by Jennie Lucas
“Right,” she said doubtfully.
He lifted an eyebrow. “I run a billion-dollar company, Hallie. I think I can handle watching my own son while he sleeps for a few hours.”
Put like that, she’d been forced, reluctantly, to agree. Giving Jack one last kiss on his plump cheek, she’d slowly gotten out of the SUV. Then she’d turned back anxiously. “I’ll be back in two hours.”
“Take all afternoon. Take as long as you want. Enjoy yourself. We’ll be fine.” Leaning forward, Cristiano had given her a goodbye kiss that had left her knees weak, and then he’d smiled. “Have fun.”
And, somewhat to her surprise, Hallie had. For the last hour, she and her friends been pampered like royalty at the designer bridal store. Cristiano had already won the loyalty of both her friends.
Tess admired him for demanding marriage immediately. “It’s so romantic, practically an elopement! And next he’s whisking you off to Italy!” She’d sighed. “So romantic!”
Lola had liked that Cristiano had left them an open credit line and told her and Tess, as bridesmaids, to get new outfits, as well. “Even shoes!”
The bridesmaid dresses were already chosen. Looking at herself now in the mirror, Hallie knew that this wedding dress was the one. It fit her perfectly, no alterations required, and made her look, as Tess had said, like a princess.
Nervously she charged it to Cristiano’s account, half expecting the manager to laugh in her face. Instead, the manager rang it up, then talked her into also buying demure white high heels, an elegant veil and bridal lingerie that made her blush. Once all her purchases had been packed and sent off to the penthouse, the three girls headed next door to spend a precious hour at the day spa.
“This is the life,” sighed Tess, stretching out her legs as a pedicurist massaged her feet.
“Who’s watching Esme, Tess?”
The redhead gave a guilty smile. “My cousin. Don’t get me wrong, I love being with my baby. But a few hours to myself feels like a vacation.”
“Yeah,” Lola said, selecting a chocolate-covered strawberry from a nearby silver tray. “This fiancé of yours is not so bad.”
Hallie snorted. “You’re just saying that because he told you to spare no expense on the bridesmaid outfits.”
“I want your wedding day to be perfect,” Lola said demurely, rubbing her heavily pregnant belly as she smiled at the shopping bag that held her new thousand-dollar shoes.
“I just wish Lacey could be here,” Tess sighed. “We tried to invite her.”
“Lacey!” Hallie smiled at the memory of the energetic young woman who’d invited each of them to the single-moms group, then introduced them to one another. “I owe her a lot.”
“Me, too. Because of her, I got to meet you losers.” Lola’s smile was fond. She held up her champagne glass for another refill of sparkling water from the hovering spa attendant. “Lacey’s traveling the world happily with her husband and baby. She sends her love. And promised to send a wedding gift.”
“I don’t need a gift.”
“Of course you don’t,” Lola said. “You’re marrying one of the richest men in the world.”
“She doesn’t care about his money,” Tess protested. She turned to Hallie, her eyes shining. “It’s love that brought you together. Pure, perfect love. That’s the only reason anyone would marry.”
“Um,” said Hallie, feeling awkward. Love had nothing to do with it. They were just getting married to give their baby a good home. But she didn’t want to disillusion Tess, who was looking at her with dreamy, happy eyes. It made Hallie feel uneasy. She’d told herself that there was nothing wrong with a loveless marriage. Their arrangement would be both practical and sensible.
So why did her throat close at the thought of explaining that to her friends?
“Your baby’s father reacted just like I said he would. As soon as he knew about Jack, he realized he loved you and begged you to marry him,” Tess said joyfully. “So who knows? Maybe my baby’s father will do the same.”
“Give it up,” Lola said, rolling her eyes. “He’s never coming back, Tess.”
The redhead sucked in her breath, looking like she was going to cry.
“We don’t know that,” Hallie said loyally, though she understood Lola’s irritation. For as long as they’d known her, Tess had spoken constantly of the man who’d seduced her and disappeared. She’d spun out endless reasons why he might not have returned—ridiculous reasons, like his plane crashing on a desert island, or being kidnapped in Antarctica, or that he’d developed amnesia.
Privately, Hallie agreed with Lola. The guy was obviously a jerk and gone for good. But telling Tess that seemed like kicking a puppy.
Hallie gave the redhead a sympathetic smile. “It could happen, Tess. He could come back.”
Her friend gave her a grateful smile. “You think so?”
“Stop encouraging her,” Lola snapped. Unlike the other two, she’d never once spoken of the man who’d gotten her pregnant, no matter how many times they’d asked. “It’ll just hurt her more in the end.”
“Shush,” Hallie told her, and turned to Tess. “He—What’s his name again?”
“Stefano,” Tess murmured. She blushed. “I never learned his last name.”
“Stefano.” Where had she heard that name recently? She tried to remember, then gave up. Hallie leaned back in her spa chair, closing her eyes. “He could be on his way to you already.”
But as the facialist covered her eyelids with cool cucumber slices, a faint hint of memory teased her. Where had she heard that name?
“This is nice,” Lola said, and sighed from the next chair. “You should put something about spa days in your prenup, Hallie.”
