Keeper (A Billionaire Romance)

by Belle Roberts

  I just didn’t understand why he thought that finding my birth parents, my family, and saving me would make me do anything other than marry him.

  It did nothing but prove to me just how much he cared, and if anything it made me all the more eager to get out there and see him.

  Even the thought of seeing his face ahead of me, looking back into my eyes, made me emotional.

  The door opened again as I carefully placed the letter back in the envelope.

  “Evan, I want you to—” I turned to where he should have been standing, but stopped when I realized it wasn’t him.

  I felt my heart drop and I gasped involuntarily, trying to catch my breath, because there standing in his place was a woman. I recognized her hair from Jonathan’s office a couple of days ago.

  I stepped backward in shock, bumping into the table behind me and making the lamp on it wobble slightly.

  “Oh, my god!”

  The woman, dressed in pale, shimmery pink, had my eyes and my smile, only older.

  “Kate?” she said, taking a step toward me, testing my reaction. “Hi, I’m Anna. I’m your birth mom.”

  Don’t cry, don’t cry! I told myself over and over again in the hopes of preserving the makeup, but when she opened her arms up, I couldn’t hold all the years of hate, fear, anger, longing, wanting and loneliness back. I burst into tears, the sobs rocking my whole body.

  She closed the space between us quickly, almost running, and pulled me into her perfumed embrace, hugging me tightly.

  “Don’t cry,” she soothed. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, just please don’t cry.”

  The more she spoke, the more I couldn’t stop, and she pushed me away gently to see my face, using her thumbs to wipe at the escaping tears.

  “Look at you,” she said, unable to stop smiling despite her tears. “Look at the beautiful woman you’ve become.”

  I laughed between sobs.

  “You don’t know how much that means to hear you say that.” I dabbed at my own face with the back of my hand. “I can’t believe you’re here. I can’t believe Jonathan found you.”

  I knew it was no thanks to me, because I’d told my foster agency that I didn’t want to be found. Years of anger and feelings of abandonment had made me want to punish anyone that even dared to find me, even though inside I believed no one ever did. But somehow Jonathan had managed to bypass that and find her.

  Then I remembered the night on the beach when I’d told him about the foundation I wanted to set up and briefly mentioned the name of my own agency.

  He must have actually listened to me and taken that information away with him.

  “I love him so much,” I said out loud, more to myself, but she nodded enthusiastically with the broadest smile across her tear-stained face.

  “You have a wonderful man there, Kate.” She took my hand and led me to the sofa to sit with her. “He made this all possible, and without him I’d never have been able to find you.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, burying my head in my hands at the thought that if I hadn’t have been such a stubborn, proud teenager, I could have had a family much sooner.

  She took my hands and held them firmly.

  “Don’t you dare apologize!” she said seriously, her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m the one who hasn’t been able to sleep every night since I signed those papers. I’m so sorry, Kate. I’m sorry that I let you go, and I’m sorry that I let you down and I let other people influence me and in doing so ruin your life.”

  “I’m happy now,” I reassured her, “but I just want to know why? Why wasn’t I good enough for you? Why didn’t you want to keep me?”

  My voice broke with the last question, and my tears built up again ready to fall.

  Her face crumpled and she shook her head.

  “I was young, and my mother—your grandmother—was a strict Christian. I wasn’t married, and she said the only solution for it was to have you adopted. We fought and fought over it for weeks, but in the end she won, and I did the unthinkable. You were my world and I let you go, and I’ve never forgiven myself for it. I’ve thought about you every day. I’ve been at the agency begging them to let me at least say hello to you, but they lost touch with you. I just…”

  She stopped to cry and I reached forward to hold her. The idea of finally getting to comfort my mom had always seemed unrealistic, but now she was in front of me and it felt completely natural, as though we already had an unspoken bond.

  I’d always imagined our first meeting. I’d imagined a waiflike, unapologetic alcoholic with limp hair and the both of us having a screaming match at each other, but things couldn’t have been any more different.

  My mother was lovely. How could I not want to keep her in my life?

  She pulled away from me and looked at her wristwatch.

  “Let’s get you married,” she said, resting her hands on her lap. “We can’t keep Jonathan waiting. He’s on edge as it is.”

  She helped me up and went to the door, motioning people in, and to my surprise the first person I saw was Krista with a large make up box.

  “For touchups!” she said, holding it high with a large smile on her face. “Welcome to the family, cousin!”

  She came over and squeezed me against her with one arm. Krista was my cousin. The memory of my outburst made me blush.

  “I’m so—”

  “Don’t mention it!” she said, stopping me. “We’re family now.”

  She put the makeup box on the table behind me as more people came in through the door.

  “Unfortunately,” my mom said, resting a hand on my arm, “your father passed away a number of years ago from a heart defect. We weren’t together, but we often spoke about you. These here are your half-brothers, Luke and Samuel, and behind them are your uncles and two of your aunties.”

