He's Captured My Heart (Captured Series Book 1) Read online

  He’s

  Captured

  My Heart

  Karen Frances

  Copyright © 2015 Karen Frances

  All rights reserved.

  This is book is the work of fiction. All characters, incidents and events are all production of the author’s imagination.

  ISBN: 1500924202

  ISBN 13: 9781500924201

  Dedication

  My dearest husband, you are my world.

  For my dearest friends and my beautiful sister.

  I love you all the way you are; don’t ever change for anyone. xxx.

  Acknowledgements

  HE’S CAPTURED MY Heart would still be just a dream tucked up at the back of my imagination if not for the support and belief of my husband. Thank you for all your help with the kids over the past few months when I have been sitting at the computer writing away when I should maybe have been making dinners. Thank you for all your understanding and patience with me, for which I will be eternally grateful. I love you from the bottom of my heart. xxx.

  A special thanks to my parents, who I think have done a fab job bringing up my sister and me; we have both turned out okay. I hope my mum and sister both enjoy this book—when I finally let them read it. Now if my father were still alive…not sure what he would think of this. I love you. xxx.

  To my wonderful children, for all your understanding when I needed an extra five more minutes on the computer, thank you. You are my world, even when we drive each other crazy—but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you all dearly. xxxxx.

  To my dearest friends—you know who you all are—thank you for all your support and encouragement over the past few months and giving me the final push I needed (along with that of my husband) to take He’s Captured My Heart a stage further. I love you ladies. xxx.

  A special thanks to Sarah Raffel and all the staff at Brazen Studios, Glasgow, for designing and making the stunning necklace at very, very short notice that is featured on my cover. It was exactly what I was looking for. I love it. xxx.

  To all the amazing authors how have in the past few months given me advice, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to reply to me. xxx

  To everyone that has offered me their help and support over the past few months, on both a professional and personal level, thank you all. xxx

  I have loved every minute writing this story about Libby and Alex, and I hope you, the readers, enjoy it as well. xxx.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  About the Author

  Prologue

  “SERIOUSLY, ALEX? WHY are you calling me this frigging early? Do you ever sleep?” He’s not happy. I’ve either woken him up or disturbed something, but I am way past the stage of caring.

  “We have a flight to catch,” I answer.

  “That’s tomorrow. You got me up out my bed, because you’re mixed up about the days!” Michael shouts over the phone. I pull the phone away from my ear.

  “No, I am not mixed up with the days. I have changed our flights, and we need to be at the airport in an hour. Murphy and I will pick you up in what, say thirty minutes?”

  “For fuck’s sake, Alex! I need to pack!”

  “Well, hang up then. See you soon.”

  I hang up, relieved that after all this time, I am finally going to meet her. She has consumed my thoughts and dreams since Phil showed me a picture of his family. His daughter is beautiful. I am attracted to beautiful women, but that’s all. I’ve never had any feelings for one—for anyone—ever before, especially someone who I haven’t actually had the pleasure of meeting. I don’t allow myself the luxury of attachment. I’m too busy with business to let a woman into my life. I really don’t need any distractions.

  God knows what I will tell Michael about this, about why we’re leaving early. He’s bound to ask, and I don’t have a reason he’ll understand. He’ll just laugh if I tell him the truth, which is that I can’t wait even one more day to meet her.

  1

  “ELIZABETH ANN STEWART! What the hell is going on?”

  I hear the front door closing and the footsteps coming up the hall, which means two things: first, my parents and brother, Ethan, are back from their holiday, and second, it’s time to face the music about the For Sale sign with the “Sold” sticker across it in the front garden of my home. From the tone of his voice, Ethan has obviously seen it.

  My house was only on the market for a couple of days when it sold, and the new buyers wanted to be in as quickly as possible, so I am all packed up and ready to move out tomorrow, even though I have not yet found a new place.

  “Hi Mum, Dad. Did you have a good time? You both look great.” I greet my parents with a hug for them both as they enter my kitchen, trying not to look at Ethan. This time tomorrow it won’t be my house after the removal guys empty it, it won’t be my kitchen any longer, which will feel strange. This has been my home for the last few years.

  I got the house while I was still at uni. Most students start off in a flat, but not me or Ethan; we started off with a three-bedroom house. Mum and Dad bought it for our twenty-first. Dad said at the time that it would be a great investment. But it’s silly having this house. It’s a family home. I would much prefer a flat, maybe somewhere in the city centre.

  My parents always look great—Mum especially. Jane Stewart, in my opinion, is the most beautiful woman on the planet—but then again, I am biased. She’s stunning and definitely doesn’t look her age, which when questioned about it, she will happily tell you is forty-five. I hope I look that good at that age. Mum could easily pass for ten years younger. She is positively glowing today; the holiday has done its job. She is slim, with curves in all the right places for her medium height. With her black hair and suntanned skin, she has a Mediterranean look about her.

  Dad gives me a reassuring smile and whispers, “Of course we did, honey. And everything will be fine. Don’t worry about Ethan.” God, I hope he’s right. I’ve been dreading this confrontation since they all left two weeks ago.

