by Kira Archer
“You know, I’ve got to hand it to you,” the woman said, her eyes glued to Leah’s belly. “Classic strategy for a marriage trap, though risky with someone like Brooks. How could you be sure he’d stick around? He’s not exactly the domestic type.”
“Really?” Leah said in mock surprise. “He’s been absolutely amazing, but maybe he saves that part of himself for people he really trusts.”
The woman glared at her while her little followers started to fidget. They must not have been expecting a fight.
“If you say so. I think it’s a shame a man as wild and carefree as Brooks has been…tamed.”
Leah gave her a cold smile. “Oh, believe me, between us girls, there is nothing tame about my hubby.”
“Talking about me again?” Brooks asked, smiling warmly at her and effectively ignoring the other women. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
She looked up at him with a grateful smile. “Always.”
“Good, my favorite subject.” He gave her another squeeze. “How are you, sweetheart? I’ve been looking all over for you.”
She resisted the urge to look surprised at the term of endearment. Normally, she would have said something about it, but he was obviously upset. No one else seemed to notice, but Leah could see it in the hard line of his mouth and in his dull eyes that usually sparkled with amusement.
She gripped his hand where it rested against her belly. “I’m fine, babe,” she said. “I’m just getting to know your friends here.”
“Not such great friends anymore,” the blonde said with a little pout. “You haven’t called me in ages, B. I’ve missed…talking with you.”
Leah’s hand clenched around her glass and she had to resist the urge to toss it in the woman’s face.
“I’m sorry,” Brooks said. “I didn’t realize you were expecting a call from me. No offense, though,” he said, with his usual teasing tone of voice. Leah noticed the hard note behind it, but she didn’t think anyone else did. “I haven’t thought about much else besides this gorgeous woman here.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss and gazed adoringly down at her.
She was pretty sure it was all for show, but that didn’t stop her stomach from doing a backflip or two.
“I’ve pursued this incredible creature from the moment we met. She kept trying to ignore me, so I finally showed up at her door and whisked her off to a wedding chapel. It was the best day of my life. Well, so far,” he said, placing his hand on her belly.
The blonde’s face grew harder and angrier with every word. It was painfully obvious she had been one of the women who had chased Brooks hoping she would get to be Mrs. Larson.
The woman opened her mouth to say something else, but Brooks cut her short. “I’m sorry, Julie. Oh! Jenny, sorry. I hate to be rude, but we need to excuse ourselves. There are a few people I promised to introduce Leah to.”
He gave them another forced smile and nod and pulled Leah away.
“I’m sorry about her,” Brooks said, his jaw still clenched.
Leah shook her head. “Ex-girlfriend?”
“She was someone who wanted a lot more than I wanted to give her. She also believes far too much in her own appeal. We went on two dates and it was one and a half too many. And that’s coming from someone with my questionable standards.”
She squeezed his hand. “Oh, you’re not so bad. You have your good points.”
He smiled and kissed her hand. “Well, here’s to hoping the good outweighs the bad.”
He spent the next little while introducing her to almost everybody in the room. For the most part, everyone was polite and welcoming enough, although surprise and sometimes downright shock was evident everywhere she turned. But in a pleasant, almost relieved way. The uncomfortable laughter and confused looks melted into relief and acceptance once he introduced her as his wife, and the conversations often turned toward business ventures. As she’d gotten the impression this rarely happened for Brooks at these things, Leah was happy, hoping she was doing a decent job holding her own and propping Brooks up.
The rest of the evening had been going well enough that when Brooks needed to step aside for a moment to speak with a client she felt comfortable being left with a group of the other wives. They all seemed nice enough. Most were around her age, which was surprising considering that most of the husbands were a great deal older.
Two of the women wandered off rather quickly after discovering Leah had no interest in Paris Fashion Week or anything to do with the wonderful world of shopping. That left her with a sophisticated librarian-type woman and another woman in her late thirties, maybe early forties, who actually had a small plate of food in her hand. An anomaly in this group. Leah didn’t think she’d seen anyone eating anything all night. Her stomach gave a quiet growl and she remembered it had been a few hours since she’d chowed on anything.
She tried to ignore it and turned politely to the librarian woman who had asked her a question. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Could you repeat that?”
The woman blew an irritated puff of air through her nose, but asked her question again. “I asked what it was that you did for a living, dear.”
“Oh,” Leah said, happy to talk about something other than shoes and bags for the moment. “I’m a teacher.”
“Oh really? Where do you teach? My husband is a professor at Yale. He’s on sabbatical right now working on his next book, but I’m sure he’d be thrilled to make the acquaintance of a fellow educator.”
Leah smiled. “I teach a literature class at a private high school in the city.”
She could have sworn the woman’s eyes glazed over. “Isn’t that nice. I’m so sorry, will you excuse me? I see someone I must say hi to.”
Before Leah could respond, she had excused herself and was making her way across the room.
“Don’t mind her,” the other woman said. “My name is Miranda. These affairs can be a bit cliquish.”
“I’m beginning to see that. Apparently a high school teacher even at private school isn’t quite on par with a college professor, actress, or trophy wife,” she said with a laugh.
