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  “What is that supposed to mean?” her mother demanded.

  Meg stood up. “It means that I’m leaving.”

  “And abandoning your responsibilities?” Her mother made another gesture toward the table. “What about the dinner?”

  “You can hire someone to do that for you,” Meg said. “Or you could do it yourself.”

  With that, she left the conservatory and headed back through the house. She had just opened the front door and was about to step outside, when she heard the rapid click of expensive heels.

  “Come back here this minute!” Her mother was red in the face. “And don’t you dare act like you can’t hear me, Margaret.”

  “I can hear you just fine,” she replied. “Just as I know you heard me perfectly well when I explained why we’re taking a break.” She was about to close the door behind her, when she turned back to say one more thing. “And when we do begin to mend our fences, I would appreciate it if you would use the name I prefer to go by now—Meg.”

  * * *

  By the time Meg let herself into her apartment half an hour later, she had never felt so exhausted—or so wired at the same time.

  More than once, she picked up her phone to contact Lucas. But she still felt so shaky.

  Yes, she’d finally stood up to her mother. But did that mean she could reach for everything she truly wanted in her life—not only her dream job, but her dream man as well? Especially after she’d blown it so badly with him the day before, when he’d tried to tell her how he felt…

  Pouring herself a glass of wine that she hoped would ease her nerves, she turned on Rachmaninoff. But the classical music that used to relax her didn’t sound right tonight. Impulsively, she went online to hunt for music by the band she and Lucas had seen together at The Satellite.

  As soon as she hit Play, memories came flooding back. Not only of the night they’d gone to the gig, but also every moment they’d shared. Telling each other about their childhoods and where they’d grown up. The way they’d laughed together while feeding the penguins. Their first kiss on the beach. Saying I do for his video, then cutting the cake together with his arms wrapped around her and his hand over hers. Then driving off into the sunset, the wind whipping through her hair as she threw the bouquet into the sky.

  When a knock came at her door, she literally jumped off the couch.

  Could it be Lucas?

  But when she opened the door, her next-door neighbor was standing on the mat, a small box in her hand. “This package was accidentally delivered to me.”

  Meg recognized the handwriting. What could Lucas have sent her?

  Inside the box was a blue thumb drive and a note.

  I asked Seb to put together this rough cut for you. Let me know if you want to make changes, or if you think it’s already perfect just the way it is.

  Meg’s heart was pounding so hard she could hear the blood rushing in her ears as she slid the drive into her computer. As soon as she did, “Perfect Moments” began to play. Her heart was in her throat as she saw herself onscreen with Lucas for the first time, when he’d made her laugh whispering into her ear. Next came glimpses of their dates, intercut with the proposal, the beginning of the wedding, the walk down the aisle. And then…their kiss.

  It was amazing how the individual scenes came together so well as a single story. But as she played the video again, she realized that they had created more than just a visual backdrop for a song.

  They’d written the story of a man and woman falling in love.

  Not only in the video, but in real life.

  Meg hadn’t been acting when she’d shot those scenes. At last, she realized that Lucas had meant it when he said he hadn’t been acting either.

  Maybe the two of them—the rock star from the wrong side of the tracks and the society girl finally breaking out of her gilded cage—didn’t make sense.

  But wasn’t it also true that for all those years that her life had made perfect sense, she hadn’t been happy?

  She reached for her phone and typed a message to Lucas.

  I don’t want to change a thing. The video is perfect. And so are we.

  She was just about to send it when another knock came at her door. Was there more to the delivery than this one package?

  She opened the door, expecting to see her neighbor again.

  This time, Lucas was standing on the mat.

  Only, instead of looking like the rock star she’d come to love so dearly over the past week, he was dressed like a banker in a three-piece suit, with his hair neatly cut, his chin smooth and stubble-free, and his tattoos covered.

  “Lucas?” She could hardly believe he was here. Let alone looking like he’d just stepped out of the pages of a high-society magazine.

