The Trouble with Valentine’s (22 page)

‘Very Lara Croft,’ he said.

‘I’d rather be Indiana Jones.’ And when he lifted a questioning eyebrow, ‘It’s the hat.’

‘I can see you in the hat,’ he said, his eyes darkening. ‘I can see you in nothing but the hat.’

‘First the necklace, now the hat.’ She could do this; get through this. ‘Maybe you’re developing an accessories fetish.’

‘The necklace was spectacular,’ he said with a wistful sigh. ‘The necklace will haunt me until the day I die. Now, so will the hat. Thank you so very much.’

‘Definitely an accessories fetish,’ she said. ‘I’m thinking shoes now. Stilettos. That might work for you too.’

‘It’s not the accessories.’

‘It’s not?’

‘No.’ He was close, very close. ‘You’re not wearing your rings.’

‘They’re in the bathroom. I hadn’t forgotten them. I just… .’ Hadn’t had the heart to leave them on. Hadn’t been able to bear the pretence any longer. She didn’t finish her sentence.

He went into the bathroom, came out with them in his hand.

‘You want me to wear them,’ she said, and felt her heart shatter into pieces. Of course he did. They weren’t done here yet. Not quite.

‘No. You don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to,’ he said quietly. ‘The thing is, I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do next too. I have a plan as well.’ And with a deep, ragged breath, ‘I want you to keep the rings.’

‘You’re giving them to me?’ Fine tremors racked her body as she looked away. ‘You know I can’t accept them.’

‘I’m not giving them to you.’ He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her back to face him, and now he could feel her trembling too. His eyes
widened, and he stroked his hand down her arm as if to soothe her but he didn’t let her go. Instead, he captured her hand in his and traced the knuckles of her wedding finger with his thumb. ‘Actually, I suppose I am giving them to you, technically speaking, even though there’s another one waiting for you at a certain store in Bond Street that would suit you more, but there’s a catch.’ His smile was crooked, his eyes uncertain. ‘You have to take me too.’

‘I… . what?’

‘I can’t let you go,’ he said quietly. ‘I won’t. So the way I figure it, you’re going to have to marry me for real.’

‘I … you want to marry me?’

‘That’s the plan,’ he said. ‘Of course it does depend on you saying
yes
to the plan. And it would really help my confidence if you stopped shaking.’

‘My brothers are going to kill you,’ she said faintly. ‘We’ve only known each other a few weeks.’

‘Was that a yes?’

‘I’ll drive you crazy.’ She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t break free of the blossoming joy that threatened to engulf her. Nick loved her! He wanted to marry her. If anything, her trembling increased.

‘Was
that
a yes?’ he wanted to know. ‘I’m taking that as a yes. But I’m going to need a declaration of love as well. Just to be sure.’

‘You want to hear me say I love you?’

‘It’s a crucial part of the plan,’ he said gruffly.

‘I love you,’ she said, bringing her hands up to frame his beautiful, beloved face, laughing when his arms came around her as if he’d never let her go. ‘Yes, I’ll marry you. I’m going to be the best corporate wife you’ve ever seen.’

‘No!’ He was half laughing and wholly alarmed as he picked her up in his arms and headed towards the bed. ‘I don’t want a corporate wife.’ And with a catch in his voice that pierced her to the core. ‘All I want is you.’

Jasmine, John and Kai were on hand to farewell them as they left for the airport the following morning. They didn’t feel like business associates these lovely, generous people, thought Hallie, they felt like family. ‘Thank you,’ she said warmly, holding out her hand to John. ‘For your hospitality and your kindness. It was a pleasure meeting you.’

She turned to Jasmine next as Nick shook hands with John and added his thanks to hers. ‘I’m going to miss you,’ she said as she embraced the younger
girl. ‘Keep in touch. Let me know your plans. And don’t forget to come and visit.’

And then there was Kai, standing by the front door, a little apart from Jasmine and her father as he waited to drive them to the airport. He wore the same dark plain clothes he always wore and he was once again carrying concealed. The odd little green pendant around his neck was new. ‘Thank you,’ she said simply. ‘For everything.’

‘Stay safe, Hallie Cooper.’

‘You know, once Jasmine goes, you’ll have nothing to do,’ she murmured. ‘You might decide to travel, and if you do you may decide to visit us too. My door will be always open to you. I have brothers who’d really like you. And you’d like them.’

Kai just smiled.

