Kiss On The Bridge (21 page)

The minister gave Wade and Anneli the go
ahead. They leaned forward to kiss for the first time since being
married.

A cheer rang out. Wade and Anneli were
swamped by well wishers. The group numbered seventy five,
consisting of close family and friends.

After the photos were completed of the happy
married couple, Darryl yelled. “Food is waiting for us back on my
ship. Everyone come. Three launches I have paid for are idling
under the bridge.”

The group walked as one down the stairs to
the water’s edge. Clambering aboard the group was whisked away from
the bridge.

Darryl’s ship had been decked to the
waterline in wedding decorations. Music greeted each one of the
group as they climbed the gang rail. They were helped onto the deck
by the Captain. Helping Anneli onboard, Wade felt someone grabbing
him on the shoulder.

“Wade, congratulations,” barked the
Captain.

“Thanks brother. I’d like to add, thanks for
stalling Darryl and this fine ship.”

“You owe me.”

Wade chuckled, slapping him on the shoulder.
“Indeed I do. Anytime you want help, call me.”

“You can start by watching the uniform. I
don’t want it creased.”

The Captain slapped Wade on the shoulder
again before handing him and Anneli a glass of champagne. “Between
the three of us I want to propose a private toast. Anneli and Wade
have a great life.”

Anneli kissed Wade’s brother on the cheek.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“Brother, if at any time you steer this
lovely young woman in the wrong direction or you see her wrong,
I’ll be at your door.”

“There’s no possible way it will ever
happen,” insisted Wade, placing his arm around Anneli’s waist.

Darryl walked onto the elevated platform over
looking the dance floor. Off to one side a five tired wedding cake
sat in the middle of a long narrow table.

“Before we continue the festivities of the
celebration between my daughter and Wade, my new son,” announced
Darryl through the microphone. “I have something important to
say.”

Wade, Anneli, her four brothers and the
guests looked at the man.

“First thing I want to say is; Wade, welcome
to my family. This ship is as much yours as it is everybody who is
here tonight. I also wish to announce publicly I have an apology to
make. Our first three meetings didn’t go well. I have learnt a
thing or two since then. The first thing I’ve learnt is to watch
out for your right hook, it’s a definite winner.”

The guests roared laughing then cheered
Wade.

“The most important thing is; I’m pleased
Anneli didn’t listen to me when she insisted on going against my
wishes and struck out on her own to find a husband. If I’m the only
one here who feels this way; as Anneli says; ‘suck it up.’ Wade, in
my books you’re a good bloke.”

Wade stood, raising his glass. “I want to
make a short speech. On behalf of Anneli, I accept your apology.
After our long talk I want it known, you Darryl, are a good bloke
too. Your sons are also okay. Thanks guys for being in the wedding
party.”

The guests raised their glasses. After each
of Anneli’s brothers welcomed Wade into the family, the married
couple walked to the dance floor to waltz a slow song. Halfway
through the song they were joined by the guests. After the dance
Wade escorted Anneli from the floor. Spying Meredith at the bar
Wade strolled over.

“Meredith, I have a question I need you to
answer.”

She placed her empty whisky glass on the bar,
signaling for the barman to fill it. “I’m sure you already know the
answer,” she taunted looking directly at Wade. “If you insist on an
answer to your question, ask away.”

“First I want to say thank you for helping me
to find your sister.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now for my question, why did you help?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Curiosity,” replied Wade.

“Is it the only reason?” Meredith downed
another shot of whisky. Slamming the glass onto the bar next to the
other four she ordered another to be filled. She sat watching the
barman pour liquid into a fresh glass.

“What else should there be?” asked Wade.

Meredith squared herself to Wade. “What do
you see when you look at me?” She lifted a finger at him. Before he
could answer she answered her own question. “There’s no way I want
my sister to end up a drunken, broken woman. We discussed my future
life before I married. Anneli disagreed on my ideas. I should have
listened. Don’t feel sorry for me. I chose the money over
love.”

