by James, Anna
He came into the room and extended his hand. “Reed McNamara. Family friend, right?”
Jake nodded. “Yes.”
Silence echoed throughout the confined space for long minutes, and then Jake stood. “I should get going.” He turned to Ashley, picked up her hand and squeezed it. “Take care.”
“I will. Thanks for stopping by, Jake.”
When they were alone Reed said, “I’m sorry you had to wait so long. I—”
She’d called him a few hours ago to let him know the doctor signed her discharge papers. “Something came up.” As usual.
Bright color slashed his cheekbones. “I got here as soon as I could.”
She nodded, not willing to tax him with her disappointment.
“Ready to go?”
No. Going home meant getting back to everyday life. She glanced down at her abdomen, again. Their everyday life, the sole reason for their marriage, ceased to exist the moment she miscarried. What happened next? Where did they go from here?
Reed pulled the car up to the hospital entrance and waited for the attendant to bring Ashley down. He closed his eyes and tried, again, to banish the picture of his wife in her ex-fiancé’s arms.
Jake might be an old friend of the family, but he was also the love of Ashley’s life. Nicole had let that information slip, when she’d warned him about getting involved with her sister. Sure Ashley had given him the boot after Jake cheated on her but . . .
The image of her sobbing, while Jake comforted her slammed into his brain. He was going to kill the bastard. Dear God, where the hell had that thought come from?
A sharp rap on the passenger window had him snapping open his eyes. Ashley sat in a wheelchair, an attendant by her side.
He got out of the SUV, helped her into the vehicle, then strode around to the driver’s side. “Are you hungry?” he asked, pulling into traffic.
She shook her head.
They arrived home twenty minutes later. She stayed silent on the elevator ride from the parking garage up to the penthouse, as she had on the journey home.
He unlocked the front door and gestured for her to precede him in and followed. She stopped in the middle of the room as if she didn’t know what to do next.
He dragged a hand through his hair. What the hell was he supposed to do now? “Um, you okay?”
She stared up at him, her green eyes a stormy sea of emotion, then nodded.
He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. They both knew she was lying. Hell, she’d been crying, gut-wrenching sobs, less than an hour ago. He’d heard the overwhelming, heartbreaking sadness in those tears, but didn’t know what to do or say to make everything better. He started to pace, caught himself, and made a concerted effort to stop.
“Can I get you anything?” Maybe she was hungry now? The nurse told him she’d only picked at her breakfast and hadn’t touched lunch.
“No, thanks.”
His gut twisted. He hated seeing her like this. Hated that lost look in her eyes, as if her world had crumbled and nothing would ever be okay again. Hated that he couldn’t make it all better. Damn it. It wasn’t fair. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable, on the sofa, and I’ll get you a cup of tea. The herbal stuff you like.”
“Yes, that would be nice.”
Good. Something he could do. He guided her to the sofa and sat her down on the cool leather surface, then went into the kitchen, filled the kettle, and set it atop the stove to boil. He grabbed a tea bag from the little canister on the counter and put it in her special mug.
He found her in the same position when he returned to the living room ten minutes later, the same absent expression on her face, a hand resting on top of her abdomen. His heart sank. Tea? He thought tea would help this mess? How pathetic could he be?
He knelt down so they were eye to eye. “Ashley.”
She focused on him. Tears shimmered in her eyes.
“Here, drink this.” He handed her the cup and saucer.
“Thank you.”
Oh yeah, he was pitiful, all right. “Would you like to watch some TV?” He picked up the remote control.
“No. Reed.” She threw her arms around him and wept. “What are we going to do now?”
He didn’t answer, couldn’t. He didn’t know what the hell they were going to do now that everything had changed.
Chapter 4
Ashley got out of bed and padded into the kitchen. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee teased her senses and she moved to the cupboard to grab her favorite mug. A hand-written note lay next to the coffee maker.
Went into the office to get a few things done. See you later — R.
She sighed, then filled her mug and took a sip of the strong brew. He was avoiding her. He had to be. This was the third day, since she’d been home from the hospital, Reed had left the house before she woke.
He’d arrived home at seven o’clock last night and went straight to the study as he had the day before. She might have believed he’d slept there, since his home office doubled as the spare bedroom, if it weren’t for the rumpled sheets on his side of their bed.
And he barely spoke to her. Instead he left notes or sent text messages, neatly averting any further discussions of their future.
The doorbell rang. Ashley frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone this morning. A smile formed on her face when she opened the door and found her older sister, Nicole, standing on the other side. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in LA on business?”
“I got home late last night.” Nicole threw her arms around Ashley and held her tight. “Oh, Ash, I’m so sorry about the baby.”
A lump formed in Ashley’s throat, but she didn’t cry. Wouldn’t. She’d shed enough tears over the last few days to last a lifetime. “Why don’t you come in and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”
Nicole released her, stepped into the entryway, and closed the door.
