As she watched, her mother drew in a shuddering breath, moistening dry, peach-glossed lips. 'Gaye, I— I've been very unfair to you the last two years— No, let me finish,' she insisted as Gaye gave her a startled look. 'I'm only now, with Benjamin's help, beginning to realise exactly what a burden you have been carrying alone since—' She broke off, her face pale. 'Gaye, are you in love with Jonathan?'
Gaye opened her mouth to speak, to deny such an admission. But the words wouldn't come out. She could only stare at her mother, mouth open, eyes wide.
Her mother moved, gently placing her hand on Gaye's arm. 'He's a fine man, Gaye.' She spoke huskily. 'I couldn't have wished for anyone better for you. And I know—I know—' She swallowed hard. 'I know your father would have liked him, too,' she finished in a rush.
Would have. Not should. Not will. But the past tense—would navel
'Mummy—' She broke off as the doorbell rang, frowning at the harshness of the intrusion. As far as she was aware, they weren't expecting anyone this evening, Ben claiming a prior engagement. And this conversation with her mother was too important to stop now. 'Mummy!' She stopped her mother as she moved to answer the doorbell. 'We still need to talk,' she said firmly. They had been on the verge of a breakthrough for her mother; she was sure they had!
Her mother smiled at her calmly. 'Don't worry, Gaye. I'm not going to conveniently forget we ever started this conversation,' she reassured her before going out into the hallway.
Gaye felt thoroughly confused. She had no idea what had been going on these last two weeks, deliberately buried in her work as she had been, but there was definitely something different about her mother, something wonderfully different. She—
'Look who's called to see us,' her mother announced brightly as she came back into the kitchen.
Gaye knew who it was even before she saw him standing behind her mother, had somehow felt his presence. As she looked at Jonathan's grimly set features, she knew, despite what he might have said to her the last time they met, that he too had suffered during the last two weeks spent apart.
But what was he doing here now? From his expression, it wasn't a social visit!
'Good evening, Jonathan,' she greeted coolly, pleased that she managed to sound so composed.
Because inside she was doing a rapid inventory of her appearance! She had changed into comfortable jeans and loose top when she came in from work an hour ago; the fact that she and her mother were eating alone this evening meant that she hadn't had to dress for dinner. She wished now that she had taken a bit more trouble with her appearance, her face bare of make-up, her hair loose about her shoulders. But how could she possibly have guessed that Jonathan would arrive so unexpectedly?
'Gaye,' he responded curtly, continuing to look at her broodingly.
'If the two of you will excuse me?' her mother put in graciously. 'There are some things I need to do upstairs.'
Gaye very much doubted that, especially as the two of them had decided over their meal that they would probably have a game of chess after dinner. Not that she could exactly blame her mother for wanting to get away from the tension emanating out of Jonathan, so strong it could be physically felt.
What on earth was wrong with him? She hadn't seen him for two weeks, hadn't ever expected to see him again, and now that he was here all he could do was glower at her from beneath frowning brows!
'Can I get you something to drink?' Gaye offered once they were alone. 'Tea? Coffee?'
'A glass of that will be fine,' he grated, nodding in the direction of the red wine they had opened earlier to accompany their meal; even if the supper was informal, her mother liked to observe the niceties.
Gaye got him a glass and poured some of the wine, still unsure of exactly what Jonathan was doing here. Whatever the reason, he looked far from happy about it!
'Is everything all right? Your family are well?' she enquired politely, although she knew Abbie, Jarrett and the two children were all fine, had met Abbie for coffee only yesterday. And she was sure the other woman would have mentioned it if there were any worries with Jonathan and Jordan. But Abbie hadn't mentioned either brother. At the time Gaye had been grateful for the omission, couldn't even talk about Jonathan without becoming emotional. But now she wasn't so sure; it would have been better if Abbie had told her if something was wrong.
'They're fine. I'm fine,' he replied carelessly. 'I'm not here to talk about me! Or my family,' he added grimly, drinking down half the wine in his glass with one gulp.
Gaye eyed him warily. 'Do you want to stay in here, or would you rather move through to the sitting room?'
His eyes narrowed. 'Why?'
She shrugged. 'I just thought—'
'I'm fine right here.' And to emphasise the point he sat down on one of the two bar stools.
He was less imposing sitting than he had been when he was standing, but even so his personality was so forceful it didn't really make that much difference!
'Ben called round to see me this evening,' he said without delay, his gaze still narrowed on her.
So Jonathan had been Ben's prior engagement. Well, she couldn't see anything strange in that; the two men were friends, after all.
She still stood, leaning back against one of the kitchen units. And she still eyed Jonathan warily. 'Ben seems to be getting through to my mother.' She warmly remembered her earlier conversation with her mother—and quite a lot of hope. 'I really think—'
'He told me that he feels he's very close to the barrier coming down completely. That means you'll be free to lead your own life again,' he said caustically.
