The Magic of Christmas Read online

  In such a short space of time Grace had come to mean so much to him.

  Could there be a way he could still have her in his life but protect her from caring too much for him, or was it already too late?

  ‘Do you really want to end what we have?’ she asked him.

  He couldn’t lie to her. ‘No, but I care for you far too much to see you harmed.’

  ‘The only thing that’ll hurt me is saying goodbye to you, Jack. I know you warned me not to love you, but I couldn’t help myself. You’re so lovable, even when you’re being this damned frustrating. It’s impossible for me to know you and not love you.’

  She really meant it.

  When was the last time he’d felt lovable?

  He knew Amadeo loved him as a son, but no woman had ever loved Jack like Grace did. Grace was the real deal and she cared about him even with all his baggage.

  He stepped out of her radius yet her love still reached across the distance to him, warming him, fulfilling him in a way he didn’t deserve.

  It was too much to cope with.

  He needed to leave.

  Hell! He checked his wristwatch. They needed to leave. ‘We need to go if we’re going to make it to Vanessa’s in time for dinner.’

  He heard her breath whoosh out at his detached words. Her jaw dropped open then just as quickly her teeth snapped together. ‘This discussion isn’t over.’

  It had to be over.

  He hated his inability to react better. It wasn’t in him to respond in a normal, emotional way. If he was to survive, he had to detach himself emotionally from Grace. She’d already had far more commitment and caring out of him than another living soul.

  ‘Give me five minutes. I’ll just get my coat.’ Her words were even, as though none of the heated words and deep emotional admissions had been aired between them. But as she went to move past him, she reached out and touched his cheek with her hand. ‘I do love you, Jack. You didn’t promise me forever, but don’t break us apart because you’re scared of what might be the day after tomorrow.’ Her eyes flicked to the book he still held in front of him. ‘If you care for me at all, please read it.’

  Grace kept coming at him like a little terrier, yet he wanted her in his life. He couldn’t imagine waking up now without her beside him, or falling asleep without her in his arms.

  God, but he was so torn.

  They had to travel out of London to get to Vanessa’s home. Being at the wheel of his Lamborghini might give him the headspace he needed to try to untangle the knot of emotions jammed up inside him.

  When he’d driven Grace to Oxford to see her brother, she’d been asleep most of the way. He hoped she’d sleep again this afternoon. Heavy snow was forecast and he’d need to focus on the roads and not be involved in an ongoing discussion about their future. But he knew that at the first available opportunity, he needed to think about Grace and what he really wanted.

  Chapter 19

  ‘Despite the weather causing the power to black out and bring the telephone lines down, it was a wonderful night,’ Grace said as they settled into Jack’s Lamborghini for the journey back to London. ‘Dinner by candlelight added to the ambience.’

  ‘Vanessa was fortunate Amadeo managed to get the old generator working earlier this afternoon or there would’ve been no traditional Christmas dinner.’

  ‘Even if there hadn’t been food, I wouldn’t have cared. I felt so welcome.’

  ‘You were welcome, although the vibe would probably have been vastly different had Imogene been there,’ Jack said with a grimace.

  ‘I knew she was unstable. I wasn’t overly surprised when Amadeo told us all Imogene is working through emotional issues and that Vanessa had convinced her to check herself into a psychiatric unit for counselling.’

  ‘Imogene’s fortunate she has a mother who loves her and was able to guide her into getting the help she needs.’ Jack was glad he’d been able to talk to Vanessa and Amadeo after their engagement party. Vanessa had admitted she’d been concerned about Imogene for a few months and said she’d been shocked at Imogene’s hostile attitude towards Grace.

  Jack didn’t start the car but thought about the evening and about Grace. All through the night, he’d adored having her with him—exchanging lovers’ looks at private meanings, knowing how aware she was of making him feel comfortable when Vanessa’s eldest daughter had declared it was time to sing carols. Grace was everything he could ever want in a woman and Amadeo had pulled him to one side and told him how happy he was to know Jack was in a serious relationship with such a wonderful woman.