  Wordlessly, she invited him in.

  “I will do whatever it takes to fit into your world,” he said before she could ask why he’d changed up his entire look. “I will change anything you need me to change.”

  “I would never want you to change who you are for me.”

  “I know you wouldn’t, but I’m still going to do whatever it takes to win your heart. I’ll do anything for you, Meg. Anything at all, if it means having your love.”

  “If you’ve watched the rough cut of the video,” she said softly, “then you must know that you already do.”

  Hoped flared in his eyes. “Are you saying—”

  “That I love you?” She put her hands on either side of his handsome face and gazed into his dark blue eyes. “I know it’s coming a day too late, but yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I love you, Lucas Crosby. I love you so very much.”

  “It could never be too late to hear you say that you love me. And I love you too, Meg Ashworth.”

  “Just promise me one thing,” Meg said.

  “Anything.”

  “That you’ll always be you, no matter what anyone thinks, even me.”

  “As long as you promise me the same thing.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I fell in love with you for exactly who you are—and no matter how you or I change and grow over the years, I vow that I will love you forever.”

  At last, they shared the sinfully passionate, and deeply loving, forever kiss that they’d both been longing for.

  When they finally came up for air, her eyes were sparkling. “I thought the video was perfect, but now I realize there is one scene that isn’t quite right.” She relished the hit of wickedness that ran through her as she told him, “Instead of driving away in a convertible, we should have been on your motorcycle.”

  Surprise and anticipation lit his gaze. “It’s outside if you want to take a ride with me tonight.”

  “I do,” she said, kissing him again. “I definitely do.”

  And as Meg put on her leather jacket, walked hand in hand with Lucas to his Harley, and rode with him beneath the glow of the moonlight, she knew that this was just the start of the wild and crazy life she was bound to have with a rock star.

  She grinned as she wrapped her arms tighter around his waist.

  She couldn’t wait.

  Epilogue

  Lucas and his record label held the launch party at a packed club. Nate had spent the past couple of hours setting up the feed to several big screens that would all play the “Perfect Moments” music video simultaneously. Now, as Lucas and his band took the stage, Meg stood beside him, looking radiantly happy.

  Everyone from Married in Malibu was here tonight. Travis had his arm around Amy, although he kept shooting glances at the security team to make sure they were performing to his extremely high specifications. Liz was curled tight in Jason’s arms. Jenn and Daniel were laughing together over a private joke. And Kate was standing with Tamara by the bar. Though Kate was wearing her usual outfit of jeans and a T-shirt, both were clean of soil smudges tonight. Tamara had rocked up her look for the evening, however. Not with denim and leather, but with floating layers à la Stevie Nicks or Kate Bush. She looked gorgeous, just li
ke always.

  It amazed Nate how so many of his friends had found happiness and were settling down, after finding their true loves in the most unexpected places.

  Lucas stepped up to the microphone. Taking Meg’s hand, he brought her to his side. “This song goes out to everyone who has been lucky enough to find true love. But more than that, it’s for Meg Ashworth, the woman I love. It’s called ‘Perfect Moments.’”

  Pulling her close, Lucas kissed Meg. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright as she took a few steps back into the wings of the stage as his band began playing the song live in perfect sync with the video.

  Pleased to have another job successfully completed, Nate headed toward the bar.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Tamara intercepted him halfway there. “Come and dance!”

  Normally, Nate avoided dancing like the plague. After all, computer engineers and dance floors rarely mixed. But Tamara was so fun and sweet and alive that he couldn’t resist her invitation.

  All of the couples on the dance floor were moving close as the romantic song played, and in the crowd, it was natural for Nate to take Tamara into his arms.

  Just as natural as it suddenly seemed to wonder what it might be like to kiss her.

  * * * * *

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  * * *

  Please enjoy an excerpt from THE WEDDING GIFT, Book 1 in Lucy Kevin’s New York Times bestselling Four Weddings and a Fiasco series!

