Page 27 of Wife for a Week

Hallie picked up a shirt and attempted to fold it, but her fingers wouldn’t co-operate. She had to know. ‘Did he sign?’

‘Yeah, he signed.’

Thank goodness for that! Hallie let out the breath she’d been holding. For a moment there she’d thought she’d sabotaged his business deal completely. But if that wasn’t it, then why the silent treatment?

Oh, yeah. The vase. ‘I, ah, packed the vase for you. I thought I’d carry it in my hand luggage. It’s very fragile.’

He closed his eyes, muttered a curse.

‘And very good value as well,’ she said in a rush. ‘I think when you have it valued you’ll be pleasantly surprised. It’s functional too.’

At this, his eyes opened and fixed on her, thoroughly disbelieving.

‘Not that I expect you to, ah, use it in that way. You could use it as a regular vase. You could put flowers in it.’

‘Flowers,’ he repeated.

‘Maybe a dried arrangement of some kind,’ she suggested.

‘I’ll keep that in mind.’

She nodded. ‘Yes, well, I’m really glad the whole funeral-vase shambles didn’t ruin it for you. I think, given the circumstances, that it might be better if I don’t take your money. I mean, what with the clothes you provided and the trip itself…’

The contract hit…

‘What do you mean not take the money? You have to take the money.’ Nick pinned her with an angry gaze. ‘We had an agreement.’

So they did. Hallie bit her lip and looked away.

‘You need that money to finish your diploma.’

The diploma. Hallie sighed. Right now the diploma didn’t seem to be very important at all. Maybe it wasn’t. ‘I’m thinking of putting my studies on hold.’

‘Why?’

‘I’ve had an idea.’

‘God help us all,’ he muttered. And then, as if bracing himself for a hurricane, ‘Continue.’

‘I’m going to start my own business.’

‘What kind of business?’

‘I want to start dealing in Asian antiquities, ceramics to be more specific. I have the knowledge. I know what I’m looking for. Not quite tomb raiding, I know, but I think I’d be good at it.’ She waited for a great guffaw of mocking laughter, but it didn’t come.

‘Will you have enough start-up money?’ he asked. ‘Will ten thousand pounds be enough?’

‘I’m going to start small. Approach a few collectors and find out what they’re buying. Then see if I can find it for them.’

‘Because if you need more, I’d be more than willing to back your business venture.’

‘You’d do that? Even after all the trouble I’ve caused you?’

‘Yes. You have what it takes to succeed no matter what you do. I’ve told you that before.’

Hallie’s eyes filled with tears. He was making it hard, so hard, for her to let him go. Not like her brothers at all, this man before her. Freedom, equality, respect; he’d shown her them all. If only he’d fallen in love with her as well…

But he hadn’t. And if they became business partners she’d never be able to keep her feelings for him a secret and then where would they be? ‘Thank you,’ she said huskily. ‘Your support means a lot to me but I need to do this on my own.’

Nick nodded. ‘I can understand that. But if you ever need help you’ll call me.’

‘Sure.’ Never. She closed the lid on her bulging suitcase. She was all packed. ‘I’m going to miss Kai and the Teys. And you.’ Her heart was close to breaking with just how much she was going to miss Nick, but she summoned a smile. ‘I’ve enjoyed our stay. It’s been quite an adventure.’

‘Very Lara Croft,’ he said.

‘I’d rather be Indiana Jones.’ And when he lifted a questioning eyebrow. ‘It’s the hat.’

‘I can see you in the hat,’ he said, his eyes darkening. ‘I can see you in nothing but the hat.’

‘First the necklace, now the hat.’ She could do this; get through this. Her brothers always told her she could banter with the best of them. ‘Maybe you’re developing an accessories fetish.’

‘The necklace was spectacular,’ he said with a wistful sigh. ‘The necklace will haunt me until the day I die. Now, so will the hat. Thank you so very much.’

‘Definitely an accessories fetish,’ she said. ‘I’m thinking shoes now. Stilettos. That might work for you too.’

‘It’s not the accessories.’

‘It’s not?’

‘No.’ He was close, very close. ‘You’re not wearing your rings.’

