A Heart's End - A Billionaire Romance Novel (Romance, Billionaire Romance, Life After Love Book 6)
Page 23
“Yes,” she said before he’d even finished the question.
Those at the table gasped, June instinctively clapped her hands together, Juliette hardly understood but smiled at the sight of so many happy faces, Jules appeared pleased, David didn’t quite understand, Jess wore a happy smile, and Beth launched herself across the table, knocking several things over in the process, and took ahold of Claire in her arms, weeping with joy, tears also appearing in Claire’s eyes.
Sam walked around the table, knelt down in front of Claire as she turned her chair to face him and placed a beautiful Cartier ring on her finger: a single, rather large sapphire diamond set within a white gold band. Once he’d slipped the ring on, Claire took his face in her hands and raised it up to her lips, kissing him tenderly, everyone clapping and cheering. While they kissed, Claire felt someone place their arms around her neck and hug her back, and she realized that it was David. He’d been prompted to do it by Juliette, who, on some level, felt that it would be fitting.
After this loving scene, the room was permeated with so much bliss and joy that it felt as if the very energy of it could power the whole house. They ate and drank and enjoyed the merry company, the evening floating away with everyone as though it were a beautiful dream that one never wants to wake up from, trying to force themselves back into it when they rouse in the morning, desperate to feel again that wonderful warmth and serenity that they felt moments ago in the glowing dream. But for those around that table, they didn’t need to fall back to sleep; they had their dream there with them in the waking world.
For the rest of the evening, Sam and Claire would continually catch glimpses of each other from across the room, both busy talking with the other guests, but pausing occasionally to catch a sight of their love. Each time their eyes met, they would witness the great light of their love expand around them like an intense halo. And in those moments, both their eyes would begin moving from each other and take in the boy—as if a singular thought existed between the lovers and had prompted them to. And when they caught sight of him, they would see that same halo of light spread from themselves and wrap around him, binding the three as one. Already they felt such love for him and a natural progression was taking place very quickly, one that can only occur between a parent and their biological offspring.
The lives of all those people were almost beginning afoot, renewed and reenergized. So much storming fire that had raged only recently appeared to have cleared and the whole world lay before them now. The future appeared clear, bright and full of hope.
And that’s all anyone can ever wish for.
CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE
“Wake up, Paul,” came Lacey’s voice from beside the bed as she tugged on the sheets. “You promised to watch cartoons with me this morning.”
Slowly opening his sleepy eyes, Paul saw the impatient face of the little girl standing there.
“Okay, just give me a minute,” he said in a very drowsy voice from the bed.
The little girl smiled and ran out of the room.
Feeling Shelly’s kiss on the nape of his neck and her hand running down his body, Paul smiled and opened his eyes wide, readying himself to leave the nice warm bed and go watch cartoons.
“You know you don’t have to,” Shelly whispered in his ear as she kissed his neck.
“I know,” he replied. “But I really really want to watch cartoons! It’s got nothing to do with Lacey, I actually want to watch cartoons and eat cereal.”
“Well, you go ahead,” Shelly let out in a drowsy voice, moving back from him and letting him go. “But I’m gonna spend a little more time in bed. After all: it’s Saturday.”
“And that means Saturday morning cartoons!”
Having turned his head and kissing her on the lips, Paul got out of bed and, yawning constantly, he made his way downstairs and to the lounge where Lacey was already nestled into her side of the couch watching SpongeBob SquarePants.
“Oh!” Paul let out as he dumped himself down on the other side of the couch. “SpongeBob, good!”
“We’ve seen this one before,” Lacey informed him. “But it’s a good one.”
“Ah! The one with the squeaky boots! It is a good one.”
They sat watching the episode, neither saying a word. When it was finished, both of them went into the kitchen and, as Lacey sat at the kitchen island, Paul made them both bacon and scrambled eggs. He made a separate plate for Shelly and, once he’d finished with Lacey, he went outside and picked a flower from the garden, before placing it in a glass of water on a tray and then placing the plate of food next to it with a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice.
Once he was pleased with the presentation—tearing the bacon up so that it made a smily face atop the scrambled eggs—Paul took it up to the sleeping Shelly, placing it on the bedside cabinet and then shaking the sleeping woman gently to wake her.
When she turned to him and opened her eyes, Shelly immediately smiled as he bent over her grinning.
“Breakfast,” he said softly, nodding in the direction of the tray.
Her smile grew wider as she spotted the tray and she began sitting herself up in bed, yawning as she did, which Paul found cute. While she positioned herself, Paul fetched the tray and lay it in front of her. She immediately took ahold of the flower and smelled it, before placing it back in the water and digging into the breakfast.
“I’ve kinda promised to eat mine in the kitchen with Lacey,” Paul informed her.
“She gets first pick, I guess,” Shelly replied with a smile.
Paul couldn’t help grinning so widely that it almost split the edges of his mouth.
