Baby Surprise for the Spanish Billionaire

by Jessica Gilmore

  The best thing about being so busy was that Anna didn’t have time to think about Leo or his imminent departure. To feel upset or humiliated that Rosa was attending the wedding with Jude while she stayed firmly in the background as staff, dressed in the same black skirt and white blouse as the rest of the female staff, hair tied back, a world apart from the glamour of the guests.

  She just had to get through today and then Rosa would take over for the week of post-wedding festivities, all already planned and organised, the departure of the wedding guests next week and the resumption of normal holiday guests. Usually they would have a couple of months at half capacity before the summer madness, but thanks to the Valentina effect they were fully booked right through to October and Anna had a list of brides wanting exclusive use of the island next year.

  Next year... Her hand crept to her stomach. Things would be very different next year. She crossed her fingers. Please let this one be healthy. Anna had never quite forgiven herself for that momentary sense of relief ten years ago when she realised nothing need change, that she could go back to university and resume her life. The guilt contributing to the depression that had dogged the rest of her first year and still flared up if she wasn’t careful to heed the warning signs. Guilt and grief a toxic mixture.

  Sometimes she wondered how her life would have turned out if she hadn’t miscarried. Would she have the career she had now or would ambition have been sacrificed to the demands of single motherhood? Either way there would be a nine-year-old running around now. When Anna closed her eyes she could picture her—it was always her—a skinny dark-haired child with Sebastian’s green eyes. She’d never forget her ghost baby, never not love her, never not want forgiveness.

  Which was why she had to concentrate on this baby. Not allow Leo’s departure to send her spiralling, to stay strong and healthy and to count her blessings every single day. Be grateful Leo had been in her life even for so short a time, had helped her see a new way.

  The sound of the traditional Spanish band starting up a lively tune pulled Anna back to the here and now and she straightened, pulling at her skirt to neaten it. She had elected to stand with the rest of the staff at the back of the tree-lined clearing where the wedding and party were being held. The official stood waiting, due solemnity on her face, and the guests were sitting in lines facing the pagoda, an aisle separating the two sides, wide enough for the bridal party to proceed along.

  Valentina had kept the bridal party outfits simple with cream linen suits for the groomsmen and red knee-length dresses for the bridesmaids, the full skirts and hint of ruffle a nod to Valentina’s Spanish roots. The six couples proceeded along the aisle, lining up along the front, either side of the pagoda, ready to welcome the bride and groom. First Todd, his mother on his arm, solemn faced and nervous. Anna loved the Spanish custom of letting the groom’s mother walk him down the aisle, a lump forming in her throat when Todd kissed his mother’s cheek as he handed her into her seat, then turned to watch his bride proceed down the aisle.

  Valentina looked glorious. The bodice clung like a second skin, accentuating her tiny waist and curves before flaring out into a full knee-length skirt. She’d opted for white rather than the traditional Spanish black, with a sheer overdress embroidered with bold, beautiful red flowers, her hair loose and unfettered except for the matching flower in her hair. Anna’s eyes skimmed over the breathtaking bride, all her attention on the man accompanying her down the aisle. Leo, devastating in a cream linen suit. Anna drank him in, imprinting every detail on her memory. How the dark hair fell over his forehead, the broad shoulders, the unconscious grace with which he carried himself. She blinked back hot tears. Four weeks of memories weren’t enough. Not nearly. But they were all she had.

  Leo looked preoccupied, all his attention on the ceremony, the vows, the readings. Anna knew that Todd and Valentina had actually married quietly in New York earlier in the week to cut down on the paperwork, but considered today their real wedding day, Valentina openly crying as she made her vows and the couple presented each other with arras, coins that represented their commitment to each other, and the wedding rings, which Valentina wore on her right hand, as was usual in Spain, and Todd on his left.

  And then it was done. They were married. Time to swing into action, make sure the drinks and canapés were circulated, put out the tables and chairs while the photos took place, and check on the kitchens and the performers who had been booked to entertain the guests. Anna stepped back into the trees. Leo still hadn’t looked at her. Not once.