“Tell me, how did your meeting in LA go?”
Nicole grinned. “It went well.”
Ashley walked into the living room and Nicole followed. She dropped down on the sofa and tucked her feet under her bottom and Nicole took a seat in the chair opposite her. “So, are you going to tell me who this mysterious client that wants you to design her wedding gown is?”
“I can’t. Her ‘people’ made me sign a confidentiality agreement before we even met.”
Ashley’s brow arched up. “Interesting. She must be pretty important if keeping her anonymity is an issue.”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Oh, come on, Nic. At least tell me if she is someone I’ve heard of?”
“You’ve definitely heard of her. And that’s all I’m going to say.”
Ashley laughed. “Well, look at you. Hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Who’d have thought designing my wedding gown would launch your career?”
Nicole drew in a deep breath. “I still can’t believe it. It’s a dream come true.”
“You deserve it, especially after everything you’ve been through in the last six years, since Mom and Dad died.”
“I’m not sure about that, but one thing is certain. I couldn’t have done any of it without Max.” Her eyes lit with joy. “He’s been behind me every step of the way.”
“You're happy then. With Max, I mean.”
“More than I thought possible.”
The ache that had settled in Ashley’s chest sometime over the last few days turned into a dull pain. It wasn’t that she didn’t wish the best for her sister, she did, it was just . . .
“I’m sorry. Here I am going on about all the good things that have happened to me over the last few months while you—”
Ashley held up her hand to stop any further protest. “What happened to m
e isn’t your fault and you have a right to be excited. You have a whole new life ahead of you. And that reminds me. We should go over the final details of your engagement party while you’re here.”
Nicole shook her head. “That can wait. It’s still a couple of weeks away, and you’re supposed to be taking it easy for the next few days.”
Ashley sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly. “Honestly, I could use the distraction.” With nothing to do, her mind lingered on the sadness and she didn’t want to do that anymore. “Besides, planning your engagement party has been more fun than work anyway, and it’s a week and a half away! If I’ve missed something I need to know about it now and get on it.”
“Are you sure?” Nicole asked.
“Yes, I’m positive. Now, I’ll go and get you that cup of coffee I promised, and then we’ll go over my list.”
“No, I’m more than capable of getting my own cup. You sit here and relax.”
Nicole picked up a decorative bag Ashley hadn’t noticed her carrying when she arrived.
“I brought your favorite dessert.” She wiggled her brows. “We’ll have it for breakfast.”
Ashley’s eyes widened. “You didn’t!”
“Oh, yes I did.” Nicole pulled a plastic cake dish from the bag.”
Ashley sighed. “Homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.”
“Yes sirree, and none of the calories count today.”
Ashley snorted. “But when did you make it? You’ve been gone for the past week.”
“After I got home last night. I know it doesn’t make up for what you lost, but I thought it might make you feel a little better.”
Tears formed in the corner of her eyes. “It does, and thank you for going out of your way to do this, especially since you were gone and already have so much on your plate with starting your business.”
Nicole gave a little wave of her hand. “Like that would ever stop me when it comes to you and Kate. You two mean everything to me.”
Nicole was right. The three sisters had been tight ever since their parents died. They’d had Gran for a couple of years, but then she passed, too, and it had been just the three of them ever since.
But not anymore. Nicole had Max now. They had the real deal: true love, and she’d wager Kate was well on her way to falling in love, too, if her texts and phone conversations over the last month were any indication. Every sentence started and ended with Rafe D’Onofrio.
Ashley wanted what Nicole and Max had, what Kate might have with Rafe.
She wanted someone who loved her as much as she loved him.
Chapter 5
It was after seven o’clock in the evening when Ashley arrived at the offices of Paradis and McNamara. Silence echoed in the empty suite as she made her way down the hall to Reed’s office.
It occurred to her over this past week that maybe, just maybe, Reed had been avoiding her, burying himself in work, as a way of dealing with the pain and anguish of losing the baby, and the uncertainty of what the future held for them.
If she could reassure him she suffered too, held the same anxieties, they could get through this together.
They’d been happy before she miscarried. Maybe they could start over and build a future together? He didn’t love her and she didn’t love him, yet. But they cared for one another. Perhaps the caring could turn to love? They owed it to themselves to try.
She found him sitting at his desk, head bent over, studying a file that lay open. “Knock, knock.”
Reed glanced up. Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she could figure out what.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
She held up a bag. “Dinner. I figured you probably haven’t eaten.” He liked her cooking. No, like was too soft a word. Reed loved her cooking, raved about it. Next to her lasagna, his favorite was her braised lamb shanks, and she’d taken care to make sure they turned out perfect today.
