Reclaiming His Bride (DiCarlo Brides book 3) (The DiCarlo Brides) (14 page)

Delphi pulled a face at the mention of Jeremy’s name.

Blake stuck his hands in his pockets and sauntered over to the guys. His attention was pulled back to the kitchen when he heard Rosemary correct Jonquil on the right way to make pie crust.

“I don’t know why we don’t just buy the stuff from the refrigerator section at the grocery store,” Jonquil muttered, but she kept pinching the less-than-perfect top crust onto the pie.

“No, it needs more marshmallows!” Lana told Cami as they prepared sweet potatoes to go into the oven.

Sage adjusted the little pilgrims in the middle of the table and chuckled at the women behind her, then looked toward her husband and blushed.

Blake glanced over in time to catch the smoldering look in Joel’s gaze as he watched his wife. Newlyweds. He remembered when he was like that. He found Lana again and thought of the soft, pliant way she’d melted into his embrace the previous weekend. Okay, so he was still like that.

Lana met his gaze and hurriedly looked away again. One hand slid to her stomach and lingered for a second before she turned her back on him, as if having him out of her sight would make her forget he was there. He couldn’t wait until she really started to look pregnant.

“They’re all a-bustle,” Blake said as he accepted the drink from Vince. “Not sure I’d dare walk up into the kitchen area right now.”

“No kidding. I offered to help and nearly got my head bitten off.” Harrison snagged a carrot stick off of the tray on the counter behind him.

“You’re going to ruin your appetite,” Rosemary said, swatting at his hand with a wooden spoon.

“With carrot sticks? I’ve never heard of that before.” He grimaced a little and rubbed his hand before popping the vegetable in his mouth.

The doorbell rang again and Delphi shot a venomous look at it. She took her time walking over, composed her expression into one a little more hostess-like, then opened the door. “Welcome, Jeremy. So glad you could join us.” Her voice sounded a little strangled, as if she were speaking through clenched teeth.

Jeremy tucked his motorbike helmet under his arm and passed her a bowl. “Something fruit salad-y. As per my assignment.” He strode past her, waiting until she’d had time to turn away from him, then glanced back at her. A smile of male appreciation filled his face when he reached the guys.

Blake took another sip of his drink to cover his smile. Vince’s knowing look wasn’t nearly as well hidden. Jeremy acted as if he didn’t notice the smirk.

Thinking that they needed to get together like this more often, if only for the entertainment factor, Blake was startled when his phone began to ring. He felt his smile freeze when he recognized his mother’s tones. Of course it was nearly two p.m. back home, so she was done with lunch by now. Time for his holiday guilt trip. “Excuse me,” he said to the guys and moved through the kitchen to the porch where he could speak in relative privacy.

“Hello, Mother. Happy Thanksgiving. How are you doing today?”

“I’m fine, even though you chose not to visit us for the holiday. Please tell me you aren’t eating in that restaurant in the hotel. A handsome, eligible bachelor like you shouldn’t be alone.”

Not a bachelor.
“Thanks for your concern, but I’m having Thanksgiving dinner with the DiCarlos and some other friends. It’s a nice, big, noisy gathering.”

“So that’s why you’re neglecting me.” There was an audible sniff on the other end of the line. “Far be it from me to be demanding on special family holidays. At least Donald is here. He’s always so thoughtful.” Her voice went a little soft and her southern lilt took on a pleased tone.

Blake felt his heart sink as the guilt piled on some more. Of course she was going to be upset about him missing the weekend with her—even though she was going to be in town to visit him on Monday. His brother would never make such an inconsiderate decision as to miss a major holiday. But if he had gone home for the weekend, she still would have found a reason to complain. “I wish things could be different, Mother. Things here are a little crazy at the moment, though and I can’t get away. But I sure will miss your amazing turkey.”

That wasn’t at all likely since Rosemary presided in the kitchen, but he wasn’t going to feel bad about the lie.

“And my pecan pie.”

