The Maverick Millionaire

by Alison Roberts

  ‘What’s worth fighting for.’

  * * *

  Her gasp was involuntary.

  He had to have known she was there all along for his gaze to find her so unerringly as he said those words. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him. He looked so different, with his hair short and only a dark shadowing on his jaw as a faded echo of that beard. She wanted to bury her fingers in his hair. Stroke the outline of that strong jaw and then leave kisses in the trail her fingers had made.

  Shocked out of where her thoughts had been drifting, Ellie tried to cling to that gaze but Jake looked away. Let his gaze rove over everybody present.

  ‘It’s been a real privilege to spend time in New Zealand and I have to say I’ve fallen in love with kiwis. One in particular anyway.’

  Ellie’s head was spinning. Was he talking about Pēpe? Or her? And why on earth was he doing this in public?

  A somewhat panicked scan of the theatre reassured Ellie that she knew most of the people here and that she could feel safe as part of the family that the cast and crew of the movie represented, but this was still a huge step into a space between something private and something that would be on display for the whole world. Jake couldn’t know that what he was saying wasn’t going to be leaked to the media.

  And this was...real.

  With her new-found ability to see the difference, Ellie could read Jake’s body language and hear it in the tone of his voice. It felt like she had suddenly become fluent in a new language.

  She could speak Jake.

  And fear had been replaced by trust.

  He might be an amazing actor but Ellie could see the difference between the acting and reality now. So clearly, even a tiny flashback to the lines he’d given the media about their relationship meaning nothing made her cringe inwardly. How could she have believed—even for an instant—in something that was such obvious acting?

  Did other people ever find a connection like this? On a level so deep that it felt like something vital in her very soul could see its own reflection in Jake’s?

  To love someone this much was terrifying.

  Especially when she couldn’t know where this was going or what Jake was going to say next.

  Those words only confused her even more.

  ‘I have a new project,’ Jake said. ‘I want to give this kiwi a home. Security for the rest of her life. Love.’

  Jillian nudged Ellie and leaned close to whisper. ‘Did I tell you that the feather test results came through? Pēpe’s a girl.’

  No. She hadn’t passed on the news. He was talking about the baby bird, then. So why was her heart thumping so hard and so fast that Ellie thought she might pass out?

  ‘This special kiwi has given me a new direction,’ Jake continued. ‘As some of you know, I’ve been looking at taking my career in a new direction. The Logan brothers’ company funds wildlife projects and I intend to start filming and fronting documentaries about them. To try and do my bit, I guess, to make the world a slightly better place.’

  The clapping was appreciative and encouraging, but Ellie couldn’t join in. Her hands wouldn’t move. Her body was frozen. She had that odd, floaty feeling again.

  ‘Acting has taught me a great deal,’ Jake told everybody then. ‘And maybe I’ve learned that the most important lesson is the value of not acting. Of being able to be myself.’

  He was looking at Ellie again. So intently that other heads began to turn as well, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was the next thing that Jake was going to say.

  ‘And I’ve heard tell that you don’t go looking for the person you want to live with for the rest of your life.’ His voice was soft but it still carried in a silence that felt as if everybody in the theatre was holding their breath. ‘You go looking for the person you can’t live without.’

  Everybody was staring at Ellie now.

  What had she said to him that time? That if this was real then other people would have to find out some time?

  This was that time. She couldn’t be the only person here who could feel the electricity in this room. A current that was adding a delicious kind of buzz to that floating sensation.

  ‘I’ve found that person,’ Jake said, raw emotion making his voice a little hoarse. ‘My kiwi.’

  The trust being put on public display was breathtaking. From a man who’d been humiliated in public by a woman before, it was courageous to say the least. He couldn’t know whether he was safe. He’d put his vulnerability into her hands once before and she’d trampled on it. Not only was he prepared to trust her again—in front of all these people and potentially in front of the whole world—he was trusting what they had found between them.

  That connection. And a love that was strong enough to last the distance.

  The rest of their lives.

  Was Jake the person she couldn’t live without?

  Oh...there was absolutely no doubt about that.

  Suddenly Ellie’s body could move again, although her legs felt distinctly wobbly. She didn’t have to think about where to move because there was only one direction she could possibly go.

  Judging by the crescendo of applause and cheering as she floated towards the stage to join Jake, everybody else thought exactly the same thing.

  They belonged together.

  * * *

  It was surprisingly easy to escape the champagne supper after the first wave of congratulations had been made.

  Using the same emergency exit that Jillian had tricked Ellie into entering the theatre by, Jake took her out into the night to walk down to a tiny beach near the marina where the moonlight filled the sea with flashing diamonds of light.

  Not that they could compete with the flash of the diamond Jake produced from his pocket.

  ‘You can change it if you don’t like it.’ He smiled. ‘But I couldn’t ask you to marry me without having something to put on your finger.’

  ‘I love it,’ Ellie said. ‘I love you. I think I have, ever since you carried me along that beach into the teeth of a cyclone.’

