Falling For Jack Page 13

  “Now, try and get your beauty sleep. I gather your mother is arranging for some official engagement photographs to be taken in the morning before I leave.”

  ~ * ~

  “I am so sorry, Lara. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

  She poured her brother another cup of coffee as they sat opposite each other in the sitting room of her suite the next morning. It had still been early when Carl knocked at her door and asked to speak to her. He looked haggard and disheveled as if he hadn’t been to bed, and her vulnerable heart softened at the anguish etched in his face.

  “Please don’t worry. It’s done, Carl. I’m going to marry Jack.”

  Carl took a gulp of his coffee. “But, if I hadn’t been such a stupid fool you wouldn’t be placed in this terrible position. I can’t believe I let this gambling addiction control me leaving us in such a mess. I’m so ashamed.” His face crumbled as he tried to hold back his tears.

  She rose and held him close, comforting and soothing, her heart breaking for her brother and his weakness. “It’s okay, Carl. We can come through this. You are going to get some help, aren’t you?”

  He hugged his sister tightly before looking into her concerned face. “Yes. Absolutely. I know I have a major problem but it was also part of the deal between father and Jack that I sort myself out and get counseling for my addiction.”

  Sitting again at the table, she held her brother’s hand trying to ease his agony.

  “Can you ever forgive me, Lara? I mean, all I can think about is Michael and Jack fighting over you. It was as if you were wearing a sign saying princess for sale to the highest bidder.”

  She was silent, not quite sure whether she should laugh or cry at Carl’s remark.

  “I know you would much prefer to be with Michael and the fact you’re being forced to marry Jack because of me, is a nightmare,” Carl continued, his face tightening again with guilt.

  “I love him, Carl.”

  “What?”

  “I love Jack. I loved him from the moment I first saw him and I would never marry Michael.”

  He looked astounded as he took in the quiet, calm words of his sister.

  “The only trouble is he doesn’t love me. He believes I knew about your difficulties all along and have manipulated everything to suit. But he still wants to marry me and I’m willing to accept him on any terms so I can be with him.”

  Sitting back in his chair, a look of relief swept across Carl’s handsome features. “Well, I’m shocked. I had no idea. I thought you were having a fling with some hunky, Aussie fisherman.”

  This time Lara did burst out laughing. “You can’t tell me I don’t know how to pick them,” she giggled. “Bringing home a multi-billionaire to save us all from ruin.”

  “Do you think you’ll be happy with him?”

  “I don’t know but it won’t be for the lack of trying on my part.”

  Carl stood and she could see it was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Trust me, Jack worships you. It’s written all over him,” he said, with a grin.

  She stood next to her wayward brother and gave him another hug. “I hope you’re right,” she smiled, touching his cheek in a parting gesture. “And yes, of course I forgive you.”

  ~ * ~

  Jack had to hand it to Lara. Not by even a blink or a gesture did she show her true emotions as later that morning they posed for their official engagement photos in the ballroom of the royal palace.

  He knew she had to be miserable because he was the person who had caused it, he decided, as he dutifully moved closer to her where she sat on a high-backed velvet chair in regal splendor.

  He still puzzled over the situation he found himself in but the one thing he was sure of was that he wanted Lara as his wife. Even if she didn’t love him. And the way he had lashed into her with his caustic, biting words, he had made sure she didn’t even like him. He was still brewing over the fact that she would have preferred to marry Michael. He guessed that most times he would have shrugged his shoulders and walked away. But, after hearing the way Michael had spoken about Lara and the exposure of his cruel streak, there was no way Jack would let her marry that bastard.

  It was going to be a rocky road ahead for them and he was deliberately giving her space by returning to Australia for a few weeks. However, if he could swallow the bitterness about her attitude toward him, he was sure their feelings toward each other would gradually change. The fact she was only marrying him to save her family stuck in his gullet like a hard, unmovable stone, and he had to get over it to give their marriage a chance.

  He looked down at Lara’s perfectly styled hair and her straight, slender body dressed in an elegantly tailored suit of palest aqua. You can make up all the excuses you like, mate, but she is beautiful and you want her for your own. The thoughts drummed through his brain as at the photographer’s suggestion, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Lara, move your hand so we can see your ring.” Obviously, Francesca was coordinating the photo shoot, Jack acknowledged, as Lara obediently turned her hand so the precious antique engagement ring was prominently displayed. Not his ring. Francesca had given it to Jack and Lara earlier explaining it was a time-honored tradition that this ring was passed from mother to daughter through the generations. He had made no comment as he’d slipped the heavy ring on Lara’s slender finger and lifted her hand to his lips. Her eyes had been downcast and he hadn’t been able to tell what she’d been thinking.

  He wanted to say, “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll buy you a ring of your own soon, very soon.”

  “Your Highness, if you could look up at Mr. Lucas now?” The photographer adjusted one of the lights as Lara turned her head to look at Jack. He was instantly struck by the sadness in her eyes and an almost imperceptible quiver of her bottom lip.

  “It won’t be long now,” he said quietly, wishing he could hold her in his arms and comfort her.

  “I can’t believe this is happening. Am I in the middle of a dream?”

