The Surprise

by Alice Ward

  I pulled his arm tighter around me, and I placed a soft kiss on his skin. He stirred again, and this time, I could tell he was beginning to wake. He groaned and stretched his legs before he released me and rolled onto his back. I felt empty when he was no longer touching me, but I knew we needed to get up. Just as Talen opened his eyes, his phone alarm chimed loudly. I sighed and pushed myself up, reluctantly scooting to the edge of the bed and letting my body wake up.

  “Good morning,” Talen said, kissing my temple.

  “Morning,” I said, turning to smile at him. His eyes were on me, and he smiled back with a rumpled look that went straight to my heart. He looked younger in the morning, more innocent. As he climbed out of bed, I couldn’t help but notice the difference. His expression was more open and inviting than ever before. He seemed vulnerable.

  “Are you ready for today?” he asked me as he disappeared into the bathroom.

  I stayed sitting on his bed to talk to him. It wouldn’t be long before I needed to shower and get ready, but I could sit for a few minutes.

  “We’re both ready,” I said, faking a confidence I didn’t truly feel. “It’ll be great.”

  “I hope so,” he said from the bathroom.

  “Don’t be nervous,” I said. “You’ll be amazing today. I’m sure of it.”

  “Thank you.” He poked his head out, giving me a wink. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

  “Well, of course not,” I teased. “I am your wife, after all.”

  Talen laughed, and I left his room. I walked across the apartment to the guest room bathroom where I took a shower and got ready for the day. By the time I was clean and dressed, Talen was waiting for me in the kitchen. There was a full pot of coffee brewed and a few pieces of toast lying on a plate on the kitchen table.

  “For me?”

  Talen nodded and gestured toward the toast, then scooped the eggs he’d been scrambling onto my plate. We ate breakfast in silence. With each passing second, I could feel Talen grow more and more tense. He was nervous of what might happen at the meeting, and there was nothing I could say or do to calm his nerves. For his sake, I was ready to get this over with.

  When it was time to leave, Talen and I got into his car and raced toward the office. Talen wanted to arrive early, and I didn’t blame him. It was going to be hard enough. The last thing we needed was to be late. Luckily, we weren’t. We arrived a half hour before the meeting was set to start. As we walked quickly toward the elevator, Talen slid his hand in mine and held on tightly, his palm damp with sweat. I wasn’t sure if he held onto me for show or for comfort, but I didn’t care. It felt good to touch him again.

  We rode the elevator up to the top floor and came face to face with a crowd of people. Despite being early for the meeting, it seemed like everyone was already there. My stomach flipped as Talen took a deep breath and stepped off the elevator, pulling me along behind him. He glanced at me nervously, and I smiled, silently reassuring him that everything would be fine. We were going to get through this meeting in one piece, together. No matter what the investors or his father threw at us, we were ready. We’d prepared for this moment for a month now. I was beyond confident as Talen cleared his throat and drew everyone’s attention to us.

  “Talen!” many voices called out. I counted the men in front of me quickly and found that there were twenty in total, but I knew they weren’t all investors. Some were the higher executives in the company.

  “Morning, gentlemen,” Talen said with a wide smile. “I see you’ve all made it on time.”

  “Just waiting for you,” one of the men said with a jovial smile. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

  “You too,” Talen said just as his father appeared from his office.

  “Gentlemen,” he called. “Now that my son has finally arrived, please follow me and Talen into the conference room, we’ll spend some time before the meeting begins.”

  There were nods and murmurs as the investors separated from the higher-ups and made their way down the hall. Talen and I followed close behind while everyone else went back to work. Once we were seated, I saw that there were only ten investors, a much smaller number than I initially thought. Of course, these were just the early ones. I wasn’t sure how many others there would be.

  “So, Talen,” one of the men said. This man had a hard, assessing edge to him. “It’s been years since we’ve sat down with you. Tell us, what have you been up to?”

  “Well,” Talen said with a chuckle. “Other than working nonstop, I recently got married. Gentlemen, this is my wife, Dani. Dani, here are all the important people I’ve been telling you about.”

  Everyone laughed as I smiled my hello around the room. Talen told me each of their names, but it was too many to learn right then.

  “It’s lovely to meet you, Dani,” one man said.

  “You as well,” I said politely.

  The rest of our time in Jacob’s small conference room went quickly. The investors asked me and Talen questions about our life together, and we answered as we’d rehearsed. They were all smiling and laughing with us by the end. Even Jacob seemed to be pleased. I could tell that most of the investors respected Talen. The way the joked with him was so familiar and trusting. Talen was clearly a favorite of theirs. Now, by extension, so was I.

  “Well,” one man said. “Talen will have to keep us informed about your art, Dani. I for one would love to see your work. I’m a connoisseur of oil paintings myself.”

  “I’ll do that, Michael,” Talen said. “Dani’s talent is undeniable.”

  “You’re all too kind,” I said playfully. “I swear I’m mediocre at best.”

  “Modesty is an admirable trait,” one man said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Once the conversation came to a close, Jacob and Talen took the investors to the larger boardroom, and I was instructed to stay behind. But I could see other men milling around in the hallway. I wasn’t sure, but, in total, there looked to be close to fifty or even more.

