by Ana E Ross
“Okay. I’ll tell him,” Tashi promised even though her mind was congested with confusion and questions.
“How did Claire know who you were, anyway?” Shaina asked. “As far as I know the news of your marriage hasn’t hit the local media yet.”
“She heard it from her sister who was at Little Erik’s birthday party on Saturday.”
“Remind me to cross Penelope Forsythe off my list of invitees,” Michelle said. “Why did she approach you? What did she want?”
“She wanted to know if Adam has told me that he loves me.” Tashi’s voice dropped in volume and so did her gaze as three pairs of eyes pierced her. “A weird question, I know.”
“Has he?” Kaya’s tone was rife with interest.
“No. It’s not that kind of marriage.” Tashi felt as if she could be truthful with these women. It was part of learning to make herself vulnerable to people she felt cared about her. They’d earned her trust after the way they just chased off Claire, her new nemesis. She would take a thousand Claires over one vicious mobster any day.
“And what is that kind of marriage?” Shaina, who was sitting directly across from Tashi, placed her elbows on the table and made a bridge with her hands to support her chin.
Tashi shrugged. “We didn’t marry for love. He married me to—” Tashi stopped in midsentence. She’d given Adam permission to talk to the men about New York and Agent Dawson, but he’d warned her not to say anything to the ladies about that night or about her bodyguards. The less they knew, the safer they would all be. She shrugged again. “It’s a temporary marriage. He’s helping me with something. That’s why he isn’t wearing a wedding ring.” Her last statement was a half-truth.
The women laughed and high-fived each other like high school girls at a lunch table.
“Why is it so funny?” Tashi frowned at them.
Kaya threw her arm around her shoulders. “We’re not laughing at you, Tashi, but ever since we met you, we were wondering what adjective bride you were.”
“Adjective bride? What do you mean?”
Michelle reached over and picked up Tashi’s glass. “May I?”
“Go ahead.”
Michelle took a few sips, passed it to Shania for her sips, who passed it to Kaya for hers, who placed it back in front of Tashi. Tashi took the last sip, then refilled the glass, emptying the bottle. She loved having friends to share things with, even simple things like a glass of sparkling water.
“It’s like this,” Michelle said, finally. “None of our husbands married us for love.”
“Well, that’s what they thought.” Shaina stroked her long black hair and tucked some strands behind her ears.
“No, it’s what they told us,” Kaya corrected her.
Michelle cleared her throat. “I was Erik’s Secret Bride.”
“Bryce’s Reluctant Bride.” Kaya raised her hand.
“Massimo’s Fugitive Bride,” Shaina finished with an animated grin. “We’ll explain the adjectives later,” she added as if reading Tashi’s next question.
“Then I guess I’m Adam’s Temporary Bride.” Tashi chuckled along with the ladies, finally comprehending the source of their humor.
From the corners of her eyes, Tashi noticed the family of four on her right vacating their table, and just as quickly as she’d grabbed this one, two women who looked to be in their mid-thirties slid into the chairs while the busboy cleaned it off. One of the women gave her a flash of white teeth—somewhere between a fake smile and a leer.
“I would go out on a limb and guess that these ladies are your friends.” Gina’s voice drew Tashi’s attention back to her table. “I mean, you guys are laughing and everything, not like the one who left.”
She glanced up at the girl. “Yes, Gina. These ladies are my friends, and they’re staying.”
“Oh, thank God.” Gina pulled her pad from her apron pocket. “Have you had a chance to look at the menus yet?”
“We’re regulars,” Kaya informed her.
“And unfortunately, I’m new. This is my third day.”
“You’re doing fine,” Michelle assured her. “We’ll make it easy for you since we already know what we want. We’ll start out with sparkling water like our friend.” She gave Tashi a wide grin of camaraderie.
They made their orders and as soon as the waitress left, Kaya said, “There’s nothing temporary about your marriage to Adam, Tashi. If he didn’t love you, he wouldn’t have married you.”
“But he hasn’t told me. It’s like Claire said.” Tashi kept her voice low, hoping her neighbors didn’t hear her statement over the music.
