by Cee, DW
“Duchess!” My heart sank when I heard my moniker. Michael’s presence got me so nervous, I began shaking and feared for JR’s safety. Immediately I got up and handed the baby back to his momma.
“No, don’t go.” This time, it was more a plea than a demand from Donovan.
“I need to talk to Michael. This has gone on too long. Let me go, Donovan.” Now I did the demanding.
“You’ll come right back here after you talk to him?” Donovan’s anxious voice made me realize for the first time that he feared losing me maybe as much as I feared losing him. Perhaps this wasn’t as one-sided as I always believed.
Feeling slightly more self-confident about us, I made a shallow attempt at a joke. “Yes. I won’t let Michael drag me away to some foreign country like some people I know.” A miniscule sense of relief showed on Donovan’s face, and I left him to take care of my situation with Michael.
“Duchess!” Michael took two huge steps, met me halfway and threw his arms around me.
Shit! This was not part of the plan. I could feel Donovan’s angry presence behind me. Before a scuffle of any sort ensued, I took Michael outside.
“You came.”
“Did you doubt I would? If you hadn’t been so evasive, I would have come the day you and I lost contact.”
“Michael...” I didn’t care for his accusation, but I accepted it knowing that as hard as it was right now, it would be worse in a few minutes.
“I’m sorry, Duchess. That wasn’t what I meant.” He held my hand in his. “What I meant to say was that I would have fought for you from the moment Donovan showed up on your doorstep, had I known. What bloody bad fortune to leave for Scotland when I did.”
“Michael. I know your sweet intentions, and they’ve always been for my benefit. But now, I need to stop being selfish and let you go.”
“No.” He countered immediately. “I won’t let you go. I can’t...”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I understood the love this man had for me. He was good to me and for me, but I wasn’t good for him. “Michael, you have been a true friend and an ideal boyfriend. You were the only man I wanted to give my heart to and try for a relationship, in all my life, outside of Donovan. I tell you this to try and explain that’s how much I adore you, and that’s how much you mean to me.”
“Don’t do this, Laney,” he begged.
I started crying hard. “I need to let you go to find your love, your future. It’s not with me.”
Michael hugged me with passion, but I could tell he knew it was time to let go. “You’ll let me know if anything changes with Donovan?” he whispered.
“No. I won’t, but one day soon, I hope you’ll forgive me and accept me as a friend. I’ll miss your friendship, Michael.”
He let me go and walked away.
I sat on the narrow sidewalk and cried. I felt horrible for breaking Michael’s heart. I didn’t deserve to break anyone’s heart. Our friendship, I’d never regret, but the hope I gave Michael the moment we entered into a relationship, I’d have a hard time forgiving myself for that selfishness. It was my sincerest hope that Michael would find his true love soon.
However, I had a family function to attend and a man to find a resolution with before this night was over.
“Delaney.” Donovan rushed over to me immediately.
“Hi,” I croaked and tried to pretend as if everything was normal.
He looked beyond worried, but he didn’t probe. He gave me emotional space, but physically, he stuck right by me. With his hand never leaving my body, his touch soothed my weary mind, body and soul.
“Are you all right?” Emily asked, her forehead creased with concern. “How can I help you, Laney?”
That made me want to cry again. “I’ll be OK,” was the best I could muster.
“And Michael?”
I didn’t know whether Emily was asking if Michael was all right, but I chose to play dumb and said, “He left.”
Jake, too, looked concerned. “How did he know where you were?”
I didn’t want to talk right now but I knew everyone was concerned for me and I knew they were curious. It was only human nature to want to know what happened after seeing this stupid love triangle.
I answered, “I had let Michael know daily where I was, and he called me earlier today asking exactly where I would be. I told him, not believing he was really coming here for me.”
Donovan looked like he had a million questions; but aside from holding onto me, he let me be.
At least that’s what I thought. Once we left the restaurant, Donovan couldn’t hold it in any longer. “What happened?”
“Do I really have to explain right now?”
“When I see my woman walking out in the arms of another man, then coming back in with tears in her eyes...yeah, I’d say you really have to explain everything right now.”
Long gone was the sensitive man! As if he didn’t have enough negative adjectives working against him, he was probing me for information, now!
“Can you let me deal with what just happened? I’ll tell you all about it later.”
“No!” He actually had the gall to say. “Give me the truncated version – just a sentence or two so you can put me out of my misery. I don’t like seeing you mourn another man. I don’t like knowing that you loved this guy enough to cry as much as you obviously did. You never cry. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry over me when we were back in the States.”
What the hell did I ever see in this surly man?
Obviously he wanted a fight. I had no choice but to give him one. “Never in the days that we dated could I say I loved Michael. But I have always liked him and liked him very much. YOU, I have loved half my life, but right now, I do NOT like you very much. You think I’ve never cried over you? Since we met back in January, I’ve been crying a river from discontent and heartache. I once told you that just because you don’t see it on the outside does not mean that I’m not black and blue on the inside. You can do more damage to me than anyone I know, outside of my immediate family. Don’t use that against me.”
