The Bridegroom's Secret

“With Elise in particular, everyone was taking bets on the wedding date,” Jemima went on, still without malice but with a good deal of curiosity. Digging. “She’s an engineer, too, you know. In fact, I’ve heard rumours that she worked with him on the design of the water converter. They seemed the perfect match. That’s why there was such interest when he broke up with her, and was seen with you so soon after.”

A perfect match…oh, weren’t they just? The handsome, high-born genius and the beautiful, high-society woman, one of his own people, who made him laugh so easily. Perfection, side by side….

Julie had met both women earlier, but hadn’t thought much about either of them afterward. They’d seemed nice women, without any sign of cattiness in their conversation or demeanour. Not by word or act had they shown anything but kindness to her.

But then, why would they need to compete, when they were so beautiful?

Then she remembered the look in Matt’s eyes when he’d seen her tonight, and the world seemed to spin the right way again. “You’ll have to ask Matt about who he works with and why. That’s his place. Thanks for the advice, but after all, those women are in his past—I’m his future. I’m the one wearing his ring.” With a cool smile she ended the interview.

But she didn’t continue toward Matt. That might make it seem as if she didn’t trust him, which could create fodder for a speculative story about the status of their relationship. She’d had enough of that in the past few months.

Finally the night was over, his gift to Julie. Now, after all his months of work to save McLachlan’s, he could be alone with the woman he loved.

Matthew McLachlan smiled, almost bursting with the pride and love he felt. In a love story filled with obstacles—from his father’s opposition to Matt falling for an unknown Australian woman, to the intense media speculation, to the problems with his business and hers—Julie had risen to every occasion. She’d won everyone over with her quirky humour, her strength, grace and dignity. An extraordinary woman…and she was all his. His woman, his love.

He’d known she felt intimidated by the overwhelming media and social interest in their lives, especially since The Belles’ plans for their wedding had become public knowledge. He’d seen her trepidation about tonight. Then he’d given her the dress he’d bought for her on his last trip to New York and the McLachlan diamonds his mother had brought down for her, the possession of all the future McLachlan brides. He’d seen the utter delight in being so spoiled fill her face, the excitement at being the belle of the ball, as he’d jokingly called her, playing on her job at The Wedding Belles.

Though he’d also known she didn’t like all the hype, and felt she didn’t quite know what to say to his high-powered friends, he could barely hold in the pride when she was nothing but herself, without an ounce of pretentiousness or trying to fit in. She’d neither clung to him, nor hidden out with her own friends, but had spent the night circulating. His mom, who’d adored Jules from the start, hadn’t even had to show her future daughter-in-law the ropes of a society function. Julie had dealt with the press, the cattier members of high society, and won the approval of the older women, so hard to impress. “A lovely girl,” had been the consensus he’d overheard after Jules had moved on.

She’d even chatted pleasantly with two of his ex-girlfriends, Elise and Sara, asking them about themselves, as she always did. She had such an interest in people of all walks of life. And when the press had seen the women together and had taken a picture, Matt had seen the frustration on the face of the reporter, because all three women were laughing, their body language relaxed and friendly.

“What a sensational woman,” his old friend Victor had said as he left the party. “Why didn’t she fall at my feet?” he’d muttered, with true envy in his voice.

“You’re a lucky man,” his other oldest friend, Guy, had added, with a quick, wistful glance at Julie.

Secure in Julie’s love, Matt only grinned. Lucky…didn’t he know it.

Now at last they were home, Mom had gone tactfully to bed and, remembering the utter love in Julie’s eyes as she looked at him all night, he couldn’t wait anymore. “Come here, woman.” He dragged her into his arms. “Do you have any idea how incredible you looked tonight? I’ve been dying to take this off you for hours.” He lowered a strap of her dress and softly kissed her shoulder.

“Matt,” she whispered as her shoulder lifted and her head fell back in the abandoned sensuality he could arouse in her with a touch.

He felt her quiver, and smiled. Hell, yes, he was a lucky man. Every day it just got better. He’d never been so happy in his life. To have a magnificent woman like Julie crazy in love with him from first sight, before she’d known who he was or what his bank balance was, had been unbelievable to him from the start.

To have her love him still, through the turbulent months where he’d sold off almost everything to prevent his mother from losing her apartment, to keep McLachlan’s afloat and his workers in their jobs; to have her love him through the endless weeks when he’d been so deep in thought with the practical applications of the water converter, he’d practically forgotten she was there; to love him through a backyard engagement party and few presents, to cheerfully agree with the plans for a private wedding at City Hall to save costs—

Julie Montgomery was a walking, loving miracle, and he intended to hold on to her for life.

That’s what tonight had been about. Now that he’d returned to his place in the world, McLachlan’s was safe and all its workers secure, he wanted to thank her for everything, to show her off to the world for the extraordinary woman she was, to pronounce to the world that this was no temporary thing. Matt McLachlan was a one-woman man, and he was definitely taken.

Jules turned her face to his, kissing him softly, once, twice. But when he dropped the spaghetti-thin strap from her shoulder, she shook her head. “Your mother’s here,” she whispered.

He moved to kiss her throat in a way he knew she couldn’t resist. “She knows we’re lovers, Jules.”

She shivered again with the touch, and Matt grinned as he bent to kiss lower.

“But it doesn’t feel right,” she said softly, punctuated with kisses. “I’m sorry, darling, but I can’t—not with your mother in the house.”

With a sigh he kissed her shoulder, and put the dress back in its place. “Ah well, she’s only here for two nights. I can wait that long. You do realise I won’t sleep, don’t you? You’re a cruel woman, Montgomery.”

“Did your mother know about the importance of the water converter from the start?” she asked out of nowhere. “Or was it only when you sold it?”

