Meet Me in London: The sparkling new and bestselling romance for 2020. Perfect escapism, for fans of Lindsey Kelk and Heidi Swain.

by Georgia Toffolo

  ‘I also wanted to tell you that I’ve taken a step back from the day-to-day running of the company and we’re on the lookout for a new CEO.’

  Oh, wow. ‘You told your father?’

  He nodded. ‘You said we needed to communicate and be upfront. So, I told him I wasn’t happy and wanted to do something else. I’ll still be involved, but on a much smaller scale.’

  ‘Good for you. I know that will have taken guts.’

  ‘You know what he said? That he wished he’d done the same thing years ago. He also said you were a bad influence on the Russells if you were going to make us all abandon the company and just have fun all the time. But he winked too, because he knows there are good people out there who could run the place better than we can.’ Ollie’s chest pumped. Proud of what they’d achieved. ‘And I also know he loves you to pieces.’

  ‘He’s a good man.’ She breathed out. ‘I’m proud of you all, Ollie. And you decided to do what?’

  He drew his eyes from hers and looked out at the ocean. Snowflakes fell all around them, settling on their shoulders, in their hair. ‘I’m going to set up a trust to help less fortunate kids in the areas where our stores are. In inner cities the scope is huge. I’m constantly amazed at the disparity of wealth of people who live on the same street; at one end there’s millionaire’s row and at the other there’s overcrowding and poverty. The Russell Trust will offer opportunities to those who need them, either working in our stores or business mentoring.’

  Her heart soared at this news. He’d jumped. ‘That’s wonderful. I’m so proud of you.’

  ‘You opened my eyes to what’s possible You gave me the inspiration and courage to do it, V. You and those kids. I can’t tell you how good it felt to see them on that stage, so help them chase their dreams.’ So, OK altruism was a teeny bit selfish too. ‘I’m going to need some help setting it up.’

  ‘Of course. There are plenty of NGOs who could advise you.’

  He swivelled to face her. ‘I was hoping you might chip in too.’

  ‘Me? I only know about my girls.’

  ‘You see details I don’t, V. You… Hell.’ He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. ‘I’m not doing this right. This is not how I planned it would go.’

  ‘Planned how?’ What did he mean?

  He took her hand in his. ‘I want to do some good and I know the Trust will be a step towards that, but together we can be a tour de force. I want these kids to have a chance, to fulfil a dream. More, to be allowed to dream. Because even though I have everything I could possibly need, I never had the chance to do that. And you made it happen. You made me see beyond my world and opened up another one. One with you in it, front and centre. That’s where I want you to stay, Victoria. In the centre of my life. To help me do this. To help me… well, live my best life.’ He took her other hand in his, his eyes misted but… was there hope there too? ‘V, you are the love of my life. You are everything I’ve been looking for and didn’t even realize. I love y—’

  ‘No.’ She put her fingertips to his mouth suddenly all too aware of where this was going. She couldn’t allow this to happen. He loved her. ‘Don’t. Please, don’t.’

  He wanted her in his life. He was offering her so much she couldn’t take from him. It was too cruel to hear this, to know he loved her and to let him go a second time. It was going to be so much harder to walk away.

  He shook his head. ‘Let me finish. I love you—’

  ‘Oh, Oliver.’ The hot sting of tears burned her eyes. Her throat was rough and full. She had to tell him. She’d not trusted him enough to tell him her innermost secret, but he was a good man, he needed to know. She trusted he’d treat her gently at least. ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t want you to fall in love with lies, or things left unsaid. That’s what happened with Peter.’

  Oliver’s lip curled at the mention of her ex’s name, but she didn’t move her fingers from his mouth in case he said more beautiful things that made her heart hurt. ‘Please. Go back to London. I can’t give you what you want and deserve. Oh, Ollie, I can’t have babies. I can’t do the family thing no matter how much I’d love to.’

  And there was the sad reality; she wanted babies with Oliver. So much. Wanted her belly swelling with his child. Wanted a family with him. A future. It was so damned cruel she could barely breathe with the weight of it.

  He took her fingers away from his mouth. ‘I know.’

