by Faye Sonja
Clara’s hands shot up. “See?”
Florence smiled. “Look again, Claire Bear.”
Clara turned her head back to Eve and narrowed her eyes. Ten seconds passed before Clara’s eyes widened, followed by a look of disgust. “Eve, how could you?”
Eve buried her face in her hands. “I know!” She didn’t exactly have feelings for Robert, as she was just simply attracted to him. It was the reason why she wanted him to leave town. It was one thing if Eve hadn’t found the man appealing. With a man who, as Robert had described, had been picked off the barrel, Eve knew she would be safe. But, Robert… Robert was dangerous. If Eve’s attraction one day grew to more, she could easily find herself in the same situation she’d been in with the twin’s father. After a while, Robert would be disappointed in her and look for someone else; thus, breaking Eve’s heart in the process.
“You have to tell him no, Eve.”
“No,” Florence said. “You have to tell him yes.”
Clara whispered close to Eve’s ear. “You tell him yes and you’ll be signing your life over to another man. He’ll take over the company and run your life at the same time.”
Florence did the same on the other side. “Tell him no and you’ll lose everything. Bargain with him, Eve. Come to an agreement for the sake of your family.”
Eve was saved from making a decision just as two pairs of feet and loud screams came her way. Eve looked up just in time to grab her boys, Lewis and Clark and embrace them tightly in her arms. She held them close and kissed their faces.
“Mama,” Clark said. His eyes were the same hazel color as hers; intense under his veil of long brown lashes. Eve thanked the Lord every day that the boys looked like her. Clark settled in her arms. “I made Lewis walk the poop deck.”
Lewis settled in too. “But I was saved by Poseidon.”
Eve’s eyes widened. “Oh, were you now?” Both of her sons were well read. Education was very important to the Haines.
Lewis nodded his head, making his long crazy dark brown curls bounce on her shoulders. He turned and smiled a cheeky smile at her; a baby tooth missing in the front. Eve gave them both another kiss on the cheek that made them scream, jump from her arms, and run out of the room. They were seven now. Hugs, Eve could have, but they’d both let her know that they’d grown too old for kisses. That had hurt Eve’s heart a lot. Since when was seven too old for kisses? You never outgrew wanting a kiss from your mommy.
Eve turned and found Florence smiling at her, as if she’d read her thoughts. Eve rose; avoiding her eyes. “Florence, are you staying for dinner?”
Florence stood; tucking a hair behind her ear. “I’ve already overstayed my welcome. Eddie must surely be looking for me.”
Clara stood as well. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. Clara would be staying for dinner. Clara lived in the house. Clara finally turned to Eve and said. “Whatever you decide, I’ll stand by you.”
Florence nodded her head.
* * *
3
Chapter THREE
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“ Whether I am or have ever been married
is no longer any of your concern.”
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The young prince and Princess Evelyn were crossing the desert when they found a dragon. The prince said, “Allow me to slay this dragon for you.” But Princess Evelyn shook her head and said, “I’ll slay my own dragon.” And she did.
Robert paced back and forth in front of his hotel door. His bags were by the door. His hands rested on his hips as he tried to replay the conversation he’d had with Ms. Eve Haines, three days ago. Was he missing something? He was sure she had to marry, yet she hadn’t come looking for him. Maybe she’d found someone else. Panic rose in him.
“I thought you said it was a done deal?”
Robert turned to look at his brother. Outside of Benjamin’s currently cool demeanor, it was almost like looking into a mirror. Ben sat in the chair by the desk close to the back of the room. His face was expressionless. Robert looked away. “I was almost sure she’d see reason.”
Ben sighed. “Putting ‘she’ and ‘reason’ into the same sentence was your first mistake.”
Robert looked at his pocket watch before letting out a heavy sigh. He closed his eyes and pointed his face towards the ceiling. “Our train leaves in one hour.”
Ben stood, grabbed his suitcase from the floor, walked across the room, and opened the door. “We’d better get going. I’m sure the paper in New York will take you back once we return.”
Robert looked at his brother. “But what about you?” Ben had quit a very good job at an advertising company to come out west with Robert in the hopes that the brothers would finally be able to work together. It had been their dream, but now, that dream seemed to be slipping away.
Ben looked grim. “Don’t worry about me, brother. With my track record, I should be able to find a job anywhere.”
But it wouldn’t be as high of a position as he’d had previously. The brothers looked into each other’s eyes and knew they were both thinking the same thing. Ben had worked hard to become a project leader at one of New York’s biggest firms, but he’d given it all up for Robert. Ben loved New York, and he also loved city life, but he’d agreed to come all the way out here, to the middle of nowhere just because Robert had asked him to. They’d do anything for one another. They always had.
Robert gave a nod. He sighed. No more wasting time. They’d return to New York and start again.
The ten minutes marker blow for the train’s departure made Eve thankful for the freedom of the modern skirt. Upon making it to the depot, she spotted him. Robert. He wasn’t hard to spot. He was taller than some, but much more pale than most. A bout of nerves slammed into her stomach, but she pushed it down as she made her way over to him.