“My what?” Hallie yawned.
“Your prenuptial agreement.”
“Cristiano hasn’t asked for one.”
“He will. Trust me. Rich men always look out for themselves. He’ll want a legal contract. Read your prenup carefully.”
“A contract for marriage? That’s silly,” Hallie said, already half-asleep as the pedicurist massaged her feet. “Marriage is forever. We’re going to take care of each other.”
Two hours later, as Hallie walked back through the soaring lobby of the Campania Hotel, she felt so relaxed she glowed. For the first time since Cristiano had taken her virginity and kicked her out of the hotel, she felt...happy.
Cristiano had done that, she realized. He’d arranged everything.
He was so different from the selfish, arrogant bastard she’d once thought him to be. He’d gotten her the simple gold ring she wanted, instead of the enormous diamond. He’d invited her friends to join her for a spa afternoon. He hadn’t once said the word prenup. And, even now, he was taking care of their baby.
“Hallie!”
She turned around, and all the relaxed, good feelings in her body fled.
Cristiano was sauntering through the lobby with a briefcase, Luther behind him. Coming up to her, he kissed her cheek softly. “Did you have an enjoyable afternoon?”
“Yes.” But where—where was—Hallie looked all around with rising panic, her eyes wide. Her heart lifted to her throat. “Where’s Jack?”
Cristiano gave a low laugh. “Upstairs in the penthouse. Safe. In the best of hands.”
“Whose?” she choked out. “Why isn’t he with you?”
Cristiano started walking toward the elevator, in no particular hurry. “I had to go to my lawyer’s office, to collect the prenuptial agreement.”
“The what?”
His handsome face looked down at her quizzically. “The prenuptial agreement, cara. Of course we must have one.”
Hallie’s jaw tightened. Turning away, she pushed the elevator button multiple times. When the elevator finally opened, she rushed inside. He followed her, frowning.
“A
re you in a rush?”
“How can you ask me that?” She frantically tried to push the button for the penthouse floor, but it didn’t work until he placed his finger against the keypad, after which the elevator door slid closed.
“Are you upset at the idea of a prenup? You surely cannot think I would marry you without one, exposing me to the risk of New York’s divorce laws and the possibility of losing half my fortune.”
She whirled on him. “You think I care about money?”
He looked at her evenly. “Everyone cares about money.”
“You left our son with a stranger!”
Cristiano’s shoulders relaxed. “He could hardly come with me to the lawyer’s office. But you don’t need to worry. I left him in the care of the best nanny in the city.”
He didn’t get it, Hallie realized. She’d been a fool to let herself be lulled into trusting him with her baby, even for an afternoon!
Her fears proved right. Even before the elevator opened on the top floor, she could hear her baby crying.
Wailing.
With no one apparently trying to comfort him.
Hallie rushed to the penthouse door. She was ready to kick it open, to scratch it with her hands. “What kind of home is this if I can’t even open my own door?” she said furiously.
Wordlessly Cristiano opened the door with his fingerprint, and she rushed through it. Her baby’s crying came from the guest room, but as Hallie rushed forward, a stern older woman in a uniform blocked her path.
“Get out of my way,” Hallie thundered, pushing past her into the bedroom.
Picking up her tiny sobbing infant from the crib, she held him close to her heart, whispering and singing softly. The baby’s wails subsided. Once she’d sat down in the glider and loosened her top, the baby was able to suckle, and his crying stopped abruptly and completely.
“You’re making a mistake,” the uniformed nanny said, watching dispassionately from the doorway. “It is a mistake I see with many of my ladies. If you give in to your baby’s demands now, you’ll be his slave. The only way to have a calm household is to get the child on a feeding schedule. You must let him cry it out, madam.”
“Cry it out? Cry it out!” Hallie had never been much for swearing, but she suddenly let loose every curse she’d ever heard from her father, who’d been a coal miner and a serious overachiever in the field of swearing. “I’ll cry you out!”
The woman blanched. “I was hired by Mr. Moretti himself,” she said unfeelingly. “I have worked for princes and kings, and I am not going to be insulted by the likes of you.”
“Get out,” Hallie said, cuddling her baby.
“I’m not going to take orders—”
Her voice became shrill. “Get! Out!”
“Do as she says,” Cristiano said in a low voice from behind the nanny, who whirled to face him. His dark eyes glittered in the shadows.
“Fine,” she said stiffly. “But I expect to be fully paid for—”
“You’ll be paid,” Cristiano said. “But if you ask for a reference, don’t expect any more princes or kings to hire you.”
The woman left with a sniff. Cristiano went to Hallie, who was still sitting in the glider, trembling as she cuddled their baby. He put his hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “She came highly recommended.”
Hallie took a deep breath. She had to force her voice to remain calm. “You have no experience with children.”
His eyes flashed to hers, and his expression changed.
“No,” he said finally.
She lifted her chin. “You have to learn.”
His grip on her shoulder tightened infinitesimally.
“I was told she was the best in New York.”
