by Jennie Lucas
“Contact me?” Josie gave a low, harsh laugh. “No.”
Bree scowled. Then grabbing Josie’s hand, she pulled her out of the outdoor bar and into a quiet, dark gazebo in the shadowy garden overlooking the cliff. “Look, you’re better off without him,” she said urgently. “Plenty of other fish in the sea. You’ll find someone really great, who appreciates you—”
Josie flinched. “I know,” she quickly said to end the horror of the conversation.
“Then what?”
She paused. “Let’s talk about it a different day. After your honeymoon.”
“Honeymoon?” Bree grinned. “I’m living in Hawaii, in my dream job, with the man I love! I’ll be on honeymoon for the rest of my life!”
“I’m so happy for you,” Josie repeated, ignoring the ache in her throat. Resisting the urge to wipe her eyes, she looked down at the wet, soft grass beneath her feet. “After years of taking care of me, you deserve a lifetime of love and joy.”
“Hey.” Bree lifted her chin gently. “So do you. And I can’t be happy until I know what’s going on.”
Josie blinked back tears, trying to smile. “You’ve always been a mother hen.”
“Always.” Her older sister looked into her eyes. “So you might as well tell me what’s going on, or I’ll be pecking at you all night.”
Josie took a deep breath.
“I’m… I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
Her sister gasped. “Pregnant? Are you sure?”
She nodded.
Bree took a deep breath, then visibly gained control of herself. “It’s Kasimir’s.” It was a statement, not a question.
“He doesn’t know.” Josie looked away, blinking back tears. “And I don’t know if I should tell him.”
“Are you going to keep the baby?”
Josie whirled to face her. “Of course I am!”
“You could consider adoption…”
“I’m not giving up my baby!”
“You’re just so young.” Bree’s hazel eyes were full of emotion. “You have no idea how hard it is. What you’re in for.”
“I know.” Josie swallowed. “You were only six when Mom died, and eighteen when we lost Dad. All these hard years, you’ve taken care of me…”
“I loved every minute.”
Josie looked at her skeptically.
“All right,” Bree allowed with a grin, “maybe not every single minute.” She paused. “I was so scared at times for you.”
“Because I was always screwing up,” Josie said sadly.
“You?” Her sister’s lips parted, then she shook her head fiercely beneath the colored lights of the wooden gazebo. “I was scared I would fail you. Scared I’d never be the respectable, honest, careful mother you deserved, no matter how hard I tried.”
Something cracked in Josie’s heart.
“That’s why you hovered over me?” she whispered. “I thought I was a burden to you, forcing you to give up ten years to look after me.”
“I felt like the luckiest big sister in the world to have a sweet kid like you to look after.” Bree took a deep breath. “But you don’t know what it’s like to raise a child. To fear for them every moment.” She looked down at the wet hem of her white dress. “To pray that your own stupid mistakes won’t hurt the sweet, innocent one you love so, so much.”
“You worried you might make a mistake?” Josie said in amazement. Shaking her head, she patted her sister’s shoulder. “You gave me a wonderful childhood that I’ll never forget.” Josie bit her lip, and forced herself to say what she’d been too afraid to say before. “But I’m all grown up now. You don’t need to be my mother any more. Just be my sister. My friend.” She looked at her. “Just be my baby’s aunt.”
Bree stared at her. Then, bursting into tears, she pulled Josie into her arms, hugging her tightly.
“You’ll be a wonderful mother,” she choked out, wiping her eyes. “You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve always been so fearless. You’ve never been afraid of anything.”
“Me?” Josie cried.
Bree gave a laugh, shaking her head as she smiled through her tears. “The stunts you used to pull. Snowboarding in Alaska. While I was hesitating over the safest way, or worrying about the risks, you’d just fly straight past me, headfirst. And that’s how you love.” She looked at Josie. “You’re still in love with him, aren’t you?”
Josie’s lips parted. Then, wordlessly, she nodded.
“Are you going to tell him? About the baby?”
“Should I?”
