Husband–Or Enemy? (Fortune's Children: The Grooms Book 4)

by Caroline Cross

  “It’s about you being a—a bad ass?” She felt ridiculous even saying it.

  Riley didn’t appear to notice. He shifted his weight onto his hip and nodded. “I told you upfront I’d never be a perfect husband. You should have listened.”

  Implausibly, she was almost tempted to laugh. Mostly from relief, she realized. But there was also a strong sense of disbelief. Surely, he didn’t really mean what he was saying? “I’m sorry, Riley, but I just don’t believe you.”

  “What?”

  She climbed to her feet. “I don’t believe you,” she repeated. “I realize we haven’t been together long, but I know you. You’re not some self-centered, pleasure-seeking, dissolute playboy. You care. About your parents, your job, your house, our baby—me. Or did you think I wouldn’t notice all the nice things you’ve done?”

  “You don’t understand. I was just being nice to try to get you into bed.”

  She shook her head. “No. I see the charm, but I also see the substance. The first time I ever saw you, you rescued me from a group of bullies. You were there for me when Mike died. And the second you found out I was pregnant, you insisted we get married. That’s the man I fell in love with, and nothing you do or say is going to change my mind.”

  “Then you’re deluding yourself, Angelica.”

  “I don’t think so. And you want to know what else? I think I finally understand why you ran out on me four months ago.”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because you were afraid. Afraid of what you were feeling. Afraid to take a chance on love for fear you wouldn’t measure up.”

  “That’s baloney.”

  She searched his face, and what she saw there was her own defeat. He clearly had no intention of listening, and the brief burst of hope she’d felt only minutes earlier at the discovery that he didn’t blame her for Mike vanished. In its place was a despair so all encompassing it was suddenly hard to breathe. “All right,” she managed to say. “If that’s the way you want it.” Biting her lip, suddenly afraid she was going to cry and determined not to, she began to walk toward the entry.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To pack.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  She took a steadying breath and turned as she reached the step. “I can’t stay here. Not like this. So I’m leaving.”

  Dismay chased across his face, and she felt a re-birth of hope. “You can’t do that,” he said forcefully. He paused for an instant, then added, “What about the baby?”

  The words were like a knife in her heart. As glad as she was that he cared about their child, just once she needed to come first. “The baby will be fine. I know you’ll take care of us whether we’re under your roof or not. That’s what you don’t understand, Riley. I trust you to do the right thing. Now all you have to do is trust yourself.”

  And with that, she forced herself to walk away.

  Well, hell. That hadn’t gone the way he’d intended.

  Not sure whether he was more alarmed or aggravated, Riley walked over and dropped onto the couch. Absently propping his dusty sandals on the gleaming surface of the coffee table, he tried to decide what had just happened.

  What to you think, Fortune? You just told Angelica you didn’t care about her and she left.

  Yeah, but he hadn’t meant it like that, he defended himself automatically. The last thing he’d intended was to drive her away.

  But he had anyway.

  Outside, sunshine glinted off the Corvette’s silver surface.

  He scowled, not feeling even a glimmer of pleasure as he considered the sports car’s sleek lines. But then, that was no great surprise after what the car had put him through in the last twenty-four hours.

  After he’d left yesterday, he’d taken a long drive into the desert to think and wound up way out in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire. Which might not have been so bad if he hadn’t lent his cousin Tyler his jack a few weeks ago. And if his cell phone hadn’t needed to be recharged.

  After a long uncomfortable night, courtesy of his own disjointed thoughts coupled with the temperature in the desert’s tendency to drop once the sun went down, he’d had a long hot walk to the highway, where eventually he’d hitched a ride to the nearest service station. Then, after more delays he’d hitched back, jack in hand, more than a little aware that what had been an adventure at seventeen was a major pain in the ass at thirty-two.

  As if that wasn’t bad enough, he’d even found himself thinking that the time had come to trade in the Corvette for a sporty sedan, something with a real back seat that could safely accommodate a child car seat.

  Of course, that had been back when he’d still had a wife and an upcoming child to look out for.

  How the hell could Angelica just walk out on him?

  Why shouldn’t she? You did it to her. Twice, remember?

  But that was different, he told his inner voice waspishly. The first time he’d left had been to save her from a bigger hurt in the future. And when it came to the second time, he’d just been trying to make her realize that he couldn’t be trusted so he wouldn’t disappoint her later.

  The latter thought froze him in place. It had seemed perfectly logical yesterday. But now…

  Now it sounded sort of lame. Like a man grasping at straws. Like a man who was afraid to admit he was in love. Like a man who, just the way Angelica had said, couldn’t face the prospect of not measuring up.

  And even so, all the way along, she’d believed in him, he realized. She’d had faith in his innocence with no proof but her own intuition. She’d trusted that he’d take care of her enough to marry him. She’d risked her heart to make love with him. And even though it must’ve been painful, she’d been willing to go through her brother’s things to try and clear his name.

  For the first time it occurred to him how much it must’ve hurt her to face what Mike had done. Yet she’d never said a word. Instead, she’d celebrated his own good fortune with all her heart.

