“Yes, sweetheart. Jerry and I are getting married.”
“Yay!” She screeched, bouncing up and down and turning in circles in front of them. “I’m so excited. I’m getting a daddy! I’m getting a daddy! Thank you, mommy!” She slammed into Rayne, and wrapped her arms around her mother’s legs. “I’m so happy.”
Jerry chuckled, then picked up Stormy.
“My wish came true,” she said on a sob, but quickly wiped her eyes and smiled. “I wanted you to be my daddy.”
Jerry’s heart melted each time he looked into those beautiful eyes that were identical to her mother’s. He kissed her cheek. “I am so happy you’re going to be my little girl.”
“Me too.” She hugged him tightly before he put her down.
For a few minutes, they basked in the well wishes and soaked up all of the hugs from his family. His parents were the last ones to approach them.
“I’m proud of you son,” Jerry’s father said, pulling him into a bear hug. Thomas Jenkins wasn’t a big talker, but had always been quick to tell and show his kids how much he loved them.
“Thanks, Dad.”
His father hugged Rayne and whispered something to her.
Then Violet wrapped her arms around Jerry and Rayne at the same time. “I’m so happy for you kids, and Rayne, you were already my daughter, but I’m glad you two are making it official.”
“Aw, Violet,” Rayne cooed, hugging his mother firmly. “You are so special to me. Thank you for everything.”
Jerry noticed how choked up Rayne was, and he pulled her to his side while he got everyone’s attention again.
“I have one more surprise,” he announced.
Rayne’s perfectly arched eyebrows lifted in question, but all Jerry did was smile.
“Martina, can you bring in the surprise?”
“Sure.” She left the room and a few minutes later, returned with a huge box. She walked slowly across the room and set it on the floor near Stormy.
“What is it?” Stormy asked as she and Janay crowded around it.
“Something for you and Janay to play with,” Jerry said and carefully lifted the box to reveal the custom-made doll house.
Gasps went up around the room.
Instead of Stormy’s usual exuberant bouncing around, she stood frozen with her mouth hanging open.
“That is absolutely beautiful,” Rayne breathed.
It had been hard keeping it a secret from her. Jerry had planned to save the gift for Christmas, but when Martina told him that it was already done, he couldn’t wait.
“It’s a doll house,” Stormy finally said, clearly astonished by the gift. “It looks just like my mommy and daddy’s houses.”
Now Jerry was the one stunned into silence. His heart was so full. He didn’t think he would ever get used to her calling him daddy.
Stormy walked over and hugged him. “Thank you, daddy. I love it, and I love you,” she said.
“I love you too,” Jerry said around the lump in his throat.
This would definitely go down as one of the best days of his life.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“What’s up, Boss Man?” Jerry asked when he ambled into Nick’s office and found him sitting at the round, meeting table that was in the corner.
“Not much. Thanks for coming in. Where’s Rayne? I thought you guys were stopping here in between looking at houses.”
“We are. We told the real estate agent that we would meet her at the next house in a couple of hours.” Jerry joined him at the table. “And Rayne’s downstairs. MJ is giving her a tour of the carpenter shop, as well as some of the others.”
“That’s cool. I’m surprised she hadn’t been by here before today.”
“She has, but I never took the time to give her a tour of the whole building.”
Nick nodded. “Oh, I see. Well, what I called you in for is that I wanted to let you know that the foreman’s position is yours if you want it.”
“Yeah!” Jerry did a Tiger Woods fist pump but tried to maintain some cool by staying in his seat. “Of course, I want the job.”
He had interviewed for the position a few weeks ago. They might’ve been family, but Nick always treated the business like a business. He would never just slide someone into a position. He didn’t care who you were. You had to be qualified and be a good fit.
“Your first day as foremen is in two weeks. Ted will train you during the first week. After that you’re on your own. But I think it’ll be a smooth transition since you know just as much as he does about the trade and the job.”
For thirty minutes, they discussed next steps, the position and a few of the jobs coming up. With this promotion and his engagement, Jerry’s life plans were lining up perfectly. He couldn’t wait to share the news with Rayne.
Nick’s intercom buzzed, and he left the table. Pushing the green button on his desk phone, he said, “Yes.”
“Hey, Nick. Mrs. Brooks is here.”
Nick’s brows dipped into a frown. “Does she have an appointment?”
“No, but she says it’s important that she meets with you because she doesn’t want to hold up the job any longer. She says—”
“Tam, just escort her upstairs. Thanks.”
Jerry stood. “I guess that’s my cue to make a move.”
“Actually, stick around. Mrs. Brooks had questions about a fixture for her home office and some for the bathrooms that we’re remodeling. When Ted leaves, this job will fall into your lap if it isn’t done by then.”
A few minutes later, Mrs. Brooks strolled into the office, but what shocked Jerry was seeing Dana with her. Though Dana had been blowing up his phone shortly after that run-in at her parent’s house, he hadn’t heard or seen her in the last few months.