With a rueful little smile, Bree shook her head. “That’s a choice that only you can make.” She paused. “Because you’re right, Josie. You’re all grown up.”
Josie hugged her sister tight, then pulled away, wiping her eyes. “I do love him. But he doesn’t love me. I know now that he’s never going to come for me. I’ll never see him again.”
“I don’t know about that.” There was a strange expression on Bree’s face as she looked at a point above her ear.
Frowning, Josie turned around.
And saw Kasimir standing behind her, just outside the dark gazebo, in the warm Hawaiian night.
Kasimir’s heart was thudding in his throat.
Josie’s big brown eyes looked up at him in shock, as if she thought she was dreaming. She was chewing her pink bottom lip in an adorable way, wearing a simple pink cotton bridesmaid’s dress, with her soft brown hair hanging in waves over her bare, tanned shoulders.
So beautiful. So incredibly beautiful. Seeing her face, breathing the same air, almost close enough to touch—Kasimir felt alive again for the first time since she’d left him. Especially when he saw she was still wearing her wedding ring.
Kasimir ran his thumb over his own gold wedding band. He’d never taken it off. It had become a part of him.
And so had she.
When he’d burst into the wedding reception, he’d immediately looked for Josie. Instead, he’d seen his brother standing near the bar. It had taken all of Kasimir’s courage to tap him on the shoulder.
Still laughing at a friend’s joke, Vladimir had turned around. The smile dropped from his face. “Kasimir,” he whispered. “I didn’t expect you.”
“Then you shouldn’t have sent me an invitation.”
“No—that’s not what I meant. I—”
“It’s all right. I know what you meant. And until a few hours ago, I didn’t know I was coming either.” Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, Kasimir pulled out the contract. He pushed it into his brother’s hand. “I can’t take this. I don’t want it.”
His brother stared down at the signed contract now in his hand. “Why not?” he said faintly.
Kasimir blinked fast. “The truth is, I never really cared about taking over your company.”
His brother snorted. “You gave a damned good impression.”
Kasimir tilted his head and gave a low chuckle. “All right. Maybe I did want it. But what I wanted even more,” he said in a low voice, swallowing against the ache in his throat, “was to have my brother back.” He lifted his eyes. “I’ve missed you. I don’t want to run your company. But…” He paused. “A merger… We could run Xendzov Mining and Southern Cross together. As partners.”
Vladimir stared at him. “Partners?”
“We’d have the second-largest mining company in the world. With your assets in the northern hemisphere, and mine in the southern…. We could dominate. Win. Together.”
Vladimir blinked, his eyes dazed. “You’d give me a second chance? You’d trust me with your company? After the way I betrayed you?”
Kasimir gave him a crooked smile. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re brothers. But no more big-brother-little-brother stuff. From now on, we’re equals.” He tilted his head, quirking a dark eyebrow. “What do you say?” Nervously, Kasimir held out his hand. “Will you be my business partner? Will you be my brother again?”
Vladimir sta
red at him for a long moment. Then he pushed his hand aside roughly.
Kasimir sucked in his breath.
His brother suddenly pulled him against his chest in a bear hug. His voice was muffled. “I’ve missed you. What do I say? Hell, yes. To all of it.”
When the hug ended, both brothers turned away.
“Sand in my eyes,” Kasimir muttered, wiping them with his hand.
“Stupid wind. Lifting sand from the beach.” Wiping his own eyes, Vladimir cleared his throat in the windless night, then looked back at him and smiled, with his eyes still red. “From now on, we’re equals. Through and through.”
Kasimir snorted. “About time you figured that out.”
“And by the way, your timing couldn’t be better. Thanks for coming to save me. Turns out I’m no good at running a hotel.” He gave a sudden grin. “This will save my wife the trouble of firing me.”
Kasimir laughed. “Although she might miss you when you start commuting to Russia on a daily basis.”
“Hmm.” He grew thoughtful. “About that…”
The brothers spoke for a few minutes, and then Kasimir sighed. “I am sorry I missed your wedding.”