  With a groan at his blind self-centeredness, he shoved an errant lock of hair off his forehead and let his head fall back against the couch cushion.

  And still the thoughts kept coming.

  He found himself remembering the night at the carnival, and what Angelica had said when he’d talked about being a disappointment to his parents. “Yes, but that was a long time ago. You’re an adult now.”

  She was right, of course. The irony was, that in all the ways that mattered, he’d put his bad boy persona behind him some time ago, living a fairly respectable life—until the first time he’d slept with her. Overwhelmed by the power of his feelings, he’d panicked and taken off. And then, before he could get things in perspective, his arrest had come. Irrational as he knew it was now, he realized that on some level he’d believed he’d brought it on himself, due to his boyhood reputation—and his recent, irresponsible actions.

  But loving Angelica had changed all that, he thought now. Time and again she’d demonstrated her faith in him, a faith he wanted to live up to. Just as he wanted a chance to show her that her love wasn’t misplaced.

  Yet he’d let her down. Again.

  But she wasn’t gone yet.

  He climbed to his feet. He had to talk to her, and he just prayed it wasn’t too late.

  Angelica stood at the terrace rail, the harsh afternoon sun beating down on her head. She knew she should go inside and gather her belongings, but she needed some time first to pull herself together. She was just so…cold.

  She watched the sunlight dance on the brilliant blue surface of the pool. Heaven help her but she didn’t want to go. And not, she thought, looking around, because this beautiful place had begun to feel like home.

  But because she didn’t want to leave Riley.

  Except that Riley had made it very clear that he didn’t love her—and probably never would. The misery inside her increased.

  “Angelica?” For a moment she thought she was imagining his voice. But then he st
epped up beside her, tall and real and solid.

  She stiffened. “I was just going—

  “Don’t.” He touched his hand to her shoulder, freezing her in place. “Please.”

  The entreaty in his voice startled her. Before she could stop herself, she glanced up at him.

  To her shock, he was looking back at her intently. Meeting her gaze, he swallowed almost as if he were nervous, and then a faint, self-deprecating smile curved across his sensual mouth. “I’m glad you’re still here. I looked for you in the bedroom, and when I couldn’t find you I was afraid that while I was sitting on my butt in the living room being nine kinds of fool, you’d left.”

  She couldn’t think how to answer that so she just continued to stare at him.

  “The thing is—” He stopped and shoved a hand through his hair as if not certain how to continue. “Aw, hell, Angel, I love you. It’s just taken me awhile to figure it out.”

  The sun must finally be getting to her, she thought desperately. She dampened her suddenly dry lips. “What?”

  “I love you. And you were right when you accused me of panicking that first time we made love. I’d never felt like that before, with anyone, and it scared the hell out of me. But I love you so much, Angelica. And I’m a better man when you’re around. Stay.”

  To her chagrin, the tears she’d refused to shed suddenly welled up in her eyes and spilled over. “Oh, Riley.”

  Stricken, he said desperately, “Please, baby. Please don’t cry.”

  “I’m just so happy,” she said, smiling even though the tears refused to stop.

  Clearly not knowing what else to do, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  And that’s when she finally knew for sure that it was all going to be all right.

  Epilogue

  Two days later

  “I can’t believe we’re late.” Tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, Angelica glanced reproachfully at Riley as they hurried toward the church.

  “Hey, don’t look at me that way,” he protested without any heat. “You were the one who insisted on wandering around the house in that sexy lingerie. I just reacted like any red-blooded man who’s madly in love with his wife.”

  “I wasn’t ‘wandering around.”’ Her attempt to sound severe was ruined by the warm glow in her eyes as she looked at him. “I was in the process of getting dressed for this wedding and you ambushed me.”

  “Funny,” he said mildly as they reached the church’s massive front doors. “I don’t remember you protesting.”

  “That’s because you were too busy ravishing me,” she shot back in the prim tone that never failed to amuse him.

  He started to pull the doors open, then thought better of it. Letting go, he leaned over, pressed a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth and murmured, “I’m not sorry for it, either.”

  Her eyes filled with a mixture of humor and tenderness. “Me neither.” Angling her head, she leaned into him and captured his lips with her own.

  They were immediately lost in each other, oblivious to the hoot of an appreciative passerby, the sweetness of the kiss the only thing that mattered. They were both more than a little out of breath when they finally came up for air. “See.” Riley couldn’t resist one more quick buss to her mouth. “You do find me irresistible.”

  “You’re incorrigible.” She shook her head in mock despair and then her eyes suddenly widened. “Oh my gosh!”

  “What is it? What’s the matter?”

  “I think—I think I just felt the baby move.”

  “You’re kidding.” He instantly reached out and pressed his hand against the slight curve of her abdomen. “Where?” Stymied when he felt nothing, he shifted his fingers and was rewarded by the faintest quiver, like butterfly wings tickling his palm. He looked up in wonder. “I think I felt it.”

  They stared at each other, grinning like fools, until Angelica suddenly seemed to remember where they were. “Don’t you think we’d better go in? Isabelle will never forgive us if we miss her big day entirely.”

  “Right.” Still feeling awed, he pulled open the door and they walked inside, instantly enveloped in the sweet scent of flowers.

