by Jeannie Moon
“Of course you did.” Could her luck be worse?
“I’ll hang here, glad-hand a few folks, and then head out to my friend’s house in East Hampton.”
“You’re working with Reliance?”
He nodded, raising an eyebrow. “Top-secret,” he whispered. “They’re looking to grow the company in the big way. But let’s stop talking about me. What have you been up to since California? I’d love to see you for a drink, maybe. For old times sake.”
“I don’t think so.” What an asshole. For old times’ sake? The last thing she wanted was any reminder of the time she spent with him.
“Come on.” He sat on the arm of the chair and got close enough for her to smell the liquor on his breath. “We were good together.”
Was he kidding?
“Hey there.”
Nate. Now she’d have to introduce them.
“Nate Bayard! I’m Royce Camden. I work with Rigsby Consulting.”
Nate shook Royce’s hand and Jenna felt a little ill. Two completely disparate parts of her life were crashing together. It could not have been worse. “It’s a pleasure, Royce.”
Yeah, not a pleasure. Nate was being cordial, that was all. He’d already figured out her connection to Royce. “I see you know my wife.”
If someone had dumped ice water on Royce’s head, he could not have been more surprised. “Excuse me?” Royce turned his head toward Jenna. “Did you say your wife?”
“Yes.” Nate’s hand settled on the small of Jenna’s back. “Very recent. We just got back from Italy yesterday. We were married there.”
“Well,” Royce said as he ran his hand through his perfectly coifed blond hair. “That’s just stellar. Congratulations to you both. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Nate. It’s a great party.”
Royce swept off to try to charm another group of people, which included Piper Lansing and her new husband. Jenna wished the world would just open up and swallow him. He was at the root of the worst chapter of her life. Not only had he brought all kinds of misery down on people she knew in California, now he was here, with a connection to Reliance.
“You want to tell me about that? Your ex?” Nate didn’t look angry, but he sure as hell wasn’t happy Royce was there. “How did he get an invitation? And is he really working for one of our contract firms? That’s not going to last.”
“Is there someplace we can talk? I have to tell you some things.”
“Sure. Haven’t you told me most of it?” Never breaking contact, he guided her toward the guest house. No one would be there at this point in the day. At least that’s what they thought, until they entered the house and heard voices. It was Jason and Owen, and the topic of conversation made Jenna a little sick.
They were talking about her.
“He’s made a huge mistake,” Owen said. “He married her without a pre-nup. With everything he has to lose, his family has to lose, if she goes after them? No document. He’s going to lose his shirt.”
“Why do you think she’d do that? I like Jenna and she’s been good for Nate.”
“She’s an Albanese. I don’t trust those people. Kim may have forgiven them, but they caused her more heartache and pain than anyone should have to endure. I won’t forget.”
“I don’t think that’s fair,” Jason said. “That would be like blaming me for my father’s dick moves over the years.”
“She’s going to go after his money. That’s all she wants. According to Piper, Nate’s ex, she’s used an alias.”
“An alias?” Jason couldn’t sound more annoyed than he did.
“Gia Albanese or something like that. He’s been pining for her for a year and all of a sudden they’re madly in love? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“You need to calm down, man. Nothing has happened. I don’t know what kind of bug has crawled up your ass, Owen, but it’s not really any of our business.”
“It is if it can hurt Reliance.”
Jenna never realized how much Owen disliked her. Now she was so hurt and humiliated she didn’t know how she’d face anyone. Is that what he thought? That her husband was a money grab? Jenna turned away from Nate and pressed her fingers to her lips.
“I did a background check,” Owen continued. “Do you know she was implicated in a possible fraud scheme? Nothing could be proved, but her ex took off, and left her with almost two million in debt. She’s still paying it off.”
Nate looked down at her. “Why didn’t you tell me? It’ll be gone tomorrow.”
“The amount was significantly lower once I sold everything, including the condo,” she whispered. “Royce had been in charge of our finances, and when he left, I found out he hadn’t paid a single bill. It’s almost paid off.”
“Jesus, is that what we were going to talk about?”
Jenna nodded. “Yes, but there’s more. You can’t let Royce near Reliance or any of the people. He’ll bleed the company and the employees.”
“Okay. I’ll need details.”
“Of course. I’ll tell you what I can, but I’d be better off giving you the number of the lawyer at the SEC who questioned me for ten hours.” Jenna focused her attention back on Owen and Jason. “I can’t believe how much Owen hates me and my family.”
“Yeah. He obviously doesn’t think very much of me, either.” That was the realization that was the most painful, and she could see it on Nate’s face.
“I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”
“No. That problem isn’t about you, but one that’s been a long time in the making. But it’s extreme, even for him.” Jenna held Nate, knowing he was hurting, knowing his life had changed irrevocably since she became part of it. Right then, Jenna didn’t know if she was the best thing for him, and it broke her heart to think about.
“Go on upstairs. You look tired. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
Leaving him at that moment was hard, because she knew he was going to face down his two best friends, men who had shared almost every milestone with him. He was doing this for her, but he was also doing it for himself.
