Fragments (The Broken Series Book 2) (19 page)

“If you don’t feel the same, then that’s okay. Admit it. But don’t try to tell me that what I feel for you isn’t real. Don’t tell me it isn’t love. I have never felt like this before. I’m crazy about you, Kristina.”

I suddenly realized I had been holding my breath while he spoke. I let out a shaky breath while I tried to gather my thoughts.

He loved me? My brain just couldn’t process the information. I still couldn’t get rid of that annoying internal voice screaming at me, warning me I was going to get hurt.

I knew he was waiting for me to reply, his eyes scanned my face for some kind of clue. After a few seconds, his face clouded with a hurt expression.

“Okay, I guess I read this wrong. You’re not ready.” He nodded and took a deep breath. “That’s okay. I can wait. We can take things slow.”

“I…”
 

Goddamn it.
Why couldn’t I just tell him how I felt?
 

I flipped onto my back, staring at the ceiling. “I’m scared of getting hurt, Jack.”

“I’ll never hurt you.”

“But you can’t promise that. No one can.”

“So, I’m not worth the risk? You’re holding back because you might get hurt?”

I turned back to face him. “I didn’t say that. Of course you are. I do love you. I—”

“You do?” His face lit up with a grin.

He looked so gorgeous and so vulnerable. My heart just melted.
 

I wasn’t getting anywhere, trying to explain my screwed up thoughts. It didn’t matter anyway. All that mattered was that I loved him and he loved me.

Jack Harding
loved
me.

I reached a hand up to stroke his strong jaw and pressed my mouth to his.

Then Jack’s cell phone rang, ruining the moment.

“That will probably be Brian. Wondering why I disappeared on him.” He winked at me.

I sat straight up and then started scrambling for my clothes. “Oh, my God. Kate’s waiting for me to help her with the seating plan. I was just supposed to be making tea!” I groaned. “She’ll know what we’ve been up to!”

I flushed at the thought that Kate would know
exactly
what I had been doing for the past hour.

Jack chuckled. “She probably will, but it was worth it, wasn’t it?”

I bit down on my lower lip and smiled at him shyly. Oh, hell yeah, it was worth it. Jack Harding had told me he loved me, and I was so happy right now I thought my heart might burst.

The day of Kate and Benjamin’s wedding finally arrived. The morning had passed in a blur. I’d helped Kate into her full-length, silk gown and zipped her up. I put my hands on Kate’s shoulders and turned her around so she could see her reflection in the mirror and know how amazing she looked.

“You look beautiful.”

We looked at each other in the mirror and started crying at exactly the same time. She looked so gorgeous, a perfect bride. I was so glad I had managed to turn my life around and become part of my sister’s life again.
 

“I miss her so much,” Kate said. “I wish…”

I didn’t have to ask Kate what she wished for. I knew exactly what she meant.
 

“I know, honey.” I pulled her in for a hug.

Our mother had passed away years ago, but on days like today, I missed her more than ever.

Despite the absence of our mother, Kate was obviously deliriously happy with Benjamin, and today would be the icing on the cake.

“Mom wouldn’t want you to be sad on your wedding day.”

Kate swallowed hard and wiped away her tears. Nodding, she said, “You’re right.”

After we had had a telling off from Martha – the exclusive makeup artist that Kate had arranged to do our makeup – we managed to keep our tears under control until the wedding.

Now, as I walked down the aisle behind Kate, I felt tears well up in my eyes, threatening to ruin my makeup again. I blinked them away furiously. The wedding photographs wouldn’t look great if the bridesmaid had mascara smeared down her cheeks.

I wore a bias-cut dress in dove-grey satin, and I was holding baby Elizabeth in my arms. She had on the cutest pink, frilly dress and looked unbelievably sweet.

She was still asleep at the moment, and I hoped she would stay that way for the service. Otherwise, I would have to make a hasty retreat with a crying baby in my arms. I caught some disapproving looks from some of the guests when they spotted Elizabeth in my arms. But I didn’t care. It was important to Kate that Elizabeth was part of her wedding day.