  ‘How? Oh.’ She realized she didn’t need to ask. ‘Andrew.’

  Ollie nodded. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘It was only a pretend relationship, right? But then things got serious and well… when is a good time to declare your inadequacies? It all got too much and then it got too late.’ She blinked the tears back. ‘I didn’t want you to have make a choice between me and your family. I didn’t want to put you in that situation. It isn’t fair.’

  ‘You are not inadequate. Clearly Peter is.’ He squeezed her fingers gently. ‘You win hands down, V. Every single time. I love you and that’s all I care about.’

  ‘But what about grandchildren? The family firm? It’s what they want. What you will want too, given time. And I can’t bear to see that disappointment in your eyes when it dawns on you that you wanted kids all along. I don’t want to watch you leave, or hear you’ve got someone else.’

  ‘Nothing is more important to me than you, Victoria Scott.’

  ‘But what about your family line, passing down the Russell legacy?’

  ‘What about my dreams, V? Of being with you? We can create a bigger legacy than just the Russell one. The Trust will give so many children a better future. What better legacy is there than that?’

  A rogue tear slipped down her cheek. Then another. ‘Don’t you want to hold your own baby in your arms?’

  ‘I want you, Victoria. I can’t see further than that. I don’t want more than that. If I have you in my life then I’ll be the happiest man alive. And there might be options: adoption, fostering, surrogacy. Or maybe we’ll just be us two together. A tour de force, right? This is just the beginning. You, me, that’s all that matters, anything more will be icing. I love you, Victoria, with everything I am, everything I have.’

  He kissed her then and she felt his words resonate through her body. He loved her.

  He loved her and she believed him.

  ‘I love you too, Oliver Russell.’ She pressed her head against his and smiled. Snow was starting to fall and there was a definite feeling of magic in the air. All she needed now was to hear the tinkle of sleigh bells and she really would believe this was a dream. A perfect amazing dream. Come true.

  He brushed the flakes from her hair and smiled. This time it was a little wary. As if he was nervous about something. Which was very un-Oliver-like. ‘There is one more thing.’

  ‘Oh, yes?’

  ‘Third time lucky?’

  ‘What? Oh?’ Her heart danced as he got down on to one knee. Again. What was it about Oliver and benches and proposals? ‘You’re making a habit of this.’

  ‘And I’ll keep doing it until I get the right answer. Victoria. My Victoria, will you please do me the honour—’

  ‘Yes!’ She didn’t even let him finish. ‘Yes. Third time lucky indeed. Yes. Please, Ollie. I love you. I love you. I love you. So much.’

  He stood and pulled her up from the bench and wrapped her into his arms. ‘I’m the lucky one.’

  He kissed her again and again and she let the wonderful feeling of hope and happiness swell through her. Maybe she was going to get the fairy tale after all. Or pretty damned close. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw the village Christmas tree lights shining, heard a group of carol singers somewhere near the beach.

  ‘Happy Christmas, darling.’ She snuggled against his chest. ‘Our very first Christmas together.’

  ‘Here’s to fifty more.’

  She pulled back from him and pretended to frown, because fifty years would be a wonderful innings after all. ‘Only fif
ty?’

  ‘Fifty million.’ He laughed. ‘A lifetime. For ever.’

  Lost Hours. Lost Hours. Lost Hours. NOW!

  After a Christmas morning with Oliver meeting her parents and brother, and wooing them as well as he’d wooed her, she needed to tell her friends her news.

  Lily’s text came back first:

  Come to the restaurant, there’s no one here but me.

  Then Zoe’s:

  Thank God. I was starting to get desperate. I need to get out of here.

  Then Malie’s:

  Give me five minutes.

  Victoria bundled her gifts for them into a bag and ran down to The Sea Rose. After a round of ‘Happy Christmases’ they sat around their favourite table by the window with a good view of the harbour.

  Zoe’s question came first as she opened a bottle of Baileys that Lily handed to her. ‘What the hell happened?’

  Malie held out glasses one at a time as Zoe poured. ‘Where is he?’