  He touched her face, her skin as soft as silk beneath his fingers. “At least you didn’t say it was a nightmare,” he said, his smile warm as his eyes held hers.

  “Only because I didn’t think of it in time. Otherwise, I would have.” Her mouth curved into a responding smile. Later Jack would find out that was the moment the photographer took the photo which would be sent around the world—a photo showing a man and a woman supposedly very much in love.

  At last the session was over and he indicated to Francesca it was time for him to leave.

  “What a pity you are unable to stay for the ball tonight,” Francesca commented as the three of them walked to the main entrance of the palace where his luggage waited to be loaded into the royal car to take him to the airport.

  “Your Majesty, I apologize again for having to leave but, as I explained to Lara, I have a great deal of business to conduct before our wedding. From here I fly to Hong Kong and them on to Japan for a series of meetings, before going home.”

  He gave a small bow of his head as Johann and Carl joined them, both greeting Jack warmly. Carl was particularly enthusiastic in his greeting as he turned and hugged his sister.

  “You will be able to call this palace home in a few weeks,” Lara said pointedly.

  He turned to her and only he noticed the cynicism behind her remark. “Your Majesties and Carl, please excuse us while I say goodbye to my fiancée in private,” he said, catching hold of Lara’s arm.

  The others smiled indulgently as he led her into one of the side salons and closed the door.

  “I haven’t had the chance to fill you in on the rest of the arrangements I made with your parents,” he said, watching her closely as her body tensed.

  “And what would that be?”

  “In return for my…investment and the fuss of a royal wedding, I negotiated that we honeymoon in Australia and live there for most of the year. We’ll return two or three times a year to Challoner and you’ll have minim
al royal duties.”

  She frowned. “Thank you, Jack. Thanks for once again consulting me and asking me what I would like.”

  “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, sweetheart. Besides, I know how much you love Australia.”

  He could see her now familiar look of defiance as she folded her arms across her chest. “Aren’t you worried about leaving me here for all of these weeks? Aren’t you afraid someone like Prince Michael will take advantage of me?”

  There was silence as he stared into her stormy green eyes. Would this sensation ever go away? This irrational jealousy at the mention of that creep’s name? He knew she was trying to get to him—stir him up and make him react.

  “I’ll be in regular contact, my love,” he said softly, deciding to ignore her last remark. “But, you don’t look at all like a forlorn fiancée who has said a passionate goodbye to her beloved. Come here and we’ll change that.”

  She held her hands up in a defensive gesture. “No. No, Jack,” she said, trying to break away.

  “Too late, princess,” he murmured, as his hands cradled her face and he lowered his mouth to hers. She pressed her lips tightly together but he stroked them with his tongue until, with a soft sigh of compliance, she allowed him to part them and taste her. He deepened the kiss with a primitive passion, his senses swimming as Lara responded. Her hands grasped his jacket as he kissed her with a hunger he was unable to control.

  Drawing away at last, he looked down at her, committing her beauty to his memory for the lonely weeks to come. The delicate flush on her cheeks, the deepening red of her lips rosy from his passion and the glazed, dreamy look in her clear eyes.

  His voice wasn’t quite steady as he said, “There, that’s better. Now you look like a woman who has just known her lover’s kiss.”

  She smoothed her hair into place as she appeared to struggle with her emotions. “You flatter yourself, Mr. Lucas,” she replied, her defiant attitude in place once more.

  Jack opened the door so they could return to the others waiting at the entrance. “By the way, I forgot to mention the last part of the contract with your parents,” he whispered.

  “What?”

  “To produce an heir as soon as possible. I explained it wouldn’t be a problem.” He gave her a cheeky wink as he placed his arm around her waist and they faced the rest of the family.

  Ten

  “For heaven’s sake, Lara. You need to lighten up. This is your wedding day.” Jade made a funny face at her in the mirror as she continued to fasten the tiny pearl buttons at the back of Lara’s wedding dress.

  “Yeah. What’s not to feel happy about marrying a hunk like Jack?” Kate chimed in as she tweaked a wayward petal in the bridal bouquet.

  Lara turned and faced her best friends. “You’re impossible,” she replied, the corners of her mouth twitching with amusement. “If I’d thought you were going to bully me like you have for the past week, I would have picked two robots to be my bridesmaids.”

  Jade laughed, her dimples showing attractively in her pretty face. “Well, Princess Lalla,” she said, using their pet name for Lara, “robots we ain’t, so let’s get this show on the road.”

  She joined in their laughter as Jade and Kate continued to fuss over her. It was wonderful to be together again and she blessed the day she had contacted them when Jack had left eight weeks ago. She had told them everything in absolute confidence, even setting up several three way telephone calls so they could listen and talk together.

  Jade and Kate had been, in turn, angry, indignant, sympathetic and, when she asked them to be her bridesmaids, excited. To Lara, it seemed as they had talked over the past few weeks that their attitude had softened toward Jack and her parents.

  Jack had returned to Challoner only two days ago in time for rehearsals at the church and an official dinner last night to welcome the many royal and VIP guests arriving from around the world. He had been accompanied by his parents, John and Rebecca Lucas, and his two close friends, Mike and Joe, who were to act as groomsmen, along with Carl.

