by Mary Brady
The note was simple and formal looking. Dated with no greetings or salutations.
“I look forward to our day at the Boston Common. Zachary Hale.”
So that was it? No second chance for them. He’d given up. They’d meet again in ten years. Addy looked at the uniformed man. Why would Zach send this note today of all days? This was the first day she had begun to think she might survive without him. “Is this all?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The man stood as if waiting for something. Why couldn’t he just go away? She needed no reminders of what she had given up, but he didn’t budge. Was Zach looking forward to ten years from now when he could bring a wife and kids to meet her with Boston’s oldest park spread out around them, filled with a thousand witnesses—to see her epic failure?
She gestured him away, but she couldn’t dislodge the man in the doorway.
“Am I supposed to tip you or something?”
“No, ma’am,” he answered simply, but apparently had grown roots to the spot where he stood.
“For your sake and mine, please, at least stop calling me ma’am.”
He nodded. “Yes, Ms. Bonacorda.”
“Listen, what can I do for you?”
Indecision painfully flashed across his palace-guard facial expression. “I am not to leave until you figure out the note.”
“What is there to figure out?” She looked at the paper. The date was several weeks in the past. That meant Zach had been planning on nothing ever developing between them, even after the scandal had passed, after she had reestablished herself as a journalist by stepping on his back. Could she blame him?
“And then you are to come with me,” he offered as if that would explain everything.
“The note doesn’t—” Her brain suddenly registered the year connected to the date. Not the past, but the future. Ten years in the future from the date they had parted at Sea Crest Hill.
“Shall we say, noon?” She remembered asking the question as her fingers curled around his, and she remembered wondering if that would be the last time she would touch him.
She looked at her watch again. Ten minutes until noon.
She grabbed the still stoic chauffeur’s arm. “Wait here.” Then she laughed. “As if you intended to move.”
Giddy and suddenly filled with hope she raced to the closet and grabbed her coat. In as fast a time as the driver could get her to the Common in the heart of Boston, she was going to see Zach again, touch him, kiss him, hear him say her name.
The Boston Common would be covered by last night’s blanket of snow and the Christmas tree, donated by the grateful people of Nova Scotia, would be in full regalia.
But the park was so big. Fifty acres. Where would they meet? She sure hoped this guy knew where he needed to take her.
Struggling to get an arm in her jacket, she shot past the chauffeur. “S’go, man.”
He sprinted ahead to the elevator and punched the down button, and sprinted again to hold open the door to the street.
A sleek black and very expensive car stood at the curb. Zach leaned against the hood, his long legs stretched out, his feet planted, a long black cashmere overcoat open and framing his luscious body, hands in the pockets of his expensive suit.
His tie knotted up against the collar of his white shirt. Sun glinted in his sandy hair and his face held the casual lopsided grin she had seen only on Sea Crest Hill.
She stopped short of hurling herself in his arms and held out a hand. “Mr. Hale, it’s so good to see you again after these ten years. I’m happy to see your hair hasn’t turned completely gray.”
He took her hand in his, gripped firmly and shook. “Ms. Adriana Bonacorda, how good to see you again also.”
“You are looking—”
She meant to say well preserved, but his thumb stroked the palm of her hand and all she got out was a croak.
His grin widened. “Did you bring the husband and kids?”
“I’m still looking for them.” She would like only one particular extraordinary man as her husband and that man had declared himself off-limits to her. Now he was here and she didn’t dare let herself hope.
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small box, a ring box.
Speechless, Addy stared at the black velvet and cringed.
“Zach, you are killing me here. Is that your intent? That I expire on the spot and be gone forever?”
He opened the box and in it was the ring from the rose covered wooden box that had fallen from the attic that day. The gold gleamed brighter and the rubies seemed much larger than she remembered.
“I can’t accept that ring. I can’t. It’s historical and I could never wear it.”
“That’s why it’s not that ring.”
“A duplicate?”
“Nearly, but I thought you deserved better.”
He got down on one knee of his expensive suit and looked up at her. “Adriana Bonacorda, I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Are you sure? Nothing has changed.”
“This morning Hale and Blankenstock was officially dissolved. For her freedom, Carla confessed to the wrongdoing and has volunteered to surrender all the assets she has left, as well as all her share of her family’s money. The FBI has collected the gains from those who made big money and helped to get everyone an equal share of what is left.”
