Second Chance: A Christian Romance (Royals Book 2)

by Nicole Taylor

  Since Robert’s discharge from hospital, the number of paparazzi posted outside the hotel had seemed to triple. They had yelled questions at Robert and Dana and captured several photos before they were ushered into the limo by the security officers.

  Robert nodded. “Yeah. I do remember how nasty and persistent they can get. That’s one memory I haven’t lost. Will you speak to him or her about that?”

  Dana's head jerked around in surprise. Robert had never wanted her to deal with aspects of his career. It had always seemed like it was his territory alone.

  “You want me to speak to your publicist?”

  “Sure. Is that a problem?”

  She shrugged. “No, it’s just that you never asked before that’s all.”

  “I haven’t fully recovered, Dana. I’m going to be relying on you heavily. I will need help and honestly right now outside of my immediate family, you’re the only one I feel comfortable with. All the other people you mentioned to me, with the exception of my agent and my manager, I don’t remember them. I hope you don’t mind me asking for your help.”

  “No, no, not at all. That’s what I’m here for.”

  “Thanks.”

  She looked across at him and then quickly glanced away. He was watching her in the way he did lately like he was trying to pick her brain.

  “So what’s the plan of action?” he asked.

  “Plan of action?”

  “When we get home. Wait I forgot to ask. Where do we live?”

  “Number 41 Crescent Drive, Beverley Hills.”

  “The same place. Wow. After all these years I’ve still got that place. My last memory was of having recently purchased it. Has it changed?”

  “There have been some changes,” she responded, allowing a smile.

  “What kind of changes?”

  “Well, you know how it is when a woman moves into a bachelor pad. Let’s just say it’s got a woman’s touch now.”

  ~*~*~*~

  When the Cortellis finally reached home, Robert saw what Dana meant about the changes to the house. There was evidence from almost the moment they drove through the gates. The gardens were certainly a lot better landscaped and manicured than he remembered and featured every flower under the sun it seemed. The framed photographs, the numerous oil paintings and sculptures, the fresh floral arrangements, the ornate mirrors, the exotic rugs, the art deco furniture, the light blues and bold oranges and bright greens. Most definitely not his style. But lovely all the same.

  He had braced himself, expecting the kids to appear, but they were not there. In fact, no one was there. The house was completely empty, he soon discovered.

  “I gave all the staff a few days off, except the security guards. I wanted you to become familiar with your surroundings before having to get used to staff members too,” Dana said as he followed her up the stairs.

  “That was thoughtful. What about the kids?”

  Dana stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to face him.

  “They’re with your parents. I think you need to adjust before I bring them home. They miss their dad. I’m just not sure you’ll know how to respond to them. I don’t want them to think they’ve done something wrong or that you don’t love them anymore.”

  He nodded. “I see what you mean.”

  “So, I’ll let you place your stuff in the bedroom,” Dana said and continued walking. He noticed she passed the master bedroom suite.

  His steps slowed.

  “Dana. Don’t we share the master bedroom?”

  She stopped and turned around slowly. “About that…”

  He observed how she averted her gaze and chewed her bottom lip. He folded his arms and tilted his head. “Let me guess. You want me to sleep in another room.”

  She gulped and rubbed the back of her neck. “Yes, I think you should sleep in one of the guest rooms. For now.”

  Awkward silence stretched out between them.

  “Why? Do you think I’m going to ravage you? Because I had plenty opportunity to do that in the hotel in Switzerland and I didn’t. I think you know you can trust me not to attack you.”

  “It’s not that. I’d just be more comfortable if you sleep in another room.”

  He could leave it at that and let her have her way, but he was deeply offended by her words. His last memory was of having purchased this house. Now this woman wanted to tell him where he should sleep?

  “Why is that? Is it perhaps that you don’t think you’ll be able to resist me?”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Well, I can see that one thing you haven’t forgotten to be is arrogant.”

  He raised an eyebrow. She certainly had spirit. He’d seen sparks of it before but now she seemed to be flashing fire. He took a couple steps towards her and was so close that now he could smell her perfume.

  Suddenly he wasn’t sure he could control himself. He felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. He leaned toward her ear, “I promise not to touch you but I’m your husband. In my family husbands and wives sleep together.”

  They stood like that. Inches apart. His chest heaved and he watched hers doing the same. And then he knew he could no longer resist. He grabbed her and captured her lips with his. Her body curved into his and he knew she wanted him a much as he wanted her. When they drew apart minutes later, she sighed, “Bobby.”

  He sighed too and gently ran the back of his hand over her cheek.

  “You are so beautiful, do you know that?” he asked as his gaze roamed her face. “The first time I saw you I was sure I’d never seen a more beautiful woman in my life.”

  She smiled shyly and asked softly, “You mean that night at the fashion show?”

  He pulled back away from her, slightly puzzled. “Fashion show? What are you talking about?”

  Her expression changed. “Oh right. You don’t remember that, do you? It was the night we met. Which is why we need to be in separate rooms. I will not have sex with a man who doesn’t even know who I am.”

