by Zante, Lily
“You reined it in, huh?”
“With great difficulty.” Even this, lying next to her and going no further, was hard. He was going to have to leave soon. “I wasn’t sure how you would be.”
“Hmmmm.”
She wasn’t giving anything away, but if that kiss was any proof of her feelings, it was a good start. “I’d give anything to have you back in my life, so I guess I’m left here waiting for you to decide on what you want.”
“We should take it slow,” she said, sounding unsure.
“Slow is good.”
“Uh-huh.” She didn’t sound convinced, and he didn’t feel it was entirely true, but if they could convince themselves…
He needed her to know, in case she came to some sort of decision and it didn’t include him. At least he knew he’d told her. “I’m in love with you,” he said, gazing at the ceiling, not wanting to see or hear, or sense the rejection, which even now, despite the heat rolling off their bodies, he was afraid of.
She made a noise, a tiny sound in the back of her throat. Something he couldn’t decipher. He had to wait it out, because after the way he’d treated her, him being here had probably still left her in a state of shock. She needed time, and he was in no rush. “I wanted one last attempt to explain myself. Maybe even win you over. And because Xavier said you weren’t with Santini.”
“I never was. He wanted investment information.”
He turned his head and stared at her. It was going to take a gargantuan feat for him not to lay a finger on her tonight, or, god forbid, start kissing her again, because he wasn’t going to be able to hold back. “If I’d known, I would have hand-delivered the bracelet to you, not sent it via courier.” He touched her wrist, his fingers sliding over the gift he’d bought her.
“You stayed away because you though I was with Santini?” she asked.
“Because I was scared of what you’d say. That you might tell me to go to hell forever. He was an extra deterrent.”
“Now that you’re here…”
“I have lots I want to tell you, things I discovered about myself in the counseling sessions.”
“Oh,” she said, turning to her side and propping herself up on her elbow. “It really helped?”
He nodded. “Amanda says she’d like us to meet for dinner.”
“Who did you go with last time? You said you met with her and her husband. Who was ‘we’.”
“Just the three of us.”
She leaned forward and kissed him. Those soft lips sent a signal straight to his groin. He almost let his hand fall to her breast, but didn’t. “We can’t do this,” he said. “I meant every word. I will make it up to you—the things I said, the way I behaved. But I want to get to know every single thing about you first.”
“Okay,” she said, lifting her hand to his face and stroking it. Then she leaned in for another kiss, and groaned as she stopped herself, their lips just inches away from one another. “This isn’t going to be easy.”
“The best things often aren’t,” he murmured, agreeing. “I need to take a cold shower.” He climbed off the bed.
“I’ll take one with you,” she said, mirroring his movement and standing in front of him.
He took her hands in his. “That’s not how it works, and you know that.” As if he’d let her get into the shower with him. Cold water or not, they’d soon make enough steam if they weren’t careful.
She bit her lower lip, the movement telling him this was just as difficult for her as it was for him. Her reaction had been everything he had dreamed of.
He’d once believed that romance was an illness, that caring for someone made him weak, and that falling in love would be something he would never do. Kay had discredited all those notions of his. He owed her more than she would ever know.
This was a start, returning to Kawaya, her listening to him, giving him a chance. Sharing a kiss. He couldn’t have asked for more than that. Actually, he could have, but making love was way down on his list of winning Kay back.
Right now, he was a torrent of emotions. Hot and steamy thoughts raced through him, because it was impossible to be with this woman and not feel those things, but there was also something else—something steady, and warm, and constant; a fledgling feeling that hinted at a possible future with this woman.
“You’d better go and take that solo cold shower,” she said, “And I’ll do the same.”
A smile danced on the edges of his lips. She was a tease, but she was his tease.
“’Nite,” he said, unsure of whether to kiss her or not. He backed away, aiming for safety, and not blue balls.
“’Nite,” she said, as he walked out of the door. “Are you going to come with me and Jacob to the waterfall?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Are you going to answer every question of mine with that?”
“I don’t know, should I?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m sure Jacob would like it.”
“Then I’ll come, but only because Jacob wants me to.”
He went to bed, thinking of her smile, and her words, and what he hoped would be the start of something new.
Epilogue
The Tobias Stone Foundation was hosting its annual Christmas party for the adoption centers in New York. This year it was held later than usual, a few days before Christmas and Tobias and Savannah had invited a few of their friends along. Kay had jumped at the opportunity, and she and Luke had decided to make an appearance before they caught their late evening flight to Pennsylvania.
According to Savannah, one of the largest toy stores in the city was closed to the public and children from the local adoption centers were invited here for a big party. As per Tobias’s wish, they left with a Christmas gift of their choice. “There you are,” said Savannah, as one of the security men showed them both through the doors.
“It’s crazy out there,” Kay replied, when Tobias’s security men ushered her and Luke to safety. She was glad to be inside. It had been her first proper glimpse into Savannah’s world. Huge crowds had formed outside the store with reporters and cameramen swarming like flies near the entrance.
