Chloe got to work early with the intention of getting to her office and not having to interact with any other employees along the way. Thankfully the building was quiet and she had the place to herself. She strode past empty desks and dark offices until she reached hers and slipped inside, closing the door behind her and taking a breath. She moved over to her desk and set her handbag in the bottom drawer before sitting in her chair and looking at the work piled up on the surface of the desk. She breathed through the panic. It would be okay. She just needed to take it one step at a time. There was a lot of work to catch up on but she would get through it if she just stayed focused. Her computer came to life and she clicked through to her email. Peyton usually checked her email and flagged the ones she needed to deal with personally so her inbox wasn’t overflowing. Peyton had dealt with all the small details and had left her detailed notes about the things she needed to deal with. O
The intercom on Declan’s desk buzzed and he huffed in annoyance. Taking the week off to spend with Chloe had been good in theory but he had now been back at work for a week and he was still playing catch up. In fact, he’d been so busy that he had hardly seen her, although they kept in contact via phone and email. Tonight they were going out to dinner and then the weekend stretched out before them, in which he planned to spend as much time with her as he could to make up for his neglect. “Yes,” he said impatiently into the intercom. “You have a visitor,” Shelley replied. “I thought I made it clear that I wasn’t to be interrupted?” he growled. “It’s your mother,” she replied. He made sure his finger wasn’t on the talk button and swore. “Fuck.” The last thing he needed right now was to speak to his mother. He was still reeling from the little chat he’d had with his father. Legal was looking into his options and Barry was taking the lead on setting up the shell company so that
“Excellent,” she said, rising and straightening her skirt. “You can pick Annalise up at seven-thirty.” He jumped to his feet. “Excuse me?” She turned and smiled at him and his gut swooped. He felt the jaws of her trap closing around him. “Will you walk into my parlor?” said the Spider to the Fly. “Annalise will be accompanying you to the fundraiser.” “That wasn’t part of the deal,” he replied hotly. “You said that Chloe won’t be up to attending and I can’t have you go alone. Annalise is a lovely young lady and more than willing to step in as Chloe’s replacement.” There it was. This was the whole reason for her little charade. She was hoping that if she dangled a little bauble in front of him he would jump at the chance. But she was wrong. It didn’t matter who Annalise was what she looked like or how lovely she might be, he didn’t want anyone else. He wanted Chloe and there would be no temptation to stray no matter who his mother flung in his path. “Fine,” he replied wi
“I saw your ‘fiancé’ last night.” Chloe whipped around to face Dr. Shane and took a breath to steady herself. It was her first shift back at the hospital since Caitlyn had died and it already had her anxieties acting up without adding Dr. Shane into the mix. It didn’t help that they were in an isolated hallway that led to the locker rooms. “I’m sorry?” she asked, looking for a way out of this conversation. “Last night at the Leukaemia Foundation fundraiser. Your ‘fiancé’ was there.” He actually used air quotes. “Curiously, you weren’t.” Declan had been at a fundraiser last night? He’d told her he had to work late, was that what he was doing? She shrugged at Dr. Shane. “I wasn’t feeling up to attending,” she said. She didn’t know what the hell was going on but she knew Dr. Shane was trying to catch her out in a lie. Maybe she and Declan weren’t really engaged, but there was definitely something between them, something more than just a mutually beneficial a
She hated that when men looked at her they thought she would be easy, that she would lay down and spread her legs for them just because she was pretty. She hated that people saw her as a bimbo, a brainless blonde who had nothing more to offer society than her body. It’s why she preferred the company of children. That’s why she chose to dress up as Disney princesses. Chloe preferred the fantasy of a knight in shining white armor coming to slay the dragon or Prince Charming rescuing her from the evil queen to the reality of men who thought she was theirs to manhandle. She rested her forehead against the side of the cubicle and wished that Declan was there. No, she didn’t, she realized with a pang. He had lied to her. She had thought he was different from all the other men she had dated, but he had just shown his true colors. He’d gone out with another woman and had lied about it. Now she understood what his attentiveness last night was all about. He’d felt guilty so he had come hom
“Uh, hi?” she said, “I hope I have the right house. I’m the entertainer for Abby’s birthday party.” The woman gave her a once over and the corner of her lip tipped up in a sneer. “You’re supposed to be dressed as Cinderella.” Chloe held up the garment bag she carried. “I just need a room to change. The dress isn’t exactly conducive to driving.” The other woman swung the door open as someone came down the stairs. “Heather? Who was at the door?” Chloe looked up to see Becky. Cassie’s friend arranged her features in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Chloe,” she said, “you’re here.” “I am,” Chloe replied, “I just need a room to change.” “Follow me,” Becky said, turning around and heading back up the stairs. Becky led her into what looked to be a children’s playroom. It didn’t bother Chloe in the slightest. She had the whole getting changed thing down pat now and the room was large, bigger than most she had to work with. Becky didn’t stay, which a
