Christmas Belles (Gillies Ridge)

Chapter 12

“I NEED to show you something.”

She took his hand. Together, they strolled along the promenade, past blocks of luxury condos with their resort-style pools and manicured greenery leading down to the water’s edge. Old Queenslanders, with their heritage restorations, stood sentinel between several of the new developments.

Rika stopped at an old redbrick seventies style apartment block with its stucco verandahs and casement windows. The apartment block was well-kept but out of place amongst the surrounding opulence.

“My mother gave me key to an apartment here when she put me on the bus, and I took it. She signed over the deeds to me when I turned twenty-one. I used the equity to buy the apartment next door when the old lady died. Eventually, I owned the building.”

Richard stared at the apartment block, and she knew he was seeing seventeen-year-old Rika arriving from the country, not knowing anyone, but determined to make a go of it.

“Owning property gave you the security you needed. You were always good enough, Freddy. You just needed to prove it to yourself.”

“It was my first real estate deal. And it felt good. So, I kept on doing it. Buying old places. Renovating them. Selling them. Investing the profits. Jonathon was into real estate. We linked up and formed our own agency.”

“And he embezzled the profits.”

“Something like that. But he couldn’t take this place off me.”

“He didn’t know about it, did he?”

“No. It was my insurance. Mine and the girls. As it turned out it was the smartest thing I ever did. When I started again, I made sure nobody could ever take it away from us.”

“And you’ve been on your own ever since.”

“Like I said, I have my girls.” She turned and looked up at the apartment block. “And this place. In some ways it was a link to my mother. The only link. I couldn’t bring myself to knock it down. I thought one day I might do something with it.”

“A quarter-acre with river views. Must be worth a small fortune. But it was never about the money, was it, Freddy? This place gave you the confidence to look the city in the eye and take it on.”

She should have known he would understand. “You’re right. It doesn’t matter what it’s worth. It’s not for sale. You know, I haven’t been back here in years. I’d forgotten about it. Mostly. And when I do think about it, it’s to remind me of where I came from.”

“And how far you’ve come,” he said softly. “Maybe it’s time you took that chance you always told yourself you would once you had enough to make you feel secure.”

“Security’s a funny thing. Elusive.”

“You own a multimillion-dollar development company. You raise millions every year for charity. And I have a fair idea who’s occupying the apartments we’re looking at right now.”

She smiled at him and turned to look at the apartments. “And you’d be right. Everyone deserves a chance to make their way in the world.

“Your mother gave you the chance, but it was you who took it with both hands and ran with it. She believed in you. Why can’t you believe in yourself?”

In us.

The words hung unspoken between them.

“I’m sorry I walked away this morning.” Ran away, more like it. She tried again. “Last night was too much. I needed time to process. To work out if what we shared was real.”

“And then you saw the article.”

“I assumed the worst. That you’d betrayed me. I didn’t give you the chance to explain.”

“No, you didn’t. And you’re going to have to make it up to me somehow.”

She heard the smile in his voice and looked at him for the first time. “You think this is funny?”

“I think you’re the most beautiful, stubborn, blind, frustrating woman I’ve ever met. Did I mention how much I love you. How much I always have?”

“No,” she said softly. “I don’t think you have.”

“I love you Frederika Belle. And I want to spend the rest of my life convincing you of the fact. No matter how much you doubt yourself I’ll be there to remind you. And no matter how many times you run; I’ll be waiting.”

“I think it’s time to give up my joggers.” She entwined her fingers with his. “I’m getting too old to run.”

“So, you’ll marry me?”

“Are you asking?”

“Forever and always,” he said, and dropped a kiss onto her upturned nose.

“I’ll remind you of that when my daughters come to visit and you’re surrounded by women who, by the way, all inherited the Belle stubborn.”

“Luckily, I’ve had plenty of practise with that particular character trait. Something tells me they’ll have me curled around their little fingers and I won’t even know it’s happening.”

“I think you’ll know exactly what they’re doing. And that you’re strong enough in your own skin to allow it.”

He grinned boyishly down at her and her heart did that fluttery thing that made her want to throw herself into his arms and do some curling of her own. Well, maybe more a sedate pressing together of their bodies was more in keeping with their advanced years.

She turned till she was facing him and took a step at the same time he opened his arms and hauled her close.

“Now where were we before you left me alone in my bed this morning? I seem to remember we have unfinished business—”

“Luckily for you, I’ve taken the week off. What do you have in mind?”

And if she had any doubts about how they would spend the rest of their week, the press of his hips against her reminded her what that business was.

The only curling that was happening anytime soon was his body around hers.

And hers around him.

She couldn’t think of a better way to spend the rest of her life.

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