An Unlikely Bride for the Billionaire (19 page)

Each and every one of those darts found their mark, although they hadn't been aimed at her.

Mia rubbed a hand across her chest, trying to ease the ache there. ‘I believe he's sincere in wanting to make amends.'

‘You think I should see him?'

She recalled the absolute happiness on Carla's face when she and Thierry had picnicked. ‘I think you should give him a hearing. I think things can be patched up.'

The other woman tried to hide it, but she brightened at Mia's words. ‘What about Dylan?'

‘I think you should call him.'

‘I meant what about
you
and Dylan?'

Oh.
She glanced down at her hands. ‘I don't know. I need to go somewhere quiet and think.'

‘So there's hope?'

She met Carla's gaze. ‘I
hope
there's hope.'

After a moment Carla said, ‘I'm going to ring Dylan. I want Uncle Andrew charged with assault.'

Mia's head shot up, a fierce gladness gripping her. ‘Good for you. Women shouldn't have to put up with violence at the hands of men.'

Carla twisted her hands together. ‘It'll create a media circus, though.' She eyed Mia uncertainly. ‘And the reason for our argument will come out—which means you'll be spotlighted in the media too.'

‘Me?'

Carla reached out and took Mia's hand. ‘I know how much you've dreaded the media getting hold of the story that you and Dylan are dating. If the thought of publicity freaks you out that much, I won't go ahead with it.'

Her heart thumped. She waited for dread and fear to fill her, but they didn't.
Why
wasn't she crippled with fear?

The answer came to her in an instant. Ever since she'd been released from jail she'd thought that scandal and losing her job, losing the chance of the quiet life she craved, were the worst things that could happen to her. She'd been wrong. Watching Dylan walk away this morning—that had been the worst thing.

Very slowly she shook her head. ‘It doesn't freak me out. At least, not much.' She met her friend's gaze. ‘You have every right to slay your dragons. I'll help in any way I can.'

Carla wrapped her in a hug. ‘Thank you.'

* * *

At four o'clock Mia let herself into the Plum Pines office. Sunday was one of the busiest days as far as the general public were concerned—lots of barbecues, picnics and viewing of the exhibits. It was a busy day for the volunteers who helped to run the wildlife displays too, but the administration of the reserve was a strictly Monday-to-Friday enterprise. Which meant she'd have the office to herself.

With a heart that pounded too fast, she switched on one of the computers and then pulled Felipe's memory card from her pocket. Swallowing hard, she retrieved the image he'd snapped of her.

It filled the screen. She flinched and had to look away.

It's only a photograph!

She glanced back and tried to study the picture objectively, but after only a few seconds she had to look away again.

Muttering something rude under her breath, she pushed out of her chair and paced across to the far wall. Hauling in a breath, she turned back to the image once more.

Her heart squeezed tight and her eyes filled. Felipe had captured something that attracted and repelled her at the same time. He'd captured something that both soothed and frightened her.

What was it
?

In that photo her expression was so unguarded it made her head spin. Was it hope?

She moved back towards the computer monitor to study the image more minutely, biting down on her thumbnail.

Hope was part of it, but...

She reached out and touched the face on the screen.

That smile...

The emotion pulsing through the photograph was
joy
. It was so present she could almost feel the laughter wrap around her.

Joy? She'd spent so long feeling ashamed of herself, so determined not to repeat her mistakes, she'd forgotten. She'd forgotten she had a lot of good inside her too.

Her hands clenched and unclenched. She'd told herself that she couldn't have fun and hope and joy in her life because she didn't deserve them—not after the things she'd done.

But...

She'd made a mistake—a big one—but that mistake didn't have to define the rest of her life unless she let it. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She didn't need to shut herself away. She just needed to choose the right path...the right life.

She fell back into the chair, her cheeks wet. There wasn't a tissue in sight, so she dried her cheeks on the sleeves of her shirt and sniffed rather inelegantly.

‘Right, then.'

She might as well start living that life right away.

She seized the phone and punched in a number.

‘Felipe Fellini.'

‘Felipe, it's Mia.'

‘Mia, darling—what can I do for you?'

She told him.

After she'd hung up she pulled in a breath and rang Dylan.

He answered immediately. ‘Mia! Is everything okay?'

His caller ID must have given her away.

The sound of his voice made her throat dry and she had to clear it before she could speak. ‘Yes.'

‘I've spoken to Carla. Are you sure you're all right with the publicity that a suit against Andrew will involve?'

She nodded, and then realised he couldn't see her. ‘I'm sure.'

There was a pause. ‘That's a surprise.'

She nodded again, more to herself this time. ‘Yes.'

‘What can I do for you?'

‘I was wondering...' She wiped a damp palm down her jeans. ‘I was wondering if I could invite you on a date next Saturday night. There's something I want you to see.'

‘Has this anything to do with Carla and Thierry?'

‘No. It's to do with me.'

‘What time would you like me to pick you up?'

* * *

Dylan's heart thumped when he knocked on Mia's door. All week he'd alternated between hope and despair. Hope that this was the new beginning with Mia that he craved. Despair that this would be her way of bringing things between them to an end once and for all.

She opened the door. For a moment all he could do was stare. ‘You look stunning!'

She wore a scarlet dress with a shimmering satin bodice, fitted beneath her breasts. The skirt fell to her knees in a cloud of chiffon that moved as she walked.

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘You look very nice yourself.'

He was glad he'd worn a dinner jacket. Especially when her hand fluttered up to her throat, as if the sight of him made it hard for her to breathe. The smile she sent him, though, held a hint of shyness—like a girl on her first date.

This probably
was
her first real date in nearly four years. Tenderness washed over him.

