It took her a minute, her eyes shining in the lamplight, before she finally nodded.
They settled in, and Jarret pulled Raine closer, forcing her to cuddle with him whether she liked it or not. He was all about the aftercare. Her fingers lightly stroked his chest while his made circle patterns on her shoulder.
“Why did your parents name you Raine?” he asked out of the blue. In his family, names meant something. His parents had named him after his mother’s father and Camron after their dad’s. Raine wasn’t something he’d ever heard before.
Her shoulder lifted and fell, her answer long in coming. “I was born in the middle of a bad storm. Power outages, flooding, that kind of thing. My mom said they chose Raine because it’s symbolic of how rain washes away the dirt, giving everything a fresh start.” That was a nice outlook, Jarret thought, but that wasn’t the end of her story.
“When I was eight, I sat in my bedroom window counting the seconds between thunders. It was late, and I should have been in bed, but I couldn’t sleep. My dad came in to check on me, and while he was tucking me in, I told him what Mom had said. He told me that wasn’t why. He said the storm was a sign, that my future was destined to be filled with rain. It took me a few years to figure out his meaning, but I think he meant that my life was going to be filled with sadness and disappointments.”
Instinctively, Jarret knew she was talking about the baby and he got angry on her behalf. “I think your mom was right. Sunshine always follows the rain, so rain is an indication of good things to come.”
She ran her hand down his arm and back up again, thinking. “I think my mom was right, too.”
Damn right she was. If Jarret ever met Raine’s father, he hoped the guy had a strong jaw, because he was going to knock his ass out. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with Raine, and this just proved to him that there was something seriously wrong with her father. Any man who could look at someone as good and pure as her and think anything besides holding her and taking care of her deserved a good punch in the face.
Gathering her closer, Jarret kissed the top of Raine’s head and vowed never to be the person who let her down.
And then he hoped like hell he’d be able to keep his promise.
TWENTY-ONE
Raine wiped her sweaty palms down the front of her dress. Holy crap, why did she agree to this? “I really think you should take me home,” she told Jarret as he pulled into the semicircle drive in front of the fancy restaurant. Inside, she knew the rest of the Moss family was waiting on them, and the idea of facing them again made her stomach roll. “I’m not feeling well.”
“You’re just nervous,” Jarret reasoned as he put the SUV into park, popped open his door, and accepted a ticket from the valet. Rounding the front, he opened her door and helped her from her seat.
“Jarret, I changed my mind,” Raine said, looking up at the stately building. She’d thought the first restaurant she had met them at was fancy, but she knew without even entering this place that she didn’t fit. It was as if his parents were shoving their wealth in her face, telling her without words that they thought she was trash. Well, she didn’t need the fanfare to tell her that. The snooty looks and clipped words were more than enough to get their message across.
Clutching Jarret’s hand, Raine looked into his sharp blue eyes. “Please, just take me home. I can’t do this. Not today.” Not any day was what she really wanted to say.
Cupping the back of her head, Jarret kissed her sweetly. His smile was sympathetic, but she could see something in his eyes that told her he wasn’t backing down from this. “This is my family. I don’t know where we’re going with this thing between us, but if there is an us then we need to find a way to make it all work. Take deep breaths and stick with me, Peach. We’ll get through it together.” Placing his hand at the small of her back, he led her inside.
Disappointment rushed through her, but she allowed herself to be led. When Raine thought fancy, she hadn’t realized how fancy fancy could be. Glittering chandeliers hung low from the ceiling over every gold and burgundy linen-draped table. Soft, rich musical notes played behind a gentle thrum of conversation, and every person she laid eyes on wore something that probably cost her entire year’s wages, ten times over.
Even though Jarret bought the dress she was wearing and the cost had been nothing to sneeze at, she felt tremendously underdressed. All the men, including the waiters, wore suits. Her only saving grace was that Jarret, who’d worn an understated business casual look of black suit pants and a simple white button-down, seemed comfortable and confident in his attire. She hid behind him.