“What!?” Shelly inquired as she ate the food, observing his happy expression and the way he looked at her.
“It’s just; only a few weeks ago, I thought that I could never feel such happiness again, and here I am standing at the end of a bed watching Shelly Temple eat breakfast and feeling happier than I have in a long time.”
“Well, if my eating breakfast cheers you up that much, maybe I should just sit in this bed for the rest of my life and have you feed me!”
Again he smiled, and this time his joy compelled him to move forward to the bed, lean down and kiss Shelly on the lips with real tenderness.
“You’re my savior, Shelly Temple,” he said softly, his lips still pressed to hers. “My absolute savior.”
CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO
Only a month after Sam had proposed to Claire, the wedding was taking place at the Cliff Face. It was a rather private affair, and apart from those present at the table the night of the proposal, only John Calloway, Brian and Stephany Smith (Jess’s grandparents), Agnes and George Johnson, and Annabel Kline added themselves to those in attendance. It was taking place in a part of the garden some way from the house, on an edge of cliff that overlooked the waterfall, so that the roaring cascade of water hung in the background, the faint haze of a rainbow bursting from it in an arch. It was also the same spot all those years ago that Claire had run from Sam. It appeared to be such a symbolic location to the couple and they had both agreed upon it very soon after they began planning the occasion.
Regarding the media furor, they had mostly ignored it. They’d given one interview live with Oprah and that was all the statement they’d made. In it they’d told the queen of T.V. everything about their love; the whole truth from start to finish, even about David. Not one lie had they told. Claire had even opened up about her father and Oprah had held her hand while she’d tearfully confessed about his abuse. It wasn’t for sympathy that she’d done it, but out of a respect for that eternal wonder: truth. In doing so, she’d exorcised herself of years of lies.
Jules and Juliette had become quite happy and at home at the Cliff Face. Their walks had become very settling for the sediment of Juliette’s unstable mind and she had been, if not better, then at least not any worse in the month that they’d spent in the wilderness with their new family. She in fact often remembered everyone’s name and s
pent a lot of her time with June, who had also become a permanent resident this last month.
While there, Jules had struck up a very good friendship with Sam and they often spent time together fishing the rivers and talking together about wildlife, the old man putting the encyclopedic mind of Sam to shame with his own wide-ranging knowledge of nature. They would spend that time with David, of course, and Jules was doing his best to assimilate the boy to Sam. He’d even begun insisting the boy call Sam ‘Dad’ and him ‘Papa’, and Sam had appreciated this.
June still hadn’t been back to her house. Claire had fetched her things. She also hadn’t been at work since everything and merely stayed at the Cliff Face with the others. It was good for her, though, alongside her grandson, daughter and the others—her family. All offering each other support.
As the wedding commenced, everyone sat there watching Claire and Sam tie the knot under an archway of white and blue orchids, the two facing each other, holding hands, Claire in a beautiful cream satin dress designed by Vera Wang that hugged her body, but flowed out at the hem, strapless and hugging her body. Upon her hands, and reaching up to her biceps, she wore matching satin gloves. Her chestnut hair was done up into a tight-knotted plait that resembled a large rose, and she wore a diamond tiara that glittered in the midday sun. Around her neck hung a matching necklace and dangling from her ears two pearl teardrops.
Sam wore a suit he’d flown into London to have made. He’d had it done at Saville Row, the famous line of tailors that have been operating there for centuries, the tailors of Kings. For the trip, he’d taken Claire, Jess and David along with him and treated them all to a week in the English capital, taking them to Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and traveling around on a red bus, as well as all the museums and other famous sites in the city. The suit was navy blue and made to hug Sam’s athletic figure. He had on a white shirt, with navy blue bowtie and waistcoat buttoned up. On his feet he wore brown leather shoes that he’d flown the family to Milan to have made, as well as once again treating his loves to the sites of Italy.
Standing behind Claire was Beth and behind Sam was David, in a matching suit to the one worn by his father, as well as Jess, in a pretty bridesmaid gown of similar design to Claire’s dress. When the priest asked for the ring, the little boy came forward and took it out of his pocket, handing it carefully to his father, before retreating back alongside Jess, who took his hand. When Sam slipped it onto his love’s finger, she looked down and saw that it was a simple gold band that had the word ‘fated’ inscribed on it.
Sitting and watching them, the women wiped tears from their eyes and the men smiled, as the two officially came together. Juliette took ahold of Jules and held him tightly, kissing his face and lips, an ecstasy moving through her at the scene. June held her hand over her mouth throughout, tears emerging continually from her eyes, Kyle with his arm around her on one side and Agnes doing the same on the other, both holding the dear, dear woman.
When it came to the kiss, each took ahold of the other firmly under the arch of white and blue and gave a lingering, passionate kiss, Sam taking Claire in his arms, she completely giving in to him, submitting fully and melting there, seized by the rapture and bliss of this momentous occasion, the light between the pair exploding and dazzling everyone with its bright display.