Hallie watched as Nick completed his farewells, an affectionate hug for Jasmine and a simple heartfelt thank you for Kai. They’d been through so much together - all five of them- that lies and half-truths no longer seemed appropriate. Had never been appropriate, thought Hallie wryly, not really. But she had no wish to upset things just as they were leaving. No wish to watch this comfortable intimacy turn to wariness and suspicion so she kept her mouth firmly shut on the subject of her
fictitious marriage to Nick and comforted herself with the knowledge that next time she saw them she
would
be married to him.

Nick joined her by the door and Hallie would have turned to leave but for Jasmine who’d retrieved a bright red parcel from the entrance table and was holding it out towards her. ‘For you and Nick,’ she said impishly. ‘From my father and I.’

Oh, dear. With all the excitement of the past couple of days she’d completely forgotten to get a parting gift for them. The corporate wife had slipped up again. ‘I, ah, really wasn’t expecting a parting gift,’ she said awkwardly.

‘Open it,’ urged Jasmine.

So she opened it and stared down in astonishment at the little jade horse she’d so admired the first time she’d met John. ‘Oh, my Lord,’ she whispered, looking to Nick for explanation but he looked as baffled as she was. What kind of parting gift was this? Had they gone nuts? Parting gifts were small, inexpensive mementos of a person’s stay. Chopsticks were parting gifts, or a pretty silk scarf … Nothing wrong with a packet of fragrant green tea leaves either, come to think of it, but this … This was crazy. She didn’t understand the gesture at all. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ she said
frankly. ‘It’s absolutely exquisite. But it’s not a parting gift.’

‘Of course not.’ John Tey’s mischievous smile was remarkably like his daughter’s. ‘It’s a wedding present.’

F
LIGHT 124 FROM HONG
Kong to Heathrow touched down with a screech and a swerve at five p.m. on a grey and blustery afternoon but neither the weather nor the bumpy landing could dim Hallie’s happiness. She was manicured, pedicured, pampered and polished and was corporate wife chic in her lightweight camel-coloured trousers and pink camisole and jacket. Her shoes matched her top, her handbag was Hermès, and Nick was at her side, thoroughly eye-catching in his grey business suit and crisp white business shirt minus the tie. She was the woman who had it all and it was all she’d ever dreamed of.

That didn’t mean she was a pushover.

‘I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me you told John we weren’t married,’ she said as she stared down at the little jade horse in her handbag. What
with that and the funeral vase, customs was going to be a real treat.

‘I was going to tell you,’ said Nick. ‘Right after I proposed and you accepted but I figured I’d leave it a few minutes on account of the timing not being quite right. I wanted you to be quite sure I was proposing because I wanted to and not because I’d just blown our cover.’

Ah. It was slightly disconcerting just how well Nick knew her.

‘Then, when I was just about to tell you, I got distracted.’

‘By what?’

‘You don’t remember?’ He sighed heavily but his eyes gleamed with lazy satisfaction. ‘How soon a wife forgets.’

Hallie did remember. And blushed at the memory of their fiery lovemaking. ‘After that.’

‘After that my brain had turned to mush,’ said Nick and it was Hallie’s turn to sigh. It was almost impossible to stay angry with Nick when he was being charming, which was most of the time, but she didn’t want to set a precedent.

‘We’re partners,’ she said firmly. ‘I expect you to share these little details with me.’

‘Ah.’ It was a very uncomfortable sounding ‘Ah’. ‘There’s something else I should probably
mention before we go through customs and out into the arrivals terminal,’ said Nick.

She stopped mid-stride, and eyed him narrowly. Nick’s mouth twitched as he pulled her into his arms and his mouth descended on hers, regardless of the people streaming past them. By the time the kiss ended, she was dazed, aroused and doubtless dishevelled, but she wasn’t distracted. ‘You were saying?’ she said smoothly.

‘Clea’s meeting us here.’

‘So?’ To Hallie’s way of thinking that was hardly a problem. ‘I like your mother.’

‘So do I,’ said Nick, and then they tackled customs and stepped through the final set of doors and out into the arrivals area. ‘But she said something about Valentine’s Day being good to me, and I’m really not sure if there are going to be cupids and shiny red heart-shaped balloons involved. It’s possible.’

‘And it would be awesome,’ said Hallie. ‘I have a new role model.’

‘No,’ said Nick hastily. ‘No you don’t. Resist.’

‘There she is,’ said Nick a few steps later, and there she was, a vision splendid in magenta and lime chiffon with a leopard-print handbag that matched her shoes. No Valentine’s Day accoutrements were in evidence. Yet.

‘I knew it!’ said Clea when they reached her. ‘I knew you’d be perfect together. Mothers can sense these things.’

Hallie snickered as Nick suffered his mother’s enthusiastic embrace and then she too found herself enveloped in a fragrant cloud of Clea.