Miranda laughed with her. “You get used to them. And they’ll get used to you eventually. It’s nice to have some fresh blood in here, though it seems there is a new crop of wives or girlfriends every few months. Not that you need to worry about that,” she said with a knowing look at Leah’s belly. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man so besotted with his wife as your husband. I knew once Brooks met the right woman that would be it for him.”
Leah fidgeted, hating to continue with the lie when the woman seemed so nice and genuine. But this was a work function for Brooks and she was there to make him look better if possible.
“How far along are you?” Miranda asked.
“Twenty-three weeks,” Leah said. “I have to confess I’m a little nervous.”
Miranda waved that off. “Oh, don’t worry. There’s a learning curve to be sure, but you’ll get the hang of it. And you’ll have Brooks to help.”
Leah glanced at her, not sure how to respond to that. “Well, I’m not sure how much of a help he’ll be.”
Miranda laughed. “Yes, the men definitely are better at helping create the little ones than they are taking care of them.”
She nodded across the room at where Brooks chatted with a group of serious-looking businessmen. He seemed to be enjoying himself. He caught her watching him and raised his glass to her with a smile. Leah smiled back before she could stop herself and Miranda grinned indulgently. “It’s nice to see two people genuinely in love for once.”
Leah’s gaze shot to her in surprise.
“Well, I better go round up my own husband. It was nice to meet you,” Miranda said. “I hope I see you again. It’s been nice to talk to someone real at one of these things.”
Leah smiled at her, genuinely happy to have met her also. “It was my pleasure, truly,” she said.
She turned her attention back to Brooks, enjoying
the view until his face froze and his eyes narrowed. Leah looked in the direction where he stared and sucked in a quiet breath.
Marcus.
She frowned. Brooks had never been anything but polite to Marcus. Not especially friendly, maybe, but definitely not antagonistic. But the look on his face as Marcus came toward him made her think Brooks had been hiding a few things from her.
She hurried over to the little gathering just as Marcus reached them.
“There you are,” Brooks said, kissing her on the cheek before giving a pointed look to Marcus.
Marcus stepped closer and kissed her cheek as well. “How are you doing?”
“Great, thank you,” she said, a bit bemused by the amount of testosterone that suddenly surrounded her.
“Well, Marcus Cassidy,” one of the men who’d been talking to Brooks said. He reached out and shook Marcus’s hand. “I hear you’re doing big things over in the Asian market. Good to see you back in the States.”
“It’s good to be back. I had some pressing family matters to attend to,” he said with a quick glance at Leah.
She held her breath, but he didn’t go into further detail. They hadn’t discussed their situation and what they would say to people, but she certainly didn’t want to drop the whole “I’m-married-to-this-guy-but-carrying-that-guy’s-baby” bomb on the night when she was supposed to be making Brooks look good.
“How long are you in town?” the man asked.
At that, Marcus’s gaze darted briefly to her again, but no one else seemed to notice. “I’m not sure yet. Several months, at least, though I’m considering relocating back to the New York office permanently.”
“Well, they’d be lucky to have you.” He turned to Brooks. “Larson, why haven’t you dipped your toe in the Asian market?”
“Ah, Brooks here likes the comfort of home, I think.” Marcus gave Brooks a friendly slap on the shoulder.
“Well, when I have someone so lovely at home, why would I want to be anywhere else?” he said, pulling Leah in for a quick kiss.
“Oh, don’t be so modest,” she said. “Brooks actually has several exciting ventures planned for the foreign market. I’ve been very impressed. Don’t let that pretty face of his fool you. The Harrington Corporation wouldn’t be where it is today without him, and Cole would be the first one to tell you so.”
Brooks beamed down at her with a smile that made her wonder how long it had been since someone had complimented him on something other than his looks. She’d have to make a point to do it more often.
“Is that so? Well, we might have to keep a better eye on you,” the man said, raising his glass.
“Yes, but you really need to move those ventures out of the planning stage,” Marcus said. “You always were too cautious. You need to seize the day, be a risk-taker if you really want to make your mark on the world.”
Brooks’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “I think the Harrington Corporation has proven it is more than capable of making its mark. We’ve been a leader in this industry for the better part of a decade.”
“Well, take it from someone who runs a company that has been a leader for the better part of a century, if you want to be in it for the long haul, you have to get out of your comfort zone occasionally.”
“Oh, I have no doubt that the Harrington Corporation will be around for the long haul, as you say. Cole and I have every intention of making sure our company continues to be a leading innovator for generations, as your father and grandfather, who, I believe, are still the heads of your corporation, have done for the company you work for. Choosing to settle down in my personal life,” Brooks said, glancing down at Leah with a smile, “does not necessitate settling in business. Harrington has a great many plans on the horizon.”
“In addition to the amazing things you already have going,” Leah said.
Marcus gave Brooks a tight grin and raised his glass to him. The other men chatted for a moment before taking their leave, but Marcus stuck around. A couple waiters passed with more drinks and food. Marcus grabbed a fresh tuna sushi roll and handed it to Leah. She politely accepted it, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but Brooks plucked it from her fingers.
