Home For Christmas (14 page)

Her phone rang as she added a reminder to her list and Tate’s photo popped up on her screen. That was quick.

She took a deep breath and answered the call. ‘Hey.’

‘Hey yourself.’

She grimaced at his tone. ‘Did you see my text?’

‘Yeah.’ Tate drew the word out. ‘It’s a no.’

‘Do you want to think some more before you say definitely no?’

‘Nope.’ His sigh echoed down the line. ‘She’s not going to ruin our first Christmas together.’ He wasn’t yelling, that had to be good. ‘We’ll spend our first Christmas with the important people in our lives. Maybe she’ll get to ruin it some other time, but not this year. This year is for us.’

‘I worry about her.’

He sighed again. ‘Sometimes, I worry too. Once the silly season is over I might try and figure out where she is and go visit one weekend.’

‘I could come with you.’ Layla tried to keep the hope out of her voice.

‘Not that first time. It would complicate things and that’s not fair on either of you.’

‘I guess so.’ Layla twirled a strand of hair around her finger. ‘I want both of you to know the happiness of family, of belonging.’

‘I do know the happiness of family.’ His voice deepened. ‘I’ve got you, and you’re the most important person in my life.’

‘You’re the most important person in my life too.’ Layla sniffed back a sob.

She was so lucky to have a man like Tate in her life.

Bonsai Christmas, Gibbs Bay, December 25

‘Whisky.’ Layla put on her stern voice and pointed to the dog hammock in the shade of the veranda. ‘Bed.’ He was already hobbling after his enthusiastic exploration of the cemetery this morning, he didn’t need to keep her company as she paced.

Panting, he stopped at his water bowl, then slunk down the stairs and disappeared round the side of the house. Layla couldn’t help but smile. Some time in the last week, while she’d been frantic with deliveries, Whisky had discovered he could squeeze in under the veranda and had dug himself the canine equivalent of a hill fort, protected on all sides but with visibility to both the front gate and the driveway.

Two nights ago he’d been nowhere to be found when she arrived home. Her frantic search had discovered first his scraped-out entry point, then him, beautifully cool and gently snoring, deep in the fresh, damp earth on the southern side of the house. She glanced down at the scratches on her hands and knees from her desperate commando-crawl when she’d called him and he hadn’t responded.

Layla reached the far end of the veranda and pivoted. Maybe she’d missed Tate’s message to say he’d collected the hire car and was on the way. She patted her pockets and fear surged through her.

Damn, she must have left the phone inside after Carise rang. She crossed the veranda in seconds and flung open the screen door. She checked the kitchen, then the lounge. No phone.

Think
.

She played the morning over again. Cemetery. Home. Finished preparation for lunch. Shower. Kitchen. Veranda. Carise’s call. Bedroom.

Heart pounding, she hurried back down the hall to her bedroom and spied her phone sitting innocently on the dresser. She checked the display.

Still no message. Tate had promised to text her as soon as his flight landed. Christmas was notorious for flight delays but two hours was unreasonable. At this rate, they’d be having lunch at dinnertime.

She pocketed her phone and walked back through to the lounge. She stopped, transfixed, in front of the eight-foot-high fir she’d been nurturing since June. Her company’s first ever full-size live tree, wrapped with handmade garland comprising thousands of gold hearts on swathes of sparkly scarlet ribbon. Piles of presents were stacked around its base, a sea of red tied with gold and green. She ran her hand lightly up its perfectly manicured side and smiled. Their first Christmas together was going to be one they remembered forever.

If he ever got here.

She spun around and was on her way back to the kitchen to log onto the computer and check the airline site when a thunderous knock made her jump. She walked out into the lounge and as her eyes adjusted to the intensity of the summer sun behind her silhouetted visitor, her heart stopped.

‘Tate.’ She ripped the screen door open and launched herself into his arms.

‘Layla.’

His lips captured hers, and she melted against him. A full minute later, he dropped his mouth to her neck and whispered, ‘I’ve been dreaming about this moment ever since you ripped my heart out by making me leave you in Glen Innes.’

