Be Mine: Valentine Novellas to Warm The Heart

by Nicole Flockton

  7

  Everett extracted himself when the woman came up for air. Still, she didn't let go, clutching at him like a desperate pea-vine. "I should have told you how much I love you," she said, breathless.

  Everett couldn't quite escape her hands. "Why would you tell me that?"

  All Ros could do was stand there, clutching her bag before her. What was happening? Old flame, maybe? But not on Everett's part. He retreated, trying to keep her at arm's distance.

  "Because I'm a fool for not saying it in the first place." The woman continued to press her suit, and Everett struggled to escape. "All that time, and I did nothing. Well, I'm not going to do nothing now."

  Was Ros supposed to be feeling jealousy? That wasn't what roiled through her heart. Confusion? Maybe not. Bemusement?

  She couldn't blame the woman. Everett was a rather tasty bit of hot man. Strawberry, if she remembered correctly.

  That was it! It wasn't about the clinch of sex. It was about the comfort of each other's company. Sure, she could play Everett's body like a lyre, but he was happy for her to do that. He was also comfortable in taking things at her pace. They could go out for a cheeseburger without expectations, or the finest of dining, and take pleasure in the food. A date didn't have to be the necessary social steps before hopping into bed, or a shallow way of paying for sexual favours. Just being in each other's company was enough.

  If only this strange spider-woman would stop trying to spin him up in silk. She seemed to have missed the memo where a relationship was a mutual give-and-take of what the other person needed. Clearly Everett didn't need her. She had a firm grip on his suit coat and wasn't letting go. Ros looked about, as passers-by lingered, watching the exchange. Did they have to have an audience?

  Oh. Everett had dropped her drink. The cup had come apart and had spread glistening ice across the pavement.

  In one deft move, Everett ducked out of his coat and made good his escape. He retreated by skirting around her and heading back to Ros. Was he planning on using her for a shield? She hoped so. He looked quite dapper in his shirtsleeves and that matching vest, almost as if he was ready to play pool, not wrestle a basic Heather.

  Everett held up his hands as if to ward her off. "Look, Livvie, this is a bad idea."

  Wait. Livvie? Livvie Walsh? Soli's old housemate Livvie Walsh? "Aren't you supposed to be Tyler's girlfriend?" Ros said aloud before her common sense could stop her thoughts from escaping her lips.

  Livvie, still clutching Everett's coat, stopped, her focus turning from one target to another. "What?"

  She looked Ros up and down, from her business up-do and work blouse down to her pantyhosed legs in street-approved joggers. "Who are you?" she demanded as if Ros was some rando interfering in Livvie's manifest destiny.

  Everett, still keeping his distance, said, "That's my girlfriend."

  Livvie froze. "Your girlfriend?" Her words came out brittle and cold.

  Ros's heart blossomed with heat. Did he just call her--? He did!

  "Uh, yeah." Everett eyed his jacket, as if to figure out a way of rescuing it from this rather perilous creature. "You and I were never together."

  At this, Livvie's jaw dropped. Was this news to her?

  "You were Tyler's girlfriend. Then you walked out on him. Walked out on his life. We never--"

  "I was never Tyler's girlfriend," she scoffed.

  "Did you bother to tell Tyler? He's been pining for you ever since." Everett put his fingers to his temples. Did Livvie pain him as much three years ago as she did now? Maybe Tyler was well-rid of her. If Everett didn't tell his housemate about this encounter, Ros certainly was going to. Tyler needed to move on. She wrinkled her nose. This creature in front of her was not worth chasing.

  Ros pulled out her phone. A picture would be nice.

  "Tyler and I never had a thing," Livvie countered. "I don't know where he got his ideas."

  No, a video would do. Surreptitiously, Ros began to record.

  Everett made a snatch for his jacket, but Livvie pulled it out of the way. Now it was her turn to dance back. He gasped in exasperation. "Maybe because you were hanging out with him the whole time?"

  "I was hanging out with you!"

