Read Best Friends With the Billionaire (The Rochesters) Online
Authors: Coleen Kwan
Best Friends With the Billionaire (The Rochesters) (20 page)
“Just when I was thinking of bringing up divorce again, she was diagnosed with cancer. There was no way I’d desert her then. She suffered so much, but strangely the illness made her a better person. We didn’t love each other, but we became friends, and when she died, I genuinely missed her and mourned her.”
Too stunned to speak, Cassie squeezed his arm, her heart going out to him and to Alison.
Kirk turned to Cassie, consternation deepening the lines on his face. “Now I have to come to the part that rips me up inside every time I think about it.” He took her hand, his touch uncertain. “The night you came to me and comforted me…” He gulped in a quick breath. “Cassie, I—I have no excuses for what I did to you, except maybe that I was exhausted, and I’d taken a couple of sleeping pills, and your presence put me so at ease that I managed to sleep for the first time in days. I don’t know why I muttered Alison’s name. I don’t remember that at all. Maybe I was relieved she was finally at peace, maybe I was guilty I didn’t love her. But whatever I said, I knew I wasn’t kissing her because the feeling I got from that kiss was nothing I’d ever experienced with her. That feeling has always lingered in my memory, and the only woman I’ve ever experienced it with is you. You rescued me that night, Cassie, and in return I hurt you, and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
The anguish in his voice made her want to cry. Kirk had suffered so much disappointment and heartache and loss, yet he’d kept all that pain to himself. She cupped his face in her hands, desperate to comfort him.
“You don’t need to forgive yourself. It’s in the past.” She brushed her thumbs over his prickly jaw as the rest of what he’d said sunk in. “The other day I overheard you talking to Lex. You said ‘There’s no comparison. Cassie is nothing like Alison.’”
Kirk flinched in dismay. “You heard that? And you thought I meant that you were inferior? Oh damn, I can’t believe I hurt you again. You know I meant the exact opposite.”
The hurt she’d harbored for so long slowly dissolved. “I do now, but for years I was convinced Alison was your one true love. When you married, I moved to Australia to get over you.”
Kirk started. “You did? And is that why we seemed to drift apart? You did that on purpose?”
“I had to get on with my life.” She rested her forehead against his and breathed in his scent. He smelled of deodorant and mint, with a hint of whiskey. “But Kirk, why didn’t you tell me about you and Alison? Every time I tried to broach the subject, you clammed up. I thought you were too heartbroken to talk about her.”
Sighing, he threaded his fingers through her hair. “Alison hated the thought of others knowing we were on the brink of divorce, so she made me promise not to tell anyone, even after her death. And I agreed because I didn’t want to talk about it, either. After Alison, I didn’t believe in love anymore. I was through with romantic relationships. Friendship was far more lasting and authentic. But then you came back and blew me away with those kisses. I wanted you so badly, but I was terrified of losing your friendship.”
“I couldn’t believe you were finally seeing me as a woman, and I was terrified of screwing it up.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to see what was right in front of me.” His voice lowered, so aching with regret it took her breath away. “In college it kind of went to my head the way I could get the hottest girls to sleep with me. It fed my ego and blinded me, while all that time you were right under my nose.”
“And I didn’t have the confidence to make a pass at you.” She twirled her fingers around the buttons of his shirt. “But I’ve more experience now.”
“You mean Russell.” He grimaced at her. “Please put me out of my misery and tell me you’re not going back to him.”
She grinned mischievously. “I’m not going back to Russell because he’s not my ex-boyfriend. Oh, I’ve had a couple of boyfriends in Sydney, but never Russell.”
“What! You made the whole story up?”
“Hey, I didn’t want you to think I’d been pining for you all these years.”
“But he showed up, and he’s been all over you like a rash.” His jaw flexed, his hand tightened on her waist. “I saw you kissing him in the taxi last night.”
“Oh…” Comprehension dawned on her. “So that’s why you were such a jerk then.”
“You’re sure Russell doesn’t have a thing for you?” Kirk appeared worried. “He did wrestle me to the ground back there.”
“Russell is gay.” She chuckled. “He probably enjoyed wrestling with you.”
His eyes widened as he sat back. “O-kay. That’s a relief.”
He gathered her in his arms again, but instead of kissing her, he simply held her, his forehead resting against hers. They had only skimmed the surface of all the subjects they needed to discuss, but for now that was enough. They would talk later, maybe argue and apologize a little, but for now it was enough to bask in the relief of knowing that they had somehow miraculously come together.
As if he’d read her thoughts, Kirk murmured, “Now I just have to convince you how much you mean to me.”
