Gemma remembered how nice Bree had been to her last night. Would it continue? “It’s short notice, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but it’s only for family and close friends. Whoever can make it, really.”
Her heart gripped with an insidious fear. She couldn’t bring herself to mention Drake. And then she remembered something. “People will be curious…about me, I mean. They’ll be speculating that I’m pregnant.”
“We can’t stop them, but I’ll be there with you anyway.”
His reassurance meant a lot to her.
“Peggy’s agreed to babysit again.” He got to his feet. “I’ll be in the study for a while. I promised Gran I’d make a couple of calls for her.”
He left them to their tower.
At the party that evening at Helen’s house, Gemma took a quick look around as they entered the large entryway, grateful not to see any sight of Drake. She was amazed at the number of guests. “Family and close friends, I believe you said,” she teased Tate. It was standing room only.
His firm lips quirked with wry humor. “Gran’s been around a lot of years. She’s made many close friends.”
“There’s got to be at least sixty people here.”
“Eighty, actually,” Helen said, coming to welcome them with a kiss on the cheek for both of them. Gemma couldn’t help but be relieved she was still in the older woman’s favor. She wasn’t sure the awards dinner hadn’t been a dream.
Or a nightmare, where Drake was concerned.
And then the nightmare arrived.
“How’s my favorite grandmother?” Drake said, bestowing a kiss on Helen’s lined cheek.
Helen tutted. “If your grandmother was here she’d have something to say about that, young man.”
He chuckled, then nodded at Tate, before his gaze slid to Gemma, his practiced smile fading with concern. “I hope you’re feeling better now, Gemma. You could have hurt yourself fainting like that last night.”
Gemma felt the slightest stiffening in Tate’s body and knew he wasn’t comfortable with Drake. But surprisingly, she felt Tate’s hand squeeze her waist, as if he was trying to bolster her spirits. It gave her the courage to put on a fake smile. “Thankfully, Tate was there for me.”
There was a flash of something vicious deep in Drake’s eyes, before he turned to Helen with an easy smile. After that, he was all false charm with the other woman and buddy-buddy with Tate, then Darlene and Jonathan joined them, followed by Bree. Tate’s sister was friendly to Gemma before she took off again, and eventually Drake moved to another group of people.
A while later, Tate mentioned wanting to talk to a business acquaintance across the room, and Helen waved him off, saying she would look after Gemma. Gemma nodded at him that she would be fine, but she was warmed by his concern about leaving her alone.
After a while, Helen put her hand on Gemma’s arm and drew her aside. “Darling, I wonder if you could do me a big favor?”
“Of course, Helen.”
“I’m expecting a friend of Nathaniel’s to call me at eight. Dougal’s old and he’s in a home, and if I don’t answer the phone he won’t call back. Do you think you could go to the study and wait for his call, then come and get me? I don’t want to leave my guests just yet.”
Gemma was a little confused by the request, especially as Helen seemed to have so many staff helping out tonight, but if that was what she wanted… “Sure. I’d be happy to do that.”
“Thank you,” Helen said, looking pleased. “I thought you might like a little time to yourself, too. I know it’s been stressful for you lately.”
That was really nice of her. “Yes, it has.”
Helen glanced at her watch. “It’s fifteen minutes to eight. The study is down the hall on the right. Just go in there and wait and come get me when Dougal phones.”
“Okay.” Gemma went to step forward, then stopped. “I’d better tell Tate.” She didn’t want him worrying if he couldn’t find her. Then she saw that Tate had moved away from the business acquaintance and was now talking to Drake. Her heart sank.
“No, I’ll do that,” Helen said, shooting relief through Gemma. “You go put your feet up. The party won’t finish for another couple of hours, and there are plenty of guests who still want to talk to you.”
That was enough for Gemma. The thought of everyone asking questions almost had her running for the study.
By the time Tate saw Gemma leave the room, he’d already positioned himself next to Drake. He was in the middle of a discussion with him when his grandmother approached.
