Chapter 12

Wedding? Liya was jolted back to reality. She was sure her face was beet red by now. People stopped by their table to congratulate them. She stole a glance at Blake and was thrilled when she noticed he was beaming as much as she was. Whatever doubts she’d had vanished as she settled into the moment and reveled in the aftermath of her engagement. How had she gone from being Blake Stone’s babysitter to his fiancée?

Eventually the stream of well-wishers filtered away. As the usual quiet ambience settled over the restaurant, Liya became aware of the not-so-discreet gossip around them.

“Do you think she said yes only because he is a billionaire?”

“I’ve heard that they only just met? How can anyone propose marriage after knowing someone for such a short time?”

“Do you think she’d pregnant?”

“What if she’s just pretending to like his daughter just so she can get into his pants?”

“Maybe Blake just wants a permanent, reliable babysitter for his daughter and marriage is the best way to get that?”

Didn’t people believe in fairytales romances anymore? Or was she the only one? Blake didn’t seem to hear any of the gossip. If he did, he ignored it. Instead, signaled for the waiter to serve their main course. A band made their way to their table just then and burst into music drowning away the malicious gossip. Their waiter also arrived with their food.

Liya forgot all about the gossip and inhaled the heady aroma of oyster soup. This smell would always remind me of Blake’s proposal. Despite her excitement, she wondered if all this hadn’t been a little too sudden? Blake hadn’t given her any indication of his romantic feelings towards her. In fact, she’d assumed he’d been trying to create a distance between them.

What if he’d fallen head over heels in love with her? And what if she’d fallen in love with him too and just hadn’t noticed? Wasn’t that how love worked? It crept up on you when you least expected it?

Was she in love? Did that mean the erratic fluttering in her stomach was love? And the intense warmth coursing through her veins like molten lava leaving her a little dizzy? Were all these symptoms of love? Liya’s gaze locked with Blake’s. He smiled back at her and his eyes sparkled in the dim restaurant lighting.

“Oh, Liya, I’m so glad you’re going to be my mom.” Sophia couldn’t sit in her seat any longer. She propped herself onto Liya’s lap, flung her arms round her neck, and rained little kisses on her face.

“I’m so happy too, Sophia,” Liya whispered, and kissed Sophia’s forehead. By now the paparazzi had arrived and snapped photographs of the newly engaged couple. Elation clouded Liya’s senses. She wished this night would last forever. They could take all the pictures they wanted.

“Liya, now that you’re going to be my mom, will you let me go to a normal school?” Sophia’s grey eyes locked with Liya’s.

Liya looked over at Blake. A slight smile played on the corners of his lips.

“Um...Sophia...your dad and I will have to discuss that.” Just mentioning the words added a certain intimacy to her recent engagement with Blake Stone. She smiled to herself. All along she’d chided herself at the slightest hint of attraction towards Blake. She hadn’t expected him to fall for her or even propose to her. Tonight, Blake Stone had surprised her, and blown her mind.

She was going to be a part of Blake’s family now. She bit on her bottom lip slightly to hold back tears. She couldn’t believe she would finally belong to a family she could call her own. Her lifelong dream of a loving family had finally begun to come true.

“Liya?”

“Yes, Sophia?”

“Are you happy you’re going to be my mom?”

Memories of her own, patchy childhood flashed in random slide shows in Liya’s head. “I’m more than happy, Sophia, I am overjoyed. I’m over the moon. You’re the most perfect, little girl any Mom could ever wish for. And I promise I will be the best mother I can be to you,” she said.

Sophia’s eyes lit up. “I love you, Liya. I’m so happy I could dance.” She jumped out of her seat and hugged Liya.

Liya held Sophia tight and breathed in the scent of her hair for a few moments. “I love you too, Princess.” And I love your daddy too, she added silently.

She wasn’t sure when she’d fallen in love with Blake. She hadn’t even been aware when it had happened. Perhaps it was the first day she met him. Yes! Blake zoomed into her life as effortlessly as the sports cars he loved so much. And Blake was the most devastatingly handsome, and definitely the sexiest man I’ve ever met. So what if her engagement had been spontaneous. The best fairy tales were never planned.

A mini orchestra struck up a melody, adding to the celebratory mood in the restaurant. He held out his hand to Liya in invitation as the violinist played the opening chords of a classical love song.

“May I have this dance?”

Hot-cold shivers ricocheted up and down Liya’s back.

“Yes,” the monosyllable response choked out of her parched throat. Ripples of awareness shot through her body when Blake curled his hands around her supple waist. She rested her head against his chest, savoring the feel of his hard, toned body against hers, when the melody slowed down and breathed in the woody scent of his designer cologne.

The rhythm of Blake’s heart echoed in her ears while heat escaped his body through his flimsy designer shirt, warming Liya to the core of her being. Blake’s body swayed to the soft strains of music, encouraging Liya to let go of her inhibitions and follow his lead.