BILLIONAIRE ANGEL (Point St. Claire, where true love finds a way) (17 page)

On Valentine’s Day morning, the shop was chaos.

Thank God Hannah had offered to come in and help. Ella had phoned putting up her hand, too. Given the way she and Xander had parted company the last time they’d seen each other, Brooke guessed he wouldn’t be racing in to offer his assistance today.

In fact, after their confrontation, she wondered if Xander might pull the pin on this project altogether. She couldn’t forget the scowl on his face, or the way Chance’s lip had wobbled when Xander had raised his voice. Obviously Jake Bentley had provoked him. A portion of the blame must lie with her, too. When her ex had knocked on the door not so long ago, she should have gone out and faced him rather than hiding and pulling the blind. 

Like many others, this morning Mrs. Cornwell had been waiting for the door to open.

“I’d like my usual chrysanthemums and some yellow roses, too,” she said, standing at the counter now.

“A Valentine’s offering,” Brooke asked, choosing the roses.

Mrs. Cornwall leaned closer. “There’s a young bachelor moved in next door.”

O-kay
. “How young?”

“I wouldn’t expect any older than seventy.  He likes cats. Mitsy, my tortoiseshell, has grown quite attached.”

As Brooke got to work, grinning, she glanced across to the other side of the counter. Hannah was taking an order on the phone, which hadn’t stopped ringing. Thanks largely to Xander’s efforts, orders had built up over previous weeks. By the time nine o’clock swung around, the place was packed.

When Brooke swept up the umpteenth phone call of the morning, she was taken aback by the greeting. She recognized the voice.

“Brooke, honey? Is that you?”

A withering feeling fell through her middle.

“Jake…?”

“Don’t hang up. We need to talk.”

She lifted her chin. “There’s nothing to say.”

“That Neanderthal wouldn’t let me see you the other day.”

She growled. “Xander is not a Neanderthal.”

“Xander, huh? Well, I don’t blame you for finding someone new. Even if I was jealous as hell when I worked it out.” He hesitated. “That guy told you what happened, right?”

“I saw what happened.”
The tail end of it, anyway. That was enough.

“Just so you know...I didn’t mean what I said. I didn’t mean to say it out loud. My mom doesn’t really think you’re a slut. I was angry.” His voice dropped. “I was hurt.”

All the chaos seemed to recede into the background.

That’s
why Xander had slogged Jake in the jaw. She had got there too late to have heard Jake’s insult. And now he wanted to apologize? Pathetic. 

As the noise of the shop’s Valentine’s crowd faded back in, Brooke got herself together and cranked it up a gear.

“Jake, don’t call here again. Don’t come around, either.
Ever
. You’d be wasting your time. Mine, too.” 

Around ten a.m., customers were still flooding in. But it was time for Chance to get a cuddle and diaper change. Brooke turned to the playpen where the baby lay in his bouncer, listening to a melody and trying to bat the animals dangling from the mobile. Suddenly Ella was there and sweeping the baby up into her arms.

“Whatever Xander did to promote this place,” Ella said, after giving the baby a kiss, “it’s working. I swear people are coming from clear across town.”

Nearby, a gentleman with greying temples and a hound’s-tooth jacket spoke up.
“I Hart Flowers
is all over the morning news. A television reporter was out there when I came in. And a stand giving away chocolate pancakes. You don’t even have to buy a flower.”

Brooke gripped the counter. Did that man say chocolate pancakes? But there were dozens of people needing to be served. Thirty minutes passed before she could steal a moment to cross to the door and peer out the glass pane.

Her heart leapt to her throat.
What a crowd!

Photographers were angling for shots while television crews secured grabs from passers-by as well as customers about to enter or leave the shop. A blond heartthrob in a tuxedo was handing out long-stemmed red roses.

And then she saw it…saw
them
. Her stomach flipped over at the same time emotion prickled behind her eyes. Earlier, Ella had taken Chance to change his diaper. Afterward, she must have slipped him out here, because now Xander was holding her baby right there on the sidewalk. Chance was wearing a white coverall. It was the accessories that had Brooke wanting to laugh and cry all at once.

With a pair of fluffy white wings attached to his back, Chance was charming every person who strolled by. Best of all, from the smile on his face, he enjoyed every second.

As she opened the door and stepped out, Brooke’s thoughts were jerked back when a microphone was shoved under her nose.

“Are you Ms. Hart?”

She focused on the man with stylish bed hair and “tune in tomorrow” voice. Schooling her features, she tried to tamp down the emotions. It was like a carnival out here.

