Just Beginning: A Prequel to Just Destiny

by Rizzo, Theresa

  Oh my God. Jenny grimaced at the dripping kitchen and water pooling all over his hardwood floors. What’d gotten into her? Gaze never leaving Gabe’s face, Jenny tried to gauge how angry he was as she backed away. What kind of retaliation would he exact? Her mouth gapped open and closed. “I’m... I’m... I’m so sor—”

  Gabe lunged forward, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her forward, plastering her against his cold, soaked body.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I—” She twisted and squirmed, but his grip didn’t loosen a bit. Pursing her lips, she reared back to break his hold, then froze when she saw the humor in his eyes. He wasn’t angry; he was amused—and aroused. Now still, Jenny felt his erection throb against her belly. Like a light switch flicked, her shortness of breath and adrenaline rush took on an entirely different feeling. That type of retribution she was willing to take.

  Jenny relaxed into his embrace and pulled Gabe’s head down for a long, deep kiss. Through wet, clinging clothes, the heat of his body and pound of his heart called to her. She fumbled with his buttons, impatient to peel the shirt from his body. Gabe brushed her hands aside, ripped the remaining buttons, and yanked his shirt free from the waistband.

  “Think you can distract me with a few pretty kisses?” he growled.

  Jenny shivered as his warm breath tickled her ear. She ran her hand over his goose bumpy chest to his puckered nipples. Leaning forward, she licked one nub. Cold and rough. Hmm. She took it in her mouth and suckled, then a little harder as she felt the rumbling of Gabe’s groan against her lips. He liked it. She released his nipple with a kiss.

  “Is it working?”

  Gabe groaned again and burrowed into her neck. “Maybe.”

  Good to know. Jenny tugged on his belt and unbuttoned his jeans. He stood still, allowing her to divest him of the soggy clothes.

  “In that case,” she purred and pressed close, pushing his bare back against the refrigerator. Ignoring his quick hiss, she rose up on tiptoes, slipped her arms around his neck. “I intend to distract you a whole lot more.”

  Gabe picked her up and carried her down the hall into the bathroom.

  Reaching around her, he twisted the shower, set her on the counter, then quickly stripped. Jenny followed his every move with hungry eyes, enjoying his striptease. Naked, Gabe braced hands on either side of her hips and kissed her again. Only lips touching skin-to-skin, Jenny grabbed his shoulders, dug in her nails to bring Gabe closer to give her better access to damp body.

  So much bare skin to explore, Jenny wasn’t sure where she wanted to start. When Gabe held her waist and lifted her, Jenny’s legs instinctively circled him as she pulled closer and feathered kisses along his jaw.

  Gabe carried her into the shower, and Jenny hid her face against his neck as the hot, steamy water sluiced over her head, arm, and soaked half her body. Beneath the hot, steamy water, Gabe returned the favor of stripping Jenny, paying special attention to the long forgotten stings on her bottom, which had started the whole war.

  Who said fighting and making up wasn’t fun?

  Jenny woke alone in Gabe’s bed and watched dust motes dance in soft morning light. A note lay on his pillow next to a perfect, pale rose bud, telling her he’d been called away to the hospital.

  Wandering into his kitchen, Jenny found three more roses, wrapped in cellophane, sitting in a drinking glass on the kitchen table next to a mushy Hallmark card. What a sweetie; Gabe had remembered their four-month anniversary.

  The bleeping of her telephone interrupted her musings. Startled, Jenny dropped her rose and sifted through the papers, looking for her phone. There it was, under the mail.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Jen. What are you doing?” Gabe asked.

  “Working. What about you? I thought you were operating all day?”

  “My last case got cancelled. I’m meeting a realtor to look at a house. Want to come?”

  She did. She hadn’t seen Gabe in a couple of days and she missed him. It didn’t really matter what they did—being with him made her happy. But on deadline, she needed to finish her article before she went for a job interview at La Trattoria at four. She needed that waitress job to pay off the balance on her VISA. Rent was due soon, and she still owed her dad from last month.

  “Tempting, but I have to work.”

  “You’re not working now.”

  She dropped the rose, feeling guilty. “I was before you called.”

