around his neck and kissed him. She kissed him hard, with all the weight she’d been feeling these last few weeks. She was oblivious to the rain, oblivious to the people sailing past them. If this were a movie, little stars would burst over her head and blue birds would flit about them.
Joe was laughing when she lifted her head. “I guess that’s a yes,” he said.
“I love you, Joe. I know I’m not supposed to say that because I just met you, but I do, Joe, I
“God, Kate, I love you, too,” he said, burying his face in her neck. “I should have told you two weeks ago. I should never have gotten in that cab. Come on, let’s get out of the rain.”
He stooped down to pick up her umbrella. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. “What about ESP? Do you believe in that?” he asked.
Kate laughed. “It depends.”
She believed in love. That much, she knew, and here it was, delivered by fate to her, all six feet, two inches of it.
Chapter 13
One year later, on a wet spring weekend, Joe and Kate were married in Seattle. Lisa stood up with Kate, wearing a lovely off-the-shoulder lavender gown, which Lisa proclaimed too plain and too predictable. The reception was held at a new venue: an industrial building that had been transformed inside to look like an art museum. Or maybe it was an art museum. Joe had lost track of the details.
He was happy. Happier than he thought he could be. He was frankly amazed at how damn happy he was.
Kate was happy, too. She was still amused and awed that things had happened as they had, that she’d met the man of her dreams on a flight diverted to Dallas. She was awed that she and Joe had both known, in just a few days, just
They stayed at the Edgewater the night of the wedding, and their lovemaking was spectacular. The next morning they made their way to Kate’s house, where the Firrettis and the Prestons had come together to dine on leftover wedding food for breakfast before the newlyweds headed off to Paris for their honeymoon. While they were dining, the clouds rolled in, swallowing up the sun.
Later still, when Colton drove them to the airport, the clouds were hanging even heavier. Kate and Joe joked about late spring blizzards and air traffic controller strikes.
The newly minted Mr. and Mrs. Firretti checked their bags. “Are you sure you want to carry that on?” Joe asked, looking at the enormous tote bag Kate was holding. “Yes,” she said. “It’s got everything we need. Books, iPad, toothbrushes, change of underwear—”
“Okay, okay,” he said. “Just please don’t tell me it has a tuna-fish sandwich in it.”
“No!” Kate said. “I’ll buy that at a kiosk or something.” She smiled at his look of horror.
They made it through security and wandered up to their gate. They glanced up at the board.
“Wait here,” Joe said, and walked up to the counter and spoke to the airline agent. He returned a moment later, a funny little smile on his face.
“So what’s the delay?” Kate asked.
“Indefinite. Seems there is an unexpected weather event in Europe and the plane coming in is being diverted.”
Kate blinked. And Mr. and Mrs. Firretti burst into laughter.
by Jill Mansell
When Ginny Holland’s daughter heads off to university, Ginny is left with a severe case of empty nest syndrome. To make matters worse, the first gorgeous man she’s laid eyes on in years has just accused Ginny of shoplifting. So, in need of a bit of company, Ginny decides to advertise for a lodger, but what she gets is lovelorn Laurel. Yet with Laurel comes her dangerously charming brother, Perry, and the offer of a great new job, and things begin looking up…until Ginny realizes that her potential boss is all too familiar. Is it too late for Ginny to set things right after an anything but desirable first impression?
“Realistic, flawed, and endearing, [the characters] make Ms. Mansell’s book shine.” —
“A finely tuned romantic comedy.” —
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Jill Mansell
Dexter Yates leads a charmed existence in London, with money, looks, and girlfriends galore. Life’s fantastic until Dex’s sister dies and his world changes overnight. Astonishing everyone, including himself, Dex leaves the city behind, takes charge of his eight-month-old niece Delphi, moves to a beautiful Cotswolds village, and sets about working on his parenting skills. His neighbors, including cartoonist Molly Hayes, seem friendly enough—but Dex can’t shake the notion that he’s missing something important…
“Mansell is like a Michelin-rated chef: She may use common ingredients, but under her sure hand, the results are deliciously superior.” —
“Humorous, sometimes poignant… Her breezy style resembles that of Sophie Kinsella or Helen Fielding… readers will be delighted.” —
“Jill Mansell has never let me down and she delivers once again… had me laughing and smiling from beginning to end.” —
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by Megan Mulry
Smart, ambitious, and career driven, Bronte Talbot started following British royalty in the gossip mags only to annoy her intellectual father. But her fascination has turned into a not-so-secret guilty pleasure. When she starts dating a charming British doctoral student, she teases him unmercifully about the latest scandals of his royal countrymen, only to find out—to her horror—that she’s been having a fling with the nineteenth Duke of Northrop, and now he wants to make her…a duchess?
In spite of her frivolous passion for all things royal, Bronte isn’t at all sure she wants the reality. Is becoming royalty every American woman’s secret dream, or is it a nightmare of disapproving dowagers, paparazzi, stiff- upper-lip tea parties, and over-the-top hats?
