‘I have other, much more useful talents as a husband.’ He wiggled his eyebrows and twiddled an imaginary moustache.
Leonie gave him a scathing look. ‘One of them isn’t a believable impression of Groucho Marx!’
He chuckled. ‘Because I wasn’t doing Groucho Marx!’ he said disgustedly. ‘Don’t you recognise a lecher when you see one?’
‘Unfortunately, no,’ she gave him a pointed look.
Hawk groaned. ‘Will I ever win one of these verbal battles with you?’
Leonie eyed him speculatively. ‘Do you want to?’
He looked at her appreciatively. ‘No,’ he acknowledged indulgently. ‘Boredom is something I’m never going to fear being married to you!’
She affected a haughty look. ‘Can I say the same, I wonder?’
His mouth quirked. ‘Ask me the same thing on our first wedding anniversary!’
He was so self-confident, and he had reason to be. No woman could ever be bored with this man, not if she lived with him for a thousand years. He was so dimensional, so complex—eternity wouldn’t be long enough to learn all there was to know about this man. But she suddenly so much wanted to try!
‘I have to get Laura.’ She moved away from him. ‘Otherwise Hal will really start to panic,’ she grimaced.
He nodded. ‘I want this to be a happy day for all of us.’ He drew in a ragged breath. ‘Leonie, Spencer is the last person I want to mention today, but I have to if I’m to reassure you that it’s all over with him.’ He looked at her intently.
Leonie had felt her cheeks pale at the mention of her ex-husband, but she looked at Hawk uncertainly as he finished the statement. What did he mean? What had he done to Michael? Not that she was concerned about Michael, she had given that up long ago, but she didn’t want anything to happen to Hawk.
He grasped her arms. ‘I’m not going to go into details, suffice it to say my lawyer and I have made sure Spencer will never come near you again.’
She looked up at him searchingly, knowing that above all else she could trust him. If he said Michael had gone from their lives then she believed him.
‘Thank you,’ she said huskily, tears in her eyes. ‘This will be the happiest day of my life.’
Hawk shook his head. ‘That’s tomorrow,’ he told her huskily. ‘Laura and Hal’s wedding is just a practice run!’
Leonie was still smiling as she went into Laura’s bedroom, although the tears actually started in her eyes as she saw how beautiful her sister looked in her frothy white dress of satin and lace.
Laura took one look at her and her own tears started to fall. She stood up to cross the room, and the two sisters hugged each other tightly.
‘Everything will change after today,’ choked Laura.
Leonie’s arms tightened about her twin. ‘We all have to go forward,’ she comforted her. ‘It isn’t as if we aren’t going to see a lot of each other,’ she cajoled. ‘And you do love Hal, don’t you?’ she prompted softly.
‘Oh yes,’ Laura replied without hesitation, straightening, but still maintaining a hold on Leonie’s hands. ‘We are doing the right thing, aren’t we?’ she said uncertainly.
Leonie smiled encouragingly. ‘You’re just suffering from a bride’s rightful attack of nerves,’ she soothed. ‘As soon as you see Hal you’ll know you’re doing the right thing.’
‘You thought you loved Michael too once,’ Laura said worriedly.
Leonie frowned. ‘I’m not sure that I did, not the way you love Hal. I just—I wanted to fall in love like other people did, and he—well, he knew a good thing when he saw it,’ she conceded bitterly, remembering the way Michael had decided she earned enough for both of them and had instantly given up his job. ‘It wasn’t the same, Laura,’ she insisted.
‘And Hawk?’ asked Laura. ‘How do you feel about him?’
* * *
To stand by and let her answer that would be to destroy the tentative friendship that had sprung up between them the last couple of days. Hawk didn’t like feeling vulnerable, but where Leonie was concerned he surely was.
The bedroom door stood slightly ajar, allowing him to have overheard part of the conversation between the two sisters, and he pushed the door completely open to stand in the doorway. ‘You two might not mind keeping Hal waiting,’ he said lightly, ‘but this young lady isn’t going to remain quiet indefinitely.’ He looked down at Holly as she moved restlessly in his arms, wearing a pretty pale green dress that seemed to hint at a slightly red shading to her hair. Leonie was right, their daughter was going to be another redhead.
