“Hold on…” She covered the phone and held a muted conversation with another person. A minute later, she said, “Alright. Judy agrees.”
“Interesting. Judy is at your place? You hate each other.”
“We, uh, found ourselves on the same side. We were as surprised as you.”
He muffled his laughter. “Gather the rest of your little gang and wait for an attorney from Zach’s firm. He’ll leave with all signatures or the deal is off. Tell me you understand, Brenda.”
“I understand.”
“Excellent. By nightfall, you’ll be a multi-millionaire again. This will be our last conversation.”
“Bennett…”
“Goodbye.” Disconnecting the call, he immediately dialed Zach and gave him the details of the new arrangement. “Move quickly and get those signatures.”
“I don’t know what you said to that woman but well done. I’ll handle this personally.”
“Thank you.”
“Snatch up that brilliant spitfire you found and let her give you an end to be envied, Bennett.”
Tightening his arm around Rowan, he held her gaze as he replied, “I plan on it. Call me when it’s done.”
One could have heard a pin drop when the call ended. Then Rowan wrapped her arms around Bennett and rested her head on his shoulder. He hugged her close.
They sat together in silence for a long time.
“Rowan.” She sat up and stared into the face of a man who’d become the most important person in her life. “I love you.”
Gasping, she whispered through instant tears, “I love you, Bennett. I-I didn’t mean to, I didn’t want to.”
He stroked his fingers through her hair. “Gage was young, foolish. He made a mistake many men do. The scars it left on your heart attest to how deeply you loved him. How much you still love him, Rowan.”
“I don’t…”
“Never lie to yourself, darling. Not to yourself. When you talk about that night, the night you lost the man you loved and your best friend...it isn’t with anger. It’s with pain. You can only experience emotional pain if someone has a piece of you.” He pressed his palm over her heart. “This is big enough to love two people, Rowan.”
“I o-only want to love you.”
“You can’t control that.” He gathered her closer. “Despite you loving someone else, I can feel your love for me, Rowan. The way you look at me, talk to me, fight for me...I know what romantic love feels like from another person for the first time in my life. I’ll take as much of you as I can while I can...and be grateful for every moment.”
“I don’t…” She swallowed hard and started again. “I don’t want to lose you, Bennett.”
“You’ll teach me what it feels like to love and I’ll teach you what you deserve so you never, ever settle for less after I’m gone.”
Then she broke down sobbing against him and he held her.
At her ear, he whispered, “Every second I can steal from death, I will. We’ll make every moment we have together beautiful.” She nodded at his neck. “Say you’ll marry me.” Pulling her back enough to look at him, he wiped her tears. “Marry me, darling.”
She loved him.
She would lose him.
The pain would be excruciating.
“Yes. I’ll marry you, Bennett.”
“My beautiful, fearless Rowan.” Cupping the nape of her neck, he brought her to him for a kiss.
Their first kiss.
The moment his lips touched hers, she wanted to crawl inside his body with him. She wanted to share her heart so his couldn’t take him from her. She wanted to kiss him forever.
He held her tightly as his tongue stroked against hers and she raked her fingers through his dark hair as she pressed her upper body to his.
She was breathless and so was he.
Then she realized he was too breathless. She broke the kiss and quickly found the bottle of pills in his jacket. Bennett leaned his head against his chair and closed his eyes.
Placing the pill under his tongue, she reached out to press the button for James. The bodyguard appeared within seconds.
“Bennett.” He crossed the room, crouched at his employer’s side, and took his pulse. “You gave him a pill?”
“Yes.” Rowan took Bennett’s hand and he opened his eyes to look at her. “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean…”
“Don’t you dare apologize for the best kiss I’ve ever had.” The color slowly returned to his face. “I am livid at my weakness.” He put his hand on James’ shoulder. “Rowan finally agreed to marry me.”
A broad smile spread over the younger man’s face. “That’s wonderful. Congratulations, sir.”
“You’ll be my best man, James.”
“Bennett…”
“You’ve been with me more than twenty years. I have many friends but none like you. Say you’ll stand beside me when I marry the woman Fate took too long to give me.”
“I will, sir. I’d be honored.”
Looking at Rowan, Bennett said, “We need to move quickly.”
She nodded. “I don’t need anything fancy.” Wiping her face, she knelt beside his chair. “Stay with me, Bennett. Stay with me as long as you can.”
“I will. You have my word.”
* * *
Over the next month, Bennett introduced the world to Rowan. He removed all doubts about her place at his side.
After he received signatures on the settlements with his ex-wives and grown children, he sent each of them a gift and a handwritten card apologizing for his mistakes, forgiving them of theirs, and wishing them well.
He altered his will despite Rowan’s repeated pleas not to do so. Zach appeared at the estate with several judges in tow to witness it. A world-renowned psychologist came with them to attest to Bennett’s mental health at the time of the change.
Rowan spent every possible moment with Bennett, inviting him fully into the warmth and comfort of a heart that had been closed for years...certain it would never open again.
He made her laugh.
He made her think.
He made her ache with longing.
No matter how much time she ultimately had with him, it could never be enough.
