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  His father was taking so long to come out Zack was starting to worry. Surely it didn’t take this long to take a leak? Could his father have taken a back exit? Was he even now downing a few drinks at a nearby pub? Drowning his sorrows in a glass of whisky? Multiple glasses of whisky? His mouth clamped to a barrel of the stuff? ‘Holly, I can explain—’

  ‘Please don’t waste your breath or my time.’ Holly’s chin came up and a bomb went off behind her eyes. Shrapnel and scorn rained down on him.

  Should he tell her about his concerns about his dad? He had told no one. It was too private. Too personal. Too painful.

  Zack’s guts churned at the thought of having to search every pub in the neighbourhood. Of finding his dad sitting in a dark corner, quietly sobbing into his scotch, like so many times before. So far he’d kept the press away from his private life, but since his dad had moved back to London from the West Country a couple of months ago after this recent break-up, he wondered, how soon before someone connected him with the sad drunk who couldn’t get his life back on track? Not that Zack was ashamed of his father—he felt sorry for him more than anything. Sorry for him and frustrated with him at the same time. But he knew if the press brought attention to his father, it would only push his dad further into a pit of despair, perhaps even push him over the edge...

  Zack released a slow breath, hoping it would calm his racing pulse and spiralling panic about his father’s whereabouts. ‘My father is going through a rough time just now and I—’

  ‘My heart bleeds.’ The sarcasm in her tone stung like a slap. She walked back to her friend, and a section of Holly’s up-do fell from its position and swung from side to side as if it too were giving him the flick.

  Zack was torn between wanting to go after her and the need to find his father. He couldn’t risk it. Not today of all days. This time his father had won.

  But didn’t he always?

  * * *

  ‘That was Zack Knight, wasn’t it?’ Sabrina asked. ‘What did you say to him? You looked like you were going to hit him.’

  ‘Drat that odious man.’ Holly grabbed Sabrina’s arm and led her out to the street. ‘This is exactly why I’ve stopped dating. He said he was here with his father. His father! Who takes their father to a musical? Excuse me while I throw up. Does he think I’m that naïve?’

  ‘Not all men are two-timing jerks. Maybe he really was here with his father. Or his mother.’

  Holly gave her the side-eye. ‘Or his sister? His second cousin twice removed who happens to be his personal trainer?’

  Sabrina grimaced. ‘Point taken.’

  Holly glanced back to see if Zack’s ‘father’ had joined him but there was no sign of either Zack or whoever was supposedly with him. She’d been a fool to think she could outsmart him. Damn him for turning the tables on her. He was probably on his way back to his palatial penthouse by now with his ‘date’. Grr. She wished now she’d acted a little more blasé about him cancelling their date. Why should she care if he decided to take someone else out? She hadn’t wanted to go out with him in the first place. Of course she hadn’t. Well...maybe just a wee bit.

  ‘He’s amazingly handsome, isn’t he?’ Sabrina’s voice had a note of star-struck fan about it. ‘Like one of those European aftershave models, all brooding and sexy. No wonder you’re feeling a little disappointed.’

  ‘I’m not disappointed. I was only going to go out with him to mess with his head. And to improve my reputation. But I’ll think of some other way to do that. I will not be jerked around by a man who’s a player.’ Holly blew out a breath like she was blowing out the last candle on her self-esteem. ‘Damn. I wish I’d seen who he was with. I wonder where he was sitting. I’d like to know who my competition is.’

  ‘I’m not sure who could compete with you wearing that dress,’ Sabrina said. ‘You look amazing.’

  Holly tucked her escaping section of hair back into position. ‘Humph. I didn’t think it was possible to dislike a man so much.’ And still be attracted to him.

  * * *

  Holly got back to her flat a short time later to find a package had been left on the table outside her door. Mrs Fry always left any post or parcels that came for Holly if she didn’t come home straight from work. She picked up the gift-wrapped box with a small card attached and took it inside her flat. She took the card out of its envelope and read the message.

  Sorry to cancel at short notice.

