“We?”
“Oh yes. Definitely we. This was your idea, so you’re coming with me.”
Chapter 24
The California coast sparkled before me. It was a sunny day in the mid-eighties, and I could see a few palm trees along the beachfront. This whole thing was surreal. I’d never left New England before, and I’d gone from sitting in Chase’s kitchen straight to a red-eye to California.
I protested that I had no clothes, but Chase said we’d buy some along the way. Chalk one up for the Prince Charming factor.
So I had on a brand new sundress we bought me from a shop at the airport at Logan and even brand new panties courtesy of Victoria’s Secret. We’d collected a car at the airport and headed up Route 1 to where Saffron lived.
Chase took my hand. “Nearly there.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“Not now. Adrenaline is propelling me on, and I slept on the plane.” We’d flown first class, another first for me, and I had to admit that had made it a very comfortable flight.
“Saffron seemed pleased you called. I hope she’s not holding a torch for you?”
“First, who says, holding a torch? And second, not a chance. I think she’s really pleased I reached out. I think she’s been pretty isolated and I know her family hasn’t exactly been on board since she dropped out of college and hooked up with Dad. Her life is by no means bad; she has a sizeable trust fund, but it’s a far cry from what she was used to.”
“We’ll see.”
“Yeah, in about ten minutes.”
Saffron lived in a gated community near the coast. We were buzzed through a pair of huge gates by a security guard in a navy uniform like something out a movie. Part of me felt sorry for this girl, but it was hard to find empathy for someone whose reduced circumstances seemed to be far better than most hard-working people I knew.
The estate was full of cookie-cutter houses the color of sand, and hers was at the end of a small cul-de sac. She appeared at the front door in skin-tight black pants and a white halter top. Her dark hair cascaded down her back and was held back by designer sunglasses. She wore black wedges that Cherie would have adored.
“Chase.” She came running down the path to embrace him. “I can’t tell you how happy I am you’re here. It means so much to me.”
I tried not to be jealous as her arms stayed wrapped around him for what felt like way too long.
“It’s nice to see you, too. I’d like to introduce you to Lucy.”
“Lucy, welcome,” she said in a voice that said many things but welcome was not one.
“Nice to meet you.” I extended my hand. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you.”
I kept my face neutral as I followed them up the path. “
The girls are off with their nanny. They’ll be home in a few minutes. I thought we should talk first.”
We followed her through to a large living room where every piece of furniture seemed to be white. I wondered how two little girls played in such a room.
“Can I offer you a drink?”
“Coffee would be great, right, Lucy?” Chase asked. “No problem. I’ll just go put some on.”
“How are you doing?” I asked him as she retreated
“Hard to tell. It’s kind of weird, but not horrible.”
Saffron reappeared and we sat on the lounge.
“So, Lucy, where do you fit in? Are you Chase’s assistant or his girlfriend?”
“No Saffron, she’s my fiancée,” he said.
I was? That was news to me. Maybe I was his fake fiancée now. It would have been nice if he’d shared that little tidbit before springing it on me, though. I, at least, had had the courtesy to warn him.
“No ring?”
“It’s being made. We only recently got engaged.”
“Oh.” Her face fell.
I’d been right; she’d had hopes that were now out the window.
Maybe Chase had thought so, too, hence my upgrade to fiancée.
“So tell me about my sisters.”
“They’re fine. It’s been very hard since their father died, of course. They miss him terribly. They were very close to him.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“He was different with them. I know that sounds strange, especially with how he left things in his will, but they were like a second chance for him. “
“If you say so. Do you have a photo?”
I looked around the room and noticed the complete lack of photos. It was odd.
“Sure, I’ll bring one when I get the coffee.” She stood to leave.
“This is weird,” I whispered to Chase. “It’s like a model home. Nothing personal at all.”
“True.”
At that moment, the front door opened and in walked two little girls in matching school uniforms. Next to them stood a middle aged woman with dark skin and a bun, also in a uniform that looked as if I’d been borrowed from Alice from The Brady Bunch.
“Hola,” said the nanny.
“Hello. I’m Chase.” He walked over to the three of them and shook the nanny’s hand. “And you two must be Poppy and Rose. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Saffron hurried back into the room. “Hi, girls. How as your morning?”
“It was nice at the park,” one of them said, with no hugs and kisses for their mom. No racing in to tell her about their day.
Maybe that was how it was when a nanny raised the kids. I didn’t know, but I didn’t like it.
“Girls, this is Chase. He’s your brother. Well, half-brother. He was from Daddy’s first marriage. You met him when you were little, but you probably don’t remember. Poppy. Rose.” She patted each child’s head to show us who was who.
“We have a brother?” Poppy looked confused by this.
“Who’s a grown-up?” Said Rose.