  * * *

  The ceremony was over, the food had been eaten, drinks drunk, bands had played, speeches made, the detalles handed out and the bride and groom had taken to the floor to perform a very sexy and perfectly choreographed tango. Now Jude had taken centre stage and, accompanied only by his guitar, was serenading the happy couple with a ballad Leo vaguely recognised. Couples swayed to and fro under the lantern-lit scene, Valentina and Todd right in the centre, eyes locked as they danced. Leo swallowed. This was when he had been planning to slip away, all his duties done.

  He looked around, but there was no sign of Anna. He had caught glimpses of her during the evening, like a ghost at the wedding, unobtrusive in her staff uniform, her hair pulled severely back. Every time he had gone to intercept her she had slipped away. He couldn’t tell if she was purposefully avoiding him; he did know that she hadn’t once caught his eye.

  Rosa was sitting near the pagoda, her gaze fixed on Jude. Leo swallowed his annoyance. Anna’s sister hadn’t been carrying drinks or trays of food; she hadn’t sponged marks off dresses or attended to torn hems or got more ice because the water wasn’t chilled enough. No uniform for her, instead a lemon-coloured dress that set off her tan, her hair intricately braided as it fell down her back. Leo pulled a chair up next to her. ‘Where’s Anna?’

  The hostility in Rosa’s eyes was a shock. Was this a forewarning of the reception he could expect from Anna? ‘I thought you were leaving.’

  ‘I need to speak to Anna.’

  ‘Maybe she doesn’t want to speak to you.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Leo acknowledged. ‘It’s important, Rosa, please.’

  Rosa sat staring at the stage, her face set. ‘She’ll be back at the villa. She’s overseeing the clean-up and packing.’

  ‘Packing?’

  ‘She’s heading back to Oxford tomorrow.’

  ‘I thought she was staying here?’

  ‘Mama wants her to go back and think about it. It’s a huge change. Everyone just wants her to be sure. To make sure she’s doing it for the right reasons.’ The glance she slanted at him was unreadable.

  ‘Thanks.’ He got to his feet.

  ‘Leo? She’s actually doing really well. If you are going to make matters worse then stay away or I’ll make you sorry you ever messed with my sister.’ And she turned her attention back to the stage, clearly dismissing him. Leo stood for a second, staring at her slim, determined form.

  ‘Warning understood,’ he said and walked away.

  The whole island thrummed with activity, the music permeating every corner, lights illuminating every path and cove. There were no hidden corners; people seemed to be everywhere in groups or couples, dancing, talking, embracing. It wasn’t midnight yet; the party would go on for hours, probably until dawn. A couple of times people tried to intercept him, to draw him into the festivities, but Leo’s attention was focussed on the ornate villa at the centre of the island and the woman within it.

  The reception area was quiet, although he could hear a hubbub from the kitchen, and Leo looked around before slipping through the door that he knew led to the personal family rooms. It looked as if an entire wing of the villa was for family use. The wide hallway he stood in led to a huge sitting room, a study and a small kitchen, stairs winding up from the far end. Leo headed for the stairs and the next floor. Bedrooms, bathrooms, all unoccupied, and ano
ther staircase, winding up to the turret. Of course Anna’s bedroom would be up here. A princess in a tower dreaming of kings and queens and adventure. The door was open and he stepped in.

  The small, octagonal room was a contrast to the luxury of the bungalows. A simple rug on the tiled floor, an iron bedstead covered in bright blankets, a trunk filled with clothes. But there were windows on three sides looking out over the island and a certain quirky charm to the room, which suited Anna. She’d been sitting on the bed when he stepped in and she stood up slowly, the colour draining from her face.

  ‘Leo, what are you doing here? I thought we’d said all there was to say.’

  ‘Rosa told me where you were. You’re leaving?’

  ‘You don’t have the monopoly on running away.’