  Lily put her hand on Victoria’s arm and smiled softly, warily. ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘I’m fine. I’m more than fine actually.’ Victoria sat up straight and took one of the glasses. ‘He’s back at the house.’

  ‘And…?’ Zoe’s eyebrows rose.

  With as much drama as she could muster Victoria took off her woolly glove and waggled Nana Norma’s ring… back on the correct finger on her left hand. ‘And he asked me to marry him!’

  ‘Oh. My. God.’ Eyes wide, Malie leaned over and held V’s fingers so she could inspect the diamond. ‘Wow. That’s beautiful. Stunning. Obviously, you said—?’

  ‘Did you tell him?’ It was Lily. Always with the right questions, because she knew how important it was to Victoria that Oliver knew the truth.

  Victoria smiled at the memory of him going down on one knee in the snow. ‘I did. I told him I can’t have children. Actually, he already knew because his stupid cousin told him two days ago. But he said it didn’t matter. That I am the only thing that matters.’

  Malie’s hand went to her chest. ‘Awww. That’s… pretty epic.’

  ‘Best damned thing I’ve ever had in my Christmas stocking.’ Victoria held up her glass to chink with the others. ‘Cheers!’

  Lily chinked and smiled. ‘That is so too much information.’

  ‘So… we’re aiming for an August wedding.’ She thought about Stella’s conversation all those weeks ago over dinner. An August wedding. There’s a chapel in the village. That was a discussion they were going to have to handle with kid gloves. How to achieve what Victoria wanted and what the Russells expected? That was for another day.

  She focused back on her three dearest friends. ‘And I hope you’ll be my bridesmaids.’

  ‘Oh. My. God. It really is happening? Just like we planned all those years ago. Of course. Of course. Oh, yes!’ Zoe reached over and wrapped her arms around Victoria and hugged her tight, then the others did the same until they were a jumble of limbs and smiles and laughter and tears.

  Victoria wiped hers away, giggling. ‘So, you have to promise to come back home for the hen do and then the wedding. I am not walking down that aisle without any of you. Understand?’

  Zoe saluted. ‘Yes, boss.’

  And Victoria’s heart gave a little leap because coming back to England was hard on Zoe and it was a big ask for her to do it again so soon.

  ‘Maybe we could go to Ibiza for the hen party?’ Malie gave a cheeky smile.

  ‘Sounds like we have a lot of planning to do!’ Lily grinned. ‘Although, maybe we should go somewhere else? Ibiza has its own very special memories and we don’t want to try to recreate them or we might be disappointed.’

  ‘I do.’ Zoe laughed and tapped her nose. ‘But, obviously, I can’t tell you what my specific memories are.’

  And so the secret of Zoe’s lost hours remained a mystery.

  Then it was present time and they took it in turns to exchange Christmas gifts. The girls loved the dresses Victoria had made them from the fabric she’d returned to Betsy’s to buy. The sea-themed one for Malie, the lacy one for Zoe, a lovely breezy summer dress for Lily, and individually designed hair clips all round. It was so good to see their faces, a little wind-chapped, noses red from the cold, eyes dancing. Smiling, laughing. Bolstering each other up, making Victoria’s life just so much better because they were in it. God, she loved these women.

  Then her phone rang. ‘Oh. It’s Ollie.’ She covered the speaker with her hand and explained to her friends, ‘I left him with my parents, poor guy. Hey, Ollie. I have some friends you need to meet. These women are the most important people in my life, apart from you. So, it’s important you all get along. I’m switching to video mode.’

  Then suddenly he was there on the screen and her body prickled with awareness.

  Malie peered at the screen and grinned. ‘Hey! Congratulations, Oliver. Heard a lot about you.’

  ‘Thank you! I’m a very lucky guy.’ He smiled. ‘Hi, Malie. Hi, Zoe. Hey, Lily.’

  ‘He knows our names?’ Zoe shot with a confused but impressed expression.

  Victoria grinned proudly. That’s my boy. ‘Of course he does.’

  ‘I saw photos,’ he explained. ‘Plus, she talks about you non-stop. I can’t wait to meet you all in person.’