“That’s for sure. No one makes pecan pie like you, Mother.” Except the local bakery, whom Blake knew had provided all of the pies and other goodies for his parents’ holiday meals for the past decade, at least. His mother always took credit, though.

The sliding glass door opened and Lana poked out her head. “Hey, we’re about ready to start.”

“I’ll be right there,” Blake said, covering the receiver.

“Was that a woman’s voice I heard?” his mother asked archly.

“Yes, I told you, I’m at the DiCarlo sisters’ home today. It looks like they’re ready to eat and I don’t want to keep them Mother, but please let everyone know I missed them and I’ll see you and Father in a few days. I have some great news to share with you then. Love you.”

“Love you too, son. See you soon. I hope I’m not too jet lagged from the airplane to enjoy our stay.” She hung up.

Blake lifted the phone from his ear and looked up at the cloudy sky, swearing softly. Snow was expected later in the day and the dark outdoors fit his mood exactly after the conversation with his mom.

“Tough call?” Lana asked.

Blake sucked in a breath of surprise. He’d turned away when he acknowledged her comment earlier and had thought she’d gone back inside. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were still there.”

“That didn’t sound like a fun conversation.”

“I’ve had better.” He stuck his phone in his pocket and looked her in the eye. Dealing with his mother always made his head ache a little. “I’m ready if you are.”

“You’re really going to tell her about us, about the baby next week, aren’t you?” Lana bit her lip.

“Yes.”

“There’s nothing I can do to talk you out of it?” Her eyes pled with him and she played with the long chain she always seemed to wear under her shirt.

“I’m not a dirty secret, Lana, and I’m not going to treat you or our child like either of
you
are.” When he saw a little regret slide onto her face, he hoped it was because they were keeping it a secret and not because of their current situation. “Today would be an ideal time to break the news to your family while everyone’s here.”

She shook her head a little too forcefully. “Not today, it’ll ruin the holiday mood if Cami yells at me.”

He bit back his irritation. “You’re going to run out of excuses soon. Don’t let Cami find out from someone else. She deserves to hear it from you.”

Lana didn’t respond as she headed into the house again.

Blake fought back the twisting he felt in his gut created by dealing with his mom and frustration with his wife, and put on a smile. He’d fake it if he had to; he wasn’t going to pull down anyone else’s holiday.

Lana wasn’t supposed to work that weekend; she wasn’t on call. Still, she couldn’t help but stop at the resort to check on things and spend a little time catching up on the paperwork that never seemed to end. She had only intended to stay for a couple of hours, but before she knew it dinnertime had come and gone and she felt her stomach rumbling.

“Have you been here all day?” Blake asked from her doorway.

“Just a few hours,” she fudged. It had been more like six and the granola bar she’d pulled from her desk drawer was long gone. “I’m finishing up a report I’m supposed to have in to you by Monday. With your parents coming in, I thought you might like to have it earlier. I know things will be a little hectic next week.” As soon as she said it, she realized she shouldn’t have. Even thinking about his parents’ arrival and the subsequent disillusionment made her nerves take over.

“You have no idea.” He studied her for a long moment. “Are you nearly done?”

“Just a few more minutes and I can get out of here.” She tried not to look at him, but couldn’t help glancing his way frequently. Blake was dressed down in jeans and a deep blue sweater that echoed the color of his eyes.

“You need to eat. I’ll order something up and we can go over the report together when you finish it. I’ll be in my office if you want to join me there.” He turned and left the room.

 Lana rubbed her chest, as if it would lessen the ache in her heart. In her opinion, she’d spent far too much time with him that week. They did need to review the report, though, since she had a couple of questions for him.

After sending it to him via email, Lana closed up her office and grabbed her coat and purse, locking up behind her.

Blake had pulled a chair around to sit beside his own and gestured to it when she entered his office. “I just opened your email,” he said. “Take a seat while I look it over.”