  My family each came up to me with their arms outstretched, and the more people I saw the more I cried.

  I had a family after all, more than I had ever imagined was possible.

  “I can’t believe this…” I said, looking at each of them in turn. “I can’t believe you’re all here for me. I can’t believe you’re all mine.”

  One of my uncles stepped forward and took my hand.

  “You better believe it, kid, and we aren’t going anywhere,” he said firmly. “We’re going to walk you down that aisle and give you away.”

  I felt the excitement in my stomach.

  “We’re here to stay,” my mom said, coming up beside me. “You’re never going to be alone again.”

  Krista waved her makeup brushes at us both.

  “Let’s fix you guys up! We’ve got a wedding to attend, and I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be an extra special one! I just know it is.”

  Chapter

  Twenty-four

  Kate

  I took a deep breath as I stood behind the doors to the ceremony hall. A long aisle had seemed like a good thing when we'd been browsing the venues, but now all I wanted to do was get to the end and see Jonathan.

  The nerves in my stomach made me step back slightly, but my uncle held me in place.

  "You can do it," he said reassuringly. "Just remember we're all here for you."

  I nodded at the feeling of his comfort and squeezed his arm, and as I heard the music beyond the door change to the wedding march, I knew that this was it—there was no going back. In under an hour, I was going to be married, and I had nothing else to fear in the world ever.

  The ushers stood on either side with their hands on the handles and pulled both doors open. I could see through the growing gap between them a sea of faces standing to greet us, and my mom gave my other arm a reassuring nudge.

  Jessica looked at me, giving me the biggest smile that she could.

  "Ready, Kate?"

  I nodded, too nervous to reply, and she turned back and went down the aisle, flowers in her hand, followed by a beaming Krista.

  I took the last deep breath
I could and turned to my mom. She saw my bewildered look and nodded.

  "You look beautiful. Go and show him how lucky he is to have you."

  I pulled on her arm, bringing her closer in towards me, and walked around the corner in full view of everyone.

  I heard gasps from people as they realized who I had with me, and as I stepped out onto the aisle, I looked down at the end to see Jonathan, his back to me looking straight ahead, and instantly my nerves and the sick feeling settled. He was there, and in a matter of moments I was going to be by his side. I was going to be home.

  Jonathan

  Jessica walked by the side of me and gave me a reassuring wink, and at least with everything that had happened, I knew Kate was there, and I knew that she'd read the letter. Despite what I'd done, she still wanted to marry me.

  I shifted from one leg to the other, and I heard our guests gasp in awe. They’d seen her, and I knew she was coming down the aisle to me.

  Evan turned to look at her and he nodded, resting a hand on my shoulder.

  "She looks beautiful,” he said to me, and I held onto his hand.

  "Thank you. It means a lot.”

  I fought the urge to look, knowing that she must have been at least halfway down, but I knew that if I didn’t look then, I'd never get that moment back. I turned, our eyes catching each other’s instantly.

  She smiled at me softly, and I knew I'd never felt a feeling like it before. She was beautiful, more so than when I'd first met her, and I knew that I would never tire of her beauty, of her face or the way she looked. She came toward me and I saw her whole family following behind. Anna winked at me, and for the first time in my life I fought back tears that I refused to let fall.

  There was only so much emotion I could display to the world and now wasn't the time, because I was about to marry the one woman I knew was worth saving my love for.

  She stopped beside me, and Anna fussed with her dress for a moment before giving me a kiss on the cheek.

  "Who's giving this woman away?" the registrar asked loudly into the room, and with all of our guests watching, her family stood together proudly and said confidently into the silent room.

  "We do!"

  Kate

  I stood beside Jonathan, the comfort of seeing him making my nerves stop and he took my hand, squeezing it in his.

  “You look breathtaking,” he said under his breath, as the officiate came closer and opened her folder.

  She smiled at us both and turned to our guests.

  “We are gathered here today to witness two hearts come together and be joined in matrimony. If anyone here present can show just and legal cause why they may not be married, let them speak now or forever hold their peace!”

  I glanced at the sea of faces beside us and a gentle laughter radiated through them at my anxious expression. I’d half expected any number of his previous ex’s, especially Shelley, to stand up and hurl abuse at us. I didn’t intend on telling Jonathan about what had happened either, and looking at him, he didn’t seem worried at all.

  “If you could face each other please?” the officiate said to us.

  I turned to look at him, my eyes studying the happy, satisfied expression on his face.

  “Jonathan, do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor and cherish her through sickness and in health; forsaking all others and be true to her as long as you both shall live?”

  He looked at me long and hard.

  “I do,” he said firmly. “I really do.”

  She looked up at me expectantly.

  “Kate, do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor and cherish him through sickness and in health; forsaking all others and be true to him as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.”