All stood up and began clapping and cheering, David glancing back at Jules and Juliette, a little embarrassed and overwhelmed by all the love that surrounded him. Beth took ahold of Will and kissed her husband just as passionately as the newlyweds in front of them, Will rubbing his hand gently over her pregnant belly. June stood clapping and crying, unable to bring herself to say any words, so utterly overwhelmed by it all.
When the married lovers parted, another cheer cascaded around the place and it could be heard for miles around, if only there had been anyone for miles around. All there was, however, was the joyous episode on the cliff edge, casting the whole valley in supreme happiness and a wondrous light.
Fate had concluded everything for now.
CHAPTER FOURTY-THREE
A year later, Jules was seated with his love on the veranda of their country house in Sorano, Italy. They were living right next to the very woodland that Juliette had played in during her youth. It was early evening in May and the sun was low in the sky, casting the rolling hills and woodland in a golden haze. Juliette had deteriorated this past year, as would be expected, and had recently lost the use of speech, it having worsened to the point where she merely gabbled nonsense, until it had disappeared altogether. She now spent most of her time in a stupefied daze, although Jules, accompanied by their live-in caretaker, was able to take her for the odd walk along the countryside, and several times he would spot a glimmer in her eyes at the sight of her surroundings, as if she recalled something of the landscape.
During the weeks after the marriage, Juliette had begun to talk more and more about going back to the place of her youth and Sam had taken the couple, with the rest of the family, to Tuscany, Italy. They had enjoyed a wonderful time and Juliette was able to recognize the place while she still had the last threads of her consciousness. It had been during a walk that she had spotted the country house and recalled it from her days of strolling the lands with Rosa. She had merely mentioned to Jules that she had always imagined growing old in such a house, but Sam had overheard. That night he had gone to Jules and offered to move him and his love to the house, having inquired about it and found that the current owner was more than willing to sell for the right price. Jules took the news to his love and, once she had absorbed it, she smiled and nodded her head.
Now they had been there for nine months and found the peace of the place settling. Although Juliette was hardly present anymore, she never really panicked and no longer wandered off. For all her deterioration, she was very tranquil and seemingly at peace. This was all the comfort Jules needed and the environment had been much to his liking as well.
It was then, as they were sitting on the veranda watching the sun descend among the clouds, that Jules saw a car driving up toward them along a country lane lined with poplars that went past their driveway. Jules instantly smiled and placed his hand on Juliette’s arm, getting her attention. She slowly turned her eyes to him and he pointed up the lane toward the car.
“You see, my love,” he said to her. “They’re here. David’s here.”
She merely gazed at him blankly, a dullness in her features. But Jules shook it off and simply said, “You know it. You feel it somewhere, my love.”
He leaned toward her and kissed her cheek.
Soon the car was coming up the driveway toward them and Jules stood up to greet them. The first to get out of the car was David, who jumped out of the back and ran toward Jules who held his arms wide open.
“PAPA!” the boy cried as he rushed into them.
Jules took ahold of the boy and lifted him up, heaving his old back as much as he could.
“Davey, my boy,” Jules exclaimed loudly as he did.
It had only been a month since he’d been out here last, but David already missed his momma and papa terribly and called Jules every day by telephone.
After David had greeted Jules, the others got out of the car and made their way to the old man, giving him a big old hug as they did, before going up to Juliette, who still sat under the veranda, and kissing her tenderly on the cheek. Claire, Sam, Jess and David then sat under there with the old couple, David next to Juliette holding onto her hand and telling her all about the last month of his life, Juliette simply gazing forward, but glancing down at him from time to time, as if she understood a certain tone in his voice and it registered with some part of her that was still working.
And there the family sat, chatting and watching the sun go down, all together as one, their lives finally settled and running in the direction that they were always supposed to. After so much love and then hurt, then more love, followed almost always with more hurt, and so much suffering. After
all of this, they had found life within the embers of former loves, had found light where they could once only imagine dark, life where only void had existed.
After everything, they had finally found life after love.
GET TWO FREE BEST-SELLERS AND EXCLUSIVE NANCY ADAMS MATERIAL
Building a relationship with my readers is the very best thing about writing. I occasionally send newsletters with details on new releases, special offers and other bits of news relating to my Romance series'.
And if you sign up to the mailing list I'll send you all this free stuff:
1. A free copy of my introductory novel to my bestselling series, The Billionaire's Heart.
2. A free copy of the SECOND novel in the series, The Billionaire's Mind.
3. A free copy of another introductory novel to my other series, Chasing Love.
4. A free copy of the second novel in THAT series titled, TORN.
5. Advanced notice a new releases, chances to get free signed copies, AND notification of special giveaways I hold every month for fabulous prizes! (Kindles, Giftcards, etc.)
You can get the novels, the advanced notices, and the access to the Kindle giveaways FOR FREE ($19.99 value), by signing up here: Free Instant Access