I LOVE LUCY (The Bachelor Pact) Read online

  “You planned it?” Lucy whispered.

  He shrugged. “Yes. But … here goes.” He dropped to one knee and took her hand in his, then removed the diamond he’d bought the day before. “Will you marry me, Lucy?”

  She knelt in front of him, then looped her arms around his wet neck and nodded. “I love you, too, Reid. And yes, I’ll marry you.”

  She kissed him so hard they fell backward into the pool. But neither of them minded.

  Lucy laughed as she and Reid climbed from the pool. Someone started a chorus of It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas, and Sophie raced toward her and dragged her into a hug. Lance and Chase and Maddie followed, then Deseree.

  “What’s going on?” some of the Silver Sneakers finally asked. “We thought your name was Taylor.”

  Wallace motioned from the back that he had Emmet in custody. Then Lucy explained about her stalker.

  “I’m sorry I put you all in danger,” she said. “I didn’t think Emmet would find me here.”

  Moon and Mae and all the people she’d come to love assured her it wasn’t a problem.

  “It’s time to reveal your Secret Santas,” Lucy said. “But first, I have to ask. Who was mine?”

  Mae slipped up beside her. “We all chipped in to buy you a gift because you’ve done so much for us.”

  Tears sprang to Lucy’s eyes. “I didn’t do anything compared to what you’ve done for me. I feel like I have a new family here.”

  “You do, dear,” Mae said.

  Lucy hugged each one of them in turn, then encouraged them to reveal their Secret Santas and have refreshments, at least what they could salvage. The blueberry cobbler and punch were goners.

  Lance and Sophie, Chase and Maddie and Deseree followed her and Reid back out by the pool with their drinks.

  “I can’t believe you all came,” Lucy said.

  “You should have told us the truth from the beginning,” Sophie said.

  “Yes,” Maddie added. “We’re your family, and family sticks together.”

  Reid threw his arm around her. “Damn right. From now on, you need anything, you come to me.”

  Lucy grinned, a wicked thought occurring to her. “As a matter of fact, I need to show you the Secret Santa gifts my new friends here gave me.”

  “Go get them,” Reid said.

  Lucy grabbed his hand. “No, this is something I have to show you in private.”

  She dragged him back to her room, removed her wet clothes, slipped into the slinky dress and stilettos the Sunset Vista residents had given her.

  Only she didn’t have them on for long.

  Reid stripped them and made love to her just as midnight rang in signaling Christmas. Lucy curled into his arms and smiled as the red and green lights twinkled on the boats sailing across the waterway.

  Tomorrow…well today, she would spend Christmas with all her family and the people she loved.

  But most importantly – she would spend it with the man she was going to marry.

  Other Books by Rita Herron

  I LOVE LUCY is the sequel to Sleepless in Savannah.

  If you liked I LOVE LUCY, please post an honest review.

  MARRY ME, MADDIE

  SLEEPLESS IN SAVANNAH

  HERE COMES THE BRIDE on Amazon

  Multi-published, award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. She has sold over sixty novels, worked for several major publishers, and loves writing romantic comedies as well as spinning dark romantic suspense tales filled with murder and mayhem.

  For more on Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and twitter @ritaherron

  Table of Contents

  I Love Lucy

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Other Books by Rita Herron