  ‘And I think I started to fall in love with you when you gave me your hair tie.’

  Ellie made a face. ‘Wasn’t much of a gift.’

  ‘But I already knew how brave and amazing you were. When I saw you sitting there in front of the fire with that glorious hair all free—like it is now...’ Jake’s fingers wove themselves into her hair. ‘That was when I realised you were incredibly beautiful as well. I might not have known it then, but I was already lost.’

  ‘And I should have known I was lost when you went down into the hole to rescue Pēpe just for me.’

  There was no more talking for some time then. They sat, side by side on the top of a rock wall, sharing magically tender kisses under the moonlight.

  ‘I’ve missed you so much,’ Jake whispered. ‘It’s only been days but I feel like I’ve wasted half my life.’

  ‘Me, too.’

  ‘We’ll never let that happen again. Wherever we need to go, let’s do it together. Even if we have to drag half a dozen kids with us to a hut in a wildlife park in Africa or a lighthouse in a bird sanctuary on Half Moon Island.’

  Ellie’s jaw dropped. ‘Oh...no. I totally forgot. I was supposed to be meeting the new owners of Half Moon Island tonight. Or was that just a trick of Jill’s to get me to the theatre?’

  ‘It wasn’t and you have.’

  Ellie laughed. ‘Fire that scriptwriter,’ she said. ‘I didn’t understand a word of that.’

  The flash in Jake’s eyes was fierce. ‘It’s not a script,’ he said. ‘And it never will be, between us. Even if the words happen to be the same. This...this is as real as it gets. The truth and nothing but the truth, okay?’

  Ellie could only nod. Her heart was so full it hurt.

  ‘Always.’ Her smile wobbled. ‘But I still didn’t understand.’

  ‘Jill’s been a rock,’ Jake told her. ‘She knew how I felt about you and she gave me hope. She also put me in
touch with some other people. The paperwork’s not through yet, but you’ve met the new owner of Half Moon Island. It’s me. Us.’

  The gift was priceless. Because of the memories. Because it was already a part of her soul.

  ‘And...and you’re serious about turning it into a sanctuary?’

  ‘Couldn’t be more serious. And not just a sanctuary for birds. I’m hoping it will be a sanctuary for us, too. We could do up the cottage, couldn’t we? Put in a proper helipad and boat ramp and go there whenever we need time just for ourselves? A place that couldn’t be more private?’

  To always be able to go back to the first place they’d made love? Blessed by the memories of the other people in her life that she had loved and been loved by? Ellie couldn’t stop the tears filling her eyes and her chest being too tight to speak, but it didn’t matter. She could simply kiss Jake until she found her voice again.

  ‘That would be...just perfect.’

  ‘You know what else would be perfect?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘If we could get married there.’

  EPILOGUE

  IT WAS THE perfect place for a wedding.

  Okay, the logistics had been a bit challenging, but they were getting used to that now, after months of ferrying tradesmen and materials to the tiny island. But given that it was a ceremony half the world seemed to want to watch and that the stars of this particular scene wanted to keep it as private as possible, the isolated venue couldn’t have been better.

  They weren’t shutting the world out completely. The important people in their lives were here. An off-duty rescue helicopter, which had brought Dave and Mike and Smithie and their partners, was sharing the helipad with the sleek black machine that Ellie intended to learn to fly herself because Jake had claimed the captain’s duties for their yacht.

  There was company for that yacht down at the new jetty, too. Steve and Kirsty and others from the movie crowd had come by boat and Ben and his new wife, Mary, had been excited to try out their new yacht—a gorgeous replacement for the one wrecked in that long-ago storm.

  As she took a last peep through the window of the cottage, Ellie could see the brothers standing side by side outside the white, open-sided marquee that had been erected on the newly mown grass beneath the lighthouse. They weren’t identical twins, but they were equally tall and gorgeous-looking and they were wearing the same elegant gray suits with the flash of red from the posy of pohutukawa flowers in their buttonholes.

  She saw them exchange a glance and smile at each other. She saw Ben squeeze his brother’s shoulder as Jake cast a hopeful look towards the doorway through which his bride would emerge. He had to shade his eyes against the glare of the summer sunshine. The marquee had been an insurance policy against helicopters and cameras with telephoto lenses, but the shade it provided was going to be a bonus on this stunning day with its clear blue sky and calm seas.

  The conditions couldn’t be more different from when Ellie had first met Jake. And Ben, come to think of it, when the brothers had been fighting over who was going to be rescued first.

  Who could have dreamed that that storm would have changed the futures of both the Logan brothers? Not only because they’d both found new happiness and life partners but because, in the end, the rift between them had been healed and they were now closer than ever.

  She saw the brothers turn and enter the shade beneath the marquee. They would all be waiting for the bride and matron of honour to arrive now.

  ‘You look gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing a dress, but that is absolutely perfect on you.’