  He rested his hands against the steering wheel. ‘You were right from the start. I didn’t need you by my side for Imogene’s sake, I could’ve forestalled her attentions single-handedly, but I created an elaborate ploy. I told myself I needed you to deflect Imogene’s attentions but the real reason I asked you to pose as my lover was that I wanted you with me for far more than one night and it went against the grain to even contemplate forming any type of relationship. I had to make out it was a pretend one.’

  ‘And now?’

  ‘Maybe I don’t need to read the book you gave me, Grace. You were right in telling me I’ve been too afraid to commit to a friendship let alone a relationship. I’ve thought about all you threw at me this afternoon.’

  ‘And?’ she asked breathlessly.

  ‘I don’t want to let you go, sweetheart. I know you’ll have concert commitments and will need to travel at some stage when Sadie organises your performances overseas, but I’d like you to make me one of your commitments.’

  ‘Yes!’

  They both moved simultaneously to close the short distance between them. The kiss was like fire to dry tinder, enflaming both of them.

  ‘Maybe we should go back inside and stay the night?’ she suggested.

  ‘No. I want you in my bed for the rest of the night and the rest of the whole damned holiday period. No interruptions. Just the two of us making love, talking and working things out.’

  ‘Yes, again!’

  ‘I care deeply about you, Grace, and I want you in my life even though there’s still a huge part of me saying it would be in your best interest for me to stop being with you.’

  ‘Jack, I’m a big girl. Nothing bad is going to happen. There aren’t any Peters or Aarons or bully gangs that can hurt me.’

  ‘God, Grace, I would die if anything happened to you.’

  ‘Nothing’s going to happen to me, unless you don’t start the car now and head back to London and we sit here all night and freeze to death!’

  Keen to be away, he started the engine and pulled out onto the long driveway which led out of Vanessa’s estate. ‘It’s going to be a slow trip in this weather with the icy roads.’

  ‘Wake me up when we’re back at your place.’

  Jack laughed. For some reason Grace couldn’t stay awake while she was a passenger in the car. He’d probably be hearing her snuffling little snore in less than twenty minutes.

  As they left the estate and travelled along the small, country road that led to the motorway, they drove into an endless curtain of snow. The roads were so slippery they may as well have been ice-skating rinks, but at least there’d be hardly any traffic between here and the motorway. He guessed everyone else would either still be celebrating Christmas day with their families or have the good sense to stay off the road.

  ‘Good grief,’ Jack said half under his breath five minutes later.

  Grace sat straighter. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Sorry. Settle back down again. I’m just surprised we’re not the only ones to venture out in this snow storm.’ There was a car at a T intersection where a country lane joined this road.

  ‘Another couple hurrying home to bed?’

  ‘That’s very strange. It’s another Superveloce Lamborghini.’

  ‘It is unusual. I’ve never seen another car like yours on the road. But I have to tell you it feels a little less eerie now we’re not the only
people travelling in this snowstorm.’ She sent him a tired smile.

  ‘Nothing eerie about it,’ he said. ‘There are no ghosts of Christmas any more, sweetheart. You’ve chased them all away for me.’

  ‘I’m so glad. I hope tonight was the first Christmas celebration of many more enjoyable ones to come.’

  ‘I think …’ Jack’s gaze flicked up to the rear vision mirror where the car that’d followed them onto the road was coming up fast behind them. ‘What the hell is he doing? Bloody idiot’s tailgating me in this weather. He has to be mad!’

  Grace sat up straighter and turned her head back to look out the rear window. ‘Why doesn’t he pass you?’

  Jack slowed, hoping the car would overtake him.

  Wham!

  The car cannoned into the back of him.

  ‘Shit!’

  Grace squealed. ‘Oh my God, he must be drunk!’

  The driver put his lights on high beam and rammed into the back of them again. Jack knew then that this was no drunk driver. He replayed the scene and his blood chilled as he realised the car could well have been lying in wait for them.

