Her Mistletoe Wish (14 page)

‘We all knew none of our parents would be pleased with the outcome but we did what we had to and now not only have they had five wonderful years together but Violet just told me that she’s pregnant again with their second child. That was why she wanted to see me, to tell me the news in person. Unfortunately, Colin is overseas at the moment and wasn’t able to join us.

‘Reg, please believe me when I say that there is nothing romantic between Violet and myself. It is
you
I am most desperately in love with and it is
you
I wish to spend the rest of my life with.’

Reggie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as he looked into her eyes.

‘My heart has
always
been yours and I was a fool to
have let you go once. I won’t make that same mistake again.’ Flynn was no longer reading from the page but instead was staring intently into her eyes. ‘I love you, Reg. More so now than I did six years ago.’

She wasn’t sure what to do, what to say. What was she supposed to do? She did love him back with all her heart and she wanted desperately to tell him, to let him know that he wasn’t standing out on that big scary ledge of emotion all on his own, but somehow, for some strange reason, she couldn’t get any of the words past her lips and her feet seemed permanently glued to the spot.

‘I know this is a lot to take in,’ Flynn continued, clearly not expecting any sort of response from her. ‘Hence why I’ve written everything down. Take this letter, Reg. Read it over and over. Process it. Take your time. Don’t rush but, please, believe me when I say that at the moment there’s only confusion between us because that’s all it is—a silly misunderstanding, and I hope my words have helped clear all that up.

‘I’m really looking forward to seeing you tonight at the auction and one simple look from you, a gesture, a word even, will let me know whether or not you accept my apology and my love.’

Then, as she stood there, she watched him fold the papers, putting them back into the envelope with his clever, sure fingers. He held the envelope out to her and with numb fingers she took it…watching in surprise as he bowed his head to her then turned and walked away.

Reggie blinked, several times, wondering if she was still lying in bed, dreaming. Had she fallen and hit her head and was hallucinating? The envelope in her hands was evidence that it was neither and after she’d somehow
managed to get her body to function yet again she closed the door, then slumped down into a chair, trying to take in everything that had just happened.

Flynn loved her. Flynn had just stood there, before her, declaring his love for her, letting her know that not only did he love her now but that he’d
always
loved her and always would. He was hers. His love was hers to have…if she wanted it.

‘I do. I do want it.’

And yet he hadn’t pressured her, hadn’t come inside, hadn’t talked at her, but instead had read the love letter out loud, sharing with her his thoughts and deepest emotions. He hadn’t wanted anything from her, hadn’t demanded any sort of response, hadn’t forced her into anything.

‘But I want him. I love him.’ As though it was just too much for her to contain, she raced back to the door and flung it open, staring out into the street to try and see if he’d really left, but there was no sign of him.

‘What’s going on?’ Melva called. ‘Is there
another
person at the door?’

Reggie headed back inside and sat down again, surprised to find tears of happiness streaming down her face, a wide grin on her lips. She brushed the tears aside, her heart lifting in complete and utter delight to know that Flynn loved her, that he still loved her, that he’d
always
loved her. She laughed out loud, unable to believe how light and glorious it was to be loved back by the person you loved.

She unfolded the letter and read it again, just to reassure herself that this was really happening, that this was really true. He really
did
know her so well, wanting
to ensure she wasn’t pressured in any way, and that knowledge made her love him all the more.

‘But he doesn’t know I love him.’ The words tumbled out of her mouth in a rush and she looked around anxiously for her phone. With trembling fingers she dialled his number, heart pounding wildly against her chest as she waited for it to connect. She wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to say; her mind had gone blank. The phone switched through to his voicemail, which meant he was probably driving. She waited for the message to end but when it was time to say something she opened her mouth to tell him that she loved him back, that she loved the dress and the other presents he’d bestowed on her, that she couldn’t wait to see him tonight, that she was sorry for being such an insecure ninny and having a big freak-out…but no words came out of her mouth.

She quickly disconnected the call and realised what she must do. She must look her absolute best for tonight. Let Flynn see for himself just how much she loved him. She stood and checked the clock.

‘Only three hours to get ready! Come on!’

Flynn stood, dressed in a tuxedo, not caring if he was slightly overdressed for tonight’s auction or not. He wanted to look his absolute best when he saw Reggie, hoping amongst hope that his gifts and his letter of explanation, his letter of love, had proved to her that he loved her and that she could trust him. He fiddled with his tie as he stood near the rear of the small stage.