Shaina reached across the table and patted Tashi’s hand. “As we said, none of our husbands married us for love. They’re unconventional men, who marry unconventional women for unconventional reasons. But deep down inside, they know it’s for love and they know it’s forever when they’re exchanging their vows.”
“He was about to exchange vows with Claire, ten years ago. He apparently loved her. The fact that she’s the one who called it off suggests that he didn’t think marrying her at the time was a mistake.”
Tashi had to think logically, now that her friends had shed light on her husband’s possible state of mind when he entered this temporary marriage with her. He’d told Tashi that he felt lucky Claire had jilted him, but what if she wanted him back? Is that why Kaya had given her that morbid warning? Had Victoria tried to steal Bryce back from her? With worrying about people trying to kill her, the last thing Tashi needed was Adam’s jealous ex breathing down her neck. Kaya was right to suggest that she let Adam know about Claire. But what if he thought she was the jealous one who couldn’t deal with the women from his past?
Gina brought out three bottles of sparkling water and glasses of ice. She promised that their orders would be out shortly, before she moved on to the neighboring table. Tashi felt uneasy about the women, but since they seemed to be ignoring her, she pushed her misgivings aside. She’d been living in paranoia way too long. I’m safe with Adam, she told herself.
“From what Massimo told me, it was Uncle Alessandro who was pressuring Adam back then.” Shaina resumed the conversation. “He wanted grandchildren. He didn’t care if his son was miserable. Adam was young and malleable ten years ago, and he was willing to sacrifice his happiness to make his father happy. Believe me, if he loved Claire, she would be sitting where you’re sitting right now.”
“And what a catastrophe that would have been.” Kaya wrinkled her nose and shook her head, causing her long brown curls to sweep back and forth across her bare shoulders.
“Can you imagine us suffering through lunch, and playtime, and our once-a-month get-together with her?” Shaina shivered as if she’d walked into a blast of frigid air.
One thing that was explicitly clear to Tashi was that these women did not like Claire.
“She would not have lasted that long.” Michelle spoke with dazzling firmness as she smiled at Tashi. “Bottom line is, if Adam didn’t love you and intend to make your marriage permanent, you wouldn’t be sitting here with us.”
“She’s right,” Shaina concurred. “So, please put Claire Forsythe, and temporary out of your mind, cousin. You’re here to stay.”
Shaina’s words perked up Tashi’s spirit. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll forget about Claire. On a different note, I propose a toast to new friends and family.”
They picked up their glasses, and Michelle said, “To friendship, and love, and children. Speaking of which—” She ruffled her lips. “I’m pregnant again.”
“Michelle! Both Shaina and Kaya screamed. Shaina threw her arms about her, and Kaya rushed around the table to hug her.
Tashi felt a deep pang in the core of her womb. Thankfully, her moan was lost in the joyful screams. “How far along are you?” she asked Michelle, wondering if their babies would be born around the same time. She had no proof, yet, but deep in her heart and her soul, she just knew she was pregnant with Adam’s baby.
“
Just a month. I promised Erik seven children, and he means to pull every one of them out of me.” She chuckled. “Actually, I love it. I love being pregnant. I love the thought of a new life growing inside me. And pregnant sex is so awesome, especially in the last trimester.”
“I know, girl. It’s like your body comes alive at the slightest touch, and you become this quivering ball of nerves.” Kaya’s eyes turned a deeper shade of brown as she obviously reminisced about making love with her husband.
“It’s not just that.” Shaina’s eyes sparkled with intimate memories. “When I was pregnant with Aria, Massimo’s lovemaking became so intense that it scared me at times. It was as if he was trying to touch his child inside me. My God, it was so thrilling. And I swear, since we got the okay to start making love again, it’s been better than before. But,” she added, “I’m not ready to have another baby. Mass and I want to devote quality time to Aria before she has to share us with a sibling. Maybe in a couple years.”