  An even worse realisation occurred to him. He remembered there was a narrow bridge coming up ahead.

  Jack put his foot on the accelerator and his vehicle instantly responded. It was one of the fastest cars on the road and would outgun any normal make. Unfortunately, he had no advantage when the aggressive driver behind him had the same vehicle.

  But, who the hell rammed a car worth over two-hundred-and-sixty thousand pounds sterling into another car, let alone one of equivalent value?

  ‘Get my phone out of my pocket,’ he instructed Grace. Vanessa’s telephone line had been down all day but hopefully there’d be enough reception to reach Amadeo on his mobile phone. ‘Autodial my dad and tell him what’s happening.’

  Someone needed to know.

  Someone needed to be on their way to help them if this maniac achieved his intention and drove them off the road and into a tree.

  Jack had no more time for thought as the other vehicle kept ramming him. The safety features of the car took over from time to time. When he wanted to continue his acceleration, the stability control sensors reacted and reduced engine power because Jack was trying to exceed the vehicle’s handling limits and the safety feature prevented him from losing control of the powerful automobile.

  The driver behind him seized the advantage when Jack pulled back. The other car started overtaking him. Not for a second did Jack relax and think the other driver had given up and was about to pass them and speed off into the night. Whoever it was, this attack was no random act and the other driver clearly intended to cause a lot more damage than a few dents to the body of the car.

  ‘Brace yourself!’ he told Grace urgently, cutting over the plea she made to his father.

  ‘Please come as fast as you can.’

  The other driver was partially alongside them and sideswiped them ferociously, causing Jack’s side-impact airbag to fire off.

  Jack heard the panic in Grace’s voice as she cried, ‘He’s deliberately trying to run us off the road.’

  Jack accelerated again, got ahead but saw the other car had pulled out into the lane for oncoming traffic and was coming up hard again. Both cars hit a patch of ice simultaneously.

  Everything happened in a blur.

  Jack managed to control his vehicle but the other car started spinning out, colliding heavily with theirs. They sped ahead towards the bridge, swerving from one side of the road to the other.

  A few different scenarios flashed through his brain—none of them good.

  Jack’s car steadied the other one, but the force of the impact had him sliding uncontrollably towards the rails of concrete culvert on the bridge.

  ‘Hold on!’

  The sound of metal ripping rent the air. The front of Jack’s car hit the side of the bridge with tremendous force and flipped up into the air. For a moment they were upside down, hanging suspended by their seatbelts, and the pain in his neck was so acute, Jack thought it would break. Then, the car was right way up and freefalling, nose first.

  The engine was still running.

  The lights picked up the black water as they rushed headlong towards it.

  Grace screamed beside him, which reassured him she’d survived the impact of the crash.

  Electrics would still be working.

  Mind working furiously, Jack depressed the button on the electric window and heard it lowering. God, but he hoped it went all the way before the electrics shut down.

  The jarring as they hit the water set off the front-impact and knee airbags and he couldn’t think over the loud noise of their activation. The seatbelts automatically tightened, stopping their bodies from lurching forward.

  Icy water rushed in.

  ‘Jack!’ Grace screamed in panic.

  ‘Stay calm.’ He tried to reach her.

  ‘I can’t move! The airbags are pinning me in.’

  His hand scrabbled around in the dark to find the Swiss Army pocket knife he kept in the small glove box. The only illumination was from the headlights which were now glowing eerily in the water.

  ‘I’m going to cut us out.’ Air bags first. One by one. Even though they’d probably saved their lives and may well have helped to keep the car buoyant, Jack needed to create a space around them so they could swim free of the vehicle when the car started sinking. He had no idea how deep the river was but the car was definitely sinking.

  The ice-cold water continued to rush in. It was up to his knees already and he tried to wriggle his toes to keep the circulation going. He’d need his limbs to function to get out. Adrenaline pumped through him as he worked on Grace’s airbags and told her to keep her circulation going as well.

  ‘If the water gets up to the roof, stretch up and breathe in the air pocket at the top of the car.’

