by Shirley Wine
“It’s obvious that you do.” She gave him a serene smile that belied the panicky beat of her heart at her own temerity. “But I own half of Totara Park and I’m not moving anywhere. If you want to sell—” She shrugged and spread her hands wide in a gesture she’d seen her husband use a thousand times. “I’ll buy you out.”
Shock wiped all expression from Jared’s face.
“You’d buy me out?” He asked in a stunned voice, staring at her as if he’d never seen her before in his life. “You’d get a mortgage and buy me out?”
“Yes,” she said meeting his gaze, her own steady. “I can understand you finding the memories too tough to live with. You may need a fresh start but I can’t let you sell our children’s heritage.”
Comprehension dawned and a glimmer of amusement chased the lost look from his eyes.
“I do believe you would,” he said shaking his head. “And what’s more you’d make it work.”
Something wild and sweet raced through Winsome as she watched him. Respect and a raw, primitive emotion chased across his expression.
“Of course.” She lifted her chin, her eyes full of challenge. “Totara Park is our history, Grainger history. It’s the legacy we will leave our children and our children’s children, with or without you at the helm.”
The challenge had barely settled when, with a muttered imprecation Jared swept her into his arms and strode across to Quentin’s truck. He shouldered open the door and placed her on the seat as if she was as fragile as spun glass. He leaned behind her, pushed a lever, the wide bench seat tilting backwards.
As he climbed in the cab with her, the look in his eyes set her heart racing.
Jared framed her face between his work-roughened farmer’s hands.
“I love you, Winsome,” he said softly and so seriously. “I met and fell in love with a lovely girl. I married her and we created a home. Then our baby died and she left me and my whole world fell apart.”
Winsome’s heart raced and her mouth went dry as she stared up at the only man she’d ever loved, would ever love.
“And then you returned. I was determined that I was going to live with you and my heart would remain untouched.” He traced a thumb over her lower lip. “Then I fell in love all over again. This time with a strong woman, a woman who is a wise and loving mother to the child I’d ignored. A courageous woman, who overcame fears and faced down demons that would daunt many people. A woman who is intelligent, and a shrewd business partner. An honourable woman, prepared to stand up for what she knows is right. While I’ll always have a fondness for that girl,” he kissed her softly, “it’s the woman I’ll love until the day I die.”
“And I love you so much,” she whispered, her heart in her eyes as she laid a bandaged hand against his bronzed cheek. “We’ll get the bulldozers in?”
He gave her a fierce glare, his amber eyes brilliant with emotion.
“We’ll get the bulldozers in tomorrow. And we’ll build ourselves a home among these trees, a home whose foundations are built on love, respect and trust.”
He kissed her softly at first and then more deeply.
It was a kiss that spoke of love and loss, of fear and hope, of trust and betrayal. Then it deepened until it was an affirmation, a remembrance of desperation, unspeakable fear and a joyous celebration of life itself.
Their clothes melted away, Jared reached into the back of the truck for the blanket his brother kept there and covered them both.
“Jared,” she whispered laying a bandaged hand against his cheek.
“I love you, Winsome,” he murmured as he claimed her mouth in a kiss that searched her soul.
His work-roughened hands created a sensuous friction against her soft skin, his kiss became hot, needy and searching. Winsome arched into him pressing her slender body as close as she could.
Would she ever get enough of this man, his passion, and his tenderness?
Jared moved over her and in his embrace she found a connection that transcended time and place, a connection filled with hope, love and trust.
Outside the cab of the truck a spring breeze soughed through the of totara trees, sighing over the blackened ruins of what had once been a proud, historic home. Cheerful daffodils nodded sagely in the breeze as young and tender green leaves unfurled looking for the sun.
Out of the shadows cast by the old oak, Casper stalked up to the acrid ruins, sniffed disdainfully and then ran skittishly across the burnt grass, leaping onto the railing fence to begin a leisurely grooming session.
.oOo.
It was dusk when Jared and Winsome turned Quentin’s truck into Levelly Lodge. He turned to her with a smile that moved the shadows from his eyes. The box on the floor of the truck moved and soft sounds emitted from it. The back seat was heaped with parcels, a pile of papers and several soft toys.
As they pulled into the courtyard, Lacey came barrelling out to meet them.
Jared swung down from the truck and gathered the little girl in his arms. “Have you had fun?” he asked kissing her cheek. “Mummy and I have got a surprise for you.”
Lacey looked into the truck and her eyes went round. “Can I see?”
Jared reached into the back seat and caught hold of a fluffy teddy bear, a Raggedy-Anne doll and put them in her arms.
“These are for you,” he said huskily piling them in her arms.
Lacey hugged the toys and looked over them to the clutter on the back seat. “What’s in all those parcels?”
“Clothes and things we need, pumpkin,” Jared said gently. “Everything we had has been burned so we all have to start over fresh.”
“What about Casper?” Lacey’s lip trembled.