  Ethan and I are twins. I suppose we are similar in a lot of ways, from our dark brown eyes to our dark brown hair—we get those from Dad—and the way we talk and act and both have a great sense of humour. Although no one has seen much of that lately. We’ve always been close; we never had any secrets up until now. I have been telling myself for the past two weeks that I’ve done it all for his own good and that maybe he will try and get on with his life, although I am not quite sure that’s how he will see it.

  “Well? I’m still waiting on an answer, Elizabeth,” Ethan says in a quieter voice as he looks round the kitchen, presumably at all the packed boxes. He watches me with no hint of a smile in his beautiful face, his brown eyes piercing straight through me.

  “Well hello, Ethan. Did you enjoy your holiday? Where’s my beautiful niece? Did you miss me? Because I missed you,” I say sarcastically as I put my arms out for a hug.

  Ethan just shakes his head at me, staring for a few seconds before answering.

  “Obviously you didn’t miss me too much. Looks like you’ve be
en busy. Lucy is sleeping in her car seat. Mum put her in your front room. Now am I going to get any answers off you? Why is there a For Sale sign up in your garden?” Before I open my mouth to start talking, he’s beat me to it. “Mum, Dad, don’t think it’s gone unnoticed that you’re not surprised by this, so I can only presume you both knew.”

  I look at Mum; she looks really uneasy and upset. I know she’s hated knowing what I was doing. Even when we were little, she couldn’t take sides between us. We used to fight a lot when we were kids, usually just trying to get our parents’ attention. Ethan would always say I started it and vice versa. I know that this time she will take Ethan’s side if things don’t work out, although I hope they do.

  Before any of us has a chance to say anything, a soft crying starts. Lucy is awake. “Can I go get her?” I ask. Ethan sighs and nods.

  I head down the hall to the front room, and as soon as she sees me, she stops crying. I lift her out of her seat and sit down on the couch, gazing at her. God, she’s gotten bigger in such a short period, and she gets more like her mother every day. As I sit with her, my mind drifts back to the day she was born. Was that really only four months ago?

  Ethan and Lindsay, his wife and childhood sweetheart—and also one of my closest friends—had been out for dinner. They were on their way back home when the accident happened. A car crashed into them. The passenger’s side took the full impact; unfortunately, that was where Lindsay was sitting. The staff at the hospital had fought for hours, but they were fighting a losing battle.

  When the doctors told Ethan that they would have to deliver the baby by an emergency C-section, he reluctantly agreed. Lindsay was still awake, but I think deep down she knew she wasn’t going to make it, and she had wanted both Ethan and me there with her for the delivery. God, it was so hard for everyone in the room. All the doctors and staff knew what was going to happen and I suppose Ethan and I knew as well, but just didn’t want to admit to it.

  Lindsay seemed to know everything that was going on. And when the doctors delivered Lucy, there were tears running down Lindsay’s face. She had wanted a girl from the minute she had found out she was pregnant. The doctors placed Lucy on Lindsay’s chest. Ethan, who was sitting at Lindsay’s side, held the new-born there with one shaking hand. Lindsay didn’t even have the strength to hold Lucy. I was sitting on Lindsay’s other side, holding her hand. She lifted her other hand and gently stroked her beautiful daughter’s head. The smile on her face was a mixture of love, happiness, and sadness.

  As soon as Lucy had been delivered, the lead consultant asked to speak with Ethan outside. My brother asked if I could join them. The consultant was more than happy to leave the family together as, in his words, the three of us—well, four now with Lucy—would only have a short time together. He explained in simple words about all Lindsay’s injuries. He advised me to get in touch with other family members, which I had not yet managed to do with everything going on. He also explained that although the baby was very healthy and close enough to full term, when the time came, he wanted the staff to take Lucy to the special care unit for a full check-up and observation for a few days before going home. He stressed that it was only for a few days, stating that it would allow the family to make the necessary arrangements.

  I made all the calls, first to Lindsay’s parents and then to our own, and it didn’t take long for them all to arrive at hospital. Ethan and I were back in the room with Lindsay when everyone arrived. I thought it would be a good idea to let Lindsay’s parents have some time alone with her and Lucy, so I suggested that to our parents. But when I went to leave, Lindsay asked me to stay. Ethan went with them instead.

  Lindsay turned to her mother and father first, then to me, before she spoke. Her father took over the role of holding his granddaughter. “I know I can rely on everyone to help Ethan with Lucy,” she said, her voice a little shaky.

  “Oh, honey,” her mother sobbed.

  “Please, Mum, crying is not going to help. Libby, I would really like you to keep Ethan on track. You are probably the only one who can—and you won’t let him take advantage of you. I don’t want our daughter being passed about; I want him to bring her up, with a little help. Mum, I know you will try to do everything for both Ethan and Lucy, but do try and let him get on with it,” she told her.

  Both her parents and I gave our tearful assurances that we would all help Ethan. The four of us talked until my parents came back into the room, followed by Ethan. Not long after that, Lindsay closed her eyes and drifted away, surrounded by the family that loved her and her now more than ever precious gift to my brother.