So far, the night had been going for a good twenty minutes and there was still no sign of Reggie. Was she coming? Had something happened? Perhaps he should have organised for a car to pick her up but then he
thought she might consider that too controlling and the last thing he wanted was for her to think him controlling. He wanted to cherish her, adore her and love her for the rest of her life, and as he rubbed his sweaty palms down his trousers again, checking the door for the hundredth time, almost wishing her to burst through, he heard his number being called.

‘And next up we have bachelor number five. Ladies, he’s the latest addition to Sunshine General’s surgical department. Please welcome Flynn Jamieson,’ Mackenzie, who was the MC for the evening, announced into the microphone. Flynn looked at Mackenzie as if to ask where Reggie was. Mackenzie’s answer was to shrug apologetically as Flynn took centre stage, standing beneath the plastic mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

‘Who would like to get the bidding started?’ Mackenzie asked, and wasn’t surprised when a plethora of hands went up, bids being called out. The previous bachelor had raised well over five hundred dollars and although Flynn wanted to raise money for the hospital, he didn’t care if someone only bid five dollars, so long as that someone was Reggie. Where was she?

Mackenzie was taking bids, the price going past one hundred dollars, past two hundred, then three, then four. Up and up the price went, getting to seven hundred dollars. Ingrid Brown, the general surgical registrar, was in a battle with Clara from the outpatient department. Flynn couldn’t believe someone would pay that much just to have dinner with him but then again it really was for a good cause.

‘Do I have an increase on seven-fifty?’ Mackenzie called. ‘Seven-fifty going once. Seven-fifty going twice.’

‘One thousand dollars!’ came a loud female cry from the back of the room and everyone turned to look, turned to see Reggie standing there, dressed in the most glorious scarlet dress and matching shoes, her short dark hair spiked out a little, giving her a radiant appeal. People around her clapped; the hospital’s administrator whooped with delight.

‘Sold!’ Mackenzie called, banging her gavel and ignoring Ingrid’s frown. ‘Step right on up, Reggie, and claim your Christmas bachelor,’ she called. Reggie kept her gaze glued to Flynn’s as she made her way through the ballroom, not tripping over a chair or a tablecloth and not overbalancing in the five-inch heels.

Soon enough, she was standing before him. ‘Sorry I’m late,’ were the first words out of her mouth. ‘The taxi broke down and I had difficulty getting another one.’

‘You look…’ Flynn stared at her, not caring that everyone else was staring at the two of them. As far as he was concerned, there was no one else, no one else except Reggie. ‘Stunning.’

Her smile increased as she looked up at him, then motioned to the mistletoe above them. ‘Look where you’re standing, Dr Jamieson.’

He nodded and moved forward, sliding his arms about her waist and drawing her close. Wolf-whistles came from around them as well as a lot of cheering. Reggie didn’t care. She wanted everyone in the world to know exactly how she felt about Flynn.

‘Do you think we need it?’ he asked, and she slowly shook her head from side to side.

‘Thank you for your letter. It was perfect.’

‘I hope you don’t think I was trying to buy your affection by sending you the things I did.’

‘I don’t think that. I think you were trying to romance the woman you love.’ She slid her hands slowly up his chest to link them behind his neck.

‘I do. I do love you, Reggie, so very much. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you.’

‘That’s very good news,’ she replied, her brand-new heels making her tall enough to lean in closer and line up her lips with his.

‘It is?’

‘Yes, because I’ve never loved anyone like I love you either.’

Finally, Flynn smiled at her, a small, secret smile that let her know that, finally, everything really would be all right. ‘Marry me?’ he asked, their lips only millimetres apart.

‘Yes,’ she replied instantly, and sealed their new deal with a kiss.

The room erupted into a frenzy of clapping and cheering as the two of them stood beneath the mistletoe, kissing each other with perfect delight.

‘I’m sorry this proposal isn’t as romantic as the last one,’ he eventually said as they made their way out of the ballroom via a side door, not caring about anything at the moment but each other. With the moon above them, the stars twinkling in the night sky and Flynn’s arms around her, holding her close, Reggie kissed his gorgeous, loving mouth.

‘I like this one best, especially as I now own you.’ He raised one eyebrow playfully at her words. ‘Don’t you realise that spread out over the next fifty years, you would only have cost me twenty dollars a year!’

‘A definite bargain,’ he returned, kissing her once again.

‘Who said money couldn’t buy love?’ She giggled and allowed Flynn to keep on kissing her…forever.

‘A
RE YOU READY
?’ Sunainah asked.

Reggie stood dressed in a beautiful white wedding dress that had an asymmetrical split up the side, revealing a generous amount of her shapely legs. Ruffles seemed to be everywhere and as she looked at herself in the mirror, her three friends nodded in approval.

‘That dress is
so
you,’ Bergan said.