He watched the two sisters often as they sat in the back of the car together as he drove them all into town, June by his side, obviously still a little embarrassed at the mistake she had made as she gazed out of the side-window. He was relieved that problem was out of the way, anyway.
Leonie still worried him, however. From what he had overheard her say to Laura a few minutes ago she had had trouble falling in love even before her disastrous first marriage and the death of her son. What other reason could there be for her sounding so desperate about wanting to fall in love—she had only been twenty, for God’s sake, hardly old enough to have considered herself an old maid.
He didn’t understand the woman he loved at all, but he was going to. And this time he would do his investigating into her past himself; he was going to leave nothing to chance.
* * *
It was a beautiful ceremony, the love that openly surrounded the bride and groom as they gazed at each other making it so.
Stephen hadn’t arrived, so Hawk had acted as the other witness, and Leonie had seen him have a few harsh words with a stony-faced Jake before the ceremony, the two men having studiously avoided each other since then.
Holly behaved perfectly, sleeping through the whole thing, much to Leonie’s relief. But how would Holly dare do anything else when she was held so firmly by her father!
‘Let me take her,’ offered Sarah as they all posed for photographs outside.
‘No, let me,’ Hal offered mischievously. ‘It’ll give our grandchildren something to think about when we show them our wedding photographs!’ He and Laura posed with the baby held between them.
Leonie insisted on taking Holly so that they could have some more traditional photographs taken, standing to one side with Hawk until it was their turn to pose with the bride and groom.
‘Did Jake have any idea where Stephen could be?’ she asked Hawk softly.
‘No,’ he grated, his eyes narrowed. ‘He didn’t seem overly concerned either!’
‘Oh, I’m sure you’re wrong,’ she protested. ‘I know he’s angry with Stephen just now, but—’
‘Leonie, I’ve known Jake almost half my life, and I know something of the way he feels; he seemed almost relieved Stephen hadn’t turned up today.’ Hawk shook his head.
Leonie sighed. ‘It seems such a pity, they’re both such nice men. And I meant that quite impersonally,’ she added quickly, aware of how frayed Hawk’s temper had been concerning Jake, especially over the last few days.
His mouth quirked. ‘I know that,’ he gave her a wry smile. ‘Loving someone makes you vulnerable.’
She was all too aware of that vulnerability, that was why she feared expressing her love for Hawk. Maybe one day she might feel brave enough, but not yet. She just wasn’t ready to open herself to that sort of pain again just yet.
‘Come on, you two!’ Hal stood grinning in front of them, obviously relieved the trauma of the ceremony itself was over. ‘Laura and I want to have a family photograph with just the five of us, and then just the three of you together.’
They couldn’t have made a more public declaration of their relationship, and yet as Hawk posed at her side Leonie felt proud of the fact that she and Holly belonged to such a man. She smiled brightly into the camera, she and Hawk laughing together as Holly chose that moment to give one of her windy smiles, giving the impression that she too was happy with the day.
&nbs
p; There were only thirty or so guests invited back for the buffet luncheon, but even so the house seemed very overcrowded.
Hawk swore beside her as the telephone began ringing almost as soon as they entered the house. ‘It’s either Stephen phoning to explain why he didn’t make it, or it’s a business call for me,’ he grimaced. ‘And neither one of them is welcome just now!’
‘I’ll go and answer it,’ Sarah offered with a smile. ‘You’re due to give your speech any time now.’
Hawk didn’t look pleased by the reminder as his secretary hurried from the room. ‘I don’t like speaking in public,’ he confided to Leonie as she gave him a puzzled look.
Her eyes widened. He always gave the impression that he was so self-confident, so composed, so this disclosure came as something of a surprise to her.
‘I know,’ he grimaced. ‘It doesn’t fit in with the image. Nevertheless, it’s true.’
Leonie rested her hand on the crook of his arm. ‘Holly and I will be rooting for you,’ she encouraged.
‘I—What is it?’ he frowned at Sarah as she made her way back to his side.
‘Bob Norman is on the phone—’
‘The Chairman of Alton Hotels,’ Hawk told Leonie softly.
