Secret Tastes (Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance 4) (21 page)

"Oh, no," Sam said with a laugh. "Knowing Linda, their car would be full to the brim with food. I'm sure she couldn't resist cooking up a storm for the birthdays of her two grandsons."

They walked toward Kane and Dylan who were trying to fire up the barbecue.

"Hey, guys," Jasmine called out. "I don't think you need to cook anything. I think we have plenty of food."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "If we look like running out, then you can barbecue some meat. But I think we have enough."

"Oh, good," Kane said with relief.

Jasmine made a face at her husband, knowing how very disinterested he was with cooking.

"Where's Ari, Dyl?" Sam asked.

"Bathroom. You know how heavily pregnant women need to go all the time," Dylan quipped.

"Trey and Kris are here now, too," Kane announced, looking up ahead.

They watched as the three little boys ran up to Trey and Kris' two-year-old daughter, all of them crying "Misha" with delight. Misha wiggled her way out of her father's arms, promptly joining the boys in running around once she was put down.

Katie started crying, pointing to the group of little ones enjoying themselves.

"Do you want to play, too, sweetheart?" Kane asked his daughter. "Come." He held out his finger to Katie who promptly grabbed it as she toddled to where the other kids were.

"That looks heavy," Dylan said to Adam as Adam placed the big box on a table.

"You know Sam. She wants to compete with your mother," Adam teased.

"Why would I want to compete with Linda when she's my business partner?" Sam asked, giving Adam a mock frown. When her private chef business became popular, there was a push from her clients for catering services for bigger events. Rowena didn't want to grow her business anymore—she didn't want to become too busy—so Sam asked around for anyone who was interested in partnering with her. To her absolute delight, Linda had been more than interested. Even though she was already in her sixties, Linda had no plans on putting her feet up. She loved cooking just as much as Sam, and together they'd built a strong business, now with ten permanent staff, and a few more on a casual basis during busy times.

*

The friends sat around the big picnic table, happy to watch their children play while doting grandparents looked on.

"You know what amazes me?" Trey asked.

"What?" Adam said.

"A few years ago, I would have avoided all parties that had this many screaming kids. Now I can't believe I'm actually having fun watching them all play together."

They all laughed. Aside from their own, there were six other kids present.

Emily and Amelia, the twin daughters of Kane and Dylan's sister Faye and her husband Ray were happily dancing and singing, joined by Rachel and Jenny, the daughters of Jasmine's sister Jessa and husband Rob. The kids of Faye and Jessa's best friends—Clarise and Will— were also there. Their son Liam was running with the boys while their infant daughter Alyssa slept contentedly in her mother's arms.

"In about a month, another one will be added to this noisy bunch when our new baby's born," Dylan said proudly, stroking Ari's belly.

"Have you chosen a name yet?" Jasmine asked.

"Daniel's our favourite at the moment," Ari responded.

"Well, in about seven months, there'll be another one again," Adam said, grinning.

"Really?" Kris gasped loudly, looking at Adam, then Sam.

Sam nodded her confirmation.

Congratulations went around the table for the happy couple.

"I'll need to get a few of your maternity dresses and swimwear, Ari," Sam said.

"Make sure you come and see me," Ari said in a chiding tone. "I can't believe you went to the store to get one of my dresses the last time. You know I give them to you at wholesale prices."

"I saw it hanging on the rack with the
Arielle
label on it. I couldn't resist trying it on, and when I did, I just wanted to take it home with me."

"Well, next time, please call me," Ari insisted.

"I will."

"What about you guys?" Kane asked Kris and Trey. "Do you plan to have another child?"
 

Kris sighed, leaning against Trey. "Yes. But we have to wait until our current project at the dance studio has finished filming."

"When is it finishing?" Sam asked.

"The actual filming of the movie won't finish for another eight or so months. But all the dance sequences are scheduled to be filmed within the next three months, so my part in choreographing and teaching would be done after that. I think we could try for another baby then. What do you think, honey?" Kris asked Trey.