Though her voice held the usual love and faith, there was a note in it—some deeper insecurity he’d never heard before—and Matt started. “What was that?”

“Your mother,” she said, still smiling but with a clear worry beneath—and he wondered who’d been talking to her. “Does she know about what the water converter is, and the contracts that did far more than pull McLachlan’s out of the red?”

Now totally diverted from his one-track course to the bedroom, he frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s nothing important, really. Just me being insecure.” She kissed him again and smiled, her eyes full of love. Almost. The diffidence was new to her, new to him, and it niggled at him. Something was wrong. “Did you tell your mother about the water converter, and what it could mean for you, for her, for McLachlan’s and all your workers, before it sold?”

Thoroughly confused now, he answered, “Well, of course. She’s my mother.” And it affected her financial future. She’d needed to know what was happening when the banks had started making threats to sell her apartment and the house to pay for the huge investment he’d made in the water converter.

Julie paled. “I see. Does she know how well it’s doing—the multimillion-dollar contracts with the marine companies, and the possibility of the giants of the motor industry wanting a land prototype?”

“Who told you that?” he asked, startled. Who’d stolen his surprise? He’d planned tonight to the last detail. He’d been itching to tell her all about his hard work and success for weeks, and tonight had seemed the perfect time.

Now someone had stolen his rights from him, and he was furious—not with Julie, but with whoever had ruined their perfect night. When he found out who…

“Jemima Whittaker from Boston People Today.” Julie turned her face, fiddling with the diamonds around her neck. “How long have you left me out of the loop about your invention and the contracts, Matt? I had to be told about this important part of your life by a magazine reporter who thought I knew. It was so hard to hide how surprised I was.” He saw her hands come together, fingers twisting hard around each other. “It was so embarrassing. Why, Matt? Why did you tell your mother, let the media know all about it, and not me?”

He felt the colour drain from his face as he saw the sign flashing in front of him: Danger Ahead, Flash Floods. “It’s been a hard time for you and The Belles during the past six months. You’ve been working overtime, and going through so much, trying to save your own business from disaster. I didn’t want to burden you, Jules.” He heard the unconvincing tone of his voice and cursed it, knowing he sounded as nervous as he felt. If that reporter had gone further, and told her the other things he’d been waiting to tell her…

“But you told your mother,” she said softly, with a sadness in her voice that smote at him, making him realise he’d never thought about how she’d take his news—as surprise or secret. A secret others knew.

“I was going to tell you tonight, sweetheart.” Tell you everything, including about Kirsten and Molly, while you were in my arms, after the best night of your life. Knowing without a single doubt how much I love you.

His best-laid plans were going awry. In that superb dress, decked out with diamonds, she’d never been lovelier—but with her drooping head and her hand jerking as she plucked at the McLachlan necklace, she looked like a wilted flower.

“We discussed this before, Matt. I want to share the bad as well as the good. I’ve told you about The Belles’ problems, and not only when I’ve needed to work overtime, but what I’d be doing, why—and with whom.”

The sadness in her tone told Matt he wasn’t just in deep water, but in a stormy sea without a life preserver…and he realised how much he’d hurt her by his silence, not just now but for the past few months. By waiting for the right moment, instead of telling her the things she deserved to know, he’d hurt the woman he loved more than life or breath.

While he tried to prevent the shock from slowing his system, her next question broad¬ sided him. “Jemima said there are rumours that Elise Pettifer helped you with the water converter. Are they true?”

Like a final premonition of disaster, the name echoed around and around in his head. “Elise?” Damn, oh, damn…

“Yes, she told me that you dated her, too, if that’s what’s making you look so worried.” Julie bit her lip. “Jemima said you dated her for almost a year. She’s really nice, Matt. Well- bred, beautiful, and she’s a fellow engineer to boot. Everyone was so shocked when you apparently ditched her for someone like me. They were waiting for the wedding date to be announced.” Her eyes darkened with an emotion he didn’t dare name. “So how long has she been working with you on the water converter?”

Matt broke out in a cold sweat. Dear God, she knew about his past with Elise, that he’d been working with her on a secret project, and he hadn’t been the one to tell her about it. “My relationship with Elise was nothing like me and you,” he said tightly. “We—damn it, it was a convenient thing. Neither of us had anyone and our parents kept throwing us together. We drifted into dating, but there was nothing there, Jules. We both agreed that if we met someone else, we’d part friends. And that’s what happened.”

“And she hasn’t met anyone since you broke up with her—a beautiful, intelligent and lovely woman like Elise?” From gentle and trusting, Julie’s voice had become brittle, and he knew he was in deep trouble.

Matt sighed. Given the way she adored him, Julie would never believe Elise didn’t love him the way she did—and worse still, given her past with cheating men, she’d have a hard time believing that he’d fallen for her while dating Elise; but he couldn’t let that affect him. It was time to tell her the truth.

“Elise is an old friend, and an excellent engineer. When I couldn’t get my head around a major part of the job, I did ask her opinion, and she came up with a way to make it work. From there, it just—well, it all fell into place, really. We work well together but that’s all.”

“I understand,” was all she said at first—but the pain in her voice gave him no relief, only a sinking feeling. “Were you really dating her when I kissed you that first day?” she asked, so softly he had to strain to hear her.

The spear of guilt hit him again. He wheeled away, trying to justify what was, to him, unjustifiable. “I went straight to her and told her I’d met you. We parted amicably, Jules. It was never serious between us.” Could he explain that he’d never even taken Elise to bed because it felt almost like she was a sister, a cousin? He’d known her since before kindergarten; their mothers were like sisters. It just hadn’t been there for him the way it was with Jules.