Unbreak My Heart (Childhood Sweethearts Reunited) (6 page)

***

The following day after lunch, Kate walked over to the hotel to wait for Andre. She spread her jacket under a shady tree, laid Keiko down and sat cross-legged beside her. From her bag she dug out a small sketchbook and a piece of charcoal. She sketched the fountain in front of the hotel and then doodled images of the manor house's gargoyles. She couldn't see them clearly from here, but she knew those grotesque faces by heart.

All around the grounds stood granite sculptures of fairies and mythical creatures, dragons, a phoenix, a centaur, a unicorn, and numerous other curiosities, some so badly eroded by the sea air and coated with lichen it was difficult to determine their shape. Most dated back to the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries. It was said that at midnight on All Hallows Eve they came alive and circled the manor house. She had drawn the statues many times when she was a girl, and Andre had staked them out on October 31 to disprove the old wives' tales.

Kate let the images run through her mind to spark ideas for a new hotel brand. Currently, Andre used the concept his grandfather had introduced: historical grandeur combined with luxury. Hardly original, but tried and tested. With the popularity of fantasy in books and movies it made sense to exploit the Caspian's magical reputation. But they needed a specific motif to work with for promotional purposes, something to go on the stationary and advertising literature.

Maybe the gargoyles would work? She held up her pad and angled her head thoughtfully. The crunch of car tires on gravel interrupted her musings.

A silver BMW swept down the drive, circled the fountain, and halted directly in her line of sight. An expensive car but not impractical. Far better than the extravagant two-seater things Andre's father used to drive. Andre slid out, closed the door and raised a hand in greeting. "Kate!"

He headed across the lawn toward her. The natural flax tone of his linen suit accentuated his dark coloring, and she sucked in a breath of appreciation. He looked great, but he'd look better still with soft, worn denim hugging his thighs and a tight T-shirt molding his muscular chest. Did he ever kick back and do scruffy anymore? Somehow, she thought not and it made her sad.

He sauntered over and glanced down at her sketchbook. "Drawing something?"

Kate shaded her eyes and squinted up at him. "No, I'm baking a cake." He gave her a long-suffering look, and she smiled mischievously. "I'm tossing around ideas for the hotel project, looking for inspiration."

"That's great. I'm glad you're already planning. Are you ready to go? I've got something to show you."

"Give me a minute." Kate quickly checked Keiko's diaper and then tucked her things back in her bag.

Andre squatted and tickled Keiko's tummy. "You're a little cutie pie, aren't you?" He smiled down at Keiko and a potent mix of emotions tightened Kate's chest, stealing her breath. Andre might have changed and on the surface resemble his father, but he was still one of the good guys.

"Would you like to pick her up?" she asked.

"Me?" Andre blinked at her as if the idea hadn't even occurred to him. Then a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, all right."

Kate tensed as Andre slipped his hands beneath her baby's body. Up until now, she had not let anyone else handle Keiko except her mother. "You must support her head when you lift her."

"Okay." He adjusted his grip, then flicked her a nervous glance. "Is this right?" She nodded. He lifted Keiko and gingerly settled her against his chest. He was so gentle, his hands large and masculine, cradling Keiko's diaper-clad bottom and her shoulders. Poignant feelings ran through Kate and her smile wobbled.

"She's sort of stiff and floppy at the same time," he said, touching a tiny fist curled against the front of his jacket. He kissed the top of Keiko's head. "You've got hair as soft as kitten's fur, you funny little thing."

Kate's eyes filled with tears. If only Keiko had a father like Andre. He'd apply the same dedication and enthusiasm to caring for his child that he gave to everything he valued in life. Every development Keiko made would be recorded and checked against the norm, but he'd love her and protect her just like he protected Kate when they were children.

"Kat...Kat, you're away with the fairies." She came back with a start and found him laughing at her. "How do you do that, drift off in the middle of a conversation?" He nodded toward his car. "Open the door for me, will you?"

