He kissed her again to the accompaniment of clapping and cheering from their friends and family. ‘My wife—the best Christmas present ever.’
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from SNOWBOUND SURPRISE FOR THE BILLIONAIRE by Michelle Douglas.
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CHAPTER ONE
ADDIE SAUNTERED DOWN to Bruce Augustus’s pen, keeping her head high and her limbs loose while her lungs cramped and her eyes stung. There was probably no one watching her, but just in case.
She rounded the corner of the pen where the galvanised iron shelter finally hid her from the homestead. Pressing the back of her hand to her mouth, she swung herself over the fence, upturned the feed bin, collapsed down onto it and finally gave way to the sobs that raked through her.
The huge Hereford stud bull—ex-stud bull, he’d been retired for a few years now—nuzzled her ear. She leant forward, wrapped her arms around him and cried into his massive shoulder. He just stood there, nuzzling her and giving off animal warmth and a measure of comfort. Eventually though he snorted and stamped a foot and Addie knew it was time to pull herself together.
She eased away to rest back against the wooden palings behind and scrubbed her hands down her face. ‘Sorry, Bruce Augustus, what a big cry baby you must think me.’
He lowered his head to her lap and she scratched her hands up his nose and around his ears the way he loved. He groaned and rocked into her slightly, but she wasn’t afraid. He might be twelve hundred pounds of brute animal strength, but he’d never hurt her. They’d been hanging out since she was eight years old. She’d cried with him when her mother had died two years ago. She’d cried with him when her father had died four months ago.
And she’d cried with him when her best friend, Robbie, had died.
She closed her eyes. Her head dropped. Robbie.
Finally she’d thought she’d be free to keep her promise to Robbie, had practically tasted the freedom of it on her tongue. But no. Flynn Mather in his perfect suit and with his perfectly cool—some might say cold—business manner had just presented his contract to them all. A contract with an insidious heartbreaking condition.
She stood and turned to survey the fields that rolled away in front of her, at the ranges way off to her right, and at the stands of ancient gum trees. She propped her arms on the fence and rested her chin on them. In early December in the Central West Tablelands of New South Wales, the grass was golden, the sky was an unending blue and the sun was fierce. She dashed away the perspiration that pricked her brow. ‘How long do you think Robbie would’ve given me to fulfil my promise, Bruce Augustus?’
Of course he didn’t answer.
She made herself smile—might as well practise out here where no one could see her. ‘The good news is we’ve found a buyer for Lorna Lee’s.’
A sigh juddered out of her. She and two of her neighbours had joined forces to sell their properties as a job lot. Frank and Jeannie were well past retirement age, while Eric and Lucy were spending so
much time in Sydney for four-year-old Colin’s treatment their place was in danger of falling into wrack and ruin. Addie and her father had helped out all they could, but when her father had died it was all Addie could do to keep on top of things here at Lorna Lee’s. One person really did make that much of a difference. And when that person was gone...
She stared up at the sky and breathed deeply. No more crying today. Besides, she’d already cried buckets for her father.
She leant a shoulder against Bruce’s bulk. ‘So our gamble paid off.’ Putting the three properties together for sale had made it a more attractive venture for at least one buyer. Flynn Mather. ‘Your new owner is a hotshot businessman. He also has a cattle station in Queensland Channel country—huge apparently.’
Bruce Augustus snorted.
‘Don’t be like that. He knows his stuff. Says he wants to diversify his portfolio.’ She snorted then too. Who actually spoke like that? ‘And he plans to expand the breeding programme here.’ She practised another smile. ‘That’s good news, huh?’
The bull merely swished his tail, dislodging several enormous horseflies.
‘We have a buyer. I should be over the moon.’ She gripped the wooden paling until her knuckles turned white. ‘But you know what I’d really like to do?’ She glared at gorgeous golden fields. ‘I’d like to take that contract and tell him to shove it where the sun don’t shine.’
Bruce Augustus shook his head, dislodging the horse flies from his face. Addie grabbed the plastic swatter she’d hung on a nail by the fence and splattered both flies in one practised swat. Bruce Augustus didn’t even flinch. ‘That’s what I’d like to do with Flynn Mather’s contract.’
Two years! He’d demanded she stay here for two whole years to oversee the breeding programme and to train someone up. He’d made it a condition of that rotten contract.
A well of something dark and suffocating rose inside her. She swallowed. ‘That means spending Christmas here.’ She straightened and scowled. ‘No way! I’m not some indentured servant. I’m allowed to leave. I’m not spending Christmas on the farm!’
A Diamond in Her Stocking Page 16
