Snowed In with Her Ex (13 page)

“No, it didn’t.”

Ian’s gaze fell to the alley pavement, his shoulders slumping slightly in defeat.

“I still love you just as much as I did before I heard it.”

Ian’s head shot up, a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes. “What? You love me?”

Bree nodded.

His hands dropped to his sides in aggravation. “Then why the hell did you run? You’re giving me heart palpitations.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It was all too much at once. I needed fresh air. Space. I needed room to think.”

Ian stepped closer, placing his hands at her waist. “Have you had enough time to think?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m much better now that you’re here.” Bree rested her hands on his forearms and looked up into the green eyes she’d dreamed about the past few days. There was a difference in his face tonight. Less tightness in his jaw. Less stress drawing lines into his forehead and around his eyes. Even without his phone and his computer in the mountains, his mind had been burdened with the worries of his work and his life.

Tonight there was none of that. He looked...happy. Something had changed in his life since she’d seen him last. Big changes. “What’s going on with you, Ian? This isn’t the same man from a week ago.”

“I’ve treated myself like one of my artists and given myself a makeover. A
life
makeover.”

Bree’s brow shot up curiously. “What does a life makeover entail?”

Ian smiled. “Everything. When Missy threatened the label the night of your showing, I realized my business isn’t my whole world. I’ve made it the center of my life, but in the end it didn’t matter nearly as much to me as you do. Or my music. Or my mental health. So I hired a business manager to offload a lot from my plate. He’s handling the business details while Keith handles the artists. I’m still involved, I still make the big decisions, but I’m not bogged down with the little stuff. It’s cut my hours in half.”

Bree was stunned by the confession. That was a huge step, one she’d never expected him to make. No wonder he looked as though he didn’t have a care in the world. “Are you going into withdrawal yet?”

He shrugged. “I have my moments. I’ve tried to fill my extra time with my music to keep from getting sucked back in. I’ve bought some new instruments. I got a baby grand piano and blank sheet music to work on some songs. Keith is acting as my agent for now, but I think I’m going to try to get a full-time agent and see where I can get this to go, if anywhere. I’m just happy to be playing again. I had no idea how badly I missed it in my life until I let it back in. So thank you for that.”

Bree didn’t know what to say. She’d thought perhaps that tonight was just a little pet project he’d do on the side. Open mic nights every other weekend. Playing his guitar as they sat by the fireplace at his penthouse. She never expected him to try pursuing it professionally again. “That’s amazing, Ian. I’m so proud of you for taking the leap. I know it’s scary, but you’re really talented.”

He smiled. “Thank you. That show wasn’t the scariest thing I did tonight, though.”

Bree’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What could be scarier than singing to a hundred rowdy drunks?”

“Doing this.”

Bree watched as Ian slipped one hand into his pocket and then dropped down onto one knee. Her eyes widened with surprise and realization as the pieces came together in her mind. He was proposing.
Proposing!
Her heart started racing madly in her chest. He looked up at her with dark green eyes so overflowing with love, she felt herself start to choke up.

“Briana Harper, you are the love of my life. I’ve spent years trying to catch lightning in a bottle again, but no one can compare to you. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you. Not with my employees. Not with my money or my fancy, empty apartment. None of that matters if you’re not with me.

“If I’m playing music, I want you there to hear it. When you take pictures, I want to be in your wake, hauling all of your equipment. I don’t just want you to be my wife—I want you to be an integral part of my life. That means I will try my hardest to make sure you always feel like you’re the most important thing in the world to me. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Ian opened up the small velvet box to display the ring he’d chosen for her. She gasped when the streetlights hit the giant diamond inside. It was massive, bigger than anything she could’ve imagined and nothing like she’d ever seen. Considering she took a lot of engagement ring and wedding ring portraits, that was saying a lot. It was oval and surrounded by tiny diamonds that continued around the band.

It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. And even then, the ring couldn’t touch the words that went with it. The man she loved had just promised her everything she’d ever wanted. Not just love, but a lifetime of companionship. Of feeling important, never cast aside when work and other priorities interfered.

“Yes,” she whispered through the tears that suddenly started streaming down her cheeks. “I will marry you.”

Ian slipped the ring onto her hand with fingers that shook almost imperceptibly. With it placed snugly, he stood and scooped her into his arms. He smiled a wide, contented smile before leaning in to capture her lips with his own.

Bree melted into him, the world suddenly feeling more right than it had in a very long time. Being in his arms, knowing she was an integral part of Ian’s future, she could forget anything else happening around them. She even forgot they were in an alley behind a bar until an employee came out and threw a sack of trash into the Dumpster a couple yards away.

That brought them both back to reality. Ian took her hand and led her toward the door so they could share the good news with their hundred new friends. Bree was certain the dark-haired woman in the front would be highly disappointed to know Ian had been snatched up before she got her chance.

“Do you mind if I announce our engagement to the crowd? I think it will get them amped up for the second set.”

Bree nodded and leaned in to give him a good-luck kiss. “One condition, though,” she added.

His brows went up. “What’s that?”

“I want a disclaimer. I don’t cheat at Scrabble. You’re just a poor loser with a limited vocabulary.”

“Fair enough,” he said with a smile. “If you’ll still marry me, I’ll get up there and tell them anything you’d like.”

Epilogue

“W
hat about this dress?” Gretchen slid a
bridal magazine across the meeting-room table to Bree. “I like the giant silk
rosettes at the bottom.”

Bree glanced at the picture and wrinkled her nose. “That's a
little fussy for me. I want something more simple and timeless. I was thinking
more along the lines of this one.” She tapped the page and slid her magazine
back to Gretchen. “It's ruched ivory organza with a small crystal embellishment
at the hip. I'm definitely not in the market for a ball gown. Please keep in
mind that I'm wearing sparkly silver Converse under whatever dress I
choose.”