She came to stand in front of him and waited for him to look at her. He did, but then glanced away as if he didn’t know her. Robert was blankly looking at his watch when Eve finally spoke to him. “Well?”
Robert looked at her; curiosity in his midnight eyes. “Can I help you?”
Eve gave a cynical smile. That had been her line when they first met. She supposed she deserved it. “You win.”
Robert looked around the depot before looking down at Eve again. He lowered his voice as he leaned in. “What do I win?”
Eve narrowed her eyes. That was a good question. Eve hadn’t worked out all the details just yet. All she knew was that she had hours to marry. Mr. Lowe had sent a messenger over to her office two hours ago, informing her that the board needed proof of marriage by end of day or they would be taking control of the company. Eve was officially out of options and at Robert’s mercy. She looked away. “No children.”
Robert narrowed his eyes. “No children?”
Eve nodded. “And I will remain in charge of the company.”
Robert stared at Eve blankly for a few seconds and then he smiled; his whole body seemed to come to life. His eyes grew darker. His face seemed to clear. “Ms. Haines?” he asked.
Eve lifted a brow. “Yes?”
Robert smiled; brightly. “There will be children.”
Eve’s eyes widen. “No, please—”
Robert was already shaking his head. “There will be children or there is nothing left for us to discuss.”
Eve wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t want any more children.”
Robert nodded. “Then I hope you have a very happy life, Ms. Haines.”
The train’s final call blew. Robert started to move with the crowd; making his way towards the opened door. Eve’s last hope at keeping the company was about to vanish before her very eyes. She grabbed his arm. Robert stopped and turned towards her. “Yes, Ms. Haines?”
Eve swallowed. “One.”
“Five.”
Eve gasped. “You’re insane!”
He smiled. “Bargain me down, Ms. Haines.”
“No.”
“You have children, Ms. Haines. How would your life be without them?”
Eve’s eyes moved around the depot, not looking at anyone in particular. The crowd was thinning. “One.”
He shook his head. “That’s a stalemate, Ms. Haines. When bargaining, you must move up.”
Eve’s hands began to shake. “Two,” she whispered.
“Four,” Robert said more firmly.
Eve shook her head. “This is my body, Mr. Manning. You will not be baring these children.” Neither will you be left to raise them when you leave, she thought. She brought up her chin and held his eyes. “I can’t.”
Robert was silent. Then he nodded. “Two, and I have full control of your shares of the company.”
Eve gasped. “But it was my father’s company and I want my sons to inherit it.”
Robert’s eyes drifted up. His head moved side to side as if he was thinking. He then brought his eyes back to Eve. “I run the company until the boys become of age and have received the proper education. Once they are of age, all the children will have the same opportunity to work within the company.”
The conductor called. “Final call for boarding to New York!”
Eve’s hold on Robert tightened. “The company will retain the name Haines Press.”
Robert looked flabbergasted. “Of course! Haines Press is a well-known name across the country. Changing it would be bad for the market. It makes more business sense to preserve the company’s essence.”
Eve nodded a few times and then pulled on his arm. “Alright. Alright. Now, let’s get married.”
Robert pulled back with a laugh. “I’m not marrying you.”
Eve’s eyes widen. “What?”
Robert looked up at the train. “Robert!” he shouted over the noise.
A man moved his head outside of a window from the train. Red hair, blue eyes, and a strong jaw. He looked like Robert. “Benjamin! I was wondering where you were.” The man looked over at Eve. “Oh, hello Ms. Haines.”
Eve looked back at the man whose arm she held and dropped it as if her hand would catch fire. She took a step back. “What is this?”
The man smiled. “I’m Benjamin Manning, I’m Robert’s twin brother.” He then turned to his brother. “Robert, get off the train. You’re getting married.”
“Truly?”
Ben nodded. “Children included.”
Robert smiled at his brother, and then to Eve. “How many?”
Eve looked around the depot. People were starting to look. The brothers already drew attention from their looks, but now they were really putting on a show. “Two.”
Robert frowned and looked at Ben. “What do I pay you for? Was that really the best you could do?”
Ben shrugged. “She’s a hard woman to bargain with, Robert. I’m sure you’ll have fine sons.”
“Or daughters,” Eve couldn’t help but chime in. She wrapped her arms around herself.
Robert nodded a few times, smiling at Eve; his dark eyes dazzling with life. “Indeed.” His head disappeared. A moment later, he was walking off the train. A few strides more and he was standing with them. The train blew and then began to move. Less than a minute passed and then it was gone and the men were here to stay.
Eve looked between the two men. “Twins?” She so did not need another set of twins in her life. Both men were dressed in a pair of the best suits Eve had ever seen. Ben wore a navy blue that matched his eyes. A white shirt lay against his skin. Robert wore a beige suit with a light blue shirt. The blue seemed to add a little color to Robert’s skin. They both wore their red hair short and pushed back; shiny and soft-looking in the light. The men knew how to dress, and thankfully, dressed differently. Eve didn’t ever want to mix them up again.
“What are you thinking?” Robert asked.
Eve was honest. “That I’ve got all the twins I can handle at the moment.”
Robert smiled. “Your sons are twins?”
Eve nodded.
“You told me that you had sons, but you didn’t say they were twins. Identical?”
