The following few days the couple went to different dates that mostly ended up in making love. They loved spending time with each other and enjoyed sharing about their lives. On one date, the couple visited a horse ranch that Blake owned.
“I usually prefer women with a mystery but in your case, I want to know everything about you, so tell me more about yourself Sara.” Blake looked at his gorgeous partner who stood next to him and looked towards the expensive breed horses that were standing in Blake’s ranch.
“I have nothing much to tell really. I guess you know me well already.”
“Maybe, but is there something more that you want to share?”
“Well as you must have noticed, I am like an open book, so there’s nothing really, but I would love to hear about you since I know so little regarding your life.”
“Ok. Well you already know my parents, you know about my personality and my business, what else do you want to know?”
“I want to know you Blake, just you and your life experiences.”
“Ok. I am going to share something with you, which I have never shared with a woman previously. To keep it short, my family and I weren’t always rich. We owned a small house and could barely make it through the day until one day I decided that I needed more in life. With that dream, I went over to New York and worked till I was awarded the youngest billionaire.”
“So, you are a self made man?”
“Exactly. After that, I achieved everything in life but there was one thing missing all along.”
“And what’s that?”
“You. It was you who was missing in my life. I am glad to have found you.” Blake spoke in a charming manner and wrapped his arms around Sara, who was blushing.
CHAPTER 12
Days passed and on a Tuesday morning, Blake sat in a café waiting for Sara to come. As he waited, his phone rang and he answered it.
“Blake?” Sara spoke in a rush.
“Doll where are you? I have been waiting for you at the café.”
“You need to come over to your house right now. Your father is seriously ill. Blake, please come soon.” Sara spoke in tone of urgency which made Blake worry frantically. He quickly headed home.
As Blake ran inside his father’s room, he saw his mother and everyone around her crying including Sara. His father was lying on the bed and he was not moving.
“What happened?” Blake stood frozen.
“Blake, we did everything we could but he suddenly got too ill and his heart just stopped working.” Sara spoke as she continued to cry.
Blake stood there silently and watched everyone cry. He slowly walked towards his father and sat on the corner of his bed. He knew his father was gone and there was nothing that Blake could do now, other than grieving on his loss. His mother approached Blake and hugged him from the back.
“Oh Blake, we both lost our best friend today.” Jane cried out loud and continued to hug Blake tightly. Blake knew he needed to be there for his mother first, instead of breaking down himself, which is why he stood up and hugged his mother back.
The next morning, Mathew’s funeral took place in which people from all across the town arrived to pay their condolences. Everyone consoled Blake and his mother upon their loss and after everyone left, Blake sat in his backyard, trying to fight with his tears.
“Blake?” Sara walked towards him. “Can I talk to you?” Sara asked politely.
Blake did not utter a word but silently nodded.
“Blake, few days back you asked me if I wanted to share something with you regarding my life right? Well today, I want to share something with you, if you don’t mind of course?”
“Go ahead.” Blake spoke without looking at Sara. She sat beside him, held his hand and continued to speak.
“Blake, my father’s name was Hector Cameron. He was my best friend and I lost him when I was very young. He died of cancer and for two whole years, I watched him suffer everyday while my mother worked day and night to pay for his medical expenses. None of the doctors could help him, but there was a nurse, named Elizabeth Gown, who took care of my father. She was a graceful lady and I think she was the one who truly helped my father go through his painful days. Looking at Elizabeth, I learned that it should be a priority to provide a patient with affection and love instead of just dozing them with heavy medicines, which is why; I chose to be a nurse. I wanted to do what Elizabeth did for my dad. Anyway my point was, we both have lost our best friends, so I know how it feels but what makes me glad is that our best friends received love even when they were taking their last breath. I wanted to tell you that, as your father took his last breaths, Jane leaned in and kissed him. She told him how much he loved her and I think I actually saw Mathew smile before he…”
Blake silently listened to Sara and before she could continue to say anything further, he turned to her and tightly hugged her. Sara thought that maybe what she shared might have lessened Blake’s pain because she knew that surely, it is painful to lose a loved one but there’s always a sense of satisfaction to know that your loved one received unconditional love even in their last moments.
CHAPTER 13
After a few days passed, everything had gotten back to normal. Sara and Blake had emotionally grown closer to each other after his father’s death because they were more open towards each other. One fine morning, Sara was in her room reading a book when Blake entered the room.
“Blake, what are you doing here?” Sara asked in a surprise.
“Sara I want to talk to you.” Blake spoke remorselessly.
“Sure. What is it?” Sara and Blake sat on her bed and she waited for him to speak.
“I am in love with you Sara.” Blake looked at Sara with soft eyes and spoke in a low voice.
