Authors: Susan Lewis
Kissing her fingertips, she touched them gently to Chloe’s cheek. It would be wonderful to think she could simply erase the trauma of Chloe’s early life, and silence the demons for ever, but she knew they’d probably stir up trouble somewhere along the way, because those sorts of demons always did. Her own hadn’t really kicked off until she was in her teens; maybe it would be the same for Chloe. Whenever it happened she had a mother now who’d be there for her, making sure she had all the help she needed and that she never doubted how much she was loved.
It was the most she could do, the best she could do.
Smiling as Chloe’s eyelids flickered, she began wondering about the journey life had sent them on in order to bring them to today. There was no point trying to understand it, because she would never be able to. Instead, she was simply going to feel thankful over and over again for the way things had turned out. And that Anthony had played such a vital part in it was making it more incredible, more special than ever.
Who could possibly have imagined this time a year ago that she’d be where she was now? Certainly not her. It was proof indeed that life could turn things around, and in ways it was impossible to foresee. Of course she understood that the future was likely to have plenty more challenges in store, but all she was going to think about now was Chloe, Anthony and the new baby inside her who was still her little secret – and the wonderful new home in New Zealand with a vineyard, a restaurant and room for her to create her own business. She’d be close to her mother so they could carry on making up for all the years they’d lost, and now she no longer had anything to hide Gabby and her family could come to stay. In fact, their first trip was already planned for Christmas, just six weeks away.
Hearing the door open, she looked round and smiled as Anthony came in.
‘Are you OK?’ he asked, coming to sit on the bed beside her.
‘Better than that,’ she whispered, linking her fingers through his. ‘Are you?’
Smoothing a curl from Chloe’s brow, he said, ‘I’m fine. Though, actually, there is one thing that’s bothering me, and I thought it might be a good idea to bring it up now.’
‘Oh?’ she said, waiting for his eyes to return to hers.
When they did, he seemed perplexed as he told her, ‘I’ve been trying to decide when would be the best time to make honest girls of you, before we go to New Zealand or when we get there.’
Laughing as she wondered if her heart could take any more joy, she asked, ‘And have you come to a decision?’
He nodded. ‘I think I have.’
‘Are you going to share it?’ she prompted.
‘Well,’ he responded slowly, ‘it seemed to me, that if Gabby’s going to be around for Christmas, we could perhaps persuade Maggie and Ron to come too, and have a family wedding at Te Puna.’
Imagining the vivid red flowers of the pohutukawa – pokwa – tree hanging over the beach, with everyone she loved in scant summer clothes and bare feet in the sand, she sat up to put her arms around him. ‘That’s a wonderful idea,’ she whispered, wishing she could tell him about the baby now, but still mindful that this was Chloe’s day.
As they kissed, Chloe stirred in her sleep and turned on to her back. ‘Mum-my,’ she sighed softly.
Gazing down at her, Charlotte whispered, ‘Chloe.’
When they were sure she wasn’t going to wake up, Anthony said, ‘So is that a yes?’
‘If it’s a proposal it is.’
‘Then I guess,’ he murmured, his lips already on hers, ‘we could make the announcement tonight.’
‘Yes, let’s tell everyone tonight,’ she agreed, thinking of how thrilled they’d all be.
However no one, not a single person in the entire world, could be as happy as she was right now.
And now, as her mother kept reminding her, was all that really mattered.
Acknowledgements
An enormous thank you and much love to my dear friends Vanessa and Richard Owen for making this book possible, and for such a warm welcome to New Zealand. To say the first half of the story couldn’t have been written without them is an understatement indeed, particularly the patient and painstaking attention Vanessa gave to the proof read. The Owens have the great good fortune to live in the house I have described herein as Te Puna Lodge, and some of you might be interested to know that the bach is a perfect romantic hideaway. If you’d like to find out more, the web address is:
www.driftwoodnz.com
Many warm thanks also go to Fiona Shepherd of Arohanui Early Childhood Learning Centre (especially for introducing me to the Jump Off ring); and to John Roberts for explaining police procedure for the arrest.
Once again I am hugely indebted to my dear friends Ian Kelcey and Gill Hall for guiding me through the legal maze of the criminal case, and the even denser process of family law. If you’ve already read the book by the time you turn to these acknowledgments you’ll be very aware of how vital their input was.
No book of mine can be complete without thanking the incredible team at Cornerstone: my brilliant editor Susan Sandon; the constant and always supportive Georgina Hawtrey-Woore; the wholly inspiring talents of Louise Page, Jen Doyle and Sarah Page; and the wizardry of Robert Waddington and everyone in Sales. Also my thanks go to my good friend and agent, Toby Eady.
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Epub ISBN: 9781409023821
Version 1.0
Published by Century 2013
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Copyright © Susan Lewis Ltd 2013
Susan Lewis has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work
This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental
First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
Century
A Random House Group company
Addresses for companies within The Random House Group Limited can be found at:
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The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009
ISBN 9781846059537
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library