  He didn’t bother to argue that he did know who she was. At least he did now. She was his wife and the mother of his children. But her closed expression signaled the end to any discussion on the matter. He gave up and ran a hand though his hair as his plans for a sensuous evening sunk through the floor.

  “Fine. Just point me to the room you’ve assigned me to will you?”

  He couldn’t keep the annoyance from his voice. Imagine, banished to a guest room in his own house.

  Chapter 15

  One week later

  Robert sat at the breakfast nook in the large, yellow kitchen nervously awaiting the arrival of Dana and their kids. They had agreed that he would have six days to look around, see the kids’ things, their rooms, their photographs and in general get used to the idea of being a father before she brought them home.

  He listened to the Bible on audio since, as the doctor had cautioned, he was still unable to read more than a paragraph or two of anything. Over the last few days, he had been immersing himself in the Word of God and was now at Exodus.

  His miraculous spiritual journey had begun that first night home. After he and Dana had retired to separate quarters, he had found he couldn’t get to sleep. He had paced restlessly for a while, left the room, roamed around the house, he’d even attempted to watch television. That had been a mistake. He’d stared at the screen for about ten minutes when he’d felt a headache begin to form. He’d turned it off immediately and then picked up the tablet. That was when he’d felt a prompting in his soul to read the Word of God.

  He remembered the last time he’d been to church other than to a funeral or wedding. He had been a teen. He’d been bored out of his mind, and he’d made the decision that he would stop going, that it really wasn’t necessary. He’d told himself that to serve God, you didn’t to have to go to church. Yet, how had he been serving God after he’d stopped going. He never opened his Bible. He only prayed if something went wrong in his life and he never went to church. He had suddenly realized that h
e had bought into the lie that you didn’t need to be in constant communion with God to get through life. He had begun to read the Bible but within several minutes, the headache started again so he decided to listen instead.

  He had taken the tablet back to his room so he could lie on the bed and listen to the Bible. After a while, it seemed as though it had soothed him to sleep.

  The next night when he had awoken he’d reached for the audio Bible and listened to a few chapters and then fell off to sleep. It was a ritual that had continued the last few days. He was occasionally home alone if Dana had any appointments or went to visit their kids. He often listened to the Word during those times in an attempt to bring peace to his soul as he grappled with the evidence of experiences he’d had that were now lost to him. Perhaps forever.

  He had listened to the Gospels and had then started the Old Testament. He was now in Exodus, Chapter 20. He listened to the commandments and considered how he had broken most of them. Had he not worshiped other gods, like his career, his money, his fame, and his things? What about how he had misused God’s name, on and off screen. He didn’t know if any of that had changed in recent times. But he suspected that it hadn’t. He’d had the opportunity earlier that day to watch almost twenty minutes of a DVD of his most recent film and had winced as he felt the Holy Spirit convict him of the profanities that laced the R-rated flick. How could he have been part of a project like that? How had he come to stray so far from his early Christian upbringing?

  He listened on about keeping the Sabbath day holy. His last memories were of working every day including Sundays to advance his career. No day had been sacred to him.

  He felt so overcome he paused the audio. He placed his elbows on the kitchen table and dropped his head in his hands.

  “Lord Jesus,” he prayed, “Please forgive me. I don’t know how I’ve been living my life these last eleven years, but I think I’ve dishonored you in many ways. My last memories were of dishonoring you. I am so sorry. You’ve given me another chance. You’ve been so merciful, Lord. So very merciful. You’ve spared me for a reason. I need to live this life in honor of you, not for my own pleasure but for yours. Thank you for this new chance at life. Thank you for all your blessings. Thank you for forgiving me and wiping the slate clean. Help me be the man you want me to be, the husband you want me to be, the father you want me to be, the leader you want me to be.”

  ~*~*~*~

  Zoning out the excited chatter of the kids, Dana drove the black Range Rover through the streets of Beverly Hills and pondered the last few days and the changes that had been taking place in her husband.

  This Robert seemed like a different man, a new creature. For starters, he didn’t appear to have the passion for his career that he had before the accident. Pre-accident, Robert had spent practically every waking moment at home talking about his last project, his current project, or his next project. Everything seemed to revolve around his career and his fame and his image. That wasn’t to suggest that he didn’t have his moments of being a romantic, attentive husband and a great dad, but over the last couple years that’s what they had been: moments.

  During that time, his friendships had also seemed to suffer. He had little time to get together with friends, even between movies, because then he was always promoting his films, meeting with industry folk to discuss franchising and marketing his brand, talking to the press, managing his social media and on and on. Even his parents complained that he hardly visited them. Forget God and the Bible.

  When they were first married, he had made an attempt to incorporate God in his life. He had attended church with her once he was home but then soon he just seemed to have little time and would make excuses. It reached a point when she stopped asking him to come, and he seemed relieved. Not only that but he never picked up a Bible. Ever. She’d never seen him on his knees praying although he did mumble a quick prayer at family meal times.

