LITMIR.BIZ

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it had been able to drive Cade from her mind. None of it had lessened her yearning for him. Without fail, every week she and Ella had a Skype session. But not once had Cade popped his head into view to say hello and ask her how she was doing. And yet, every week she kept her fingers crossed that he would.

      She’d tried her best to get over him. She’d had three dates since she’d returned home. Two had ended in a goodnight kiss at the front door. There hadn’t been a single spark or flutter or firework. After her last date she’d had to accept what had been staring her in the face for four long months—she’d fallen in love with Cade. She’d fallen in love with him properly, truly and without agenda.

      ‘So why do you look as if the sky is about to fall in?’

      She shook herself. She was about to lie and say nothing was the matter, but she knew her mother would see through the lie and be hurt by it. Their newfound understanding was too new to risk damaging with casual deceit. ‘That has nothing to do with Diane or Brad.’

      ‘I know,’ Angela said softly. ‘You only started looking like that once you returned from that cattle station of yours.’

      Her mother had noticed? Tears pricked the back of her eyes. ‘I’m fine, Mum.’

      ‘I know, but I can’t help worrying about you.’

      The doorbell rang.

      ‘That’ll be your cab. Put on your shoes and powder your nose one last time while I answer the door.’

      Nicola did as her mother bid. She stared in the mirror, pressed the powder puff to her nose … then she put it away and hitched up her chin. Falling in love with Cade was unfortunate, yes, but not insurmountable. At least, she hoped not. Eventually his memory would fade. When it did she would date again. One thing was for sure, though—she didn’t regret turning down his offer of marriage. Not for a moment. Not even in a weak moment.

      She collected her clutch and wrap and with a deep breath headed for the living room.

      ‘Nicola, this gentleman says he knows you. He claims he’s your date for the evening.’

      Nicola glanced up as she walked into the living room, to find Cade’s bulk framed in the doorway. Wind rushed past her ears, drowning out the rest of her mother’s words. She reached out a hand to steady herself on the back of a chair. Cade stood there—in her living room in Melbourne—dressed in a tuxedo, and all she could do was stare … and stare … and stare some more. She blinked but he didn’t disappear. She gripped the back of the chair more tightly to prevent herself from doing something stupid like racing over to him and hurling herself into his arms.

      He shrugged. He didn’t smile. ‘We had a deal. Did you think I’d forget?’

      Cade suspected he might be about to make the biggest fool of himself, but he wasn’t sure he cared. Not when it meant seeing Nicola in the flesh and drawing her unique strawberry jam scent into his lungs. He stared at her and something inside him that had stopped and seized the day her plane had taken off from Waminda, started to unfurl, to relax … to tick with anticipation.

      He ached to take the three strides that would bring him right up against her, wrap an arm around her waist and pull her hard up against him and kiss her until neither one of them could think.

      But she deserved a whole lot more finesse than that. Besides, it might help slake the need pounding through him, but it was her need that counted.

      She stared at him with those amazing eyes, but she didn’t smile. Her tongue snaked out to moisten her lips. ‘I … um …’

      She had! She’d thought he’d forgotten their deal. It took an effort of will not to rock back on his heels. He resisted the urge to run a finger around the collar of his shirt as it tightened about his throat. ‘Did you organise another date?’ His voice scraped out of his throat, but he couldn’t help it, couldn’t modulate it. He tried to swallow.

      Was someone else taking his Cinderella to the ball? His hands clenched about the bunch of flowers he held. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she said yes.

      The older woman who’d answered the door nudged Nicola. ‘Darling?’

      Nicola jumped. Colour flooded her cheeks. ‘I really didn’t think you’d … I mean, I never really thought that you were serious.’

      Of course she hadn’t. She thought him a lowlife—the kind of man who’d propose a loveless marriage. He had done that and it did make him a lowlife. His hands clenched tightly. If he was lucky he might be able to redeem himself a little this evening. The stems of the flowers dug into his hands.

      ‘You …’ Her voice trembled. She swallowed. ‘You never mentioned it again.’

      ‘I always keep my word.’

      ‘How …’ Her tongue moistened her lips and need clenched through him. ‘How did you know when it was on?’

      ‘You told Ella. You showed her your dress.’ He wondered if he would ever be able to unclench his hand from around the flowers. ‘In one of your Skype sessions. I listened in to them all.’

      ‘You never once said hello.’

      He could see now what a mistake that had been.

      Her hands twisted together. ‘I wish you hadn’t gone to so much trouble.’

      It was all he could do to keep his voice steady. ‘No trouble at all.’ She was going to shaft him! She was going to tell him she had another date, and that he’d wasted his time. She was going to tell him to go home.

      With every second that passed the atmosphere grew tenser. The older woman stepped forward to take the flowers. Probably before he could strangle them completely. She had to almost prise them from his hand. She glanced at Nicola and cleared her throat delicately.

      Nicola jumped again. ‘Mum, this is Cade Hindmarsh, the owner of Waminda Downs station where I was nanny during the Christmas break. Cade, this is my mother, Angela McGillroy.’

      Nicola’s mother? She was nothing like he’d imagined. He did his best not to stare. ‘Pleased to meet you.’

      ‘Charmed,’ she returned but her eyes narrowed. ‘Do you want to attend the wedding with this man, Nicola, or would you like me to send him packing?’

      He might be twice her size but he didn’t doubt her ability to dispatch him with ruthless efficiency if she so chose.

      He raised an eyebrow. ‘Nicola?’ If she’d truly prefer to attend the wedding on her own, or if she had another date, he’d leave. He planted his feet and lifted his chin. But he’d be back here first thing tomorrow morning. They had to talk.

      His lips twisted. No, correction—he had to beg. His gut tightened. Hopefully, Nicola would listen. It’d be more than he deserved, he knew that, but he had to give it a go.

      Still, scowling and pressing her weren’t fair. He made himself smile and for a moment that wasn’t hard because it was so damn good to see her. ‘It’s great to see you, Nicola. You look … fabulous.’ He hoped his eyes conveyed just how fabulous he found her. ‘And if you don’t have another date I would be honoured to attend the wedding with you.’

      She smiled back and just like that the ground beneath his feet shifted. ‘Thank you, Cade, that would be lovely.’

      The tightness in his chest eased when he realised he’d just won round one. As he led her to his hired car he reminded himself that this evening was about her. He meant to make this night special for her, his own impatience be damned. It was the least he could do. Nicola deserved the best and tonight he meant to give that to her. Or die trying.

      Only then would he have the right to ask for her hand in marriage. And if he made it that far, this time he had every intention of doing it right.

      For Cade, nothing was too much trouble. He anticipated Nicola’s every want, he charmed her friends and he made all the right comments

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