  She turned to Evan and motioned for him to come forward with the rings. He opened the large velvet box and held it towards us. The rings sparkled brilliantly in the light and Jonathan took my hand in his, prompting tears that I tried to hold back.

  “Behold the symbol of wedlock,” the officiate said, “the perfect circle of love, the unbroken union of these souls united here today. May you both remain faithful to this symbol of true love. Please join hands and repeat after me…”

  She looked towards me and I took the ring from Evan, sliding it over Jonathan’s finger while my voice wavered with emotion and I repeated my vows.

  “I, Kate Williams, take Jonathan James Davenport, as my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

  He squeezed my hand and mouthed, I love you at me, as the officiate turned to him.

  “Now, Jonathan has decided to provide his own vows, so, whenever you’re ready.”

  I looked at him surprised as he took the ring from Evan and held it just over the tip of my finger. I heard a gentle hum echo amongst our guests in slight shock that he was actually romantic enough to write something.

  “Kate,” he started, “I promise to encourage your individuality, because that’s what makes you special and unique. I promise to give you a life filled with joy and happiness and I’ll strive to make you proud every day of my life. I promise to help further your dreams and nurture them because your smile is worth more than anything to me. I promise to take on all of our challenges in life, because I know there is nothing we cannot face when we’re together and I know we’ll come out stronger.” He slid the ring onto my finger completely and took a step closer towards me. “Kate, I promise to you today that I will love you, trust you and adore you with every fiber of my being for as long as we both shall live.”

  Everyone around us was in complete silence and all I could do was stare at him, the tears that I’d been trying to keep under control slipped down my cheeks slowly and I tried in vein not to let myself go any further than that, because his words were beautiful. They’d touched every part of me and I had no idea that under his demanding, controlling, broodiness, there was a man inside with the ability to love more than I could have ever hoped and ever known.

  The officiate stepped back slightly looking at us both.

  “Jonathan and Kate, having witnessed your vows of marriage with all who are assembled here, and by the authority vested in me, I announce with great joy that you are now husband and wife. Jonathan, you may kiss your bride!”

  He barely let her finish before he took hold of my waist and pulled me into him, pressing his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, as he held and dipped me backwards.

  Our guests clapped and cheered and once we broke apart, I looked over towards Meredith, her hands clasped together with joy and the biggest smile across her tired face. It made my heart swell to know that we’d given her something to be happy about despite her harrowing prognosis.

  “Coming Mrs. Davenport?” Jonathan asked holding his arm out towards me. I laced my hand through his and together we walked back down the aisle with our friends and family congratulating us from both sides and it was then that I decided if this was what being surrounded by love really meant, then I never wanted to live another minute without it ever again.

  Kate

  Jonathan picked up the microphone and tapped it, making sure everyone in the room stopped talking to look at him.

  “Hi, everyone? I just want to thank you all for turning up today. It means a lot to the both of us… to my wife and me…”

  The room erupted into a chorus of cheers and whooping, and he looked down at me by his side.

  “I’m sure you all agree that she looks absolutely beautiful today. She always has, and it’s just reaffirmed to me that I’m such a lucky man.”

  Everyone agreed, and I blushed, looking at the flowers in front of me.

  “You’re all friends and family here,” he said, glancing at everyone, “so I’m sure you know I’m not a man of many words, and those I do say I mean witho
ut a doubt, so what I’m about to say comes from a place that many of you have never seen before.”

  He pointed to his mother on the other side of me in her special chair with her pearl beaded blanket around her shoulders.

  “That woman over there, the one who’s always smiling, is the reason I’m standing here today. She’s the reason I knew I had to do everything possible to fight for what I wanted, and what I wanted was Kate. So please, can we first raise our glasses in a toast to the woman who will always keep fighting to the end, my mother, Meredith Davenport.”

  She wiped at her tears as everyone repeated the toast, and as usual she smiled back.

  “Now to my wife.” He looked down at me, reached out for my hand, and took it tightly in his. “You knew I was never the marrying kind, and still you took a chance on me. You trusted me with the most valuable thing you have, your heart, and I’ll spend the rest of our lives protecting it. I can promise you that. I never believed in love, Kate. I never knew a love like this could exist until I met you. From the moment I saw you, I knew there was something different about you, and we have a whole lifetime to get to know each other more and explore the world—our world. With that being said, I’d like us all to stand in honor of my wife and my bride, and for everyone to raise their glasses to future happiness!”

  They echoed his words throughout the room, and I stood up to kiss him, running my fingers over the side of his face and trailing it over his jaw.

  “I love you, Kate,” he whispered quietly to me when I pulled away, looking into my eyes.

  I moved my lips to his ear, wrapping my arms around his neck much to the delight of our guests, but I blocked them out because at that moment all I could see was him.

  “Thank you for believing that I could love you back.”

  The rest of the celebrations continued in a blur of champagne, greetings, tears, and laughter, and I stood talking to Jessica and her friends while they complimented my dress and the amazing food.