A Perfect Trade (Harlequin Superromance)

by Anna Sugden - A Perfect Trade (Harlequin Superromance)

  “Planes don’t fly to Denver anymore?”

  She gave him a wry look. “I can’t just turn up. Besides, I don’t know where he’s staying.”

  “That’s the best you can do?” Harry waggled his finger at her.

  Her pulse skipped with hope. “What would I say to him, when I got there?”

  “The truth. You love him. You want to marry him and have him be a real father to your children.” Harry puffed out his chest. “That is what you want, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but how can I be sure I won’t be making a big mistake? Can I really trust him?”

  Harry leaned to one side and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. “Tru asked me to give this to you.”

  “He did? When?” Her heart thudded as she took the envelope. What was inside?

  “Tru came to see me a couple of times before he left. Guess he feels responsible for me.” Harry paused for a moment, then cleared his throat. “Anyway, he asked me to give this to you, once you were back on your feet.”

  Jenny’s fingers trembled as she tore open the envelope. Inside was several sheets of paper—a handwritten note and a typed document from the legal firm they’d used for their agreement. The pounding of her heart grew louder, echoing in her ears, as she read Tru’s note. Unable to believe what he’d said, she read it again, then scanned the legal papers.

  Finally, her throat tight with emotion, she looked up at Harry. “Tru’s amended our agreement,” she said with wonder in her voice. “He’s handed over all parental decisions for the babies to me. He said he trusts me to do what’s best.”

  She knew what it had cost Tru, what it meant to him, to sign those papers. She traced a fingertip over his bold slash of a signature. The proof of how much he’d changed and how deeply he cared for her was right there. Now it was her turn to show him how much she trusted him. How much she loved him.

  “I figured as much. He’s a good man.” Harry nodded smugly and gave a satisfied smile. “The ball’s in your court. I expect you to get on a flight to Denver and go after him.”

  “I have a few things to sort out first.”

  “Don’t spend so much time sorting out what to do that you miss the chance to do it.”

  She smiled. “I won’t.”

  “Whatever you decide, I’m behind you.”

  “I know. Thank you.” Jenny leaned over and hugged him. “What about you? What will you do?”

  “Pfft. Don’t worry about me. I’ve come to some decisions of my own. I’m going to slow down and step back from the business.”

  Jenny stared at him, shocked. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, fine. As long as they let me home at the weekend.”

  That was the Harry she knew and loved. Always wanting things now, now, now...or sooner. “Then why the change?”

  He sighed heavily. “The lost weeks, while I was in a coma, made me realize how much I’ve taken for granted. I’ve put off too much for ‘later.’ Now I know ‘later’ isn’t guaranteed. I could be gone in an instant. Of course, I could still be driving everyone nuts when I’m a hundred. But why waste whatever time I’ve got?”

  “What about the business?”

  “The current management did a good job of taking care of things in my absence. I’m comfortable with them continuing, though I’ll still be around, in an advisory capacity.” He grinned. “Just to make sure they don’t make any silly mistakes.”

  Jenny laughed. “Naturally.”

  “I’m also going to change things with Irving and Felicia. It’s time I was their father, rather than their banker. Irving seems to enjoy the business and might actually have a flair for it. If he’s prepared to earn his stripes—go through a management training program and work his way through the various levels and divisions—I’ll support him.”

  “That’s a wonderful opportunity for him. If he’s smart, he’ll snap it up.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “And Felicia?”

  “She’s the one who really surprised me. She’s turned all that flitting around into something useful and has become a decent household manager. I’ve asked her to become my personal assistant and manage my new life for me.”

  “I’m sure she’ll love that.”

  “She tells me you helped her find her feet.”

  Jenny shrugged. “I just pointed her in the right direction.”

  “Regardless, thank you. I hope this will be the start of a better relationship with my children. It won’t make up for my mistakes as a father, but it’ll be a start.”

  “There are plenty of people who’d be proud to have you for a father. Me included.”

  Harry harrumphed, clearly touched. “Yes, well, your young man will make a better father than I ever was. Now, off with you.”

  Jenny rose. “Make sure you stay healthy and follow the doctor’s orders. I want to see you live to be that hundred-year-old pain in the backside.”

  “And I want to see you happily married and living your dream, with your own family.”

  There was something about the way Harry said the word family that triggered an idea in Jenny’s brain. Suddenly, she knew what she could do to prove her love to Tru. “I have to go. I’ll be back later.”

  Harry laughed proudly. “That’s my girl.”

  * * *

  A FRESH SHEET of ice. Perfect.

  The crisp, cold air filled Tru’s lungs. The crunch and swish of his skates echoed around the empty rink as he circled the ice, warming up.

  Later in the week, he’d invite some of his new teammates to work out with him. The guys had welcomed him into their midst wholeheartedly; he’d been ragged already about coming from the softer Eastern Conference.

  But, for now, he needed to be alone.

  He upped his pace and began to weave and swerve as if round an imaginary obstacle course. It didn’t take long for the ice to soothe his soul.