“You do. Sorry I didn’t come to see you sooner.” Chase squatted down. “It’s kind of weird, huh?”
They nodded. Their mother didn’t seem to be doing much to help pave the way.
“Very.” Poppy answered,
“So what do you girls like to do? I like to play games. Got any good ones?”
After a few board games, the girls seemed to have relaxed a little with Chase,
It was a start. The first step in what would probably be a fairly broken journey between him and his sisters.
Two hours after we arrived, we were driving back out of the gates of the community. Chase had promised he’d be back next month, and the girls had seemed pleased, as had Saffron. I had a feeling a little engagement wasn’t going to stand in her way if she wanted Chase.
Still, those little girls needed as many people in their lives as they could get.
Exactly like my nieces and nephew.
Chapter 25
We were sitting on the balcony, watching the waves crash against the shore. It was a beautiful night. Our chairs were side-by-side and Chase’s arm was resting along the back of the chair. The inn we were staying in was perched on a rock with the waves crashing below. The scent of jasmine wafted around us. It was the most beautiful place I’d ever seen.
“Thanks for coming with me,” he said.
“You’re welcome. Are you glad you did it?” I searched his handsome face to see how he was feeling.
“I am, thought it felt strange to have sisters their ages.”
“Yeah that’s a word for it…” It wasn’t the girls themselves it was the whole house and its vibe.
“But hopefully I can have an ongoing relationship with them.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I am glad I did it.”
“I think they could use a little more nurturing. Their mother isn’t exactly winning any mother-of-the-year awards.”
“That’s the kind of mother she had. It’s what she knows.”
I guess he knew better, but it sounded like an excuse to me.
“She was raised by nannies to be seen but not heard. She had the best of eve
rything except for attention and affection. She loves those girls, but she isn’t good at showing it, perhaps. Lots of women are like her.”
“But CeCe wasn’t like that?”
“No, I was lucky. We were raised with nannies and other staff, but it wasn’t like CeCe to check out on us. You’ve met her; you know how she is. She was and is a very big part of my life. She happens to think life should be a whole lot of fun.”
“Yeah,” I thought about those little girls and my own nieces and nephews. “And at least your sisters do have someone making sure they get what they need. They’ll never go without.”
“Unlike you.”
“Unlike me,” I replied looking out at the view. “I’ve never seen the Pacific Ocean before.”
Chase raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Yep, another first. I’ve had a lot of firsts with you.”
“Such as?”
“You were my first fiancé.”
“And your last, I hope.”
Wait. What?
I could only gape at him.
“Lucy, you make me a better person, and you make me want to be a better person.”
“That’s a wonderful thing to say.”
“I mean it. You bring out the best in me and we’re a good team.” He took both my hands in his. “I think we should take the fake fiancé thing and make it real. I want to see the world with you, build a life with you and help slay the dragons for you. Will you marry me, Lucy?”
Of course I said yes.
“Will we live in a castle?” I asked.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Princess? It’s not a castle.”
He was right; it was going to be our home.
Epilogue
We flew straight to New Hampshire.
It was the strangest thing but for the first time in memory the first place I wanted to go and share the news of my engagement was my home town. Only a few weeks earlier I was terrified to return and now I couldn’t wait.
He gave my thigh a pat and lovely warmth spread through my body. We had taken a couple of days in California to celebrate on our own. Gorgeous days spent of sleeping late, making love and lying in the sun. Too much food, too much champagne and so much love. Every so often I had to remind myself that this was real. Chase and I were really truly together.
It wasn’t a ruse to fool anyone it was genuine.
It seemed ridiculous that I’d fought my attraction to Chase so hard, especially now I was experiencing what having him a hundred percent committed to me was like. Looking across at his handsome face though I felt a kind of peace I couldn’t remember ever feeling before. I felt safe.
The kids would be so excited to hear our news, or I hoped they would. I knew Oliver and Sophie would be thrilled but Katie I was a little sure of. She’d come around to Chase but I hoped she wouldn’t see this as an abandonment.
My sister’s absence still weighed heavily on me.
“I wish Minnie were around, she’d be so pleased.” Chase was driving the rental car from the airport to my mother’s house. “I bet she’ll really like you when she meets me.”
“I hope so.” He gave me a slow smile. “She’s okay though. I mean not in a perfect place but okay.”
“How do you know? Did you speak to my mother?”
“Lucy, I’m the one keeping tabs on her. I hired a private detective to trace her, and he’s been keeping your mother and I looped in. She’s still in Reno.”
Now that I thought about it I felt ridiculous for not guessing sooner. My mother didn’t have the money or the skills to trace my sister.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought you’d stop me and I wanted to be sure she was not in any real danger.”
“You mean aside from gambling, drinking and hanging with low-lifes?”
“Exactly” he said with a grin. “We’re keeping tabs on her. If things deteriorate further we’ll step in.”
