Forbidden Love

27

Lourde

He looked up at me with his green eyes, sincere as his pure heart. This extremely private man had made the most public of gestures and was down on one knee before me and hundreds of others. And he wanted me to pick him. I’d picked him forever. It had always been him.

He knocked on the door to my heart five years ago when he drove me home from my debutante ball. Then he captured my heart in the Hamptons, where he never left.

“Dollface? I could really do with a yes right now.” My gaze focused on Barrett, and his eyes widened as I realized he was still staring at me for an answer.

I took an intake of breath. “I choose you, Barrett. It has always been you.”

The audience broke out into a raucous of claps and cheers. The cheers of Olivia, Ari, Grace, and Dane echoed behind us.

He got up, and the next thing I knew, my feet were off the floor, his arms around me as he buried his lips on mine. I threw my hands around his neck and groaned into his kiss.

“You had me worried,” he said, resting his forehead on mine. “And nothing worries me.”

“Someone has to keep you on your toes.”

“You like to be naughty, don’t you, dollface?”

“Only for you.” I let out a breath, and my lips fell on his in a tangled kiss—a kiss that marked the beginning of our story.

“Hey, you two, come over here!” Olivia’s voice cut through our embrace, and we pulled our lips off one another to the hugs and cheers of our close friends—Olivia, Ari, Grace, and Magnus.

“We were holding our breaths for a while there!” Olivia said as I made my way round to Barrett’s side.

I felt Barrett’s had slid into mine as we hovered around the table holding champagnes the waiter had handed to us.

“Tell me about it, he said, squeezing my hand, and I squeezed it back.

“I think I was just in shock,” I said.

“You’re not the only one in shock.” Connor appeared with Pepper by his side, fresh from their auctioneer duties, surprise etched on his face. He wrapped his hands around me and squeezed me in for a hug. I let go of Barrett’s hand to welcome his warm embrace.

“Oh my God!” Pepper squealed and joined in the hug, wrapping me up in a Pepper and Connor sandwich. “We have so much to plan!” she said, pulling away.

“I can’t wait!” I shrieked.

“I wonder if Mom and Alfred will be off my back now you’re engaged,” Connor stared vacantly. Betrothedto Francesca, the daughter of Duke and Duchess Cavendish, Connor’s arranged marriage was to be announced when Dad stepped down from Diamond Incorporated.

“Ha, doubtful. Where is Francesca anyway? I saw the two of you talking before at her parents’ table.”

“Who knows.” Connor laughed nervously, taking in Pepper then me.

Did I miss something? Before I could register, Connor stepped forward and shook Barrett’s hand.“Well, Barrett, you pulled a fast one over all of us!”

“It wasn’t intentional,” Barrett said as Connor followed through on the handshake with a man hug.

“How did you do it?” Connor asked, and my ears pricked up.

“I’m curious too. How did you get Dad to go along with this?”

“You don’t need to know everything, Lourde.” Dad appeared with Mom trailing behind him.

“Alfred.” Barrett smiled as Dad pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me, son, I know you’d do anything for my Lourde. You can’t hide true love. Dad said, beaming with pride as he slapped Barrett between the shoulders.

Wow. How on earth did he win Dad over?

“Now, where’s my little girl?” I stepped into Dad’s embrace. “Darling, you’ve made me so proud.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I kissed him on the cheek.

“Congratulations, dear.” Mom kissed me carefully, making sure not to ruin her makeup. She then did the same with Barrett standing beside me. She stood back and stared at both of us. Trying to make sense of the last ten minutes, a flash of confusion appeared on her beautiful face but was quickly replaced with her Oscar-winning smile the minute her friends surrounded her.

“I’ll catch up with you two love birds later,” she said as a friend pulled her away. She looked back and smiled at me. A smile lit up her eyes. There was no denying his massive gesture won her over, plus every other woman in the room.

“I best mingle too, darling,” Dad said, kissing me on the forehead.

“Dad, wait.” I held his hand, stopping him from leaving. “I don’t know what Barrett said to you to make you change your mind about us, but I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

“You deserve to be happy, Lourde, and I know Barrett is the only man that has your heart. You have to hold onto love, it’s a rare thing.” He winked, then disappeared into the crowd.

I turned to find Barrett talking to someone with similar features to his—soft green eyes, dark hair, and olive skin. She was stunning. He guided her as she walked solely toward me, a cane in her hand.

Evelyn.

“Lourde, I’d like you to meet someone very special to me.”

“Evelyn,” I blurted out and pulled her in for a hug. She squeezed me tight and after a moment, I released her.

“Well, aren’t you a beauty! No wonder my brother is completely obsessed with you.”

“It goes both ways. I’m completely obsessed with him too,” I said, and he stared at me then his sister.

“I’m the happiest man in the world right now.”

Evelyn pecked him on the cheek. “You deserve every bit of that happiness, brother.” She looked at him for a minute, then her gaze shifted to mine. I noticed her eyes were glassy.

“… and Lourde, we are going to be sisters!”