She hadn't quite thought of it in those terms, had just been pleased that Ben's work with her mother over the last two weeks seemed to be working. She also felt a little guilty that she had been so caught up in her own problems the last two weeks that she hadn't even noticed the change in her mother!
'I suppose it does,' she said slowly.
Jonathan's mouth twisted. 'Ben also told me that he met Richard Craven here the other evening.'
Ben seemed to have told Jonathan rather a lot of things! And from the grimness of Jonathan's expression this last revelation hadn't pleased him at all.
But Ben hadn't been altogether truthful about his having met Richard; the two men had only met briefly on the doorstep, having arrived at the same time. Ben had been admitted. Richard had not. After leaving the two women alone for almost two weeks, Richard had changed his mind again and had decided to have another try at persuading her mother to act under his direction. Gaye hadn't been surprised by this second attempt, knew him too well to believe in the sincerity of that message he had put on the card that had arrived with his flowers. But this time Gaye had left him in no doubt as to how her mother felt about working with him!
But it was curious that Ben had mentioned that brief meeting with the other man to Jonathan at all. . . And there was also that conversation with her mother earlier. . . What were her mother and Ben up to? Because Gaye suddenly had a feeling they were up to something!
'Jonathan, I think that you and I—'
'Exactly—you and I!' he echoed forcefully. 'If you think I'm going to allow Richard Craven to charm his way back into your life after what he did to you—! I'll break his damned neck first! I've already warned him off once,' he continued fiercely. 'Obviously I didn't make myself clear enough—'
'You—warned—Richard—off?' Gaye repeated incredulously. 'Exactly when did you do a thing like that?' And why?
'I had been to see him the day before he sent your mother those flowers,' Jonathan snapped. 'If they were for your mother!'
She remembered now how strangely he had reacted to the roses when he'd arrived that evening. . .
"They were for my mother, Jonathan,' she insisted quietly. 'And I'm more concerned with why you felt it necessary to go and see Richard. . .' She gave him a thoughtful look.
Jonathan stood up restlessly, tension oozing out of him. 'So that you didn't get hurt again. The man isn't fi
t to be in the same room as you, let alone— He doesn't deserve you, Gaye,' he bit out harshly.
'Surely that's for me to decide?' she rejoined softly, hope—desperate, yearning hope—starting to well up inside her.
He shook his head. 'You're too emotional at the moment to think rationally. One minute you're laughing, the next you're close to tears. It isn't possible to make life-changing decisions under those circumstances,' he told her arrogantly.
'The same could be said of someone who is charming and caring one moment, and then becomes distant and abrupt the next,' she pointed out.
'You're talking about me?'
Her mouth quirked at his indignant tone. 'Does it sound like you? Jonathan, what I was going to say a few minutes ago was that I think my mother and Ben are playing matchmakers!' She sighed. 'I have no interest in Richard, wouldn't even let him into the house, despite what Ben may have told you about the other evening. And earlier my mother was trying to find out how I felt about you. Separately, perhaps the two things don't mean anything, but when you consider my mother and Ben's closeness now, and you put the two conversations together—! Jonathan, I believe we've been set up,' she declared.
His eyes were narrowed. 'For what purpose?'
She looked at him. She could say that her mother and Ben knew how miserable she had been the last two weeks, that the older couple had decided the two of them belonged together. Or she could claim not to know why they were doing it. But to choose the latter course, after the last two weeks of misery, was unthinkable!
She moistened her lips before speaking. 'You're right about one thing, Jonathan—I am very emotional at the moment. But there is a reason for that—'
'Of course there's a reason for it.' He grasped her arms, shaking her slightly. 'This situation with your mother is coming to a climax; it's sure to be unsettling for you. But you have to give yourself time. You can't possibly know how you feel about Richard Craven under these circumstances.'
Richard again. . . 'I've already told you how I feel about Richard; I'm simply not interested. And never will be,' she stated firmly. 'However—'
'There isn't a 'however', Gaye,' Jonathan broke in harshly.
'Oh, but there is,' she insisted determinedly; now that she had made her mind up, she intended having her say. 'I'm not in love with Richard, doubt that I ever was. But I am in love.'
Even as she said the words she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. This wasn't right. She couldn't possibly calmly stand here and tell Jonathan it was him she loved!
But why couldn't she? Could it make the situation between them any more unbearable than it already was? The answer to that had to be no! And he was jealous of Richard; she was sure of it. . .
Jonathan's fingers tightened on her arms. 'Who is he?' he ground out. 'Tell me who he is and I'll—'
'He's a wonderful man,' she told him, hope bursting free inside her. Jonathan was jealous; she knew he was! 'Very caring. Very handsome—'
'Looks aren't everything, Gaye,' he rasped. 'Craven should have more than shown you that!'