  This new Robert, then, was a real conundrum. He seemed more patient. His annoyance with her on the first night when she had denied his request to sleep with her in their bedroom, had dissipated by the next morning. He was also coping with the reality of the missing memories of his life surprisingly well.

  What was really amazing was that he never mentioned his career. He had not asked to see his agent or manager or personal assistant or publicist. None of those. Not once since his accident. He hadn’t even asked about a script or an interview. Nothing. The only thing he seemed to be interested in – and this was the truly amazing part – was listening to the Bible. She had been so astounded when she realized this it had brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t believe it. She had immediately thanked God for what he was doing.

  Was that what it had taken to make this new creature who had time for her, who wanted to engage her at night on what he had read in God’s word, who asked about the kids and wanted to see all their baby photos and other memorabilia, who had requested to see their wedding album and had sat beside her poring over those old pictures? He reminded her so much of the man he was for those first few years of their marriage. She wanted him to stay. Was that selfish of her? Perhaps it was, but she really liked this Robert Cortelli.

  ~*~*~*~

  Robert heard a door close and then the excited voices of children. He said a quick prayer, took a deep breath and pushed away from the kitchen table.

  “Robert,” he heard Dana call out.

  He cleared his throat. “In here,” he replied.

  Seconds later, three rambunctious kids flew into the kitchen. Robert wiped his palms on his pants legs an instant before he was almost unbalanced as the three children launched themselves at him. He hesitated for a moment, not sure how he should greet them. Then he met Dana’s eyes and his heart leaped.

  This was his family. He had a stunning wife and such bright, healthy, beautiful kids. He was so blessed.

  His arms came around them, and he held them tight.

  “Daddy, Daddy, we missed you so much,” they screamed with glowing, upturned faces when they came up for air.

  “Alex, Aaron, Adam, I’ve missed you too,” he said. Dana had told him how to differentiate between the boys. Aaron had a tiny mole on his left cheek. Adam did not.

  “Have you been told what happened to me?” he asked.

  “Yeah, Mom said you had a really bad accident. You hit your head when you were doing a stunt,” Aaron said.

  Adam added, “She said there’s some stuff you don’t remember, that you have amnesia.”

  “Do you still remember us, Daddy?” Alex asked.

  Robert’s stomach clenched, and he exchanged glances with Dana.

  “You have nothing to worry about,” he replied gently. “I love you, and that’s never going to change. It’s true that I don’t remember everything, and I will need you kids to be patient with me. But I know how precious you are and what you mean to me.”

  “So, do you remember that I beat you at Splatoon when we played on our birthday, Dad?” Aaron asked.

  “No, I don’t. Sorry.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll beat you again. That way you’ll have new memories of being beaten,” Aaron laughed.

  “Dana, this boy is merciless. How’d we raise such a fierce competitor?”

  To prove what a fierce competitor he really was Aaron gave Robert several swift blows to the gut. Robert pretended to double over in pain and dropped to the floor.

  “Daddy, are you okay,” Adam asked anxiously.

  Robert responded by grabbing Aaron, spinning him around and imprisoning his arms in two seconds flat. He was more than a little stunned that he knew that move. Adam took advantage of his distraction and jumped on his back to defend his brother. Robert began tickling the two with each hand. Minutes later the three collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter.

  Robert began to feel a little winded, though.

  Dana must have noticed because she said, “Kids, please be gentle with your dad. He’s had surgery so he’s still on the mend. He still
has to rebuild his strength.”

  “Sorry, Daddy,” Adam said.

  Alex took Robert’s hand and attempted to pull him up. She obviously felt compelled to take charge.

  “Come rest, Daddy.”

  Then she turned to her brothers with an admonishment. “You boys are too rough. Leave him alone.”

  Robert pushed himself off his haunches and smiled at the pretty little girl.

  “That’s a lie,” Aaron protested. “Daddy, were we too rough?”

  “No, I’m okay, but your mom’s right. As a precaution, I need to take it easy. I want to be all better very soon so that I can tackle you two at football again.”

  “Yeah!”

  Dana shot him a questioning look. He knew she was wondering if his memory had come back. It hadn’t. He knew about the football because of the family photos he’d been perusing earlier that day.

  “Your mom sent some of her famous Irish stew and garlic mash,” she said, gesturing to the bag she’d deposited on the kitchen table earlier. “Why don’t you and the kids go into the family room and talk while I dish it out.”

  Robert nodded and led the children away. As they filled him in on all that had transpired in his absence, while talking all over each other, it occurred to him that this trio bore little resemblance to their mother. He wondered why he and Dana hadn’t had any more children. As he thought of this, the children’s voices became background noise. His thoughts drifted to the fact that he and Dana were sleeping in separate rooms. He hated the arrangement but after what she’d said on their first night back home, he hadn’t wanted to bring it up.

  Now that the kids were back it seemed like a discussion that needed reviving.

  ~*~*~*~

  That night after dinner, the family retired to the children’s playroom. It was a large, brightly-colored room, with mural-painted walls, filled with toys and games.