Another nod. “They’re seven.”
Robert and Ben smiled at one another. It was a smile that spoke volumes towards their friendship and the fact that they probably caused a lot of trouble in their past. Eve sighed. “Are we going to have problems?”
Ben smiled down at Eve. “We’ll try and keep it to a minimum.”
Eve struggled to not roll her eyes and won. She ended up giving both of the men a hard stare. She turned to Robert. “Ben and I negotiated that the company would retain the Haines name.”
Robert’s brows lifted. “Changing the name had never occurred to me.” He fixed Eve with his own stare. “I would never dream of dishonoring your father in that way.”
Eve held his eyes and stuck her hand out. “Well then, I’ll hold you at her word, Mr. Manning. Let’s shake on it.”
Robert looked down at her hand then back up to her face. He smiled. “I’d rather we seal it with a kiss.”
Eve’s face fell with her hand. She turned and headed out of the depot. The sounds of twin laughter floated over the noise of the depot behind her. Twins. God tells the best jokes.
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4
Chapter FOUR
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“ Whether I am or have ever been married
is no longer any of your concern.”
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That night, while Princess Evelyn slept, a flock of scorpions snuck into their camp. The young prince said, “I will slay these scorpions and protect the princess.” And he did.
Two hours and one lawyer later, sealing it with a kiss was exactly what Robert and Eve were about to do.
Robert looked over at Eve and smiled. The local pastor, Jedidiah West, who’d been upset about the haste in their decision to marry before he could council, had decided to give the couple a lengthy sermon on the seriousness of oaths taken before God. Robert had an inkling that the pastor’s anger wasn’t simply towards the fact that they were marrying quickly, but because Eve had been married before. Right now, the pastor was telling the story of Jephthah. Jephthah, the warrior, had promised God that if Israel won a war, he’d sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. The first thing to come out had been the man’s only daughter. Jephthah ended up having to give his virgin daughter, and only child, over to the church; thus ending his bloodline. A vow to God had to be kept. Robert agreed wholeheartedly. It was the way his parents had done it. Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Manning would be celebrating their thirty-second year of marriage in a few months. Robert wanted the same for himself; a real marriage.
A real marriage that Eve did not want. She’d made it very clear that she’d wanted it only in name, but this was something that Robert would not bend on. He hadn’t wanted to force her hand, but even still, he hoped she’d come around. Yes, he wanted Haines Press, but he also wanted Adam Haines’ daughter to be happy. With all the joy that Adam Haines had brought to the world, his daughter deserved some of it.
Finally, the moment of the actual vows came. Robert turned completely towards Eve and spoke one line right after another, meaning every bit of it. When it was Eve’s turn, she finally looked up at him; giving him the full power of her honey-colored eyes. Her voice was shaky at first, but then grew in strength. She sure was a strong little woman. Robert had only known her for a few hours, but he could tell by the way she carried herself.
First, Eve was willing to do what was necessary to save her father’s legacy. Most of the women Robert knew crumbled under the weight of emotions; lacking the clarity of mind to make a sensible decision. The second sign that Eve was stronger than her body told was that she was not only raising twin boys by herself, but currently, the twins were not bouncing off the walls of the church.
Robert and Ben h
ad met the boys when Eve’s nanny, Clara, had brought them to the church for the ceremony. The men had also met Eve’s other friend, and Haines Press illustrator, Florence. The women were all pretty in their own way, but Eve’s inner strength outshined the room. There was a small crowd at their wedding; mostly everyone from Haines Press. They were all here to witness Eve get married to save their company, and possibly their jobs. None of them knew Robert, but they seemed to fear what the board would have done if they’d gained control. They’d decided to deal with Robert as opposed to anyone else. The only people who wanted him gone were Eve and Clara, whom she’d chosen to be her impromptu maid of honor. The maid of honor, who was peaking around Eve’s shoulder, just glared at him.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” Jedidiah said.
Robert watched Eve tilt her head up, offering him her small mouth; her eyes closed. He stood there for a moment and simply stared at her upturned face and thought of the many sonnets he could write about her beauty.
Her short brunette hair fell back away from her face. She’d taken her red hat off when she’d entered the church. Robert had thought that to be funny. She hadn’t had to do that, being a woman and all, but the removal of the hat had allowed him the opportunity to take her fully in with his eyes. Her hair was of satin. A pure and simple brown that stopped just before the shoulders of her red sports suit. It had white cuffs, just like the last sports suit she’d worn. The red seemed to darken her color. Her face was the color of a New York vendor’s roasted peanuts; a medium tanned color that made him feel the warmth of home by just looking at her. The tiniest of any beauty mark sat under her bottom lip, giving her face a certain superior quality. How had he missed it?
Eve’s eyes fluttered open. “Mr. Manning?”
“Yes?” he whispered.
“Kiss me.”
“As you wish.”
The kiss was a fleeting press of lips. Robert pulled away before he wanted to. When he opened his eyes, he found Eve to be staring at him; unmoved. The organ struck up a tune that announced that the ceremony was over, and for everyone to vacate the premises. The people around them clapped their hands; an applaud that battled the volume of the organ.
