CHAPTER 1

Night’s promise of the forbidden blanketed across the sky, seeking to penetrate the windows of Alice’s manor. Alice stood at the second-story window brushing her long hair. She was glad to be back from Newnham, that all-girls college in Cambridge University. Getting away from all those giggles and high voices was a welcome relief. So was coming home to see the stars shining above the manor she grew up in. Being home for the holidays, Alice could sleep in, read what she wanted, go to the cinema, and just relax. Tomorrow she’d call all her friends from secondary school.
What was that outside? Something moved in the garden, but it was hard to tell what. With the lights on in her room and the darkness outside, Alice had to rely on the moonlight to reveal the midnight motion. She squinted. It was Jack. Her heart sped up.
Jack had been the gardener for Alice’s family since Alice was fifteen, and he was only a few years Alice’s senior. That made him now twenty-two?
He was, oh, so cute with his scruff of short, black hair above his gorgeous eyes and chiseled chin.
When she was fifteen, it had taken her months to get bold enough to go beyond“Hi,” and actually try to have a conversation with him.
Alice remembered that day she finally spoke to him. She and her sister Lois had just come back from seeing a Beatles film.
Jack had been tending to the tomato bushes. He was shirtless, his glistening muscles rippled in the sun.
Alice swallowed.“I just saw ‘A Hard Day’s Night!’ ”
Jack stood up straight and looked at Alice. Lord, those blue eyes!
“That new Beatles film.” He wiped his hands on his jeans. His voice had a slight growl that was sexy as hell. “Ever since I met you, you’ve raved about them. Big fan, eh?”
Alice nodded emphatically.“Big fan!”
“I’m more of a jazz guy, myself. But I can’t say I blame you. The Beatles are pretty damn good. How’d you like the movie?”
“It was really good! All the songs. They’re incredible!”
“Great. I must see it some time.” Jack squinted at Alice. “How was the popcorn?”
“Uh…good. How did you know I…?”
“You’ve got a small piece there near your lips. Here. Hold still.”
Alice didn’t move. Jack placed a finger on her and stroked her lower lip. The feeling of his tender finger across her lip shot jolts through her body.
“There.” He smiled at her. “Now no one else will know.”
Was it Alice’s imagination or were their eyes locked longer than usual? Jack cleared his throat, muttered something about the tomatoes, and returned to tending the plants.
Alice sighed and watched him pull off the dry leaves. He seemed to actually like what he was doing.
There must be some way to keep the conversation going. She toed the earth.“What made you want to be a gardener?”
Jack looked up at Alice. Alice thought she could spend all day looking into his blue eyes.
He smiled.“Thank you.”
What was he thanking her for? She giggled. Stupid giggle!
“No one’s ever asked me that before,” he explained. “When I think of how I’m able to help a seed grow into all of nature’s colors just by giving it the love and attention it needs, it makes me feel so…alive.”
Did he just say“love?” How many boys did she know could say the word “love” without sounding like they were trying on a dress? None. Jack said “love” like it was the most comfortable part of his life. He conveyed his feelings with such ease.
“And the results of my affection,” Jack plucked a red tomato from the bush, “taste incredible.”
He held the red fruit to Alice’s lips. She closed her eyes and bit into the warm fruit, tasting in its juices Jack’s love and affection.
She opened her eyes. There were his baby blues. Alice lost herself in them.
She stopped herself from saying“I love you,” and giggled instead.
Jack turned away. He picked off the dead leaves on the plant in front of him, and without looking at Alice, he said,“You’re a good friend. A sweet, little girl.”