“Yes. I’m Brooke Hart.”

The reporter grinned over his shoulder. “I believe that’s your son. He’s certainly stealing the show. You must be proud of your little cupid.”

A bubble formed in her throat. Xander was laughing and showing Chance off, like his whole world revolved around that beautiful baby wearing wings.

She was so,
so
proud. Of them both.

Cocking a brow, the reporter stepped closer. “Alexander Drake is reputed to have organized this massive promotion. Everyone’s asking...what exactly is your connection to California’s most eligible bachelor?”

“We’re…friends.”

“
Close
friends.”

“Actually…” She exhaled and accepted it. “Extremely close.”

She could have stood there all day, watching those two entertain the crowd, but duty called.

An hour later, when the tidal wave of customers had receded, Brooke stepped away from the cash register. Her stock was depleted—flowers, balloons, cuddly toys. Ella lashed her arms around Brooke’s shoulders while Hannah held and squeezed her hand.

Drawing back, Ella punched the air. “
Yes
. We did it. We freaking
smashed
it!”

Brooke slumped against the counter. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you two today.”

Hannah smiled toward the front of the shop. “You need to thank two other people even more.”

Brooke glanced over. Xander was crossing the shop floor, which was littered with petals and glitter. His eyes were bright—completely satisfied. Brooke ached to go to him. How could she thank him for what he’d done today? For everything he’d done for her and Chance. 

“Hope you don’t mind me borrowing the baby,” he said, meeting her as she rounded the counter and her sisters busied themselves tidying up paper and ribbon. “I thought about donning a pair of wings myself,” he said in that deep, honeyed voice, “but Chance is showman enough for us both.”

On the inside, Brooke was trembling, overcome with gratitude and, yes…
love
. There was no use denying or trying to pull it back now.

“Do you have a moment?” Xander asked.

When a sleepy Chance put his hands together and opened his fingers as if asking to be held, Brooke scooped him into her arms and all three moved out back for some privacy.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you and Chance,” Xander said, while Brooke held the baby close and her heart pounded louder in her ears. “No matter which way I try to cut it, I only know one thing.” A pulse was popping wildly in his jaw. “I want you both in my life.”

“Xander, we want you in our lives, too, but…” She chose her words carefully. “Every time you step up to the plate, you hit a homerun. You’re a brilliant man, and it’s not that I don’t trust you—I
do
.” Particularly after speaking to Kurt Downing and then Jake on the phone.  “But you can’t make every decision for me. For us.”

That pulse beat faster. “I can do compromise.”

“You sure about that?”

“I’m a real quick study.”

When he grinned, she smiled softy and Chance hiccupped. They both looked down. Exhausted, the baby had fallen sound asleep.

“Can I put him down?” Xander asked.

Brooke handed the baby over. After she slipped off the wings, Xander laid Chance in his cot, draping a light blanket over his legs and tummy. When he joined her again, Xander searched her eyes for a long, heartrending moment.

“I haven’t given you my Valentine’s gift yet,” he finally said.

Seriously?
“I think you’ve done enough for one day.”

“One more thing.” He added, “Of course, it’s absolutely up to you.”

Was that an attempt at compromise?

Grinning, she nodded. “Sure.”

He pulled a box out from his pants pocket. Without looking, Brooke knew what lay inside. She backed up a step. “I don’t think we’re ready for this.”

“It’s not what you think.”

When he flipped open the lid, her head began to tingle. It was pretty much what she’d expected. And it wasn’t. As Xander slipped the ring out of its box, Brooke fought the urge to shake herself awake.

“The stone…” she murmured. “It’s the color of a tulip.” A beautiful, sparkling, delicate mauve. And in the shape of a heart. “Is it an amethyst?”

“A diamond.”

She lost her breath. “It must be
five carats
.”

She’d read somewhere that violet-colored diamonds were the rarest on the planet. But she was getting off track. Something more important than the worth of that ring needed sorting.

“I’ve only known you a month.”

“Don’t panic. This isn’t a proposal.”

She blinked. “It isn’t?”

“This is a promise ring. A promise that I’ll always be there for you. For you both. As little or as much as you want.”

Her gaze dropped to that amazing diamond again. “A promise ring…” she murmured, feeling her own heart swell.

“They signify faithfulness—” he slid the ring on her finger “—and love.”