She expected Amelia to lodge a complaint about her bridal
footwear, but her fashionable coworker didn't seem to be listening. She was lost
in her own bridal magazine, flipping slowly through the pages but not seeing
anything. She seemed like she was a million miles away, a slight frown pulling
down the corners of her mouth.

Amelia had been like this since she'd gotten back from her high
school reunion nearly a month ago. She'd been excited to go, but she'd returned
from her hometown a little quiet and more pensive than usual. Bree thought that
graduating in Las Vegas would make for a more exciting reunion, but Amelia
hadn't come home excited. She also hadn't come home wanting to talk about it
much.

Bree's wedding was a year off at least, so dress shopping
wasn't critical, but she thought it might perk up Amelia to look at dresses with
her. She'd brought in a stack of magazines for everyone to look over today
before their weekly meeting. Amelia loved fashion, and bridal gowns were the
epitome of that to her. She couldn't wait to sneak out of the kitchen to see the
bride's dress each Saturday.

But Bree's plan hadn't worked. Amelia hadn't said a word all
morning as she mindlessly flipped through the pages of the massive bridal
magazine.

Bree knew that what happened in Vegas was supposed to stay
there, but this was getting ridiculous. “Amelia?”

The redhead snapped her head up, her thoughts finally on the
here and now. “What?”

Gretchen and Bree looked at each other and they both frowned.
There was something going on and she was going to get to the bottom of it right
now. “What is going on with you?”

Amelia's dark eyes widened and she shook her head dismissively.
“There's nothing going on with me. I just didn't sleep very well last
night.”

“Liar,” Gretchen accused and crossed her arms over her chest.
“You've been acting funny since you got home from Las Vegas. What happened at
your reunion? When I went to mine, all the cheerleaders had gotten fat and all
the nerds were rich. I was still the artistic one with the name no one recalled.
I had a few drinks, a few laughs with people who didn't remember who I was and I
went home. Nothing to lose sleep over.”

Amelia twisted her lips in thought but didn't say anything.
Whatever it was that had happened, she didn't want to talk about it. That was
just too damn bad, Bree decided. She hadn't wanted to go to that bar and hear
Ian sing, either. Amelia had forced her, and look how it had turned out. She was
getting married. It was time for Amelia to spill about what was bothering
her.

“What's the big deal? What could you have possibly done there
that's so bad? It's not like you eloped in one of those tacky wedding chapels,”
Bree argued.

Amelia looked up at her, her eyes suddenly wide with panic. Her
mouth dropped open, her lips moving in argument without making any sound.

“Amelia...” Gretchen pressed, “tell me you didn't elope in a
Las Vegas wedding chapel.”

She took a deep breath and slowly nodded. “I did. The details
are a little blurry, but I woke up married to my best friend.”

* * * * *

If you loved SNOWED IN WITH HER EX, pick up the next book in
Andrea Laurence's
BRIDES AND BELLES
series

THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFE

Available February 2015

And discover more books from Andrea Laurence, available now!

HER SECRET HUSBAND
HEIR TO SCANDAL
HIS LOVER'S
LITTLE SECRET
BACK IN HER HUSBAND'S BED
A BEAUTY UNCOVERED
A
VERY
EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT
UNDENIABLE DEMANDS
MORE THAN HE
EXPECTED
WHAT LIES BENEATH
Keep reading for an excerpt from
THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFE by Andrea Laurence.

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SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

Here's a sneak peek at the next
BRIDES AND BELLES
book
THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFE
by Andrea Laurence

“H
ey, Ames,” Tyler said, finally meeting her gaze.

She swallowed hard, watching him warily. He hated that. She'd never looked at him like that before. He supposed getting married had ruined that. He definitely shouldn't have waited this long after their prank of a Vegas wedding to talk to her.

“What are you doing here?”

Apparently they were skipping the pleasantries. “I came to talk to you.”

Her arms crossed over her chest. “
Now
you want to talk? Am I just supposed to drop everything because you've decided you're ready to deal with this mess?”

Tyler's lips twisted in thought, his hand rubbing over the rough stubble on his chin. Now did not seem like the time to convince her that their marriage wasn't a big deal. He'd seen his best friend unleash her fury on past boyfriends and he didn't want to be the recipient. “I'm sorry I didn't get back with you. I needed to take care of a few things.”

“And I needed you to talk to me!” She took several steps toward him, a strand of auburn hair falling from its clip to frame her face. A red flush rushed to her cheeks. “We're
married
, Tyler. Married! As much as I'd like to pretend this never happened, we've got to deal with it. Of all the times to ignore me for business, this was the wrong one.”

“I know.” It hurt him to hear how distraught she was. “I should've called. I'm sorry. I hopped a flight out here as soon as I could so we could deal with this in person.” He glanced down at his watch. “It's still early. I'll take you out for pancakes, my treat.”

Amelia's eyes narrowed for a moment, then widened. Her hand flew to her mouth. A look of panic spread across her face. “I—” she began, then turned on her heel and dashed around the corner.

Tyler started to follow her but stopped when he heard the unpleasant sound of retching. Apparently pancakes were not terribly appealing to her.

She returned a moment later, her eyes watery. “I'm sorry about that.”

Why was she apologizing? “Are you okay? Did you eat something bad?”

She shook her head, a somber expression in her eyes. “No,” she said. “I'm fine. I'm just…pregnant.”

Don't miss what happens next in
THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFE
by Andrea Laurence

Available February 2015 wherever Harlequin
®
Desire books and ebooks are sold.

Copyright © 2015 by Andrea Laurence