Roses For Sophie (20 page)

‘This is my childhood home,' Sophie told him with a sigh. ‘Although Grandfather also has a home on Sydney Harbour at Kirribilli, I've always felt more relaxed here. I feel my tension ebbing away as soon as I hit the freeway and leave Sydney behind.'

‘Those are the Barrington Tops' mountains, right?'

‘Yes. They make a beautiful backdrop for the vineyards.'

Logan pulled the car up at an intercom system outside the imposing iron gates and pressed a button to lower the car window electronically. The security camera zoomed in on the car.

‘Hello, Mr Jackson. Welcome home, Sophie.' Sophie recognised Daphne's voice through the intercom. The housekeeper made no effort to disguise her excitement at their arrival.

‘See you soon, Daphne,' Logan replied as the gates swung open.

Poplar trees lined the driveway which led up to the grand mansion situated at the top of the hill. The Carlisle home afforded three-hundred-and-sixty degrees of beautiful panoramic views of the Pokolbin district, and Sophie loved it.

‘You met Daphne when you visited,' she said to Logan.

He inclined his head. ‘She's a lovely lady. She struck me as having a very warm personality.'

‘She's been a mother figure to me. My grandfather and Daphne are a lot closer than they let on.'

Logan nodded. ‘I got that impression too.' He turned off the car engine. With his left arm extended, he said, ‘Give me your hand.'

She felt bewilderment cross her features as she raised her right hand and placed it in his.

He shook his head. ‘Your other hand.'

Arching an eyebrow with curiosity, she did as he bade.

Taking her left hand in his, he shifted a little in his seat and retrieved something from his right trouser pocket. ‘This, my gorgeous fiancée, is for you.'

Sophie gasped in awe as he slid an exquisite ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. ‘Oh!' She stared at the magnificent emerald-cut diamond engagement ring. It was a beautiful design, and what she guessed was a seven-carat diamond was surrounded by a halo of invisibly set emeralds. The platinum band was set with diamonds and the ring sparkled on her finger as though it was made for her hand. As quickly as her heart had soared, it plummeted. Their engagement was a farce; she had no right to wear this ring. ‘It's magnificent but I can't possibly wear this!'

‘Of course you can.'

‘No. I —'

‘We're announcing our engagement. You'll be expected to have a ring.'

A wistful sadness, and a longing for something that could never be welled within her. ‘This is way too much.'

‘You don't like the ring?'

‘It's absolutely beautiful, but it must be worth a fortune!'

Logan laughed.

‘What's so funny?'

He shook his head. ‘You amaze me. You're an heiress, I'm a billionaire, and you make a statement like that.'

‘Just because I've had a privileged background doesn't mean I don't appreciate the cost of things.' She knew her tone was defensive, but better that than he realise she was sad. This incredibly beautiful ring should represent a precious relationship. Being given an engagement ring should be one of the happiest moments in her life but it was just the opposite, because it reminded her of all she wanted and couldn't have. It reminded her that she'd been down this road before. Whilst Peter had never given her a ring and thankfully their so-called engagement had never been announced to the world, she had worn a ring to declare to the world she was Jake's fiancée. That relationship based on practicality rather than romantic love had ended disastrously.

Being given this ring reminded her that although she and Logan weren't going to go through the public interest of a divorce, the break-up of their engagement would still be reported and would attract media attention.

‘I'm not criticising you, Sophie. That you appreciate the value of something when you're so wealthy is just one of the things about you that I respect.'

Respect.

There was that word again.

Every time she heard that word now, she almost flinched. Far from being a compliment, it was starting to grate on her nerves. She wanted to be married for love, not out of respect, and certainly not because her partner needed to win a custody case!

She twisted the ring on her finger. ‘Wearing this ring makes me uncomfortable.'

‘Is it too tight?' He studied her hand.

‘No.' How did she make him understand her feelings without revealing her heart?

‘I think it's perfectly-sized, sweetheart. Anything larger would've seemed ostentatious and that wouldn't suit your personality. Anything smaller simply wouldn't reflect the value I place on you.'