Layla’s stomach clenched. ‘Me too.’ She reached up to run her finger down the chiselled contour of his cheek. ‘You were going to ring when your flight landed.’

He captured her hand in his and kissed each of her fingertips. ‘I thought you liked surprises.’

‘I do.’ Heat coursed through her. ‘You’re the best surprise of all. Come on in. I’m so happy you’re here.’

‘I wouldn’t be anywhere else.’ He followed her into the lounge and captured her hand in his. ‘I’ve missed you.’

‘I missed you too.’

‘Come with me.’ Tate pulled her over towards the tree. He stopped and turned her towards him. Slowly, he ran his thumb over the back of her hand and stared into her eyes. ‘Layla, I love you. Now and forever.’ He reached into his pocket and produced a small velvet box. He dropped to one knee. ‘Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’ He flicked the lid back and offered up an enormous inky sapphire, surrounded by diamonds.

Time stopped.

Layla opened her mouth a few times but nothing came out. ‘Oh Tate,’ she finally managed, drawing in a shaky breath. ‘Yes…Yes…Yes.’

Tate’s face lit up. He eased the ring onto her finger. ‘Layla, you’ve made me the happiest man alive.’ He kissed her again, this time long and slow, and when he raised his head his eyes were dark with passion. ‘No matter what happens, no matter where we end up, I know we’ll always share a loving home for Christmas.’

The End

They’ve been colleagues, allies and best friends forever, but he wants more — and he’s not above using the magic of the Christmas season to get it
.

When Business Development Executive Ellie Halligan is offered the job of a lifetime in Paris, it seems her chance to live a fairytale adventure has finally arrived. Her only hurdle is convincing legal eagle Justin Murphy — her boss and friend since childhood — to wave his boss’s wand and waive her four-week resignation period so that she can start her adventure by Christmas. But Justin proves to be a demanding fairy godmother. He’ll let her go early, but not unless she spends time with him over the festive season up until New Year.

Ellie doesn’t know what to do. Is Justin finally looking at her romantically after all these years, or are far more threatening dynamics at play? Justin has a secret, and he seems to want to pull her back into a past she’d rather forget. But delving into that old pain might be the only way to move forward — and for Justin to finally be free. But will doing this for Justin become Ellie’s final gift of love as she loses him forever?

One treasure map; a pair of priceless emeralds; two very keen hunters — only one can win, but who says that competition can’t be a little fun?

When sweet, pretty Ariana Noonan knocks out treasure hunter Luke Donahue with a champagne bottle and steals his treasure map, he vows to get his map back, find the missing priceless emeralds…and exact a fitting revenge.

When Luke finally discovers Ariana in a dingy hotel on a remote tropical island, she’s in desperate straits and he finally gains the upper hand. Of course he will rescue her. His price? They act on the attraction that’s been simmering between them from the very beginning.

But all is not as it seems, and Luke’s sexy bargain turns up not only an unbelievable secret, but Ariana’s reasons for wanting the emerald. Suddenly, nothing is clear-cut anymore, and map or no map, Luke and Ariana are sailing into uncharted territory.

From Nicole Flockton, author of
Bound by her Ring –
the last thing he wants is an emotional attachment to his new assistant, but it might be the only thing he truly needs
.

Nick Rhodes has been burned before, so when he hires a new assistant, he has one rule: no emotional attachments. On either side. Pamela Bishop is everything he needs in a professional colleague, and comes with an ironclad guarantee – she absolutely will not fall in love with him.

Pamela Bishop has only one goal in her new job: getting on top of the mountain of debts incurred through her mother’s medical expenses. Jeopardising this chance by falling in love with her arrogant, if handsome, employer is the last thing she would ever do.

But as the lure and romance of New York City surrounds them, and Pamela and Nick find themselves spending more and more time together, they can no longer ignore the attraction flaring between them. Nick has always lived by his own rules – can he learn to break them in time to grab this one chance at happiness?

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