  ‘Thanks, Jill.’ Ellie smoothed the raw silk of the sheath dress that fitted like a glove until it flared out from knee level. How long would it take Jake to see the private message in the beadwork on the bodice and cap sleeves? Subtle shades of white and cream in the tiny pearl beads had lent themselves to a discreet repeating pattern.

  Yin and yang. Two halves creating a whole.

  Not just for twins.

  For herself and Jake now.

  She picked up her bouquet. The main flush of red blooms from New Zealand’s native Christmas tree was well over, but they flowered a little later out here on Half Moon Island and it hadn’t been hard to find enough to accompany the white roses. More of the feathery red flowers were clipped into the twist of hair that was supposed to make Ellie’s loose hair behave in the sea breeze.

  Jillian’s youngest granddaughter, Charlotte, was holding a basket of red and white rose petals.

  ‘Can we go now?’ she begged. ‘I want to throw the petals.’

  Jillian smiled at Ellie. ‘You ready, hon?’

  ‘I can’t wait. I’ll be right behind you.’

  Jillian took Charlotte’s hand and moved towards the door. ‘Don’t start throwing until we’re under the tent. We don’t want to run out of petals, do we?’

  * * *

  Stepping outside, Ellie looked up at the lighthouse.

  Tears blurred her eyes for a heartbeat as she gathered the memories of her family around her.

  ‘I so wish you were all here,’ she whispered. ‘Grandpa and Mum and Dad—I hope you know how happy I am. And how much we love this place. We’re going to take such good care of it, I promise.’

  Jake had seen this lighthouse as a symbol of both danger and safety.

  Ellie could only see the safety. A strong, silent sentinel that was always going to be there to help bring people home safely.

  Gathering her skirt in her hands, Ellie moved towards the marquee.

  She was going home.

  Because that was where the heart was, wasn’t it?

  It wouldn’t matter where in the world she and Jake were, she would always be home because she would be with the man she would love for the rest of her life.

  She paused again before she stepped onto the trail of rose petals Charlotte had created to lead her through the centre of the intimate gathering.

  Just for a moment.

  So that she could bask in the expression on Jake’s face when he saw her. The admiration. The love. The promise...

  And then she walked forward. Past smiling faces and murmurs of appreciation. Past where Mary was sitting with the cocoons that held her and Ben’s newborn twins.

  Tears threatened to blur her vision again then. She would never forget the look in Jake’s eyes when he’d met his tiny niece and nephew for the first time a couple of days ago.

  He’d caught her gaze and held it and she’d seen the same kind of wonder she’d seen when they’d been watching Pēpe hatch. And more...she’d seen his hopes and dreams for their own future family. She’d seen the love that would be there for all of them.

  For ever.

  That look was there again as she reached his side, handing her bouquet to Jillian so that she could link hands with Jake in front of the celebrant.

  For a long, long moment, however, they could only look at each other.

  Sharing vows in public was merely a formality. Those vows had already been made and were locked in place for ever. Their hopes and dreams were the same.

  And it would happen.

  Sooner than Jake might expect.

  Later, when everyone had gone, they could go back to their secret place. Even more special now because it was where the burrow had been made for Pēpe’s new home, it had been used more than once to share their love.

  It would be the perfect place to tell him that he was going to become a father.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from THE RETURN OF THE REBEL by Jennifer Faye.

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  CHAPTER ONE

  “YOU WON’T REGRET giving me this opportunity.”

  And hopefully neither will I.

  Cleo Sinclair kept the worrisome thought to herself as she held her cheery smile in place. With the meeting at last over, she sailed out of the office of the vice president of player development, barely remembering to pull the door closed behind her. Away from Mr. Burns’s cool demeanor and skeptical stare, she rotated her shoulders, easing the tension.

  At the end of the hall, the elevator chimed and the door opened, allowing an employee to exit. Cleo stepped up her pace and slipped into the open car. Her pink manicured nail pressed the button for the main floor. Once the doors swished shut, the air whooshed out of her lungs and she leaned against the wall for support.

  Step one was done. She had the job, albeit on a trial basis.

  Now on to step number two.

  She had to prove to the ever-doubting Mr. Burns that she was up to his challenge. She could and would bring in wealthy clientele eager to gamble at one of Las Vegas’s most luxurious establishments, the Glamour Hotel and Casino.

  A glance at her image in the polished doors had her adjusting her cheery yellow dress, which dipped a little lower than she’d like. When she’d worked in the accounting department, her attire hadn’t been so important. But now working the front-end of the casino, everything about her appearance mattered. She smoothed her hands over the skirt. It wasn’t the fanciest outfit she’d ever stitched. In fact, she’d worried that she’d made a mistake by choosing to wear it, but with each compliment from her fellow employees, her nervousness had eased... That was, until her meeting.

  She halted her rambling thoughts and inhaled a deep breath.

  It was too late to second-guess herself. The train had left the station. The ship had sailed. Oh heck, it didn’t matter what phrase she used. Her plan was in motion. And she would succeed.