"Anytime, babe," Trey replied with a crooked grin.

"Oh my God, Jaz," Ari exclaimed, awkwardly sitting up straight. "I almost forgot. Congratulations on hitting the bestseller lists again."

Jasmine looked at Ari in surprise. "Really? I haven't even checked. I've been so busy."

"Number Three on the big one, Jazzie," Ari said with a grin.

Jasmine glanced at Kane, her mouth wide open in shock as joyous congratulations were offered by everyone.

"Congratulations, babe. I told you this book would make it higher than the last one," Kane murmured, kissing Jasmine and squeezing her tight.

Sam sighed, sinking into Adam's embrace. She remembered all those years ago when each one of them didn't have enough confidence or trust in themselves to follow their dreams. It took a lot of courage and self-belief, and it certainly wasn't all a bed of roses. But the rewards were priceless.

Her gaze travelled to the children, playing happily with each other. She could only hope that they'd learnt enough of life's lessons to pass on to those precious kids. Oh, and to her unborn one, too.

"I love you," Adam whispered in her ear.

"Guess what?" she whispered back. "I love you, too."

"You better," Adam said with a contented smile.

###

Thank you for reading!

As has been the case in the past, another one of my 'minor' characters has prodded me to write about her. And of course, I let her talk me into telling the world about her love life!

In my next book, Rebecca Andrews—Trey's sister who appeared in Secret Moves (Secret Dreams Book 3)—will get another chance at love. Can she keep it? Or will she let it slip through her fingers again?

Watch out for the first book in my
Time For Love
series, coming out in March 2014.

To be one of the first to know of its release, make sure you're subscribed to my newsletter.
Click here to do so.

WILL TO LOVE (LIFESTYLE BY DESIGN BOOK 1) EXTRACT

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The Love Story of Clarise Carson and Will Matthews

CHAPTER ONE

Victor will be there with me, looking like his usual gorgeous self. He assured me he'd be very attentive. Everyone will see how mad we are for each other. Well, hopefully, that's what they'll see. Surely this will work. It should stop my dear sister from going ahead with her matchmaking plans. If it doesn't, well, plan B is to die from embarrassment. It will work
, Clarise Carson thought confidently before taking a deep sigh and returning her focus to her last piece of work before she ended the working day.

After a final review, she was done with her latest article for
Lifestyle by Design
, the popular monthly magazine read by those with loads of disposable income keen to know which restaurants and bars were worth going to, which exotic destinations they could holiday in next and which new gadgets they must own to make their busy lives easier.

She was still salivating at the memory of the glorious food she had at Stillwaters, the newest restaurant in Sydney, owned by an upcoming Australian chef, and the latest establishment she had researched and reviewed.

Yes
, she nodded.
They definitely deserve this glowing article.
She knew the new restaurant would soon have a very long waiting list of patrons wanting to dine there once next month's issue became available.

Satisfied with her day's accomplishments, she shut off her laptop, grabbed her handbag and walked into the office of Victor Michaels, the magazine's very good-looking head graphic designer.

"I'm done for today, darling. Are you ready to go? I'm starving," she said to Victor. "I'd also like to talk to you again about Megan's engagement party this Saturday night. Seriously, if you can't go with me, I don't know who else to ask," she said, voicing her worry.

"Just give me five minutes and I'll be ready to go. And of course, I'm going with you to your sister's party," Victor replied with a grin. "I'm really excited about it. I'm already looking forward to meeting your family and showing them just how much I want you," he said in a low, sexy voice.

If it hadn't been Victor who made the comment, she would have blushed. Instead she laughed and settled herself on a chair and waited for him to finish.

Renewed hope flowed through her. Having Victor for her date should stop Megan's plan to introduce her to single men at her and Rick's engagement party. Who knew how many of them they had invited? And it was supposed to be a small affair only! She shuddered at the thought of being introduced to a line-up of bachelors, with everyone there knowing what was going on. That would be way too embarrassing!