  As he skated sprints, he wished Jake and his brothers were with him. He missed them, especially Ike.

  Tru took a break to set up the practice net. As he slid the bucket of pucks onto the ice, the back of his neck prickled. Someone was watching him.

  At first, he ignored it, assuming it was one of the rink staff.

  When he started firing shots, the prickling intensified. He looked around, but the edges of the rink were in shadow.

  He gathered pucks and began again.

  This time, the feeling could not be ignored. Nor the scrape of skates on ice.

  Frowning, he continued his workout, shooting at the goal from all angles. This was his time. No one else should be there.

  “If the Avs are relying on that shot to win them a Cup, they should give up now.”

  Tru’s head whipped round so fast, he almost lost his balance.

  Ike slid to a stop, spraying ice in a neat arc. “I thought it was time we talked.”

  “Okay.” Tru lined up more pucks and began to shoot. “I’m sorry.” Bang. “I should have told you about the letters.” Bang. “About Dad.”

  “I understand.”

  Shocked, he stopped in midswing. “You do?”

  “Sure.” Ike took Tru’s stick and began firing shots. He wasn’t bad for a goaltender. “I don’t like that you kept it from us. But I know if you’d told me, I’d have stopped you seeing the old man.”

  “You’d have saved us a lot of pain.” Tru kicked pucks toward his brother.

  “Nah, in the long run, it was better for us.” Bang. “Radek Jelinek was like a festering boil that needed to be lanced. It hurts like hell, but once the poison’s gone, you can begin to heal.” Bang.

  “Interesting analogy.”

  “Yeah? I worked hard to come up with that one.”

  The two brothers shared a grin.

&
nbsp; “We needed to have that final showdown, so we could erase the questions, the doubt—the guilt.”

  “What did you have to worry about?”

  Ike looked chagrined as he leaned on Tru’s stick. “You weren’t the only one who caused the old man to leave. Before you did the handkerchief thing, I found a note from that woman. I dropped it where Mom would find it when she was cleaning.” Ike sighed. “I tried to kid myself that Dad left because of your actions, but I’m just as guilty.”

  A weight lifted off Tru’s shoulders. “We were both guilty. And both innocent. What we did might have been a catalyst to him leaving, but he left for his own selfish reasons.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m glad you came.” Tru’s voice was tight with emotion.

  “Me, too.” Ike grabbed him in a quick, hard hug. “You know, I was coming around to the idea of forgiving you. But I was a little slow, until I got a push in the right direction.”

  “Mom got to you, did she?”

  Ike shook his head.

  “Jake?”

  “No. Although both he and Maggie told me I was being a jerk.”

  Tru frowned. “Who, then?”

  Ike tilted his head toward the edge of the rink, where someone stood in the shadows. “A person who cares a whole lot about you.”

  White skates stepped onto the ice.

  Tru’s heart slammed against his ribs as a familiar figure skated gracefully into view.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  JENNY’S HEART WOBBLED as much as her ankles as she stepped out onto the ice. Nerves, rather than the cold air, made her shiver. The determination that had got her this far—to Denver, to this rink—threatened to desert her.

  Then Tru nodded sharply and pointed to center ice. He said something to Ike before skating to the middle of the rink and waiting for her to join him.

  This was it. She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. Then, praying she wouldn’t fall on her backside, she took her first stroke.

  Jenny hadn’t skated since she was sixteen, but the feel for the ice came back quickly. As she headed toward Tru, she hoped she could smooth things between them as easily.

  His expression didn’t reveal how he felt as she approached. His green eyes assessed her. At least they weren’t cold and dismissive.

  Behind Tru, Ike gave her the thumbs-up, then held up crossed fingers on both hands and headed off the ice.

  “For a woman who swore she’d never wear figure skates, you’re managing okay.” Though Tru’s voice was carefully bland, the hint of affection in his tone gave her shaky confidence a much-needed boost.

  “They’re not as comfortable as hockey skates, but beggars can’t be choosers. They only rent out these.”

  “Should you be skating, in your condition?”

  “Sally said I’d be fine, as long as I took it steady.” Jenny traced a pattern in the ice with her toe pick. “So, how are you settling in?”

  “Good. Everyone’s pretty friendly.”

  “Have you found somewhere to live?”

  “Not yet. I’m staying in a hotel while I get my bearings. Maggie’s set me up with a local Realtor.”

  “Sounds like the move’s going well.” Well enough that he didn’t want her here?

  He shrugged. “So far, so good.”

  Small talk exhausted, they stood awkwardly silent for a few moments.

  Tru scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “Why are you here, Jenny?”

  She took a deep breath, then dived right in. “I came to see you. To talk about us.”

  “Okay.” His expression remained shuttered. He wasn’t giving an inch.

  For someone whose living now depended on finding the right words, Jenny couldn’t seem to grasp the ones she needed. She gave a short, self-mocking laugh. “I don’t know where to start.”

  Tru took pity on her and gave her a lifeline. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine. No aftereffects from the burst cyst.”

