by Jeannie Moon
“Don’t say it, Jen.”
“That maybe I trapped you?” Jenna bit her lip and looked away, focusing on a pretty pink rose in one of the bouquets. “That’s what Owen thinks. He doesn’t want to, but the question is running around in that head of his.”
“Owen can be tough to read. All that matters is that I don’t feel trapped.”
“No?”
Now he was annoyed. He’d spent the last four days removing any doubt from Jenna’s mind about his feelings, and Kim and Owen had gotten all the wrong wheels spinning again. Jenna deserved better.
“No. I told you, I’d bought the ring. I was going to propose to you. The baby just changed the timeline.”
“Okay.” She burrowed into him, slipping her arms around his waist. “As long as you’re sure.”
“Very sure.” Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Nate steered her toward the bedroom. “Now let’s get some sleep, then we can pack and head out east this afternoon.”
Chapter Twelve
He should trust me with his secrets.
—#14, Jenna’s Boyfriend List
Jenna kept her gaze fixed out the window as they drove east from Locust Valley to Bridgehampton. The drive was an hour and a half without traffic, but because it was July 3rd, there were a lot of people on the road. They should have left earlier, but she and Nate had fallen into such a deep sleep, half the day was gone by the time they got on their way.
They took the Maserati because the truck was a mess. And once he got used to the difference, it seemed, like most guys, he enjoyed driving his low-slung Italian coupe. They chatted through the first half of the ride, recapping some of the highlights of their trip. Jenna smiled at every memory. Each day had been more perfect than the one before.
Now, as they drove through the Pine Barrens on the eastern end of the Long Island Expressway, her mood shifted as quickly as the scenery sped by. Less than twenty four hours ago, she’d left Italy a happy newlywed; now she was nauseous, and it had nothing to do with the baby. Nate had reassured her numerous times that everything would be all right. He’d spoken to his parents again, and his mother sounded much better than when he’d called her the day before. Still, Jenna couldn’t shake the feeling they were headed for an ambush.
There was so much weighing on her mind, and there shouldn’t have been. The only ones she should be thinking about were the amazing man sitting next to her and the baby in her belly.
Without warning, Nate exited Sunrise Highway and Jenna noticed they were heading into the town of Westhampton Beach. She looked at him, but she couldn’t read his expression since his eyes were covered by a pair of aviators.
She watched the road as he made deliberate turns, knowing exactly where he was going, finally pulling into a space in the town lot.
“Uh, why are we here?”
“I figured we could stretch our legs, get some ice cream.” He got out and came around to her side of the car, offering his hand to help her out of the low-slung bucket seat.
“Don’t you want to get to your parents’ house?”
“We’ll get there. Come on.” The warmth of his hand was rivaled only by the warm summer air, and getting out of the car was a good idea. Westhampton Beach wasn’t a seaside village, but the beach wasn’t far, and the smell of salt water and the sound of gulls permeated the air. They walked down Main Street to a local ice cream shop he was familiar with, where they each got a waffle cone filled with their favorite flavors.
Once they ventured back on the street, they walked quietly side by side. There was nothing awkward about the quiet; it was companionable, easy, which had been Jenna’s first clue that this thing between her and Nate was very right.
“You want to tell me what’s eating you?” he asked. Jenna had to smile. People who’d known her for years wouldn’t have picked up on her mood, but he did. He knew her better than anyone.
“Is that why we stopped? To talk?”
“We could have talked in the car, but I figured a break wasn’t a bad idea.”
There wasn’t a whole lot to say. Jenna wasn’t sure what, exactly, was bothering her. Nate had been nothing but supportive and understanding. Her family? That was another story. He also hadn’t told her anything about his family’s reaction. Nate had two younger sisters who were around her age, and she had no idea what they thought. His mother and father, who had seemed to like her at the farm, might have a very different opinion today.
Sure, it took two to tango, the baby was as much Nate’s as hers, but the girl still got the blame. “I can’t shake that people are going to think I’m after your money. That I did this on purpose because I saw you’re such a good guy and that you wouldn’t shirk your responsibility.”
“I wouldn’t, but I wouldn’t have married you unless I loved you. That’s something no one is taking into account. Including you.”
“Oh.” She couldn’t argue the point. He was right. This man had such quiet strength—there was no bluster, no posturing, just deep, unshakable confidence.
“Jenna, baby, I’m second-guessed all the time. Of the three partners, I’m the one who stays in the background. I get that I’m not the front man like Owen, or the brains of the operation like Jason, and that’s fine. But because I’m not aggressive, people tend to think I’m indecisive, weak, or at worst, stupid.”
“What? That’s ridiculous.”
“Of course it is. I graduated from Duke with honors. I have a master’s in economics from Harvard. If you gave me ten dollars, I’d turn it into a hundred dollars by the end of the day, and ten thousand dollars by the end of a week. I’m that good with money. Jason would still be doing R and D in some lab if I hadn’t seen the potential in what he was developing and figured out a way to bring it to market.”
“Is that how it happened?” Jenna knew part of the success story, about how the three friends built the business. But Nate’s specific role wasn’t ever brought up.