‘I love it,’ Reggie agreed. ‘Almost as much as I love Flynn.’ She giggled before turning to face her friends, looking at each of them in turn. She was surrounded by the people she loved and waiting for her in the communal garden area of the cul-de-sac stood the man of her dreams. ‘Do you think I’m ready?’

Bergan, Mackenzie and Sunainah looked at each other for a split second before looking back at Reggie. ‘Yes,’ they said in unison.

‘Only you would get married in a car park,’ Bergan grumbled good-naturedly.

‘It’s not a car park. It’s a lovely little garden that we all tend and love—’

‘Which is right next to where guests usually park their cars when they come to visit,’ Bergan added.

‘Well, Mackenzie did want me to be part of the cul-de-sac crew and I think this definitely makes It official.’

‘Just one more thing,’ Sunainah said a moment later, and bent down to pull a rectangular parcel from a bag. It was wrapped in plain brown paper with no other adornments. ‘This is for you.’

‘Really?’ Reggie accepted the parcel and looked at her friend in delight. ‘I like presents.’

‘I hope you will like this one.’ Sunainah, Bergan and Mackenzie all grinned at each other as Reggie ripped the paper off with a touch of impatience and what she saw there made her stare at her friends in wonderment. There, in her hands, was a framed picture of herself and Flynn, standing on the beach in the Caribbean, sipping drinks with little umbrellas, the sun setting behind them.

‘You told me to get rid of it but…I could not,’ Sunainah confessed.

Reggie shook her head in wonder, then put the picture down and launched herself at her friends, hugging them all. ‘Oh, this is perfect. This is the picture from our first real date. Oh, Sunainah, thank you for not listening to me and keeping it safe all these years. You three really are the best friends ever.’

‘I am also pleased you decided not to wait and to get married
today,’
Sunainah added, as she set about fixing Reggie’s dress once more. ‘Christmas Day. Surrounded by everyone that you love most. It is perfect.’

‘Yes.’ Melva and her other neighbours would be part of the party and after the ceremony they were having a progressive Christmas wedding feast, going from one town house to the next. Reggie had wanted everyone to be included because everyone here was
her
family, the
family she’d built around herself and the one in which Flynn now shared.

Since the auction Reggie had met Violet several times, wanting to include her in the planning of the wedding.

‘I’m so glad you and Flynn have finally found each other again,’ Violet had said when the two of them had been alone. ‘He loves you very much. Always has.’

‘I know. The past is the past,’ Reggie said. ‘We can’t do anything to change it but what we can do is accept it and plunge right on in to a newer and happier future.’

Violet had laughed. ‘Flynn told me I’d like you and he was right. Thank you for making him happy.’ The two women had hugged and when Flynn had returned, finding them laughing together, Reggie had seen true happiness reflected in his eyes. They weren’t his future wife and his ex-wife, they were the love of his life and his surrogate sister…and they liked each other.

‘OK,’ Bergan said a moment later, bringing Reggie’s thoughts back to the present. ‘It’s time to go because I have a feeling Flynn isn’t going to wait too long for his bride to appear.’

‘Right, girls,’ Mackenzie said, marshalling her daughter Ruthie and Sunainah’s daughter, Daphne, together. ‘You come with me.’

‘And boys,’ Sunainah said, taking her son Joshua’s hand and then offering her other hand to Violet’s son, Ian, who Reggie had wanted to include in their wedding party. ‘You are with me.’

‘Out you come,’ Bergan said, opening the front door to town house number three and waiting for the bride to precede her. As Reggie was an orphan, she’d decided she didn’t need to be walked down the aisle by anyone.
She would stand tall and walk towards Flynn by herself, offering herself to him, her three closest friends and the children behind her.

She accepted her bridal bouquet of bright red poinsettias from Bergan and smiled. ‘Yes,’ she said to them, before looking towards the garden where Flynn stood waiting impatiently for her. ‘I’m ready. Ready for my normal, everyday life to begin. My life with Flynn.’

And with that, beaming brightly she walked towards the man who held her heart, giggling at his expression when he finally saw her, his jaw dropping in gobsmacked delight. Both Colin and Violet were standing in as his ‘groomsmen’ and with Richard, Elliot and John, as well as the rest of the extended families visiting for Christmas, it was almost difficult to find the wedding celebrant in the mix.

As soon as Reggie stood beside Flynn, she smiled up at him and gave a little shimmy, the ruffles on her dress shaking with the movement. ‘Ready to get hitched?’ she whispered.

‘To you? Absolutely,’ he replied, and took her hand in his. ‘Now, this is a Christmas tradition I can get behind.’

Reggie laughed, unable to believe she could ever be this happy and it was all thanks to Flynn.