  The last airbag deflated.

  ‘Can you take your seatbelt off, Grace?’

  ‘Y-y-yes.’

  If he didn’t get them out of here soon, they’d likely die of hypothermia before they drowned.

  ‘My window is open. I’m going to get out of the window and reach my hand back in. I’m not leaving you, Grace. You grab my hand and I’ll help pull you out. Okay?’

  Her teeth were chattering so hard he could hear them over the rush of water.

  Using his feet, he pushed out through the window easily enough. The car hadn’t fully submerged although the water was halfway up the windscreen now.

  ‘Take my hand,’ he called out to Grace.

  A second later she’d grabbed hold of him and clung to his hand.

  ‘Use your feet to help you push out of the car.’ Even as he felt her coming towards him his eyes searched the surface.

  How far was it to the bank?

  How steep would it be to climb back up to the road?

  Thank God Amadeo would be on his way.

  Grace was out.

  ‘Swim to the bank.’

  The cold air was freezing in his lungs as he drew each breath.

  ‘Keep going,’ he encouraged. ‘Not far.’ And it wasn’t. They were nearly to the bank. Just a few more strokes.

  Grace screamed as a gunshot cracked through the air.

  Jack turned his head to look in the direction the gunshot had come from.

  Bloody hell!

  The lights of the other car revealed the identity of the attacker.

  It was Imogene! She stood on the edge of the bridge firing down at them.

  Another shot and another. She wasn’t even close to hitting them, but she was damned well trying and he didn’t feel like providing target practice.

  ‘I-It’s Im-Imogene!’

  ‘I see her, sweetheart. Keep swimming.’

  As they reached the bank he realised they’d be more obvious targets in their dark clothes against the white snow.

  ‘You’re going to die!’ Imogene yelled. ‘You don’t want me, Jack? Too bad. You’re neve
r going to get her! She’s your cleaning lady, for God’s sake! I know! I know!’

  Mercifully, he heard a car engine coming from the direction they’d travelled. God, let it be Amadeo.

  Car doors slammed.

  ‘Imogene! Darling! What have you done?’ Vanessa’s anguish ripped through the night air.

  Grace stumbled. ‘M-my legs are nu-numb.’

  Jack understood all too well and focused on Grace even as he listened to the voices from above and recognised that Amadeo, Vanessa and Imogene’s two brothers-in-law had arrived and were trying to get Imogene to put the gun down.

  ‘Jack?’ It was Amadeo.

  ‘We’re down here!’

  ‘Thank God you’re both alive!’

  ‘Jack, I l-love you,’ Grace told him between the castanet bursts of her teeth chattering away.

  ‘I love you, too, sweetheart.’ He brushed his cold lips over her freezing ones then turned up towards the bridge and yelled, ‘We need blankets.’

  ‘We’re coming!’

  It seemed to take an age for Amadeo and one of Vanessa’s sons-in-law to work their way down the slope.

  ‘Oh God, son.’ Jack was enfolded in Amadeo’s huge hug. ‘I’ve never been so happy to see you.’ Grace was also brought into the big man’s embrace. ‘Let’s get you both out of here.’

  ‘Imogene?’ Grace asked Amadeo.

  ‘Vanessa’s with her.’

  The two men wrapped Jack and Grace in blankets and helped them back up through the treacherously icy hillside to the road. It was then Jack saw flashing lights from the bridge.

  ‘That’ll be the police and ambulance,’ Amadeo said. ‘I had Vanessa phone them as soon as we got the call from Grace.’

  After that there was a barrage of questions from police while the ambulance officers stripped them of their clothes, wrapped them up in special thermal blankets and made them sip on hot chocolate.

  ‘No more questions now, sergeant,’ the ambulance officer told the police officer. ‘Time to get these two to the hospital to be checked out properly.’

  Jack held Grace’s hand tightly as they followed the ambulance officers towards their van.

  ‘I love you, Jack!’ Imogene yelled out to him from the back of the police car as he and Grace walked past.