“Casper’s okay.” Jared gave her a swift kiss. “He’s still at the farm. Mummy and I fed him. You can see him tomorrow.”
Quentin came out and seeing the pile of parcels gave a mock groan. “I guess you’ll need a hand with those.”
“We will indeed.” Jared put Lacey down and opened the door for Winsome before handing Lacey a parcel of books and pencils. “Can you manage these as well?”
The little girl took off and while she was gone Jared handed Quentin the box from beside Winsome’s feet. “Go hide that someplace.”
Quentin looked inside and grinned. “Is it named?”
“Yeah why?” Jared asked struggling to contain a laugh. “What’s your future champion called Bro?”
“Nellie Knock Knees.” Quentin shook his head as Jared gave a great guffaw for laughter.
“And here comes Nellie Knock Knees the champion stallion from Grainger’s Levelly stables,” Jared intoned, mimicking a race commentator’s call.
Suddenly they were howling with laughter, as much a relief from the past stressful few hours as to Jared’s mimicking parody of a race call. For a few minutes the shadows were banished from everyone’s heart.
“You promised, Quentin,” Winsome said wiping her eyes. “It could have been worse.”
“Not by much,” Quentin said gloomily as he secreted the box in the laundry.
Inside Catherine made coffee and Winsome leaned back in her chair, hugging Lacey. Jared and Quentin came in together. Jared had showered and changed into clean clothes.
“Lacey, here’s something else for you.” Jared put the box down on the floor.
The little girl wriggled out of Winsome’s lap, eyes alive with curiosity.
“Careful now,” Jared cautioned.
The box moved and Lacey opened the lid and let out a squeal of joy. “Bouncer. Daddy you bringed Bouncer.”
“Lacey,” Winsome said softly. “Bouncer’s your puppy now. Daddy says you can keep him.”
The puppy wriggled and squirmed and licked the little girl’s face turning itself inside out with ecstasy at being reunited with its favourite person.
“Can I?” Lacey hugged the puppy and looked at Jared. He nodded as he gathered her and the pup in his arms. “He’s my berry own?”
“Bouncer is yours to keep.”
He smoothed a short straggly wisp of hair off her face. Lacey leaned up and kissed him. Bouncer jumped up, licking his face as well.
Jared batted the puppy away wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Lacey laughed and rolled around the floor, her and her puppy ecstatic.
Winsome watched them, a soft smile curving her well-kissed lips.
Bouncer had chased the fear from Lacey’s eyes. While the puppy wouldn’t completely eradicate the horror, he would help a little girl create happy memories.
Tomorrow the bulldozer would move in and clear the debris from the fire and they’d begin planning their new home.
“You doing okay?” Jared asked coming and sitting on the arm of her chair.
Winsome nodded, her heart in her eyes. She was doing a lot more than merely all right. She was looking into a future that was rosier than anything she’d ever imagined.
The End
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About the Author
I am a New Zealander born and bred, a mother, grandmother and recently a great grandmother...what can I say...we started young!!!
Most of my stories are set in our wonderful country in the antipodes. I’ve always written, freelancing for local and National newspapers, but Romance is my true love.
I’ve been a reader of romance from the moment my sister introduced me to The English Women’s Weekly and their wonderful serialised romances. I fell in love with the genre.
I know the world is full of heroes. I have my own hero right here at home to prove it. We fell in love when we were young teenagers...and believe me we heard all the old chestnuts...you’re too young to know your own minds. Young love never lasts. It gives me great pleasure half a century on to thumb my nose and say, “You know what? You were all wrong!”
Why Romance? I write romance because to me first and last...family matters.
I’ve always been a scribbler. To me writing is both a pleasure and a cathartic outlet for stress and grief.
My enduring loves are reading, my house is crowded with books on every subject imaginable. My other great hobby is gardening. Now, after a lifetime spent farming, I live with my husband in semi-retirement on the traditional Kiwi quarter acre section with a cat and a dog.
You can read more and see photos of my garden on my blog.
http://www.shirleywine.com
Reader’s Guide and Excerpts
Lovers’Lies
© Shirley Wine 2012
For single mum, Victoria Scanlan, a visit to the luxurious country house of Darkhaven, is a rare chance to combine work with pleasure. If she can secure the commission for the flowers for the upcoming society wedding it would be a huge boost for her floral boutique.
Arriving at Darkhaven, Victoria is stunned to discover the groom, banking tycoon Keir Donovan, is the man she knew as Seth Donahue, her young son’s father.
Wealthy and powerful Keir, after a lifetime of being betrayed by every female in his life, has settled on a calm future with the glamorous Davina Strathmore, heiress of media mogul James Strathmore. Davina, Keir’s fiancée, has her own devious reasons for accepting his offer of marriage and Victoria threatens her plans.
Victoria knows she has to tell Keir about their son, but decides to wait until they’re no longer visitors in the Donovan family home, a decision she quickly comes to regret.
