by Lisa Ruff
After staring at the small white rectangle for fifteen minutes, she had finally dialed the number. She got his voice mail, cursed modern technology, then left a message. She hoped her tone was noncommittal, telling him only that she needed to see him soon. Now she could do nothing but wait for him to contact her.
Inside the house, Anna headed for the stairs, hoping to avoid her father and mother. But as she put one foot on the bottom step, she heard her father’s raised voice coming from the kitchen. She was two steps up when she heard him say her name. She froze. He was yelling something about her. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why.
Anna sighed. She had no choice: she had to face him, if only for damage control. If she avoided it, she would feel—and act—like a coward. She had nothing to be ashamed of, she told herself. This pregnancy was a surprise, but it wasn’t a scandal. She wasn’t going to let her father turn it into one, either.
Leaving her purse on the steps, she squared her shoulders and went down the hall. Taking a deep breath, Anna held it, let it release slowly, then pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen.
“Because it is our name, our reputation,” Antonio shouted. His hands were in the air, punctuating his words with a wide, sweeping gesture. His disputant was his wife, who stood facing him, irritation clearly evident on her face.
Behind Elaine, Anna saw Patrick and Ian leaning against the counter next to the sink. They were both somber and quiet, which was unusual. Antonio and Elaine’s fights were legendary and always entertaining. Her brothers usually egged them on, grinning as the volume increased.
“What has been done to my child, my baby, must be paid for.” Her father waved a hand at Anna as he spoke. “Whoever has done this will answer!”
“She is my child, too.” Elaine’s voice rose to a crescendo. “And this is not Sicily!”
“Wait a minute here—” Anna began.
“Ask him.” Antonio pointed across the room. “I am sure he agrees with me. Tell them, Evan, what a man must do.”
Feeling as though she was in one of those nightmares where she couldn’t move fast enough to save herself, Anna turned her head. Evan sat barely three feet from her, in a chair at the head of the table. Their eyes met, his a blazing green. Anna swallowed on a completely dry throat. So this was the family emergency. Not his family, but hers. Her lips parted, but no words would come out. What could she say, anyway? The horrified panic in his eyes, his face as white as porcelain, told her everything. Evan knew.
A terror flooded through Anna, making her shake. Even though she had been bracing herself for the worst, somehow she hadn’t understood just how awful this moment would be. Part of her had gripped tightly to the fantasy of his excitement, his joy.
But Evan was not going to be excited. He was not going to hold her and tell her he was happy. He was not going to proclaim his love for her and the child they had created. And worst of all, since Antonio was still on a manhunt, Evan had obviously not told anyone that he was the father-to-be.
Anna felt a wash of dizziness. The room started to lose color. The lights seemed to dim. The cabinets on the walls slid away from her at an alarming speed. She swayed.
I’m fainting, she told herself. It was a calming thought. Oblivion offered sanctuary. She welcomed the descending blackness like a friend as her mind went blank. But this new friend didn’t take her far. She could still hear a shout, feel strong arms close around her body. Her cheek rested gratefully on a close, convenient shoulder. A citrus tang filled her nostrils.
“Here, let me,” a man said. His voice was far away at first, then came closer.
“Watch out. I’ve got her,” a second man said right next to her ear, his voice a snap of irritation.
How nice to be fought over, Anna thought idly as she drifted just beneath the surface of consciousness. Arms cradled her, kept her safe. Her eyelids fluttered open as her body was lowered onto soft cushions. She saw Evan’s face inches from hers. His eyes had darkened to jade and were filled with worry. Poor Evan. She wanted to comfort him or invite him to join her in her peaceful floating, but couldn’t. She closed her eyes again.
“Here,” she heard her mother say. “Make her take a sip of this.”
Anna was pulled upright and a splash of strongly alcoholic liquid filled her mouth. Her eyelids flew open as she swallowed, then choked and coughed. “Ugh! That’s awful.”