In a brisk tone of voice that Raine hadn’t heard him use before, Jarret gave the man standing at the podium his last name. Once they were checked off the list and their coats were taken, they were led through the dining area.
Raine dragged her feet the whole way, forcing Jarret to tow her along behind him while she searched the room for all possible exits. Had he not been holding her hand in a vice grip, she might have run.
A few tables from the back, she spotted the Mosses. They hadn’t noticed them coming yet, giving Raine a few precious seconds to prepare herself. Mrs. Moss sat rigid in her seat, her pallid skin appearing ghostly beneath the mood lighting. Everything about her was perfectly put together, right down to her bejeweled fingers.
Mr. Moss sat beside his wife, his eyes downcast as he typed rapidly on his phone. There was a distinct chill in the air that grew colder the closer they came to the table, and by the time they reached it, Raine wished she had remembered to bring a sweater.
“Mom, Dad.”
Mrs. Moss was the first to look up, and when she did, Raine shivered. Her eyes were like glaciers, no warmth in them at all. She stood, smiling tightly at her son. “Jarret, you made it. And I see you brought your friend. Good.” The look she sent Raine belied her words.
Keeping hold of her hand, Jarret leaned in to kiss his mother’s cheek. “Thank you for asking us to dinner, Mother. I think this will be a good night for everyone.”
“With the kind of prices this place charges, it’d better be.” Not bothering to stand, hug, or even shake hands, Mr. Moss tipped his head. “Sit down before you cause me neck strain.”
With his back to her, Raine couldn’t see Jarret’s face, but she felt it when his shoulders sagged, and she knew that he was disappointed in the less than warm reception. Pulling the seat closest to the wall out, Jarret led her by the hand, tucking her chair in under her. Raine smiled nervously at the couple across from them, swallowing down the lump in her throat as they stared back blandly.
Beneath the table, Jarret squeezed her hand. “So, how have you been?” Jarret asked of them conversationally.
“Same as usual. Your father’s been working hard on another merger, and I’ve been doing what I do best.”
“Namely spending my money.” His father chuckled, but there was a distinctly snide air to it that made Raine stiffen. His wife’s only response was to dutifully nod and pick up her wine glass, emptying it in one large swallow.
After an unbearably long silence, Jarret broke the ice. Raine just wished he had chosen another topic. "Will Camron be joining us tonight?”
The smile on his mother’s face was one of complete adoration. Even perfect strangers would be able to see that she held her youngest son up on a pedestal. “He’s running a little late, but yes, he’ll be here. He’s really looking forward to sorting all this out.”
She bet he was. Raine almost couldn’t contain an eye roll. If Camron was coming, it was because he was hoping to stir up trouble, not put it to rest. Her anxiety mounted.
Cold blue eyes shifted to Raine. “Rachel, was it?”
“Raine, actually,” she replied, smiling politely. The woman knew her name full well. She couldn’t count how many times she’d been reminded of it, and Raine knew it was just another way of insulting her without having to look bad.
“That’s right. Never get old, Raine. It all goes downhill,
starting with memory.” Her thin-lipped smile was anything but friendly. “So, how is the pregnancy progressing? Everything is going well, I presume? No complications we should worry about?”
The last thing Raine wanted to do was talk about her baby with these people, but she supposed it was unavoidable. An elephant that big couldn’t really be dodged without getting a few toes stepped on.
Drawing in a deep breath, Raine shook her head. “No, no complications. The baby is perfectly healthy.”
“Splendid.” Refilling her glass, Mrs. Moss rolled the wine around in her cup, staring Raine down. “And do we know what the little one is going to be?”
“Raine’s decided she wants it to be a surprise,” Jarret answered for her. Raine detected a hint of excitement in his voice. “But I’ve seen the sonogram and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a boy. Raine carries the picture in her purse,” he said, turning to her with light in his eyes. “Get it out so I can show them.”