This decision is a mistake and it’s too late to go back and start over. A lie by omission is still a lie, and after a lifetime of being lied to, Keir’s has no tolerance for lies—
Excerpt:
It was her cousin who’d acted the trollop but Victoria who’d ended up pregnant. It was so clichéd.
“So what have you done to put you on the outer with your family?” He watched her, his expression laser sharp.
Ooops! Put my foot in it, why don’t I.
Almost too late, Victoria saw the trap she’d created with her unwary words. With a dismissive shrug she turned away, mind racing. Any conversation with him was fraught with perilous craters. Sooner or later she would step in one. And when that happened—
Keir gently caught her arm and made her face him. “What’s happened in your life, Victoria?”
“Apart from leaving home and starting my own business,” she weighed her words carefully. “Not a lot.”
If I don’t take into account raising this man’s son, alone.
“You own Victorian Grace?”
“My mother left me some money and I used it as seed money to start my business.”
“Yet you had such big plans, a lucrative scholarship, university, a degree in finance then overseas travel.”
Victoria’s heart thudded in her chest, embarrassed now to remember how she’d shot her mouth off.
Big time.
Mentally sifting the past, she edited out revealing information. Of one thing she was absolutely certain. Keir Donovan was no fool and the last thing she wanted to do was raise his suspicions about her life, hell, about anything.
Then why are you walking alone with him in the early morning? And holding his hand?
Talk about sending mixed messages.
Guilt had her freeing her hand from his. She pushed it deep in the pocket of the borrowed jacket.
“Plans and people change,” she said with quiet emphasis, praying he’d drop the subject. “Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. Working with flowers is a joy.”
While not her first choice, floristry provided a home for her and her son and also enabled her to schedule her work around Connor’s care. But most of all it allowed her to escape her father’s censure and domination.
She shivered.
The fierce battle waged over Connor still held the power to wound. When Andrew demanded Victoria give up her baby for adoption and resume her university scholarship, he’d underestimated her determination.
No one could coerce her into giving up her child.
But this wasn’t something she could explain. “Your plans changed too, Keir. You went to America. What happened to your ambition to take over the family firm?”
As his glance roved over her face, she felt heat seep into her cheeks.
“I needed to escape. The family pressure to take over Donovans was stifling me. An overseas post and the chance of gaining wider experience was by far the easiest way out.”
“And yet, here you are back at the helm of Donovans.”
“Yes, here I am, older and infinitely wiser.”
Shadow Dance
The first book in the series: The Mulleins of Katherine Bay
© Shirley Wine 2012
When single mother Jenna Mullein attempts to unravel the truth behind her mother’s dying words—promise me, Jenna, promise you won’t sell him the land—she quickly discovers there are far too many people in Katherine Bay with a vested interest in muddying the truth.
Her persistent questions and determination sees her thrown into desperate danger.
When one woman ends up dead and Jenna and her infant toddlers are assaulted, property developer Gabriel Callahan steps in to help her.
But can Jenna trust the loner with her secrets? Secrets that could see her lose her adored babies.
And does Gabe really want her or the family he could create with her adorable twins?
Excerpt:
The sense of familiarity intensified.
She knew she'd never met him, but also knew she should know who he was. As she picked up the tweezers, she heard his footsteps in the hall.
Her heart picked up a pace, the involuntary reaction irritated her beyond reason. He walked through the door, stooping slightly so his head missed the lintel, and halted mid-step when he saw her tending Zach's injury.
"I told you I didn't need that." She glanced at the tin in his hand.
Ignoring her protest, he laid it on the table and flicked it
open. The glossy green contrasted sharply with the scarred wood. "Two pairs of hands are better than one."
His good natured comment had Jenna grinding her teeth in frustration. Boy, does this guy love himself—or what?
He produced a penlight and shone it on the cut. The splinter glittered in the pinpoint beam. This did as little to soothe her temper as his satisfied smile.
Who the heck was he? His air of casual elegance exuded wealth and privilege. Those charcoal slacks and cream shirt never came off any ready-to-wear peg.
At five three, her head barely reached his shoulder. A quick glance at him through her lashes had her inhaling a shaken breath. The heady spice of pine, sea and warm, healthy male stirred an instinctive feminine appreciation.
A reaction as annoying as it was unexpected.
Inhaling a shaken breath, she squashed it flat.
Never again would she allow a good looking guy, no matter how hot, to derail her plans.
Once, she'd allowed a life-long friendship and loneliness to blind her to the obvious—and now she was a single mother of twins.
"Doesn't that make it easier to see?" The deep rumble of the stranger's voice added to her unsettled irritation.
"Some." On that grudging admission, she caught the splinter with the tweezers and deftly removed it.
Zach wriggled and curled his toes, whimpering, "Ouchie."
"Mama kiss it better." She lifted his foot and kissed it. "Hush, sweetheart. Finish your raisins."
"Is that all of it? Does it need stitches?"
Jenna stopped swabbing the cut and gaped up at him. Was he for real? "It's a splinter for cripes sake, not a cut artery."