  After Julie Delgado’s restaurant closes, she temporarily takes over the catering position at the Rose Chalet, a full-service San Francisco wedding venue. She plans to dazzle the bride and groom so the Chalet’s owner will keep her around, but fate has other plans for her when the bride’s brother shows up for the first food tasting.

  Andrew Kyle is not only the Cuisine Channel’s Edgy Eats host and chef, but his recent review of Julie’s restaurant was the final nail in its coffin. Once he meets Julie at the Rose Chalet, he’s certain she’s playing it safe. And he wants nothing more than to be the one to break her guarded passions loose.

  But despite the undeniable sparks between Julie and Andrew–and the fact that he seems to believe in her when no one else does–can she afford to be taking risks with her cooking, with her career…or with her heart?

  It wasn’t easy trying to finish off the main courses and desserts, knowing all the while that Andrew Kyle was probably out there telling the Rose Chalet’s owner exactly how awful Julie’s food was. And Rose would listen, of course, because what else would she be able to do in the face of a triple whammy: celebrity chef, the groom’s brother, and great dimples?

  Enough about the dimples, Julie ordered herself. Just remember what he did.

  It was pretty hard to forget. One review from the city’s most prominent TV chef, and her business had come crashing down around her ears. The faint trickle of new customers Julie had hoped would widen into a stream dried up completely. Her entire dream went south in a matter of weeks, all thanks to the man who was currently sampling Julie’s seafood platter.

  Well, she couldn’t let him ruin this dream too. Which meant Julie couldn’t do anything horrible to his food, even if a small part of her wanted the revenge.

  The truth was, the best revenge would be to show him just how wrong he had been. All she had to do was present him with the best plates of food in her life, and then force him to eat his words.

  Easy.

  Though if it was that easy, why was her hand shaking while she finished the duck? She needed to focus, take her time, and—

  “Is everything okay?”

  Julie jumped at the sound of Andrew’s voice, almost slicing a finger open in the process.

  What was he doing in her kitchen? Had he finally realized who she was? Had he come to gloat?

  Or, maybe, to apologize for what he’d done?

  Knowing anything she really wanted to say to him would get her instantly fired by Rose, Julie settled for, “I’m not sure you should be in here.”

  “No, it’s fine—”

  “Julie,” she reminded him, like he hadn’t just been told her name a few minutes ago. “Julie Delgado.”

  Was there a flicker of recognition in his eyes? Did he even vaguely remember her name?

  Then again, why would he? He was a famous chef. She was a nobody who couldn’t keep her own kitchen open and was now cooking for scraps at a wedding venue.

  “I asked Rose before I came in to see the kitchen where the food for the wedding might be prepared.”

  “Might be?”

  “My brother and his fiancé deserve the best. I promised I’d cast my chef’s eye over it as my wedding gift to them. Which is why I’d appreciate it if you could bring the desserts out with the main courses and stay with us as we go through everything.” He flashed that brilliant smile of his. “After all, I’m sure the two of us will have a lot to talk about.”

  For a moment, Julie wondered if he meant the review, but those darn dimples of his were turning her brain just enough to mush so that all she could manage was, “Will we?”

  “Sure,” Andrew replied, with another smile.

  Oh my God, after all he’d done, was he actually flirting with her?

  Julie just barely resisted the urge to hit him with the nearest thing on hand, but only because it happened to be a saucepan full of steadily reducing plum sauce. Of all the arrogant…

  Again, Julie forced herself to take a deep breath and reminded herself that since she obviously wasn’t important enough for the big star to remember, why wouldn’t he try out the charm that had everybody else fooled?

  “I’d be happy to bring out everything at once,” Julie said, if only because it seemed like the quickest way to get him out of her kitchen. “Just give me a minute or two.”