When her gaze snapped up from the ring, she saw the line cut between the slashes of Xander’s brows. That pulse in his jaw was thumping now. This was new. She’d never seen him so uncertain before about anything. 

“Just so we’re clear…about that other thing…” she said.

“I don’t get to make all the decisions. Got it. But can I put something out there, just for discussion.” When he brought her close, a delicious heat rolled through her, warming her to the core. He lowered his head so that his brow rested on hers. “One day, I’d like more kids. How about you?”

Brooke had one answer to that. She fanned her palms over his chest and kneaded the steamy muscle underneath. “We ought to get some practice in.”

His smile came slow and sexy as his head angled more. “You’re the boss.”

As his mouth captured hers, Brooke let go of any doubt. Not only did she love Xander, she also had faith in herself. She had moved on, and this phase of her life—of
their
lives—would be the best yet.

When his lips gradually left hers, her body was humming.

“One more thing…” he murmured and his lips brushed her cheek.

Her arms coiled around his neck. “Okay.”

“It’s about the love and faithfulness thing, and with this I’m afraid there’s no negotiation.” He pressed her closer and spoke to her soul. “You need to know how deeply I’ve fallen in love with you,” he said. “I’ve heard it can happen fast sometimes. I just never thought it could happen to me.”

She must have grown wings of her own because her feet no longer touched the ground. The tip of her nose circled his. “Me, either.”

“So, will you be my girlfriend?” His grip tightened on her hips. “Wanna go on a date?”

She laughed. “I would
love
to go on a date with you. We’ll need a sitter.”

“I vote we bring Chance along. He likes to get out.”

As Xander’s gaze roamed her face—her eyes, her lips—he cupped her cheek. “Whoever brought you to me…I wish I could thank them. Invite them to the wedding.” He rushed on, “
When
it happens. When you’re ready.” He groaned. “There I go, pushing again.”

“This once,” she said, ready to kiss him some more, “I won’t complain.”

Tiffany was really feeling it today.

No matter how she shifted or positioned herself, she couldn’t get comfortable with her baby bump—which, this minute, felt more like a mountain. Every now and then, her insides would twinge, press tight and hold in.

Contractions? There’d only been a few, spaced well apart and without any pattern... She didn’t want to panic. Besides, babies came at inconvenient times, like three in the morning, not two on a Monday afternoon. She simply needed to move around and shake this heavy feeling. Her due date was three weeks away, after all.

For the next hour, Tiffany flipped through a magazine, and then toyed with a puzzle, the kind where numbers 1 through 9 needed to appear on every line. When she got stuck, she lumbered over to her desk and fired up the wi-fi. A story on the main feed caught her eye.

Every year, a certain charity conducted their bachelor raffle. The promotion was open for eligible women from all over the country to toss their hats in the ring. The only stipulation: entrants must be single. This year’s bachelor was achingly handsome, totally built, with a genius brain and oodles of money. The smile flashing out from the image on her screen… Damn, that guy was
smoking
.

But Tiffany wouldn’t enter herself. She wasn’t interested in romance. Right now, the only thing that mattered was her baby…knowing that he was healthy, cared for and, of course, unconditionally loved. Still, no reason she couldn’t nominate someone else. And she had the perfect someone in mind.

Brooke Hart had a boyfriend, but Jake Bentley was a selfish son-of-a-gun. It was clear to everyone around her...Brooke had outgrown Jake and needed to move on. Tiffany’s BFF since school deserved someone better. Someone amazing!

Someone like Alexander Drake?

Tiffany’s fingers tripped over the keyboard. Five minutes later, her friend’s deets were entered. She pressed “send” at the same moment another twinge gripped her belly. Different this time. The sensation stole her breath. Made her wince.

Groaning—
smiling
—Tiffany pushed to her feet.

This was it. Soon she would be holding this beautiful baby in her arms. Finally she would see his face. Know his warmth.

She fast dialled Brooke. When her friend didn’t pick up, Tiffany left a message.

“Hey, babe,” Tiffany said, wincing again as another contraction squeezed. “I’m about to call a cab for the hospital. So, yeah. Guess I’ll see you there!” Her eyes filled with misty tears at the same time her throat clogged. “Seriously, I can’t tell you how much you being there means to us both.”

As Tiffany grabbed her pre-packed bag and headed out, she paused as a sense of calm settled over her…a warm, soft cloak of faith bundling her close. Brooke was her very best buddy. A person who gave so much. Tiffany had never met anyone with a bigger heart.

She only hoped that one day, somehow, she’d be able to pay her friend back.

*