Sara felt astonished and stared silently at Blake because she was not sure where he was heading with this. So instead of responding and jumping to conclusion, she waited for him to continue.
“I know I have never said that to you previously, but honestly, I have never used the word “love” for anyone other than my parents. So before using it for a third person, I wanted to make sure that I continue to say it to that person forever. Do you get what I am saying?”
“Yes I think so.” Sara continued to stare at him with wide eyes.
“Well, so I never really said I love you to anyone, but I am saying it to you and I mean it with all my heart. I Love you Sara Cameron and I promise to say it every day when we are on the road.”
“Road?”
“Yes I came here to ask if you would run away with me?” Blake leaned in and held Sara’s hand.
“What? That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s not actually. Look, I want to take you away, but not to New York because after my dad died, I just want some time off from that part of my life as well.”
“Then how could you be sure that you don’t want time off from me as well?”
“Because I want some time off from the insignificant parts of my life. You, on the hand are very precious to me and no matter what happens, I want you to be a part of my life.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes please. Let’s just run away, far away from here. I thought a long road trip would be perfect.” Blake pleaded with soft intense eyes.
“I think it’s the grief talking because of your father’s death.”
“No, Sara, I am not a child. Grief cannot influence my decisions. I am sure about what I want, now more than ever. So tell me, is it a yes or no?”
“Well, if you have your heart set then I have only one answer for you” Sara spoke in a serious tone.
There was a brief silence between the two and Sara finally spoke with a smile. “Of course, I will go with you Blake.”
“Great, we head out tonight.” Blake concluded and stood up to leave.
“Blake?” Sara stopped him as he headed out.
“Yes baby doll?” Blake turned to look at her with a smile.
“I love you too
and for your information, I have never said it to anyone as well other than my parents of course” Sara blushed and smiled happily.
Blake walked closer to Sara and before leaning in to kiss her, he said, “I am glad you didn’t”.
That evening the couple packed their bags and got ready to say goodbye to their family. Sara told her mother that she was following her heart, which belonged with Blake whereas Blake promised to keep in touch with his mother. They then sat in their car, smiled at each other and drove out of the town to spend the rest of their days together.
Copyright 2015 by Joanna Jacobs - All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are features of the author's imagination and not to be assumed as always real. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons, is fully coincidental.
Amazing Surprise Bonus for you!!!
I’ve managed to twist my good friend’s arm Kathy Hunter to give you a handful of her Murder Mystery books. If you’re like me who likes a good mystery you’ll love them.
Lemon Meringue Murder
By Kathy Hunter
Mary Ann checked one last time to make sure everything was ready. All the pies were ready, a selection of her favourites, to whet the appetites of all who were at the party. Her lemon meringue was hidden away safely so no one could sneak a bite before it was time. For a few seconds, she stared into space. She hadn’t had any time to prepare herself for the party until that point. Getting everything ready had kept her busy. As she glanced down at what she was wearing she wondered if she’d made the right decision by going for something so… normal, but then she knew exactly what would happen if she put on something special. The fillings of one of her pies would escape and then whatever she was wearing would look terrible.
The shop was located in a little town off of New York city called Green Springs, and perhaps some might say it’s the most visitor-friendly small town on the east coast.
The first of Mary Ann’s guests walked into the shop, so it was too late for her to change.
“Everything smells so good.” Hannah smiled as she pulled Mary Ann into an expected hug. “You’ve done so well.”
Their eyes met for a moment. “It’s just a beginning, Han. I still have a lot of work to do before this is the pie shop I want it to be, but it’s looking good so far, and I’m glad I made the choice to do this.”
“I’m glad you made the choice too. Make your dreams a reality, little sister.”
Before either of them could say anything more the next of Mary Ann’s invited guests arrived, with his plus one. Smiling, she made her way over to him, knowing she’d made the right decision when she planned the party.
Having a chance to share everything she’d created with her close friends was the best thing she could do. It wouldn’t be long before she was spending the majority of her time feeding strangers, and that wouldn’t be a problem, because she never doubted for a moment the people who truly cared about her were behind her all the way.
“You made it.” Mary Ann hugged Darren. “I thought you said you’d be working.”
“How could I work tonight? Having pie is much more important than working, and you did say you’d make one of your world famous lemon meringues.”
“Of course that would be why you’d take the night off, although it’s not world famous yet.” She laughed. “Would you like to introduce me to your friend?”
“Jessica, I’d like you to meet the best pie maker I know, Mary Ann Lennon. Mare, this is my older sister, Jessica.”
“Best pie maker? I’m the only pie maker you know, Darren.” Mary Ann shook her head, turning her attention to Jessica. “I’ve heard a lot about you. He brought all of the postcards you sent to show me.”
