[Truyện tiếng anh] The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride

The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride
The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride Page 40



It wasn’t.

It was his grandfather, whom she’d completely forgotten in her intense brooding over Jake.

‘My dear Merlina, I was just thinking of you, wondering how the family visit panned out.’

Guilt squirmed through her. ‘I’m sorry, Byron. I should have let you know.’

‘Oh, I’m sure you’ve had much more immediate things on your mind,’ he rolled out indulgently. ‘This is just an old man’s curiosity, whetted by the fact I promoted this match with my grandson.’

‘I’m afraid the match has come unstuck, Byron,’ she wearily confessed.

‘No!’ He sounded aghast. ‘I was so sure…What happened? Your family didn’t like him?’

‘That isn’t the problem. He won their stamp of approval.’ She grimaced as she added, ‘I’m the problem.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I wanted more than he was prepared to give. He isn’t exactly eager about tying himself down with parenthood.’

‘Ah! The stumbling block. Just give him time, Merlina. After all, he knows you’re a woman of steel, not like his bend-with-the-wind mother. Once you took on a responsibility you’d see it through, come what may. He just has to process that knowledge and realise he can trust you to—’

‘It’s me who doesn’t trust him, Byron,’ she cried.

‘Not trust Jake! Take it from me, Merlina, he’s a man of his word. Been like that all his life. Probably because words to him weren’t kept by those who should have kept them.’

‘But he didn’t give his word. He put it off.’

‘Hmm…that could relate to the fact that no one in our family did plan parenthood. It just happened, and more times than not, the children were raised by nannies, then shot off to boarding school, responsibility for them passed on to others. I’m inclined to think Jake would take the responsibility of parenthood very seriously.’

Merlina’s mind whirled through what Byron had just told her, relating it to her showdown with Jake. He had felt his parents had been saddled with him. He had been a burden to them, neither of them taking real responsibility for his upbringing. No sharing in golden moments. Being born into a silver spoon family did not mean Jake had been handed everything he wanted.

What happened to a child whose need for real loving was never fulfilled? Had Jake armoured himself against the need? Playboys didn’t get hurt. They didn’t get involved enough to expose themselves to hurt.

Yet he had involved himself very much with her, even to meeting her family. And he’d liked the way her family worked. It must have been a revelation to him. Even so, his natural instinct had been to shy away from plunging straight into fatherhood. She should have given him more time. He’d gone away, angry with her ultimatum.

Fear of having lost what she might have had, threaded her voice as she said, ‘I just don’t know where Jake is at, Byron. I told him to think about it but he hasn’t come back to me.’

Panic hit her as she realised she should not have taken his ring off. Nor talked about him being an obsession. Stupid pride! She should have said she loved him, should have cared more about his concerns instead of judging, sending him away….

‘I’ve made a total mess of this,’ she muttered despairingly.

‘No, no…I’m sure Jake would be thinking about it,’ Byron said soothingly. ‘Might be a bit of pride involved, but he’s not one to give up on going after what he wants, and there’s no doubt in my mind he wants you, Merlina.’

She sighed, desperately hoping that was true.

‘Just wait a bit longer,’ Byron advised.

She looked down at her very naked left hand and suddenly remembered that Byron’s ring was still in the frozen packet of peas in her refrigerator.

‘Come and have afternoon tea with me on Saturday,’ he invited. ‘We’ll make a new plan. I am, when all’s said and done, a master of manoeuvres.’

She didn’t want to manoeuvre Jake into anything. The thought of any more deception curdled her stomach. She needed to have everything straight with him.

‘I’ll have my chauffeur pick you up in the Rolls-Royce at two o’clock. Agreed?’ Byron pressed.

It was an opportunity to return the diamond engagement ring that had tricked Jake into declaring his desire for her. She wanted to be rid of it. Whatever happened—if anything happened—with Jake in the future, she wanted everything open and aboveboard.

‘Yes. Two o’clock will be fine. I’ll bring your ring with me,’ she said.

‘Splendid! I’ll look forward to seeing you again, my dear.’

‘Thanks, Byron.’

He really was a lovely man. Not only had he given her an insight into Jake’s background and his possible motivations, she knew he would be very kind and caring on Saturday. He might also give her more helpful information about his grandson, but if he came up with any schemes to fix the situation, Merlina decided she would not be a party to them.

