by Scarlet Rose
John held a hand out to me.
“The job is yours, Leo.” he said. I shook his hand, and a sense of relief washed over me like a cool shower.
I couldn’t help but smile. My first instinct was to call Jessie, tell her the good news. I knew she would be happy for me.
“Make me proud, Leo.” John declared and thumped my shoulder affectionately.
With a smile on my face, I left his office, with Marcus scurrying behind me with his head hanging low.
Neither of us spoke to each other. I was in the mood to forgive, and I would have forgiven him then for all the nasty things he had said and done over the years to undermine me. But he didn’t wait to talk.
I had a spring in my step. It felt surreal. The Cormack brand was now going to be headed by me, and I was bursting with new ideas. I was looking forward to taking this company ahead into the future, pass it on to my own children…
Children. I hadn’t thought of that before. I’d spent so much time working for the company and my success and ambition, that I’d never taken the time to think about the other things in life that should have mattered.
I was walking out of the office, heading for my car. Jessie would have returned home from her office by now. Home…my home, what was our home for some time. Now that I had the company, she had no reason to remain there. She was free to leave and continue with her life.
As much as I wanted to delay telling her, I wanted to do the right thing. I didn’t want to force her to be in this vague relationship with me when she didn’t have to anymore.
My feelings for her weren't going to be enough if she didn’t love me too.
14
Jessie
I didn’t go back to work after trying to run away from the paparazzi. Instead, I ran back to the house…to Leo’s house, and slammed the door shut behind me. I was panting and anxious. When I looked out through the window, I saw that there were men with cameras across the road. They were waiting for me to step out again.
Overwhelmed with emotion, I rushed to the bedroom where all my things were. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to go. I couldn’t live this lie. I started stuffing my bags with my things and packing up. It was going to take me a while. I had moved to this house with all my belongings and my whole world.
It could have been an hour or even two hours later that I heard the front door open. My first thought was that it was one of the cameramen who had found a way to get in the house.
“Jessie?” I heard Leo’s voice, and then he was at the bedroom door. “Did you notice the cameras? I chased them…” he was speaking but then his eyes fell on the bags that were lying packed in the room.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
I’d hoped that I could leave without seeing him. In fact, I wasn’t expecting Leo to return to the house till several hours later. I figured that by then I could be on a plan to Hawaii or Puerto Rico or wherever else I could get a ticket for.
“I’m leaving. I’m not going to be able to do this anymore.” I replied, meeting his eyes.
I was expecting a fight. I thought Leo was going to lose his calm, but instead; he just stood there, looking at me with his head tilted to one side.
“Okay.” he said.
“Okay?” I spluttered.
“I was just coming home to tell you that I spoke to my uncle and everything is back on track. He’s giving me the company. So, you’re free to go.”
It felt like the wind was knocked out of me.
So, it was over for real. I didn’t need to make a scene. Leo was done with me, and now he wasn’t going to stand in my way.
“Congratulations.” I told him, in a meek voice. I was genuinely happy for him. This was all he wanted since I’d known him, and now it was coming true.
The fact that I was having my heart broken was of no consequence to him.
“Where are you going to go?” he asked and I cast my eyes down to my feet. I couldn’t look at him anymore.
“To the airport, and I don’t know where from there. Somewhere away from New York.”
“How long will you be gone? When can I expect you back?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
Leo stepped towards me, and I could see there was a change in his eyes.
“Jessie, I’m going to miss you. I’ll miss being married to you.” he said. The closer he came to me, the tighter my chest felt. I wished he’d kept his distance because he was making this very hard for me now.
“We weren’t really married to each other, Leo!” I snapped.
“I don’t know what marriage is supposed to feel like if this isn’t it. I enjoyed being with you, in this house, having you around, coming home to you.”
My lips quivered as I stared at him in silence and shock. I couldn’t tell if he was just saying these things because he was grateful or if he meant something else.
“I liked it too.” I said weakly. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries, but Leo did. He reached for my hand and lifted it up to his lips and kissed my fingers.
“Is it wrong of me that I don’t want you to go?” he asked. My shoulders heaved with emotion, my nostrils were flared. If he was just teasing me, he was being very cruel.
“Why don’t you want me to go? You got what you wanted. It’s over now.”
“Because I’m in love with you, Jessie. I always have been. I should have told you sooner so you could make your decision accordingly, but I never acknowledged it to myself either. Not until I realized how amazing it is to be married to you.”
My mouth fell open. This couldn’t really be happening. Did Leo Cormack just admit he had feelings for me?
“Jessie, say something, please.” he said, letting go of my hand. My words were caught in my throat. I couldn’t get them out without breaking into a million tears.
“I…I love you too.” I finally managed.
Leo looked surprised as well, but then he pulled me into his arms, wrapping them tightly around my waist.
“Are you serious, Jess?” he asked, and I nodded. He kissed me, tenderly at first and then roughly, biting my lip and exploring my mouth.
By the time we parted, we were both breathless and panting for air.
“This is insane!” he exclaimed, and we laughed…a sort of nervous, excited giggle. It didn’t feel real.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think you felt the same way!” I said.
Leo lifted me up in his arms and spun me around.
“I’ve felt this way since college, Jess. I’m crazy about you, and I hate every guy who has ever touched you.”
“Can you imagine how I feel about all those supermodels you kept dating?” I asked with a laugh, and he was smiling too.
