Treasured
Page 13
My gut twisted, but I nodded, and she directed us to walk away as I asked, “What are you thinking?”
She pointed to the reservoir we’d strolled the first night I showed up in Pittsburgh while she said, “The park.”
I glanced up. The full moon would make it slightly lighter, but I’d keep her safe when I said, “In your heels.”
She let out a sigh and said, “If we walk in the grass, I can take them off.”
I tugged my ear and then nodded. “Sure. Do you want dinner?”
She tilted her head. “A slice of pizza and being alone with you.”
If she ate, all she had to do was tell me. I kept my hand on her lower back but pointed to the wine store across the street. “Easy to please, but how about a bottle of wine?”
Her eyes widened like I’d caught her, but she quickly shook her head. “Sounds much better than sitting across from you at a table, but no thanks.”
I pointed behind us. “The restaurant had white tablecloths and classy music.”
We crossed the gates of the park, and she closed her eyes and held my hands and said, “Listen, birds are singing, and we need to talk.”
Adrenaline rushed in my veins. Something was wrong. “We do?”
She trembled a little and held my chest like she needed me to balance. I cupped her hips but then I saw a tear fall down her cheek as she said, “Yeah. When I met you, I was certain I’d never fall in love with another man.”
A tear leaked off her face, and I ignored the ice I felt in my veins. “Mary, I’m glad you took a chance with me.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, and for one second, I thought this was horrible. “Me too, and I need to tell you something.”
“What’s going on, Mary?”
She wiped her face and held her stomach again as she said, “This morning when you went to tour the gun company, I wasn’t feeling good.”
Oh. I pointed to the street and said, “We can reschedule everything if you want to go home. I need five minutes to get the limo.”
She reached out and took my hand in hers. “No. That’s not it. I need to tell you something.”
Maybe she knew already what was wrong. I widened my stance, unsure how to fight off disease for her but asked, “What? Is it bad? Are you sick?”
She turned away from me. “No. Last time, I didn’t know… but let me spit this out.”
Her face was white and I kept my voice low. “You’re scaring me.”
She clutched me tighter as she said, “I hope not. I’m pregnant, Dwayne.”
For a moment I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. I’d never once thought… I’d be a father, though with Bruce I hoped I was doing well.
But Mary’s womb growing because of me made my chest swell like I’d won something. I hugged her and said, “You are!”
Her face regained its color as she nodded and said, “Yeah.”
I tugged her closer and smiled. “Come here.”
Then I kissed her, and her lips were sweet, like cream cake.
For a second, my kiss hardened, like I’d walk her to a tree and fuck her there, but I let her go.
Her cheeks were red as she asked, “You’re happy?”
I went down on one knee and held her hand. “Will you marry me, Mary?”
She pressed her hand to her heart. “You don’t have to ask because I’m pregnant.”
I squeezed her hand and found the ring box in my pocket. Then I showed it to her as I said, “I’m not… look. I had a plan to give it to you during dessert.”
She tugged me up and squeezed my shoulders as she said, “If you’re talking ice cream, that sounds great.”
I traced her smooth skin and said, “That’s not an answer.”
She let out a small sob, and her eyes were misting. “Dwayne. I just didn’t want you to see me crying again.”
Too late for that, but I kept that to myself. I kissed her thumbs and said, “I don’t want to ever make you cry.”
She took out the colorless princess-cut diamond and slipped the platinum ring on her finger. “These are happy tears. I love you and want to marry you more than anything.”
I hugged her and said, “Good. I love you, too, and we’re going to be a family.”
Mary and Bruce made my heart grow. I was blessed she was in my life, and I would treasure her forever because that epitomized who Mary was to me. She was better than gold or the company. She had my heart, always and forever.
Chapter Twenty
Mary
Every time I stood outside that restaurant, my skin prickled and my stomach flipped like I was afraid they would kick me out.
I don’t know why. I’d never eaten there or gone beyond the golden doors.
Today was different from the night Dwayne had asked me to marry him.
He held my son in his arms and reached for the door but I said, “I’m nervous.”
He kissed my cheek and led me inside.
The black marble counter still had a maître d’ behind the podium. He took Dwayne’s name and directed us to follow him. Dwayne stayed beside me and said, “My mother will like you.”