“Lie down again,” Evan told her. His hands pressed gently on her shoulders. “Give it a minute.”
Slowly, Anna realized she had traveled only as far as the living room sofa. Evan must have carried her. He was kneeling beside her, while Ian bent over the back cushions, peering at her. Her father was pacing back and forth.
“Sorry,” she said softly. Evan remained silent. His lashes lowered over his eyes, the thick blond fringe hiding their expression. He seemed to hesitate, then stood and backed away to let Elaine minister to her daughter.
Sitting up, Anna waved away her mother’s attempts to pile pillows around her. “I’m okay, Ma. Really.”
“You should rest a—”
“I was just dizzy, that’s all.”
Elaine brushed the hair from her face with a gentle touch. “Are you sure?”
“See! Keeping her secret has made her sick.” Antonio sat in a chair opposite the sofa and put his hands on his knees, his eyes locked on his daughter. “We must know, Anna Maria. Who did this to you?”
“Antonio! This is not the time for an inquisition,” Elaine insisted.
“Pop, I told you this morning, no one did this to me.” Anna swung her feet to the floor. Luckily there was no nausea or vertigo this time. She darted a quick glance at Evan who stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes on the floor. Instinctively, she knew there would be no help from him.
“It takes two to tango,” Patrick said from somewhere behind her.
“Thank you, Dr. Phil.” Anna looked at her brother with annoyance. “But until I talk to my dance partner, his identity is none of your business.”
“It is, if this guy’s not going to step up to the plate.”
“Who said he wasn’t?” Anna demanded. “I haven’t even told him, Patty. How do you know what he will or won’t do?”
“He’d better do the right thing,” Patrick said fiercely. “Or he’ll have me to answer to.”
Anna swiveled around to glare at him again. She wondered if he would say the same thing when she told him it was his best friend doing the dancing. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered, rubbing a hand across her forehead.
“We just want to help,” Ian said softly.
“Then leave it alone,” she said with a snap. Anna closed her eyes. What a surreal moment: here was her family, threatening the father of her baby while the man stood right in the room. Stood silently in the room, her aching heart noted, while she, all alone, defended his reputation.
Anna opened her eyes and turned to glare at Evan. He was stationed near the bookcase, but was now watching her warily. “What about you, McKenzie?” she asked abruptly. “Do you think the guy should be strung up?”
He jerked slightly, shifting from one foot to the other. “It…depends on what he does when he finds out.”
“So, what do you think he’ll do when I tell him?” Anna stared hard at Evan. “Do you think he’ll do the right thing?”
“Whatever that is.” Evan gave an awkward shrug of his shoulders, then glared back at her, his expression hard. “He deserves a chance to think about it. You can’t just spring it on the poor bastard and expect him to act like a prince.”
“Don’t ask McKenzie about this,” Patrick interrupted impatiently. “He hasn’t got the first clue about kids or marriage.”
Anna bit her tongue. She wanted to scream the truth, but one thing held her back: Evan’s continued silence. It spoke too loudly for him. He was clearly embarrassed to be here. Anna wondered if he was ashamed of himself. Then it struck her that he could be ashamed of her—and their baby. That was the worst t
hought of all.
She stood up, not dizzy at all now, and looked at her family. “Look, I appreciate the fact that you’re concerned for me. But I need some time to sort things out. I’m still in a state of shock. I guess we all are. When I need something I’ll let you know.”
Everyone stayed where they were, remaining silent as she turned and walked out of the room. When she passed Evan, she looked at him, giving him one last chance, but his face was blank. She brushed past him and fled up the stairs, carrying a new life in her womb and an unbearable pain in her heart.
Chapter Seven
The slam of Anna’s door seemed to reanimate those she had left behind in the living room. Antonio slapped his knees and sat back in his chair with a huff. Patrick came around the sofa and dropped down next to his mother. Ian stayed where he was, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, face inscrutable.
Evan didn’t move, either. He had become frozen, like one of the bookends on the shelves next to him. Anna’s last look of scorn had etched his soul with fire and condemned it to suffer.