  Everett threw his hands in the air. "News to me. If you were using him to get to me, that was a cheap trick."

  Faster than either woman could think, Everett snatched his coat back from Livvie. He pointed a sharp finger at her. "You and I were never together. You and I are never getting together. I already have a girlfriend, and I like her very much."

  Ros clutched her shoes tightly to her chest. He'd called her his girlfriend!

  Livvie looked over to Ros. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you recording me?" she accused.

  Ros had forgotten about her phone, faithfully recording the whole encounter. "I'm recording you for Tyler." She fought to keep her voice from shaking. Livvie struck her as someone who could turn real violent real fast. "All this time he's loved nobody but you. He never stopped looking for you. You could at least have told him you were breaking up with him."

  As Ros spoke, Livvie's countenance darkened. "We were never together!"

  Everett had scooted close to Ros, his body poised to grab her and run. Ros made an obvious show of turning off the recording. "Thanks. That's all I needed. Maybe now he can get over your sorry ass and move on."

  In one motion, she dropped her phone in her bag, grabbed Everett, and sprinted out of there.

  Thank goodness for joggers.

  Everett did a good job of keeping up with Ros during her mad dash through Perth. Ros thanked her lucky stars for her lunchtime gym sessions. They slowed down only after Ros was satisfied an angry, psychotic Livvie wasn't trailing them.

  They slowed near the entrance to the Perth Underground station. Ros couldn't help but laugh between panting breaths. Her infectious humour spread to Everett, still clutching his jacket. Sweat darkened the neck of his shirt. He loosened his tie. "I didn't know you could run," he gasped.

  She lifted a shoulder. "I'm glad you could keep up."

  He put his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "I'm going to have to go to the gym more often."

  Ros hugged her bag of shoes. "You called me your girlfriend."

  Everett looked up into her glistening eyes. "You are." His breath caught in his chest. He rubbed a hand through damp hair. "That is, if you want to be."

  "You asking me to be your girl?"

  He nodded.

  She surprised him with an excited hug. Who cares if the heels of her shoes pressed into her chest? Everett wanted to be her boyfriend!

  "I really like you," he explained. "You don't let your fears get in the way of life. You have a sense of humour and you're fun to be around. And you forgave me when something stupid happened.” Ah yes, his poor phone. “I'm happy to be in your life and see where this relationship goes."

  "Me too," Ros admitted. A stirring twittered in her loins. Wait. Was that...? Glee spread through her. "So..." she drew a flirtatious finger down Everett's chest. "Your place or mine tonight?"

  Everett's jaw dropped. "Are you propositioning me?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  "I am."

  He thought about it. "Yours. Livvie knows where I live."

  The End

  About Heidi Wessman Kneale

  Heidi Wessman Kneale is an Australian author of moderate repute. Best known for her delightfully escapist Fantasy Romance, this is her first foray into a contemporary tale set in a real city during modern times. She avoids the topic of having a boring day job; its sole purpose is to fund her literary habits and her dedication to her astronomy studies.

  website: http://tinyurl.com/heidikneale/

  twitter: @Heidi Kneale

  blog: http://RomanceSpinners.blogspot.com

  newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/c9vM9L

  Also by Heidi Wessmnan Kneale

  A Lady of Many Charms and Other Stories

  Her Endearing Young Charms Ebook

&n
bsp; For Richer, For Poorer ebook

  As Good as Gold eBook

  Marry Me (A Candy Hearts Romance)

  Audible Audiobook: My Book

  The White Feather

  My Book

  God of the Dark (Book 1)

  My Book

  Bride of the Dark (Book 2)

  My Book

  House of the Dark (Book 3)

  My Book

  Twist of Fate

  Ruby Rare

  Setting:

  Hawai’i, USA - uses US English spelling.

  Heat rating - three chillies

  About Twist Of Fate

  Caitlynd Palmer leaves her home town Sydney, Australia, to escape her failed oppressive life as a trophy wife, renting a little cottage on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. She leaves behind three things: her beloved father, a promise from her lawyer her location be kept secret and a court ordered restraining order against her soon to be ex-husband. And no intention of getting into a relationship with another man.

