by Jane Linfoot
‘I know how strong you are Izzy, but after what I went through with my mum, I don’t want to put you through the same. If it happens, when it happens, it’s not pretty, it’s not good.’
Izzy drew in a breath. ‘I’m sorry, but I should be the one who decides what I deserve here. I’ve thought about this a lot since this morning. Losing you some time in the future is something I’m prepared to live with, and I’m ready to support you through whatever illness you have to go through.’ Even as she spoke, silent tears were running down her cheeks again at the thought of Xander being ill. ‘But I’m sorry, I love you too much to let you go now.’
Xander’s face came towards hers, and his stubble pricked her cheek as he rubbed against her. She clung onto him and felt his chest shuddering.
Eventually he swallowed loudly. ‘You aren’t supposed to say that. Holding you here, every bone in my body is telling me to keep you with me, and never let go, but deep down inside I know that’s not fair. It’s too selfish of me.’
Brushing her wet cheek on his T shirt, she gave a sniff. ‘Xander, we love each other so much, we need to stop obsessing about the future, and make the most of whatever time we have. With luck, we may have years and years. Even if we only had a few months, I’d still choose the option that meant I was with you, every time.’ Izzy took his hand in hers and squeezed it very tight. ‘I know what I want Xander. I want to be with you, whatever happens. If I’m strong enough to fight you on this, I’m strong enough to face the future with you. What I don’t think I can face is being without you.’ Looking deep into his eyes, she saw his eyelashes, clumped with tears. ‘So that’s settled then?’
His face slid into a half smile. ‘I’m guessing it could be, if that’s what you really mean. And if I really am going to get to keep you, I might just be able to risk a kiss.’
As he slid his mouth gently onto hers, all soft heat and tenderness, the tears poured down her cheeks again, for everything she’d almost lost, and everything she was about to have.
When they finally broke apart, with long, lingering sighs on both sides, she knew there was something else she needed to do. She was miles away from the step by step guide they’d made on Dida’s spreadsheet, but somehow she had to find her way back.
‘I was thinking about that wedding bunting…’ She looked down at Xander. Somehow knowing how very much she loved him, and how committed she was to the future with him, binding it all up with wedding bunting wasn’t at all scary.
He shook his head and gave an eye roll. ‘Another mistake I’m never going to live down.’
She knew she was pushing him here. ‘Had you earmarked it for anywhere special?’
His chest expanded underneath her, as he drew in a long breath. ‘I’d thought maybe the garden here…’ His shrug was wistful. ‘But that was before I decided I shouldn’t.’
‘Wow, wedding planning now, and a perfect suggestion. You have come a long way.’ She flashed him a grin, then she took her courage in both hands and jumped off the proverbial cliff. ‘I’d still like to use it, if it’s alright with you that is.’ She waited to give that bombshell time to fall. ‘To me, making a commitment to each other is more important than ever. It’s what I’d love to do, if you would too.’
She watched Xander’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, praying to the god of leap years that she hadn’t gone too far here.
‘This I do not believe.’ He raised his eyebrows at her. ‘Did you, the most determinedly independent woman in the world, just ask me to be Mr Izzy Mellor?’ There was laughter in his voice, but his eyes shone very brightly.
She laughed back at him. ‘Contrary to every opinion I may ever have expressed in the past, I did, and I completely mean it. So what do you say?’ Now she’d dared to do it, she knew it was what she wanted. Xander was the man she loved, and the man she trusted, and the man she wanted to spend her life with, and there was no better way of showing him.
His face broke into a smile that sent creases up his cheeks. ‘I can’t think of anything I’d love more – so long as you’ll be Mrs Blackman in return.’
‘Definitely, yes.’ She gave a shiver of anticipation as Xander’s fingers traced a sinuous path up the inside of her thigh.
His tongue tickled the base of her neck, and his voice was breathy in his ear. ‘So, getting in practice here on all fronts, does the future Mrs Blackman agree it’s a good idea to grab the moment, and consummate the engagement?’
‘I do, I do, I do.’ Izzy stifled a giggle, as his mouth crashed onto hers.
And this time when he kissed her they didn’t stop for a very long time.
89
Late Saturday Afternoon, 24th August
IZZY, XANDER, LUCE, OLLIE, DIDA, & THE CREW
At the cinema
Ninety nine toasts
‘Bringing the ice cream van back with you was a total coup.’ Dida was reclining in a deckchair she’d pulled in off the pavement. Beyond the shop window, the ice cream van was doing a great trade, with a queue of customers stretching along the street.
Izzy, propped against an armoire, wedged closely against Xander, barely looked up from her own cone. ‘I had to bribe him out of the layby we found him in, but it was worth it.’
‘Better than a hijack.’ Luce casually rested her elbow on Ollie’s shoulder, as they perched side by side on the counter edge.
Dida took an extended lick of her ice cream. ‘I know we had cake earlier, but this double ninety nine is hitting the spot. What a day, but it’s all working out in the end.’
‘So much for your coffee cake.’ Izzy flicked a grin in Dida’s direction. ‘I doubt I’d have got anywhere near getting engaged without it.’
As Izzy gazed up at Xander, standing beside her all hunky and beautiful, and hers to grab whenever she wanted, a warm tingle started at her stomach, and radiated through her whole body. Even a glimpse of him was enough to make her knees go wobbly, every time.
She still couldn’t quite believe they were actually together, let alone engaged, but as he’d told her on the drive back to Matlock, once they moved into The Pink House, which he wanted to do straight away, it would begin to feel real. As for getting married as soon as they could, at least they had the bunting. A whoosh rushed through her every time she thought about becoming Mrs Blackman, and riding yet another wave of excitement, Izzy waved her cone in the air.
