Blind-Date Marriage
Page 17
She didn’t only recognise the voice; she recognised the tune. It was Jake’s song! The one he’d played her in his flat the night he’d cooked her dinner. She just hadn’t realised because with the other instruments and vocals it sounded fuller, more complete.
And now Max was singing about how he wanted to love her for ever, to have and to hold, to cherish her and never let her go.
Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she was too lost in the song to remember to wipe them away. Then the final chords wove themselves together and faded. She reached for her glass, but her fingers trembled too much to risk picking it up.
‘I finished it.’
Her head jolted up and there he was—Jake. She grabbed onto the table, sure the world had just rolled on its axis.
‘I discovered all I needed was a little inspiration.’ He was walking towards her, trying to smile, but a little nerve twitched in his cheek. ‘You are my inspiration, Serendipity Dove. I needed you to make it complete.’ He arrived at the table and sat opposite her, all the time keeping eye contact. She needed to remember to breathe every few seconds, she really did.
He took her hand. ‘I need you to make me complete too.’
That was it. The tears fell like torrential rain. Those clear blue eyes were full of everything she had ever wanted to see in them. She tugged at the elaborately folded napkin in front of her, intending to bury her face in it.
Something flew out as she pulled it open, and tumbled onto her lap. Her fingers reached for it. She looked at him and he swallowed.
Her fingertips brushed against velvet. She grasped it and pulled a little jewellery box from under the table into the light. The air around them fizzed with static electricity. She was still staring at the box when she realised Jake had moved. He was close beside her, but not touching. She met his gaze at eye level.
He was down on one knee.
A shiver ran right through her and the little box slid from her fingers. Jake was ready. He caught it in one deft swipe and held it out to face her. Her eyes grew wide as he eased the lid open.
Inside was a stunning antique ring. A square-cut emerald flanked by diamonds set in white gold. She couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect.
His face went slightly grey. ‘Serendipity Dove—I won’t call you Serena; it’s not your name, and it’s the real you I love—will you marry me?’
He lifted the ring from its velvet cushion and held it near the tip of her finger, waiting.
Finally her tongue remembered what it was for! ‘But you don’t want me!’
‘I want you more than anything in this world.’
She shook her head. ‘You left.’
His eyes clouded over and a shadow passed over his face. ‘I’m so sorry.’ His thumb reached up and brushed the tears from her cheek. ‘I thought I was being noble, but actually I was just being very, very stupid. I thought I was saving you from me. I knew you were desperate for the whole package, husband and babies, and I couldn’t steal that dream from you, so I left.’
‘But now you’re back?’
‘Yes. To stay, for ever—if you’ll have me.’
If she’d thought her heart was beating fast before, now it doubled its efforts and sprinted off into the sunset.
‘I thought you didn’t do that kind of thing.’
‘Only for you.’
She shook her head. This was all too much. She wanted to believe him, she really did, but he’d bolted on her twice before.
‘Look at me.’
His deep blue eyes were earnest. She could see right inside, and there wasn’t a shred of doubt or fear in them. ‘I love you like I’ve never loved anyone else. I want to spend the next fifty years with you—or sixty, or seventy. I want to fight about who has the remote control and whose turn it is to change the next stinky nappy. I want you to remind me where I’ve left my false teeth when we’re old and crusty. Please marry me. Say yes.’
She blinked, hardly daring to believe it was true. She’d better answer before this lovely dream evaporated.
‘Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you—Charlie.’
She half expected him to wince, understanding now why he hated his name, but he was the one who’d started being picky on the subject. He laughed, a deep guttural sound, and slipped the ring on. It sat comfortably there, as if her finger had always been waiting for it.
And then they were standing, and she was in his arms, his lips pressed against hers, and she thought she was going to pass out from sheer delight.
Slowly, she became aware of other noises in the room: whispers, shuffling, and then, growing in volume, a round of applause. She pulled away and stared at the dozen or so people gathered near the bar.
‘Cass! Dad! Mel? All of you! What are you doing here?’
Jake whispered in her ear. ‘I hired the restaurant for our engagement party.’
She punched him on the arm. ‘You were a little sure of yourself, weren’t you?’
‘Actually, no. I knew I’d hurt you badly, and I had no idea what you’d say. I was prepared to look like a fool in front of all of them if you made a different decision. I was so fixated on the idea I was going to repeat my father’s history I didn’t give us a chance. I didn’t try to prove myself wrong. I’m sorry.’
Champagne corks popped in the background, but she didn’t move her eyes from his face. ‘I was stubborn too! It wasn’t all your fault. I had this picture-perfect idea of my future, and I wouldn’t accept anything that didn’t fit the template. It was stupid. At first all I saw was your suit and your job, but then I fell in love with you and it didn’t matter what you wore or what you did. I just wanted you—any way I could have you.’
‘And now you’ve got me. I hope you realise there’s a no returns policy?’
‘Oh, shut up and kiss me.’
She pulled him close by the lapels and savoured the taste and the feel of him. She was home.
Someone in the room let out a wolf whistle—probably Cass. They pulled apart, grinning.
‘I suppose we’d better go and say hello to all our guests. After all, they made this possible.’
She looked at him, eyebrows raised.
‘Cass was a mine of helpful information—and, of course, got you to turn up. Your dad and Max have worked round the clock for the last few days, helping me put down the song. I finished it on the plane journey back to London. It’s amazing how much clarity you get when you’re racing through the air, hoping to high heaven that you haven’t messed up the best thing that ever happened to you.’
‘The song is wonderful. You’re wonderful. I love you so much.’
Then the crowd descended on them, and there was much hugging and kissing and slapping on backs. Mel was in tears, and Cass was grinning away as if she was responsible for the whole thing—which she was, of course, but it would never do to admit that. Her head was far too large already.
Finally, they found each other again. Their fingers laced together and he smiled down at her. She sighed. She wanted so much to be alone with him, away from all the chatter and clamour.
He read her look and his pupils grew.
‘Later,’ he whispered, and placed a kiss in the hollow beneath her ear. ‘We’ve got the rest of our lives.’
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5533-6
BLIND-DATE MARRIAGE
First North American Publication 2006
Copyright © 2006 by Fiona Harper
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