  “A penny for them,” Ethan says as he walks into the room.

  “I really don’t know where to start,” I say with a lump in my throat.

  “Mum is going to take Lucy next door into mine and get her changed to give us some time to talk.” It didn’t come as a surprise to anyone when Ethan and I had both been given keys to our new homes, right next door to each other, for our shared twenty-first birthday. And when Ethan and Lindsay got married, it was great having them so close. But now it just doesn’t feel right. I feel as if I haven’t kept up my promise to Lindsay.

  I’m spending all my free time looking after Lucy. Ethan and I both need our space, and Ethan also needs to adjust to being a dad on his own. But it is going to be really strange not to be so close to him. I can just hear Dad talking to Mum in the hall. “Don’t worry, Jane. They’ll work this out.”

  “I am sure you’re right, Phil, but I am their mother. It’s my job to worry,” she answers him. I can hear the anxiety in her voice.

  Dad sticks his head round the door and gives Ethan a stern look. “Now you two better behave. We’re only next door. And Ethan? Please at least hear your sister out,” our dad says, giving me a warm, reassuring smile. He walks towards us to take Lucy. I give Lucy a kiss on her forehead, and she smiles. God, she melts your heart when she does that. Ethan leaves the room to speak with Mum.

  “Dad, truthfully, how was he while you were away?”

  “Libby, I won’t lie to you,” Dad says. “It’s going to take him a long time. But he did spend more time on his own with Lucy, which was hard on your mum, ’cause—as you know—she wants to do everything for them both. Hopefully you can help him see some sense. And if he doesn’t listen today, don’t beat yourself up about it. Give him more time. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

  “I hope so, ’cause I hate seeing him in pain. And at the moment, I feel as if I’m going to cause him more,” I reply.

  “Libby, if he’s going to listen to anyone, it will be you,” Dad says. “Just try and be patient with him. Before your mother and I go home, we need to discuss business. You can bring me up to speed on everything. Maybe after dinner? I love you, Elizabeth.” He gives me a kiss.

  “No bother, Dad. I love you too,” I say as Ethan returns.

  “Well, Libby, it’s just you and me and no distractions,” he says. “Time to tell me what’s going on.”

  “Promise me you’ll hear me out without interrupting,” I say. He just nods, so I suppose I’d better start. Where better to start than the beginning? “There are a number of reasons for me leaving here. For a start I presume that Dad told you he wants me to take over running the hotel?” Ethan nods. “He says I’m ready, although I am sure there are a select few within the hotel who will disagree with his decision.”

  Dad is in PR. He is obviously very good at what he does, going by the big-time, high-profile celebrities, politicians, and businesspeople on his client list. But he also has a few other businesses, including Stewart Country Estate on the banks of Loch Lomond and a restaurant and bar in Glasgow. The hotel is not a lavish, five-star complex with hundreds of rooms but more of what I like to think of as an intimate inn with forty-five cosy bedrooms. Although we do have some of the luxuries of bigger hotels—a great fitness suite and pool, a function suite, a cosy bar, restaurant, and sitting room—our best feature is our romantic yet prime location
right on the bonny banks of Loch Lomond, surrounded by acres of land.

  With his publicity business doing so well, Dad’s just not got the time for running the hotel from day to day. He inherited the hotel when my grandfather died. It’s always been in the family, and we spent a lot of time there when we were kids, always getting up to mischief. Dad is also a silent partner in a restaurant and bar in Glasgow. I believe the previous owners, PR clients of his, got into a bit of bother, and he bailed them out.

  “This house is also too big for just me,” I continue, “so I’m going to stay at the hotel until I find a flat. Something a bit smaller. I want to be really hands on at the hotel to prove to Dad that I am capable of running it. I really need the challenge. I’ve loved the last few weeks doing the job I’ve worked so hard to get. It’s made me remember why I worked so hard in uni; this is all I’ve ever wanted to do—and you know that. But to be totally truthful, it’s also because of you.”

  Ethan looks a little shocked, sad, and deep in thought, probably remembering Dad’s words to him before he left. He sits still and doesn’t say anything. I try to choose my words carefully; I really don’t want to upset him. He’s my brother, and I love him.

  “Since Lindsay’s death I’ve gone between work and caring for Lucy. She’s your daughter, Ethan. And please don’t look at me with those sad eyes—you know I love you both! She’s a beautiful girl. But so far it’s been either Mum or me there to witness her firsts. Her first smile. Her first time rolling over. Her first time shaking her rattle. And her own daddy wasn’t there,” I say. “I know it’s hard for you because you are grieving, but Lindsay’s gone, and her daughter, the little girl you and she made together, is still here, and she needs you! You’ve hardly spent any time with Lucy since she was born. That beautiful baby girl needs her daddy. I’m just her aunt. I will always be there for her, but I am not her mum, and that’s what she’s going to think I am if things keep going the way they are. I made Lindsay a promise, and so far I’ve not managed to keep that up. And now I need to.”