  Harrison Walsh, a tarnished high class lawyer from Washington, DC, now leads a simpler life on Oahu, running his small law firm, with a passion to surf each day and rebuild old properties to rent out.

  The day he meets the delightful and panicked Caitlynd with the most sorrowful eyes, he becomes determined to put some sunshine in her. Immediately drawn to her vulnerability and sweet introversion. Her caution towards him confuses the hell out of him.

  With Harrison’s help, Caitlyn embraces the Hawaiian lifestyle, shedding her safety skins and welcomes the new culture she’s surrounded in a tropical paradise with endless warm summer days and nights, lazily swimming under cooling waterfalls, the aroma of fragrant hibiscus and plumeria, dancing the hula and eating kalua pig.

  This is a story of a woman’s emotional and uplifting journey, letting go of the past, learning to listen to your own beliefs, overcoming fears and discovering that true love is not always where you expect to find it.

  1

  January 2014

  ˜˜˜

  “Caity, I have another surprise for you.” Evie yelled as she danced around in her excited joy, clapping her hands. The thump thumping of what some considered music pulsated throughout the air.

  Caitlynd cringed at another silly idea from her best friend and maid of honor. “Another? I’m so tired and long to go home and rest my feet. We’ve been dancing and drinking for hours.” She reached to rub the tightness in her calf, wondering why she’d agreed to this evening in the first place. She gave a mental shake knowing she wasn’t eighteen anymore.

  “Oh Caity, honestly, you’re getting married in a few days to the world’s biggest spunk, it doesn’t make you an old woman yet…the night is still young and we have things to do. Besides, you’ll love this surprise. I promise.” Evie’s violet eyes shone bright. Perhaps a little too bright.

  Caitlynd could not help the internal cringe and let out a long sigh. “Young? It’s almost two-thirty in the morning.” There was no persuading her best friend. “Oh, alright, but can we please go home soon after?” She peered at the other ladies in the group, some were still dancing and others sat slumped around her, looking as weary as her.

  “I promise you Caity, you will love it. Come on.” Evie grabbed her hand and yanked at her tired body. She almost stumbled on her tall heels she was vehemently regretting wearing; they were fine for a short evening, but not dancing and walking into the wee hours.

  Evie rallied the group and they all stumbled out the noisy club into the cool air. Caitlynd took in a deep lungful, the crisp air invigorated her once again. “Okay Evie, lead on…” and followed the girls around the city center, along narrow laneways and across a long footbridge over a major roadway to the lake. A wharf lay ahead with several tents and colorful flickering lights.

  At the top of one tent a sign read, Fortune Teller -Madame Mireille, and Caitlynd winced. “Oh no! No. No. No Evie. I am not doing this. You can see Madam Mireille if you like, but not me.” She turned to head back the way she came.

  “Oh come on Caity, you’ll love it. I’ve heard such terrific things about this one and you pronounce her name Meer-AY and I believe it’s French or something like that, it means ‘to admire’. Madame Mireille is amazing. Trust me on this.” Evie yanked at her hand, pulling her back.

  “Evie, you know I have an inherent distrust of these things. I can’t believe you’re making me do this.”

  “We’re all going to have a turn. But, as the bride to be, you first.” Evie pushed Caitlynd’s unwilling body closer to the tent. “Caity, I’ve already paid for this, so please, don’t disappoint me. Go on in. You will love her.”

  “Oh God Evie, the things you make me do.” Caitlynd looked at the other girls and gave them a smirk, and proceeded to pout her lips. “I’m so not happy about this…but here goes nothing.”

  The girls all smiled back, wishing her well. “Ok, see you soon. I hope.” She ducked under the awning and moved into the darkened tent. There were rich maroon and blue colored carpets with medieval scenes emblazoned. Strange beasts and many stars. She moved through another flap, heavier than the first one. Her footsteps muffled against thick rugs. Candles burned, giving the space an eerie presence. Incense tickled her nose and she wanted to sneeze.