As planned.
“Tate, darling,” she said, reaching them. “I’m expecting a phone call from Dougal. He’s your grandfather’s old friend, if you remember. I hope you don’t mind, but Gemma’s gone to the study to wait for the call for me. I thought she looked a little peaked, so it will do her good to get away from the crowd.”
Tate put on a frown and went to move. “I’d better go see how she is.”
Helen placed her hand on his arm. “No, don’t, darling. She really is okay and just needed a moment to herself. She said for you not to worry. She’ll be back in no time.” Helen squeezed Drake’s arm. “It’s so nice to see you here, Drake.” Then she walked away.
“Your grandmother’s fantastic, Tate.”
“She certainly is.”
Drake considered him. “Go to Gemma if you want.”
“No, Gran’s right. It’ll do Gemma good to have some time to herself.”
He hated using Gemma as bait to lure Drake into showing his hand, but he had to put an end to this for everyone’s sake, especially Gemma’s. He now believed she had been telling him the truth all along. God, he wasn’t sure how he was managing to even talk to his so-called best friend.
Drake’s brows drew together. “Maybe Gemma is feeling stressed because I’m here.” He paused. “Sorry again that I couldn’t get out of coming tonight, man. Your grandmother insisted.”
“That’s okay. It’s all water under the bridge.”
Drake’s eyes looked more calculating than not. “You seem pretty confident about Gemma now.”
With his own eyes wide open, Tate could see that his friend was getting desperate. It was now or never. “I am.”
There was a moment of stony silence.
“I guess if Gemma’s pregnant…”
Tate knew the other man was fishing, trying to get a handle on how he could best do damage to the marriage. But why? What was this all about? It had to be something damn significant if his friend was trying to do this to him and Gemma.
Could Drake even be behind the newspaper headline this morning about Gemma being pregnant? Hell, could he even have had something to do with the internet pictures? The thought clenched tight and wouldn’t let go.
“We’re both hoping for more children,” Tate said deliberately, hoping to spur the other man into action, knowing he’d hit the mark when he saw Drake’s jaw clench. Tate scratched his earlobe, giving his grandmother the signal.
“Tate, can you come here for a minute?” his grandmother called out to him from where she was holding court with some friends.
Tate looked back at Drake and feigned a wry smile. “I’d better go see what Gran wants.”
Drake’s answering smile was tight. “Yeah, don’t keep the lady waiting.”
Tate walked away, but before he’d even reached his grandmother, she gave him a slight nod.
Drake had left the room.
Gemma sat on the leather executive chair behind the large desk and saw the clock ticking toward eight. She had to admit that Helen had done her a favor by asking her to come in here and wait for the phone call. She’d badly needed to get away from Drake’s presence, hovering like the snake he was, ready to strike.
She was surprised that Tate didn’t seem more upset about it all. Oh, he had that small tightness around his mouth telling her he wasn’t happy having Drake here, but he still didn’t seem to be accusing her of anything. And that was gratifying,
if somewhat confusing.
The opening of the study door broke into her thoughts. The sound of the party rushed in as she saw a tall figure step inside and close the door behind him.
This time she didn’t get the man wrong.
Drake.
A sense of déjà vu washed over her.
“So this is where you’re hiding?” he mocked, remaining in front of the door, barring her escape.
“This is a private room, Drake,” she said, trying not to look like she was frozen in her chair.
He started toward her, “All the better.”
“What do you mean?” Her stomach churned. She knew there was a door leading out to the terrace, but the heavy drapes had been pulled across it, and she doubted she’d get to it before him. If only the telephone would ring.
It remained silent.
“You didn’t think I would give up, did you?”
“Give up what?”
He stopped right in front of the desk. “You.”
Her brain stumbled then righted. Was he going to take her at any price? She couldn’t let him. Everything she had, everything she loved, was at risk here. She couldn’t let him take it all away. Not again.