My eyes were still blurry from tears as I scanned the guests sitting on either side of the aisle. I didn’t know most of them, and I was pretty sure Kate didn’t either. I did see one of Kate’s friends from high school, and I smiled as I caught her gaze.

We approached the front of the aisle where Benjamin was standing, looking tall and devastatingly handsome in his morning suit. I turned, my eyes searching for Jack among the guests. When I caught sight of him, my heart fluttered in my chest. For a moment I forgot to breathe.
 

He physically made my heart ache. I couldn’t believe that this gorgeous man was actually in love with me. I must have been very good in a past life to deserve all the good things in my life, because I sure as hell hadn’t been good enough in this one.

Elizabeth’s stirred in her sleep, and I shifted her in my arms, trying to keep her comfortable. Her chubby fingers grasped at my hair, and I winced as I tried to free the strands from her fingers. Not to be outdone, she turned her attention to the pearl necklace Kate had given me this morning. It had been made by Alexander’s company. Benjamin had arranged for me to have the pearls as a wedding gift, and he’d had a diamond necklace designed especially for Kate.

Even from my position behind Kate – where all I could see was her back – she looked stunning. Her wedding gown was simple and sleek, hugging her curves, and her hair was curled and cascaded over her shoulders. The front of her hair was pinned into place with individual hairpins, topped with tiny pearls.
 

Kate turned, looking back at me, and I could see the anxiety on her face.
 

I smiled at her, trying to look reassuring. I knew she wasn’t worrying about marrying Benjamin. She was just stressing over doing it in front of all of these people. Kate never liked to be the center of attention.

But when she took Benjamin’s hand, I saw her shoulders relax as the tension melted away.

Benjamin looked at her with eyes so full of love and pride that I felt tears prick at my eyes again.
 

I reached the end of the aisle just behind Kate, and I winked at Lauren, who was sitting beside Alexander. Lauren grinned at me.

Elizabeth gurgled happily in my arms as I made my way to my position to watch the ceremony. I smiled down at her and swallowed the lump in my throat.
 

Benjamin and Kate exchanged their vows as I looked on proudly.

I didn’t think I had ever felt happier in my life.
 

The day was just perfect.
 

Everything that I had been through over the past few years had led to this. Kate had found happiness with Benjamin, and I had found Jack.
 

I knew that the fact our mother couldn’t be with her on her wedding day hurt Kate. I would give anything to change that.
 

Our father had walked out on us when we were small, and for years it had been Mom, Kate and me together against the world.

When she died, everything went wrong.

It was times like this when the absence of a loved one could make you hurt physically. It felt like there was a hole in my chest, like something vital was missing. But that sad, dark cloud looming over me wasn’t going to ruin the day. As Benjamin leaned in to kiss Kate, I imagined my mother smiling down on us, and I smiled too.

Benjamin and Kate left for their honeymoon in Bermuda shortly after they had cut the cake. I had offered to take care of Elizabeth for them, but Kate didn’t want to be separated for that long, even on her honeymoon, so they had decided to take the baby with them, along with a new nanny.

After the bride and groom had left, most of the guests followed suit, and now, an hour later, the caterers were left clearing up after the wedding party.

The lights were dimmed, and the sound of music had been replaced by the sound of clattering plates and cutlery as the staff cleared the tables.

The day had gone as planned. There had been no upsets and no arguments between Lady Donnington and Rachel Stevenson, despite Kate’s earlier worries during the planning stages of the wedding. Everything had been perfect. Including Jack.

He had taken me in his arms when the orchestra played a slow, romantic number, and I had never felt so happy and so loved as I did in that moment.
 

I had my family, and I had the most gorgeous boyfriend in the world. It was such a turnaround from last year. I could barely believe it.
 

I stood in the corner of the ballroom, lost in my daydreams. I jumped when Jack put a hand on my shoulder. I spun around, and the room continued to spin even after I had stopped. I had definitely had a little too much champagne.