What did she expect of him? What was he supposed to say, here in front of her parents, her brothers, his best friend? It was his family, too. The more he thought of it, the more irritated he became. Raising a hand, he raked his fingers through his hair. The gesture brought everyone’s attention to him.
“So, you have an idea for us?” Antonio asked. His tone was almost belligerent. “A plan? How do we find this culo who has done this thing to my daughter.”
“No. I just…uh…” Evan stopped and shook his head. He tried not to squirm. The urge to confess was overwhelming, but he clenched his teeth and held it back. Sooner or later, they would have to know. He would have to tell them, but not yet—not until he talked to Anna. “She needs time,” he continued lamely.
“Evan is right,” Elaine said softly. “We all need time. We must be patient. No one should badger Anna about who the father is.”
“But—”
“No one,” she said, interrupting Patrick. Antonio was silent, but Evan could see the stubborn glint in the older man’s eyes. Elaine obviously saw it, too, for she leveled a stern gaze at her husband. They both stared at each other, as if daring the other to speak first.
“So what are we having for dinner?” Ian finally asked no one in particular.
“Oh, I forgot the beans in the oven!” Elaine rose and dashed from the room.
“Pop, you got enough beer?” Patrick asked, rising to his feet.
“I am out of Yuengling,” Antonio answered.
“I have to go pick up Kate and Beth. I’ll get some on my way back.”
“And get Peroni, as well.”
Everyone slowly dispersed. Evan was unsurprised that the latest family disaster had not postponed the barbeque. The Berzanis would never let a little thing like a surprise pregnancy get in the way of food. He cringed to think that he would be expected to be there. He followed Patrick and Ian out of the house and fell into step beside them. They reached the curb and Evan punched the unlock button on his key fob.
“I guess I’ll see you tonight,” he said.
“If I have to be here, so do you,” Ian said. “We have to keep Pop from cornering Anna.”
“What about stopping me? I’m on Pop’s side,” Pat rick said.
“That’s funny,” Ian said, looking over at his brother. “Weren’t you the one who knocked up some girl recently?”
“It wasn’t like that and you know it. But if this guy—”
“Stuff it,” Ian said with a snort. “He’s three-thousand miles away, safe and sound in the big state of California.”
“Well, if I find him, I’ll teach him how to keep his zipper zipped,” Patrick said darkly.
“Ian’s right. Don’t be such a hypocrite,” Evan said with a snap. “You were in the exact same spot once upon a time. Nobody was tracking you down and—”
“Hey, pal, I married the mother of my child,” Patrick said, thumping a finger on his chest.
“Really? I thought you married Kate because you loved her,” Ian said mildly.
“Oh, shut up,” Patrick said.
“Maybe Anna doesn’t want to get married. Have you thought of that?” Evan asked. “Or maybe this guy’s an ass-hole and she shouldn’t marry him? And why is marriage the only answer, anyway?”
“It’s not the only answer, but I’m not going to stand by and let some guy use my sister and walk away whistling.” They glared at each other, then Patrick asked, “What’s got you so worked up? You should be on my side.”
Evan backpedaled hastily. “I just don’t think you should jump to conclusions.”
“You know McKenzie’s philosophically opposed to marriage, Patty,” Ian said, looking at Evan. “He wouldn’t wish it on his worst enemy.”
Patrick grinned suddenly. “Oh, he’ll change his mind eventually.”
“Not in this lifetime,” Evan said, completely serious. He shifted his shoulders, uncomfortable with the conversation. “I’ve got to go change out of this suit. Later.”
He turned and got into his car without another word. He revved the engine and kicked it into First. Glancing in his rearview mirror, he saw the other two men still standing on the sidewalk, watching his departure. A shiver crept over Evan’s skin and an invisible hand twisted his gut.
What a mess.