“Same.” Jessica smiled. “He talks about you all the time, Mary Ann, and more than once someone’s asked if the two of you are together.”
“We tried it once. It didn’t work out the way either of us thought it would, so we made the decision we were better off as friends.”
***
The guests all gathered around the table of pies. Mary Ann had put out cream, ice cream, and custard, knowing that having the choice was the best option. “I really appreciate you all coming tonight.” Slowly, smiling, she looked around the table. “When I made the decision to open the shop, it was because so many people told me I was good at this–and I hope you were right.”
“None of us doubt we were right, Mare.” Darren smiled back. “This is going to be the making of you.”
From the very beginning, he’d been one of the most supportive of her friends, and that was something she was always going to be grateful for.
Without him pushing her she never would have opened the shop, even though she knew she was good at making pies, because she thought it was better to stick with a job she knew would make her money. Then a little bit of money had fallen into her lap. Normally she would have saved it. He’d convinced her to invest it in her newly rented shop.
“In front of you is a selection of all the pies I make, apart from one. That one I’m saving until the very end of the night, so I suggest you go slowly with the rest of them, because it is, apparently, one of the best pies in the known universe.” Mary Ann laughed. “Or so I’ve been told.”
“By pretty much everyone in the room.” Hannah grinned. “If you haven’t had a slice of Mare’s lemon meringue you’re in for a treat in the not too distant future.”
“Unless Darren steals it.” Kelly looked at Darren. “You’d better not touch that pie, Darren, or I will teach you a lesson you will never forget.”
“Darren won’t be able to steal it. I’ve hidden it away so no one can touch it before it’s the right time, and I will get it out when the time is right. Now, I want you all to enjoy what’s here. If you need anything let me know.”
“Lemon meringue?” Darren sounded hopeful. “I need lemon meringue pie.”
“No, you don’t need it, you want it, and you’re not having it right now.”
He sighed. “In that case I’ll have to have the cherry because that is the second best of all your pies.”
“What are you talking about?” Kelly shook her head. “The second best is the apple and it always has been.”
“You obviously haven’t tried the cherry.”
“I have tried the cherry and I still think the apple is better than the cherry. Then again I think most things are better than the cherry. You are a very strange man.”
“Or maybe, Kel, it’s you that’s the strange one because you think most things are better than the cherry.”
Shaking her head, Mary Ann turned away from the argument over which of her pies was the best to get herself a glass of water. The two of them could be at it for hours, arguing over which of her pies was the best, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
***
Mary Ann couldn’t help watching as Darren hunted for the lemon meringue pie. He was determined to find it, but she knew he wouldn’t. When he realised she was watching him, they shared a look. “Surely the time has come for us to have the lemon meringue.” Almost all the other pies were around half eaten, apart from the cherry, which he, as always, had finished single handily. It was fortunate he did too much to put weight on. “It is everyone’s favourite.”
“Yes, it is.” She nibbled her lip, pretending to be uncertain. “I don’t know if I should get it out yet. There are pies still left.”
“We both know you weren’t planning on them being finished off tonight.”
“Apart from the cherry.”
“I have no willpower when it comes to the cherry pie.”
“That much is obvious. You also have no willpower when it comes to the lemon meringue, so I think I’ll plate it up before I bring it out. Otherwise, I know exactly what you’re going to do.”
“Would you like some help?”
“Not from you.
”
Darren laughed. “I should have known that was going to be the answer.” Their eyes met. “Do you want me to get Hannah? She has a little more willpower when it comes to the lemon meringue.”
“Only a little.” Mary Ann shook her head. “I should be okay. This is something I’ve done before.”
Smiling, she made her way back to the kitchen. Darren followed her, the way she knew he would, and she opened the fridge. “I looked in there.”
“Like any normal person the fridge would have been the first place you looked.” Making a false back for the fridge was elaborate, but it was her only chance of making it last until the end of the night. She pulled it free and took the pie out. Darren stared at her with this look of amused disbelief that made her laugh. “I won’t do the same thing twice.”
“You know me far too well.”
“Maybe I do.” Their eyes met as she put the pie on the counter. “If you’re going to be in the kitchen the least you could do is grab the pile of plates for me. How many do we have?”
“Twenty-five altogether.”
Nodding, Mary Ann started cutting the pie. It was one of the largest ones she’d ever made, knowing there would be a lot of people at the party because she wanted everyone to get a slice. One of the things she had taught herself was how to slice a pie into as many pieces as possible without destroying the slices and she smiled to herself when she saw how good a job she’d done. Soon enough they were all on the plates–and Darren was shooed out of the kitchen so she could finish off with the final touches.
The Alpha Billionaire's Unexpected Baby: A Billionaire BWWM Pregnancy Romance Page 47