“It never used to be this mad,” muttered Tobias, looking out from the glass doors. “I blame it all on Savannah,” he said, nodding at his wife.
“Trust me, I had nothing to do with it,” Savannah replied.
“You married the elusive billionaire,” Luke countered.
“That’s right,” said Kay, jumping into the conversation. “And Tobias gave you your happy ever after.”
“I disagree,” said Tobias.” She gave me my happy ever after.”
Savannah blushed, and rolled her eyes in response. Tobias winked at her before bending over to take one of the twins out of the stroller. “You remember this was how it all started,” she said.
“How could I ever forget?” Tobias stood up with his son in his arms—which one, Kay wasn’t sure.
“How what started?” Kay asked, curious.
“Us,” Savannah stated. “This is where we first met.”
“I thought you worked for him?” At least that’s what Savannah had told her.
“But before that, she came here with Jacob on an evening like this, two years ago.”
“Has it really only been two years? It seems so much longer.”
“Two years,” Tobias stated firmly.
“I didn’t know it was closed to the public,” Savannah recalled, “and his personal assistant hated me on sight.”
“Candi, wasn’t it?” Kay recalled the uppity little upstart with airs bigger than royalty.
“Candace,” Savannah corrected.
“Why did she hate you on sight?”
“Because I didn’t fit.”
“That little bi—” said Kay, before Luke interrupted her.
“Hey, little buddy,” he said, reaching for the baby Tobias was holding, and taking him.
“You’re a natural,” said Savannah.
Kay
held back as a funny strange sensation took a hold of her gut and made it all go gooey. Watching Luke with the twins seemed to jumpstart her maternal feelings. She’d never had them before, not until he’d come into her life, and she tried to work out where they had appeared from at all. Maybe it had been the pregnancy scare, and then the disappointment of knowing she hadn’t been pregnant at all. And then, during the summer, during the week they’d slowly started to get back together again, they’d ended up looking after the twins on a few occasions. Something about seeing that big, gorgeous man of hers with a baby just turned her insides to mush.
It was insane.
And yet the past six months had been nothing short of insane. The happy type of insane—the one which rocked her world but made it better.
“Where are your other boys?” she asked, looking around, and finding it strange that Tobias and Savannah didn’t seem at all flustered.
“There,” said Savannah, pointing towards the middle of the floor where a huge Christmas tree sparkled. “Oh, goodness Tobias, would you look at that?” They all turned to look at Jacob crouching beside the stroller and pointing to the tree—as if his little baby brother had any idea what it was. Xavier was with them.
“Why didn’t we bring the double stroller?” asked Tobias.
“Because Jacob insists on pushing it, and I didn’t think it would be a good idea for him to push a double stroller inside,” said Izzy, appearing from nowhere. “Oh, hey!” she said, acknowledging Kay and Luke.
“Hey,” said Kay. Then, “Are you still working as a nanny?”
“Not in any official capacity, but if I’m around, I can’t help but help out with the little guys. Aren’t they adorable?” She held out her arms to Luke, to take the baby from him.
“Do I have to give him up?” he asked.
“Only because Jacob wants him to see the tree. Can I take him if I promise to bring him back?” Luke begrudgingly handed Lewis to her.
Izzy left, and joined Jacob and Samuel, while Xavier came and joined them.
“Hey, guys,” said Xavier, shaking hands with Luke and kissing her on the cheek. “You finally turned up. I thought you’d gone to the airport.”
“Our flights not until later,” said Kay.
“I forgot,” said Savannah. “You’re going home. Say ‘hi’ to Aunt Sylvie.”
“I will,” Kay told her.
“It’s going to be a huge surprise,” said Savannah, winking at her.
“She has no idea,” agreed Kay. She and Luke were taking the flight home to see her mom and spending Christmas with her. For once, she didn’t dread going home. For once, she relished seeing the look of content on her mother’s face when she turned up unannounced with Luke by her side. Her mother already knew about him. She’d come over for Thanksgiving, and Kay had introduced her new boyfriend to her mom then, but having Luke come and spend time with her mom back in the house Kay grew up in somehow made their relationship more official. She knew her mom was desperate for her to settle down, but the truth was, it didn’t matter to Kay. She had her man, and she was happy, and things between her and Luke were moving along beautifully.
She looked over at Jacob again. “Is that…”she peered, craning her neck. “Is that Arnold?”
“I couldn’t invite all of you and leave him out,” said Savannah.
“I need to go and see how he is,” Kay said. She hadn’t seen him in a while, and both their lives had changed so much.
~ ~
“Are you ready, dude?” Xavier asked him as soon as Kay was out of sight.
“Ready for what? The private jet?” he asked, teasing.
“No,” Xavier retorted, shaking his head. “You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”
Luke knew full well what he meant. The private jet he’d recently bought wasn’t the only big news. He’d bought it on a whim, and he wasn’t in the habit of acting on whims. Up until meeting Kay he’d had a much more logical approach to things. But taking his sister’s advice, and with a new outlook, he’d found himself driven more towards wanting to enjoy life, rather than working every minute of every hour of every day.