‘You
are
going to marry him, aren’t you, dear? Let me look at you. There, of course you are!’

‘Did you tell her?’ muttered Nick. ‘I didn’t tell her.’

‘Apparently mothers can sense these things,’ said Hallie.

‘Wait until you have children of your own. You’ll see,’ said Clea. ‘Oh, you’re going to give me such beautiful grandchildren!’

But Hallie didn’t appear to be listening. She was looking past Clea, her startled gaze fixed on a dark-haired man leaning against a column some distance away. He was big and lean and all muscle, his hair was shaggy, and he was looking their way, his focus absolute. Nick watched with fatalistic calm as the man dislodged himself from the column to stand and glare at him with amber eyes as fierce and untamed as a mountain cat.

‘I think you’re about to meet Tristan,’ said Hallie.

He’d figured as much. ‘He looks a mite put out. Are you sure you left him a note?’

‘Right there beneath the toaster. I swear.’

‘I see.’

Tristan had finished taking his measure and was now staring at the hastily re-wrapped funeral vase tucked beneath Nick’s arm, his expression grim.

‘He knows about the vase,’ she muttered.

‘That’s Interpol for you.’

‘You’re not taking this seriously enough, Nick.’

‘Trust me, I am.’

From what Hallie had told him, her brothers were protective of her. And regardless of him wanting to marry her
now
, there was no denying he’d carted her off to Hong Kong under false pretences, had his wicked way with her, and allowed her to waltz, practically unprotected, into the lair of the local warlord.

Tristan started towards them.

‘You’re going to run, aren’t you,’ said Hallie morosely. ‘They always run.’

‘Absolutely not,’ he said, tearing his gaze away from her brother to send her a reassuring smile, and then Tristan reached them, nodding politely enough to Clea before shooting his sister a wrathful, baffled glare that Nick could identify with. Then it was his turn to meet that flat golden gaze.

‘So …’ Tristan let the word trail off ominously. ‘How was the trip?’

‘Stop that!’ Hallie stepped forward to stand protectively in front of him, hands on her hips, eyes flashing. ‘You be nice to him!’

Tris’s gaze cut to his sister, to the wedding rings already on her finger, and Nick saw a familiar wilfulness there along with no small measure of love. ‘Why?’

‘Because he’s mine, that’s why! Because I love him and I’m going to marry him and we’re going to have beautiful babies together, so back off!’

‘Babies?’ echoed Tristan.

‘Gorgeous, adorable babies,’ said Clea, throwing in a grandmotherly smile for good measure. ‘Soon.’

‘How soon?’ Tristan’s searing gaze cut to Clea. Nick rolled his eyes in disbelief.

‘Not that soon,’ he said firmly, ‘Later.’ He reached out to pull Hallie back until she was once more standing by his side. ‘Please,’ he said dryly, ‘don’t try and help me.’

‘But—’

‘No.’ He silenced any further protest with a warning glance. ‘I let you call the shots in Hong Kong but you don’t have to rush to my defence here. I don’t need your protection,’ he said softly. ‘I
don’t
want
your protection. Not this time. You of all people should understand that.’

‘Fine.’ She sent him a glance that held equal measures of self-mockery and frustration. ‘He’s all yours.’

‘Hard, isn’t it.’ Nick leaned down and kissed the generous pout of her mouth because he couldn’t resist. ‘Have a little faith. Maybe we’ll bond.’

‘Tris doesn’t bond all that well,’ said Hallie, shooting her brother a dark glance.

‘Don’t push him, Hallie. Your brother loves you. He only wants what’s best for you.’

‘That would be you,’ she said with quiet certainty.

Nick looked down into Hallie’s vibrant, beloved face, a smile on his lips and in his heart. ‘Hold that thought,’ he said. And kissed her again.

Three years later …

Hallie Bennett-Cooper hadn’t insisted on a Valentine’s Day gift from Tiffany’s because she was in love with shiny baubles. She did it because she was madly in love with her husband, he loved being tortured, and who was she to deny him?

She’d taken to torturing Nick lovingly and often – there was the ‘I bought you a new vase’ torture – Nick had quite the collection these days. There was the ‘Clea and I are having lunch today’ approach – that was happening today
after
the trip to the jewellers. Nick didn’t know it yet, but Clea was bringing a Valentine’s Day date. Hallie didn’t know who, but she was looking forward to it.

Entertainment was Nick’s business, a big and astonishingly lucrative business, and Hallie and Clea did their damnedest to keep the man inspired.