No more traps.

No boxing anyone in.

If she and Jake were to come together again it had to be their doing, not anyone else’s.

There was no word from him on Thursday or Friday. Which meant his silence had lasted for ten days. Eleven by Saturday morning. Surely that had to mean he definitely didn’t want to have children. So it was up to her to bridge the ever-widening chasm between them, if she could get her head around giving up on having a family.

In an attempt to cheer herself up a bit, she put on the red dress with the white belt for Byron’s afternoon tea. Of course, it reminded her of being a scarlet woman for Jake and buying the ruby and diamond ring together, but she was going to be reminded of everything anyhow, talking to his grandfather about what had happened.

The Rolls-Royce arrived promptly at two o’clock. She was driven in grand style to the Vaucluse mansion. Parked in the driveway and looking very oddly out of place was a large, luxury tourist coach.

‘Why is the coach here?’ she asked the chauffeur, unable to believe Byron had opened his home and grounds to tourists.

‘I understand Mr Byron has a use for it later this evening,’ came the discreet reply.

Possibly for collecting guests who were to be taken to a party somewhere, Merlina thought. It was the kind of fun thing Byron would think of doing and it certainly avoided any drink driving charges. She dismissed it from her thoughts as they arrived at the front entrance. The chauffeur ushered her out of the Rolls-Royce and with impeccable timing, Byron’s butler opened the front door to welcome her and lead her inside.

The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride
The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride Page 41



‘Good afternoon, Harold,’ she said with as bright a smile as she could manage.

‘A pleasure to see you again, Ms Rossi. Mr Byron is in the main reception room and I am to take you directly there.’

‘Thank you.’

His dignity unbent enough to give her a nod of approval with the comment, ‘May I say your red dress is very becoming.’

‘I’m glad you think so,’ she replied, surprised and pleased by the compliment.

He escorted her down the great foyer to the designated room, remarking, ‘I believe it’s called power dressing, wearing red.’

‘Well I’m not into waving a rag at a bull today, Harold,’ she said dryly.

‘I doubt that will be necessary, Ms Rossi.’ His mouth twitched. ‘The bull has you very much in his sights.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘You are awaited,’ he said, opening the double doors to the reception room with a flourish.

Merlina shot the butler a puzzled look as he waved her forward. He gave her a benign nod and accepting that he was not about to explain himself, she walked on into the room.

It was full of people.

Her feet faltered to a halt.

Her heart slammed around her chest.

She could hardly believe what her eyes were seeing.

The entire Rossi family from Griffith was grouped around Jake and Byron—her parents, her brothers and sisters, their spouses and their children, all of them grinning at her as though this was a surprise party.

Which it most certainly was!

Jake had Mario and Gina’s baby son cradled in his arms.

And Rosa was hugging one of his legs—her champion!

‘Good afternoon, my dear,’ Byron rolled out in his usual charming manner. ‘I thought since you’d already had an engagement party in your family home, you should have one here, as well.’ He turned to his grandson and like a five-star general directing manoeuvres, waved him to take over. ‘You have the floor, Jake.’

‘Thanks, Pop.’ His dark eyes bored into Merlina’s. ‘First things first. Proof I have no objection to having a baby. I can handle a baby just fine as Gina and Mario will testify.’

‘Taken to it like a duck to water,’ Mario chimed in, clapping him on the back.

‘And children have an instinct about adults not liking them. Rosa has no problem with me.’

‘I’m on Jake’s side,’ Rosa piped up.

‘I’m having him on my side for the next soccer game,’ Genarro slung at his little cousin.

‘Hush, children,’ Merlina’s mother commanded.

Jake nodded respectfully to her. ‘Your mother is in agreement with me that you shouldn’t get pregnant until after the wedding, at which time you will have my full cooperation in that particular enterprise.’

There were a few sniggers around the room.

‘Your father says a wedding in September will suit everyone,’ Jake went on. ‘Given you’re happy with that date.’

Merlina was totally speechless, amazed by what she was hearing.

Jake had no speech impediment whatsoever. The words kept coming at her. ‘I don’t know how many children you have in mind for our family, but I figure we should be able to fit in three or four before the healthy birth statistics start worrying you.’

He was willing to have three or four?