“Same here. My twins are only seventeen months, and between them and my nephew and nieces, it will be a couple years before Bryce and I even think about making another baby.” Kaya turned to Tashi. “What about you and Adam? Are you guys planning on starting a family anytime soon?”
Tashi felt a fluttering in her belly, but she fought the urge to rub it. “Well, Adam and I just got married, and we haven’t discussed children.” Which wasn’t really a lie. They’d discussed birth control, but not children.
“Are you using protection?” Michelle asked quite bluntly.
“No.”
“Then you’ve discussed it. You might be pregnant already. You know they have tests that will tell you as early as a week after conception.”
“They do? I thought you had to wait to miss your period.”
“No, girl. How early will you know?”
Tashi puckered her lips. “Well, I had my period about two weeks ago, and we made love on Friday for the first time, so maybe by the end of this week. Friday or Saturday, I guess.”
“I’ll give you Dr. Welsh’s contact info. She’s Erik’s partner. She’s great. She delivered Kaya’s twins, and Aria. You’ll love her,” Shaina promised.
“Okay, thank you.” Tashi’s heart beat with anticipation as she pictured the look on Adam’s face when she told him she was going to have his baby. She hoped it would be a look of pure joy, and not disdain. Did you trap him by getting pregnant? Claire’s insolent question rang in her head, but she forced it away. Adam had already admitted that he didn’t regret them not using protection before their marriage, and he hadn’t suggested that they start after it. So there.
“Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could all get pregnant at the same time and drive our husbands crazy when they have to deal with our mood swings and our bizarre cravings?” Kaya asked.
Shaina laughed. “They wouldn’t have each other to complain to because they’d all be going through the same crap at the same time.”
“I like that,” Michelle said. “It’s definitely something we should aim for in a few years. “I’ll probably be on baby number four by then.”
They agreed, and toasted their plan, and then their orders arrived. As they ate their gourmet salads and grilled seafood and pasta dishes, Tashi learned a lot more about her new family and friends. Bryce and Kaya had recently moved into their new estate on Mount Reservoir, just a few acres away from the Andreas Estate. In fact, they were all living on the mountain now, while Erik and Bryce’s parents had, respectively, taken up residence in the lake houses their children had vacated.
She also learned about the stories behind each bride’s ‘adjectives’. Shaina’s, she thought, was downright hilarious, especially because of Massimo’s past reputation with women. Tashi felt even closer to Shaina when she learned they’d both lived in New York around the same time.
She also learned about Michelle’s career as a New York Times bestselling author, her charity—Children of the Future Foundation—a home that took in disadvantaged children and that had recently opened up in the neighboring town of Evergreen. Michelle managed the organization of her foundation. Kaya, an interior decorator, had designed the interior. Also a gourmet cook, she managed the kitchen staff that prepared three free meals a day. Shaina, a math teacher, facilitated a free tutoring service to anyone who came through the doors. Upon hearing that Tashi studied photography, they asked for her assistance with photos for local, national, and international media.
When they asked about her past and how she ended up in Granite Falls, she told them half the truth: that she was from Ohio, had gone to study photography in New York and that she’d come to Granite Falls on the suggestions of a friend to photograph the beautiful landscapes since nature was her focus in college. She told them how she and Adam met at Mountainview Café, and the night he crept through her bedroom window to rescue her, then took her back to Andreas Estate to take care of her. And now that she had Adam, and new friends, she had reasons to stay.
As soon as she was finished relaying the truncated story of her most recent past, Tashi noticed the women at the table on her right leaving. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Then somehow the topic of conversation moved to Dr. Kelly after Tashi mentioned that she’d seen her earlier in the day to help her deal with the loss of her mother at an early age and issues about the way she was raised.
“Well, you’re in good hands with Samantha,” Kaya said. “She helped the kids deal with the loss of their parents, and she counseled Bryce and me about being substitute parents, and even how to strengthen and deepen our marriage. We still see her from time to time, as a family, just to talk. No marriage, no partnership is trouble-free. But as long as you stay on course, stay focused, you’ll reach your goals, whatever they are.”