  “Well, it’s about time.” Resplendent in an elegant gray cutaway, Riley’s father Hunter stood in the vestibule, next to Riley’s mother. “We were starting to think you two weren’t going to show up.”

  “Sorry, Dad. We got hung up.”

  Although the elder Fortune’s face remained grave, his dark eyes warmed as he looked from his son to his new daughter-in-law, who he’d finally met the previous night at the rehearsal dinner. “I suppose that’s understandable,” he said gallantly. “Angelica, you look beautiful.”

  Angelica flushed with pleased surprise. “Thank you.”

  Riley felt a tug of tenderness, knowing she still couldn’t quite believe that rather than the disapproval at Mike’s actions that she’d expected, his family was extremely grateful to her for clearing him instead. “How’s Isabelle holding up?” he asked his mother.

  Joan glanced at her watch, appearing distracted. “She’s all right. Maybe a little quiet, but I suppose that’s to be expected.” She straightened, suddenly looking like her usual efficient self as one of the ushers approached at the same time that the bridesmaids piled out of the sanctuary. She looked up at Riley. “You and Angelica had better go sit down now, so I can be seated and we can get started.”

  “Right. I’ll see you inside,” he said, settling his hand on the small of his wife’s back and urging her toward the aisle. “Are you sorry we didn’t have a big church wedding?” he asked, ignoring the stares they were provoking with their late arrival.

  She gave his hand a squeeze. “Not at all. But this is certainly beautiful. Your mother outdid herself.”

  That much was true. The church looked exquisite. Elegant sprays of pale pink lilies tied with cascading white satin bows decorated the end of each burnished mahogany pew. The altar was awash in more of the flawless flowers, while dozens of white candles glowed beneath the rosy light from the stained-glass windows. An organ played in the upper balcony, the perfect foil for the soft murmuring of the nearly one thousand guests packed into the place.

  Approaching the family area at the front of the church, he nodded as his eye caught that of Julie Fortune, sitting close to his cousin Tyler, who was now her husband. On the other side of Tyler sat his other cousin Jason, also a partner in Fortune Construction, whose usually serious face seemed to light up as he watched his six-year-old daughter Lisa say something to his bride, Adele, that brought a smile to both females faces.

  Stopping at the pew in front of his cousins and their wives, he waited as Shane, Cynthia and their son, Bobby, looking too damn cute for words in a dark suit that was a miniature of his father’s, slid over to make room as he and Angelica joined them.

  “We’d about given up on you,” Shane informed him.

  “Relax,” he told his twin. “I already heard the same thing from Dad.”

  “Did you get a chance to see Isabelle?”

  He shook his head, and they both fell silent as their mother appeared on the arm of an usher and sat down next to regal Kate Fortune in the row in front of them.

  A minute passed, and then the door on one side of the altar opened and the groom and his men walked out and took up their positions. A moment after that, the bridesmaids started down the aisle.

  When they were finally in place, the organist struck up the wedding march.

  Like everyone else in the church, Riley got to his feet and turned to look up the aisle, expecting to see Isabelle make her grand entrance.

  But instead of an exquisite bride in a billowing white dress on the arm of her proud father, the aisle was empty.

  A faint buzz went through the gathered throng. It slowly grew in strength, only to instantly die down as Riley’s father suddenly appeared, ominously alone. The strain on his face obvious, Hunter Fortune signaled peremptorily to the organist to quit playin
g.

  In the ensuing silence, his voice rang out. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid the ceremony will have to be postponed. My daughter—” for the briefest instant his iron composure seemed to waiver and then he steadied himself “—Isabelle appears to be missing.”

  A disbelieving murmur ran through the church. The sound grew progressively louder as the groom made a choked cry of protest and bolted up the aisle himself.

  “I don’t believe this,” Shane murmured as the church rapidly began to empty as people surged up the aisles, clearly hoping to learn more about the unfolding drama.

  “Believe it,” Riley shot back.

  “Nothing’s ever dull with the Fortunes,” Tyler murmured from behind them.

  Truer words had never been spoken, Riley thought as he leaned forward and laid a hand on his mother’s shoulder. “Are you all right, Mom?”

  “No, I’m not,” Joan said, climbing to her feet. “Obviously I need to talk to your father.” Without another word, she headed toward the vestibule.

  “I guess we’d better go, too,” Shane said, directing Cynthia and Bobby toward the outside aisle. “Mom and Dad will need our support.

  Angelica made as if to follow, but Riley restrained her with a touch to her shoulder. “Hold on a minute.”

  “What?”

  Taking her hand, he lead her into the main aisle and toward the altar. Stopping before the candles and the banks of flowers, he said quietly, “I just want you to know you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, Angel.”

  Angelica looked up into his handsome, beloved face, her heart filled with wonder at the words even though it was hardly the first time she’d heard them in the past few days. She swallowed. “I love you, too.”

  “I know you do, baby, and I thank God for it every day.” And with that he bent down and kissed her with everything in his heart.

  Finally, he straightened. “Now,” he said huskily, “let’s go see if we can find out what’s going on with my sister.”

  Hand in hand, together at last, they started up the aisle.