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Back A Family Reunion Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. PART ONE
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. CHAPTER TWO
  8. CHAPTER THREE
  9. CHAPTER FOUR
  10. CHAPTER FIVE
  11. CHAPTER SIX
  12. CHAPTER SEVEN
  13. CHAPTER EIGHT
  14. CHAPTER NINE
  15. CHAPTER TEN
  16. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  17. CHAPTER TWELVE
  18. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  19. PART TWO
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  39. PART THREE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  64. EPILOGUE
  65. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  66. About the Author

She was about to get up when the heavy, soundproofed door inched open, a slice of light from the hallway spilling in. A young woman was speaking excitedly in a low voice. The ON-AIR light was off and staff often stepped into empty studios to take private calls. She was about to sit up and announce herself when she heard a vaguely familiar voice say, ‘Girl, you should see the gift he gave me: Tiffany love hearts on a silver chain! Not just the one – two! Which, obviously, is more expensive. What does that say? And when Marie-Claire goes to New York next week, we’re spending a night in Niagara at the Embassy Suites. The Embassy Suites!’ she repeated, her whispery voice rising in pitch. ‘I swear Marc’s falling in love with me. He keeps telling me I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to him!’ There was the muffled sound of a reply, rapid bursts of speech and then, ‘No, I won’t see him today. He has to take her to dinner. In Edulis, would you believe. That’s want she wanted. She’s so bossy. It’s the Irish in her, he says. Listen, I have to go, catch ya later.’

Marie-Claire lay as still as a frozen mummy as the green light from the cell phone was extinguished and the hefty studio door opened once more and then closed silently.

So Marc was shagging butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-her-mouth Amelia.

Struggling into a sitting position, she sat in the darkness, stunned. Marc, with his glinting amber eyes, six-pack abs and unruly black curls was a catch. But they’d been together for two years and were even planning on setting up a New York office to expand his recording business.

Aunt Brigid’s oft-voiced refrain came into her head: ‘Love many, trust few. Always paddle your own canoe.’ Well, paddle alone I will, Marie-Claire resolved grimly, trying hard not to cry as a sickly tight knot settled in her stomach and the beginnings of a headache throbbed in her temple.

‘Get up and get the hell out of here,’ she muttered, trying to motivate herself. Because once she walked out of this building she knew with certainty that she’d never be back.

Tonight, in that posh restaurant, she would put on the performance of her life. Her Irish pride would see to that, she thought bitterly. This Christmas Eve would be one that Marc Bouchard would never forget.

PART ONE

The past cannot be changed.

The future is yet in your power.

MARY PICKFORD

CHAPTER ONE

MARIE-CLAIRE