Rags To Riches Collection. Rebecca Winters

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СКАЧАТЬ 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 about the bride’s dress, the bridesmaids, the speeches and the food served at the reception. He even kept his thoughts about the bridegroom to himself. Though, hell... His lip curled. Nicola could do a hundred times better than that colourless prat.

      She can do a hundred times better than you too.

      Nicola smiled and chatted. She sighed her way through the service before asking if they could give another couple a ride to the reception. She seemed to genuinely enjoy herself and none of that enjoyment seemed forced. The service and the reception didn’t appear to give her pain or make her feel awkward. He kept an eagle eye out for either, ready to do whatever he could to help, to boost her confidence, but...

      She didn’t need it.

      Her grace and poise impressed him. It also made him feel at a loss. He knew exactly how to fluster her. All it would take would be a sly caress to her arm and a scorching survey of her lips and—

      This is about her, not you!

      He refreshed her glass of champagne and, for what felt like the first time that evening, found himself alone with her. ‘Is it the ordeal you thought it would be?’

      She sipped her champagne and then shook her head. ‘No, it’s been kind of nice and a lot of fun.’

      She hadn’t needed him at all. His heart burned at that realisation. ‘Would you like to dance?’

      Slowly she shook her head. ‘I think I’d rather just chat.’

      He ached to hold her in his arms, but wasn’t sure of his own strength on that score. He gritted his teeth. Chatting would be good. He held her chair out for her. She sat and he planted himself in the seat beside her. ‘Your mother isn’t anything like I imagined.’

      Her eyes lit up and she leaned towards him, swamping him with the sweetness of her scent. ‘We had the most amazing discussion when I got home from Waminda.’

      ‘Tell me,’ he urged.

      They talked for three straight hours. Cade couldn’t believe it was time to take her home.

      He tucked her into the car and then slid in behind the wheel. ‘The night is yet young. Would you like to go to a bar or a club? We could go for a drink or go dancing or—’

      ‘Why?’

      The single question pulled him to a halt. He met her gaze. His heart pounded. ‘There’s quite a long answer to that.’

      She stared at him for several long moments and he didn’t kid himself that the outcome of those moments would not seal his fate. They would. He held his breath while his chest cramped.

      ‘A walk along the Southbank would be nice. We could grab a coffee, maybe.’

      He lifted her hand from her lap and brushed his lips across the backs of her fingers. ‘Thank you.’

      * * *

      Nicola’s heart thudded against her ribs as she and Cade walked beside the river, the Southbank foreshore bright with lights, Saturday night revelry and Melbourne’s bright young things. It was vibrant, zesty and normally she loved it.

      Tonight, though, she couldn’t focus on it. Tonight, all her attention was on the man who walked beside her with a stern expression on his face and a contrasting warmth in his eyes. He didn’t try to take her hand or touch her in any way. She did all she could to combat a growing sense of disappointment.

      It was for the best. She knew it was for the best. Her body, however, refused to believe it, found no consolation in common sense.

      And, God forgive her, but she couldn’t help but lap up every exquisite minute she spent in his company. She closed her eyes and savoured the sound of his voice. She drank in the familiar way he held his head, the breadth of his shoulders and the long masculine stride he adjusted to her shorter ones. The smiles he sent her.

      And the warmth in his eyes.

      She stowed them all away deep in her heart to take out and cherish later, because she didn’t fool herself. Tomorrow he would be gone and in all likelihood she would never see him again. The thought made her heartbeat pound in her ears and pain throb in her chest. She pushed it away. Tomorrow—she’d deal with it tomorrow.

      She didn’t urge him to talk. The sooner he’d said whatever it was he needed to say, the sooner he’d take her home and this strange, exhilarating, bittersweet night would end. She didn’t take his arm and lead him into one of the restaurants or cafés that lined the riverside either. She didn’t want to share him with the crowds, the light or the laughter.

      Her heart gave a giant surge when he took her hand and led her to a bench that overlooked the river. For a moment she СКАЧАТЬ