  ‘Is that what you’re doing?’

  ‘Yes, no—I need time to think. To sort my affairs out. To sort myself out. I am coming back though. I’ve made my mind up. This is where I belong.’

  Leo looked at her. At the dark shadows under her blue eyes. She’d lost weight over the last few days, her cheekbones a little more prominent. Anger rose in him, hot and thick. He was responsible for all of it.

  ‘What does Sancia think about you staying?’

  ‘Thanks to Valentina we’re booked up well into next year. I’m not sure there will even be an off season this year. If we can heat the bungalows properly we might be able to open all year round. Mama is relieved, I think. Surprised, but relieved. We’ve come to a new understanding. I think there is more to be said, but we’re in a good place. I think we’ll work well together.’ Leo recognised the matter-of-fact tone, the way Anna looked at the list lying on the bed. She was protecting herself with facts. Protecting herself from him.

  Regret burned deep, regret and apprehension—and hope. ‘How would she feel about a full-time painter and decorator living on the island too?’ His heart hammered as he said the words, his pulse beating louder than the drums on the stage outside.

  Anna just stared. ‘We have the groundsman. I guess if we need another person we could hire them...’

  ‘I mean me.’

  Her eyes flew to his, hope mingling with wariness and a hint of anger. ‘What do you mean you?’

  ‘I mean I could stay on full time.’

  ‘Is this the next stage in the annoy your parents crusade? Full-time gambler to handyman? Because the only teen rebellion I’m interested in will be happening in around thirteen years’ time.’

  There was so much he needed to say. Wanted her to hear, but he didn’t want to do it here surrounded by her suitcase and piles of clothes. Her lists and notebooks. He needed neutral ground. Leo held out a hand. ‘Walk with me? Please?’

  It hurt to see how long it took her to decide, to see the conflicting emotions pass clearly across her face before she finally nodded, although she made no move to take his hand. ‘Ten minutes. I have a lot to do.’

  Silently they left the room, heading back downstairs and slipping out of the side door back into the moonlit night. The sound of the band wafted clearly across the night air, along with the hubbub of over one hundred people enjoying themselves. Without speaking they turned away from the noise, heading to the far end of the island, to the cove where just three nights ago Anna had turned his world upside down—and he had broken her heart.

  Leo searched for the right words to show her he was serious, to tell her what was in his heart. He had no practice, no experience at this type of honesty, at laying himself bare—and the stakes had never been higher.

  ‘My wish to stay here has nothing to do with my parents. Anna, I turned up here lost. So lost I could just sail across to La Isla Marina and know that no one, nowhere would miss me. So lost I could just stay for a month knowing no one would even notice. I came here with no agenda, no expectations and yet I was happier than I think I’ve ever been. Every day I achieved something, made something, did something. And then there was you.’

  ‘Me?’ Her voice a whisper.

  It was now or never. All Leo knew was that he had to try. That he had to convince Anna, show her that he loved her. That even if she still didn’t want to marry him he would be the best father possible for the baby. Their baby. That she had changed his life, changed him. He just needed to find the words. Tell her that he had always thought he was no one, nothing, but Anna made him realise he knew he was someone worth being. ‘You. Infuriatingly organised, superior, sexy as hell you. You took one look at the façade I presented and dismissed me as being beneath your notice—and then you took a second look and I was defenceless.’

  * * *

  Anna didn’t know what to say or where to look. She’d reconciled herself—well, she was doing her best to reconcile herself—with Leo’s departure, with knowing that all foreseeable future contact would be via a business manager, that she couldn’t save him after all. And now here he was, by her side, telling her everything she wanted to hear. But how real was he? Hope rose, treacherous and seductively sweet, no matter how she tried to clamp down on it. ‘You want to stay here and what? Be the handyman?’ she said, trying to make some sense out of the senseless and failing.

