Reach for a Star

by Kathryn Freeman

  She raced into the hallway, threw the door open and flung herself into his arms.

  ‘Hey, I guess you missed me a bit then?’ he asked, smiling into her eyes as he whirled her round.

  ‘You could say that.’ She laughed. ‘I know you don’t do many concerts any more, but could you make that even fewer from now on?’

  ‘I have to go away sometimes to stop you taking me for granted.’ He grinned, then he bent his head to hers and kissed her until her knees gave way. ‘Every day I thank God that I finally persuaded you to become part of my life again.’

  ‘Err, as I recall, it was me persuading you.’

  Michael chuckled. ‘When you turned up at the Albert Hall, the result was never in doubt, trust me. Now, where are those kids?’

  Just then Lucy appeared, almost tripping up over her sturdy, toddler legs as she ran towards her dad with her arms outstretched. The look of utter adoration on Michael’s face when he caught sight of her nearly brought Jessie to her knees. Three years ago, the idea of Michael’s love being directed at another female would have brought the claws out in her. But this female was different. This little girl had launched herself into their lives and snatched all their hearts, even Jack and Luke’s.

  As Michael blew loud kisses on Lucy’s cheek, sending her into fits of giggles, Jessie’s heart sighed. She was no longer first in his life, and it only made her love him more.

  ‘I swear she’s grown in three days,’ he said as he settled her back on her feet. ‘And her hair’s even curlier.’

  Ah yes. Poor Lucy had inherited her brown curls, not Michael’s silky straight locks. ‘I thought you liked curls.’

  He gave her a long, lingering look. ‘I love everything about the women in my life. Everything.’

  ‘Dadda sing.’

  Lucy tugged at his hand, and Jessie laughed as Michael allowed himself to be pulled into the music room, and the grand piano. Two years ago, he’d have come home and whisked her straight to bed. Now he was happy to sing ‘Wheels on the Bus’ to his daughter. But the heated look he sent her just before he was dragged away, left her in no doubt that her time with him would come.

  ‘Mum, Annabel’s on the phone.’

  Jack, now a big strapping fifteen-year-old, shoved a phone into her hand. Seems she’d been so besotted with the sight of her daughter and her husband, she’d not even heard it ring.

  ‘Is he back?’

  Jessie didn’t need to ask who her friend meant. ‘He’s singing to his daughter as we speak.’

  ‘Remind him not to tire his vocal cords out too much. We’re relying on him to use them tomorrow.’

  Jessie peeked into the music room to find Michael crooning into the mesmerised eyes of his daughter. She knew exactly how Lucy felt. ‘I’ll remind him,’ she promised her friend because she knew how important tomorrow was to her. ‘How are you feeling?’

  ‘Terrified? Excited? Like a kid at Christmas, but I’m scared it won’t all happen as I’ve planned. As I hope.’

  ‘Will Phil be turning up?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘And do you love him?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Then relax. Everything else is just window dressing.’

  Michael helped his beautiful daughter down from the stool and carried her to the sitting room, where his beautiful wife was just putting down the phone.

  ‘That was Annabel, reminding you not to wear your voice out before tomorrow.’ Jessie smiled at him in that way he still couldn’t get enough of. A smile of love, of gratitude, of banked desire. A smile that only he received.

  ‘I’ve still got enough left in the tank.’ Seeing Lucy happily distracted by one of the boys’ footballs – funny how the damn things turned up everywhere – he snuck Jessie a quick kiss. ‘Besides, you could always stand in for me.’

  She gave him a shove. ‘We discussed that. No way am I ruining my best friend’s wedding by singing at it.’

  ‘Not even to re-enact a winning performance?’

  Her eyes went all soft and her expression turned dreamy. ‘We were good together, weren’t we?’

  ‘I’d like to think we still are,’ he countered dryly. A few years ago, her words would have sent his insecurities into overdrive. Now those insecurities rarely surfaced. He knew how much he was loved, and was grateful for every moment of it.

  ‘Phil said he didn’t want me warbling at his wedding.’ Jessie rolled her eyes in that comic way that always made him want to kiss her. ‘He told me listening once was enough. So no, tomorrow I’m going to leave it to the professional.’

  ‘Maybe I’ll get you singing for me tonight,’ he whispered, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  Instead of blushing, as she once might have done, she put a hand on his face and whispered huskily, straight into his eyes. ‘You always make me want to sing.’

  It was he who was feeling hot under the collar now, and it had nothing to do with embarrassment.

  The moment was shattered by a squeal. They both turned to find Luke and Jack had now joined them and were pretending to grab the ball from Lucy. She shrieked and started running away from them, the ball clutched to her chest. The damn thing was almost half her size, the boys definitely more than twice her size, but she wasn’t deterred. With a massive grin splitting her face, she weaved round the living room as fast as her little legs could carry her.

