Proposal in Room 309 by Joss Wood

drifted across her lower lip. ‘I love our life, Jo. I love you and our baby and I love coming back to The Chatsfield every year with you, even if it means leaving Lil.’
    Joely reached up and kissed his cheek. ‘Me too. I never thought we could be so happy.’
    The lift doors whispered open and Ben and Joely gasped as they saw who was standing in the back corner. Joely immediately stepped forward, a huge smile splitting her face. ‘Marge! Oh, it is you!’
    ‘Wow. Coincidence,’ Ben murmured, stepping in.
    ‘Not really,’ Joely said. ‘They come back the same time we do…’ Joely looked at Marge and impulsively took her gnarled hands in hers. ‘Ben and I were just saying how we come back to this hotel every year and it was because you and Bert put the idea in our heads.’
    Marge sent them a strange look but didn’t pull her hands from Joely’s grip. ‘Have we met?’
    The old bird could hardly be expected to remember an arbitrary couple she met in a lift on one of their many visits to The Chatsfield, Joely thought. ‘We shared a lift with you, five years ago. We were soaked and you and Bert told us that you met at the bar downstairs and that you’ve been coming back to The Chatsfield every year to relive that memory.’ Joely frowned. ‘Where is Bert?’
    Sadness appeared in Marge’s faded blue eyes and tears glistened. ‘Bert… passed. After suffering from a heart attack.’
    Joely’s shoulder slumped. Ah, dammit. ‘I’m so sorry. When?’
    ‘Five years ago.’ Marge smiled sadly.
    Ben placed a hand on Joely’s back. ‘How long after you were here did he pass away?’ he asked, his voice low and kind.
    ‘Not long,’ whispered Marge. The lift stopped, the doors slid open and they were at the lobby. Marge took a shaky breath and smiled at Ben and Joely. ‘Were we acting crazy?’
    Joely thought that she needed to hear that they were. ‘Yes, in the loveliest way possible. I remember that night perfectly; Bert wore a yellow bow tie and a brown plaid suit. You spoke about your six sons and your antiques business.’
    Ben’s mouth twitched in amusement, obviously remembering something else Marge had said.
    Joely rolled her eyes at him. Men! She looked at Marge again and her face softened. ‘You both had such an impact on me. Bert said that being married to you was the best half century of his life. That night, I looked at you two and thought…I want to love like you do. Constantly, crazily, forever.’
    Marge patted her cheek. ‘Aw, honey, it looks like you’re on your way to doing exactly that. My Bert always said that The Chatsfield is a place filled with magic and that anything can happen here.’
    Looking at her handsome husband and remembering her gorgeous baby at home, Joely knew that Bert, bless him, was right.
    Magic was definitely swirling around The Chatsfield.
    *
    If you enjoyed this book
,
    don’t miss Joss Wood’s next Modern Tempted
    More than a Fling?
    available in June 2014!





ISBN: 978-1-474-00049-9
    Proposal in Room 309
    © Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
    Special thanks and acknowledgement are given to Joss Wood for her contribution to The Chatsfield series.
    Published in Great Britain in 2014
    Harlequin (UK) Limited
    Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
    All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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