“You, of course, surrendered everything you made with generous interest.”
“I did.”
“I can’t fry you for that. And you repaid every cent my sister lost with that same interest, most likely making up the difference from your own pocket.”
“Guilty.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what to do with you.”
“You can do whatever you want with me if you say yes and let me get up.”
“Big-shot journalist brings financial wizard to his knees.”
He lowered his other knee to the pavement.
“Yes. Yes. Yes,” she cried and held out her hand. “I love you, too.”
He slid the most perfect ring onto her finger, and she reached for his free hand to tug him to his feet. His strong arms pulled her to him, and when his mouth covered hers, she leaned into him, pressing close. Finally and at last, she was in the place she most wanted to be, in the arms of the man she loved.
She pulled back. “What happened? Why did she cave? Can I have the exclusive?”
“You’re such a journalist. Carla says she’ll talk to the press if you do the interview.”
She clapped her arms around his neck, “I love you so much, and I have to get started.”
He laughed. “Of course you do. That’s why I brought Charles and the limo. He’ll take you anywhere you need to go and Jerry will take me back to my office.”
She looked from Zach to Charles who stood a respectable distance away with his hands behind his back and then she looked at Zach.
“Did I tell you I love you?”
“You did.” He covered her mouth briefly with his. “I have something special planned for whenever you are finished. Charles will bring you to my place, if that’s all right with you.”
“It will always be all right with me.” She guaranteed that promise with a kiss.
* * *
AS TWILIGHT BEGAN to fall, Addy stood in the elevator of Zach’s high-rise building in the heart of Boston’s glitz and glory. Charles had keyed the elevator to go to the top floor. Of course, Zach lived in the penthouse.
She had prayed for coherent thoughts as she wrote the article about how the mighty still stood and how he showed mercy toward Carla Blankenstock. Addy had sent her article to her editor along with a prayer he would still pay her for her work after he read a story she was sure was fraught with typos and oversight errors.
She plucked at the blouse she had put on this morning and wondered if she should have gone home to take a shower before coming. Who was she fooling? She just hadn’t thought about it. Zach had seen her at her worst and he still wanted to marry her. All she needed was a little water to dance around in and she’d be good to go.
He would be impeccably dressed. She hoped he had at least loosened his tie.
What if there was a butler there to frown at her for looking so, so blue collar.
The elevator stopped.
Too late for any worries.
The sight she saw when the doors opened made her grab her stomach and laugh out loud.
“I love you,” she shouted from the elevator and ran to him.
Zach was dressed in his flannel shirt and jeans. Over the back of the couch he had laid two robes like the ones at the mansion on Sea Crest Hill.
She flung herself into his arms and he caught her up against him. He smelled of wood smoke and lavender and her mouth found his.
Two hours and two showers later she and Zach emerged from the bedroom to prowl the kitchen.
“Turn around.” He made a circle gesture with his finger.
Without question, Addy twirled for him.
“It’s a fact, Ms. Bonacorda. If you want to report it? I cannot get enough of you wearing one of those robes cinched at the waist, the gentle sway of your hips when you walk, the sleek line of your calves.”
“Gentle sway, sleek lines, you say?” She obliged him by walking away.
“Luscious and lovely.”
“Oh, Mr. Hale, you are a charmer.”
“I know.”
“And I love you.”
“Yes, you do.”
EPILOGUE
ADDY WROTE A set of historical novels based on the legend of Bailey’s Cove. She has just sent book three to her editor and she expects a third bestseller.
To celebrate, Addy and Zach have driven up to Bailey’s Cove to spend time with the fine people in the refurbished town and to celebrate the opening of the new museum.
Addy Bonacorda and Zach Hale, Mia and Daniel MacCarey with their newborn twins, Delainey and Hunter Morrison with Brianna, Heather Loch, Chief Montcalm, Monique and Lenny Gardner with their three year old, Christina and Gregory Miller, Edwin Beaudin with the rest of the Goldens (all still alive as there is not one of them that would miss this moment), Shamus and Connie Murphy (Connie looking the picture of health) stand on the museum’s front steps. They proudly look down on the town they brought back to life with their hands, their money, their love and lots of help from the hardy and hearty townsfolk—and the proceeds from a pirate’s booty, as well as a little infusion from their local billionaire.