How she loved him.
Chapter Eight
2002 - Age 25
The one-year deadline Bennett’s doctors gave him to live came and went. Rowan internally celebrated and bent her will to loving her husband harder to keep him with her.
They traveled the world, seeing places and having experiences Bennett had always considered but had never allowed himself the time from work.
James and Mary-Margaret were their constant companions with their team of helpers and a doctor who traveled with them everywhere. The cheerful assistant arranged each destination and the bodyguard helped Rowan keep Bennett safe around the clock.
Every day, Rowan lied to herself.
She pretended she would have the man she loved for the rest of her life. She refused to think about losing him, embraced their unusual marriage as the norm, and soaked up the incredible devotion he showered on her.
Leaving a small chocolate shop in rural Russia, she smiled at Bennett waiting for her in a powered sleigh with James in the front. She handed James and the man who owned the sleigh hot coffees.
Climbing into the back beside him, she gave Bennett a cup of rich cocoa and kissed him on the cheek.
“I can’t believe this was on your list,” she told him laughing.
“Sit back, cover yourself with the synthetic furs that admittedly feel like the real thing, and let’s have our Doctor Zhivago moment, darling.”
Pulling the faux fur hat further over his ears, she mumbled, “You know I can’t handle actual furs.”
“I know and love you for it.” Cheeks flushed from the cold, he looked ten years younger. “Let’s be away, good man!”
They traveled across the snowy tundra and talked animatedly while Rowan took a hundred photos of the scenery and her go
rgeous husband.
Behind them, their support staff followed in snowmobiles. She put them - and the reason for their presence - out of her mind and focused on making another item on Bennett’s list the best experience it could possibly be.
As the sun began to set, they returned to their hotel. Their noses and cheeks were red but there was no denying how happy the day had been.
“Room service will be here in an hour, Rowan. You must be hungry after spending so much time out in the cold.”
“Starving. I can’t believe you were able to find a DVD player and a copy of the movie here.”
“Mary-Margaret is ridiculously efficient.” He rubbed his hands together. “Shower and change. I’ll set it up.”
Half an hour later, she climbed into bed beside Bennett. They slept together fully clothed every night and she loved the opportunity to be close to him.
Sometimes, she woke up terrified that he’d died and would immediately place her hand on his heart while she tried to control her panic. Once in a while, her frantic touch woke him and he’d stare into her eyes with understanding. On those nights, he encouraged her to lay on his chest so she could listen to his heartbeat.
“Ready for the movie, darling?”
Snuggling against him, she nodded, “Ready for anything.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
As the movie began to play, she lied and lied and lied to herself.
* * *
Every few weeks, they took a break from traveling and spent a month at the estate. Bennett was unofficially retired but a man with his knowledge and altruistic history was always in demand by corporations and colleges.
Rowan and James worked together to get him on and off stages without a production. As a result, the general public didn’t know about Bennett’s failing heart.
Returning with Mary-Margaret from the corporate office with paperwork for her husband to sign, Rowan frowned at dozens of cars parked along the estate drive. Outside the iron gates were rows of limousines.
“What’s going on?” she asked curiously.
“I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” the assistant said without looking her in the eye.
“You literally know everything. Spill it.”
Laughing warmly, Mary-Margaret said, “You’ll have to wait and see.” Reaching out, she smoothed a tendril of hair behind Rowan’s ear that had come loose from her chignon. “You wore the dress Bennett requested and you look lovely.”
Glancing down at the form-fitting sundress and heeled sandals her husband had picked out for her that morning, she mumbled, “Not really appropriate for headquarters but…” Narrowing her eyes, she asked, “Was that trip into the city a way to get me out of the house?”
“So many questions. Here we are!” Rowan’s driver opened the door. “Look sharp, Buddy. Don’t let her get any details out of you. Suspicious little minx.”
When they were both standing on the driveway, Mary-Margaret put her arm through Rowan’s and led her through the house to the massive formal dining room.
As they appeared at the wall of windows that had been thrown open to the courtyard beyond, at least a hundred people yelled, “Surprise!”
Rowan looked behind her. “Is this...for me?”
Appearing at her side, Bennett whispered, “Happy birthday, darling.” He pressed his cheek to hers. “You look stunning.”
“I never leave the house...how did you manage this?”
“It wasn’t easy to get such a gala planned and executed under your nose but I was determined to mark your quarter-century with flair.” Arching one brow, he added, “You didn’t get the wedding you deserved.”
“Bennett...thank you.” She teared up and explained, “I’ve never had a party on my birthday. Miss Jeffries made me cake, for all us girls, but we never had a party.”
“Then you’re overdue.” He slipped her hand through his arm. “Let’s make the rounds.”
Nodding, she walked among the crowd of people - some she knew, others she’d only spoken to on the phone or through email - on the arm of a powerful man she loved with every cell in her body.
Bennett handed her a glass of champagne and murmured, “Chin up and steady, darling.” Then he smiled warmly and said over her shoulder, “So glad you could make it. It’s good to meet you both in person. Bennett Jefferson.”