“The best? He was hungry and she was deliberately choosing not to give him a bottle!” She glared up at him. “How can I trust you after this? You convinced me to leave the baby in your care. Yours, Cristiano. Not some stranger’s!”
For the first time, he looked uncertain. His arms fell to his sides as he muttered, “I told you. I had something to do.”
“Yes—watching our son! The son you supposedly care about so much that sharing custody wasn’t enough for you—you had to demand marriage! You insisted you wanted to be a father. Was that all just a lie?”
“No,” he ground out.
“So why would you immediately desert him?”
“I did not desert him!”
“If you don’t want to actually raise him, then what are we even doing?”
Folding his arms, he paced three steps. “You are being unreasonable.”
Hallie took a deep breath. “No,” she said steadily. “I’m not. If you want us to live with you...if you want me to be crazy enough to marry you tomorrow, then—” she lifted her chin “—I’m setting some rules.”
He looked at her in disbelief. “You’re setting rules?”
“Yes.” She added coolly, “We’ll even put them into that prenup of yours if you like. Just to make it all official.”
He stared at her, clawing his hand through his dark hair. “Fine,” he said, his eyes glittering. “Tell me these ridiculous rules.”
“First. You will stop being so afraid of the baby.”
“Afraid?” he said incredulously. “I’m not afraid!”
“You will learn to be a father to Jack,” she continued, ignoring him. “You will learn how to hold him, change him, give him a bottle and bath and rock him to sleep.”
His expression darkened. For a second she thought he would refuse. Then he said tightly, “Continue.”
“Second. We will spend time as a family. You will join us for at least one meal every day—no matter how busy you are with your company.”
“I don’t intend to neglect you and Jack,” he ground out. “Why would you want that in the prenup?”
Hallie looked at him evenly. “I don’t intend to divorce you and steal half your fortune. But, strangely, you still want that written up in a contract.”
His jaw looked so tight she wondered if he was hurting his teeth. “Fine.”
“I prefer dinner, but if you have to work late, breakfast or lunch is all right, too.”
“Anything else?”
Hallie glanced down at her tiny baby son, who had already fallen asleep in her arms. She thought of all her hopes, all her dreams. Only one really mattered.
“Third,” she whispered. “You will love him and protect him with your life. As I do.”
He stared down at her in the shadowy quiet of the guest bedroom.
“I accept your terms,” he bit out. Going to his briefcase, he removed a legal document ten pages long. After turning to the last page, he scribbled something. He handed her the papers.
“Read,” he said. “Then sign.”
Hallie skimmed the document swiftly, elated to see he’d written all three of her rules exactly as she’d wanted, squeezing them in above the signature lines. As she read through the rest of the pages, the tiny font and legal jargon started to swim before her eyes.
Read your prenup carefully.
The memory of Lola’s voice floated back to her, and Hallie wondered if she should get a lawyer to explain the details to her. But she didn’t know any lawyers, and it all seemed like too much trouble when she just wanted to snuggle her sleeping baby and maybe take a nap herself, right here in the chair.
Besides, what was the point of getting married if she couldn’t even trust Cristiano? He’d admitted his mistake. He intended to rectify it. She could forgive him. She wanted them to be a family. She wanted security for her son, and a home. Why else would she agree to a loveless marriage?
He’d agreed to her own rules. If he followed them, why would they ever divorce?
But, as she started to sign her name, she heard the echo of T
ess’s voice.
It’s love that brought you together. Pure, perfect love. That’s the only reason anyone would marry.
She hesitated, then gripped the pen. Her hand shook a little as she signed her name. She gave him back the document.
“Here,” she said a little hoarsely.
“Thank you.” His voice was clipped. Setting the papers down on the end table, he signed them without another word.
Hallie wondered what he was thinking. His handsome face seemed closed off, remote.
A rush of insecurity went through her. Were they making a mistake? In settling for a loveless marriage, were they just being practical—or were they selling their souls?
She swallowed and looked up at him. “Cristiano, are we doing the right thing?”
Straightening, he stood over the glider, looking down at her and the sleeping baby in her arms. His voice was cold. “What do you mean?”
“Settling for a loveless marriage...”
“Don’t second-guess it,” he said harshly. “The decision is made.”
He turned away.
“Where are you going?” she said, astonished.
Cristiano stopped at the doorway, his handsome face in shadow. “I have work to do.”
“Tonight?” Hallie yearned for him to give her reassurance—a kind word, a smile. “Can’t you take the evening off? Tomorrow’s our wedding.”
“I have taken too much time off already. There are details to finalize before I leave New York.”
“But—”
“Get some rest. After the wedding reception, we’ll leave for Rome.” His voice was brusque, as if she were one of his employees and he was giving her instructions. “You know how to order room service. I’ll see you in the morning.”
With that, he left, closing the door behind him.
Hallie shivered, looking out the window into the early-evening light, cradling her sleeping baby in her arms.
She should have been proud of herself for standing up to him over the prenuptial agreement and setting her own terms. Instead, she felt as if she’d just agreed to the terms of her employment.
Stop it, she told herself angrily. Once they were married, they’d be a family. Jack would have a secure home. His childhood would be happy, as Hallie’s had been.