  Jack and Luke would catch up to her every now and then, before falling dramatically and letting her escape. A girl couldn’t want for a more doting pair of big brothers.

  Quietly, his heart full to bursting, he put his arms around Jessie and drew her in front of him, resting his chin on her head as they watched the comic show. It was at times like this – and there were plenty of them – that Michael found himself reflecting on how his life had changed since he’d appeared on the TV show. And to think, if it had been down to him, he wouldn’t have done it.

  He owed Robert, big time. Not that the guy didn’t frequently remind him about it. Still, it was worth listening to a lifetime of Robert’s crowing, and his I-told-you-so’s, to be part of this noisy, chaotic, happy household.

  The Week of Your Life had turned out, rather spectacularly, to be The Making of His Life.

  * The End *

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  Thank You

  from Kathryn Freeman

  I get so much pleasure out of writing a book – spending months in a fantasy world with my perfect hero, what’s not to love?! The greatest pleasure though, comes from hearing that others have enjoyed the fantasy I’ve created. I’m not alone in that. Authors love feedback – it can inspire, motivate, help us improve. It can also help spread the word. So if you feel inclined to leave a review, I would be really grateful. And if you’d like to contact me (details are under my author profile) I’d be delighted to hear from you.

  Kathryn

  Read about Kathryn and her novels next including a preview of Crikey a Bodyguard ...

  About the Author

  Kathryn was born in Wallingford, England but has spent most of her life living in a village near Windsor. After studying pharmacy in Brighton she began her working life as a retail pharmacist. She quickly realised that trying to decipher doctors’ handwriting wasn’t for her and left to join the pharmaceutical industry where she spent twenty happy years working in medical communications. In 2011, backed by her family, she left the world of pharmaceutical science to begin life as a self-employed writer, juggling the two disciplines of medical writing and romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero …

  With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) the romance in her life is all in her head. Then again,
her husband’s unstinting support of her career change goes to prove that love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes can come in many disguises.

  For more information on Kathryn:

  www.twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

  www.kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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  More Choc Lit

  From Kathryn Freeman

  Crikey a Bodyguard

  She’s got the brains, he’s got the muscle …

  When Kelly Bridge’s parents insist on employing a bodyguard for her protection, she’s not happy. Okay, so maybe not every woman is on the cusp of developing a vaccine against a potential biological terrorist attack – but crikey, it’s not like she’s a celebrity!

  Ben Jacobs flunked spectacularly out of school, so he knows his new client Dr Kelly Bridge spells trouble for him. But on a conference trip to Rome he finds things are worse than he thought. Not only is he falling for the brilliant scientist, he’s also become horribly aware she’s in grave danger. As they go on the run, dodging bullets and kidnappers, can he resist his feelings and keep her safe?

  Read a preview here ...

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  Oh Crumbs

  Sometimes life just takes the biscuit …

  Abby Spencer knows she can come across as an airhead – she talks too much and is a bit of a klutz – but there’s more to her than that. Though she sacrificed her career to help raise her sisters, a job interview at biscuit company Crumbs could finally be her chance to shine. That’s until she hurries in late wearing a shirt covered in rusk crumbs, courtesy of her baby nephew, and trips over her handbag.

  Managing director Douglas Faulkner isn’t sure what to make of Abby Spencer with her Bambi eyes, tousled hair and ability to say more in the half-hour interview than he manages in a day. All he knows is she’s a breath of fresh air and could bring a new lease of life to the stale corporate world of Crumbs. To his life too, if he’d let her.

  But Doug’s harbouring a secret. He’s not the man she thinks he is.

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  Too Damn Nice

  Do nice guys stand a chance?

  Nick Templeton has been in love with Lizzie Donavue for what seems like forever. Just as he summons the courage to make his move, she’s offered a modelling contract which takes her across the Atlantic to the glamorous locations of New York and Los Angeles. And far away from him.

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  Before You

  When life in the fast lane threatens to implode …

  Melanie Taylor’s job working for the Delta racing team means she is constantly rubbing shoulders with Formula One superstars in glamorous locations like Monte Carlo. But she has already learned that keeping a professional distance is crucial if she doesn’t want to get hurt.

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  There’s no such thing as a class divide – until you’re on separate sides

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  Detective Sergeant Megan Taylor thinks so. She once lost her heart to a man who was too charming and she isn’t about to make the same mistake again – especially not with sexy defence lawyer, Scott Armstrong. Aside from being far too sure of himself for his own good, Scott’s major flaw is that he defends the very people that she works so hard to imprison.

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  Search for the Truth

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