“I know Mass sees her, even though he’s too macho to admit it.” Shaina held her spoon on her plate and, using her fork, she picked up some linguini and twirled it into the spoon like a true Italian wife. “He’s still dealing with the pain his father caused his mother. He thought he was over it, but they resurfaced when he decided to connect with Galen.”
Tashi had met Galen at the party on Saturday. He was a handsome young man, with curly dark hair, hazel eyes, and a killer smile like his older brother. The nannies and single moms had been vying for his attention, but somehow she felt that he wasn’t interested. She wondered if he had a girlfriend already, and if he did, why she wasn’t with him.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Shaina was saying. “I know Mass loves Galen and he’s been a wonderful big brother to him this past year, but knowing that his mother and sister are dead because of his father’s liaison with Galen’s mother isn’t something he can forget or even forgive. But at least he isn’t blaming Galen anymore.”
“Deep wounds are hard to heal,” Michelle said, placing her fork on her plate. “I may as well confess that I see Samantha, too.” She turned to Tashi. “You don’t know this, but it was my father who killed Erik’s first wife.”
“Precious’ mother?” Tashi’s eyes bulged.
“Yes. Well, he raised my brother and me, but he wasn’t our biological father.” She paused. “It’s a long story and I will tell you about it another time. The point is, I finally told Precious about the man who killed her mother. I just thought she should hear the truth from me and not someone else.”
“How did she take it?”
Michelle sat back in her chair and looked off for a second. “She was shocked, mad, and didn’t talk to me for days, wouldn’t even look at me. She was upset at her father for marrying me, too. I was scared that I’d ruined our friendship. In the initial stage of our relationship, I kept secrets from Erik that he found out from someone else. It took him a long time to get over that betrayal. We almost didn’t make it back to each other.”
“That was Bridget Ashley’s fault,” Kaya interjected.
“Who’s Bridget Ashley?” Tashi asked, chewing on a mouthful of lobster tail.
“Michelle’s Claire Forsythe.
She tried to keep Michelle and Erik apart.” Shaina popped a grilled scallop into her mouth. “But Michelle beat the crap out of her, put her in her place.”
Tashi almost choked on her lobster tail. “You fought her?
Michelle crossed her eyes at Shaina. “No.”
Shaina waved her hand dismissively. “I would have. I dare any woman to make a play for my husband. I’ll rip her braids, her weave, or her blond hair from her scalp, and then I’ll shoot Massimo right through the heart for hurting me.”
Kaya chuckled. “You’re crazy, Shaina. You know Massimo would never betray you.”
Shaina tapped her mouth with her blue napkin. “Seriously, though, if Massimo’s mother had been a fighter, she and her daughter might still be alive today. I wouldn’t allow any woman to back me into a corner, humiliate me, and make me scared of my husband.”
“I hear you, girl. I had to fight Bryce’s deceased wife’s ghost. He was still in love with her when we got married. I guess first love is hard to get over.”
“Well, he got over her,” Michelle said, before taking a sip of sparkling water. “Just like Erik got over Cassie.”
“Only after I told him that he couldn’t have us both, that he had to choose. I kicked him out and told him not to come home until he’d made a decision—whatever it was.”
Tashi smiled, happy to know that her marriage wasn’t the only eccentric one, and the fact that these women knew how to have innocuous fun with each other. “I guess Bryce chose you.” She bumped her shoulder to Kaya’s.
Kaya shrugged. “Well, it’s not like he can make love to a ghost, and we know how important sex is to them.”
They had a hearty laugh and then Tashi turned to Michelle. “So what really happened with Bridget Ashley?”
“Well, Erik’s and my problems weren’t really Bridget’s fault. By the time we separated, I was tired of fighting for everything in my life.” She shook her head, regret livid in her eyes. “And Erik, well, he had no idea how to fight for anything. He’d never had to. Nobody had taught him how. So he didn’t fight for me. Bridget saw an opportunity and she took it, but Erik did not succumb to her attempts to seduce him. Even though we were apart and we had no idea if we’d get back together, he remained faithful to me, as I was to him.”