Somehow she managed to get to her feet and pull back her shoulders, making herself taller, though she wasn’t foolish enough to move from behind the desk. If she did, he would attack.
“Why are you doing this, Drake?” she said as calmly as she could. “I never encouraged you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Maybe that’s the attraction.”
In that split second she realized he was used to intimidating her. He wasn’t used to her fighting back. She might have disagreed with him on the telephone every time he’d called, but there hadn’t been a chance to stand up to him in person. Why, even at the awards dinner last night she’d pleaded with him to let her go.
No more.
“You knew I thought it was Tate I was kissing two years ago,” she said, determined to make him accountable.
“Oh, yeah, I knew, Gem.”
He was a bully. “Yet you’re Tate’s best friend. Why would you risk your friendship like this?”
“Am I risking it? I don’t think so.” He paused, his confidence returning. “You know, it’s a pity about your upcoming divorce. Your marriage really was over so quickly. But hey, that’s the way with these high-profile marriages.”
Inside she gasped, outside she didn’t flinch. “What do you mean?”
“Once I make you mine, I’ll have to tell Tate how you finally succeeded in seducing me.”
She held her ground. “He won’t believe you.”
He rubbed his chin, cocky and obnoxious. “Oh, I think he will.”
“Actually, Drake, I know I won’t,” Tate growled, pushing the drapes aside and stepping in from the doorway to the terrace.
This time Gemma did gasp out loud.
And so did Drake Fulton.
Twelve
Looking across the room at the other man, Tate had never felt a deeper sense of cold triumph. How had he ever thought Drake was a man of his word?
“What is this?” Drake demanded, recovering quickly.
Tate moved farther into the room. “I set you up, you son of a bitch.”
“And I helped him,” Helen Chandler said, stepping in from the terrace.
Drake winced.
Anger rolled through Tate. “All I want to know is why, Drake?”
Masking his face now, the other man gave a careless shrug. “You took my girlfriend all those years ago, so I decided to take yours.”
Tate blinked, then blinked again in disbelief. “Good Lord! You mean Rachel? That was back at university.” He shook his head. “And she made a play for me, not the other way around. You said it didn’t matter anyway.”
Drake’s face turned rigid. “I lied. She mattered to me, Tate. Just like Gemma mattered to you. I could tell that, you see. It made my vengeance all the sweeter.”
Tate glanced at Gemma and their eyes collided. His heart raced as he saw hope flare in those blue depths. She wanted him to care for her.
He did, he promised in return.
His gaze returned to Drake. “You’re right about that, Drake. Gemma does matter to me,” he said out loud. “More than you know.” He heard her make a soft sound, but it was Drake’s harsher rasp that kept his attention fully focused on the man.
Like a spoiled child, Drake burst out, “I was behind the internet pictures and the newspaper story about her being pregnant.”
Rage sliced through Tate. Drake’s confession only confirmed what he’d already suspected, but didn’t lessen his anger. “I want you out of this house and out of my life. If you ever come near my family again, you’ll be sorry.”
“Fine with me,” Drake snapped. “I achieved what I wanted to do anyway. I split you up for two years. You missed your son’s birth and his first year of life.” A gloating smile stretched his lips. “That can’t be replaced, can it, Tate?”
“Why you—” Tate stepped forward, fist clenched, his chest squeezed so tight that—
His grandmother put her hand on Tate’s arm, and he let her stop him. She glared haughtily at Drake. “I’ll see you out, Drake. And I suggest you head back overseas as soon as possible and never show your face here again. I’ll destroy you if you do.” Her tone said she would do what she said. She might be small, but she was a formidable woman. Drake couldn’t fail to recognize that.
“Good riddance to you all,” he barked, twisting away and stalking out of the room. He almost took the door off its hinges as he slammed the wood shut.
For a few seconds no one moved.
Then Helen went after him, her beautifully aged face easing into a smile as she blew them a kiss before leaving.