She turned to the other woman, having become interested in this deal that was taking up so much of Hawk’s time.
‘He wants to talk to you,’ Sarah shrugged. ‘He says it’s urgent.’
Hawk scowled. ‘Didn’t you tell him my son got married today?’ he rasped.
‘Of course,’ Sarah said calmly. ‘He said he only wants a few minutes of your time,’ she added regretfully.
‘Okay,’ Hawk agreed impatiently, giving Leonie an apologetic look. ‘This should only take a few minutes. Tell Hal to start the speech without me if I’m delayed,’ he drawled.
She laughed softly. ‘Oh, I’m sure we’ll all manage to wait for you!’
‘Witch!’ he muttered before turning to stride confidently across the room.
Sarah looked uncomfortable. ‘I really didn’t mean to interrupt this time for him, but Bob Norman did sound in a panic.’
Leonie gave the other woman an understanding smile. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she dismissed, soothing Holly as she began to fidget, her blue-grey eyes wide open.
‘Feeding time again?’ Sarah guessed indulgently.
‘It seems like it always is,’ Leonie grimaced, sitting Holly up so that she could have a look around. ‘I’d better go and warm a bottle for her,’ she excused herself with an apologetic smile.
‘Let me hold her while you’re gone,’ Sarah offered. ‘I’ve never particularly wanted one of my own,’ she admitted, ‘but I don’t mind borrowing someone else’s occasionally.’
‘You can give them back that way,’ Leonie acknowledged with an understanding laugh, leaving Holly with the other woman as she went out to the kitchen.
She hesitated outside the study, aware of Hawk’s raised voice, wondering whether she should go and see what was wrong with him or if she should just mind her own business. As she heard him swear she decided on the former.
‘—For God’s sake, Bob, it isn’t only my son’s wedding today that’s holding me back,’ he rasped down the telephone line, his back towards the study door. ‘I’m getting married myself tomorrow. Don’t be clever, Bob,’ he growled. ‘My bride might be willing to wait, but I’m certainly not!’
Leonie smiled at his vehemence, pitying the poor man on the other end of the line for daring to suggest such a thing; it had taken all Hawk’s patience to get him to wait this long before marrying her. He had come to her only yesterday and suggested they elope to Las Vegas instead of waiting until tomorrow!
She gently touched his arm. ‘What is it?’ she prompted as he turned to her sharply.
‘Just a minute, Bob,’ he snapped tersely to the other man, putting his hand over the mouthpiece. ‘He wants me to go over and complete the deal immediately,’ Hawk explained impatiently. ‘The shareholder who has the balance of power in my favour is seriously ill and not expected to last more than a couple of days, and his son isn’t in favour of selling to me.’
‘You’ll lose the deal,’ she frowned.
‘It doesn’t matter—’
‘You’ll lose the sale,’ she nodded. ‘Tell him you’ll be there tomorrow.’
‘But—’
‘Hawk, if I’m going to be a business man’s wife then I’d better start acting like one,’ Leonie told him firmly. ‘From what I can tell you’ve been planning this business deal for months, so waiting a few extra days for our wedding isn’t going to matter.’
Hawk looked rebellious, not liking that idea at all, obviously. Then his face lit up with suppressed excitement; Leonie doubted if he would ever lose complete control. ‘Come with me,’ he suggested eagerly. ‘We could spend a few days in New York finalising the deal and then go on to Las Vegas the way I wanted to.’
It was impetuous, mad, it would completely upset the plans they had already made. ‘And then a few days in Los Angeles to see how the Winnie Cooper series is going?’ she prompted pertly.
Hawk gave a rueful grimace. ‘That has to be part of the deal?’
She shrugged, her eyes glowing mischievously. ‘It seems a pity to go all that way and not pop into the television studio.’
‘Los Angeles isn’t just around the corner from Nevada, you know,’ he said dryly. ‘Oh, all right,’ he gave in as she looked disappointed. ‘Calm down, Bob,’ he ordered the other man as he went back on the line. ‘My fiancée thinks she’d like to be married in Las Vegas.’ He winked at her as she gave an outraged gasp. ‘I don’t blame her for that,’ he answered a remark the other man made in return.
