Chapter Twelve
The following evening, after a hectic day spent bringing everything and everyone together, Cristy gave herself a quick last appraisal in the mirror before, satisfied she was neither glowing nor perspiring, she sauntered out of David’s dressing room, keen to get his reaction to her floor length, figure-hugging silver gown.
When she saw him standing in front of a long mirror in his tux, fixing his sapphire blue bow-tie, she found herself so distracted by how damned gorgeous he looked that it was a moment before she registered the way he was looking at her reflection.
‘Jesus,’ he murmured, and turning to her, he let his eyes sweep her from top to toe in a way that actually made her heart beat faster. ‘You are sensational,’ he told her gruffly. ‘Now I want to know how I got to be so lucky.’
Loving his response, she gave him a twirl to reveal the gown’s exquisite drop-back, right down to her waist, and had the satisfaction of hearing him groan.
Coming to her, he pressed his mouth gently to her bare skin and said, ‘Can we cut to later, after the party’s over and I get you all to myself?’
‘Already counting the hours,’ she replied, keeping her voice low.
Clearly amused by her answer, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red Cartier box.
Her heart somersaulted. So he was going to propose! Jesus. What was she going to say? It couldn’t be no, obviously – it would ruin the evening – but so would anything other than yes.
‘We can always change them,’ he said, opening the box to show her what was inside. ‘If you think …’
‘Oh my God, David,’ she cried, unravelling with relief and dazzled by the exquisite diamond stud earrings. ‘They’re beautiful. I’ve never …’ Her voice faltered as she looked into his eyes. ‘I’ve never owned anything like this,’ she said truthfully.
He smiled. ‘I’m glad you like them. Will you wear them tonight?’
‘Of course.’ And quickly unfastening the fakes she was wearing, she watched him watching her in the mirror as she replaced them with the most expensive and subtly stunning jewellery she’d ever worn. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered, as he cupped a hand gently around her face. ‘I love them.’
‘I hope you don’t mind that I stole a lead on everyone else with my gift,’ he said, ‘but I didn’t want them to be upstaged by the surprise.’
‘What on earth could be better than Cartier earrings?’ She laughed incredulously.
With a playful arch of his brows, David tucked her arm through his and led her out of the room.
Fifteen minutes later, they were in the spaciously exotic environs of the orangery, drinks in hand, family close by as guests who’d come from all over to celebrate her big day began arriving.
They all looked so happy and glamorous in their tuxedos and cocktail dresses that Cristy was delighted to see Connor taking shots for her to keep and cherish.
‘Hey you,’ a familiar voice whispered, coming up behind her. ‘Happy birthday. You look stunning.’
Turning, Cristy cried, ‘Andee!’ and quickly putting aside her champagne, she gave her dear friend a bruising hug, determinedly pushing away all thoughts of Paul Kinsley and RK Media.
Now definitely was not the right time for it.
‘Thank you for coming all this way,’ she gushed.
‘It’s wonderful that you’re here, and you look amazing. ’
Laughing, Andee gave a quick twirl to show off her clinging black jersey dress, with diamanté detail around the wrists and collar that matched the sparkling clip holding her curly dark hair.
Her mesmerizing aquamarine eyes and infectious smile always had set her apart as a beauty, and seeing her now, all dressed up and glowing like a movie star, made it hard to believe she’d once been a detective investigating some of the nation’s most violent crimes.
Would she want to go back to that?
She wouldn’t be anywhere near as hands-on with RK …
‘Cristy Ward! At last, I get to meet you.’
Cristy turned to be greeted by an extremely distinguished-looking man with neat silver hair, deep-grey eyes and an ironic sort of smile.
‘Graeme Ogilvy, my partner,’ Andee quickly explained.
Liking him on sight, Cristy said flirtatiously, ‘I kept wondering why she was hiding you away. Now I know.’
He laughed. ‘I’m lucky I get to see her at all; she always has so much going on. You look stunning, by the way – and this is a beautiful party.’
‘We’re very honoured to be invited,’ Andee assured her, ‘and this house … We were just talking to David’s daughter, Anna, who I believe built it?’
‘She had a lot of help.’ Cristy laughed. ‘But she was very involved in the design … Oh, David,’ she cried, noticing him pressing a path towards them, ‘have you met Andee and Graeme yet?’
