Page 67 of Undercover Billionaire

‘It’s okay, Kels.’ Her mother smiled. ‘I know what you meant. But I absolutely cannot be a consideration here. All that stuff about where you’ll live and what to do with your old blind mum are all bridges that can be crossed. But giving up because of them? Using them as anexcuse? Kelsey… when did you start believing you didn’t deserve to be loved by a man like your dad loved me?’

Hot tears scaled Kelsey’s eyes. She didn’t remember her dad very well. But she did remember the love. ‘But Mum… He’s the prince and I’m?—’

‘Cinderella?’ She made a dismissive gesture. ‘You know she got the prince, right?’

God no,if only. ‘No, Mum. I’m the stable mouse who gets turned into a horse. And guess what? It’s after midnight.’

Her mother made an impatient noise. ‘Do youlovehim, Kelsey?’

She nodded, more miserable than she’d ever been in her life. ‘Yes.’ Her throat burned with the truth of it.

‘Then that’s all that matters.’ She shook her daughter’s leg. ‘Kels, don’t you knowyou’rethe author of your own fairy tale?Youget to write the ending.’

Sniffling, Kelsey glanced at her mother. ‘Is it really that simple?’

Her mother smiled at her gently. ‘If you want it to be,yes. Why not? You were hurt. But so was he. The man lost awifeand yet he’s still willing to put himself out there again.For you.’

A hot rush of love for Ari swelled in Kelsey’s chest, twisting and lodging in her throat. He loved her. Ari, who had been through a tragedy far more wounding than her own, loved her. Wanted to be with her.

‘I ask again,’ her mother said. ‘Do. You. Love. Him?’

Kelsey couldn’t speak so she nodded, her face threatening to crumple from the emotion. Despite all the pain Ari had been through, he wanted to take the leap. With her.

‘Then go.’ Her mother patted her leg. ‘Write the ending.’

A sudden feeling of absolute certainty descended. Her mother was right. If Ari could take the leap, then surely so could she. She didn’t know how it was all going to work but she needed to take the first step.

Scrambling out of the hammock as quickly as it was possible to scramble out of a fabric cocoon, Kelsey dashed away tears.

‘I’m going to do it.’

Her mother pulled her in for a hug. ‘Good for you.’

‘I hope I’m not too late.’

‘Then run,’ she said. ‘Go get your prince.’

* * *

Kelsey wasnota runner but the tide was going out and the sand was packed hard beneath her feet closer to the water, and she ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the caravan park at the far end of the crescent-shaped beach.

She was desperately afraid it was already too late, so much so she barely even registered the rain starting to fall. What would she do if he wasn’t there? Old Kelsey would have taken that as a sign from the universe and left defeated.

This Kelsey, thisrunningKelsey, would get in her car and do that mad romantic movie airport dash if she had to.

Her heart was hammering and she was a sodden mess and seriously out of breath by the time she stumbled through the beach gate into the caravan park. Despite the town not being very big, the van park was a decent size and Kelsey had no idea where to start.

‘Ari Callisthenes,’ she puffed out to a couple who were drinking wine under the shelter of their canopy.

‘Number twelve,’ the woman said without hesitation, pointing to the left.

Of coursethe first person she asked would know. His notoriety was such that evenvisitorsto the town knew his name.

Stumbling along to the left, it took Kelsey a few seconds to work out the numbering system but, before she knew it, she was standing outside a small white caravan parked on site twelve. The door was shut and she feared the worst as she bashed on the door and called, ‘Ari!Ari!’

Bending at the waist and planting her hands on her thighs, Kelsey tried to catch her breath. She was dizzy with exertion and almost sick with dread. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to faint or throw up.

When the door opened to reveal Ari mostly naked apart from a towel – ofcourse– swooning became the obvious choice.

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