Free A Holiday Romance by Bobbie Jordan

again in her life.
     
    Man, this spiritual stuff was working. She thought it was going to take her years to get to this point.  But, that is what love does. It creates miracles-big ones and little ones.
     
     
     
    February 12 th finally came, and Latisse found herself waiting with her mom at the Regency. Mrs. Blanchard arrived exactly five minutes after 1 pm, looking beautiful as ever- but something was off. She looked paler, frailer than Latisse remembered her. She trembled slightly as she embraced Mrs. Blanchard, the woman who had given birth to the man she thought she loved…no she loved.
     
    "Now then," Mrs. Blanchard said, as all three women sat, "I have good news and some bad news." Latisse smiled to herself; it was just like Guy's mother to cut right to the chase. "The good news," she continued, "is that Tracie and Guy are no longer together."
     
    Latisse felt her jaw drop. "What??" Mrs. Blanchard smiled.
     
    "You heard me right. Guy insisted on accompanying Tracie to her doctor appointment, to confirm the pregnancy, and that's when Tracie's lie unraveled. You see, she was never really pregnant. She made that story up to steal back Guy." She paused and took a sip of water. "As soon as Guy found out that none of it was true, he dumped her. I don't believe she will ever be coming around him again."
     

Latisse was in shock. "Why didn't he tell me?"
     
    "He tried to, my dear, but you wouldn't take his calls. He resigned himself to be hated by you forever." She paused. "You know he loves you, right? Not Tracie. He was only going to marry her because she was threatening to blackmail him and his company if he didn't." Latisse didn't know what to say. She was in absolute shock over this news. Yet she felt Mrs. Blanchard and her mom were both waiting for her to say something.
     
    "…What is the bad news?"
     
    Mrs. Blanchard took another sip of water. "I have been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer." Latisse slapped her hand over her mouth.
     
    "Oh no!"
     
    Mrs. Blanchard smiled, a bittersweet smile. "That is actually why I'm here, my dear. I have an appointment with one of the finest cancer specialists in the nation in a few days. My son will join me." She paused. "He will be arriving on Valentine's Day. I have already reserved a room for him."
     
     
     

Latisse's face grew hot. She could tell where this was leading.
     
    "I don't think he'd take me back even if I begged him to, after ignoring his calls the way I did."
     
    "Obviously you don't know much then, or at least you don't know my son. He is miserable without you."
     
    Latisse suddenly remembered the cameo choker in her purse. She reached down and retrieved it, handing it back to Mrs. Blanchard.
     
    "That reminds me- before I forget, I’d like to return this to you." Mrs. Blanchard pushed it back toward her.
     
    "Nonsense. You keep it! I told you to keep it unless a time came where you had to give it back. As far as I'm concerned, that time has not come yet. Your story with my son is not over yet." She leaned over mischievously and gestured for Latisse and Mrs. Charles to do so, too. "See, here's what you're going to do……"
     
     
     

On Valentine's Day, Latisse couldn't believe what she was doing. Mrs. Blanchard had given her the key to Guy's suite and instructed her to wait there for him. Soft music played on the stereo system; a bottle of champagne sat chilling in a bucket of ice. Latisse had never felt so nervous in her life. She was wearing a dark red negligee, white stockings and black heals. Mrs. Blanchard said that Guy's plane would be landing at approximately 1:15. It was already 2 pm.
     
    Latisse sat on the edge of the bed and waited. At 2:20 she heard the door open, along with the sound of luggage being set down. She trembled from head to toe as she waited for Guy to appear. It seemed like an eternity.
     
    Finally he appeared in the bedroom doorway, and froze. His shadow fell across the bed, across Latisse. His eyes widened