  “Hello?” She called softly. There was no response. “Hellooo…is anyone here?”

  “Yes…Hello. Come. Welcome.” A soft gravelly voice came out of nowhere, heavily accented. Not quite French, Russian perhaps, it was hard to tell.

  A dark head of wild curls, with wisps of white and purple piled on top of curls, wrapped with a purple sash around her head. What appeared to be dark green eyes looked at her and her blood red lipstick smile showed a flicker of white teeth.

  A cloud of flowy purple moved toward her, her hand extended. “I am Madame Mireille. Come. Come inside.”

  Caitlynd’s hand was squeezed, not tightly, but warmly and a strange sensation went through her. The older woman drew her to the side of the tent, toward a round table and chairs. Strange how there was no sign of a crystal ball anywhere.

  “Sit.” She ordered, but not in the chair as she expected, but on a dark leather sofa nearby, she indicated with a sweeping arm.

  “Oh, Okay…”

  Instead of Madame Mireille sitting opposite her, she sat beside her and continued to hold her hand. She looked directly into her eyes. “You are afraid. Do not fear me. I am not going to harm you.”

  “I’m not afraid.”

  “Hhmmm.”

  Mireille flipped her hand over and ran a wrinkled finger with a long black nail over her palm. “You sad. You lost someone close. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “What?”

  “It was sudden. Tragic.”

  The air was sucked out from her. “How do you know?” Caitlynd hadn’t mentioned anything to her. Evie must have told her information.

  “No, your friend told me nothing.”

  “Aahh…” Caitlynd swallowed hard. Her eyes must have bulged.

  “You marry soon.” Mireille raised her head and looked directly into her eyes. “You very pretty.”

  “Thank you.” She swallowed hard, but given she wore a tacky plastic crown and a white sash with ‘bride to be’, it wasn’t so difficult to work out.

  Mireille took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and hummed softly. Her head swayed slightly from side to side in a circular motion. Caitlynd’s hand was drawn tight against the older woman’s heart. “I see two men. One is…” she let out a sigh, “…bad. Not so good. You should not marry this one. This first is bad choice. Yes bad choice.”

  “No. He’s a good man. I love him.” Caitlynd countered and tried to pull her hand away.

  Mireille nodded her head once. “Of course.” The older woman sighed. “I cannot help. I see things. In some people, they are clear and in others, there is nothing. But, in you, there is much to tell. But you do not believe.”

  “What do you mean much to tell? What else do you see? And what do y
ou mean there are two men?” Caitlynd’s insides squeezed. Fear and doubt burned inside her.

  “You are young and have much to deal with. There will be pregnancies, three, but two children, but not for a long time. You should wait. The other is perfect. Yes black hair. The right one will come to you. You miss your mother. She does not approve.”

  Her insides squeezed tightly and she fought to hold back tears. The woman was talking in riddles and Caitlynd struggled to understand. What did she mean two men? How did she know about her mother?

  “I see an older man. He is good man, terrible sad. I’m sorry great sadness fills you.” She raised her free hand and patted hers. “He will be all right. Sad for a long time, but all right, like you.”

  “Dad. Why will I be sad a long time?”

  Dark green eyes bored into her but she gave nothing away.

  “Why?”

  “Hhmmm. Listen to your heart. What does it say?”

  2

  January 2020

  ˜˜˜

  Caitlynd entered the homeware and gift store and slowly made her way around, admiring the objects for sale. The whine of chirpy overtly sweet love songs rang around her making her inwardly cringe. The barely audible sigh she released scarcely covered her annoyance, closing her eyes for a moment. There was a time she enjoyed the over-the-top decorations, the gushing love songs, but now, she had to grit her teeth to get through.

  “Can you help me? I’m hopeless at decorating.” A stranger held out two mismatched cushions.

  Caitlynd took a slight step back and gave the woman a quick smile. “Um, sure, if I can,” suddenly grateful for the distraction, glancing around for the shop assistant.