Page 63 of Undercover Billionaire

‘Plenty wouldn’t.’

He grinned. ‘They don’t know what they’re missing.’

Seeing Jaidyn’s mother cry with happiness and his father break down had been incredibly humbling.Nothearing Kelsey curse as she made coffee was an added bonus.

‘You must miss home?’ Gail asked. ‘It’s been a while.’

Ari wasn’t sure if this was a test, but he wanted to pass it anyway. ‘Home is where the heart is.’

‘And your heart is here?’

He nodded. ‘It is.’

‘You love her?’

‘I do.’

Ari hadn’t been sure when he’d hightailed it out of Greece. He hadn’t even dared to hope. He just knew he had to see Kelsey, had to find out. It had taken him a week to track her down and a couple more weeks to organise and manage his absence, but the second he’d laid eyes on her, her feet in a puddle, her hair in a messy, windswept ponytail, he’d known.

Like he had with Talia.

It was like all the pieces of his heart that had been ripped apart suddenly clicked back into place.

He was in love with Kelsey.

Ariknewwhat love felt like. He knew the deep, abiding constancy of it, the certainty of it, the rightness of it.

He’d just been too burned, too destroyed by it three years ago to trust its embrace again.

You think we only get one go at this?

His grandfather’s question had ripped the blinkers from his eyes and the chains from his heart. Hehadthought that, yes. Despite every well-meaning friend and relative telling him love would come again. Despite the evidence all around him that people loved more than once.

Maybe he’d just needed to hear it from someone who understood grief. Or maybe he’d just been ready to hear it this time.

‘You hurt her.’

Ari heaved in a heavy breath. ‘I did. And for that I am eternally sorry. But I promise you, Gail, if she gives me a second chance, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to her.’

Gail nodded slowly, her lips pursed. ‘She’s been hurt before. She doesn’t trust easily.’

‘I know. And I haven’t helped the situation. But… I’m not Eric, Gail.’

Ari didn’t want to sound desperate or try and ingratiate himself with Kelsey’s mother behind her back. He just wanted to assure Gail that his intentions were honourable.

She nodded slowly. ‘I know.’

A wave of relief washed over Ari. He knew what other people thought of him shouldn’t matter. But this was Kelsey’s mother – the most important person in the life of the woman he loved. Of course it mattered. ‘Thank you.’

‘Don’t make me regret it.’

Ari put his hand on his heart. ‘I won’t.’

‘Shall we go and get coffee?’

Ari smiled. ‘An excellent idea.’ He held out his elbow like he’d seen Kelsey do, and Gail grabbed hold, following a pace behind.

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