And then there were two.
The clock ticked.
Tate’s gaze slid back to the woman he loved. Oh, yes, he loved Gemma. The knowledge of it had hit him hard when he’d stood outside on the terrace and heard Drake threaten her. The instinct to protect this woman had risen from the very core of him. It had been about more than saving her from harm, more than shielding her from a vengeful, vindictive traitor-of-a-friend. The groundswell of emotion inside him made him want to protect her, to honor her, to share with her the happiest life possible. No one would stop him. Nothing would break them apart. Not again. Never again.
He moved to her, and she was already coming around the desk and flying into his arms. He hugged her tightly, welding her to him. She felt so good, so right. She had to feel something for him, too. Could it be love?
“It’s over now, darling,” he murmured, kissing her eyes, her ears, burying his face in her hair and inhaling the scent of the woman he loved. She was everything to him.
Gemma relished having Tate’s arms around her, but she was having trouble believing what had just happened. There had evidently been no phone call expected from Dougal. Tate had planned this to catch Drake. That meant he finally believed she was innocent.
Thank you, dear Lord.
She leaned back and lovingly looked up at her husband’s strong face in wonder. “No, Tate, you’re wrong. It’s not over.”
He frowned, but she could see he wasn’t too worried. “It’s not?”
Her hands slipped up and framed his face. “It’s only just begun, my darling. I love you, Tate Chandler. I love you so very much.”
He drew in an unsteady breath. “Oh, God, I love you, too, Gemma. More than life itself.”
Their lips and hearts met for timeless minutes. This was love at its finest. It didn’t get any better—any more genuine and absolute—than this.
Eventually they eased apart and Tate smiled at her with a love she would cherish forever.
A moment later, deep regret seeped into his eyes. “Forgive me, darling, for all I’ve put you through. I don’t know how I didn’t see the truth before. You’re a good, kind person, and I don’t deserve you at all.”
Forgiving him was easy. “There were a lot of thing
s in the way,” she excused, knowing that walking through fire had made her appreciate their love. Later, she would tell him how she had loved him from the beginning, but not here, not now.
“Thank you.” He kissed her. “Let’s make our life a blank sheet of paper from this moment on.”
She opened her mouth to agree, then tilted her head at him, her brow wrinkling just a little. “But our pasts have made us who we are, Tate. We’ve earned our right to happiness. I don’t ever want to forget that.”
His smile was full of admiration. “See, this is why I love you so much. You’re right, of course. But hey, I don’t think we should remember it every day.”
“Agreed.” The sound of laughter erupted in the distance. Clearly Drake hadn’t been allowed to spoil the party. “Your grandmother is awesome.”
He nodded. “When it comes to protecting her own, she is.”
“You didn’t do too badly yourself,” she teased, forever grateful he had followed his gut instinct. Then she sobered. “I’m sorry I don’t have any decent family to share with you.”
A part of her would always ache for the love of her parents, but being an adult meant accepting what she couldn’t change and living her life to the fullest. Yes, somewhere along the line she’d grown up, too.
“You and Nathan are all the family I need,” Tate said, the look in his eyes open and honest. “And let’s not forget the two of you have already brought happiness to my family. If you don’t believe me, I’m sure my grandmother would be only too happy to confirm that. You brought us back together, Gemma. I’m indebted to you for that.”
Gemma buzzed with sheer bliss. “So you’ve forgiven your mother?”
“We all make mistakes,” he said with a self-deprecating smile. “And none more than me.”
“She’ll be thrilled to have her son back,” Gemma said with certainty. “You know, I suspect you couldn’t forgive her before because your grandmother couldn’t forgive her. I think your loyalties were divided between the two women in your life. In the end, you followed your grandmother’s lead. She’s a strong woman. Though no less strong than your mother,” Gemma was quick to add. “It took guts for Darlene to return and admit she’d made a mistake.”
Secret Son, Convenient Wife Page 15
