Love and Always (A Pound of Flesh #1.5) by Sophie Jackson Read Free Book Online Page A

Christmas had been stressful enough, thank you. Here, surrounded by her friends and acquaintances, Eva was in her element, hobnobbing and gossiping and putting the world to rights. She looked fierce and altogether lovely in a floor-length red gown as she swept from one person to the next, smiling, laughing, and frequently reaching out a gentle hand to Harrison, who never left her side. Kat saw the small smile that played on his face every time Eva touched him, knowing that the small gesture was all the confirmation Harrison wanted: she needed him as much as he needed her.
    Although Kat still missed her father desperately, she would forever be thankful for Harrison and the love and understanding he had, not just for Eva, but for her, too.
    “Ladies and gentlemen,” Ben’s voice echoed around the cavernous room, halting the live music and the conversations taking place. “I hate to interrupt your delicious meal, but if I could have your attention, please. I hope you all have a drink, because we have a couple of toasts to give tonight.”
    Kat smiled as her friend adjusted his tie nervously before he spoke into the microphone again. Ben had always been a terrible public speaker. She sat back in her seat and rested her hand on Carter’s leg under the table. He smiled into his champagne flute and draped an arm casually around the back of her chair.
    “First, on behalf of myself, my wife, and my mother,” Ben continued. “We’d like to thank you for coming tonight. We’ve raised an astonishing amount already for the Cancer Institute, PCF, and the Think Pink Breast Cancer charities that we, as a family, are so thankful for. To those of you here tonight representing so many companies: MetLife, Morgan Stanley, and WCS Communications, you have deep pockets and we thank you for your generosity.”
    A loud round of applause washed across the room. Kat smiled widely at Carter and kissed his warm cheek with pride.
    “But none of this could happen without my mother,” Ben added, “who works tirelessly with each of these charities and has done since we lost my father to prostate cancer ten years ago. So I’d like you to raise your glasses to Barbara Thomas, my mother, for being the strongest, the most generous, and the bravest woman I’ve ever known. I love you.”
    The room lifted their glasses and toasted Ben’s mother who, as she always did, waved modestly from her seat at the head table, even though the applause for her was deafening and lasted a full minute.
    Ben cleared his throat. “The second toast tonight is an unprecedented one. Abby, sweetheart, can you come up here?”
    Abby, Ben’s wife, stood from her seat, clearly embarrassed, and approached Ben timidly. He tucked an arm around her and kissed her forehead lovingly. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy for the past three months, which has killed me, but we both decided tonight was the night to tell you all that, early next summer, Abby and I will become parents. We’re pregnant.”
    The room erupted into squeals, shouts of joy, and applause before Ben even finished speaking. Startling both Carter and Adam, Kat and Beth launched from their seats in excitement, clapping their hands, all but jumping up and down. Not many people knew how hard Abby and Ben had tried for a baby over the years, suffering two heartbreaking miscarriages amid months of no joy. Kat explained this to Carter before she hurried over to shower Ben and Abby with her congratulations, fawning over Abby’s small baby bump.
    For one beautiful, fleeting moment, Kat saw herself with just such a bump, glowing and warm, and clutched Carter’s arm in excited hope.
    He looked down at her questioningly, but she simply gazed back. He smiled. “Will you dance with me, Peaches?”
    She cupped his face in answer and breathed into the long but chaste kiss he offered. He looked devastatingly handsome in his tux, juxtaposed with the lick of black ink barely visible above his white collar and the large silver