  “Don’t lie.”

  “I’m not lying,” she claimed in an indignant voice.

  “You’re sitting there, probably with one bare foot propped up on your desk, daydreaming. About me, I hope.”

  Jenny froze. “How—?”

  “I’m glad you like the roses, Jen, but come out with me.”

  Jenny bolted out of her chair. She looked at the closed apartment door, then the kitchen and the hallway. He must be here, somehow watching her. “Where are you?”

  A shadow outside the window caught her attention. He was on the deck. Gabe held up his cell phone and waved.

  “Rat,” she chuckled.

  “Please? It’ll only take an hour and a half, max, then I’ll bring you right back to work.”

  Please. She sighed. She’d always been a sucker for a man with manners. Jenny hung up the phone, slipped into her shoes, grabbed her purse, and walked to the door. Tossing her long hair over one shoulder, she arched a brow. “An hour and a half? I’m going to hold you to that, Harrison.”

  He smiled and closed the door behind her. “Hello to you, too.”

  * * *

  They headed north on Lake Shore Drive. The drive along the water relaxed Jenny as usual. She loved watching the twinkling green water with gliding sailboats, racing speedboats, and profusion of fat Canadian geese waddling along the shoreline or the elegant swan pair that had taken up residence around the Crescent Club.

  They passed Saint Paul’s Church, the Farms Pier, then the Yacht Club to Grosse Pointe Shores. Gabe turned down a narrow gravel drive and parked in front of a medium-size brick house.

  She perked up and looked around with interest. “It’s on the water?”

  “It’s smaller than I’d wanted, but the realtor thought there’d be room to add on.” He switched off the ignition. “That must be her.”

  The house sat dwarfed by a huge oak tree, looking somewhat sad and neglected amongst weed-filled dried-out grass, overgrown yews, and dogwoods. Jenny lifted her hair off her sticky neck and stepped into the shade. Even in this humidity, the lawn needed watering. She glanced at the water beyond the driveway. Wonder if they were allowed to use the lake to water their yards. Probably not.

  Gabe took her hand, and they walked up the cracked cement sidewalk to where wooden barrels of wilting impatiens flanked the porch in an obvious attempt to infuse the house with some cheerful color. The owners didn’t have much of a green thumb.

  A smiling blonde stood in the doorway of the house, framed by peeling white-painted brick and covered by a slanted red tile roof. Her high heels showed off shapely calves, and her welcoming smile was much, much wider than the brief skirt that almost covered her butt.

  Jenny frowned and cocked her head to the side. How the heck did she manage to sit in that thing without giving all nearby males a cheap thrill? As Barbie realtor batted her big doe eyes at Gabe, Jenny’s imaginary hackles rose.

  With one delicate claw on his arm, Barbie tried to draw Gabe into the house.

  Gabe disentangled himself from the woman’s grasp, pulled the door wide, and with a warm caressing hand at her back, urged Jenny forward. She inwardly smiled in feminine satisfaction as she brushed past the other woman.

  The realtor chatted brightly while giving them the tour, handed Gabe information, and then left them alone in the house while she went to her car to make some phone calls. Jenny stood in the family room before the wall of glass admiring the lake.

  “Not much of a backyard with that slope,” Gabe observed. “Must be a pain to cut the grass.”


  Jenny looked at the dried out straw masquerading as a lawn. “It’s not that steep. Healthy green grass would look lovely. I bet a good landscaper could come up with a fabulous design. Maybe something terraced...besides, you’d have a whole lake for your back yard. It even has a boat dock.”

  “What do you think of the house though? It needs work. Plumbing and electricity need updating. Undoubtedly a new roof.” He frowned and glanced at the kitchen. “Kitchen needs to be completely redone and opened up, bathrooms gutted...”

  “And the yard needs reworking and it’s just crying for an enclosed porch off the dining room.” She bit her thumbnail, thinking about how her parents’ home flooded periodically and how much work it was to clean up the basement. “The foundation looked solid—no cracks or sign of flooding or water damage, but you’d have to have it inspected.”

  “Lot of work. And I’d want it done right away—enclosed before the winter.”