  Hope these make amends.

  Zack Knight

  Holly studied the bold strokes of his handwriting for a long moment. She put the card down and unwrapped the package to find a box of handmade chocolates from a high-street chocolatier. How had he known one of her weaknesses was chocolate?

  Holly began to take one out of the box but then snatched her hand away. No. She was not going to be tempted. He could send her boxes and boxes of chocolates, truckloads of them, but she was not going to let one past her lips.

  Not a single one.

  * * *

  Zack searched four pubs before he found his father. He was sitting at a booth at the back of the pub with a drink clasped between his hands that thankfully looked like it hadn’t been touched.

  His dad looked up as Zack slid into the booth opposite. ‘I know what you’re going to say, so don’t start. You don’t understand. You’ve never been with someone longer than a week or two.’

  ‘Dad...’ Zack moved the whisky out of his father’s reach. ‘I know it’s hard. It’s always been hard for you, but you have to accept that some relationships end and you have to move on.’

  ‘Move on?’ His dad leaned his elbows on the table and dropped his head into his hands. ‘How can I move on? Every relationship I have ends up failing. It’s because I can’t love anyone else like I loved your mother. I keep trying but it never works.’

  Zack wondered if his dad really did still love his mother or was longing for the life they’d once had. Theirs had been a whirlwind courtship ending in marriage, hastened by his mum becoming pregnant with him. And while the marriage had been mostly happy for the first few years—or maybe he’d been too young to know any better—it hadn’t taken long for his mother to look elsewhere for entertainment. Zack’s dad had forgiven her for an affair with the gardener, and another with the pool man, but the following year she’d left him for the local vicar, creating an enormous scandal that people in the village still talked about to this day.

  Zack put his hand on his father’s shoulder. ‘It’s been twenty-four years, Dad. Surely that’s enough time to—’

  His dad raised his head to look at him. ‘You’re as stuck as I am. That’s why you don’t date anyone long-term. I blame myself for your lack of commitment.’

  ‘I’m happy the way I am. I don’t need someone permanent in my life.’

  ‘I tried my best to be a good father but I failed you.’

  ‘You’re a great father. Stop being so down on yourself.’

  ‘But you’re a playboy.’ His dad’s tone couldn’t have sounded more disappointed if he’d said Zack was dealing cocaine.

  Zack laughed but somehow it didn’t sound too convincing. ‘Hey, I thought you admired my lifestyle.’

  ‘Do you know how it makes me feel? Like a failure. A dismal, pathetic failure. I can’t have a successful relationship and neither can you. I’ve cursed you with my own inadequacies.’

  Zack was shocked to find his father blamed himself for his lifestyle. So what if he shied away from commitment? That wasn’t an inadequacy—it was his choice. It had nothing to do with his childhood. Well, not much. ‘That’s crazy, Dad. I don’t consider it a failure to be single.’

  ‘You don’t understand.’ His dad looked at him with a watery gaze. ‘Your mother and I had ten years together. Ten years where everything was fine. You haven’t been in love. You don’t know how wonderful it is to be that close to someone. You
haven’t met The One.’

  I hope to God I don’t. He didn’t want to end up like his father, emotionally shattered by every relationship that came to an end. He didn’t want the responsibility of someone else’s emotional upkeep. It was hard enough supporting his father for all these years. But he had to do something to ease his father’s guilt. He had to show his father he wasn’t the man whore he thought he was. And he knew exactly how to do it. He just had to convince Holly to go out with him.

  ‘Dad, actually there is this girl I’ve met. She’s pretty special. I think you’d approve.’

  His dad grabbed Zack’s wrist. ‘Really? How special?’

  ‘It’s early days, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone else.’ It wasn’t a lie. Zack had never felt so drawn to a woman before. He only had to picture Holly’s flashing gaze and plump mouth and he got hard. Rock-hard.

  His father’s expression brightened like someone had turned up a dimmer switch. ‘It would make me so happy to see you settled with a nice girl. Maybe give me a couple of grandkids—’

  ‘Hey, hold on.’ Zack laughed and got to his feet. ‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.’ He picked up his dad’s coat off the booth seat and handed it to him. ‘Come on. Let’s get you home.’