“It’s never too late.”

“Save your breath.” Meredith downed yet
another shot and ordered two more. “Tell me something, Romeo. Now
the marriage between you and my sister is done. I have a question I
want you to answer.”

“What if I don’t, what will you do?”

Meredith slapped the empty shot glass on the
bar. “Okay, you win. I know when I’ve been told to leave well
enough alone.”

Before Wade could tap Meredith on the
shoulder she’d walked away. He felt sorry for the woman. Maybe he
and Anneli could one day help her change her outlook on life, show
her the right road to travel along.

Meredith stopped abruptly. Staggering back to
the bar, she stood swaying in front of Wade.

“Can I ask you my question?” asked
Meredith.

“It depends.”

“If you decide to answer I need you to be
honest.”

Wade gave her a warm luring smile.

“Okay Romeo, tell me how you wooed my sister
into marriage. Don’t tell me it was the note in the bottle thing.
It’s too much of a coincidence.”

“You’re right; however, the note did play a
minor part in the fate of us coming together. Don’t forget, you
helped.”

Meredith rolled her eyes. “Please continue.
This ought to be good.”

Anneli walked up behind her husband, placing
her arm around his waist. “What’s all this? Meredith you’re not
trying to steal my husband?”

“The thought never entered my mind.”

Wade gave his bride a lightning kiss.
“Meredith wanted to know my secret of wooing you into
marriage?”

Anneli grinned. “Sis, let me tell it this
way.”

“I’m listening.”

“On second thoughts, Wade, the story might
sound more authentic if you say it. I haven’t the luring eyes.”

Wade looked seriously at Meredith. She
instantly looked uncomfortable over the whole scene.

Anneli tightened her grip on her husband,
waiting for a response from her sister.

Wade’s voice never faultered in the delivery
of the sentence which flooded an emotion charged feeling which
swept Anneli’s spirit.

“How would you react if a tall handsome
stranger came up to you on new-years-eve and asked for a kiss?”

Dear reader,

Thank you for reading my novel ‘Kiss on the
bridge.’ I do hope you enjoyed it. Any feedback is gratefully
accepted. The information you, the reader give, helps me to become
a more professional author.

My novels are based on the Australian
culture. Some of the spelling is Australian. Thanks for your
understanding.

Kiss on the bridge

Kiss on the bridge two.

Kiss on the bridge three.

Don’t tell my secret (series)

201 Mat Street.

Mail Run.

Again thank you for your support, for without
you, the reader, I wouldn’t have anyone to read my work.

Mark Stewart

Email: [email protected]

Other novels I have written
in the way
of romance are: Kiss on the bridge.

The perfect gift:

Legendary blue diamond.

Legendary blue diamond two

Legendary blue diamond three

The blood red rose.

Blood red rose two.

Blood red rose three.

Crime novels: Fire Games.

Heart of a spider.

I know your secret.

The copy cat murders.

Children: A Troglian knows and Luke’s cubby
house. Malcolm’s cubby house.

Smashwords has various short stories.

Below is the synopsis of my novels.

Don’t tell my secret. Adventure romance.

How far will you go to keep a secret?

A mysterious woman enters author James
Buxton’s world at the same time he meets Mia. When the woman tells
him she wants to write her last novel he jumps at the chance. Then
she says he can have the royalties. She dictates, he types about
Lilly who lives in the 1940’s and her struggles to survive. Lilly
and Suzie vow to take their unspeakable deed to the grave.

Synopsis: Kiss on the bridge. Adventure
romance.

How would you react if a tall handsome
stranger came up to you on new-years-eve and asked for a kiss?

Kiss on the bridge is set in the year 1974.
Cyclone Tracy made land fall in Darwin on 25
^th
December
1974 at 9:55am desecrating Darwin. After Tracy had swept the state
there was nothing left except this story? Out of the ruins love
sparked and mushroomed between Anneli and Wade. They were destined
to meet and tell their story for decades to come.

