Modern Romance May 2016 Books 5-8. Дженнифер Хейворд
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English accent. Maybe she wouldn’t need a voice coach after all.
He took the glass and, without looking at her, knocked half of it back. ‘Thanks.’
Kat knew she should have moved on but it annoyed her that he hadn’t recognised her. Really annoyed her, which was ridiculously inconsistent of her. But still. ‘Will that be all?’
‘Yep.’ He knocked back the rest of his drink and handed her the glass, again without looking at her.
She waited a beat. ‘Would you like me to bring you some food? A plate of nibbles?’
‘No thanks.’
‘Another drink?’
‘Not in the mood for celebrating.’
‘Oh?’
He let out a long-drawn-out breath. ‘It’s a long story. I won’t bore you with it when you’ve got work to do.’
‘I’m not busy.’ Kat mentally kicked herself. ‘I mean... I’ve got a minute or two...’
He gave her a brief glance, the sort of glance you gave catering staff that you expect never to see again. ‘Ever been in love?’
Kat looked down at Cricket who was looking up at her with that black-button gaze. ‘I have, actually.’
‘It sucks.’
She glanced back at Flynn. He was studying his bandaged foot with a frown so deep it had joined his eyebrows. ‘Why do you think it sucks?’ she said.
‘If the person you love doesn’t love you back, then it sucks. Big-time.’
‘How do you know she doesn’t love you back?’
‘She never said the words.’
‘But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you,’ Kat said. ‘It just means she was a little uncertain of the circumstances under which you proposed.’
He looked at her then in puzzlement. ‘How do you know I proposed?’
Kat gave a short, uncertain laugh. ‘Flynn...it’s me. It’s Kat. Don’t you recognise me?’
A smile began in his eyes well before it appeared on his mouth. ‘Of course I recognise you, you little goose. You love me? Really?’
Happiness burst inside Kat’s chest like a flower exploding. ‘I do.’
‘That’s twice you’ve said “I do” to me. Do you reckon you could say it one more time in front of a minister of religion so I can get a ring on your finger?’
Kat was torn between wanting to punch his arm for messing with her head and throwing her arms around him and kissing him. Kissing him won. She threw her arms around him, almost knocking him backwards off the terrace. ‘You want to get married in church?’
‘Anywhere that makes it official.’
She couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. ‘I’m sorry for rejecting you the first time. I just had to make sure you really loved me.’
He brushed a strand of blonde wig back behind her ear. ‘I didn’t think it was possible to love someone as much as I love you. Life loses all its colour without you in it.’
Kat stroked his face. ‘These last couple of days have been torture. I’ve been so lonely and miserable. I couldn’t bear another minute without seeing you.’
‘How did you land the waitress job without alerting Richard’s security team?’
She gave him a sheepish look. ‘Well, I had to tell someone, otherwise I would never have got in. He said he would keep it a secret but I didn’t factor in Cricket.’
‘Yeah, well, I still haven’t figured out boarding arrangements for him,’ Flynn said. ‘I knew as soon as I heard him barking that you were here.’
‘Do you think you would’ve recognised me anyway?’
He touched her nose with his fingertip. ‘Sure of it. My body picks you up like radar.’
Kat grinned. ‘Mine too.’
Flynn took her hand and held it against his chest. ‘Time to meet the family...or would you like to stay incognito?’
Kat pulled at her lip with her teeth. ‘Do you think it would annoy Elisabetta? I don’t want to upset her. I have to get through a season with her, remember.’
‘You could stay disguised, but I’m going to have a heck of time explaining to your brothers why I’ve been kissing the blonde waitress.’ Flynn gave a rueful grimace. ‘Too late. Here they come now.’
Kat turned to see her twin half-brothers come out of the French doors. It was a surreal moment to meet them in the flesh. They were exactly alike, especially when they both smiled once they realised what was going on.
‘Welcome to the family,’ Julius said. ‘I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for.’
‘I think I’ll cope,’ Kat said.
Jake gave her a brotherly hug. ‘Welcome to Mayhem Manor.’
Miranda and Jaz came out with Holly close behind. There were lots of hugs and words of welcome. The warmth of her family made Kat’s heart swell so much, she had difficulty drawing breath.
Her family.
But then another person walked out to the terrace.
Her father.
Kat took a deep breath as he came towards her. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to feel. She didn’t love him. She didn’t even like him. But for the sake of appearances and the rest of the family she held out her hand to him. ‘Hello.’
Richard ignored her hand and hugged her, just long enough for the cameras to document it. ‘Welcome to the family, my dear.’
Elisabetta sauntered out with a glass of champagne in one hand, her expression one of acute boredom, although Kat was sure she could detect a hint of secretive delight in that dark-brown gaze. ‘So, you’ve sorted it all out, Flynn?’
‘Not quite.’
Kat glanced at Flynn who had hopped on his crutches to where she was standing surrounded by her family. ‘What else needs to be sorted?’ she said.
‘You haven’t said you love me. I’m not going back inside the house until you do.’
Kat gave him a teasing smile. ‘Is that an ultimatum?’
His answering smile made the backs of her knees tingle. ‘Something I should warn you about before we marry—I always win.’
Kat took him by the tie and pulled his head down. ‘Guess what? So do I.’
* * * * *
Read on for an extract from CLAIMING THE ROYAL INNOCENT by Jennifer Hayward.
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