“Jason had the idea. I saw the product and developed the strategy. When Owen’s first commitment with the marines was up, he came out and organized the operation, which became more and more important the bigger we got.”
“Wow. So why is everyone questioning your decisions? Considering you laid the foundation for the company . . .”
“They always do, and to be honest, it’s my own fault. I let them. Owen is a presence. Jason, too. I’ve been content to manage the finances and stay out of the way, but sometimes it pisses me off.”
“Why is that? Why isn’t your role bigger?” It didn’t make any sense to her. If they all had a stake in the success in the business why didn’t Nate become more of a player?
Seeing she was done with her ice cream, Nate took the napkins and the wrapper from her hand and tossed them in a nearby trash can. He took a breath before continuing. “Truthfully? I don’t care that much. I just don’t. I never saw myself doing this. I was going to manage my family’s money. The foundations. The farms. Something like Reliance wasn’t even on my radar.” He shrugged. “They have no idea how much money I have. With my investments, the trust from my family, I’ve taken the money I’ve made at Reliance and multiplied it five times over.”
Did he just tell her that? That he had more money than Jason and Owen? That he really didn’t care about the business? Good Lord. It seemed quiet, sweet Nate was quite the tycoon. They started walking again, letting his declaration sink in.
“I’d never let anything bad happen at Reliance, ever. But I’m considering taking a buyout and walking away.”
“Nate, are you serious? That’s a huge step. It would blindside Owen and Jason.”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I’ve mentioned the idea in passing, but they just blow it off. Now with you and the baby, I want to be around more.”
“Great, so I’ll be the gold-digger who got knocked up and wrecked not only a successful business partnership, but,
possibly, a twenty-year friendship. It’ll be like breaking up the Beatles.”
“Well, if that happens I’ll just have to call you Yoko.” He chuckled.
“That’s not funny.”
“They’re going to think what they want. The party tomorrow will be filled with people who are going to believe you only want me because of the money. But they don’t know you. I choose to believe you want me. That you love me. Does that makes me naïve? I don’t know. But I believe in you, Jenna. In us.”
Jenna was overcome. Her heart was so full of love for this man, she thought she might lose herself in him. Everything had changed. Since meeting Nate, being part of an “us” was the most important, most magical thing in her life. And she believed in that magic. Heart, soul, and body, she believed.
Reaching up and touching his face, Jenna let the tears fall. Not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. Tears of hope. Tears to celebrate the life they would share together. “No, my darling, you’re not naive. You’re the most wonderful man, and I am so lucky to be your wife. I do love you. I do want you. And our baby could never have a better father.”
“I know this has happened fast between us, but you were always meant to be mine. Once you walked into my life everything made sense.”
“I just want to make you happy, Nate. That’s all.” She sighed. “That’s all.”
Holding her close in the middle of the busy sidewalk, Nate kissed her soundly. “You already do.”
***
The farm in Bridgehampton was on a piece of open land, encompassing twenty acres. It wasn’t as large as the Muttontown property, but no horses were bred there. This was a boarding and training facility, and he anticipated it was where his parents were going to retire.
Jenna had calmed considerably since their walk, and he was happy to see her relax and enjoying the idea of the party. In truth, Nate didn’t know what to expect. Both his sisters would be at the house, as would Owen and Kim, as well as his grandparents.
It was tomorrow that concerned him. Friends, clients, extended family, people who would judge Jenna, would all be milling around the property, and at that moment he questioned the wisdom of coming home when they did.
They could have stayed in Italy for a few more days. They could have traveled anywhere in Europe. He didn’t have to subject her to being here.
Pulling into the parking area next to the house, he spied everyone he mentioned on the back patio. The first person to spot him was his sister Leah. A lawyer, she was a year older than Jenna, methodical, cynical, and suspicious. He loved her like nothing else, but if anyone would give Jenna a hard time, it would be Leah. Amy was a softer soul. At thirty-one, she was a well-established architect, dealing specifically with design and restoration of old buildings. She was smart as a whip, but would give Jenna a chance.
Nate was taking their bag from the car when Leah came out of the yard. She was gorgeous, his sister. Tall, slender, her fair skin set off by auburn hair and green eyes; she looked like a Celtic warrior woman. And next to her, Jenna looked like a Roman goddess in her long pale blue sundress and silver sandals.
“Hey, big brother. You have a lot of nerve getting married without consulting your attorney.”
She gave Nate a hug, all the while keeping her eyes on Jenna.
“I wasn’t aware I needed an attorney. Leah, this is Jenna, my wife. Jenna, my sister Leah. She has absolutely no filter.”
Jenna offered her hand and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. I have a sister with no filter, too, so I’m already broken in.”
“Oh, Nate. She’s pretty and quick-witted. I’m impressed.”
That was mean even for Leah, and Jenna’s eyes flared at the suggestion she was lacking in intelligence. “You really have to back off, sis.” He leaned in to make sure she understood he meant business. “Otherwise, I’ll get back in the car with Jenna and leave. Then you can tell Mom, Dad, and the grands that I left because you were being unthinkably nasty to your new sister-in-law.”