“Want to dance again?” Jack asked with a sexy grin on his face.

“There’s no music, silly,” I said.

“Let’s take a walk instead then.”

I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but he seemed a little tense. His usual relaxed expression seemed to be clouded with tension, but I didn’t give it much thought. I put it down to the fact I’d had too much champagne.

He took my hand in his and led me out of the ballroom where the reception had taken place. We walked along the corridor before entering the library, so we could slip out of the French doors unnoticed.

As we walked across the terrace, Jack suddenly stopped, turning his head sharply.

I hadn’t heard anything, but I followed his gaze and saw Alexander and Lauren at the far end of the terrace in the shadows.

Alexander towered over her. They were talking earnestly, and although they weren’t touching, there was something about their body language that implied intimacy.

Jack had noticed too. He frowned, watching them. But he obviously decided not to interrupt, because after a moment, he turned back to me and smiled. “Come on.”

I followed him across the lawns, trying to keep up with his long strides.
 

I giggled. “Are you trying to get me alone so you can have your wicked way with me, Jack Harding?”

The champagne had left me a little light-headed, but it wasn’t just the alcohol that was affecting me. I was drunk on Jack Harding too.

The champagne coursing its way through my blood made me forward, and I tugged against his hand, making him stop. When he stopped, I pressed my body to his.

I ran my hand along his zipper, feeling the length of him beneath his pants.

He groaned — a deep, husky sound that vibrated straight down to my core.

He pressed his lips to my forehead, but then he surprised me by pulling away.

“Not yet,” he said. “I want to talk to you.”

“Talking can wait,” I said and slipped my hand beneath his waistband.

I was satisfied to hear the sharp intake of his breath.

But his hands closed around my wrist and pulled my hand away. “Kristina, I’m serious.”

I grinned and wrapped my arms around him. But again, he took a pace backwards, putting distance between us.
 

I started to worry. This wasn’t like him. He had never turned me down before.

But then he did something that made my heart somersault inside my chest.

He dropped down onto one knee.

My jaw fell open as he rummaged in his pants pocket before pulling out a small velvet box.

A beautiful diamond solitaire ring shone against the dark blue velvet.

“I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kristina. Will you… Shit, what’s wrong?”

Jack scrambled to his feet and put his hands under my chin. With the pad of his thumb he wiped away a tear that was sliding down my cheek. Until he’d wiped it away, I’d hadn’t even realized I had been crying.

“Oh, no, don’t stop,” I said.

Trust me to screw up what would be one of the most important memories of my life
.
 

I tried to get a grip and furiously wiped my tears away with the back of my hand.

“But why are you crying?”

“I’m happy.”

Jack looked confused. “Happy?”

I nodded frantically, trying to compose myself. “Yes, so carry on.” He studied me for a moment as if he was trying to understand what was going on in my crazy head. Then he held up the ring. “Kristina, would you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?”

Yes, yes. A thousand times, yes.

I let out a totally unladylike squeal. “Yes!”

I flung myself at him, looping my arms around his neck, and my hands fisted in his hair as he crushed his mouth to mine.

I don’t know how long we stood there, under the stars, but as he kissed me, the rest of the world seemed to melt away.

Life couldn’t get any better. For the first time, I really believed we could make this work. We had our differences, but Jack Harding was mine and I was his and that was all that mattered.

“I love you,” he murmured against my lips.

My voice was a little unsteady as I replied. “Forever.”

His arms tightened around me as I leaned into him. “Always, baby.”

***

Dear Reader,

I really hoped you enjoyed reading FRAGMENTS as much as I enjoyed writing it. I loved the characters of Jack and Kristina and I’m so glad they got there happy-ever-after.

You can add your email address to my
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and I will email you as soon as my next book is released.

I’m considering writing a third book about Jack and Kristina called Whole Again. Right now, I’m pretty undecided, but if you would like to read more about them please consider leaving a review for Broken and Fragments so I can see how many people would like to read another book in Jack and Kristina’s world.