  * * *

  Watching Andrew Kyle eat was an experience. He didn’t talk between bites, as though that would in some way spoil his concentration. Instead he assembled the food carefully on his fork, closing his eyes and letting his nose take in the scent of it for a moment before he finally pushed it into that sensuous mouth.

  Julie found herself briefly entranced by the way he clearly wanted to involve as many of his senses as possible, by the fact that he seemed to treat food as something truly important.

  Of course, that didn’t make up for the way he kept Julie and Rose waiting while he tasted everything. In fact, the only time he spoke at all was about halfway through, when he glanced up and raised an eyebrow.

  “Is everything to your satisfaction?”

  Andrew put his fork down carefully. “It’s all well cooked,” he said. “The scallops are nicely done and the fish goes well with them. The salad is crisp and fresh. The plum sauce with the duck is just right, and I like the richness of the gateaux. The food is well prepared,” he said, “but, unfortunately, it’s too bland.”

  Bland.

  It was the same word he’d used about her restaurant.

  Julie’s hands closed on the tablecloth. “Bland?” she repeated.

  Andrew nodded. “As I said, it’s fine, it’s just…frankly, it’s wedding food.”

  “That’s what this food is for,” Julie had to point out. “A wedding.”

  “Yes, but it’s for my brother’s wedding, and I’m sorry, this menu won’t work. It’s been done. There’s nothing exciting here. There’s no twist on any of the classic dishes, and there isn’t anything innovative, either. This is my wedding gift to my brother and his fiancée. It needs to be special. But nothing about this menu makes it clear that their wedding is a really special occasion.”

  Julie thought the part where there would be a bride and groom saying “I do” in front of a few hundred people might be a clue as to the specialness of the occasion, but, of course, she wasn’t going to say that. Besides, just then, she was too busy remembering the first time Andrew Kyle had made these comments about her food
. Remembering how much it had hurt.

  About as much as it hurt right now, come to think of it.

  “So what is it you want?” Julie asked. She very carefully kept her voice level. Completely devoid of emotion.

  “Something special. Something different. Something with a bit of imagination to it. Look,” Andrew said, “I’d like to come back so that we can throw a few ideas around. Between Julie and myself, I suspect we can come up with something that’s perfect for the wedding.”

  He’d just demolished her cooking for the second time in a few short months, and he thinks she would want him around?

  “What a wonderful idea,” Rose said before Julie could flat-out refuse to ever see Andrew Kyle again. “Our aim at the Rose Chalet is to make sure the day goes exactly the way the happy couple wants it. Julie would be happy to brainstorm menus with you, wouldn’t you, Julie?”

  Since the question was obviously rhetorical, Julie mumbled something that could be taken as a yes.

  Rose stood. “Andrew, if you have a few more minutes, I’d like to talk you for a walk around the Chalet to get a feel for the place. My full staff isn’t here at the moment, but we can start to discuss a few options.”

  Julie had never been so grateful for anything as when Andrew agreed. Ordinarily, with a guy like him, she would have watched him go just because she couldn’t not stare. Today, however, it was simply to make sure he was well and truly gone before she let out a sigh and slumped down in her seat.

  What had she gotten herself into?

  …Excerpt from THE WEDDING GIFT by Lucy Kevin © 2017

  Buy The Wedding Gift

  * * * * *

  Enjoy an excerpt from BE MY LOVE, the first fun, sweet and emotional contemporary romance in Lucy Kevin’s Walker Island series!

  Come for a visit to Walker Island where you’ll find stunning Pacific Northwest ocean views, men too intriguing to resist…and five close-knit sisters who are each about to find their one true love.

  After four years on the Seattle mainland, when Hanna Walker returns to Walker Island to make a documentary about the infamous Peterson-Walker feud from the early 1950s, she’s shocked to realize that passions still run high. Especially when it comes to Joel Peterson, the one man who is totally off-limits…but that she’s never been able to stop dreaming about.