We made it to the window that overlooked the river, and a woman in a purple dress that had Dwayne’s dark brown eyed gaze stared back at me. I held my now-showing belly and said, “I’m…”
“Mary, is it?” She came over and held my hands.
I nodded and then said, “Dwayne has told me all about you, Ms. Jensen.”
She pressed her hand on my back and said, “Call me Desiree, or Mama Jensen, if that makes you more comfortable.” She glanced past me, and her smile grew wider as she asked, “Now, is this Bruce?”
“Yes,” I said. For a moment, I wondered what I would do if I were her and I were meeting some woman Bruce brought to meet me. One day, I’d be in her shoes.
Dwayne held Bruce and the chair for his mother as she said, “I bought you a present. In the summer when your mom has her new son or daughter, maybe all of you will come to my place in California for a visit. We’ll all go to the beach.”
“Thanks, Mama,” Dwayne said and pushed her seat in.
A staff member brought us a highchair for Bruce, and Dwayne held out my chair and let me scoot in.
Once Bruce was settled, Dwayne took a seat next to me when Destinee asked, “Mary, what do you think?”
I held my unborn baby in my womb like he gave me strength, too, and said, “I’m happy. I was scared to meet you.”
She reached out, took my hand, and said, “Look, if Dwayne ever gives you trouble, call me. I’ll straighten him out.”
He pressed his hand on his heart like he was offended. “I’m a good son, Mom.”
She nodded. “You are, and you both seem happy, which is all I ever wanted for you.”
Then a waiter came and took our orders. It didn’t matter, though. Dwayne took my hand, and I knew he treasured me, which was all I ever wanted from a man. But with Dwayne, I had that and so much more. He was perfect for me.
THE END
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this story. If you want to read more about the Steel family, where Mary came from, then check out Rocking Player for free. Joseph’s story won’t be out till later but you can start on Mary’s cousin’s now.
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Affinity by Harlow Layne
Broken by KC Enders
Embrace by Michelle Fernandez
Treasured by Victoria Pinder
Unwritten by Jenna Hartley
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Books by Victoria Pinder
Returning for Valentine’s (FREE if you go to my website)
The House of Morgan
Secret Crush
Secret Baby
Secret Bet
Secret Wish
Secret Dad
Secret Heir
Secret Tryst
Secret Date
Secret Romeo
Secret Caress
Secret Match
Secret Bridesmaid
Secret Admirer
Secret Cowboy
Secret Mistress
Secret Cinderella
The House of Morgan Boxed Set 1-3
The House of Morgan Boxed Set 4-6
The House of Morgan Boxed Set 7-9
The House of Morgan Boxed Set 10-12
The House of Morgan Boxed Set 13-15
Princes of Avce
Forbidden Crown
Forbidden Prince
Forbidden Royal
Forbidden Duke
Forbidden Earl
Forbidden Monsieur
Forbidden Marquis
Forbidden Count
Forbidden King
Forbidden Bastard
Forbidden Noble
Forbidden Lord
Princes of Avce 1-3
Princes of Avce 4-6
Princes of Avce 7-9
Steel Series
Rocking Player
Ruthless Financier
Wicked Cowboy
Powerful Prince
Cocky M.D.
The Hawke Fortune
Tempting Gabe
Tempting James
Tempting Conner
Tempting Harry
Tempting Navid
Hawke Series
Married to the Billionaire
Irresistibly Lost
Irresistibly Found
Irresistibly Charming
Irresistibly Tough
Irresistibly Played
Irresistibly Rugged
Irresistibly Strong
Irresistibly Dashing
Hidden Alphas
Hidden Gabriel
Hidden Raphael
Hidden Michael
Hidden Dane
Hidden Rocco
Hidden Alphas Boxed Set
The Marshall Family Saga
Favorite Crush
Favorite Mistake
Favorite Sin
Favorite Scandal
Favorite Series
The Collins Brothers
Chaperoning Paris
Borrowing the Doctor
Gerard
Liam
Eric
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion. She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.
Visit my website and download a free novel
www.victoriapinder.com
victoria@victoriapinder.com