I wouldn't make a spectacle of myself, even though Megan thinks she's only doing me a favour.

She had wondered why Megan was so intent on playing matchmaker. She wouldn't be surprised if their mum was in on it, too. Both of them must have felt sorry for her when she broke up with Daniel, especially when she'd asked if she'd ever meet 'The One'. She winced. She could still remember her conversation with her mother.

"Don't worry, darling, maybe Daniel's not really meant for you."

"Do you really think I'll ever find 'the one', Mum? You know, like you have Dad and Megan has Rick?"
 

"Of course, you will! You are gorgeous and you are beautiful on the inside, too. Somewhere out there, there's a man just for you. And I'm not saying that because I'm your mother. But you won't find this person if you don't go out enough! Most of your contacts are work-related and you have such strict rules about not dating anyone connected to your work. You should socialise more, Clarise."

Her mother hadn't hidden the fact that she was worried she would end up a spinster and would have no one to share her life with. With her track record of hardly going out on dates and her past relationships not lasting more than two and a half months—her time with Daniel being the longest—she shared her mum's concerns.

Ruefully, she remembered the time when she and Daniel took her parents out to dinner. At twenty-nine years of age, she had finally introduced a boyfriend to her parents. Her mother had been so excited it was like she herself was going out on her first date.

Three weeks after that, she was single again. She felt she had failed at something significant and swallowed the pain and guilt that attacked her at disappointing her parents—and herself.

   
"Are you okay, Clarise?" Victor's voice brought her back into the present.

"Yes, I was just thinking of Megan's plan to foist single men on me. I don't want to look desperate! How mortifying would that be?"

She smiled at the man in front of her. She couldn't help but think that it was, indeed, very unfortunate for the female population that Victor was gay. He was really hot-looking and a decent guy to boot.

"I'm so looking forward to your sister's engagement party but I seriously hope there are no handsome, muscular hunks there or I won't be able to keep up our pretence."

They laughed out loud.

CHAPTER TWO

Victor got out of the car, looking gorgeous in his light grey, long-sleeved, collared shirt and black pants. He went to the passenger side to open Clarise's door. With her in a chic, blue silk dress that hugged her figure in all the right places, the two of them were a picture of a beautiful couple.

"Thank you, darling," she murmured to Victor as she gracefully got out of the vehicle. Her eyes danced with controlled laughter as she watched him act out their game. "What is your mantra again tonight?" she teased him.

"I'm a sexy, handsome, straight man who's crazy about you," he whispered with a snicker. "Don't make me laugh or we'll give the game away. Your parents are watching us."

Clarise waved to her parents. They, too, had just arrived and were patiently waiting for them, trying not to stare at Victor.

She knew Megan would have told their mum straight away about her 'new boyfriend' after she had called a couple of days ago. She'd informed Megan she was bringing a date to her party after all.

"Is this your new boyfriend?" her sister had asked with open interest.

"I work with Victor, and we, umm, get along really well and we really like each other," she had answered. "There's the complication of working together but we seem to be managing it quite well. I'm really looking forward to introducing him to you guys."

She wasn't good at lying and had tried to sound mysterious. She wanted Megan to believe there was something romantic between her and Victor without actually saying the words. She must have succeeded because right now, as she and Victor walked hand in hand towards her parents, she could tell her mum was trying to hide a huge, pleased grin.

She made the necessary introductions before they proceeded towards Rick's parents' house, where the engagement party was being held. Before they walked in, her mum pulled her aside.

"Well, he's better looking than Daniel, Clarise. And he seems like such a gentleman."

She smiled with relief.

~~~~~~~

The Smithson's house was in full party mode. There was a large marquee in their manicured backyard, which was decked out with gold, silver and light pink balloons with a small dance floor on one side and a sumptuous buffet and round tables on the other.

Clarise marvelled at the number of expected guests. For what was supposed to be a small party for family and close friends only, there were still around fifty place settings. But she knew Megan worried about their other friends she couldn't invite, as she and Rick had to be ruthless with their guest list.