‘Henry,’ murmured Hallie as she stepped through the doors of the jewellers and landed in another world. She walked in a lot of worlds these days, because of Nick, and she loved each and every one of them.

‘Mrs Bennett-Cooper.’ Henry’s wide smile encompassed both Hallie and Nick. ‘Looking as vibrant as always. More so, actually.’

‘Why,
thank
you, Henry. I was hoping someone would notice.’

‘I noticed,’ said Nick. ‘I just haven’t commented yet.’

‘Henry, we’re in need of a little Valentine’s Day trinket to make me feel truly appreciated.’

‘I have just the thing,’ said Henry.

‘I knew you would.’ Hallie beamed.

Henry brought his heels together and bowed, ever so slightly, in his Friday-night-poker-buddy’s direction. ‘I’ve been saving it for you at Nick’s request.’

‘Henry, did you just bow to him?’ said Hallie. ‘Something new in the service manual?’

‘I’m making him feel special. Of course, it’s now up to me to make
you
feel even
more
special,’
said Henry as he led them to a viewing area and signalled discreetly to an assistant. By the time they were all seated, the assistant was handing Henry a slim presentation box that Henry opened with exquisite ceremony and set on the table in front of them.

Hallie leaned forward and gasped at the pair of antique silver and jade hair sticks nestled on plush white velvet.

Nick leaned back and smiled.

‘They’re not new,’ said Henry. ‘But we do have provenance and they’re perfectly wearable.’

‘Do you like them?’ murmured Nick. ‘Not too bland? Because I wouldn’t want you to feel unlike yourself while wearing them.’ Nick’s drawl was lazy and his eyes were smiling.

‘They’re exquisite.’ Hallie wondered if now was the time to mention her gift to him. Maybe it was.

‘I have a gift for you too,’ she said and took Nick’s hand and threaded his fingers through hers. ‘It’s just that I can’t let you have it just yet. You’re going to have to wait another five months, three weeks and six days before you can hold this particular gift in your hands. Give or take.’

Nick paled. ‘You’re not—I mean—we—
what
?’

Maybe this wasn’t the time and place after all.
Hallie took his hand and placed it gently against her stomach. ‘We’re going to have a baby.’

‘That’s what I thought you said.’

‘You did say you
wanted
children.’

‘I do,’ he said instantly. ‘I do. I just …’ Nick passed a big hand over his face and looked towards Henry.

‘Clea for a grandmother,’ murmured Henry, well and truly intent on torture. ‘A daughter with your recklessness, her mother’s imagination and looks, and unlimited choices when it comes to what she’ll grow up to be and do. You really didn’t think this through, did you?’

Hallie grinned, patted Nick’s hand, and reached for one of the hair sticks. Nick still looked thunderstruck, but she could see the news sinking in. The tiny tilt of his lips and the growing awe and satisfaction in his eyes. Oh, yes. As far as reactions went, that would do. She wound her hair around her hand and pinned it atop her head. ‘Stop scaring him, Henry.’ And to Nick, ‘Does this make me look like a Madonna with child?’

Nick opened his mouth and shut it again with a snap. He tried again.

Nope.

‘I may need one of those floaty Goddess-of Fertility dresses,’ said Hallie.

‘You’re beautiful and I love you.’ Finally Nick found his voice. ‘And I may need to take up meditation in order to stem the rising panic. Because my first instinct is to buy my daughter a gilded cage. You have those here, right?’ he asked Henry.

‘Special order.’

‘Our children won’t need a gilded cage, Nicholas. Wise and loving counsel will do.’

‘Yes, but where are they going to get that?’ Nicholas grinned suddenly, and Hallie blossomed beneath the enveloping warmth. She could do this. They both could.

‘Don’t make me poke you with my hair stick,’ she warned him. ‘It could be dipped in dragon venom. You never know.’

Hallie watched as Nick’s eyes grew dreamy again. He was probably adding hair ornaments to game girl Xia’s weapons arsenal. Or maybe he was thinking about fatherhood. Multitasking mastermind that he was, he was probably thinking about both.

‘I don’t suppose you have any hair stick daggers in the shop?’ she asked.

‘It’s not that kind of shop,’ said Henry, eyeing Nick warily. ‘Has he just gone into shock? Should I bring out the Scotch?’

‘He’s not in shock. He’s just busy.’ Hallie picked
up the other hair ornament, tucked it haphazardly into her hair and smiled at Henry. ‘Do your customers go into shock a lot?’

‘Usually over the price.’