After she'd locked the front door he held out his arm, ridiculously pleased when she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. ‘Your chariot awaits.'

For good or for ill, he had a feeling he'd remember tonight for the rest of his life.

‘Where are we going?'

She gave him an inner-city address. He had no idea what was there, but he didn't ask any further questions. He'd let the evening unfold at the pace she chose for it.

* * *

Dylan glanced out of the car window. Light spilled from the industrial-sized windows of a warehouse. He opened his mouth to ask Mia if she was sure she had the address right, but closed it again when she lowered her window and waved a card at an attendant standing on the footpath. The attendant directed them to a parking spot in front of the warehouse's huge double doors—the doors were closed except for a smaller door inset into one of them.

He switched off the ignition and turned to her. ‘What
is
this?'

‘I—' She broke off and hauled in a breath.

That wave of tenderness washed over him again, threatening to crush him. He reached for her hand. ‘Are you nervous?'

‘A little.'

‘Of me?'

‘Yes.'

The word whispered out of her and something blossomed in his chest.
Hope.
And it took firm root. ‘You don't need to be nervous about me, Mia.'

He was hers. All hers. He didn't tell her out loud that he loved her, but he pressed a kiss to her palm, knowing that if she wanted to see it his love for her would be written all over his face.

Her gaze travelled over him and her breath snagged, her gaze catching on his mouth. Hunger and need chased themselves across her face. An answering hunger roared through him.

‘Oh!' Her hand tightened in his. ‘You can distract me
so
easily!'

The grin inside him built. ‘Excellent.'

‘Before you distract me further, I want to show you something. And then I want to talk.'

‘And
then
can I distract you?' He waggled his eyebrows.

She gurgled back a laugh. ‘Perhaps. If you still want to.'

He'd definitely still want to.

Without another word, he pushed himself out of the car and went around to open her door. She took his arm.

‘This—' she gestured to the building in front of them ‘—is something of a first. Felipe has been prevailed upon to give the people of Newcastle a preview of his up-and-coming Sydney show.'

Dylan's stared at her. ‘Who prevailed upon him?'

She moistened her lips. ‘Me.'

She
had?

Before he could ask what that meant, Felipe came towards them, arms outstretched.

‘Darlings!' He kissed them on both cheeks in flamboyant greeting. ‘I'm honoured to have you as my guests. Come!'

Dylan's head whirled as Felipe gave them a personal tour of some of the most amazing photographs Dylan had ever seen—his commentary both entertaining and revelatory.

Dylan glanced at Mia. She'd contrived this for
him
? Because she knew he appreciated art and photography? His heart gave a giant kick. Nobody had ever arranged anything so perfect for him in all his life. It had to mean
something
.

‘And this, darlings, is the
pièce de résistance
! The jewel in my crown.'

Felipe led them around a screen to an enormous photograph positioned on one of the warehouse's end walls.

Mia
!

He took a step towards it and Mia's hand slipped from his arm. It was the photograph of Mia! Her joy, her laughter and her love greeted him from the wall and he almost stopped breathing.

His every muscle tightened. He swung back to her, hands fisted at his sides. He'd lost the ability to be charming. Everything had been stripped away except raw need. ‘What does this mean?'

Mia glanced at Felipe, who put a key into her hand.

‘Lock up when you're done.'

She nodded her thanks.

It was only then that Dylan realised they were alone in this magnificent space. The show had been for him alone.

Mia didn't speak until the clang of a door informed them that Felipe had left. She moistened her lips. ‘Are you cross that I gave Felipe permission to use the photograph in his exhibition?'

‘Cross? No.' He glanced at the photo again and searched himself. He didn't feel disappointment either. Only wonder. ‘I just want to know what all this means.'

‘It means I've finally realised you were right.'

She moved to stand beside him and gestured up at the picture, though he could only look at
her
—the flesh and blood woman.

‘That
is
the person I should become. It's...' She met his gaze. ‘It's the real me.'

Her admission stunned him.

‘I've realised that I deserve to be happy. More to the point, I've realised I
want
to be happy. And I've realised that being a field officer and leading a quiet life
won't
make me happy.'

She glanced at the photo and then at him.

‘
You
make me happy, Dylan.'

He stared at her, humbled by the vulnerability in her eyes.

‘I... I couldn't be happy until I forgave myself for my past.' Her hands twisted together. ‘I know I've hurt you, and I'm so sorry for that. Truly. I'm hoping I haven't hurt you so badly that you can't forgive me. I'm hoping—'

He didn't let her finish. He kissed her instead.

The shock of his assault made her wobble on her heels, but he wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her close, steadying her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

When he lifted his head her eyes glittered and her chest rose and fell. And then she smiled, and it was just like the smile in the frame behind her—full of joy and love.

‘That felt an awful lot like a you-still-love-me-too kiss.'

He stroked his fingers down her face. ‘I will
always
love you.'

She took his face in her hands. ‘I promise I will look after your heart and be the best person I can for you.'

He stared into her eyes, humbled all over again. ‘Nobody has ever made a more meaningful vow to me. I'll cherish it forever.'

A cheeky smile peeped out. ‘Good, because I'm also going to ask you to give me a job. I quit Plum Pines yesterday.'

He gaped. She just grinned back at him, so delighted with herself that he had to laugh.

‘I don't want to be a field officer, and I don't want to be an events manager either. I just want you to give me a regular office job so I can put myself through a psychology major at university. I want to be a counsellor.' She lifted her chin. ‘I think I have something of value I could offer to people.'

He ran his hands up and down her back, revelling in the way it made her shiver. ‘How about I gift you the opportunity for full-time study as a wedding present?'