Her Sexy Valentine by Stephanie Bond

Author:Stephanie Bond
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-11-22T16:00:00+00:00

9

Someone was shaking Carol by the shoulder.

“Carol…Carol?”

The voice was familiar…but out of context. Carol opened her eyes to blink Gabrielle Pope’s face into view, then winced at the pain that stabbed her temple.

“Oh, good—you’re not dead,” Gabrielle said.

“What are you doing here?” Carol asked.

“Just popping in to give you a hand.”

“A hand with what?”

“Can you sit up?”

“I think so.” Carol pushed up to a sitting position, then lifted her hand to her head, where a goose egg had formed—again. “Ow.”

“That looks painful,” Gabrielle said. “Maybe I should call an ambulance.”

“No,” Carol said, gingerly pushing to her feet. “It’s just a bump on the head. I’ll be fine. I need to get back to work.”

“Not yet,” Gabrielle said. “First I have to show you something.”

“What?”

Gabrielle pointed to a boxy computer screen sitting on the floor nearby. “A memory of Valentine’s Day Past.”

Confused, Carol watched as the monitor blinked on, then zoomed in on a woman sitting at a restaurant table alone, as if she were waiting for someone.

Carol gasped. “That’s me.”

Gabrielle nodded.

It suddenly dawned on Carol what she was watching. “I don’t want to see this,” she said, turning her head away.

“But you must,” Gabrielle said gently.

Carol reluctantly pivoted back to the monitor, dread billowing in her stomach. The woman sitting at the restaurant table looked younger…hopeful…in love. Gabrielle leaned forward and turned a volume knob.

A handsome blond man walked up to the table and leaned down to place a kiss on the young woman’s temple. “Hi, sweetheart.”

Carol’s heart squeezed. James…it had been so long since she’d heard his voice, she’d almost forgotten what it sounded like. Music to her heart.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said, then slid a small gift box across the table.

Carol remembered how her pulse had skipped higher at the size of the box, thinking—hoping—it contained a ring. She had opened the box with shaking fingers, and although her heart had dropped in disappointment at the sight of silver-and-emerald earrings, she had pulled a bright smile out of thin air and gushed over the thoughtful present.

“Emeralds,” he said, “are the sign of a successful love.”

She put the earrings on and leaned forward to thank him with a kiss. After they ordered drinks, she slipped her gift for him out of her purse. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said, pushing it toward him.

Carol watched her younger self, her stomach taut with nerves.

James opened the box and seemed surprised. “A ring? I love it, darling.” He removed the chunky horseshoe ring with small diamonds from its case and slipped it on his finger.

Carol was pleased that it looked classy, yet masculine on his hand.

“Thank you,” he said, then leaned forward for another kiss.

She shifted nervously on her chair. “Actually, it’s not just a ring.”

James’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”

“Actually…I was hoping…that is, I was wondering…”

“Yes? What is it, dear?”

“James…will you marry me?”

Watching the scene unfold, Carol emitted a mournful sound. She knew too well what was coming next.

James dropped his gaze, then took his time lifting his glass for a drink. Finally, he used his napkin to wipe the perspiration from his forehead.

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