Read Online Engaged at the Chatsfield by Melanie Milburne - Free Book Online

jammed gear like a flow of warmed oil over rust. Juliet hadn’t asked him to go with her because she knew how important his meeting was to him. She hadn’t even mentioned the dinner in case he felt pressured. She had put her needs aside in preference for his.
    Who else in his life ever did that?
    She had decided to go to the dinner alone, facing certain social suicide rather than compromise his work commitments. Why had he doubted his feelings for her? Hadn’t he always adored that about her? She was always giving, looking after others, and putting her own needs on hold. It was like a light coming on in his head, illuminating the one emotion he had been spending years assiduously avoiding. Ignoring. Denying.
    Love.
    His work wasn’t the most important thing in his life.
    The most important thing in his life— the most important person in his life— was Juliet.
    * * *
    ‘Where’s Marcus?’ Kendra asked as Juliet came into the restaurant.
    ‘Erm...there’s something I need to tell you.’
    Kendra looked past her shoulder. ‘Oh, there he is. Hi, Marcus. I’d like to you meet my fiancé, Hugh.’
    Juliet blinked a couple of times to clear her vision in case she was imagining it was Marcus standing there looking tall and debonair as introductions were made. Her heart was jumping around her chest like a mad thing. He was here? What about his meeting? Had it been rescheduled? Postponed? A knife of disappointment slashed her hopes to ribbons. Duh . Obviously it had been postponed. Why else would he be here?
    He came over and slipped an arm around her shoulders. ‘Sorry I’m late, darling.’ He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. ‘Were you worried I wouldn’t make it?’
    Juliet looked into his twinkling dark blue eyes. He was acting for the girls and doing a remarkably convincing job of it. But something about his smile made her heart leap from its moorings.
    He was acting... wasn’t he?
    ‘What about your meeting?’
    ‘I cancelled it.’
    Shock rendered her speechless for a moment. ‘ You cancelled it?’
    ‘Yep.’
    ‘It wasn’t Christos or Gene Chatsfield?’
    ‘Nope.’
    Her mouth dropped open. ‘But...but why ?’
    His midnight-blue eyes danced some more. ‘I suddenly realised there were far more important things I had to do.’
    She swallowed a lump of emotion that was threatening to choke her. ‘You cancelled it... for me? ’
    He took her hands in his and squeezed them tightly. ‘Why’s that so hard for you to believe? You deserve to be put first.’
    Juliet couldn’t believe he was standing there holding her as if he never wanted to let her go. ‘You don’t have to do this, Marcus. I was going to tell the girls the truth.’
    He brought her closer, his hands holding both of hers against his thudding heart. ‘The truth is I love you. I think I’ve loved you for as long as I’ve known you. Like a little sister in the early years and then as a friend. But last Christmas something changed. I backed away from it because it was too...I don’t know...I guess because I was worried it would change everything. But it had already changed everything, hadn’t it? There was no going back.’
    Juliet felt hope swell and spread in her chest until she could scarcely breathe. He loved her? ‘I feel the same. I can’t remember not loving you. I think that’s why I haven’t dated in so long. I couldn’t bear to be with anyone but you.’
    His smile made her heart skip again. ‘Will you marry me?’
    Juliet closed her eyes for a beat. ‘Okay, so now I’m going to open my eyes and find this is all a dream.’ She opened them again but he was still there. ‘ Am I dreaming?’
    Marcus laughed. ‘I guess I need some fairy lights and candles and a string quartet to convince you. And I should probably call your mother. Your brother as well, which, quite frankly, scares the heck out of me as I’m really quite fond of my kneecaps, but still. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.’ His eyes glinted