  “It’s vacant, so you wouldn’t have to wait for the owners to move out, but getting a builder and permits immediately would be challenging. Winter seems ambitious.”

  “Not if you know the right people and are willing to pay. Still, it’s a lot of work.”

  “Yeah. But look at that view.” Jenny sighed and pivoted toward the lake. “And it’s close enough to the hospital and your office. I like it.”

  Gabe wrapped his arms around Jenny, back to chest, and rested his chin on her head. “You do?”

  She tilted back until she leaned flush against him. “Yup.”

  “Enough to help me remodel it?”

  “Sure.” It’d be a fun project.

  Lulled into a lazy, satisfied complacency, she stared at the lake. The calm water gently lapped at the concrete retaining wall. Miles away, a huge gray freighter, flying a flag Jenny couldn’t quite make out, lumbered by, not even coming close to obscuring their view of Canada.

  It must be wonderful to watch the sunrise each morning from here.

  “Enough to share it with me?”

  Jenny turned to the side, craning in his arms to look at his face. “You want to live together?”

  Gabe’s hands slid down her arms and turned her to face him. Taking her hands in his, he threaded his fingers through hers. “I want to marry you.”

  “Marry?” As in, get married? As in wedding? As in husband and wife, marry?

  He nodded. “We’re good together—great together. And you make me happy. You’re so...” He frowned, struggling to find the right words, “passionate and sincere.” Pausing, his eyes locked onto hers. “I love you, Jenny. Will you marry me?”

  Jenny’s heart lifted, and her breathing slowed. He loved her. The thought both thrilled and humbled her. Wow. Gabe wanted to marry her. “But we’ve only been together four months.”

  “I knew after four days—after our first date. This just feels right. We’re right. I know you feel it too.”

  She nodded. She did feel it. She felt good, strong, and complete when she was with Gabe. Jenny enjoyed every moment they spent together, but she’d never really thought about marriage.

  Jenny Harrison? It sounded good. It sounded great. As Jenny Harrison, she could forget her screwed-up past and begin anew. As Gabe’s wife, and Alex and Ted’s stepmother, she could wipe the slate clean. Marriage to this wonderful, sexy man would allow her to put those haunting mistakes to rest and become reborn, a completely new and better person. She could do it. She could.

  Tell him. Tell him now, an inner voice urged. He wants to marry you—he has a right to know. It’ll be okay; he loves you. He believes in unconditional love, the voice reminded.

  Jenny’s hands suddenly felt cold in his larger, warmer ones. Her gaze dropped to scrutinize his shirt button, peeking out from beneath the protection of his skewed silk tie. Unconditional love—for his children.

  She bit her lip, knowing that the love from a parent to a child was far different than this. Gabe had loved his children for eighteen years. They were a part of him—flesh of his flesh. Would he be so forgiving with a love he’d only had for mere months? She wanted to believe so.

  Besides, he respected and loved her honesty. How could she tell him she lived a lie? She couldn’t. She couldn’t bear to see regret and disillusionment cloud his eyes. He may still love her, but she couldn’t take that risk.

  She’d always had to earn love, and she was willing to work for Gabe’s. But if he knew about her past, she’d never have a chance. She’d lose his respect for sure, and she couldn’t live with that loss—another loss.

  “Jenny?” he prompted. “Don’t fall all over yourself accepting. I’m not sure my ego could take it.”

  Conscience prodding her, Jenny pulled out of his embrace. She couldn’t believe she was going to blow this, but she had to be fair—for his sake. Avoiding his earnest gaze, she looked down and wrapped taut arms over her nervous stomach.

  “Umm... I... I haven’t made very good decisions in the past.” She frowned and looked away.

  “I’ve made a few bad calls, too. Who hasn’t?”

  “I don’t trust my instincts anymore.”

  “Then trust mine.” Gabe moved closer until she could feel the heat from his body and smell his sexy cologne. He hooked a gentle finger beneath Jenny’s chin, lifting it until she met his warm gaze. “My instincts say you should marry me and we’ll be crazy happy together.”

  Jenny closed her eyes and pulled away. “But what if we’re not? What if I screw it up?” That was what she did. Jenny was a master at getting herself in trouble, and after all Gabe had been through, she couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing him. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t. You couldn’t.”