  “My father doesn’t allow non-employees in the boardroom,” Talen whispered to me apologetically.

  “I figured,” I whispered back. “I’ll be fine.”

  Everyone disappeared into the boardroom, and I went alone to Talen’s office to wait. As I sat there, I thought about how well the introductions went. We planned to take the investors to lunch after the meeting, and I, of course, would be going along. Today, I was Talen’s arm candy, and I thought I was doing a pretty good job so far.

  Just as I was silently praising myself, my phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out with a frown. I wasn’t expecting anyone to call me so early on a Monday morning. Madison always slept in, and my mother wasn’t much for phone calls anymore.

  The number wasn’t one I recognized.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, is this Dani Brooks?” a calm, professional voice asked.

  “Yes,” I said nervously. “Who’s this?”

  “This is Jackie Cooke from County Hospital. I’m a nurse in the E.R., and I’m calling to let you know that we have your mother here with us. She was brought in just a few—”

  “What happened? How bad?”

  The voice grew even calmer. “She’s unconscious at the moment, but stable, breathing on her own. We’ll be conducting a number of tests. Do we have your permission to—”

  “Yes. Do whatever tests you need.”

  “Very well. Please be safe driving here, Miss Brooks.”

  “Thank you. I’m on my way.”

  I couldn’t think as I ran out of Talen’s office and into the hallway. I knew where the boardroom was, and I hurled myself toward it as fast as I could. When I made it, I took a deep breath and gently pushed open the door and stuck my head inside. I could feel countless eyes on me, but I searched for Talen’s face. The second he saw me, I motioned for him to come outside. He stood up and hurried toward me.

  “What is it?” he asked, stepping into the hallway, and closing the door behind him.

  �
��It’s my mom,” I said and could hear the panic in my voice. “I just got a call from the hospital that she’s been admitted to the E.R. I have to go now and I’m—”

  I didn’t get a chance to finish my sentence because, just then, Jacob stepped into the hallway. His eyes flashed dangerously as he looked from me to Talen. I’d never seen anyone look so angry.

  “Is this a fucking joke?” he hissed. “Talen, what did I tell you about this woman? It is your job to keep her in check. If you can’t do that, then what use are you? I asked you for one thing! Just one thing, and you couldn’t do it! Now, she has humiliated us all in front of the investors because you couldn’t keep her under control.”

  I couldn’t believe Jacob’s words. I stared openmouthed as he spoke, waiting for Talen to defend me or himself, or at least the situation. He didn’t. Instead, he stared in stony silence at his father. Jacob didn’t look at me again. He only had eyes for his son. As I watched them, I realized Talen wasn’t going to say anything. I didn’t have time to stand around and wait. My mother was in the emergency room, and I had to go.

  Without a word, I turned and stormed away. I didn’t look back, but stepped onto the elevator and watched the doors slide closed in front of me.

  CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

  Talen

  My entire body was frozen in place as I watched Dani disappear onto the elevator. She didn’t look at me as the door closed, but I could feel every bit of her fear and anger. Immediately, I knew I’d fucked up. There was a split second when my father was railing on me that I could have spoken up, told him to shut up and back off. But I didn’t. I just stood there like a kicked puppy and let him yell at us both. Dani had every right to walk away from us. From me. The boy cowering in front of his father.

  Fuck me. This needed to stop. Now.

  “Her mother is in the hospital,” I snapped, finally interrupting my father’s tirade. He had been ranting since the second he walked out of the boardroom. “Lay off.”

  “I don’t care if her mother just died!” my father hissed. “No one interrupts a board meeting. Who the hell does she think she is?! You obviously did not take the time to tell her how things work in this company and in this family. It was your responsibility to keep her in line, and you couldn’t do it. Yet again, you failed.”

  My father’s words hit me hard, but instead of cowering again, I saw red. My entire life had been spent desperately trying to live up to his expectations. Nothing I did was ever good enough. No matter how hard I tried, I could never gain his approval. Still, I stood by him and his company. I never made any waves or put up any fights. I let him have control over everything and everyone. It ended now. I couldn’t do it anymore.

  “I thought that maybe, you were finally ready for a more active role in this company, but I was wrong. You will never be ready. Definitely not with that little idiot by your side. I can’t believe you—”

  “Shut the fuck up, Dad,” I said, taking a step toward him. I’d had enough.

  My father’s eyes widened in shock. “Excuse me?” Then his eyes narrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak again, but I wouldn’t let him. I refused to listen to anything else he had to say.

  “You have no right to talk about Dani that way,” I roared. “She is twice the person you or I will ever be. She’s generous and kind and loyal. She’s understanding and empathetic. She’s beyond talented, and she’s smart as hell. But you don’t care about any of that. The only thing you care about is your precious company.”

  “This company has given you everythi—”

  “Shut your fucking mouth, or I’ll shut it for you,” I growled. “I’m not finished. You’re nothing more than a bully. You walk through life like you’re untouchable, stomping over anyone who gets in your way. I’ve let you do it my entire life, but I’m done. You will never talk about Dani that way again, do you understand me? I deserve better than that, and you know what? So does my mother. She deserves better than this shitty life you’ve given her. She deserves better than you. And you know what… so do I.”