Right now, with the way she was dressed and how she carried herself, Dana looked like a multi-millionaire who owned a Fortune 500 company. Instead, she owned a small marketing firm up the street, but that didn’t mean she looked any less professional. Her flattering shoulder-length bob bounced with every step she took, and the stylish, gray pants suit molded perfectly over her full-figured body. She was definitely a looker.
“Hello, Mrs. Brooks,” Nick said, snagging Jerry’s attention.
“Hi, Nick. Thanks for agreeing to see me. I won’t take up too much of your time.”
Dana smiled at Jerry, but didn’t speak right away. Like usual, whenever she saw him, her appreciative gaze slid down his body.
I am definitely going to have to make it clear that I’m not interested or available.
“It’s good to see you again, Jerry,” Dana purred, her ruby-red lips tilting up into a seductive smile as she laid her hand on his arm.
If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t think much of the way she touched his arm or his back whenever she talked to him. But the lust radiating in her eyes, and the vibe he was picking up on, let him know that she didn’t care that he was involved with someone. Before, when he told her that he wasn’t interested, his feelings for Rayne were somewhat one-sided. Now that they were engaged, he definitely had to make it clear to Dana where they stood.
“You two know each other?” Mrs. Brooks asked, taking the seat that Nick pulled out for her.
“Yes, we’re good friends and go way back,” Dana said sweetly before Jerry could speak. She said it with just a little too much seduction for his taste.
“Oh, how nice,” her mother said. “It’s such a small world.”
“Yes, it is,” Jerry murmured. He glanced at Nick who was looking at him, probably wondering exactly how he knew Dana.
“What can I do for you, Mrs. Brooks?” Nick asked, reclaiming his seat once Dana was seated.
“I know you want your people to finish up the second phase of our renovation, but there are a few changes I wanted to make to the plans first,” she said.
For the next thirty minutes, she went back and forth on what type of flooring she wanted for her house. She was also still undecided about fixtures.
“Mrs. Brooks, why don’t you show me the bathroom fixture that you and your husband are leaning toward,” Jerry said.
“Don’t you want to sit down?” Dana asked Jerry and patted the seat next to her.
“No, I’m good. I’m only here for a few more minutes anyway. All right, Mrs. Brooks, show me which fixtures you’re thinking of going with before I leave. As Nick said, our guys will be ready to install them this coming week.” He leaned over her shoulder and looked at the web page that she pulled up.
“I changed my mind about having the euro design ceiling fan in my home office. I think this chandelier would be fabulous in the space.”
“You’re right, that chandelier would look nice in your office, but I wouldn’t recommend it,” Jerry said. “I’m actually surprised it’s still on the market. The bulbs it takes are almost impossible to find, and it’s also a pain to change those bulbs.”
“And what about the one she picked for the bathrooms?” Nick asked.
For the next few minutes, they discussed other options for the home office, as well as the bathroom fixtures. By the time Jerry was done highlighting the pros and cons of a few possibilities, she finally nailed down her choices.
Dana lunged out of her seat and threw her arms around his neck. “Thanks for helping my mother. I’m glad you were here.”
Jerry eased out of her hold and put a little distance between them. “I’m glad to be of help. I’ll get one of our guys to place the order today, and we should receive them in a couple of days.” He glanced at his watch. “Well, it was good seeing you both again, but I need to get going.”
Nick gave him a head nod. “Thanks for coming in, man.”
“Actually, I need to talk to you about something,” Dana said in a rush, gathering her belongings. “Mom, I’ll meet you outside.”
Once in the hallway, Jerry got in her face. “What the hell was that in there?”
“That was me showing my appreciation, but I’d rather show you in a different way. Your place or mine?”
*
Rayne rode the elevator to the top floor, fascinated by all that she’d seen of Jenkins & Sons. She knew the company was successful, but what she’d seen had exceeded her expectations. To say she was impressed with what the Jenkins family had created would be putting it mildly.
Exiting the elevator, Rayne wandered down the hall. She nodded at two guys who were talking near an office door and then gave a slight wave at a man she had seen earlier in the paint shop. If she remembered correctly, Nick’s office was around the corner.
Rayne made the last right turn but stopped a short distance from where she saw Jerry and a woman talking. Part of her considered backing up and giving them some privacy since the woman was probably a client considering how well she was dressed. But there was something about the way she was looking at Jerry, that gave Rayne pause.
“Listen, Dana. I don’t know what part of not interested you don’t understand, but you and me—never gonna happen again.”
“I’ve missed you,” she said as if not hearing him. “How about you come by my place tonight. I’ll cook dinner, and then you can show me how much you’ve missed me.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Rayne said before she could stop herself, anger clawing through her veins. Jerry spun around as she walked toward them. “He’s not available. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever.”
The words flew from her mouth with a boldness Rayne never knew she had. This wasn’t her. She rarely confronted people, but that was before she had a man worth fighting for.
“Excuse me? Who the hell do you think—”
“Whoa. Hold up, Dana.” Jerry put his arm around Rayne. “This is my fiancée and I sure as hell ain’t gon’ let you talk to her any kind of way,” he said, an edge in his voice that Rayne hadn’t heard before.
