Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“You are the most special, wonderful woman alive. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure that you never, ever forget that. Oh, and I bought you something.”
He handed her a bag with a book inside. She pulled it out. “Pride and Prejudice,” she said aloud. Then she glanced up, puzzled. “How did you know this is my favorite book?”
“I didn’t. But I remembered Mari saying it was about a man who had to let go of his pride in order to win the woman of his dreams. It seemed appropriate.”
She hugged him to her. “It’s perfect, and so are you.”
EPILOGUE
Fiona Sullivan showed up at the informal family launch party of Elderflower Island Reading Retreats promptly at seven o’clock Tuesday night. The reading retreats started the next day, but Mari and Josie had decided to hold a little party to thank the family for pitching in to get the cottages ready in time. Secretly, they all wanted to see with their own eyes that Malcolm had learned his lesson and wouldn’t be putting his heart at risk again anytime soon.
Malcolm and Josie couldn’t seem to stop touching each other, glancing over with looks so full of love that Fiona felt she was intruding if she didn’t glance away.
The cottages were beautiful, and she took a moment to take pride in the part she and her decorating eye had played. She’d even enjoyed working within a tight budget, sourcing secondhand designer curtains and cushions. Amazingly, she’d popped into a couple of charity shops, something she’d never done before and secretly enjoyed. She’d bought a couple of lamps, a side table that was also a bookshelf, and some book-themed prints for almost nothing.
Lewis demanded the best, and she’d learned early in their marriage that he equated cost with quality. Everything from their house to their furniture to their cars and clothes was top of the line. So she’d enjoyed a little holiday from buying the very best and gotten creative with cheaper finds. It had been surprisingly satisfying.
“You really should have become a professional decorator,” Alice said, also gazing around at the comfortable room that looked like something between a country hotel and a private library.
Perhaps there were moments when she’d have liked a career, but Lewis needed her. They entertained his clients a great deal, and he expected her always to look her best, so she spent more time than she cared to admit on treadmills and in salons and high-end boutiques. She hired and managed the household staff, but always did her own cooking. Lewis liked a home-cooked meal, and she did love to cook. At one time, she’d imagined motherhood would take up a lot of her time, but that joy had been denied her.
Still, she was happy. Why wouldn’t she be? She had everything she could ever want, like the diamond earrings Lewis had given her on their tenth wedding anniversary. He’d made sure she knew how much they cost, and the sum had made her eyes grow wide. She was glad they were insured, or she’d never be able to wear them outside of the house in case she lost one.
Glancing over at where Malcolm was sitting beside Josie, holding her hand as though he’d never let it go, she wondered if she’d ever been as happy as those two were.
For a moment, she wondered whether she might ask Josie to suggest some books she might read. Not that she had a problem, of course. Her life was perfect, but sometimes there was an ache inside her.
Could she explain that to Josie? And would the bibliotherapist be able to prescribe a course of books that would help her find contentment?
Her phone buzzed. Lewis hadn’t been able to come tonight. He’d had a squash game with a client. Now he was on his way home and asking that she join him there for dinner.
It wasn’t a command, of course. He worked very hard and understandably liked to find his wife home and dinner ready to serve when he returned after a long day at work. She had left homemade moussaka warming in the oven and a Greek salad in the fridge. All she had to do when she got home was warm the bread and pour the wine.
She rose, wished Josie well in her reading retreats, and left. When she glanced back, the windows were lit from within, and she heard the sound of happy laughter. For a moment, she was tempted to turn back.
Then she shook her head at her own foolishness and got into her late model Jaguar. She checked that her makeup was perfect and her hair in place. Lewis hated it when she didn’t look her best, and even more when she was late.
* * *