London Falling (39 page)
Authors: Emma Carr
Lucy’s flight had been delayed, and she hadn’t arrived until just before the ceremony. Thankfully, Dottie and William drove up from California and had swung by to pick her up from the airport.
Dottie gave her a hug after Lucy, and William shook her hand.
“Congratulations,” they both said.
“Can I have my purse?” Aimee asked Simon.
Lucy raised her eyebrow at Simon. “How quickly they fall,” she said.
“I’d carry her purse every day for the rest of my life,” he said.
Lucy pretended to gag.
Aimee searched through her things and pulled out an envelope. “This is for you,” she said, handing it to Dottie.
“What is this?” she asked.
“The money I owe you.”
“But you don’t need to pay me yet.” She tried to shove the envelope back at Aimee, but Aimee wouldn’t accept it. “You need it. To get on your feet. You can pay me when you get a job.”
Aimee grinned. “I have a job. This is from my signing bonus.”
“Please don’t tell me you accepted Simon’s offer to work at his new venture capital firm.” Lucy said.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford her,” Simon said. “She got a much better offer elsewhere.”
“Where?” Dottie, William and Lucy all said at the same time.
Aimee grinned at Simon. “RBB. Seems that Prince William put in a good word so they’d interview me. I’ll be working entry level on his business. But none of you know that!” Never in a million years had Aimee thought she’d have friends who could help her find a job. It had seemed like something other people had, but not people like her. “And this time, I have a work permit!”
“But don’t you want some money to set yourself up in London?” Dottie asked.
Aimee shook her head. “I couldn’t have done this without you. And I need to pay you back. I couldn’t have done this without any of you. Damn, I told myself I wasn’t going to cry,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye.
Lucy gasped. “Hold it right there!”
Aimee yanked her hand back down, as she realized what she’d revealed.
“You’re engaged” Lucy said.
Aimee couldn’t hold back her smile while Lucy examined the three-carat diamond on her finger.
Simon put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek. “We were planning to tell you all at dinner tonight,” he said. Simon tapped his fingers on her side, letting her know that he loved her. It was their secret signal. She tapped him back before he pulled her closer.
“So then you’re going to be living at Simon’s?” Dottie asked. “Well, you make sure he doesn’t make you clean up after him. He’s entirely too messy.”
“Oh, I already have plans,” Aimee said. “I think I can persuade Simon to go along with them.”
“What are your plans?” Lucy asked.
Aimee looked up a Simon, and they shared a smile. She knew she was going to love this man for the rest of her life.
She and Simon turned to the group and said, “Hire a housekeeper.”
Table of Contents
Chapter One by With a mittened hand
Chapter Two by Aimee woke to rustling outside the window. She froze in place
Chapter Three by Aimee took a deep breath to steady her nerves. It didn't help. Her hands
Chapter Four by Simon turned off the water in the shower
Chapter Six by At half past ten in the morning
Chapter Seven by “Back again?” The detective's words dripped
Chapter Eight by She stopped tapping the counter
Chapter Ten by Aimee's breath fogged the air. When she put her ear against the glass in
Chapter Eleven by Simon's world turned upside down. He had to sit down
Chapter Twelve by He led her upstairs
Chapter Thirteen by Aimee whirled at the feel of someone's grip on her arm. She raised her
Chapter Fourteen by “You're late
Chapter Fifteen by Simon's mind raced. This wasn't supposed to be happening. They were
Chapter Seventeen by Simon's head was reeling. “You're going to go through
Chapter Eighteen by “Aimee Eileen Kennedy” the announcer said. “Summa cum laude.”