  His mouth quirked into a smile. ‘I want to be with you. I’m just trying to sell it to you in practical terms, because I know you’ll want to make a pro and con list and so I thought I’d get straight in there with the practical reasons. I can run my business from here, but I can also help you run this place, help it grow, be the place you want it to be. The place your grandparents wanted it to be.’

  ‘You are pretty handy with a paintbrush.’ She couldn’t believe she’d just said that, but she had no idea what else to say, what to think. Not quite believing this was happening despite the sincerity in Leo’s eyes, in his voice.

  ‘When I asked you to marry me I expected you to turn me down. Why would a woman like you marry me? You’re not impressed by money, by titles and I thought I had nothing else to offer. I was too scared to look deeper.’

  ‘I wanted to say yes,’ Anna whispered. ‘More than you’ll ever know. But how could I marry you when you wouldn’t let me in? Once I might have thought that was okay, despite my parents’ break up, despite my own instincts. But I’d glimpsed more—and I couldn’t settle for less. I can’t settle for less. Not once I realised just how much I love you. It’s not fair on me or you.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Anna. I let you down. I reacted badly. I was so used to expecting nothing from my life and then there you were and I had this vision of a whole other life. Of a family and a place in the world. It was all I ever wanted once, but I gave up on that hope many years ago. I don’t know how to be a father. How to be a husband. But I’ve realised that’s okay. I just need to try. To trust in you. In us.’

  They had reached the cove and Anna sank thankfully onto a bench, trying to quell the trembling in her legs, her hands, to make sense of it all. She wanted to believe that Leo was here, was trying again because he had realised he was head over heels in love with her, but he hadn’t spoken of love. He wanted to do the right thing by her—and that was laudable, of course it was, but how could she say yes when she loved him? When nothing had changed? She remained convinced of one thing: a one-sided marriage would never work.

  She stared out at the dark vastness of the sea, the whisper of the waves calming her, giving her the strength to turn to him. ‘Leo, listen to me, you don’t have to marry me for the baby. We can raise it together. And it’s still such early days. I know what can happen, how wrong things can go, how quickly it can all change. Don’t make promises...don’t change your life for what might be.’

  ‘I know it’s early, and I know you’re scared that you might lose it, and I can’t make you any promises except I will be here no matter what, and that I want to marry you no matter what. I love you, Dr Anna Gray. I made a list...’

  The shaking in her hands intensified. Had he just said love or were her ears hearin
g what they wanted to hear? ‘You made a what?’

  ‘I didn’t think you’d believe me otherwise. I know you’re a great believer in a good list. I was talking to Valentina yesterday, about all the reasons you’re too good for me, and I went home and wrote them down. And that’s when I realised. They’re not just the reasons why you’re too good for me. They’re also why I love you. And why I would be a fool to let you go. My life had no meaning, Anna, has no meaning without you. I need you and I love you and I want to marry you.’

  She had no idea what to say, what to think, her mouth was dry, her blood thumping, hope tantalising her every breath. ‘Do you have the list?’ She needed proof, evidence, something tangible to believe in.

  A smile curved his mouth, seductive and wicked. ‘It’s back on the boat, but I know it by heart.’ Leo knelt by her side, capturing her hands in his as he looked into her eyes, his own shining with sincerity, with hope. With something that looked a lot like love. ‘I love how you pretend to be so sensible, but then you can be so spontaneous. I love the way you eat gambas with no inhibitions. I love the way you look after your parents even though they drive you mad. I love the way you talk about people who are long dead as if you met them yesterday. I love every notebook, every list. I love the way you spent every hour making sure Valentina had the perfect wedding. I love how patient you are with the most unreasonable guest. I love how dangerous you are when riled. I love the way your eyes get hazy just before I kiss you. I love your mouth and your eyes and your hair. I love your determination. I love you, Anna.’ His voice broke and he was looking at her with an intensity, with a passion she had never seen before. An intensity that called to her, completed her. ‘I don’t deserve you, but I promise to learn to. Please, Anna, mi corazón, will you marry me? For the right reasons. Because I love you and you love me and I want us to be a family, together.’