However, the honest truth was that she knew being with her was bad for him. The fact that Piper Lansing, who’d been so pleasant at the polo match, had set her gums flapping was only the beginning of the gossip that could damage Reliance, as well as his family’s business. Just as Jenna thought . . . people didn’t need a reason to be rotten to others. The stability he’d built over the years, that he craved, was at risk because wherever she went, a cyclone followed.
If nothing else, Jenna was consistent. Relationships were bad luck for the people she loved, and even though she loved Nate with all her heart, leaving was something she had to consider.
Even if her heart would break.
Sitting on the bed where he had made love to her this morning, where she stayed for an hour, safe, warm, and surrounded by his memory and his scent, Jenna didn’t know what she should do.
Chapter Fourteen
He should stand up for what he believes in.
—#9, Jenna’s Boyfriend List
Nate stepped into the kitchen, where Owen and Jason had lapsed into what appeared to be a very uncomfortable silence. It was time for him to step in, stand up for his wife and stand up for himself. The armchair quarterbacking was over.
“What are you doing in here?” Owen snapped.
“Jenna is upstairs,” he said, circling the kitchen. “She’s tired. I wanted to make sure she was feeling okay.”
Jason looked worried. “Jenna’s upstairs?”
“Yup. Just went up. With the party in full swing, we were surprised to hear people when we came into the house.”
Now it was Owen’s turn to be concerned. And he was. “Nate, I . . .”
“Shut up, Owen. Don’t say a fucking word.”
Nate turned to grip the granite countertop, leaned in,
and felt every muscle in his back tighten as the anger filled him. Owen had insulted his wife. His friend thought he was some kind of idiot who couldn’t watch out for his own affairs. “You’ve crossed the line this time. I’ve been putting up with your cocksure, I-know-everything attitude since we were fifteen. I’ve been put down, pushed around, and dismissed, and I’m not putting up with your shit anymore.”
“I don’t know what you heard, but you need to calm down, bro.”
“I should calm down?” Nate turned and advanced on him. Even the big tough marine was wise enough to know Nate was not a man to be messed with at that moment. “Fuck you and your orders, Major Kent. You don’t insult my wife and think I’m going to stand for it. MY WIFE is off limits. You leave her alone.”
Jason nodded, but Owen dug in. Nate could see he was annoyed at being questioned. “Your wife could be a problem for our business. For our lives. Your impulsiveness could end up being very expensive.”
“Is that how my life breaks down to you? Is it only about net worth? That’s it?”
“It’s not just about you. What if she goes after the business?” Owen snapped.
“For Christ’s sake! She’s not going to! Why on earth would she do that?”
“Because it’s worth billions of dollars.”
“So am I.” Nate shrugged. “The business is a corporation. You don’t have anything to worry about. So what’s the real issue? Is it just your personal hatred of her family? Is it something else? What?”
“How do you know she’s the one? I mean, you barely know her. She’s got massive debt and probably hooked up with you for your wallet.”
“How did you know? How do you know Kim isn’t looking for a big payout? Do you have a pre-nup?”
Owen froze. Jason was watching and Nate had to wonder what he thought. Jason was rarely without an opinion, but he didn’t always express what he was feeling.
But Owen wasn’t saying a word. “You don’t like being challenged, Owen, you never have. In some ways I don’t know how we’ve been friends all these years.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re acting like an asshole. And while I respect what you’ve given to this country, sometimes you treat people like fucking doormats.”
“Look, we’re partners. We’re friends. I have a right to ask questions.”
“No, you don’t. This is my personal life. My wife, my marriage, my child. You have no say.” Nate thought he’d be screaming, but he wasn’t. His voice was low. Steady. He felt the rage in his chest and if Owen pushed him too far, there was a good chance he might snap.
Folding his arms, Owen stared at Nate. He considered him, his expression. And then like a rock, his friend’s words hit him square. “How do you know the kid is yours? How do you know she’s even pregnant?”
Pain shot through Nate’s neck and heart, lodging behind his eyes, and making his jaw twitch. Heat flooded through him, and before Nate knew what happened, he lunged at Owen and dropped him with a right hook to the jaw.
Grabbing Owen by the shirt, Nate was about to hit him again when Jason grabbed him from behind and hauled him back. “Nate, stop! Don’t.”
Pointing at Owen, the rage bubbled. “You don’t talk about her like that. Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Owen stood, rubbing his jaw and licking his lip where Nate had drawn blood. “I’m your goddamn friend. I’m trying to watch out for you. For your business. For everything you’ve worked for.”
“I don’t give a shit about the business. Jenna and our baby—that’s who I care about.” He shook off Jason and stood toe-to-toe with Owen. “Reliance is not my dream. A family is. I’m done. I want out.”
“Nate, you can’t mean that.” Jason moved to one side, positioning himself so he could jump between him and Owen if something happened.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time,” Nate spat. “Jenna and the baby just sealed the deal for me.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Owen snarled. “Again with the baby! What if there is no baby?”
Nate moved to hit him again, but Jason intervened. “Owen,” Jason said, “if you say that again, I’ll hit you myself.”