Kay applauded his new attitude, as did Marie. Buying the jet hadn’t been the major life decision. But buying an engagement ring for Kay, had.
“I know what you’re talking about, pal,” Luke replied. He was starting to get restless and they’d only just arrived here.
“You’re really going to do it?” Xavier quizzed him.
“Of course I’m going to do it.”
“No regrets?”
“None whatsoever.”
“’Cos that’s not the sort of thing you get cold feet over, right, dude?”
“I’ve got no doubts.” He’d managed to keep it a secret from Kay, but mostly everyone knew: Tobias and Savannah, Izzy and Xavier, even Max and Briony, who he’d seen sitting around on some tables playing games with a bunch of children. The only people who didn’t know were Kay and Jacob. Jacob because he couldn’t keep a secret, and Kay because in a woman’s life, this was meant to be one of the ultimate surprises. He couldn’t want to see the look on her face. Not when she boarded the new plane, but when it didn’t touch down in Pennsylvania; when the journey took much longer than expected and touched down in Lapland the next day.
“And she doesn’t suspect?” Savannah asked, joining in.
“She has no idea.”
“I wish I were a fly on the wall,” said Savannah. “Promise me you’ll tell me everything when you—” But she stopped talking when a tearful looking Briony came up to her, with Max following close behind.
“What’s wrong?” Savannah asked.
“You don’t know,” Max told her, as she put her arm around her girlfriend’s shoulder.
“Don’t know what?” asked Tobias, clearly concerned. “What’s happened?”
“It’s nothing,” Max insisted. “Pull yourself together, Briony,” she whispered, trying to soothe things over. “You’ll upset the children if they see you like this.”
“What’s going on?” Savannah insisted, looking around.
“Nothing happened,” Max told her. “We were playing Snakes and Ladders with a group of children.”
“Who the hell plays Snakes and Ladders nowadays?” Xavier asked, a little too loudly.
“And what?” Savannah asked, anxiously.
“It’s just…” Briony’s voice wobbled. “It’s just that…”
“She didn’t let go of his hand,” Max told them.
“Who’s hand?” Savannah asked.
“Her brother’s. She’s what? Five or six?” Briony asked Max. “And she kept a hold of her brother’s hand the entire time. Like she was taking care of him. Like she was…like…like she was his mother.”
They all turned and looked to where Briony was looking.
“Isn’t that sad?” Briony’s face had turned pale, and it looked as if she was going to burst into tears. “She’s so young. He’s so young.” She clasped her hand to her chest. “I can’t… I can’t bear to see them looking so sad.”
“They were sweet,” Max acknowledged.
“I want to take them home,” Briony said, suddenly. “I…I want to adopt them.”
Max’s mouth fell open. “You’re going skiing again the day after Christmas Day.”
“I don’t care,” said Briony. “I can’t have Christmas knowing they don’t have a home.”
Max gave her a tight hug. “Darling, I don’t think this is like a pet shop. We can’t just pick a couple of children and take them home. There are processes and rules and—”
“I won’t …” said Briony, shaking her head. “I won’t be able to sleep tonight,” she said. “I won’t be able to forget their sadness.”
“You don’t know what happened,” said Savannah. “It’s best not to speculate.”
“But why can’t we adopt them?” Briony asked, looking at Tobias.
“There are checks and processes, and people in the queue before you,” To
bias replied. “But…we might be able to pull a few strings, if it’s the right thing for those children.”
Briony’s eyes widened.
“I can’t promise you anything.”
“But it’s a start,” said Max. “Let’s go and finish the game.”
“Sure,” said Briony nodding.
Luke listened, not saying a word as the two women left. He didn’t know them as well as Kay did, and he wasn’t entirely sure what that was all about.
“Can you pull strings.?” Savannah asked Tobias.
“I’m not sure, but I’m going to try.”
“They’ll end up with two children, and the dog,” Savannah mused.
“Their family will have tripled, just like ours.” Tobias remarked, putting his arms around her.
“What times our flight again?” Kay asked him, tapping him on the shoulder. “I don’t want to leave yet.”
“We can leave later. We’ve got time.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, looking confused. Earlier, he’d told her they could only stay for about forty minutes.
“I’m sure.”
“Great.” She kissed him on the lips and vanished again.
He didn’t have a time. His pilot could take off whenever he wanted. He couldn’t wait to see Kay’s face when he took her on board, and then again when he told her where they were really going.
He’d have to tell her at some point during the 10-hour flight. They’d have to christen the bed, first. That would take up a couple of hours.
A proposal in Lapland, on the snow, surrounded by fir trees and under the kaleidoscope of the polar lights. He couldn’t wait to see her face light up. It was what he loved, making her eyes shine, making her happy, giving back everything she had given him.
She was always talking about sitting underneath the stars and making plans for the future. They'd seen plenty of stars during their time in Kawaya, and now he wanted to see the beauty of the aurora with her; not quite stars, but lights, under a different type of sky. And make plans for their future.
** The End **