“Fiancée?” She looked Rayne up and down and turned up her nose as if smelling something bad. “Honey, clearly you don’t know who you’re dealing with. He ain’t—”
“Actually, I know exactly who I’m dealing with. He’s the man I’m going to marry,” Rayne told her, then turned her attention to Jerry. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah.” He kissed her lips and looked at Dana. “Lose my number.”
She made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat. “You’ll be back.” She stomped past them, and they watched until she was out of sight.
“Jerry, please tell me I’m not going to have to deal with more women like her.”
He cupped her face between his hands. “You’re never going to have to deal with women like her as it relates to me. She’s from my past, but it was never anything serious. I hope you know that you have nothing to worry about. I’m all yours.”
In her heart, Rayne knew that, but every now and then doubts snuck in and brought up memories of Kirk and his betrayal. She never again wanted to miss signs that her man was cheating.
Jerry lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “I’m serious, Rayne. I would never cheat on you,” he said as if reading her mind. “We’re getting married, and we’re going to have an amazing life together. You don’t ever have to worry about me stepping out on you or letting anyone come between us.”
Rayne believed him, and she had no intention of letting anyone come between them either. He was hers, and she was his.
“I love you so much. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Epilogue
Nine months later…
A smile lifted the corners of Rayne’s mouth as she stared out over the backyard. She admired the huge patio, the custom-made swing set, and the start of a vegetable garden that she had always dreamed of having one day.
Had anyone told her a year ago that she would be married and living in her dream home, Rayne would’ve laughed in their face. She was living proof that anything was possible when you don’t give up.
Don’t let your circumstances control you.
Almost daily, Violet’s words played through Rayne’s mind. She didn’t know what she would’ve done without her mother-in-law or the Jenkins clan all those months ago. Jerry and his family had changed her life, supported her in every way and welcomed her and Stormy into their world. Because of their love, Rayne walked in a peace she never knew existed.
I am so blessed.
She turned away from the sliding patio door and went back into the kitchen to finish breakfast. They had moved into the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom house two months ago and some days Rayne felt as if she was living someone else’s life. The chef’s kitchen with its stone-gray cabinets, marble countertops, and top of the line stainless steel appliances, was her favorite room in the house. Her heart sang each time she walked into the space.
Rayne opened the top oven to check on the French toast casserole, deciding to give it a few more minutes before she took it out. Jerry had left early to check on a job and she had promised to have breakfast ready by the time he returned.
Once Rayne finished the bacon, eggs, and removed the casserole from the oven, she heard the overhead garage door go up and the rumble of Jerry’s truck.
A few minutes later, the kitchen door that led to the garage opened.
“Psst.”
She glanced over her shoulder and frowned. Jerry stood in the doorway, peeking into the kitchen before looking left and right. He wore the same sneaky expression that he had when he came home one day after work and said, I found your dream home.
Rayne narrowed her eyes. “What are you up to?”
“Where’s Ladybug?”
“She’s upstairs playing. Why?”
He strolled into the house, closing the door behind him. “Because I have a surprise for her.”
Rayne shook her head. “Jerry, you’re going to spoil her if you keep buying her stuff.”
“My little girl deserves
to be spoiled.”
The last surprise had been when he, his father and Liam built the mini playground in the back yard. Rayne couldn’t even imagine what else he had up his sleeve. But in all honesty, she couldn’t have picked a better father for her daughter or a better husband for herself.
Married six months ago at the Jenkins’ family estate, they had only invited the immediate family, wanting to keep the wedding relatively small. They ended up with over seventy guests, but the backyard wedding still felt intimate and had been absolutely gorgeous. It was hands down one of the best days of Rayne’s life.
“How are you feeling this morning, Mrs. Jenkins?”
Standing behind Rayne, Jerry wrapped his arms around her waist. As usual, her heart rate galloped whenever he was in her presence, and being in his arms was her favorite place to be.
“I feel pretty good.” Rayne laid her head back against his hard chest, savoring their quiet moment.
He placed his large hand on her belly. “How’s my boy doing?”
As if knowing his father’s voice, the baby moved, and Jerry sucked in a breath. “That will never get old. Just amazing,” he said in awe.
She placed her hand on top of his. “Yeah, the miracle of life is pretty remarkable.”
Rayne loved that she could share something so special with this wonderful man. In less than four months, they would welcome a new addition to the Jenkins family, and she could hardly wait to meet their baby boy.
Jerry nuzzled her neck, and Rayne shivered. The heady sensation of his skilled lips against her heated skin took her desire for him to new levels. And unless she wanted their breakfast to get cold, she needed to put on the brakes before they got too carried away.
She wiggled against him, a weak attempt at breaking out of his hold, but Jerry held firm.
“Where you tryin’ to go?” he said, his voice muffled against the column of her neck.
“I just don’t want you to start nothing we can’t finish right now.”
“Mmm,” he moaned, nipping and kissing her neck, ignoring her words. “Have I mentioned how much I love you?”
A Lesson on Love Page 19