  CHAPTER THREE

  HOLLY HAD TO get up early the next morning in order to get to the New Covent Garden Flower Market, which opened at four a.m. She could have flowers delivered, and often did so when pressed for time, but at least twice a week she liked to select her own, especially when she had a run of weddings. Not that she had any weddings on the horizon, but still. She could dream, couldn’t she? The bright array of colours never failed to lift her spirits. Roses in every colour imaginable, pink and white and blue hydrangeas, gorgeous pink and white peonies the size of teacups, sweet william, tall, stately irises in cobalt blue or egg yolk yellow, fragrant lilies and colourful tulips and baby’s breath as white as a summer cloud.

  She could still remember the first time she’d come to the market. She had stood surrounded by scent and vivid colour, feeling like she was in heaven. Over the years she had got to know some of the vendors and always enjoyed a quick chat as she made her selection.

  One of her favourite vendors, Katarina, called out as soon as she saw Holly walking towards her stall. ‘Morning, Holly. Loved that post the other day about two-timing men. Couldn’t agree more.’

  Oh, God. How many of those negative posts had she put out there? Too many if the cancellations in her diary were any indication. Holly’s smile was like a crack on concrete. Tight and twisted. ‘I guess not all men are like that.’

  Katarina gave a half roll of her eyes. ‘Yeah, right—only the ones you and I have dated.’

  Holly leaned down to smell the creamy pink tea roses on her friend’s stall. ‘Mmm... These are gorgeous.’

  ‘I can get you more if you need them.’

  Holly straightened and sighed. ‘I would have taken all of those and more if one of my clients hadn’t cancelled their wedding.’

  ‘That’s too bad. But another day another bride, as they say in the business.’

  ‘That’s what I’m hoping.’

  Holly moved on a short time later, but she couldn’t help thinking her visits to the market might one day come to an end if she didn’t turn her finances around. She made a good profit from cut flowers and other arrangements but it was the wedding business that brought in the bulk of her income. Some clients just wanted bouquets; others wanted the whole shebang—bouquets, flowers for the church and the reception. Nothing thrilled her more than a big wedding project that involved hours and hours of creative work. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing the wedding arm of her business. It was her reason for getting out of bed in the morning. It was all she had ever wanted to do—design and create beautiful wedding flowers. Why did life have to be so cruel to threaten to take it away from her?

  By the time Holly got back to her shop and unloaded the back of her minivan, Jane had arrived, carrying a coffee for her and a chocolate-chip muffin from their favourite café down the road.

  ‘Here you go.’ Jane handed the cup and the muffin to her.

  Holly recoiled from the brown paper bag. ‘I’ll have the coffee but not the muffin. Sorry.’

  Jane’s eyebrows lifted. ‘But you always have a choc-chip muffin on market mornings.’

  ‘I know, but I kind of overdid it with some chocolates last night.’ Holly hadn’t been able to stop herself from eating half a box of Zack’s chocolates... Well, maybe it was two-thirds, which didn’t bode well, in her opinion. If she couldn’t resist his chocolates, how was she going to resist him if he took it upon himself to ask her out again?

  ‘How did your date with Zack go?’ Jane asked.

  ‘He cancelled, but I happened to run into him at the theatre where I went with Sabrina after our meeting,’ Holly said. ‘He sent chocolates to my flat by way of compensation. I gave him my address when I agreed to go out with him. Wish I hadn’t now.’

  Jane frowned. ‘Did he have someone with him?’

  Holly rolled her eyes. ‘He told me he was with his father. That’s a new one, I’ll give him that. Owen, my first ex, once told me he was visiting his grandmother. I found out later his grandmother had been dead for five years. Peter, my second ex, told me he was spending the night at his cousin’s house. He failed to mention the cousin was a distant one twice removed and also his personal trainer.’

  ‘Is that the one he’s married to now?’

