I am where I belong. Maybe my parents did raise me to be a little bit of a spoiled princess, but I don’t take any of that for granted anymore. I know just how lucky I am to be a part of this enormous, insane family.
That doesn’t mean I don’t love you.
It doesn’t mean I don’t miss you.
If this email finds you having already moved on to a new relationship, I want you to know that I am genuinely happy for you.
If you want to see me, Richard, I will fly back tomorrow and as often as I can. But I can’t live in Sablet with you again. My family needs me, and I’ve realized now that I need them just as much.
No matter what you answer, or even if you never do, I will always love you, Richard. And I will always be thankful for the time we had together.
Maddy
She hit send and burst into tears.
Across the globe, Richard burned another dish while he read Maddy’s email again and again on his phone. She loves me. He was tempted to call her, but he didn’t yet know what he’d say. Each time he reread her email, he understood that if he wanted to be with her again he would have to move to do it.
He didn’t want a weekend here or there with her. He wanted it all—marriage, children, and to be part of that insane, loving family of hers.
And he suddenly knew what he had to do. He called across the kitchen. “Bertrand, you’re going to have to run this restaurant without me. I’m going to live in the United States and open a restaurant there.”
His business partner smiled. “It’s about time.”
Epilogue
Maddy rolled over in bed, having spent half the night naked in the arms of her husband, and decided that Christmas was now officially her favorite holiday. “Are you awake, Richard?”
“Yes,” he answered in French before switching to English. “But do I have to be?”
“It’s our first Christmas as a married couple. I don’t want to miss a moment of it.”
He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “We’ll have a lifetime of holidays together. Let me sleep for five more minutes.”
“Okay, if you’re willing to risk facing my father’s wrath if we’re late.”
“Your father loves me.”
“Only because you keep feeding him. No one is going to fit into any of their clothing if you keep bringing desserts to every meal.”
“Hey, it was my food that won them over. And your cute speech.”
“Cute? You thought I was cute that day? I sounded like a shrew.”
“No, you sounded like a woman in love. When you stood up and demanded that everyone love me because you do, I fell in love with you all over again.”
Maddy rained kisses on his face until he opened his eyes. “I felt like that when you asked my father for my hand in marriage and then told him you didn’t need his money, that your restaurants would support us. It was so old-fashioned, and so romantic.”
Richard took both of her hands in one of his and rolled over until she was pinned beneath him. In French, he asked, “Is there no way to silence you, woman?”
“We don’t have time, Richard. Your mother and sister are going over to my parents’ house early.” Maddy tried to sound firm, but she was already weakening.
Once again in French, he whispered in her ear a list of everything he wanted, and Maddy licked her bottom lip in anticipation.
Family was important to Maddy, but hers would survive just fine for another hour or two without her. She had a few things she also wanted for Christmas, and none of them required getting dressed.
The End
A note to my readers
Recipe for Love is a novella that happens before both my Legacy Collection and my Andrade Series. It is a wonderful lead in to either. As the youngest of eleven children, I love the Andrade family. I hope you do, as well.
Maid for the Billionaire
Book 1 of the Legacy Collection
Dominic Corisi knew instantly that Abigail Dartley was just the distraction he was looking for, especially since having her took a bit more persuading than he was used to. So when business forces him to fly to China, he decides to take her with him, but on his terms. No promises. No complications. Just sex.
Abby has always been the responsible one. She doesn’t believe in taking risks; especially when it comes to men – until she meets Dominic. He’s both infuriating and intoxicating, a heady combination. Their trip to China revives a long forgotten side of Abby, but also reveals a threat to bring down Dominic’s company.
With no time to explain her actions, Abby must either influence the outcome of his latest venture and save his company or accept her role as his mistress and leave his fate to chance. Does she love him enough to risk losing him for good?
To read this book for free on Kobo click HERE
Come Away with Me
Book 1 of the Andrade Series
Gio Andrade:
Rich, powerful, sexy. A man who thinks he has everything . . . until he meets Julia.
Julia Bennett:
Sweet, spontaneous, and desperate to sell her jewelry line in New York City. She takes a night job as a security guard to pay the rent.
Sparks fly when she mistakes her boss for an intruder.
He can’t get her out of his head. She can’t find the strength to deny him.
Will lies bring them together, or tear them apart forever?
To read this book on Kobo click HERE
Other Books by Ruth Cardello
The Legacy Collection:
*Also available in audiobook format
Book 1: Maid for the Billionaire (available at all major eBook stores for FREE!)
Book 2: For Love or Legacy
Book 3: Bedding the Billionaire
Book 4: Saving the Sheikh
Book 5: Rise of the Billionaire
Book 6: Breaching the Billionaire
Recipe For Love, An Andrade Christmas Novella
The Andrades
Book 1: Come Away With Me
Book 2: Home to Me
Book 3: Maximum Risk (Coming January 27th 2015!)
Book 4: Somewhere Along the Way (Coming May 26th, 2015!)
About the Author
Ruth Cardello was born the youngest of 11 children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She spent her young adult years moving as far away as she could from her large extended family. She lived in Boston, Paris, Orlando, New York—then came full circle and moved back to Rhode Island. She now happily lives one town over from the one she was born in. For her, family trumped the warmer weather and international scene.
She was an educator for 20 years, the last 11 as a kindergarten teacher. When her school district began cutting jobs, Ruth turned a serious eye toward her second love– writing and has never been happier. When she’s not writing, you can find her chasing her children around her small farm, riding her horses, or connecting with her readers online.
Contact Ruth:
Website: RuthCardello.com
Email:
[email protected] FaceBook: Author Ruth Cardello
Twitter: @RuthieCardello
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Ruth Cardello, Recipe for Love
(Series: The Andrades # 0.50)
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