“We?”
“It’s we now Lucy. You and I are a ‘we’. We will step in. We will keep an eye on your nieces and nephew. We will bring them home to us, if they need that. We.”
I started to tear up. I’d never been a part of anything real like that before. I’d been the one on the edge stepping in to help. The one who watched and waited. I’d never been supported by anyone before.
“Don’t cry, Lucy. It’s a good thing.” His hand squeezed my thigh again. More lovely warmth flooded my body.
“I know. It’s just going to take me a while to adjust. “
“Me too.” He said. “I really love you Lucy and I want us to have a great life together. But you’re right we do come from polar opposite lives.”
“I know, it worries me.”
He gave his head a shake. “It doesn’t worry me. You’ve had not enough of anything and I’ve had too much. Together it’s the perfect combination.”
His car pulled up in front of my mother’s home where my nephew and the dog rolled on the grass. Kevin and my mother sat on the steps watching them. They were holding hands. He said something to her and she laughed. She was happy.
If she could turn her life around and be happy then there was hope for Minnie.
As for me with Chase standing beside me when we shared the news with my family as hugged and congratulated me, the kids squashing is into a group hug. I didn’t need hope I had everything I wanted.
If you liked Any Way You Dream It, An Upper Crust Novel please leave me a review. Good reviews make an author’s day.
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You might also like my other novels
Upper Crust Series
Any Way You Slice It, An Upper Crust Novella
Any Way You Dream It, An Upper Crust Novel
Any Way You Fight It, out July 2015
My stand-alone novels
Mr. Right and Other Mongrels
Hearts Afire
Alphabet Dating
Building Attraction
A Fair Exchange
Acknowledgements
First off I owe a huge thank you to the lovely members of Writers’ Dozen who support my writing and keep my on track. A special thank you goes to Pamela Cook who reads all my work for me and gives me feedback and encouragement week in, week out. Without my wonderful writing friends I know I could not continue.
Thanks to my beta readers for your ongoing help – especially to Renee, Betty and Annabel whose help I find invaluable.
Thanks to cover designer Erin Cawood for gorgeous cover design and to Judi Fennel for the editing. Finally a thank you to my regular readers who write reviews for my books, e-mail me and tweet me about my stories. Knowing you’re out there reading my stories and anticipating the next one gives me more joy than you can possibly imagine.
About the Author – Monique McDonell
I am an Australian author who writes contemporary women’s fiction including chick lit and romance. I live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with my husband and daughter, and despite my dog phobia, with a dog called Skip.
I have written all my life especially as a child when I loved to write short stories and poetry. At University I studied Creative Writing as part of my Communication degree. Afterwards I was busy working in public relations I didn’t write for pleasure for quite a few years although I wrote many media releases, brochures and newsletters. (And I still do in my day-job!)
When I began to write again I noticed a trend - writing dark unhappy stories made me unhappy. So I made a decision to write a novel with a happy ending and I have been writing happy stories ever since.
I have been a member of the writing group The Writer’s Dozen for eight years. Our anthology Better Than Chocolate raised over $10,000 for the charity Room to Read and helped build a library in South East Asia. I am also a member of the Romance Writers of Australia.
This is the sixth novel I have released in the last two years.
<
br /> To learn more about me and my upcoming books please visit her at www.moniquemcdonellauthor.com.
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Excerpt: Any Way You Fight It
An Upper Crust Novel
Out July 2015
Chapter 1
I slide into the corner booth at O’Shaunnessy’s. I let my five inch heels hit the floor. Bang. Bang. I wave at Larry behind the bar. He knows it’s a martini kind of day for me by my demeanor. I sit long ways on the bench seat and make sure my very short, tight paneled dress isn’t riding too high on my thighs. No need to give the boys at the bar a free show, not that they’d notice anyway, every eye is glued to the game on TV.
It’s been quite a day. I’ve had five open houses which is a record for me. Running my own real estate business is hard work. I should probably have an assistant but as my friend Piper likes to say I’m “a greedy little control freak.” She has that right. I think I’ve already sold two of the houses I showed today. One to a really sweet young family who will be mortgaged to the hilt and house-poor for the rest of their natural born lives, bless them. The other was to a slimy developer who is buying up a block bit by bit ready to knock it all down and build obscenely expensive condominiums. I always tell anyone on that block to up the price. He can afford it and I deserve the extra commission because that guy is a total sleaze bag.
My martini arrives and I take a fortifying sip.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to drink it all in one gulp, Cherie.” My cousin Aaron informs me as he plonks himself down in the booth across from me. “Tough day?”
“Not tough so much as manic.” I tell him about the open houses.
“That developer, Cain, give you any trouble today?”
Any Way You Dream It: An Upper Crust Novel - Book 2 (Upper Crust Series) Page 18