“So am I.” Vladimir punched him on the shoulder. “But having you back is the best wedding present any man could ask for.” He lifted an eyebrow with a grin. “Though something tells me you didn’t just come here for wedding cake. Or even a business deal.”
“You’re right.” Kasimir took a deep breath. “Where is she, Volodya?”
At the use of his old nickname, Vladimir’s eyes glistened. “Sorry,” he said gruffly. “Sand again.” He gestured towards a nearby cliff. “There. Talking to my wife.”
Kasimir had looked past the outdoor bar to a gazebo, strung with colorful lights, on the edge of a cliff. He saw a moving shadow. Josie. At last! He’d turned to go, then stopped, facing his brother. He’d said in a low voice, “I’m glad we’re friends again.”
“Friends?” Vladimir’s smile had lifted to a grin. “We’re not friends, man. We’re brothers.”
Kasimir was glad and grateful beyond words that after ten years of estrangement, he and Vladimir were truly brothers again. But even that, as important as it was, wasn’t the reason he’d flown for almost twenty-four hours straight from St. Petersburg across the North Atlantic to Alaska, and then across the endless Pacific to Hawaii.
Now, Kasimir took a deep breath as he looked down at Josie, facing him beneath the gazebo in the moonswept night. At the bottom of the cliff, he could hear the ocean waves crashing against the shore, but it was nothing compared to the roar of his own heart.
“What—what are you doing here?” Josie stammered. The music of her sweet, warm voice traveled through his body like electricity.
“My brother invited me to the wedding.”
“You missed it,” she said tartly.
“I know.” He’d known he was too late when from the window of his plane, he’d seen the red sunset over Oahu. But the lights of Honolulu had still sparkled like diamonds in the center of the sunset’s red fire, against the black water. Like magic. Because he knew Josie was there. “But the real question is,” he whispered, “am I too late with you?”
Josie’s lips parted.
Looking between her sister and Kasimir, Bree cleared her throat. “Um. I think I hear my husband calling me.”
She hurried away from the gazebo, her wedding gown flying behind her. And for that alone, Kasimir could have forgiven her anything.
Turning, Josie started to follow. Kasimir grabbed her arm. “Please don’t go.”
“Why?” She looked at him. “What could we possibly have to talk about?”
“Vladimir and I worked through things,” he said haltingly. He gave an awkward smile. “In fact, we’ve decided to combine our companies. Be partners.”
Her jaw dropped. “You did?”
“I was in Alaska this morning, at the homestead. I had everything I ever wanted. And I suddenly realized something.”
“What?” she whispered.
He looked at her. “I realized there’s no point in having everything,” he said softly, “if you can’t share it with people you love.”
Josie looked at him, her eyes wide. Swallowing, she looked away. “I’m happy you and your brother are friends again.”
“Not friends.” Kasimir grinned, remembering. “Brothers.”
Josie looked at him, her eyes luminous and deep. “I’m glad,” she said softly. Then she looked down. “But that doesn’t have anything to do with me. Not anymore.”
Kasimir knew his whole life depended on his next words. “He’s not the reason I came back to Honolulu, Josie.”
She looked up. “He’s not?”
He shook his head, then looked down wryly at his dark wrinkled suit, white shirt and blue tie. “Do you know I haven’t changed clothes for twenty-four hours?” He loosened his tie, then pulled it off. “When my lawyer said the land in Alaska was finally mine, I left St. Petersburg straight from the office. All I could think was I wanted to go home.” His lips twisted. “But all I saw in Alaska was a rickety old cabin, piles of snow and a silent forest. It wasn’t home.” Looking straight into her eyes, he whispered, “Because it wasn’t you.”
Josie looked up at him, not even trying to hide the tears spilling over her lashes.
With a trembling hand, he reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek. “You’re the home I’ve been trying to find for my whole life, Josie. You’re my home.”
“Then why did you let me go so easily?” she whispered.