Before he finished, the wait staff brought up the sandwiches he’d ordered with an enormous piece of chocolate cake for dessert. Lana thanked the young woman while Blake signed the receipt.

They discussed business while they ate; polishing off the sandwiches and cake in no time, then set the tray aside while he discussed projections for the next quarter.

When they finished the discussion, Lana shifted her chair back from his desk. She enjoyed spending time with him too much and knew she should leave before things turned personal.

“Have you told Cami yet?” Blake asked when it was obvious she intended to leave.

“No.” She didn’t have to ask what he was talking about. She picked up her coat and started to slide it on.

“Lana, my parents are going to be here day after tomorrow. You need to tell your sisters.”

“I’m too tired to get into this tonight,” Lana said, her stomach turning. She fought back the emotions that always rose inside her when he reminded her of what they were, what they’d once had. She just couldn’t do it tonight. “Can we argue endlessly another time?”

“It’s always about another time with you,” Blake came around his desk.  “I know you’re confused and upset and we have a lot to talk about, but I’ll settle for the biggest issue.”

“We’ve been over this a hundred times,” she said, fumbling with a button.

He intercepted her on the way to the door and stood in front of it. “No, you’ve avoided this discussion a hundred times. You still love me, we’re having a baby together and you refuse to listen to me at all.”

“I don’t love you anymore,” she ground out, though it was a lie.

He whirled to face her. “Really?” He reached for her shoulder, but rather than restraining her as she had first expected, his finger dipped below the collar of her shirt and pulled out the thin golden chain she always wore. Blake tugged on it, and she felt the diamond from her ring scratch her skin even as she reached up to stop him from revealing her secret. He couldn’t really know.

She wasn’t fast enough, though, and he held out the ring set he’d bought her the day after their wedding. It boasted an enormous square-cut diamond, and a gem-encrusted wedding band.

“Why do you still wear this if you don’t love me? You kicked me to the curb a year ago.”

“It’s not how it looks.” Her words were weak; it was exactly how it looked.

His brows lifted. “Don’t give me that.” His free hand dove into his pocket and pulled out a man’s ring that matched her wedding band. “Neither of us has let this go. We both still carry the symbols of our marriage everywhere. There’s something to that, Lana. You have to admit it.”

Lana grabbed the necklace, pulling it from his hand. He let her. “I know what I saw that day.”

“What exactly did you see, Lana?”

There it was, out in the open, the question she’d been avoiding because it forced her to bring up the images. She could still see him leaning brow to brow with Fiona, touching her hand, taking the pencil from her and scribbling something. He’d looked up into her eyes and touched her shoulder in the intimate way of lovers. Lana had seen the same look pass between her father and his mistress and been sure at first that it had been her imagination—only it hadn’t been and this wasn’t either. It couldn’t be. “I saw you whispering with her, touching her and ...” Her jaw slammed shut, unable to continue.

“You saw us discussing a design,” he said, striding to his desk. “Do you want to know what it was?” He yanked open the desk drawer and tossed a cherry-wood box onto the desktop. “Go ahead, open it.”

Lana reigned in the sickness her memory always brought forth and stared at the box, wondering if she could handle anymore. “I really ought to go.”

“Not until you open the box. Just look.” His voice was perfectly controlled, determination on his face as he watched her.

Feeling as if everything were falling apart, she flipped open the wooden box and saw a silver necklace lying inside, a diamond and citrine pendant hanging from it. A matching set of earrings adorned the center of the box. It was exquisite. Perfect. She made herself suck in a breath when she realized she’d not taken one in several seconds.

“Merry Christmas, Lana. Since you wouldn’t let me give them to you last year.” This time his voice was low and a little sad.

Did she believe him? She wasn’t sure, but the thought that he’d actually been ordering her a necklace and not cheating was almost worse than the alternative, when she considered her accusations. On the other hand, he could have bought it afterward, as a cover for his actions. She stepped back from the box, from the desk, and looked at him. “How do I know that’s what you were doing?” And if it were true, why didn’t he come after her when she left?