As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t say no. Not if there was even a smidgen of hope of burying the hatchet. She didn’t know why she was being so magnanimous, except to say that she hated confrontation almost as much as harboring resentment. Sometimes it was just easier to go with the grain. So Raine dug in her purse. “My insurance only covers 2D,” she explained as she handed it over to Jarret. “I doubt you’ll be able to really see anything. I don’t even know how the people reading them can figure out what they’re looking at,” she joked.
Leaning in, Mrs. Moss glanced briefly at the photograph. “Well, that is why they call them professionals. I don’t see anything, Jarret.”
“You look at it, Dad,” Jarret urged, continuing to hold out the photo. “Tell me you don’t think that’s a boy.” He pointed to a spot in the middle of the picture, and Raine wanted to laugh. The man was delusional, and she loved it. She loved his excitement. It made her want to climb into his lap and kiss him.
“It looks like a blob of nothing to me,” his father said, unimpressed. “Put that away so we can eat now.”
Clearly irritated with them both, Jarret sat back in his seat, his eyes burning with pent up anger. Reaching over, Raine slipped the sonogram from his fingers before he crushed it. It distracted him enough that Jarret turned his head to look at her. She gave him a small smile of understanding, letting him know that she saw it too and she was supporting him as much as he was her. It wasn’t until his expression softened that she felt like she could breathe again. Beneath the table, he took her hand, lacing their fingers together and resting them in her lap.
Raine’s stomach grumbled, and her cheeks heated, hoping no one had heard. But Jarret had. “Where’s the waiter?” he asked no one in particular.
“Oh, he should be around soon with the plates,” his mother answered.
Jarret frowned. “You already ordered?”
“Of course,” she said, as if it should have been expected. “I didn’t know when everyone would be here, and there’s nothing worse than that awkward silence while everyone figures out what they’re eating then waits an eternity for it to arrive. I ordered for everyone.”
She seemed proud of herself. Raine instantly went on alert. And rightly so, since minutes later the food arrived. As her plate was placed in front of her, Raine felt her stomach revolt. Clamping her hand over her nose and mouth, Raine just barely managed to suppress her gag reflex. She couldn’t believe she’d ever tried to defend the woman. Clearly, she was out to get her.
“Damn it,” Jarret cursed, snatching her plate away and setting it at the edge of the table, as far away from her as it could get.
“Sir, is something wrong with your meal?” The waiter, an older gentleman with graying slicked back hair and a kind face, asked as he visually inspected the assortment of seafood drenched in fragrant butter sauce.
“Yes,” Jarret said sternly. “Take this back to the kitchen and bring back something lighter. My girlfriend has a sensitive stomach.”
Glancing at Raine, the waiter’s gaze dropped to her stomach and understanding reflected in his eyes. “Sir, we have seasoned chicken, rice, and a salad. It was my wife’s favorite meal with each of our three children. Shall I put the order in?”
Jarret nodded sharply. “That will work fine. Thank you.”
The waiter took away the dish and Raine breathed a sigh of relief. Her stomach was less sensitive than it used to be, but the sight and smell of seafood still turned her stomach. She blamed it on his parents. They provided her with her first, and worst, experience with the dish.
“Thank you,” she whispered to Jarret.
“No problem, Peach.”
“Your girlfriend?” Until that moment, Raine could almost have forgotten that his parents were there, watching and listening to everything. “How long has this been going on? Does your brother know?”
“Does his brother know what?”
Raine’s body trembled at the sound of Camron’s voice. Following everyone’s lead, she looked up to see him standing at the head of the table. Her heart picked up pace, beating hard against her ribs, and her ears began to ring. Beside him stood Marylyn, her smile wide and taunting. She wore a skimpy, black dress that barely covered her thighs, her hair done up, nails French tipped. She fit in here far better than Raine, and it was clear from the welcoming smile on Mr. and Mrs. Moss’ faces that they liked her far better, too.
Gaze dropping to Raine’s stomach, Marylyn smirked. “Hey, Raine. Don’t you look nice today.”