Shit. Now, I was crying because of Donovan. I was such a blubbering mess.
“I’m sorry.” He finally said the words that would have put everything to right the moment he saw me in the restaurant. “I don’t want to hurt you, Delaney. That was the last thing I was trying to do. Fuck!” I heard him whisper. “What have I done?”
Assuming all of those were rhetorical statements and questions, I sat on the bus and begged for sleep to come. Ideally, I would have liked to sit next to Emily, but with JR, Jake needed to be with them and help where he could.
Emily kept turning around to make sure I was doing OK. At one point I closed my eyes and faked sleep. Donovan tried several times to curl my body into his, but I kept myself against the side of the bus.
“This morning was all work, Princess. You know that don’t you? Kate doesn’t mean anything to me, and she hasn’t for a very long time. In fact it was Kate who pointed out to me that I was in love with you back when we were in Hawaii. That’s why she and I had such a rocky relationship out there. Not that we were in a relationship back then.”
I was dying to ask, “So you just sleep with women you’re not involved with?” but decided not to, for the sake of my splitting head. This long ride was not helping the headache that followed me from Paris to Florence.
After an hour and a half, we had arrived. We arrived to an Andrea Bocelli concert in his hometown of Lajatico, Italy, to cross off one of Emily’s bucket list items. The perfect husband that he would forever be, Jake got Emily tickets to her dream concert. The rest of us just happened to be in the right country at the right time.
“Isn’t this great, Laney?” I heard Jane ask with over-exuberance.
“It is.” I tried to answer this enthusiasm with a little of my own. It was a pathetic attempt but at least I showed an effort.
Poor Donovan was trying his
damnedest to show me affection, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Honestly, it was an effort to be in this incredible setting and be happy for Emily. What a brat I was. But, for now, I just couldn’t help it.
“Can I hold him for you?” I just needed a break from everyone’s attention. Emily understood and handed over her precious baby.
“My godbaby is beautiful, huh? He may even beat yours in the looks department when he grows a little older.” Max taunted.
“Oh, I don’t think so!” I got defensive about my little James. “Though, you are a gorgeous little thing.” I kissed the top of his head and smelled him. I loved the way newborns smelled.
“I assume you broke up with the English duke?”
I laughed. “Yes, I broke up with the English duke.”
“How did he take it? I was told he thought of you as his duchess.”
“Not well. Why is life so complicated, Max?”
“Because your brilliant mind would be bored if everything sailed smoothly.”
“Everything going well with you and Jane?” I treaded cautiously just in case he had no idea what had happened between her and Donovan.
Max gave me one of those side hugs and kissed my head like an older brother would. “Jane and I are better than ever. We’ve finally worked out every kink and I think our love is that much stronger because of our trials. Give him a chance. Jake and I wouldn’t allow him to get near you if we didn’t believe in him.”
What Max said began melting away the mountain of frustration. Or, it could have been what Donovan said right before the concert started. “I can’t wait to start crossing off some of your bucket list items.” That alone would have been sufficient, but he added, “Shit, right now, I’d give an arm just to know what your bucket list items are.”
He knew he’d won when he felt my light chuckle. Instantly, he brought my body into his and didn’t let go. The practical girl that I was, I figured there was no good dwelling on the negative.
“I love you,” Donovan whispered and kissed me in the temple. “And I’m sorry about today. But I want you to know, if it wasn’t for Max holding me back, I would have beaten the shit out of Michael for touching you.”
“Perhaps he might have beaten the shit out of you for taking his girlfriend out of the country and playing keep away.”
Donovan pulled away and looked at me very seriously. “You didn’t break-up with him?” He spoke a tad bit louder than proper. “You’re still his girlfriend?”
Just to piss him off and make him stew a little longer, I ignored him and paid attention to the concert, instead.
“Delaney Reid.” This time, every concertgoer within three rows of us looked our way. “Answer me!” he demanded even louder.
Since everyone was shushing us, I turned, grabbed his face and kissed him as long, as he was loud. “I am not a witness you are cross-examining.” I whispered in his ear after the delicious kiss. “The good people of Italy would like to listen to their favorite tenor. You are disturbing them. Pay attention to the concert.” He smiled like the cat that got the canary and brought me even closer into his body. I, too, decided to be satisfied until we got to our discussion tonight.
“You want a glass of Chianti?” Donovan asked as the lights went up for intermission.
“No. Not enough flavor. How about anything but Chianti?”
“What blasphemy, Ms. Reid. You are in Italy.”
“So sue me.” That almost earned me a kiss till Jane purposely interrupted him and put in her order.
“Talk to your man.” Donovan tried to sound annoyed.
“Jake, will you take the baby? I think I’ll use the restroom.”
“I’ll come with you.” I jumped up.
“Me too!” Jane joined in.
“Do women always go to the bathroom in groups?” I heard Donovan ask, and saw Max shrug his shoulders while grinning. They both made a handsome pair.
“Everything good with you and Donovan, now?” Jane asked.
“Nope. We’ve got a long ways to go before we can be all good.”
“What’s the problem now?”