‘Understandable, really.’ Hallie waved a bejewelled hand in front of her husband’s face. ‘Hey, Nick. Daddy of the future.’
That
snapped him back to the present. ‘Maybe you could build a gilded cage for our children in fantasy land and set a gorgon or two to guarding it. Treat it the way you would a therapy session with a good psychiatrist.’

‘Maybe I could consult with your brothers over the best way to protect our child,’ countered Nick.

‘You really don’t want to be doing that.’

‘Oh, but I do.’

There was the tiniest chance that Nicholas was serious.

‘Oh, this is going to be good,’ said Henry. ‘Shall I bring out the silver spoons?’

Two hours, a silver spoon and one double Scotch for Nick later, Hallie and Nick walked into the dining room of one of London’s landmark hotels and found Clea and her mystery guest already seated and enjoying pre-luncheon drinks. Clea’s mystery guest was Jasmine Tey.

‘This is why I love Valentine’s Day,’ said Hallie, when hugs had been exchanged all round. ‘Always the unexpected delight.’

‘Same as every other day she wakes up in,’ murmured Nick as he kissed first Jasmine’s cheek and then his mother’s. Clea smiled. Jasmine regarded him fondly.

‘Why didn’t you tell us you were in London?’ Nick demanded of Jasmine. ‘Does your father know you’re here? Please tell me your father knows you’re here.’

‘He’s practising,’ said Hallie. ‘Ignore him.’

‘I only arrived two days ago,’ said Jasmine. ‘I applied for a semester exchange between my university and Oxford and got it. I’ll be studying here for the next six months.’

‘Practising for what?’ Clea eyed her son narrowly.

‘Fatherhood,’ said Nick, and if his chest expanded and those glorious blue eyes shone brighter than usual, well, Hallie could get used to that. ‘It’s pending. I’m adjusting. We’re going to have a baby.’

Clea smiled. Then she laughed until tears threatened to spill. Then she ordered champagne all round, except for Hallie who had bubbles in her water instead.

‘How’s your father?’ Hallie wanted to know of Jasmine. ‘What’s Kai doing?’

‘My father’s well – he has a lady friend,’ said Jasmine, with a nod for Hallie’s wide- eyed response.

‘And do we approve?’

‘We do,’ replied Jasmine. ‘As for Kai, he’s currently overseeing the Tey Corporation’s expansion into Northern China. He bought himself a house in Harbin in Heilongjiang Province.’

‘What does that even mean?’ asked Hallie.

‘It means that he’s finding his way,’ said Jasmine and reached into her bag for her phone. Moments later she handed it to Hallie.

The house in the photo had been influenced by Russian architecture more than Asian. It wasn’t small. The quiet pride in Jasmine’s eyes spoke volumes. ‘Do you have Kai’s number?’ Hallie asked. ‘May I text him with our news?’

Jasmine nodded. Hallie found the number, keyed in the message and then got a passing waiter to take a picture of them all before pressing send. ‘I hope you sent chocolates to Kai at his beautiful new house today,’ she said.

‘But no.’ Jasmine smiled serenely. ‘I sent them to his office, where they will be seen and commented upon, and I signed my name to them
because my admiration for him is certainly no secret and hasn’t exactly faded. Give it another year or so and Kai might even believe it.’

‘Good things do come to those who wait,’ said Hallie as the phone in her hand trembled in response to an incoming message. ‘Huh. Look at that. Kai sends his congratulations. He wants to know where we are.’ Hallie felt altogether inclined to tell him. Another message came in as she was doing just that. ‘Jasmine, he wants you to avoid the crab and apparently I need some bird’s nest soup. That is so sweet.’ Hallie handed the phone back to Jasmine. ‘We should take a photo of the smorgasbord for him. Tell him we wish he was here.’

‘Not too forward?’ asked Jasmine.

Not forward at all, decided Hallie, Nick and Clea. More like playful. ‘Although you
could
initial that message personally,’ murmured Hallie.

So Jasmine did.

Halfway through their meal a small army of wait staff arrived at their table. The bright-eyed, caramel-coloured teddy bear delivered to Nick was big enough to require a seat of his own and the waiter gravely informed them that the bear’s name was Kai and he was available for future bodyguard duties. The five dozen long-stemmed red roses presented to Jasmine did not come in a vase – they
came in a white beribboned box and the card that came with them brought a glow to her cheeks. The cheap Russian vodka came from John Tey.

‘Very good for shock,’ murmured Jasmine, and the laughter that followed flowed free.

‘What did the card say?’ asked Hallie once the chaos had subsided, and Jasmine smiled shyly and passed the little red card over to her.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Traveller
, it read.
3yrs – 1yr 342days = 388days.
And counting.

THE END