‘I have,’ David told her, and leaned in slightly as Graeme said something in his ear. ‘OK, everyone’s here now,’ he declared, ‘so let’s get you in position …’
Intrigued and not a little apprehensive, Cristy allowed David to lead her through the crowd as Connor and Harry gently ushered everyone to clear a space in the middle of the room.
At the bar, David turned her around and called for everyone’s attention as Matthew, Hayley and Aiden came to stand the other side of her – and if it were possible for Hayley to look more excited or Matthew more pleased with himself or Aiden more chilled, she didn’t know how.
‘What’s going on?’ she whispered to Matthew. ‘What have you done?’
‘You’ll see,’ Hayley interrupted, and grabbing her brother’s arm, she gave it a vicious squeeze.
‘What the … ?’ Aiden cried, shrugging her off.
Laughing, Cristy turned back to David as he began to address the gathering.
‘I know it’s a little early for speeches,’ he said, ‘so lucky for you, that’s not what this is. However, I’m sure you’ll agree that we can’t possibly allow the party to continue without the guest of honour being present.’
Cristy turned to him curiously.
‘I know you think that might be Cristy,’ he continued, ‘but there’s someone else here tonight who she certainly will consider just as important, perhaps even more so … OK, you can come join us now.’
As everyone turned to the door, Cristy watched a tall man in his early fifties step into view. He was slightly balding, had a close-shave beard and was dressed in a stylish black dinner suit – and her hands flew to her mouth in shock.
‘Oh my God!’ she cried, unable to believe her eyes. ‘Tom? Is that … ?’ And sobbing with joy she rushed across the room, straight into her brother’s open arms.
‘Happy birthday, sis,’ he murmured into her hair, his voice thick with emotion, his embrace as encompassing as he could make it without crushing her.
Almost six years might have passed since they’d last been together, but in this moment it felt like no time at all.
‘You didn’t think I was going to miss this, did you? ’ he teased.
‘No. Yes! I mean … Oh God, I can’t … You look … wonderful. When did you get here?’
‘Yesterday. I’ve been lying low at a hotel in town.’
‘I told you you were going to love it.’ Hayley laughed, coming to hug them. ‘Uncle Tom, you’re amazing for coming all this way … Thank you …’
‘It was my idea to invite him,’ Aiden interrupted, grabbing his uncle’s hand.
‘It was mine!’ Hayley protested.
‘I don’t care whose it was – it was brilliant,’ Cristy declared. ‘Oh, Tom, just look at you. I swear you’re more like Dad than ever …’
‘I’ll take it,’ he twinkled, ‘and you, of course, are the image of Mum with a little bit more height and bluer eyes. Matthew.’ He grinned, hugging his ex-brother-in-law as he joined them. ‘It’s good to see you … It’s been all of four hours since we last shared a drink?’
Cristy laughed. ‘So that’s where you all were this afternoon,’ she scolded Matthew. ‘I wondered what had happened to you. Oh, Tom, there’s so much I want to ask you – I hardly know where to begin. Where’s Sandie?’ she demanded, looking around for her sister-in-law. ‘Did she come too?’
‘Long story,’ he replied wryly, ‘not for tonight, but she sends her love and … David! I think we pulled it off.’
Grinning, David passed Tom a glass of champagne. ‘I wondered a couple of times if she’d guessed. Did you?’ he asked Cristy.
‘No, not at all. I mean, it’s such a long way to come from Canada, and you’re always so busy,’ she ragged Tom.
‘Unlike you,’ he responded dryly. ‘But here we are now, and you’ve got all these guests dying to talk to you …’
‘I see them all the time,’ she protested. ‘How long are you staying?’
‘We’ll discuss tomorrow – go on, scoot now. Everyone’s here to celebrate you, and I’m told Cynthia’s expecting us all for breakfast in the morning, so we can …’
‘Oh no, I’m not letting you go that easily,’ she protested. ‘Come on – let me introduce you around. Connor, you already know, and his wife, Jodi …’
She was beaming with pride as she took him around the room, enjoying the banter while wondering how on earth she was going to continue with the new series now that he was in Europe. Feeling a small tug on her arm she turned to find Iz beside her.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, have I not introduced you?’ Cristy cried, actually certain she had.
‘It’s fine,’ Iz said and leaned in close to make herself heard above the hubbub of voices and music. ‘I hear you’re planning to delay the start of the new series. If true, I just wanted to let you know that the sponsors won’t like that, so …’
Cristy drew back in astonishment. ‘This is hardly the time, Iz,’ she said sharply.