  Things had been so chaotic she had barely been able to acknowledged him, let alone spend any length of time with him or his family and friends. In a way, she was glad because it meant she could remain in this warm cocoon of indifference she had created where no one could reach her. Even when Jack had phoned her every few days over the past weeks, she had managed to remain cool and aloof, leaving most of the talking to him. She had wanted to ask him whether he was enjoying a final fling with some woman, but couldn’t bring herself to stoop that low.

  When Jade and Kate had arrived a week ago full of laughter and excitement, they had tried to jolt her from her hiding place and as her wedding day rushed toward her, she had been forced to face the reality of what her future might hold.

  “I hope I meet someone as gorgeous and as rich as Jack,” Kate said in all seriousness, flicking back her red curly hair as she bent to check Lara’s earrings were in place.

  “Doesn’t a prince own the winery where you work, Kate?” Lara tried to take her mind off the thousand or so butterflies flapping in her stomach as she asked the question.

  “Yes, but he lives in France and we never see him in Australia,” she moaned.

  “Well, what about me? When I go back I’m going to put in for a job at my dad’s old property in the Outback and I hear this bloke who’s bought it is as rough and tough as they come.” Jade gave a louder moan.

  “At least you won’t have to worry about handling the media, Lara, which is good.” Kate continued her part of the conversation. “Did you see that press conference Jack gave?”

  “Yes. The palace media office arranged it,” She thought back to the excellent press coverage Jack’s conference had received and suspected he had agreed to it to satisfy the clamoring of the world’s media and to take some of the pressure from her.

  Jade jumped in, her hands waving in the air with excitement. “Honestly,” she chirped. “I fell for him right there and then and when some stupid journo asked about the rushed wedding and he replied that he loved you and so why wait, I just about fainted with ecstasy.”

  Lara couldn’t help laughing and the three girls chatted on, teasing each other as if they were giggling schoolgirls once again.

  “I’m ready.” Her statement brought them to a sudden hush as they stared at her. She held out her hands for the other two to grasp. “I’m so lucky you are here and that I have your love and support,” she said, her voice shaky, bringing instant tears to the eyes of her friends.

  “When we started boarding school and became the three princesses, we promised we would always be there for each other, no matter what,” she continued. “And even though I’m getting married I promise you I’ll still be there for the two of you.”

  The three of them hugged each other as the years suddenly rolled away and for precious moments, they were eleven years old again, new girls on their first day at boarding school, lonely and shy in a strange and different world.

  There was a light tap on the bedroom door and the girls turned. Lara’s heart leapt into her throat. Surely, it wasn’t Jack? He wouldn’t come here, would he? She was aware anything was possible with this man who did exactly what he wanted. This man who was soon to be her husband, for better or worse.

  The door opened to reveal Queen Francesca. The three young women gave bob curtseys as she approached. Both Jade and Kate knew Francesca well having spent several holidays at the palace when Lara had asked them to join her.

  Francesca was in a great mood as could be seen by her broad smile as she surveyed them. “Ah, my favorite people,” she beamed. “It will indeed be a wonderful day.”

  “I’m ready, Mummy, but there’s nearly an hour to go yet.” Her nerves tighten another agonizing notch.

  “Yes, I know, dear. I have your dresser, makeup person and hairdresser all waiting outside to perform any last minute adjustments but, if Jade and Kate don’t mind, I’d like to speak to you alone.”

  The two girls rapi
dly disappeared and after they had closed the door, Francesca indicated Lara should sit on the edge of the bed and she sat beside her.

  “We haven’t had much personal time together in the past few weeks what with all the details of the wedding to organize,” Francesca began. Gazing into her mother’s beautiful face, Lara saw the signs of strain with prominent worry lines around her mouth and eyes. She looked tired and drained and Lara recognized much of this had to do with Carl.

  Lara herself had been mortified when she had first been told of Carl’s addiction to gambling and the millions of dollars he had accumulated in debt. But, her distress was nothing compared with her parents and their awareness the royal family would be ruined if they couldn’t get financial help. Jack had provided that help. No wonder they thought the world of him.

  Francesca caught and held her hand. “I wanted to tell you before your wedding how proud your father and I are at your decision to marry Jack.”

  “But, ma’am...”

  “Yes, I know what you’re going to say, that it wasn’t your decision. It was something forced on you and believe me Lara, I recognize that. I have never told you this before, but I entered into an arranged marriage with Johann. I was nervous and apprehensive, like you are now, but we have been so happy together, I can’t tell you how much I love and admire him.”

  “I’m glad, Mummy. But you have known Daddy since you were a child. You moved in the same circles and you were both brought up to know what to expect. Jack is almost a stranger to me. He comes from a different world and I know he is marrying me, not just to bail Carl out of trouble, but because Challoner and I, in that order, are good investments.”

  “That is probably true but I think you underestimate Jack, my darling. You may not have noticed it, but I can see how much he adores you.”

  She grasped her mother’s hand. “That’s lust, pure lust, Mummy. We hardly know each other.”