The treasure of the pirate Liam Bailey has been disbursed to museums up and down the eastern seaboard and across the ocean, for a fair sale price. Before rendering the items for sale, replicas were made for display at the town’s museum.
Champagne is raised, the staff from Pirate’s Roost serves hors d’oeuvres followed by dinner and plans are discussed that very night for the minigolf, the theater and the new mall to be built.
Perhaps the spirits of Liam Bailey and his Colleen Rose look on, smiling at the town established by him and then two centuries later saved from oblivion by his seafaring adventures.
Zachary Hale slips a necklace with a very large emerald on a long gold chain into the pocket of his wife’s jeans, making sure she knows he is doing it. She remembers his words from her first stay in Bailey’s Cove, I would always see you in emeralds if it were up to me. And then I would see you out of them, and as soon as is socially possible she will whisk him away to the loft above the garage.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from UNTIL SHE MET DANIEL by Callie Endicott.
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PROLOGUE
MANDY WAS PRACTICALLY giddy as she looked at the clock on the wall, thrilled that it was her last day at Saggitt Tech.
It wasn’t the worst temp position she’d ever held, but doing inventory control for the company’s move from Tucson to Phoenix couldn’t compete with her last job—driving a tour bus around Pennsylvania’s Amish country.
She grinned.
Now that had been a great five months. People on vacation were fun—people whose jobs were moving to another city...not so much.
An email notification popped up on her computer screen.
Please come see me. Bill.
She headed for Bill Rollins’s new office. He was one of the company’s up-and-coming executives and had worked closely with Mandy and the rest of the relocation team.
“Hey, Bill,” she said breezily. “What’s up?”
He frowned. “I just got your farewell email to everybody, saying you were leaving at noon today.”
“Well, yeah. Saggitt has finished its move and the final inventory report is done, so I’m out of here. My car is all packed and I’ve done my exit interview with personnel.”
“I thought you were staying.”
Mandy blinked. “Bill, this was a temporary job.”
He tapped his pen on the desk. “But we discussed that administrative position over a month ago, when we were still in Tucson. Didn’t you apply?”
She shook her head. “You mentioned the opening, but it wasn’t for me.”
“I don’t understand. It’s a perfect match with your skills and education. And we get along so well...I hoped if you were in a different division, then we could, uh, socialize. Outside the office.”
Damn.
Bill was a nice guy, totally gorgeous. And dull as paste. She honestly didn’t think she’d done a single thing to make him believe she was interested in more than a casual friendship. Still, she felt awful about his hurt expression. It might not be her fault he’d gotten the wrong idea, but it felt like her fault.
“Um, that’s really nice, Bill,” she said and shuffled her feet, “but I only took the job with Saggitt because it was temporary. I get restless when I’m anyplace for very long.”
He stared. “We’ve been in Phoenix for only three weeks.”
“It’s just the way I am.” She smiled weakly. “To be honest, my family doesn’t understand me, either.”
“You’ve never mentioned your family.”
“We’re not that close.” Her relationship with her parents was lousy at best, and she didn’t get along any better with her twin brothers.
“Do you have a job somewhere else?” Bill asked.
“Nope. I’m just going to drive toward the Pacific Ocean and see what comes up. It’s wonderful what happens when you aren’t tied to a schedule.”
Bill rearranged the pencils in his pen holder. Now she felt even worse—it was one of his nervous habits. “Why didn’t you send your email to everyone a few days earlier?”
To avoid scenes like this, she thought, wishing she’d sent her farewell message at 11:59 a.m., and the
n raced for the door. Only that would have seemed rude.
“I...um, heard there’s a tradition at Saggitt of doing a little party when someone leaves, and I wanted to save everybody the trouble.”
“Sneaky,” Patti Kessler sang out from the doorway. “But I’m too stubborn for that to work. I got your email and headed to the store for party food. Come on, Mandy, Bill, let’s go to the lunchroom. Everybody is waiting for us.”
It was a welcome interruption and Mandy eagerly followed. A lot of women would be thrilled to date Bill Rollins. She just didn’t happen to be one of them. As for staying in Phoenix, it was a nice city, but she was looking forward to cooler weather and tall evergreens. Some of the stories she’d heard about coastal redwood trees sounded fantastical, and she could hardly wait to see if they were true.
Copyright © 2014 by Callie Endicott
ISBN-13: 9781460342312
All That Glitters
Copyright © 2014 by Mary L. Biebel
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