Did he value her? Of course he did. He just didn't love her.

‘It's not the size of the stone; it's the concept of wearing it that upsets me. I feel like a fraud.'

‘Sophie, you've agreed to this engagement. You know I'm determined to make you see the merit of marrying me as well. I still want you as my wife, not just as my fiancée.'

For the purpose of securing custody of his goddaughter.

At the first sting of tears, she averted her gaze and bit down on her lip.

‘These diamonds come from one of my mines in Canada. I had the ring made up especially for you. The emeralds remind me of your eyes.'

Her head snapped up. ‘Hang on…Just when did you arrange this?'

‘The morning after we became lovers.'

‘Wednesday? The same day you visited Grandfather? Less than two nights after we met?' The world was spinning way too fast as she sought to put his presumptuous actions on a timeline.

‘I told you, I'm a make-things-happen kind of guy.'

He'd picked up the conductor's baton and begun orchestrating things in her life at supersonic speed. She wasn't sure she liked that. It didn't matter that they were in perfect harmony in so many areas. It felt like he was manipulating her and that she was being a pushover.

Leaning toward her, Logan framed her face in his hands and kissed her so passionately her body felt boneless.

‘Smile, honey,' he told her between kisses. ‘Let me make you happy.'

He mightn't be in love with her, but he was so tender and caring, maybe it was enough. Sophie wondered if it really would change anything between them if he could label his feelings for her as being in love. Was she just hoping for too much?

Logan glanced through the window of the car and said, ‘Daphne's coming.'

Daphne spotted the huge, sparkling diamond and emerald ring the minute Sophie got out of the car. ‘Oh, Sophie! Sophie! How wonderful! This is fabulous news, your grandfather will be thrilled!'

There was no time to dwell on Logan's feelings for her. A little confused and more than a little heavy in her heart, Sophie pinned a false smile to her face and gave the housekeeper a hug. ‘Hi Daphne!'

‘Never mind about Rigby, Daphne, I'm the one who's ecstatic Sophie's finally accepted my proposal,' Logan said as he took their overnight bags out of the car. He made it sound as though they'd been in a relationship for years instead of days. It also made her remember just how easily he'd gotten her to this point and how sure he must've been of her, given that he'd ordered the ring so soon after meeting her.

It was a reminder that this was all about convincing her grandfather and the court that what they had was real.

‘Congratulations, Mr Jackson.'

‘I think you'd better call me Logan now I'm going to be part of the family.'

‘Part of the family?' Rigby came out of the country mansion as they walked toward it. Grinning from ear to ear, he held his arms out to Sophie and she walked a few paces into his embrace.

‘Hi Grandfather.' She was shocked at the weight he'd lost. It had only been a week since she'd seen him. Surely such rapid weight loss wasn't a good sign?

Rigby pulled away slightly from her and lifted her left hand from his shoulder so he could examine the ring. ‘About bloody time somebody fell in love with you! I was thinking the young men of today were either all gay or walking around with blindfolds on!'

Sophie cringed inwardly, knowing Rigby was way off the mark.

‘Congratulations, Logan. I'm glad you managed to persuade her.' Rigby clasped Logan's hand and shook it heartily, not showing any sign that he was ill.

Logan placed a possessive arm around Sophie's waist and drew her to him. ‘I never thought I'd have to work so hard to convince a woman to marry me.'

Rigby chuckled. ‘Her grandmother was the same. Led me a merry dance, she did, but she was the real deal and I knew it from the second I laid eyes on her.' He looked toward Daphne. ‘Then I fell in love again, but my proposals have never been accepted.' Daphne looked at her feet as Rigby continued. ‘Women can sure be a challenge, Logan. We'll celebrate your happiness with a bottle of my finest champagne over lunch.'

Sophie frowned. ‘Hasn't the doctor advised you against drinking?'

‘Damn the doctors!' her grandfather declared. ‘You're engaged to a man I heartily approve of, and no doctor can stop me drinking to that!'

When Sophie opened her mouth to protest, Daphne's expression implored her not to make a fuss.

‘I'll go and get some from the cellar,' Rigby said.