'Oh, the man I love isn't narcissistically good-looking,' she assured him. 'Far from it. In fact,' she added mischievously, 'sometimes his mood can be decidedly unattractive!'
Jonathan looked triumphant at the admission. 'Well, doesn't that tell you that perhaps you're making a mistake about this man too?' He pounced with satisfaction. 'You're too beautiful, too loving and caring yourself to settle for anything less in return.'
'Oh, I'm not going to settle for second-best, Jonathan,' she told him, her own certainty about his feelings for her growing by the minute. The hard part was going to be to get him to admit them!
Some of his triumph faded. 'Does this man love you in return?' he said flatly.
'I think so.' She smiled, her eyes, she was sure, glowing with love for him. 'It's just a question of getting him to say the words!'
'You mean he hasn't even told you—! Gaye, what the hell sort of man is he that he won't even tell you how he feels about you?' he said exasperatedly.
She shrugged. 'He's a man who doesn't trust love. A man who grew up with a mother who taught him all too well that it wasn't wise to love any woman.' She steadily met his gaze after making these pronouncements.
Jonathan became very still, opening his mouth to speak, and then closing it again without saying a word. And then opening it again. And closing it again in silence.
Gaye's smile turned to an indulgent laugh. 'This must be a first—Jonathan Hunter lost for words!'
He shook his head dazedly. 'Only the right ones,' he said gruffly. 'Gaye, I—I—'
'It doesn't matter, Jonathan.' She moved towards him, her arms about his waist as she rested her head against his chest. 'I can say it for both of us.' She looked up at him. 'I love you very much, Jonathan. So very, very much,' she added emotionally.
He swallowed hard. 'Enough to marry me?'
That hope in her heart blossomed to uncontainable proportions, tears filling her eyes, her throat moving convulsively. 'Enough not to marry you, if that's the way you want things to be,' she admitted chokily.
'Oh, no.' His arms moved about her possessively. 'I've behaved like a damned fool these last two weeks, Gaye. I tried to convince myself that I could live without you in my life. What an idiot! I've been so miserable my friends don't want to be near me, my family is giving me a wide berth, and my secretary of the last ten years is threatening to resign if I don't lighten up!' He put his hand beneath her chin, tilting her face up to his. 'I love you very much, Gaye Royal,' he told her shakily. 'I want to marry you, and keep you with me for ever.'
'For ever sounds ideal to me, my darling Jonathan,' she said breathlessly just before their lips met.
She had it all now. Jonathan. His love. Their future together. She only hoped for ever was long enough!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
'If I wasn't absolutely positive that some time in the near future Ben's going to be my father-in-law,' Jonathan muttered at Gaye's side, 'I would be tempted to go over there and wipe off that smile he has on his face every time he looks at me!'
Gaye laughed huskily, glancing down the room where they were holding their wedding reception at the man who sat so protectively at her mother's side.
The wedding of Gaye Royal, daughter of Marilyn Palmer and the late Terence Royal, to the extremely eligible Jonathan Hunter had attracted more than its fair share of publicity; there had been dozens of reporters outside the church earlier today, both before the service and when they'd emerged out into the sunshine as husband and wife. But through it all Ben had kept the reporters away from Marilyn, and the door had been firmly closed on their private reception to prevent any further intrusion into what was, after all, a family affair.
Her mother was bearing up very well under the barrage of publicity that had followed the wedding announcement, and since their talk together Marilyn's recovery seemed to be happening in leaps and bounds. So much so that Gaye shared Jonathan's view that Ben would become his father-in-law some time in the future. . .
'I think, my darling—' Gaye looked laughingly up at her husband '—that you may be kept rather busy if you
decided to take that particular action! Jarrett has the same smile, as do several of your friends. And Jordan just looks totally disgusted.' She glanced down the table at her brother-in-law. 'I think he feels totally betrayed by both you and Jarrett!'
Jonathan looked over to where his brother sat. 'He doesn't look too happy, does he?' he acknowledged laughingly.
Gaye shook her head. 'I feel quite sorry for the young lady he brought with him.'
Jonathan gave the redhead seated at Jordan's side a considering look, shrugging as he turned back to Gaye. 'She looks as if she can take care of herself,' he pronounced.
She did indeed, Gaye decided after watching the other woman for several seconds.
'Hey.' Jonathan drew her attention back to him, lifting her hand to kiss the plain gold ring he had placed there earlier in the day. 'I love
you, Mrs Hunter,' he told her happily.
'I love you too, my darling Mr Hunter.' She touched his cheek gently, love shining out of the green depths of her eyes. 'For ever and always.'
He nodded. 'I won't settle for anything less.'
Neither would she. Not for a minute, or a second less.
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