He dragged a hand through his already mussed-up hair. “Um, thanks. You’re right. I haven’t.”
She walked with purpose to one of the chairs in front of his desk and took a seat. “I brought enough for both of us.” She set three containers on his desk. The first held orzo with sautéed tricolor bell peppers and red onion, the second roasted asparagus, and a third contained the shanks. She extracted paper plates, utensils, and homemade baklava from the bag.
Reed’s eyes rounded. “Wow. This looks great.”
Ashley smiled, pleased with his reaction.
He scooped a serving from each container and placed it on his plate, then took a bite of the lamb and sighed. “Delicious. You’ve outdone yourself. You must be feeling better.”
“Yes. I saw the doctor this morning and she indicated I could go back to work on Monday.”
He nodded. “That’s good.”
Ashley reached out and placed her hand over his. “How about you? How are you doing?”
He turned away. “I’m fine.”
“Talk to me, Reed.”
His head jerked back to her. Hard, distant eyes glared down at her. “I said I’m fine.”
Ashley drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Reed sighed. “Thanks for bringing me dinner but I really have to get back to work.”
No. She wouldn’t let him dismiss her that easily. Not again. “I was hoping we could talk. It’s important.”
He shook his head. “It will have to wait. I’m knee deep in a crisis here. My biggest client has just declared bankruptcy and—”
Her heart hammered and the blood roared in her ears, drowning out the rest of what he said. Work. Again. Obviously, it was more important than anything she had to say. Idiot, idiot, idiot. How could she have believed otherwise?
He’d married her for one reason and one reason only. Now that reason no longer existed.
The hard, uncompromising man who sat before her wasn’t interested in a future where they were together. His business was most important to him, and she’d do well to remember that. She took a breath, steeling herself for what she had to say.
“I want an annulment, Reed.”
Chapter 6
Ashley wanted an annulment.
Reed’s heart slammed against his ribcage.
Ashley wanted out of their marriage.
His hands trembled. He shoved them in his pants pocket to stop the shaking. “I, ah . . .” He stood from his chair, went around to her side, and leaned against the desk.
She gazed up at him steadily. “It’s the best solution for both of us.”
He sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly. Nausea roiled in his gut.
What the hell was wrong with him? So, she wanted out. He shouldn’t be surprised. She’d only agreed to marry him because of the baby. Hell, he’d only asked because of the kid. He wanted to be there, for the kid.
Your son.
Yes, his son. A shudder ripped through him. The fates had conspired against him, and taken what mattered most, again. His breaths came in short, sharp gasps.
“Reed?”
Care and concern laced her husky tone. Get a hold of yourself. He didn’t want or need her compassion. He was fine, damn it. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
Did she think he’d give her a hard time about this? Beg her not to leave? No way! If she wanted out, he wouldn’t stand in her way. “I’ll contact my lawyer on Monday and get the ball rolling. We have a prenup, so it shouldn’t take long.” He'd insisted on the prenup after what Max had gone through with his first wife during their divorce. He wasn’t going to lose everything if his marriage didn’t work out.
Ashley nodded. “I’ll let my sisters know I’ll be moving back in, and get as much stuff out of your place over the weekend as I can.”
No. He glanced at Ashley and stopped pacing. Why the hell was she staring at him as if he’d suddenly grown a second head?
“No?” she squeaked.
He’d spoken the comment aloud. That explained her gaping mouth.
“I don’t understand.”
He didn’t either. She needed to move out. The sooner the better, but the word had tumbled from his mouth before his mind had any idea of what he’d been about to say.
“Reed?”
He needed time to think, figure things out. “I want to wait until after the engagement party to tell our families what we’ve decided. The news will upset them and I don’t want that. And I don’t want to ruin Max’s surprise for Nicole, either. He’s flying Kate home from Italy for the party.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Oh, um—”
“It’s another week together, Ashley. If it bothers you that much I’ll move into the house and you can stay in the condo.”
Her eyes widened. “House? What house?”
Right. He hadn’t told her. “I purchased a house on the lake a few months ago. Right after we got engaged.”
Her brows furrowed. “W-Why?”
Why indeed. He’d gone house hunting on a whim one afternoon. Something about the place, perched on a small plot of land, right on the water had drawn him in for the moment he entered through the front door. It was warm, welcoming. The perfect family home and he’d felt . . . content.
No. He’d bought the place because the price was right, and with Ashley away at school, finishing up her business degree, he had the time to make the changes he wanted. Hell, he’d needed a project, something to keep him busy while she was away. “It was a good investment.”
Ashley’s pulse rate soared. Her already-jittery stomach pitched and rolled. He’d bought a house? After they got engaged. On the lake. Where she’d always wanted to live. Why hadn’t he told her?
They didn’t have that kind of relationship, that’s why. Why did she keep forgetting that? “Oh.”
