Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 29

"I want to come with you," Jasmine pouted, grabbing his hand. At least she hadn't called him Daddy, as she'd been doing the past three days.

He picked the little girl up in his arms and looked into her eyes. "No, sweetie, you need to go with Mummy and Auntie Kim. I'll see you at home, okay?" he asked as Jasmine's bottom lip stuck out and trembled like she was going to lose it any second.

"You promise?" she sobbed, the tears starting and her words slurring.

"I promise," he said and hugged her closely, her head resting on his shoulder as she cried.

This was why she'd rushed into marriage with him, because he was so good with Jasmine. Incredibly good. And Jasmine absolutely adored him. Maybe they hadn't exactly married for love, she didn't even really know what love was apart from what she felt for her daughter, but it didn't matter. The only thing that did matter was that he cared for them both.

"All right, let's get this stuff in the car," Tom murmured as he put Jasmine back on her feet. "Can you walk, sweetheart?"

"I s'pose," the little girl murmured, clinging to her doll and sticking her thumb in her mouth. Jasmine took hold of Kim's hand as they watched Tom start pushing the heavier trolley towards the exit.

"Um," Kim grabbed her arm as Sophie turned to follow Tom with the second trolley. "What on earth is going on here?" her sister hissed. "Who is he, and why is he going home with you?"

"I'll explain later," Sophie dismissed, not ready to talk yet, instead pushing the trolley towards the doors where Tom had paused to wait for them, leaving Kim to follow behind with Jasmine.

"No kidding, you'll explain later. And you'd better have a bloody good explanation," Kim grumbled as she caught up to Sophie.

"Oh, I do," Sophie nodded and walked a little faster, effectively shutting down the conversation.

Sophie was nervously pacing the kitchen while Tom was unpacking his belongings in her tiny bedroom. In her tiny house. What would he think of it? There wasn't anything wrong with her home. It was neat and it was clean, but her entire house would probably fit in his living room. Surely it wasn't the kind of place a gazillionaire hotel magnate would be comfortable in. How long would it take for him to suggest moving house?

"You've been quiet all the way home," Kim said as she leant on the other side of the kitchen bench.

"You what?" Kim shrieked, making Sophie wince. "You married him?" Kim hissed quietly this time.

"I love him, Kim," she shrugged. Technically she only thought she was falling for him. And his family. But she wouldn't tell her sister that.

"You just met him," Kim frowned at her.

"You were the one who told me that you just know when you've met the one. That it's instant," she threw back at her sister, hoping it would work. "Well, I knew."

Kim scoffed. "That was before I realised that all men are lying, cheating scum."

Sophie shook her head. "Not all of them." She really had to believe that Tom was different. He certainly wasn't like any man she'd met before and if he turned out to be like the rest of them, she'd probably lose faith in the male of the species forever - like Kim had. But then Kim's ex had strung her along for nine long years with promises of marriage and kids, but not actually meaning a word of it.