  ‘What about tonight?’ Lily suggested. ‘Come here to the restaurant. I’d love to cook for you all and I’ve got some extra special Hawkesbury wine we could open.’

  ‘Sure thing. Can’t wait.’ He nodded. Then he whispered, ‘Hey, V. Did I pass?’

  ‘With flying colours.’ She smiled. ‘Are you OK? Did you need something?’

  ‘Your parents have taken the dog for a walk. They said they’d be a couple of hours. And your brother’s at the pub. Which means… the house is empty.’ He grinned with a wicked glint in his eyes that made her hot all over.

  ‘Oh!’ This was good news. ‘That means we can—’

  ‘Lalalalala. I do not want to hear about this.’ Zoe stuck her fingers in her ears while Lily blushed and gave the thumbs up sign.

  Malie’s eyes widened. ‘You’d better get gone, babe.’

  She hugged them all to a chorus of goodbyes and then blew him a kiss. ‘I’m on my way.’

  ‘Great. I’ll be waiting. Er… upstairs.’ He smiled. So sexy. So damned perfect. All hers. ‘But don’t hurry, V. We have plenty of time. We have all the time in the world.’

  Acknowledgements

  This book might have my name on the cover but there are many people who have been instrumental in making it possible and who I’d like to thank from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to my Grandfather Bertie for always encouraging me to write, and pursue my dreams – sorry there isn’t enough bird watching in this book! To my bonkers family for your endless support, for all birthdays and Christmas’s you will be receiving this bloody brilliant book!

  A huge thank you to my managers Jordan Johnson and Russell Eslamifar for believing in me and guiding me through this process with unwavering support, let’s be honest the meetings about this book were always our favourite! And of course my literary agent: Amanda Harris, you’re a superstar.

  To my brilliant editor Becky Slorach for championing my novel and giving me the freedom to write the story and characters I’ve always dreamt of, you’ve been at the end of the phone 24/7 (seriously). Thank you to everyone at Mills & Boon and Harper Collins, in particular Kirsty Capes, Katie Barnes-Wallis, and Lily Capewell. Darling Lisa Milton, where do I start? We first met and I was clutching a glass of champagne at someone else’s book launch imagining you giving me the chance of writing a book and… it happened.

  To Lucy Truman and Kate Oakley for the wonderful illustration, the cover is simply divine. Louisa George, your talent has produced this and I am so proud.

  Thank you to PG for enduring countless silent journeys with me whilst I was furiously writing, editing and re-editing. I love you. To AH for spending every night next to me in our dorm not complaining about me reading with a t
orch under the covers at school, I love you, bebé, here’s to the next decade of friendship!

  To my girlfriends who were my inspiration to write a story about female friendship and love, this book is dedicated to you all with love and admiration.

  Finally, a humongous thank you to every reader who picked this up and has supported me along this crazy journey, I’m forever grateful and honoured.

  If you enjoyed Meet Me in London then why not pre-order Meet Me in Hawaii

  Read on for an exclusive extract of Meet Me in Hawaii.

  If you loved Meet me in London read on for an extract of Malie’s story Meet me in Hawaii from Georgia Toffolo and Mills & Boon

  Coming Spring 2021

  Chapter One

  MALIE PUKUI CLOSED HER eyes and raised her head to the setting sun. She took a long, soothing breath and smoothed her corkscrew curls back from her face, holding her hands either side of her head as she bobbed on the surfboard and let the water lap around her knees. This was her favourite time of day. This and dawn. When it felt as though it was just her, her board and the beautiful ocean…

  Peace. Calm. Tranquillity.

  No expectations, no nothing.

  Just me, she thought, me and Koa, against the world.

  A bark from the deserted shoreline told her that wasn’t quite true. She had Nalu, her four-legged friend and the surf school’s honorary mascot with her. But he didn’t encroach on this time.

  She’d chosen this stretch of beach because it was secluded by the natural flora that had overtaken the public access long ago. It meant she was free to surf in peace, free to reconnect with her late brother and take time out from her full-on schedule.

  There was no need to put on a front, no need to be anyone but herself.