The glow in his eyes melted her. “And how much is that?” she asked, snuggling up to him, reveling in his warmth and passion and love.
“Everything, Cassie. You mean everything to me. If you want me to, I’ll relocate to Sydney so you can take up your uncle’s promotion.”
She blinked at him, amazed by his offer. “You’d do that for me?”
“I love you, Cassie. I’ll do anything if it means we can be together.”
“But what about your job? Your deal with Hank Parnell?” Her mind boggled. “You’re too important to leave San Francisco.”
“You’re more important.” He gripped her shoulders. “I’m serious, Cassie. I want to earn the right to call you ‘sweetheart.’”
“I think you already have,” she said faintly. “My forever guy.”
She coiled her arms around his neck and drew him to her. It felt as though stars were bursting from her heart, stars as bright and brilliant as the sun that would burn for the rest of their lives. Wherever they decided to live, they would be together, friends and lovers forever, and that was a truth she’d never get used to.
Epilogue
Six months later
“I swear, I can’t eat a thing more.” Cassie sat back from the table and rubbed her stomach. “Those salt-and-pepper pork ribs were to die for.”
“I know a good way of burning off the calories.” Kirk grinned, his hand touching her knee beneath the table.
She smiled back at him, sweet anticipation tingling down her spine. “Your place or mine?”
“Mine. It’s closer.”
She thought he was going to bring up the subject of her moving in with him again, but he didn’t. Cassie didn’t regret her decision to stay here in San Francisco with Kirk. He’d been genuine in his willingness to move to Sydney for her. He’d even begun to look into investment opportunities there. But in the end she’d decided that he was too important to his family and their company, that she didn’t have the heart to uproot him, and that she wanted to stay closer to her mom and sister. She’d found a position with a small property development company, and she was loving the new challenge.
Kirk had desperately wanted them to live together, but she’d decided they should take things slowly. They might be madly in love with each other, but this new phase of their relationship had had such a rough start that Cassie felt they shouldn’t rush into anything. Kirk had growled and huffed, but he’d respected her decision.
Their usual waiter cleared their table and deposited a saucer of fortune cookies with a grin and a wink at Kirk. Kirk picked up the largest cookie and placed it in front of Cassie.
“Here you go.”
Cassie shook her head. “Thanks, honey, but I’m filled to the brim.”
“But you gotta have your fortune cookie.” He held it up to her. “Go on, take it.”
“You’re trying to make me fat,” she protested, laughing.
“Well, at least read your fortune.” He leaned forward, fingers drumming the table, seeming strangely on edge.
She looked at him and laughed again. “Okay.”
Shrugging, she picked up the fortune cookie. She broke it open and pulled out the slip of paper.
A desperate man wishes to ask you a question of great importance.
“Oh.” Suddenly her heart was hammering in her throat.
She looked up to find Kirk kneeling in front of her, holding out a glittering diamond ring. Her eyes filled with tears as she met Kirk’s anxious gaze.
“Cassie?” His blue-gray eyes burned with an intense light. “I love you, sweetheart. With everything I have, down to my last breath. Will you make me your forever guy and marry me?”
In answer she threw her arms around him and squeezed him until they were both out of breath.
“Yes,” she murmured against his lips. “Yes, yes, and yes.”
She kissed him long and deep, reaffirming her yeses, and he held her tight, while around them the waitstaff and restaurant patrons clapped and cheered. Finally, when they were alone again, he sat her on his lap and slipped the engagement ring onto her finger, his hands as unsteady as hers.
“Oh, it’s gorgeous,” she breathed, the wonder of what had just happened filling her with awe. She showered kisses over his face and hair, overcome with the feeling that this moment was so right, so perfect. Six months of dating Kirk and re-establishing herself had been the right thing to do, but now she was ready and eager for the next step in their relationship.
“I’m in heaven,” she sighed, resting her forehead against hers. “I’m the happiest woman in the world.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed that fortune cookie.”
“You haven’t opened yours.”
His hands stroked up her arms and cupped her face. “I don’t need to. I already know what it says.”
“And what’s that?”
“That I’m going to get lucky tonight.”
“Hmm, looks like these fortune cookies know a thing or two.”
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to Kate Fall’s valuable input, this book almost wrote itself. Many thanks also to Lydia Sharp and the eagle-eyed editors at Entangled Publishing who keep me on my toes!
About the Author
Coleen Kwan
has been a bookworm all her life. At school, English was her favorite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life—and discovered writing. She loves writing contemporary romance and steampunk romance.
Coleen lives in Sydney with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching
The Office
.
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