  Jenny’s eyes popped open, and she cocked her head. Oh, don’t challenge me that way. If only you knew.

  But it wasn’t a challenge. His unwavering stare spoke of confidence and sincerity. He had that much faith. He believed in her, in them. This wasn’t some spontaneous suggestion blurted out; Gabe seriously wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Her stomach quivered in excitement that he loved her that much.

  “Trust me.” He took her cold hands and warmed them between his. “Do I make you happy?”

  “Yes.”

  He paused, searching her face. “Do you love me?”

  She swallowed hard. With all my heart. “Yes.”

  His face lightened, but still he didn’t smile. He squeezed her hands. “Then marry me.”

  Could it really be that simple? He makes me happy. I love him. He loves me. Of course he made her happy, happier than she’d ever been. And she loved him more than anything. He believed in her. He completed her in a way no other could. In such a short time, he’d become so very important to her that she couldn’t imagine life without him. But could it really be that simple?

  Frightened to say the words aloud as if she’d jinx them if she did, Jenny looked at him and nodded.

  “Yes?” Widening eyes matched his emerging smile.

  She nodded again, grinning.

  “You’re sure? You’re not just marrying me for this fancy house on the lake and my car?”

  Her credit card balance and rent money problem flashed to mind, but Jenny promptly pushed those worries away. She’d get that waitress job and wouldn’t spend a cent until she’d paid off all her debts. She loved this man, and she was going to marry him.

  Jenny shook her head and threw her arms around his neck. “Your body. I’m marrying you for your sexy body.”

  * * *

  Mary Campbell stood in their family room. With her arms tightly wound around her stomach, she leveled a flat stare at Jenny. “Are you pregnant?”

  “Mary,” her father put a warning hand on her shoulder.

  “What?” Surely Jenny hadn’t heard right. “No, I’m not pregnant.” Bewilderment turned to anger, and Jenny came off the couch to face her mother. “Why? You think the only way I could get a man like Gabe is by trapping him?”

  “You’ve onl
y known each other a few weeks, and he is quite a bit older than you,” her mother said.

  “Surprise, Mom.” Jenny glared through narrow, hurt-filled eyes. “He loves me.”

  They’d been together more than a few weeks—long enough to know this wasn’t puppy love. She and Gabe were old enough to know their minds. Jenny didn’t understand her mom’s reaction. Gabe was a good, honest man, not like her immature first love, Danny Sullivan. Most mothers would be thrilled their daughter was marrying a doctor. Why couldn’t she be happy for them?

  “How well does he know you, Jennifer?” her mother asked with a pointed look.

  Gabe stood and put a reassuring arm around Jenny’s shoulder. “Mrs. Campbell, I know this seems a bit sudden, but we’ve been dating for months, and I love your daughter very much. I’m fourteen years older than Jenny, but that’s not an issue for either of us. I’m sorry if you have a problem with it.”

  “Fourteen years is a long time, Dr. Harrison—almost middle-aged.”

  “Forty is hardly middle-aged, Mom,” Jenny protested. “Not anymore.”

  “Please, call me Gabe. Jenny and I love each other, and we’re getting married. We’re not asking permission, we’re inviting you to share our happiness.” He paused, “Naturally, we’d like your blessing.”

  “Yesss,” Michael hissed from the doorway. Mom’s instant glare wiped the smile from his face. He settled into a recliner and pulled out his iPod, pretending to play a game.

  Her mother returned her attention to them. “This is so sudden. What’s the hurry?”

  “No hurry. There’s just no reason to wait.” Gabe slipped a hand under Jenny’s hair to massage her tense neck muscles.

  The warm, intimate look he gave Jenny both curled her toes and lifted her heart. This was right. The most right thing she’d ever done. Jenny looked at her parents and raised an impish eyebrow. “Would you rather we moved in together and lived in sin?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Really?” Jenny searched her mom’s face trying to discern if she was serious or just testing her. Why in the world would her conservative, Catholic mom prefer that they live together without being married? She was condoning premarital sex? That went against everything her mom believed in.