She did what he asked and found a baby car seat inside. "When did you get this?"

"An hour ago. Let me put her in before I drop her." He leaned past Kate and settled Keiko in the baby seat, then stood back with a sigh of relief. "You strap her in. I'll watch so I know what to do next time."

He rested his arm on the roof of the car and leaned over Kate as she adjusted the straps. His jacket brushed her back and all she could think about was his solid, masculine presence behind her. He ducked his head to get a better view and the scent of his sun-warmed hair filled her nose. Her hands trembled. It was more by luck than judgment she finally got the length of the straps right and buckled Keiko in.

He shut the car door and glanced at his watch. "We'll have to hurry. We've got fifteen minutes before your hair appointment."

"My what? You want to change my hair?"

He gave her a sheepish look as he held the door for her. "Your hair is a bit unorthodox at the moment, Kat. I know creative types get away with being alternative, but I need you to convince Edmund you're not only a professional designer, but a woman I would marry."

Cold streaked up and down her spine at his words. Was it so unlikely he'd be attracted to the real her? It must be if he needed to transform her before his friends and associates bought into the fake fiancée charade. She glanced back at Keiko in her lovely new car seat and sighed. She owed Andre, and she would help him. But she promised herself that no matter how he altered her appearance, she would not change inside. "Thanks for thinking of Keiko, Andre. I don't know how I'll pay you back for the car seat."

He waved her comment away. "Consider it a gift. I enjoyed choosing it. That seat's part of a baby travel system. It has enhanced suspension and large wheels so it can be used on all terrains." Methodically, Andre listed all the features he'd considered. Behind his businessman's suit, a frustrated scientist still lurked, desperate for something to analyze.

The back of her eyes pricked. These days she often felt close to tears. Perhaps it was due to postnatal hormones, or stress. Or perhaps being with Andre had stripped away the defenses she'd built around her heart. She found it impossible to keep him at a distance. He knew her secrets, her hopes and fears. She pressed her hand against her mouth and stared off across the fields.

"You're very quiet. Are you all right?" Andre asked.

She drew in a catchy breath and pasted on a smile. "Fine. I'm just wondering what you're planning to make me wear."

***

By the time they found somewhere to park and walked to the salon, they arrived ten minutes late for Kate's hair appointment. Marcella's was up a small side street. From the outside, the salon didn't look big, but it took up all three floors of the building. The décor included a lot of chrome, glass, and black marble, and a transparent spiral staircase occupied the middle of the room. From the bottom of the stairs, Kate could see up to the third floor, as though looking through a strange distorted window. Music played in the background, competing with the babble of conversation.

The owner, Marcella, greeted them, a short, plumpish woman with big hair, which seemed strangely out of fashion for someone in the business. Andre introduced Kate, and Marcella led her to a chair. As Kate parked the stroller next to her seat, Keiko woke and started to whimper. Kate motioned Andre closer. "Will you hold her for a while? The strange smells and the noise must be disturbing her."

Marcella fussed over Keiko for a moment, then glanced up at Andre. "That is a good idea. Let Papa comfort her." Kate's gaze flew to Andre's face, expecting him to deny Marcella's assumption. But instead he bent and stroked a quieting hand over Keiko's head. "Shh, sweetheart,
shh
," was all he said.

Grasping Kate's shoulders, Marcella propelled her into the chair. Kate glanced curiously over her shoulder at Andre, wondering at his lack of reaction. "Let Mr. Le Court see to the baby," Marcella said. "We must get started. It will take time to unravel these plaits."

Kate watched Andre's reflection in the mirror. He met her gaze and nodded. Crouching, he unfastened the stroller straps and lifted Keiko into his arms, supporting her neck as he'd been told. He walked to and fro, Keiko's head rested on his shoulder, stroking her back until she stopped crying. Andre's lips moved, and Kate strained her ears to pick up his words, but the music was too loud.