Kasimir took a deep breath, closing his eyes, allowing the warm air to expand his lungs. “After you left,” he said in a low voice, “I tried to convince myself I’d won. Then I tried to convince myself that you deserved a better man than me. Which you do. But this morning, in Alaska, I realized something that changed everything.”
“What?” she faltered.
He looked straight into her eyes. “I can be that man.” He took her hand in his own, and when she didn’t pull it away he tightened his grasp, overwhelmed with need. “I can be the man who will mow the lawn by your white picket fence,” he vowed. “The man who will be by your side forever. Worshipping you. For the rest of your life.”
“But how can I believe you?” Josie wiped her eyes. “Our whole marriage was based on a lie. How can I ever give you my whole heart again?”
Kasimir stared at her, his heart pounding. He finally shook his head. “I don’t know.” He gave a low laugh, running his hand through his dark, tousled hair. “I wouldn’t blame you for telling me to go to hell. In fact, I sort of figured you would.”
“Then why come all this way?”
“Because you had to know what was in my heart,” he whispered. “I had to tell you how you changed me. Forever. You made me want to be the idealistic, loyal person I once was. The man I was born to be.”
Covering her face with her hands, she wept.
Falling on his knees before her, Kasimir wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so sorry I tried to separate you and your sister, Josie. I was selfish and I was a coward. Losing you was the one thing I thought I couldn’t face.”
He felt her stiffen, then slowly, her hand rose to stroke his hair. It was the single sweetest touch of his life.
Kasimir looked up, his eyes hot with unshed tears. “But I should have thought of you first. Put you first. Now, all I want is for you to be happy. Whether you choose to be with me. Or—” he swallowed “—without—”
“Shut up.” She put her finger to his lips, and his voice choked off. She said slowly, “I’ve learned I can live without you.”
Kasimir’s heart cracked inside his chest. He’d lost her. She was going to send him away, back into the bleak winter.
“But I’ve also learned,” Josie whispered, “that I don’t want to.” Her brown eyes were suddenly warm, like the sky after a sudden spring storm. “I tried to stop loving you. But once I love someone, I love for life.” Her lips lifted
in a trembling smile. “I’m stubborn that way.”
“Josie,” he breathed, rising to his feet. He cupped her face, searching her gaze. “Does this mean you’ll be my wife? This time for real?”
Reaching up, she said through her tears, “Yes. Oh, yes.”
“You better make her happy!” Bree yelled. They turned in surprise to see Vladimir and his bride standing amid the flowers beyond the gazebo. Bree’s eyes were shining with tears as she sniffed. “You’d better…”
“I will,” Kasimir said simply. He turned back to Josie and vowed with all his heart, “I will make you happy. It’s all I will do. For the rest of my life.”
And he lowered his head to kiss her, not caring that Bree and Vladimir stood three yards away from them, with all the partygoers of the wedding reception behind.
Let them look, he thought. Let all the world see.
Taking Josie tenderly in his arms, Kasimir kissed her with all the passion and promise of a lifetime. When he finally pulled away, she pressed her cheek against him with a contented sigh, and they stood together, holding each other in the moonswept night.
He could get used to Hawaii, he thought. In the distance, he heard the loud roar of the surf against the shore. He heard the wind through the palm trees, heard the cry of night birds soaring across the violet sky. And above it all, he heard the pounding of his own beating, living heart—his heart which, now and forever, was hers.
“I wish we could stay here,” Josie said softly, for his ears only. She looked back at the other couple. “That we could live nearby, and all our children could someday play together on the beach…”
“About that.” Thinking of the decision he and his brother had just made, to build the world headquarters of their merged companies right here in Honolulu, Kasimir looked down at her with a mischievous grin. “I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise, huh?” Tears glistened in Josie’s eyes as she shook her head. A smile like heaven illuminated her beautiful face. “Just wait until you hear the one I have for you.”
EPILOGUE
THE DAY JOSIE placed their newborn daughter in her husband’s arms was the happiest day of her life, after eight months of joyful days.