ex is getting married?’ That was the last thing he had expected to hear.
‘Is it so surprising? People do get remarried, you know. And I’m happy for him.’
‘I thought he wanted you back.’
Now her eyes were accusing. ‘How could you possibly think I’d go back to him after what you and I have shared together? The...the fairy tale magic. What kind of a woman do you think I am?’
‘Obviously one I’m not worthy of,’ he said slowly. He tasted regret, bitter and stinging.
All her indignation and anger fled from her face and her eyes softened. She reached up and laid her fingers across his mouth. ‘Oh, Jesse, don’t say that. After all we’ve been through to get here.’
He took her fingers in his hand. ‘Can you forgive me?’
‘If you’ll forgive me for keeping secrets from you. I should have told you straight away about the wedding in Lyon. I love you, Jesse. I couldn’t bear to lose you.’
Relief swelled through him. ‘That’s twice you’ve told me you love me. Can you give a man a chance to catch up?’
He couldn’t wait another second to gather her close to him. She squealed. ‘You’re wet and cold but I don’t care.’
He claimed her mouth in a kiss. ‘I love you, Lizzie,’ he said, revelling in the sound of the words and how it made him feel to say them. ‘I love you, Lizzie,’ he repeated. ‘That’s twice I’ve said it. We’re even.’
She locked her arms around his neck. ‘I’m going to tell you how much I love you a lot more times than that. I’m coming to Texas with you. Amy too.’
‘You’d leave the café?’
‘Funnily enough, though it didn’t seem the best job in the world when I came down to Dolphin Bay, I’ve got attached to it. But not as attached as I am to you. So yes, I’ll leave it after training someone else to take over so I don’t let Sandy down.’
‘You don’t have to leave. I’m staying right here in Dolphin Bay.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m going into business with Ben.’
She frowned. ‘Is it what you really want? You’re not compromising for my sake? Because if—’
‘It’s what I really want. I want you too. No more pretending to be “just friends” either. No more being jealous because we’re not certain of each other.’
‘Jealous? You?’
‘You turned me into a jealous guy when I saw you hugging and kissing Philippe.’
She shrugged in that Gallic way. ‘It’s just a French thing. The kissing. Nothing to be concerned about.’
‘I didn’t like it.’
‘So we’re both jealous. Do two people being jealous cancel out the jealousy?’
She was making light of it. But he knew how concerned she was about her jealousy causing problems.
‘I have a better idea,’ he said. ‘Love. Security. Commitment. Knowing the other person is always in your court. That could go a long way to cancelling out the jealousy.’
She went very still. He was aware of the sound of the waves. The thudding of his own heart. ‘I...I’m not sure what you’re getting at,’ she said.
He’d thought about this when he’d been swimming up and down in the surf. How he couldn’t bear to be without Lizzie in his life. How he could think of nothing better than making her and Amy his family. How what she needed had become what he needed. ‘A wedding ring firmly circling your finger is my idea of a jealousy buster,’ he said.
‘And a matching one circling yours is mine,’ she said. Her wonderful warm laugh rang out across the beach. ‘Did you just propose to me, Jesse Morgan?’
‘Did you just accept my proposal, Lizzie Morgan to-be?’
‘I did,’ she said, planting a kiss on his mouth. ‘And...and I couldn’t be happier.’
‘Me too,’ he said and kissed her back. His heart actually ached with joy.
She broke away from the kiss. ‘You realise there will be a lot of upset people in town when this news leaks out?’
‘Who? My family will be delighted.’
‘The punters who laid bets you’d never marry.’
‘Serves them right for giving you the wrong impression of me and making it so tough for me to win you.’
She smiled. ‘I’m glad you changed my mind about that. I love you, Jesse.’
‘I love you too,’ he said. ‘That makes three times we’ve said it.’
‘Shall we try for thirty times before the day is over?’
‘Why not?’ he said. ‘I’ll never tire of hearing those words from you.’
Two months later
AS A CHILD, Christmas had not been Lizzie’s favourite time of year—her family Christmas Days had always seen the sad cliché of every bitterness and conflict getting a good airing over the roast turkey and plum pudding.
As an adult, she had embraced Christmas as a joyous celebration, growing to love festive traditions whether celebrated in the winter of Europe or the Australian summer.
But this year’s Christmas was going to be the most magical and memorable of all—because this year Lizzie was celebrating Christmas as a bride.
On Christmas Eve—a perfect sunny south coast morning—Lizzie let Sandy fuss around fixing her hair, which had been braided into a thick plait interwoven with white ribbons and creamy frangipani flowers. In her ears were the exquisite diamond studs Jesse had given her as an early Christmas present.
The sisters were getting ready in a location van parked on the approach to Silver Gull beach. As the most significant moments of their courtship had taken place on beaches, she and Jesse had decided Silver Gull would be the perfect venue for their exchange of vows.
The location van had been Sandy’s idea; she was familiar with such luxuries from her days working on advertising shoots. Lizzie marvelled at the set-up—the interior was like a dressing room complete with mirrors and even a small bathroom. It was the ideal place to prepare for a wedding at a beach.
‘Now, let me check the dress,’ said Sandy, who was taking her duties as Lizzie’s bridesmaid very seriously.
Lizzie was so happy to be getting married to Jesse she hadn’t imagined she’d be plagued by any wedding day