‘Blame me for what?’ Leonie demanded in a whisper.
Hawk put his hand over the mouthpiece once again. ‘Not wanting to let me out of your sight long enough for me to change my mind about the wedding,’ he revealed with a challenging glint in his eyes.
Leonie glared at him as he returned to his conversation with the chairman of Alton Hotels. They both knew very well that he would never change his mind about marrying her!
Going to America with him was madness. It wasn’t as if their wedding couldn’t have waited another week or so, she couldn’t even be a proper wife to him yet because of—Oh, goodness!
She pulled on the sleeve of Hawk’s jacket. ‘We forgot all about Holly,’ she burst out at his frowning look.
‘We’ll take her with us,’ he decided instantly. ‘No, Bob,’ he drawled as the other man heard his half of the conversation, ‘not my mother-in-law! We were just deciding to bring our month-old daughter with us,’ he explained.
And make of that what you will, Bob Norman, Leonie thought with a groan.
‘Thanks,’ Hawk accepted the other man’s obvious congratulations. ‘We’re rather pleased about it too.’
Maybe she was the only one who found it odd that she was marrying the father of her child when that child was already five weeks old! Everyone else seemed to think it was perfectly normal.
And only Hawk could have so calmly suggested they take along a month-old baby on such a trip. He could have no idea of all it would entail, the special arrangements they would have to make taking such a young baby with them. But of course he did, she remonstrated with herself, he had already been the father of a baby before. Well, if he thought they could cope with it, why not?
Hawk was just bringing his call to an end when Sarah came quietly into the room with Holly, quite capably feeding her the bottle she held.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Leonie closed her eyes apologetically, ‘I completely forgot!’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Sarah assured her with a smile. ‘My brother has two kids that I’ve practised on a little. I guessed you must have been tied up,’ she shrugged dismissively.
‘Ah, Sarah.’ Hawk turned to her briskly, his telephone conversation over. ‘Don’t worry about that.’ He took Holly into his own arms, feeding her absently. ‘Phone the
airline and get two seats booked to New York for tomorrow.’ He looked down at the baby he held. ‘Oh, and include an infant in that booking,’ he added with satisfaction. ‘Leonie and I are going over to complete the Alton Hotel deal.’
Sarah looked up from her shorthand pad. ‘Just the two seats?’ she arched blonde brows.
He grinned. ‘Well, I think Holly is a little young to need a seat of her own just yet!’
‘No, I meant—’
‘I know what you meant,’ he smiled. ‘But you and Jake might as well stay here, I can meet up with the lawyers in New York. Come on, Leonie, we’d better go and tell Hal and Laura about our change of plans,’ he told her briskly, striding from the room with Holly still held in his arms, feeding her with an ease born of habit.
Leonie shot Sarah a rueful grimace before following Hawk from the room.
No announcement was made of their own wedding plans after all, but Leonie knew that no one at the reception could be in any doubt of Hawk’s proprietorial claim to her as he continued to feed Holly in front of everyone, maintaining that hold on his daughter even when she had fallen asleep after all the excitement of the day. Not that it mattered what anyone thought; Leonie would be Mrs Henry Hawker Sinclair the Second by the time she returned from America. That title was going to take some living up to.
* * *
Hal’s idea had been a good one. The four of them relaxed together over a candlelit dinner before Hal and Laura left the next day for their honeymoon and he and Leonie left for the States.
Leonie had protested that the newly married couple should be alone on their first evening as husband and wife, but Hal and Laura had been adamant that they join them for this private celebration now that they weren’t going to be present at their wedding after all.
Hawk was glad they had insisted; he had never seen Leonie as relaxed as she was tonight. She finally seemed to have come to terms with the fact that they were a couple, that nothing was ever going to part them again. That didn’t include loving him, but seeing her almost as sparkling and carefree as she had been the first time he met her was reward enough for him at the moment.
This time alone with her and Holly in the States was going to—‘Oh, my God!’ he groaned suddenly, and three pairs of eyes turned to him anxiously. ‘Holly doesn’t have a passport,’ he said frantically. ‘And—’
Just One Night (Presents Plus) Page 19