‘Let’s do ice cream toasts. I have to have some good reason for justifying that this is my third.’
Dida jumped straight in. ‘No way will I ever risk a toast with fizz again. One wave of a bubbly glass in here brings that damned man with his ladders and his signs and his bombshells.’
Izzy laughed. ‘That Sold sign takes on a whole new meaning now the cinema’s coming to us. It used to send me cold, but now it gives me a thrill. I keep nipping out to look at it.’ She flashed a look at Luce. ‘By the way, Xander heard GI Joe’s might not be opening after all so he’s all for us moving into that building. Then he can re-open this as an independent cinema. Joking aside, it would be nice to work next door to him.’
‘And GI Joe’s building is a great retail space.’ Luce sounded very enthusiastic. ‘Well, here goes my toast. Yay to the Vintage Cinema Club we all love so much, and which is so much more than the sum of the parts, wherever we are, and here’s to everyone who helped to save the business!’ Wow, Luce getting all philosophical too. ‘But I’m also celebrating having my Friday night dates sorted for the foreseeable future.’ She gave a nod to Ollie, whose smile was blissful.
Dida joined in. ‘I bet Ruby’s happy.’
‘We’re giving it a few more weeks before Ollie stays over full time.’ After so long on her own, it was only natural that Luce was going to be careful, and take things a small step at a time.
Ollie chimed in cheerily. ‘That’s in case Luce can’t cope with the couple bit, and runs for the hills…’
But from the way Luce was leaning into Ollie, and gazing down at him as if she could wolf him dow
n along with her magnum, that wasn’t going to happen.
Izzy laughed. ‘And don’t forget, there’ll be more excitement for you two, once the pictures go to auction.’
‘That’s what’s officially known as having my ice cream, and eating it.’ Luce grinned at them all.
Dida pulled a flake out of her cone, and bit into it. ‘Since Ollie came back with his panda postcards, the falabella craze is fading. Lolly and Ruby want to be zoo keepers.’ She waved what was left of her flake at Luce and Izzy, her voice thick with chocolate. ‘As for my ice cream toast, here’s to the next wave of our small, but perfectly formed Vintage Cinema Club, to all the crew, and also to revenge, which I swear will be served to Aidie and the future Mrs Crompton, ice cream cold.’
Izzy knew Dida’s solicitors were picking their way through the separation, and that Dida was bluffing it out here. With the children and Alport Towers to think about, not to mention Aidie in full on fight mode, Dida was in for a difficult time.
‘It’s a kind of ongoing, daily revenge that we’ll still be here.’ Luce gave a happy sigh and wafted her ice cream again. ‘And a huge thank you to Xander, for making it happen, but even more, for finally persuading Izzy off the singles fence.’
Xander pulled Izzy so close, her hair was catching under his chin, and his low laugh resonated in her ear.
‘He’s definitely worth the wait.’ Izzy smiled up at him. ‘Two new couples for The Vintage Cinema Club, but don’t they say things happen in threes?’ Izzy sent Dida a wink. ‘So I’d like to make my toasts, first to my truly amazing Xander who makes me the happiest woman in the world, over and over again, second to grabbing every moment and going for it, and third, Vive La Vintage Cinema Club!’
Izzy knew Dida wasn’t too happy about public displays of affection in front of customers, so who knew where she stood on PDAs with customers, but just for once, Izzy didn’t give a damn. She moved her face upwards, rubbing her cheek across Xander’s jaw, searching for the slide of his lips, and the heat of his mouth, and there it was again. One teensy kiss, this one all velvety and dreamy, and it had to be the best in the world, even if it did make her dizzy every time.
And as the room began to spin for Izzy, everyone laughed, and started to clap and cheer.
Acknowledgements
Huge thanks…To my wonderful, talented, amazing editor Charlotte Ledger, who has put so much effort and flair into this book. To her great team at HarperCollins, for making this book real. To the fabulous and tireless bloggers who spread the word.
To Debbie Johnson and Zara Stoneley, and all my other writing friends, for being there with round-the-world, round-the-clock support.
To my children Anna, Indi, and Max, for constantly cheering me on, for the fab techie support, for understanding when I’m not quite here, and that dinner’s burned again. And to my own personal hero, Phil, for everything else, which, as he knows, is quite a lot.
Also by Jane Linfoot …
High Heels & Bicycle Wheels
The Right Side of Mr Wrong
How to Win a Guy in 10 Dates
Jane Linfoot
I write fun, flirty fiction with feisty heroines and a bit of an edge. Writing romance is cool because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of wellies. I live in a mountain kingdom in Derbyshire, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos. Happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket. I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, most things French. When I’m not on Facebook and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.
http://www.janelinfoot.co.uk/
@janelinfoot
About HarperImpulse
HarperImpulse is an exciting new range of romance fiction brought to you from the women’s fiction team at HarperCollins. Our aim is to break new talent from debut authors and import the hottest trends from the US, bringing you the very best in romance. Whether that is through short reads for your mobile phone or epic sagas that span the generations we want to proudly publish romance fiction that gets everybody talking.
Romance readers, come and meet the team at our website www.harperimpulseromance.com, our Facebook page www.facebook.com/HarperImpulse or follow us @HarperImpulse!
Writers, we are simply looking for good stories! So, what are you waiting for? To submit, e-mail us at [email protected].
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London, SE1 9GF, UK
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com