Looking shocked, Iz said, ‘No! Of course not, I’m sorry. I just thought … Oh God, I’m so bad at parties … Please just shoot me.’
Apparently sensing a problem, Clove sailed in, saying, ‘Hey, Iz, come and meet one of David’s cousins. She’s a hoot.’
Shooting her researcher a grateful look, Cristy turned back to her brother, to find him play-flirting with Rosie, who’d apparently ditched Aiden in favour of the ‘guest of honour’.
‘Your reaction was perfect,’ David told her as they danced a little later. ‘I think it meant a lot to Tom.’
‘Not as much as it did to me to see him.’ Cristy smiled, watching Tom chatting with Andee and Graeme now and thinking of how much she wanted to catch up with him herself. ‘I have to admit,’ she continued, ‘I had a mad theory you’d invited Paul Kinsley.’
Surprised, David said, ‘Seriously? With your whole team around you and Andee here … Will you mention anything to her before she leaves?’
‘I can’t until I’ve made a decision, although I have to admit I’d love to talk it through with her. If I knew she was up for it … Well, that’s why I can’t mention it, because if she is and I end up deciding I’m not, that would leave us in a very bad place.’
David conceded the point and allowed Matthew to cut in, before disappearing in the direction of the bar.
‘Has Tom shared his news with you yet?’ Matthew asked, moving her around the floor.
‘What news?’ she asked, instantly worried. ‘Is he OK?’
‘Sure. He’s fine. Sorry, I shouldn’t have … I assumed he’d have told you by now.’
‘What is it?’ she urged when Matthew didn’t continue.
‘It’s not for me to say, but … Go ask him,’ he said, and turned her to where Tom was now dancing with David’s mother.
She was already part way there before she realized that if it was that big and he wanted to discuss it now, he’d already have told her. ‘Maybe he’s saving it until we’re alone together?’ she suggested, turning back to Matthew.
Matthew nodded. ‘That would make sense. He won’t want to make this evening about him, when obviously it has to be all about you.’
She eyed him suspiciously, not sure if that was a barb or not. ‘Maybe time for me to dance with someone else,’ she said, and leaving him rolling his eyes, she went to grab Connor.
‘Enjoying it?’ Connor asked, expertly twirling her around.
‘I think so,’ she replied. ‘I mean, yes, of course … It’s just that Matthew … Actually, don’t let’s talk about him. Did you tell Iz we’re delaying the first upload?’
‘No, but I think Clove did. Why?’
‘She’s just told me that the sponsors won’t like it.’
His eyebrows shot up. ‘Great timing, Iz,’ he muttered, ‘but I guess we are going to have that battle on our hands if they’ve already got dates in their schedules. And I’m presuming from this that they do.’
‘We’re the ones in charge,’ she reminded him.
‘But we also need a budget, and if Harry and Meena have committed us to a timeline …’
‘They wouldn’t without telling us first.’
He shrugged. ‘What matters right now is whether or not Nicole is prepared to accept our help, because if she isn’t, we won’t have much of a series anyway.’
‘I hope you two aren’t talking shop,’ Jodi complained, coming to plonk the baby in Connor’s arms. ‘Cristy, I’m in love with your brother, always have been, so I think I’m going to run off with him. Do you reckon his wife will have a problem with that?’
‘Never mind her, what about me?’ Connor demanded, rocking Aurora back and forth. ‘Hayley, fancy a spot of babysitting? I pay well.’
‘Give her to me,’ Cynthia insisted, coming to take over. ‘Cristy, David was looking for you a moment ago.’
‘I’m right here,’ Cristy declared, laughing. ‘Where is he?’
Snaring another glass of champagne, and spotting Tom engrossed in a chat with a couple of David’s cousins, she decided to go and join in.
By the time midnight came round and David lit the fireworks outside, Cristy was ready to kick off her heels and sink into the nearest comfy chair, but somehow, she kept going until just past one, when Tom’s taxi turned up to return him to his hotel.
‘Walk on the beach at dawn?’ he suggested.
‘You’ve got to be kidding!’ she cried, and laughed when she realized he was.
‘I’ll be here by ten for brunch,’ he told her, ‘and at some point in the day, I’ll tell you all about my plans to move back to London.’