Owen backed himself into the refrigerator and stuffed his hands in his pockets while Nate leaned on the island and dropped his head forward. “I don’t want to do this with you. I don’t want to keep going with Reliance, either. This is not how I saw my life unfolding. I was going to work with my family’s business. That was my plan.”
“You’re going to give up working with us, one of the hottest tech brands, to play with the horses?” Disdain dripped from Owen’s words. Nate should have expected it.
“Pretty much. That’s my passion. Computers, tech, high finance? That’s all cool, but it’s not me. I’m not that intense. You tell me that all the time, Owen.”
“I didn’t mean you should quit.”
“Then what did you mean?” Nate righted himself and stretched his neck. “Obviously I’m not as strong a partner. Lesser somehow.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. Shit.” Owen banged the back of his head lightly on the refrigerator door. “I just meant that you need to be more aggressive. More forceful.”
“I’d have to give enough shits about it to be aggressive or forceful. I think when I hit you I qualified. What do you think?” Nate raised an eyebrow and enjoyed Jason’s suppressed laughter.
Owen rubbed his jaw. “I would say that’s definitely something.”
“If I ever hear you talking about Jenna again, I will make you hurt, Owen. I swear to God I will.”
“Noted. But I don’t want you to leave the company. We need you.”
“To do what, exactly? You can find another person to do my job. Tris is completely able to take over, if that’s what you want.”
“I don’t want that. I want us to keep this going.” Owen turned his head toward Jason. “Jay, say something.”
Jason looked Nate dead in the eye. There was something sad in there, but he had a feeling he knew what was coming. “Your share of the business is worth about two billion dollars. We could do a cash payout for part of it and leave you with a smaller stake in the corporation. How does that sound?”
“Are you fucking out of your mind?” Owen shouted. “What are you telling him?”
“I’m telling him what he wants to hear,” Jason said. “What aren’t you understanding, Owen? This isn’t your decision.”
“Guys have you seen . . .” Kim walked into the kitchen. “Oh, my God.” She walked to her husband and gently touched the left side of his face. It was swollen and a nice bruise was developing. “What the hell happened? You look like you walked into a wall.”
Jason shook his head. “Nope. Nate’s fist.”
Kim raised both eyebrows. “Seriously?”
“Holy crap!” Now Meg was there. Wonderful. “Did you walk into a wall?”
Owen rolled his eyes and winced. “Shit. No. Nate hit me.”
“He what?” Meg stopped, thought for a second, and turned to Owen. “What did you do?”
Owen just threw up his hands.
“You said something about Jenna,” Kim began. “Didn’t you?” When he didn’t answer, Kim clenched her fists in frustration. “I love you, my husband, but sometimes you are such an asshole. Nate, where is she?”
“She went upstairs to lie down.”
Meg and Kim turned to each other and the look that passed between them made Nate’s heart skip a beat.
“She’s not up there,” Kim said.
“What do you mean she’s not?” Fear washed over him. She couldn’t just bolt. Leave without saying anything. She didn’t have a car. “Oh, no.”
All of them ran from the guest house and searched the crowd first for Jenna, but then for Jenna’s parents or one of her sisters. Kim saw Mrs. Albanes
e first and headed off and, as Nate followed, Leah grabbed his arm. “Did you know your wife’s ex is here? He said to watch out for her, she’s not exactly honest. Has a history.”
“Leah, stop it. You’re an attorney and you’re getting conned. He left Jenna with millions in debt and then took off. He’s the one who was investigated.”
“So she needs the money. See? I was right.”
“She’s managed to pay off most of it on her own. She doesn’t need anything. Have you seen her?”
“A few minutes ago. I told her not to try to get her hands on your bank accounts.”
“Leah! What is wrong with you?”
Kim came running back. “Her mother hasn’t seen her, but Tina and Chessie left.”
“Left?” Owen turned his eyes toward the long crushed shell driveway and to the road beyond. Where would she go?
“My guess Jenna was with them.”
“How could she leave?”
Kim drew a breath and narrowed her eyes at Leah, who looked down. “Jenna is very proud. She would hate that you were catching all this flack about her. The gossip. She was burned so badly. Royce most likely took all the money from his clients. But Jenna was stuck with the fallout from the people in San Francisco that he conned.”
“He said she took the money.” Leah folded her arms.
“He said?”
“Royce. Her ex. Twenty minutes ago. He’s over by the putting green.” She pointed. “And Piper had a few things to say as well.”
Kim took a step and then waved it off. “I don’t have time for him now. I can’t imagine she’d leave just based on your argument with Owen. And who is Piper? Is that the woman you dumped last year?” Kim rubbed the back of her neck. “Is there anything else?”
Nate glared at Leah. “Leah has a bad habit of jumping to conclusions and then running her mouth.”
“Perfect. Her ex, Owen, Leah, and hormones. A shitstorm.” Kim sat on a stone wall, surveying the crowd, then she snapped her fingers. “She left with her sisters.”
“She could go anywhere. The city, to see friends, on a trip.” Nate drew a shaky breath, ran both hands through his hair. “I hope you’re both happy now.” His sister and Owen had a hand in this. They pushed Jenna. Drove her away. Now he had to find her. He had to.