Rowan turned her face and it felt as if her heart stopped. Miss Jeffries stood beside Gage and Nina.
“Gage Chambers. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.” They shook hands firmly.
“Call me Bennett. I hear your family had a solid hand in getting Rowan to adulthood safely.”
“It was Miss Jeffries who did all the hard work, sir.”
“She and I are old friends at this point.” Bennett bent to kiss Miss Jeffries on the cheek. “I’m so happy you were able to get away for a few days.”
“The helpers you sent made it possible, Bennett. You’re a good man. I didn’t want to miss another important event in Rowan’s life.” The elderly woman hugged Rowan tightly. “My girl, you are positively glowin’.”
It was difficult to form a response. “Thank you, ma’am. It’s so good to see you.”
Smiling at a woman Rowan was certain had only gotten more beautiful with age, Bennett said, “You must be Nina. Rowan has told me all about your hijinks together as girls. Her reenactments are incredibly entertaining.”
“Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Jefferson. It’s amazing to be here, to see Rowan looking so happy.”
“Of course. You both appear again and again in our conversations. As she marks her twenty-fifth year, I wanted to give her the gift of friendships she once thought were forever lost.” He cupped Rowan’s face. “I don’t want you to waste a single moment of your life on regrets.”
Leaning into his touch, she nodded. “Thank you, Bennett.”
She kissed him and turned to her first love and childhood best friend. She hadn’t seen them since she walked away off Miss Jeffries’ front porch.
Bennett knew Rowan well. He knew seeing Gage and Nina again could take her back to a moment when she felt weak. It was why she’d avoided seeing them in all these years.
He’d arranged for them to see her in her new element, in her new life, so she could draw on the strength it gave her.
Having him by her side made it better.
“It’s incredible that you’re here,” she said sincerely. “Let’s find a spot to sit so you can tell me everything happening with you.”
She subtly supported Bennett as she led their group to a large table in the shade. Pretending to straighten the hem of her dress, she helped him lower into a chair.
It was a ruse she’d perfected in the last year so Bennett could return to the public eye without awkward questions about his health and unusual weakness.
“It’s warming up and I know Miss Jeffries isn’t a fan of the direct sun.” Rowan waved at one of the servers with a smile and requested he bring food and drinks.
“Right away, Mrs. Jefferson.”
The man walked rapidly away as she lowered to a chair beside Bennett and took his hand. When she met his eyes, he winked.
He turned his attention to Gage and said, “Rowan told me about your family. Cattle is one of the original businesses my family invested in.” He grinned. “She said - and I quote - they are big fat cows with red hair and sad eyes...as if they know they’re going to be steaks.”
Gage laughed. “She wasn’t a fan of the cows or horses. Strangely, she could spend hours pettin’ ornery chickens.”
Grinning happily, Bennett replied, “I can imagine.”
The men discussed business and Rowan met Nina’s caramel eyes. “You managed to get even more beautiful.” The other woman blushed and shook her head. “I saw your photoshoot for Calvin Klein. It was stunning.”
“Th-thank you, Rowan.” She cleared her throat. “I fell into the modeling accidentally. My true love is the theater.”
�
��You’re mentioned by name in reviews among casts of two dozen. I’m really proud of you.”
Scanning the area just behind where they sat, Rowan gestured James closer with a smile. Nina’s eyes widened as the bodyguard appeared beneath the canopy.
“The first time I met James, I couldn’t get over how similar he looked to you. The masculine and feminine sides of the same coin. Crazy, right?”
“Uh…” Nina appeared rattled. “H-hello.”
“Miss Adams. James Statton. A pleasure to meet you.”
He extended his hand and Nina put hers in it. James kissed the back and there was no denying the reaction he had on a woman who’d been actively pursued by men all her life.
Rowan was intrigued.
Bennett on one side, Miss Jeffries on the other, she was strong enough to pick up the jagged shards of a friendship she’d valued highly and glue them back together.
They’d talked for two hours when Bennett squeezed her hand. “Darling, the heat is kicking my ass. I’m going to escape to my den for a little to cool off.”
Rowan started to stand. “I’ll go with…”
“I refuse to pull you away from your reunion, beauty. Stay here and I’ll make sure the caterer keeps food and drinks coming.” He glanced at James. “I think that slip earlier has managed to tighten up my back.”
His bodyguard clucked his teeth. “That’s what you get for being in a rush, sir. Let me help you so it doesn’t get worse.”
Standing anyway, Rowan waited for James to bodily lift Bennett from the chair without it appearing as such.
She noted that Gage stood as well. A chivalrous habit he’d learned from his father.
Holding her husband’s cheeks, she whispered, “Perhaps an ibuprofen to loosen the muscle.” He nodded. “I’ll run inside in a bit to soak up some hubby time in the air conditioning.”
He bent and kissed her lips. “You take such good care of me.” Looking at her friends, he said with more energy than she knew he had, “It’s great to put faces to the names at last. Make yourselves at home and I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Winking at Rowan, he said, “There are going to be fireworks.”
Coming Home: The Damaged Series - Book Three Page 7