‘They’re in the bathroom. I hadn’t forgotten them. I just…’ Hadn’t had the heart to leave them on. Hadn’t been able to bear the pretence any longer. She didn’t finish her sentence.

He went into the bathroom, came out with them in his hand.

‘You want me to wear them,’ she said, and felt her heart shatter into pieces. Of course he did. They weren’t done here yet. Not quite.

‘No. You don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to,’ he said quietly. ‘The thing is, I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do next too. I have a plan as well.’ And with a deep, ragged breath, ‘I want you to keep the rings.’

‘You’re giving them to me?’ Fine tremors racked her body as she looked away. ‘You know I can’t accept them.’

‘I’m not giving them to you.’ He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her back to face him, and now he could feel her trembling too. His eyes widened, and he stroked his hand down her arm as if to soothe her, but he didn’t let her go. Instead, he captured her hand in his and traced the knuckles of her wedding finger with his thumb. ‘Actually, I suppose I am giving them to you, technically speaking, but there’s a catch.’ His smile was crooked, his eyes uncertain. ‘You have to take me too.’

‘I…what?’

‘I can’t let you go,’ he said quietly. ‘I won’t. So the way I figure it, you’re going to have to marry me for real.’

‘I…you want to marry me?’

‘That’s the plan,’ he said. ‘Of course, it does depend on you saying yes to the plan. And it would really help my confidence if you stopped shaking.’

‘My brothers are going to kill you,’ she said faintly. ‘We’ve only known each other a week.’

‘Was that a yes?’

‘I’ll drive you crazy.’ She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t break free of the blossoming joy that threatened to engulf her. Nick loved her! He wanted to marry her! If anything, her trembling increased.

‘Was that a yes?’ he wanted to know. ‘I’m taking that as a yes. But I’m going to need a declaration of love as well. Just to be sure.’

‘You want to hear me say I love you?’

‘It’s a crucial part of the plan,’ he said gruffly.

‘I love you,’ she said, bringing her hands up to frame his beautiful, beloved face, laughing when his arms came around her as if he’d never let her go. ‘Yes, I’ll marry you. I’m going to be the best corporate wife you’ve ever seen.’

‘No!’ He was half laughing and wholly alarmed as he picked her up in his arms and headed towards the bed. ‘I don’t want a corporate wife.’ And with a catch in his voice that pierced her to the core, ‘All I want is you.’

Jasmine, John and Kai were on hand to bid them farewell as they left for the airport the following morning. They didn’t feel like business associates, these lovely, generous people, thought Hallie; they felt like family. ‘Thank you,’ she said warmly, holding out her hand to John. ‘For your hospitality and your kindness. It was a pleasure meeting you.’

She turned to Jasmine next as Nick shook hands with John and added his thanks to hers. ‘I’m going to miss you,’ she said as she embraced the younger girl. ‘Keep in touch.’

And then there was Kai, standing by the front door, a little apart from Jasmine and her father as he waited to drive them to the airport. ‘Thanks for keeping me company yesterday. I appreciated it,’ she told him with a brush of her lips to his cheek and had the satisfaction of seeing him smile, just a little. ‘Still leaving for the Mainland?’

‘Maybe just for a visit.’

‘Maybe you should consider taking a travelling companion.’

Kai’s smile grew a fraction wider. ‘Take care, Hallie Cooper.’

Hallie watched as Nick completed his farewells, an affectionate hug for Jasmine and a simple heartfelt thank-you for Kai. They’d been through so much together—all five of them—that lies and half-truths no longer seemed appropriate. Had never been appropriate, thought Hallie wryly, not really. But she had no wish to upset things just as they were leaving. No wish to watch this comfortable intimacy turn to wariness and suspicion, so she kept her mouth firmly shut on the subject of her fictitious marriage to Nick and comforted herself with the knowledge that next time she saw them she would be married to him.

Nick joined her by the door and Hallie would have turned to leave but for Jasmine, who’d retrieved a bright red parcel from the entrance table and was holding it out towards her. ‘For you and Nick,’ she said impishly. ‘From my father and I.’

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