  Argh. Don’t remind me. ‘Yep. And she’s having twins this summer.’ Holly huffed out a sigh. ‘I’m rubbish at relationships.’

  ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself. But did you actually see who was with him last night? I mean, he could’ve been telling the truth.’

  Holly scowled into her coffee. ‘Not flipping likely.’

  * * *

  A few days later Kendra came into Holly’s shop. ‘How are you and Zack getting on?’ she asked with a teasing smile. ‘Fallen in love with each other yet?’

  Holly forced her lips into a be-polite-to-the-customer-who-thinks-she’s-my-best-friend smile. ‘It turns out he’s not that into me after all. He asked me out and then stood me up. He’s seeing someone else.’

  Kendra frowned. ‘But that can’t be possible. I know for a fact he hasn’t dated anyone for a few weeks now. At least three weeks—maybe even more. He only had eyes for you the whole evening at my party. I’ve never seen him act that way before. He told me later how much he enjoyed meeting you. He said you were refreshing. Enchanting, yes, that was the word he’d used. I’ve never seen him so captivated by someone.’

  If he was so darn captivated with her, why had he taken someone else to the theatre? Holly picked up a fallen rose petal, scrunched it in her fingers and tossed it in the bin under the counter. ‘I wouldn’t go out with him if he asked me. Which he has, by the way. He asked for a rain check, but I said thanks, but no, thanks.’

  ‘I think you guys need a little push in the right direction.’ Kendra took out her phone and started tapping and smiled a matchmaker-on-a-mission smile. ‘It’s my bet he’ll be in through that door faster than you can say wedding bouquet.’

  Holly tried to see what Kendra was typing. ‘Hey, what are you doing? Is that Twitter? Oh, God. Don’t. Is that the photo you took of us? Please don’t put it on Twitter. That’s a horrible photo of me. I look like a stranded fish.’

  Kendra pressed Send and clicked off her phone. ‘Done. I’ve been saving that photo for the right opportunity. But don’t worry—I Photoshopped it. You look besotted with him. If nothing else it will boost your business. I heard things aren’t going so well for you just now.’

  Holly’s stomach felt as heavy as a sandbag. ‘Where did you hear that?’

  ‘I know Alexandra Mackie. Our mothers play in the same bridge club. I ran into her yesterday and she told me she c
ancelled her booking with you.’

  ‘Did she say why?’

  Kendra somehow managed to look sheepish and sly at the same time. ‘I might have shared your man-hating posts a little too often to all my followers. Sorry. But I can turn it around. Watch and learn.’

  Holly could hear the sound of Kendra’s Twitter feed going crazy. ‘What’s going on? What are all those Tweets saying?’

  Kendra’s smile was vulpine. ‘Congratulations, Holly. You just got engaged to London’s most eligible bachelor.’

  Holly stared at her in shock. Engaged? Engaged to Zack Knight? Her heart was thumping like it was aiming for a world record. How was she going to face him? ‘But won’t he have something to say about that?’

  ‘He’s got a sense of humour.’ Kendra shrugged as if dismissing a chipped fingernail. ‘And once we tell him what’s been happening to your business, he’ll be glad to help. He hates any sort of injustice—that’s what makes him such a great lawyer.’

  ‘He’s a commitment-phobe,’ Holly said. ‘It’s one of the first things he told me. Who’s going to believe he’s engaged to me? He’s not the settling-down type.’

  Kendra’s smile had a hint of fairy godmother turned to the Other Side. ‘You never know—you might be the one woman to change his mind.’

  * * *

  Zack decided to leave it a few days before he contacted Holly again. He figured she would need time to forgive him for reneging on their date. A cooling-off period was always advisable after a confrontation—something he often encouraged his clients to do.

  His dad was in a much better headspace and had even talked about joining a gym to get fit and to meet people. Who knew Zack’s little white lie could bring about such a rapid change in his dad’s attitude? He only hoped it would continue, and that Holly would agree to go out with him, so he could prove to his dad he could stay in a relationship longer than a week or two.