“So it’s not just me, then,” Brian said before sipping his beer. “Chloe is incredible,” Barry said joining the group. “I’ve never seen Abby so enamored before… except maybe when we went to the royal wedding. This is definitely on par with that.” Declan brooded and sipped his beer. Barry was right. Abby looked at Chloe like she hung the moon and the hero worship was as cute as hell. “I doubt Becky is very happy about it,” Declan replied. Becky had the look of a slowly approaching storm cloud and Declan had the feeling it had little to do with how the party was progressing and a lot to do with the way Abby was following Chloe around. “She’s a little sensitive where Abby is concerned,” Barry said. “Having Heather here doesn’t help.” They all looked over to where Abby’s mother was sitting. She’d taken up a position by the pool in one of the sun lounges and had utterly ignored the goings on at the party. “She wanted to come to be here for Abby, but I thin
His own pulse was beating a staccato rhythm and a rush of relief washed over him as her eyes snapped at him. If her anger was anything to go by, she would be fine. “Let me go.” “No,” he said, “not until you tell me what happened.” She looked from him to Cassie and something in Cassie’s gaze must have given her pause. “What happened?” she asked and the tremor in her voice cracked his heart wide open. “You fainted, sweetie,” Cassie said reaching over to take her hand. “Declan caught you before you hit the ground.” Cassie drew her eyebrows together in concern. “Are you okay? Has this ever happened before?” Chloe shook her head slowly. “I fainted?” she asked. “That’s never happened before.” “Have you been sick?” She jolted at the sound of his voice but then held herself unnaturally still. “It’s probably just because I haven’t eaten this morning,” she said. “I was too nervous before the party.” “You’re saying this is because of low blood su
Six Months Later…Everyone he loved was in the room. They were celebrating. Barry and Becky had finally set a date. Lisa and Mason wouldn’t be far behind. Brian and Cassie kept sneaking glances at one another that they thought nobody else noticed. He thought he knew what was going on but he didn’t want to ruin the surprise. It was their news to share and he was happy to wait for them to be ready to share it. Liam and Loretta were here too. He’d been slowly getting to know them. There was a lot of hurt to work through, but they were getting there. Jonathon quite enjoyed having a younger brother even if it was only in small doses at the moment. Devi and Kirra were also there. Kirra was graduating in a couple of weeks and then she would be hopefully attending one of the universities close to home. She wouldn’t know if she got accepted until the new year, but Jonathan was quietly confident that she would get into her top pick. And then there was Emma. Every day with her was
“I know it’s too soon,” he said, cupping her cheek. “But I want you to know that I am in this for good. I want to spend my life with you Emma. I want us to be a family. You, me, Kirra, Devi, Liam, and Loretta—” “Loretta?” “My mum. I want one big, messy family with you and me at the heart of it. Tell me you want that too.” She pressed against him and brushed a kiss on his lips. “I do,” she said before putting the remaining half of the chocolate in her mouth and grinning. The wheel came to a stop and he drew Emma to her feet, moving them both over to the window. The entire city of Melbourne was spread out below them, but it dimmed in comparison to the woman in his arms. “I love you, Emma,” he whispered before kissing her while they stood on top of the world.He took her home. He couldn’t not. They had stuff to work out and a relationship to manage. He had a family to get to know and she had her mother’s illness to navigate and her sister’s final year of sch
He stepped into the pod and waited for the door to close before holding the final box out to her, his mouth dry. She reached for it but he snatched it away, lifting it beyond her reach. “Before I give this to you, I need to explain.” She looked from the box to his face and nodded. “Okay.” The wheel started to move and Jonathon moved them over to sit on a bench. He exhaled roughly. “Okay, so I don’t know how much of this you already know, but how about I just start at the beginning?” She nodded again. “My mother left when I was two. I always believed she left us for a man with money. I’ve recently found out that wasn’t true.” He took a deep breath and her hand rested gently on his chest as she moved closer to him. He took strength from her closeness. “Someone was impersonating me—” “Liam?” He nodded. “Right. Liam. It turns out Liam is my brother. He was trying to draw me out and get me to notice him. He ultimately wanted to meet his father. He didn’t