“I’m trying to look out for you,” she said. “I apologize, Jenna, but my brother is too nice for his own good sometimes.”
Jenna nodded like she understood, but something in her posture told him different. When she took his hand he could feel the tension—like a snake coiled and ready to strike. “Nate is the kindest man I’ve ever met. I don’t think describing him as nice is adequate.”
“You’re probably right,” Leah agreed.
“However, he’s not unable to make decisions. His confidence is one of his most attractive traits.”
That was perfect. Polite, firm—he’d have to give his girl a big fat kiss as soon as he got the chance.
Leah didn’t know what to make of Jenna, and keeping his sister off guard was definitely a good thing. They made their way to the backyard, where there were way too many people for a small family gathering. It wasn’t just his parents, grandparents, and sisters, but Jenna’s parents, Kim and Owen as well as Jason, Meg, and the kids.
They were greeted by a flurry of activity—thankfully, it was more excitement than anything—but separated from the crowd were Jenna’s mom and dad. They were not happy.
Jenna stood with him, nervous, and Nate looked at his own mother, wondering why the Albaneses were here. His mom shrugged. “We thought it would be nice to have them out. To celebrate. I’m trying, honey.”
“I know. Thanks, Mom, but some warning would have been nice.”
He couldn’t fault his mother and her kind heart. At least she saw their marriage as something to be happy about, but Jenna’s parents were pissed. He couldn’t blame them for some of it. Should they have told them the plan? Probably. All her mother knew was that they were going away pregnant and they came back married.
Taking the first few steps, her parents met them halfway. Jenna’s mother looked stricken, like someone had died. Her father looked like he wanted to rip out Nate’s throat.
“Walk with me,” was all her dad said. Nate squeezed Jenna’s hand before going off with her dad. Fortunately, everything was in eyeshot of the patio, so if he planned to take Nate out, there would be plenty of witnesses.
“You married her without our blessing. I don’t know what to say to that.”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something.” They’d stopped by one of the large paddocks. The horses were out because it was better to turn them out at night in the summer. A pretty bay horse came over looking for attention, and Nate obliged, giving the big guy some pats. And waiting for her father to figure out what he wanted to say. Nate appreciated that he was angry, but he didn’t particularly care. He was Jenna’s husband and the father of her child. He would do whatever she wanted, and that’s it.
“Got an attitude, do you, kid? Think because you have money you can just do whatever the fuck you want? Stick your dick wherever you damn please and then use your money to take a girl from her family?”
“Do you kiss your wife and daughters with that foul mouth, sir? Maybe you could clean it up a little.” Nate leaned back against the fence and folded his arms. The retired cop was fuming at having been called on the carpet for his trash talk, and Nate didn’t give a shit. “I understand you’re upset, that your wife and family are upset, but Jenna’s happy. That’s all I care about. She’s my priority. I don’t care about how this looks, or what you think. I care what Jenna thinks.”
“I’m her father.”
“And I’m her husband. I love her with all my heart. I will take care of her, protect her and our children, love her until I die, and that’s what you should be worried about. Your choice, Mr. Albanese, is whether you want this to be easy on Jenna or hard. Will you accept her decision or not?”
“And if I don’t accept it?”
This guy was stubborn, and Nate was losing his patience. “What do you want me to say? That I’ll kick your ass? We both know I can, but that’s not my style. You will, h
owever, have to go through me before you get to her unless she tells me to stand down. I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect her.”
“Going to throw your millions around, is that it?”
“Actually it’s billions. With a B. Remember? And yes, I will. Don’t push me.”
Without warning, Jenna’s father grinned and stuck out his hand. “Good man. I was afraid with all that money you’d be a candy-ass. Call me Rocco.”
Nate shook his hand. “Was this a test?”
“Yes it was. And you passed with flying colors. I don’t like how this all went down, but I’m glad my daughter has someone who’s solidly in her corner.”
“I am. No question there.”
“She has a big soft heart, my Gia. She’s been hurt, badly. Manipulated. I worry about her. So, let me put you on notice, Nate. If you hurt her, I will rain hell down on you a thousand different ways. I won’t give a shit about your billions.”
“Noted.” No longer playing a caricature of the tough Italian father, Rocco Albanese was a man to be reckoned with. “Will you be able to get her mother and sister to stand down?”
“My wife, yes. Christina, I don’t know. I have a feeling she’s going to be as difficult as your sister Leah.”
“Great.”
“She’ll be here tomorrow. So will Francesca.”
And a hundred other people who would gossip and talk crap about him and Jenna and their quickie wedding. He definitely should have kept her away from here. “I’m going to go find Jenna and let her know everything is okay.”
Rocco nodded and walked with him. “This is some place. I can’t imagine what it would be like to grow up with this kind of space.”
Nate nodded. “It’s one of the reasons I never moved to the city. Where I grew up, we have over forty acres. I couldn’t handle being so closed in.”
“I spent the first ten years of my life in an apartment in Astoria. Then we moved to Levittown, and we had a yard to play in. That was heaven for a kid like me. Forty acres . . .” He whistled through his teeth. “That’s a lot of space.”
