Page 52 of Bride Under Contract

‘Check,’ Grace said, as if she was only now remembering, when that moment was already etched on her heart.

There was a car and driver waiting for them. After a week in the jungle the lights and sights of a busy city late evening were overwhelming. The car was moving at speed through the streets, and there were just so many people.

Carter, clearly delighted to be back in civilisation, had his diary up on a screen and was talking to his assistant, confirming appointments, meetings, flights...

‘What ring size are you?’ he asked.

‘I’ve no idea. Why?’

He rolled his eyes and got back to his call.

For Grace there was a feeling of excitement that she hadn’t expected, and she told him the same as they approached the luxurious hotel. ‘I thought I’d feel guilty,’ she admitted.

‘Why?’ Carter frowned.

‘It seems wrong. Well, it seemed wrong.’ She thought back to her abhorrence when he’d first suggested it, yet even before he’d dropped her back at the resort she’d turned things around.

Her last night spent with the group had been incredible.

Arif had been the guide, with Felicity steering the boat, and the pygmy elephants had been at the riverbank as if to wave goodbye...

And then Carter had collected her in the morning.

The story was that she would be working for Carter, collating data for his legal team.

‘Thanks for coming on board,’ Arif had said as he’d farewelled her. ‘I’ve given some of the data to Carter, but here are my contact details.’

Felicity had even hugged her!

‘I’m going to miss the jungle,’ she admitted.

‘I shan’t,’ he said, climbing out of the car.

He offered his hand as she went to get out, just as he had on the speedboat, and gave her a begrudging smile.

‘Okay, some parts were good.’

Even checking in to such a sumptuous place didn’t daunt, when usually it would have, even though for her it was quite an event.

As Carter sat at a desk and spoke with the guest services manager about their upcoming stay Grace sat, sipping pink tea and nibbling gorgeous wafers. And instead of feeling intimidated by the glamorous staff and gorgeous guests, she sat in her black shorts and dusky pink top and called the nursing home.

There was an agency nurse on, whom Grace didn’t know, but she told her that her mother was at singing practice.

‘Is she settling in?’

‘She seems very happy. Maggie’s in tomorrow—she’ll be able to tell you more.’

‘Thanks.’

It was such a relief to know she was okay, and Grace sat back, looking out at the dark city and to the glittering skyline.

‘Grace?’

She looked up to find Carter standing there. ‘They’re still getting the suite ready.’

‘Oh.’ She’d have expected them to have it ready and waiting for him from the way they were fawning over him. ‘No problem.’

‘We’ll go up to the bar.’

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