“Are you looking for this?” the security guy asked, holding out an old-fashioned paper ticket. Emma laughed as she snatched it from him, waving it over her shoulder as she jogged toward the front doors of the building. She slid into the car and Brian looked at her expectantly. “Um…” Emma looked between Brian and Cassie. “I want to say Luna Park, but I don’t think that’s right.” “Why Luna Park?” Cassie asked. Emma held up the ticket in her hand. “We went to a fête in Merveille and rode the Ferris wheel.” “The Melbourne Star,” Brian said, his voice gruff. “Of course!” Cassie cried excitedly, leaning over to give Brian a smacking kiss. “You’re brilliant.” Emma could barely keep still as Brian drove them across town toward the Docklands and the giant observation wheel. As much as she was enjoying herself, she wanted to see him. She had already forgiven him for his lie and now she desperately wanted to ask his forgiveness for her stupid, fearful, erratic
She walked around the corner expecting to see Jonathon outside the patisserie, but there was no one there. She stepped inside breathed in the sweet scent of pastries and chocolate and looked around, hoping to spot him, but he wasn’t there. “Are you Emma?” a lady asked. “Yeah,” Emma said, turning to the woman who sat at a small table with a familiar little box in front of her. “This is for you,” the woman said, standing and walking away. Emma sat and took the box, pulling at the bow and opening it to see another chocolate truffle, this time it had an ’S’ written on top of it in dark chocolate. She didn’t need the little ‘Eat Me’ note to know what to do. She put the truffle on her tongue and closed her eyes. The chocolate coating melted away to leave behind a cake center with the sweet tang of apricot jam. “Sachertorte,” she mumbled to herself as she sighed and opened her eyes. Emma picked up the note that had nestled beside the truffle in the box.The first time we made lov
Dear Emma,The first time we met I wanted to kiss you. I knew I couldn’t. I knew it was stepping across a line both personally and professionally, but still, I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt.Our relationship has had an unconventional start, a bit of a rocky middle, and an absolutely appalling ending, but there were some real high points along the way. Let me remind you of how good it was between us and how good it could be again.Do you remember our first kiss? I don’t think I will ever forget it. I thought I knew what I was getting myself in for when I leaned down to brush my lips across yours, but I was a fool. You were so much more than I ever thought I would ever experience. You took my breath away and I lost a little bit of my heart to you at that moment.If it meant as much to you as it did to me, meet me there at the place where we first kissed.Jonathon.Emma could feel the wetness on her cheeks and she sniffed as she wiped at the tears. “Well?” Cassie asked, rocking o
It was the first Saturday morning Emma could ever remember that had the three of them sitting around the kitchen table eating pancakes and laughing. What would have been a simple, family Saturday morning ritual for some was something out of a fairy tale for Emma. She knew they were a long way from being a happy family, there was still a lot of hurt to navigate and broken trust to overcome, but it was a start and for once in her life, she was willing to just go with it. On this day, Devi was back to the woman she vaguely remembered from before Tom died and Emma wanted to soak it up and memorize it. From pancakes, they’d gone to gardening. Emma shared her plans with Devi and Kirra. She would let the lease go on her flat and move back in here permanently. It meant she would be on hand if Devi needed her and hopefully give some stability for Kirra’s final year of school. After she graduated and went off to uni, Emma could look at what would happen next. They all agreed that if they were
Emma wanted to believe her, but it was tempting to turn away and close her heart off so she couldn’t be hurt again. Except it would hurt anyway. If there was one thing she learned through this whole saga with Jonathon it was that closing your heart off to others was a mistake. You ended up hurting everyone that way, not least of all yourself. She put her arm around Devi and hugged her. “Good for you mum,” she said.Jonathon worked all night and most of the day. He tried calling Emma but when she didn’t pick up or reply to his texts after the first twenty or so, he gave up. What he had to say needed to be said in person anyway. Inspired by the woman he had fallen irrevocably in love with, he had spent the night holed up in his test kitchen creating the perfect set of truffles. Anybody could buy a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers but only he could create an entire set of truffles that spelled out just how much he loved her and how much she had impacted his life. He had words
Kirra said when Emma finally made it home. Emma had been wandering around the city trying to come to terms with what all this meant for her life going forward. She had made some hard decisions, but she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It hadn’t helped with the pain in her chest where her heart was currently crumbling away to dust, but at least she knew that she wasn’t going to end up like her mother just because she had fallen in love. Life was always going to throw her curve balls and she just learned something about herself. Despite her previous belief, she was actually strong enough to withstand them, even swing the bat at them, and make the best out of a bad situation. “Hey, yourself,” she said, sitting at the table opposite Kirra. “Where’s Zoë?” “She had to go and run some errands.” “Where’s mum?” Kirra bit her lip and her eyes teared up. “I don’t know.” “She’s not here?” Emma asked, sitting up straighter and leaning forward. “When I got home, Z