“They mean nothing to me, Jess. Every other woman I’ve been with has been because I tried to forget you. For ten years, you’ve always been the one.”
His words were ringing in my ears, and I felt like I was in a daze, floating on clouds as he held me in his arms.
Nothing else mattered now but him. And the fact that we could finally be together; truly and completely. No more lies.
Epilogue
Jessie - Three months later
I sat staring at myself in the mirror. My friend, Lou, had just fitted the veil over my head and now she was standing back, admiring me. My wedding dress spread around me on the floor, with its long train and the pearl trims. The dress was more beautiful than any dress I had imagined myself in.
“Oh, I’m so happy for you, Jess!” Lou pounced on me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. I patted her hand and smiled.
“I always knew it. Right back from when we were in college. The two of you were meant to be together!”
Lou and all our other friends from college were in attendance at our wedding. We still stuck to the same story, that we’d registered our marriage several months ago…and now we wanted to celebrate with a formal wedding surrounded by our friends and family.
There was a knock on the door
, and in the mirror, I saw it was Leo’s uncle, John. He was going to be Leo’s best man and was dressed appropriately.
“I’ll give you some space.” Lou said, scurrying away so that it was only John and me in the dressing room now.
“Hello, Jessie.” he said, and I turned to him with a smile.
I had met him only once before, at a party that Leo had thrown some weeks ago to introduce me to his family.
“Hi, John.”
“You look beautiful. My nephew is a lucky man.” John said, walking closer to me. I blushed and smiled in response, just like a young bride was supposed to do.
“When Leo told me he was going to marry you, for real this time, I wasn’t so sure if he was making the right decision. He’s always been like a son to me. Since his own parents passed away, I looked after him to the best of my abilities.”
I wasn’t sure where this was going. Had he come here to talk me out of this wedding?
“But then I met you, and I couldn’t believe he hadn’t married you sooner! I’m glad it’s all worked out in the end, Jessie. I wish you both the best of luck and joy.” he said.
I stood up from the chair, filled with emotion. I knew what his uncle’s approval would mean to him.
“Thank you, John. I will always be grateful to you for looking out for him.” I said.
He came over to give me a hug, and when he pulled away, he was still smiling.
“The truth is, Jessie, marrying you is a bigger achievement than being handed a company that was always going to go to him.” John said.
“You mean you weren’t going to give it to Marcus?” I asked, slightly confused. John winked and didn’t reply and then turned and left the room.
I didn’t get a definitive answer from him, but whatever it was, I was glad it had happened. This was the only way the Universe was able to bring Leo and me together.
I walked down the aisle on my proud father’s arm. Leo stood under the arching flowery trellis. We had chosen a beautiful outdoor spot on a beach in Hawaii for the wedding. The sound of lapping waves was like music to my ears.
Leo had his uncle and two friends of ours from college by his side, and everyone stood up as I stepped closer and closer towards him.
Leo looked stunned as he saw me approaching. It was like he couldn’t believe it himself. A happy glow spread over his handsome face, and my heart ached with happiness.
Ten years ago, I’d met this charismatic, ambitious boy in college, and I felt lucky that he even considered me to be his friend. Now, we were going to be married. This was the most beautiful day of my life.
He had my attention, my full attention…keeping a firm hold on my eyes. He mouthed the words I love you, as I drew nearer and my father kissed my cheek and then gave me away.
I stood beside Leo, feeling his strength and overwhelming power over me. It still hadn’t sunk in, that this was all real. It was actually happening.
The priest started to speak, and the rest of the world zoned out. I felt Leo reach for my hand and he pressed it. I looked over at him, and he was smiling.
“You okay, Jess?” he whispered and I nodded, my eyes filling with tears. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.
“I’m the luckiest man in the world.” he whispered like he’d read my mind.
After the ceremony, we kissed and ran down the aisle under the shower of flowers and confetti. At the end of the aisle, Leo lifted me up in his arms and spun me around while the cameras clicked away. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry while I clung to him.
“I’m so happy, Leo.” I said to him, kissing his cheek and his neck.
“Ditto!” he exclaimed and finally put me down.
I threw the bouquet over my shoulder, and Lou caught it, and all our friends squealed with excitement. Then Leo dragged me away for a private moment in the dressing rooms.
“I’m sorry it took me ten years to ask you to marry me.” he said in my ears while we swayed to the music playing outside.
“It doesn’t matter now, Leo. We’ve always been together.” I replied.
“I should have married you the day I met you.” he added, and I laughed.
“I would have said no!”
He smiled and kissed my forehead.
“So then I should have kept asking you, every year, till you said yes. Now, I finally feel at peace. I’m where I should be.” he continued, and I sighed, full to the brim with happiness.
“Me too, Leo. I don’t think I’ll want anything else.”
About the Author
Scarlet Rose is an author of contemporary romance books…and a bit of a daydreamer if she’s really honest. Her addiction is shiny new notebooks which are all quickly filled up with ideas for stories that are yet to be written.
Scarlet loves romance books with a bit of steam. She also loves strong alpha male characters who know how to treat a woman - with respect and like the goddesses they are.
Scarlet likes to write novellas for times when you have just a few hours spare as well as longer length books when the story really grips her.
If you want to join Scarlet’s inner circle, and never miss out on any future releases, just click below!
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