Synopsis: The Perfect Gift. Adventure
romance. Available Smashwords.

Naomi is twenty-six and doesn’t like the way
men mistreat her. She decides a change is needed and applies to be
a jillaroo on a cattle station named the Oasis. Its location is in
outback Australia. She meets a cowboy, Trent, who is a rodeo
champion. They agree on a bet. Eventually both want out nonetheless
neither wants to be first.

Through a series of adventures stretching
from the city, to a fast flowing river in the outback where Trent
must save Naomi from drowning, love germinates in the middle of a
storm.

In her heart, Naomi is a woman who adores the
city’s nightlife, but as the sun sets on each day, the Australian
outback is enticing and the excitement of the city fades. Then she
inadvertently saves the Oasis.

Love is growing, then Brandt; Naomi’s
obsessive ex-boyfriend tracks her down. Can Trent save her one last
time?

Synopsis: Legendary Blue Diamond. Adventure
romance. Available Smashwords April 10
^th
2012

HISTORIANS AND researchers say the birth of
the legendary blue diamond originated when the earth was being
born. Some say the legend commenced at the union between a man who
had skin, the colour of the night sky and a woman who had skin the
colour of the sun. Rumour has it the diamond was no larger than a
single carrot. Lately there have been whispers the deep blue
coloured diamond was reported to be in excess of nine carrots
possibly even ten or higher. What I believe isn’t important, though
I assume it lays somewhere in between. There’s been bush talk from
the Australian Kimberley’s to Melbourne; whosoever touches the blue
stone will die, for it is cursed by God. I believe it is due to
man’s greed and the blood that drips from his hands is the truth
behind the cursed stone.

I have extensively researched a great number
of books on the subject looking for a start date to the
authenticity of the legend. I think I may have uncovered the actual
events, but I have no way of proving if the facts are correct. I
have been able to ascertain the legend was born around the mid
1800’s AD when the State bank of Victoria was in its infancy. A
gold prospector unearthed the diamond. In days he had sold it. The
buyer was a man in charge of the bank. The diamond was indeed dark
blue in colour, but definitely a one off, stroke of luck find. One
cold dark night a bushranger, his brother and a third man came into
a small town searching for the blue diamond. They never found it.
The banker was tortured for the information of the stone’s
where-a-bouts. He took the knowledge of its existence to his grave.
Of late a possible theory has been circulating the man’s wife has
it in her possession. How she escaped from being murdered was any
one’s guess.

If you ask me, do I believe in the story,
I’ll answer you truthfully. I know it only to be a legend.

Synopsis: Blood Red Rose. Vampire adventure
romance. Available on Smashwords.

“You can’t force me to drink that, I’m
innocent,” yelled Haleton. “Rose-a-lee what have you done?”

There was no reply.

William Haleton is a normal man looking for
love and the good life then the council of four modifies his DNA
and uses him as a guinea pig. They transform him into a vampire.
Pleading his innocence falls on deaf ears.

Haleton is hungry for the next evil soul, but
deep down he has a burning desire for the love of a girl. Her blood
is sweet and hypnotic. Her genetic makeup is his perfect match.

Being transported again through time is not
an option.

The clock is ticking.

Haleton will do anything to stay by Amber’s
side, but is it possible for her to love him? Can Craig Benyon,
Amber’s close friend, be trusted? After all he loves her as much as
William Haleton.

If an antidote to the vampire’s curse is
found in time, will it be successful, or is everything Haleton
going through part of the vampire curse?

Synopsis: Fire Games. Crime. First book in
the series. Available only from publish America.

Detective Alan Kendal puts his life on the
line to outplay the psychotic arsonist known as Patrick.

Detective Kendal is ordered to team up with
Detective Claire Ambroso, whom he’s known since school, but she
carries a secret and he has a grey past. Which one will come
forward to haunt first? Kendal grows suspicious of his new partner
when she aims her gun directly at him and pulls the trigger. What’s
her motive? Is she Patrick’s accomplice? If not, who is?