‘Call me psychic, Rigby,' Daphne's voice was a little overbright, ‘I've already got a bottle chilling.'

Rigby beamed. ‘Don't know what I'd do without you, Daphne.'

‘You'd be at least half an hour late for everything and turn up wearing a tie that clashed with your shirt.'

Amid more laughter, Sophie willed herself to relax against Logan and forced her mind away from dwelling on her grandfather's ill health. Instead, she allowed herself to give in to a dream that her engagement to Logan was a reality. How wonderful it would be if her handsome lover was her fiancé for all the right reasons. The need to hear him utter the words ‘I love you' was becoming a tangible ache. Even if he couldn't voice those words, she wished he would feel love for her and express that sentiment by bringing her masses of red roses. That gesture would declare his love to her in a way that this glittering jewel on her finger didn't come close to doing. If Logan ever turned up on her door carrying red roses, it would mean so much more than the priceless diamond and emeralds that seemed to mock her each time they sparkled in the sunlight.

‘Why don't you show Logan up to your suite and then join us for lunch?' Daphne suggested.

Feeling all sorts of a fraud, Sophie took Logan's hand they made their way to her suite of rooms.

‘Alone again at last,' he said as he closed the door and drew her into his arms.

Sensing he was about to kiss her, Sophie lowered her head a fraction. ‘I think they bought our engagement.' All the while they'd been with Daphne and her grandfather, Logan had been so attentive, so lover-like, Sophie had found it all too hard not to fall for the act herself. Every look, every touch, was so loving from the man who professed not to do love.

His lips were warm against her temple. ‘Make it real, Sophie.'

No. No.
No!

Pulling out of his embrace, she took agitated steps away from him before running a hand through her hair and swinging back to face him. ‘I can't marry you and I sure as hell don't have the time to play mother to Charlotte when I've got Carlisle Mining to run.' Her words were fast and panicked. ‘This was such a mistake. If we break off the engagement before the court case, it's going to look to the court like you can't do commitment. You should have found someone else.'

Pain lanced through her as she uttered the words. Had she really just told this living, breathing man that she loved he should marry someone else?
What was she thinking?
She wasn't making sense, and this irrationality was an indication of her inner turmoil. God, she wanted to marry him, but how could she when he wanted her for the wrong reasons?

Taking a step toward her, his voice was calm as he said, ‘Hey, what's brought on this panic?'

‘I've never been a liar, Logan, and that's what this engagement is.' Feeling miserable, she crossed her arms defensively across her chest and hung her head. ‘It's what I've been ever since I walked into the restaurant at Centrepoint Tower.'

‘You're being pretty tough on yourself. Didn't you see the pleasure on Rigby's face at our announcement?'

She felt the firmness of his fingers under her chin as he cupped her face and urged her to look up at him.

‘The next few months are going to be tough for you, as your grandfather battles this cancer. It's going to be even tougher if we assume that Rigby will hand over control of Carlisle Mining to you and you have the company to run as well. I can help you through all you have to face.'

‘No. It's something I have to do by myself.'

He dropped his hands to her shoulders. ‘Why?'

Why?
The question ricocheted around her head. ‘Because it's my responsibility.'

‘You think your grandfather will want you to shoulder that burden alone? You told me yourself this is one of the very reason he wants you to marry.' Frustration was etched into his features.

‘You'll be busy establishing your base in Australia. You'll be busy with Charlotte.' Oh dear, that sounded like a complaint from a sulky child who thought she was neglected.

‘Taking some time away from work this week, I've realised I've been working way too hard. There's no need any more for me to put in the hours I've been working. I've got good people in place in Canada. Setting up in Australia may require some long days initially, but there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to find people here that I can place the same degree of trust in.' He ran his hands down her arms, and she uncrossed them. There was an expression of total sincerity in his regard as he said, ‘I've never done anything in my life by halves, Sophie. I mean to be there for Charlotte, and for you. Your position at Carlisle is important to you and I will support you in any way I can — although I'll also try to encourage you to get to the point where you can rely on your executives and not be indispensible.'