“What’s not the problem? There are so many, I can’t even begin to explain.” Even my very own cousin was a part of the problem. One day very soon, we would get to talk over and resolve every issue.
“Oh, I hear someone talking.” Emily hurried us. “Maybe the concert’s beginning. Let’s hurry.”
“How does it feel to have a husband whose only desire is to fulfill all your dreams?” I asked dreamily. Jake would always be up there with my dad as the most special man.
“Laney, your Donovan will be the same way, and so will Max, Jane.” She addressed the both of us.
“I don’t know, Jake is pretty hard to beat,” I answered and Jane agreed.
“Who would have thought that my brother would be the ultimate romantic?”
“Hi.” Donovan walked over and met us.
“You see?” Emily whispered.
“Ah, young love...” Jane joked wistfully and walked over to her love.
Donovan was about to say something to me when the emcee scared us all by speaking to Jake. The spotlight was mostly on the emcee and Jake, but we took on part of it as well. I stepped behind Donovan and out of the limelight.
“Buonasera, Sir.” The emcee brought his entourage with him to our party.
“Buonasera,” Jake answered with his casual grin.
“I see you are here with a beautiful woman whom I assume is your wife, and your baby.”
“Yes this gorgeous woman is my wife, and yes we are here as a family.”
“Tell us what brings you here, and tell us a little bit about your relationship and any romantic stories you might have had during your courtship.” Since romance was Jake’s forte, there was a chance he’d wax lyrical all night about his relationship with Emily.
“When my wife and I were dating, I asked her to make a bucket list of all the things she wanted to do, and hearing Andrea Bocelli in Italy was one of them. It was our anniversary about six weeks ago, and she had just had a baby, so with this concert I am able to give her an anniversary present and cross off one of her bucket list items.”
Everyone adored the story and my cousin Jake. I was proud of him and proud to be his cousin.
The emcee asked about Jake and Emily’s courtship, and Emily was hesitant to talk about the two of them in any detail, but Jake answered all the questions posed to him.
“Your cousin is such a ham and an attention-monger.”
“He’s as ideal as they come. You could learn a thing or two from him.” I whispered back to Donovan, who squeezed my hand tighter than I appreciated. “You’re hurting my hand.”
“Good. I’m trying to hurt it.” He chuckled and loosened it immediately.
We were having our own conversation until I heard something about an ex-boyfriend proposing marriage and causing a break-up. That’s when I paid attention again. Jake was obviously recounting his story of what happened.
“That’s quite a story,” the emcee said with very little satisfaction. “But what I really want to know is why you looked over to this gentleman over here when you said those words. What does this gentleman have to do with your separation?” ‘This gentleman’ in question was Max, and the emcee obviously knew the answer. Jane didn’t look happy that he had discovered the love triangle between Jake, Emily, and Max. “If I were a betting man, and trust me I’m a betting man, I’d say this guy is the infamous ex-boyfriend who proposed to a girl who already had a boyfriend.” When the emcee pointed to Max, Jane was unhappy!
All of a sudden, someone yelled out something in Italian, the emcee called out some woman’s name and “Sophia” came from nowhere and started speaking in Italian for a long while. The entire audience gasped when she was done.
“The audience is interested in your story so I called Sophia to translate for them. Now, where were we?” Yep, he was about as genuine as a three-dolla
r bill. “Ah, yes. You were about to tell us about your relationship. Did I win the bet?”
Max had no choice but to concede his loss. The audience loved it.
Then, the emcee, who was more like a private investigator, went up to Jane and asked where she belonged in this whole relationship. The revelation that Jane was Jake’s sister and Max’s girlfriend was so shocking to everyone that the concert was put on hold so Mr. Emcee could finish.
“Now for you,” Mr. Investigator came our way. Shit. Now I knew what Jane felt. “Now if I was a betting man, and trust me I’m a betting man,” he said again, “I am going to bet that you two have an interesting story as well, and it’s somehow related to the four of them.” He pointed his finger back to the original four.
I said nothing and fell back another step behind Donovan. This man and I were already on thin ice. No one needed to know of all our troubles and I didn’t need to be embarrassed in front of all of Tuscany. Surprisingly, my lawyer kept mum, too. The impatient emcee couldn’t get anything out of us, so he asked Jake, instead. The only information Jake let out was who Donovan and I were in relation to him.
“Laney?” The emcee asked and I saw myself blown up on the huge screen. “At some point in your life, did you date him?” He pointed to Max and I quickly shook my head no.
He was definitely not pleased with my answer. Truly, this was like an ugly, ugly episode of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, combined.
“There’s got to be some connection here. Did you,” he returned to Emily, “date your husband’s best friend?” Emily died laughing and answered in the negative.
“Then the only other possibility is...you and you dated at some point.” This stranger figured out the sorest and most painful spot in my heart and poked at it when he pointed to Donovan and Jane. I could feel my heart break and the tears forming one more time. I had witnessed the kiss. Becky had mentioned the ‘let’s have sex’ plane tickets, and now tonight I learned about these two dating. What more had happened between my cousin and Donovan and when would these surprise revelations end? Today had to have been a record day of public display of ugly emotions for me.