Rounding the corner, he blended into the rush-hour traffic. Driving through town on autopilot, Evan’s mind was whirling, but he couldn’t make sense of anything. Shock had set in as soon as Antonio had used the words Anna and pregnant in the same sentence. He hadn’t shaken it off since. While the Berzanis had discussed preserving family honor, the decadent state of modern love and how to track down the perpetrator, he had sat in stunned silence. One word had reverberated in his brain like a drumbeat: no. No.
No.
Then Anna had walked into the kitchen and his world had spun completely off its axis. He knew the truth when their eyes met. The night he had been trying so hard to forget would never be forgotten.
Evan parked in front of his condo and got out of the car. Trudging up the stairs to the front door, he pulled out his cell phone. Scrolling through the missed calls, his steps slowed when he saw Anna’s number. He let himself in the house as he punched the buttons to hear the messages. He stopped dead when Anna’s voice filled his ear.
“Hi, it’s Anna. I need to talk to you…to see you…as soon as possible. Please call me when you get this.” The message clicked off and he slowly closed the door behind him. Yeah, she had needed to see him all right, except he was sure he had seen more than enough of her.
Evan pulled off his jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. Loosening his tie, he went to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of Scotch. Pouring a generous shot in a glass, he tossed back the fiery liquid and poured another. Resting his forehead against an upper cabinet, he closed his eyes.
Unbidden, the image of Anna, pale and limp in his arms, rose in his mind’s eye. She had scared the shit out of him when her eyes rolled up in her head. Without even thinking, he had lunged, catching her as she crumpled. Even now, the image conjured another wave of sheer panic and his pulse quickened. Holding her, protecting her, was all that mattered in that instant, but he had felt completely helpless, too. She had been so light and fragile in his arms, looked so small. Vulnerable. And he could do nothing but carry her to the sofa.
He pushed away from the cabinet and went into the living room, carrying his glass with him. The memory and the feelings followed, keeping him unsettled. He wondered how she was feeling now. Was she sick? Dizzy? She was definitely angry. He had seen that clearly enough. Pressing two fingers into his eye sockets, he tried to force back the thoughts, but they wouldn’t obey. What she was feeling didn’t matter.
Except that it did.
Putting down his drink, Evan grabbed his phone again. He couldn’t put off talking to her. At the least, they needed to come up with some plan of defense before the
barbeque tonight.
The phone rang once, then twice. “Hello?”
“It’s Evan.” Silence answered him. Pacing to the window, he leaned against the sill. “Anna?”
“What do you want?” Her tone was subzero.
He bristled. His earlier concern for her well-being disappeared in a heartbeat. “What do I want? I want you to tell me to wake up from this nightmare.”
“You think I don’t want that, too?” Anna’s voice was furious now.
“What the hell happened? I thought you were on the pill.”
“I am!” Anna yelled. “How was I supposed to know that having the flu would mess things up? Do you think I planned this? That I wanted to have your child?”
“I haven’t known what to think since your dad hit me with this. Why didn’t you tell me first?” he demanded.
“I tried to!”
“Not very damned hard,” he said in a growl.
“I went to the dealership, Evan,” Anna said, her voice dropping to match his low, angry tone. “I left a message for you. What else was I supposed to do? I didn’t know Pop would go on the rampage like this.”
“Well, if you were around a little more, you’d remember what he’s like.” Evan combed a hand through his hair and gripped the back of his neck. He groaned. “Dammit, Anna, he’s going to kill me. Your mother’s going to do something worse! What the hell am I supposed to do?”
“How or what you tell my parents is the least of my worries,” Anna said coldly. “Have you forgotten that I’m the one that’s pregnant?”
“I wish I could.” He muttered the words under his breath, but she obviously heard them.
“Is it possible for you to stop thinking about yourself for a minute?” Her voice rose again.
Evan bit back the callous words that leaped to his tongue. This sniping was getting them nowhere. What they needed was to step back and figure out what deal they could strike. There had to be a compromise to satisfy them both—happy was too much to ask for.