“Pregnant women aren’t supposed to eat sushi,” he said, snagging her a stuffed mushroom instead. He leaned over and quietly had a word with one of the waiters who nodded and hurried off.
“Same old Brooks,” Marcus said with an overly bright smile. “Somehow every time we are in the same room together, things devolve into some ridiculous rivalry.”
“Because I don’t want my wife to be poisoned?”
Marcus glanced around and then said, “You don’t honestly think I’d do anything to harm my baby, do you?”
Brooks shrugged. “Maybe not on purpose,” he said, pausing to take a tall glass of iced cranberry juice from the waiter who had just returned. He handed it to Leah who sipped it gratefully, a happy sigh escaping as the cool liquid slid down her throat.
“Keep them coming,” Marcus said, throwing a fifty on the guy’s tray.
Brooks shook his head. “But you can’t seem to help trying to one-up me. You’ve been doing it since the day we met. And you don’t care who you hurt in the process.”
“Now, I think those are sour grapes talking,” Marcus started, but Leah butted in.
“Excuse me,” she said, searching for a way to break up the imminent pissing contest. “But my feet are killing me. I think I’d like to go home now.”
“Absolutely.” Brooks handed their glasses to another waiter.
Marcus took her hand. “Please don’t leave on our account.” He jerked his head at Brooks. “It’s just a little friendly rivalry. We don’t mean anything by it.”
Judging from the tense look on Brooks’s face, that wasn’t quite the truth, but she didn’t want to debate it right then.
She smiled and squeezed his hand. “It’s not that at all. Or not totally that. I’m tired.”
“Then let’s get you home,” Brooks said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Marcus said, raising her hand to his lips.
Leah forced a smile. Marcus really was sweet, but having him in the same room as Brooks was a bit much.
Brooks gave him a tense nod and led her from the room and out of the building.
“You were wonderful tonight, thank you,” he said as he helped her into the car.
She gave him a small smile. She hoped she’d been a help. She really did. But she couldn’t help but be grateful that she didn’t have to go to those parties every month. There was no way she could stand dealing with those people regularly. And she wasn’t sure how great a help she’d been in any case. Certainly not with the wives.
A room full of models, tech giants, celebrities, business moguls, and other masters of the universe didn’t seem all that impressed with a high school teacher, no matter how prestigious her school. And she didn’t want to spend her life trying to impress them.
But for Brooks’s sake, she hoped she had done enough. It would be nice, when all this was over, to know that being in his life had made it a little better.
“What’s the deal with you and Marcus?” she asked.
He sighed. “Nothing. Just some old school rivalry. No big deal.”
“Is this going to be a problem?” she asked. “Because he is the baby’s father. I can’t exactly tell him to get lost.”
“No. Really, don’t worry about it. Just guys being guys.” He threaded his fingers through hers and kissed her hand.
Now, why did that make her even more worried?
Chapter Sixteen
They were back in one of the most uncomfortable rooms Brooks had ever been in, only this time Leah was fully clothed. He tried to talk her into one of those flimsy paper gowns, but apparently one wasn’t necessary. And she couldn’t be talked into doing it anyway just for fun…or easy access. She also nixed the idea of him wearing one. Which was totally unfair. He’d rock the shit out of it.
She sat on the table lightly swinging her feet. A small thing, really, that she probably didn’t even notice, but it had to be one of the most adorable things he’d ever seen in his life. Of course there was nothing adorable about the metal arms that were attached to the table. Those looked ominous.
“What the hell are those things?” he asked, pointing at them. “It looks like some weird alien dissection lab.”
“You aren’t too far off. Those are the stirrups.”
“You mean like giddy-up-horsey stirrups?”
“Kind of. I put my feet in those and they hold my legs up so the doctor can examine me.”
Brooks looked at how far apart they were and envisioned the position that would put her in. Under normal circumstances, it might intrigue him. In the sterile medical environment they were in, it was nothing short of terrifying.
“Does it hurt?”
“Well, it’s not the most comfortable thing I’ve ever done, but it’s not that bad.”
He stared at them a moment longer. “Nope, gotta try it. Scootch.”
“What?” she asked.
But he was already nudging her off the table. He hopped up, put his feet in the stirrups, and stared at the ceiling.
“Okay, this is brutal.”
“Well, I do try to be gentle,” a voice said.
Brooks craned his neck up. “Oh, hey, doc.” He gave him a little wave.
“I’ve found I usually get the best results when I examine the mother in these cases.”
Total deadpan. Nice. “Sorry,” he said, disentangling his legs from the weird metal torture devices and jumping down.
Dr. Petrosky waited while Leah climbed back on the table. “How are we feeling today?”
“Pretty good,” Brooks said. “Had a bit of a big lunch so my stomach is hurting a little.”
The doctor laughed. “I meant Mrs. Larson.”
“Ah, right. I’ll let her answer.”
Leah shook her head, though she had that smile on her lips that she had when she thought he was being adorable.
“I’m doing fine, doctor.”