Merlina’s mind reeled at this whole-hearted embrace of fatherhood.

‘I have your family gathered here as witnesses to what I am laying out to you, Merlina, and they have given me to believe they trust my word. The only question left is—’ he paused, gathering up a bolt of energy to pierce her heart ‘—will you trust it?’

There was an impassable lump of emotion in her throat. He had gone to so much trouble—bringing her whole family up from Griffith—to prove she could trust him to be all she wanted him to be. Shame at having judged him so meanly brought tears to her eyes. She had been so wrong, not giving him time, linking herself to his other women, turning him away, denying him the love she should have declared because it had to be love for her driving all he’d done to organise this moment of truth.

He passed the baby to Mario, then walked towards her, holding out the ring she’d rejected. ‘I’m offering this to you again, Merlina. Will you take it, wear it, knowing that it means all it should mean for our life together?’

Her blurred vision fastened on the glittering engagement ring on his open palm. She reached out, her right hand tremulous as she picked it up, then slid it slowly onto the third finger of her left hand. ‘Thank you,’ she managed to whisper huskily, her gaze turning up to his in an almost blind pleading for forgiveness. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t trust you before, Jake.’

‘Now is what matters,’ he said gruffly, sweeping her into his embrace and holding her tight.

She hid her tear-streaked face on his shoulder as applause broke out and her family gathered around them, throwing out happily approving comments.

‘Good man!’ from her father.

‘And don’t you ever take that ring off, Merlina,’ from her mother.

‘I think I should be appointed master of ceremonies at the wedding,’ Byron slid in. ‘Which reminds me. Afternoon tea awaits us in the banquet room. Come everyone. Let us leave these two lovebirds alone. They can feast with us when they’re ready.’

Merlina heard them all trooping out amidst laughing remarks to each other, heard the doors closing, then heard Jake teasingly murmur, ‘Does this mean I’ve won, Merlina?’

She sucked in a deep breath to ease her choked up feelings, then lifted her head, wanting him to see that she meant every earnest word she said. ‘I won’t ever doubt you again, Jake. That’s a solemn promise.’

He lifted a hand to tenderly brush the trails of moisture from her cheeks. His eyes were soft and warm. ‘You are different, Merlina. I’ve been obsessed with you, too, always seeking a way to know the person you were behind the barricades you put up. My instincts told me you had something I wanted and when the heart of you was finally open to me, it answered the needs I’d buried in my own heart. I’m sorry it took so long for me to see your light for what it truly was. All I knew for certain was I didn’t want it to go out.’

‘Oh, Jake!’ She heaved a rueful sigh. ‘I was about ready to set aside having a family, I wanted to be with you so much.’

He shook his head. ‘That wouldn’t be you, Merlina, and it’s all of you I love. I don’t want to change anything about you. Not one thing. I want you as my wife, as the mother of my children, as my partner in everything.’ He smiled, his dimples deepening with pleasure in her. ‘Though you could grow your hair long again. I would like that.’

The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride
The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride Page 42



Love…

He’d said love.

And all the rest added up to prove it absolutely.

Merlina’s heart swelled with joy as she slid her hands up to link around his neck. ‘I love you, too, Jake. I’ll grow my hair to whatever length you like and do everything I can to make our life together wonderful.’

Jake saw the golden sparks in her amber eyes and knew he would never tire of seeing them. Merlina Rossi was a very special woman, the best fantasy any man could have, and she was very, very real.

His woman.

He gathered her closer, revelling in the blissful reality of having her beautiful body pressed to his, feeling its giving, loving the sense of her heart beating against his chest, reaching out to his heart and encompassing it with her love, holding it with care because that was what Merlina would do. Always.

And he knew how lucky he was that she had come into his life, how lucky he was to have won her trust. He wanted her to lead him down her path—a path he would never have seen as the best one without her to show him how it could be—a path that led to what a home should encompass.

It was right.

It was good.

With Merlina he felt happier than he’d ever felt in his life and there wasn’t a fence in the world that could stop this journey they would take together.

‘This marriage and parenthood game is the big one,’ he said. ‘We’re going to meet every challenge and come out on top. Agreed?’

She laughed, her lovely face alight with pleasure in him as she answered, ‘Team players…right to the end.’

He kissed her.

She kissed him right back.

They made the perfect team.

Unbeatable.