Busy watching Andre and Keiko, the time raced past. Kate hardly noticed Marcella unravel her plaits. While her hair was washed, Andre sat down. He cradled Keiko in one arm like a pro and waggled a green and red teddy bear in front of her face. "She's following this with her eyes, Kat," he said, raising his voice above the noise.

Marcella leaned closer with a smile. "He is the proud Papa,
non
?" The denial was on Kate's lips, but then the moment passed and she stared in the mirror at Andre cuddling Keiko. If Andre's father hadn't sent him away to school, this fiction might be the truth. When Andre inherited the hotels from his grandfather, she would have been at his side. They'd have adapted to the new responsibility together, grown and changed together.

When he gave her the tiger's eye ring, he promised he would never let his father split them up. He'd lied. As soon as he went to his posh English boarding school, he made new friends and Kate was history. The memory slammed back like a smack across the face. She must stop dwelling on sentimental memories and ‘if
onlys
.’ She and Andre had never stood a chance. Andre had only been her friend because he lived a sheltered life on Jersey and didn't know better. That's what Robert Le Court told her and, although she knew Andre's father had his own agenda, she had come to believe he was right.

Andre settled a sleepy Keiko in her stroller and came to stand beside Kate's chair. Marcella finished by applying styling moose on Kate's hair to keep it sleek and blow dried it in fashionable curve around her face. Kate stared at the mirror, hardly recognizing herself. Her hair had always been plaited or decorated. Her mother had fashioned Kate's hair in many imaginative ways, when she was a child, and Kate had adopted the habit.

"Very elegant," Andre said with a nod of approval. "You definitely look like fiancée material now. Next we tackle the clothes."

Kate averted her gaze and ran a hand over her smooth head. She didn't mind changing her hair, after all she could easily have it re-braided, but the fact Andre preferred her like this left her feeling hollow.

***

Fifteen minutes later, Kate maneuvered the stroller past Andre as he held open the door to an upscale boutique. Vanilla and linen fragranced the air while the interior was all limed oak, silver, and leather with potted palms in recessed nooks beside the mirrors, and fresh flowers at the checkout points. In comparison, Kate felt like a wilted daisy.

A slender sales assistant in a cream suit and five-inch heels came to greet them. "Good afternoon, my name is Melissa and I will be your fashion advisor today." She gave Kate a cursory glance and obviously decided she wouldn't be paying the bill. She turned her smile on Andre. "How may I help you, sir?"

Leaving Andre to deal with the fashion advisor, Kate parked the stroller and wandered along the racks of clothes. Few outfits were to her taste and everything was bound to cost a fortune. She touched her sleek hair and stifled a sigh. Her mum and dad had always been unusual; they'd lived in a commune in India before she was born. Kate had adopted her mother's fashion sense and that hadn't made life easy. When she started school, she realized how different she was from other children. Her mum said people got too hung up on unimportant stuff like clothes and hairstyles; what mattered was the person inside.

Back then, Andre hadn't cared how Kate dressed, but life happened, people changed. She shouldn't judge him on his opinions when he'd had so much responsibility dumped on him so young. But she couldn't help being disappointed.

Kate dipped her hand in her skirt pocket and found a sherbet lemon. A sugar infusion was just what she needed to make her feel better. She popped the sweet in her mouth and looked up to find Andre frowning at her over the fashion advisor's head. Feeling rebellious, she pulled a face that used to make him laugh. He gave her one of his looks, but she could see a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Kate searched the rack of clothes and found an emerald dress she might just consider wearing. She turned the label over to check the price and the candy nearly dropped out of her mouth.

Andre came up behind her, placed his hand on her back, and whispered, "What on earth are you doing? You shouldn't eat in here. They'll throw us out if they catch you."

"Nobody saw me."

"I saw you."

"Are you going to tell on me?"

"Don't be daft."

"Well, stop making a fuss. Look at the price of this." Kate turned over the tag on the green dress. "The stock in this shop's probably worth more than the Caspian."