Her comment directed Camron’s attention on her, and Raine wished she could shrivel up and disappear. Camron never simply looked at her, he leered. It was flattering when they were dating, but now everything about him made her uneasy.
“Honey, we were just discussing something your brother mentioned,” his mother said as Camron and his date pulled up chairs at the head of the table. “It’s nothing to concern yourself over.”
“If it has to do with me, then it concerns me. What’s going on?” Lifting his arm, Camron snapped his fingers and a waiter rushed over to take his drink order. After he was gone, he returned his attention to the table.
Clearing his throat, Jarret spoke up, sounding put out. “Mom and Dad are mad because I called Raine my girlfriend.”
Something flashed in Camron’s eyes that Raine didn’t like. “And is she? Your girlfriend, I mean.”
Jarret’s fingers played with his fork, turning it over repeatedly as they all waited for his reply. Raine, well, she was ready to leave. “Well, Cam, to be honest, I haven’t asked her.”
“So ask her now.” With the challenge laid out on the table, everyone but Jarret turned their focus on her. Camron’s stony expression held Raine captive. There wasn’t a person at the table that wanted Jarret to ask her that question, least of all Raine, because something in her knew that it would change the tide yet again, turning what little peace she had found into nothing but hell.
The fork stilled, then Jarret set it down gently. He paused a moment before shifting in his seat to face her. Draping his arm over the back of her chair, he brushed her hair from her shoulder and wrapped his strong fingers around the back of her neck. His thumb swept up and down the side of her throat, a caring touch that made Raine shiver despite all the contemptuous eyes watching them. Jarret’s arresting blue eyes gazed into hers, and a soft, private smile tipped the corners of his lips. “Well, what do you say, Peach? You wanna be my girl?”
Any other day, any other time and place, Raine would have jumped at it. There was no denying that she felt a connection to Jarret, but nothing about this moment set right with her. He was part of the wrong family, her baby’s uncle. To say they were a bad match was an understatement, and yet she still found herself wanting to say yes. And that just pissed her off.
Dammit, what was wrong with her? What was wrong with him? As couples went, they couldn’t be more mismatched. He came from a rich and powerful family, and she came from meager beginnings. He had money, she had none. He was educated, and she would probabl
y never see anything beyond the checkered floors of the local diner. And that was all, without considering Camron’s roll in everything.
Raine glanced around the table from beneath her lashes, feeling the weight of judgment resting on her shoulders like a lead vest—cumbersome in a way that left her tired and aching. Dammit, she wanted to cry. Why couldn’t life just be easy for once? Why did it keep throwing her curveballs?
Sucking her bottom lip in, she sunk her teeth in until she tasted metal. There was only one answer she could give, and once it was said, Raine knew everything between them would change. “I-I’m sorry, Jarret.”
“Oh, thank God!” Mrs. Moss exclaimed, fanning herself with a golden napkin. “The girl does have some sense about her after all. What are you thinking, Jarret, asking a girl like her to be with you?”
“I think that’s the point, Mother,” Camron said with a chuckle. “My dear brother wasn’t thinking, at least, not with the head that’s on his shoulders. Let me guess, you fucked her? I gotta say, I warned you, bro.” Every muscle in Raine’s body tightened at his words, ready to spring into action. She wanted to punch that asshole in the face, return some of the pain and humiliation he’d dumped on her, but she reigned herself in. Barely.
As much as she wanted to throttle Camron, he was still Jarret’s brother. As much as she wanted to tell the cold-as-ice couple in front of her to go to hell, they were still his parents. Jarret was the only reason she held her tongue.
Shaking his head, Camron caught her eye and smirked, as if he knew what she was thinking. Then he turned away and engaged his parents in a deeper discussion. Raine tuned them out, uninterested in anything they had to say.
Jarret’s jaw clenched. He refused to look at her, and Raine’s gut twisted. After all the time they’d spent together, did he really think she had had sex with him as part of some sick game? “You believe him?” she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
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