  “That’s good.”

  More silence. In the background, she heard the grinding of a skate sharpener. Come on. “So...Harry offered me my old job back.”

  Tru’s gaze dropped to his laces. “Congratulations.”

  “I turned him down.”

  His head snapped up. “Why?”

  “I don’t think you can go back. You have to keep moving forward, not live in the past.”

  A muscle worked in his jaw. “I see.”

  Did he?

  “What do you plan to do?” His voice sounded strained.

  “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  Jenny bit her lip. “On you.”

  Tru took a step back, lost his footing and landed on his backside. He laughed as he got up. “I haven’t done that since I was a kid. You always did keep me off balance.”

  He sobered, but his expression wasn’t closed off anymore. The wariness in his eyes told her he hadn’t let his guard down completely. “You’ll have to spell out how your decision relates to me.”

  Butterflies dive-bombed her stomach. Suddenly, she was nervous on her skates. “Can we sit while we talk?”

  “Sure.”

  They skated to the boards and stepped off the ice. Tru hovered protectively as they walked to the bleacher seats. But once they sat down, his gaze was fixed firmly ahead, as if this would be easier if he didn’t look at her.

  This was it. The moment of truth. Jenny breathed in the cold, crisp air, then blurted out, “You were right. I was holding back.”

  He turned to look at her, but said nothing.

  “I gave the past too much power. I was afraid to let anyone get close. Scared to trust anyone.” She let out a shaky breath. “The only person I dared to rely on was myself. I had to have ultimate control.”

  “You let Harry in.”

  “No one lets Harry do anything.” Jenny smiled. “Once his mind’s set, he bulldozes his way through your objections and goes ahead regardless.”

  “Yet when I tried to do that, you shut me out completely.”

  “I’m sorry.” She laid her hand on his arm. “You weren’t the only one I held back from. I did the same to Lizzie, and to Maggie. By trying to protect the people I love, I hurt them.”

  “I think the person you hurt most was yourself,” Tru said softly.

  “Probably.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Anyway, while I was in the hospital, I had plenty of time to think about my mistakes.”

  “We both made mistakes.”

  “It’s taken me a while, but I hope I’ve learned from mine.” She bit her lip “Your mom came to see me.”

  Tru winced. “I’m sorry I forced your secret out into the open. Even though I believed it was the thing to do, it wasn’t my place to say anything.”

  “No, but you were right. By not telling people the truth about my uncle, I let him get away with it and now it’s too late. He can’t be punished.”

  Tru laid his hand over hers. “You can’t blame yourself for that, too.”

  “I was afraid people would judge me. I let that fear keep me silent. It never occurred to me they’d take my side.”

  “They might not have, if your uncle had still been alive. People take accusations of sexual abuse more seriously these days.”

  “The committee members took it very seriously indeed.”

  “You spoke to the committee?” Tru’s eyes widened.

  She nodded. “I wanted to put the truth on the record. To make sure no one brushed his actions under the rug. The memorial project is officially dead.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “Me, too.”

  Their gazes met. For the first time, there was a warm glow in his jade-green eyes. “You still haven’t said why
you’re here, Jenny.”

  Time to get to the heart of her trip. “When I told Lizzie about the pregnancy and the IVF, she was surprised I’d settle for less than the whole package—love, marriage and the white picket fence.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Guess she got that wrong.”

  “No. She was right.”

  “You’ve changed your mind?” Disbelief colored his voice.

  “About a lot of things.”

  “Such as?”

  “You’ve been a part of my life for almost as long as I can remember, Tru. Even when we weren’t really on speaking terms, you were always there. I may not have appreciated it at the time, but I knew deep down that if I’d ever needed you, you’d be there for me. I could always count on you.”

  He shrugged. Pink tinged his ears.

  “It’s taken a while for my head to catch up to what my heart already knew. I’ve trusted you all along.” She patted her chest. “In here. If I hadn’t, I’d never have agreed to our plan.”

  Their fingers entwined. Jenny’s heart thumped once, heavily, then began to race. Hope blossomed in her.

  “I deserve my share of the blame,” he said gruffly. “I was wrapped up in my own guilt. I had to be the one to fix everything. I owed my family, owed you. I thought if things went wrong, there would only be one person who got hurt.” He sighed heavily. “Instead, I ended up hurting them and you far worse.”

  Jenny squeezed his hand. “As you said before, we’ve both made mistakes. So, where do we go from here?” she asked softly.

  “Where would you like to go?”

  Ironically, this once, she wished Tru would tell her what he wanted. She really didn’t want to mess this up. “I’d like to try again. Properly this time. No rules, no legal paperwork.”

  “What does that mean exactly?” He was back to being inscrutable.

  “We do what we’d planned before everything blew up in our faces? We take things one step at a time....”

  Tru shook his head. “Won’t work.”

  Jenny’s heart constricted. “Why not?”

  “You said it yourself. You can’t go back.”

  “Oh.” Her stomach dropped, but she refused to give up. “Then how do we go forward?”