  My father’s anger was at its boiling point by the time I finished talking. I watched as he clenched his fists, and I knew he was ready to hit me. Without a word, I spun around and stormed down the hall. When I stepped into the elevator, I looked back at him with a challenging smile. His face flashed dangerously, but he didn’t move. He just stared at me while the doors slid closed, separating us from each other once and for all.

  It wasn’t until I reached my car that I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. I sat behind the wheel and let all the tension fade from my body. For the first time in my life, I stood up to my father. I stood up to him, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. I smiled as I put my car in reverse and backed out of my parking space. The smile stayed on my face as I left the parking lot and drove toward the hospital.

  I was happy that I finally shut my father down, but I was also terrified for Dani. Her mother was in the hospital, and I didn’t know why. I could see it in her eyes that she was scared. Dani wasn’t the kind of person to interrupt an important meeting for no reason. The second she poked her head inside the boardroom, I knew something was really, really wrong. Nothing else could have propelled me from my seat and out into that hallway.

  As I pulled into the hospital parking lot, I hated myself for not immediately leaving with her. She needed me, that much was clear, but I’d just let her go. I stood there and listened while my father ripped into her. I didn’t say a word. Worse still, I let her leave. I watched her disappear into the elevator, and I didn’t take a single step toward her. Dani deserved better than what I’d given her, and I was determined to show her that.

  I ran into the emergency entrance and hurried toward the counter. There was a nurse sitting behind a computer. She didn’t look up until I began tapping on the counter. I didn’t mean to be impatient, but I needed to find Dani and her mother.

  “Can I help you?” the nurse asked.

  “I’m looking for Brooks.” Shit. I couldn’t remember her mother’s first name, if I ever knew it at all. “The last name is Brooks.”

  The nurse lifted a brow. “And how are you related to the patient?”

  “She’s my mother-in-law.”

  The nurse tapped at the computer again and I wanted to snap at her to hurry. “She’s been transferred to another wing. West wing, fourth floor. They can direct you from there.”

  “Thank you so much.” I turned and ran down a hallway to my right. There were arrows pointing toward the west wing. It didn’t take long for me to find the elevators. I jumped on and rode up to the fourth floor. There, I found another information desk, and I asked for Brooks again. They directed me across the hallway to a waiting room. They said a doctor would be out with more information for us soon. Without thinking, I ran to the waiting room, searching frantically for Dani.

  When I saw her, she was sitting in a chair at the back of the room. Her head was in her hands, and she tapped her foot nervously. I walked over to her slowly, not wanting to startle her.

  “Dani.” I knelt in front of her and put my hand on her back.

  Dani’s head snapped up, and her eyes locked on mine. Her eyes were bloodshot, like she’d been crying. My guilt worsened at the sight. I should have been there with her the entire time. I should have left when she did.

  “What are you doing here?” Dani ground out, jerking away from me.

  I couldn’t blame her for being angry. After everything she’d been through today, she had that right. Still, I wished she would let me comfort her. The only thing I wanted to do was make sure she was okay. I desperately wanted to make her life easier and better, in any way I could.

  “I’m sorry about my father,” I said quickly. “He never should have said those things about you.”

  “I don’t care what he thinks of me,” she said, practically spitting the words. “He’s nothing to me.”

  “I know. He’s an asshole, and I’m so sorry.”

  “You do
n’t have to apologize,” Dani said, her voice cold and distant. “I don’t even know why you’re here.”

  “For you,” I said simply. I tried to reach for her again, but she jumped out of her seat and walked away. I hurried after her. “Dani, I’m here for you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I want to be here for you. And for your mom.”

  “You can’t.” Tears brimmed in her eyes. “You can’t be here. You need to leave.”

  “No,” I said firmly. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Yes, you are,” she insisted, pushing against my chest. “I don’t want my mother to see you, okay? That’s the last thing she needs. I don’t want her to ever meet you.”

  Her words were like a slap to my face, but I didn’t fight back. I knew she was scared and angry. I didn’t want to make her feel worse, but I couldn’t just leave her.

  “I understand that you’re scared,” I said. “But let me help you. Please. I just want to help.”

  A lone tear snaked down her cheek. “This was a job. That’s all. You don’t need to stay here and comfort me. You don’t need to help me take care of my mother. You just need to leave.”

  “It’s not just a job. Not—”

  “It is,” Dani insisted, holding out a hand. “It was just a job, and now, it’s over. I went to that damn meeting, and I pretended to be your wife.”

  “You are my wife,” I said softly.

  “Not anymore. I did my part. I did everything you asked me to do, and now, I’m done. It’s done. Over. I just want my money, and I want you to leave me the hell alone.”

  “Dani,” I said, taking a step toward her. “Don’t do this. Don’t push me away. Look, I know I messed up earlier. I should have defended you when my father went off like that. I never should have let him say those things, but I just froze. I’m so sorry. I froze. I don’t know why it’s so hard to stand up to him.”