by Shirley Jump
She eased onto the empty space beside him, drawn by the vulnerability in his voice. Maybe she was judging him too harshly. And maybe, if she heard him out, she’d understand. “Why?”
He looked away, and she could feel the pain and regret coming off him in waves. This wasn’t just about what had happened between them, it was about so much more, something over a year in the past.
“I should have been there,” he said quietly. The words seemed to scrape past his throat. “I should have been home on time, like I promised her.”
“People get tied up at work all the time, Daniel. You can’t beat yourself up for that.”
He shook his head. “I should have called a damned sitter. Hell, I should have turned down the assignment.” A long, harsh gust of air exploded from his lungs. “Most of all, I should have thought about my family instead of my damned career.”
“You are now, though, and that’s a good thing. Annabelle—”
He whirled toward her. “Don’t you understand? I wasn’t there when she needed me. It didn’t matter if we were separated. When Sarah called, I should have shown up to take care of my child. And every day since, I’ve said the words ‘I promise,’ and never kept them. I’ve just kept letting down my daughter again and again. And now…” His gaze met hers. “I let you down, too. Not on purpose, but it happened all the same. I thought I had it under control, but I didn’t. I’m sorry, Carrie. You have no idea how sorry I am.”
She tried not to cave to the pain she saw in his face, the regret in his features. But the part of her that still cared about him wanted to reach out, to comfort, to soothe. Wanted to believe him. To…love him. “Oh, Daniel, you’re only one man, doing the best you can.”
“You were right. I was putting my career ahead of the people I cared about. I was only focused on one thing—restoring my reputation. Living up to the Reynolds legacy.” He said the last with a touch of sarcasm. “It was all I ever thought I wanted. Until I met you.”
He kept talking, the words a waterfall pushing over the cliff of his mouth. “I tried, but it wasn’t enough. Not that night. Not since then.” His voice broke now, the sounds shattering like ice crystals falling off the side of a building. “I…failed them, Carrie. Dear God, I let them down. I am so, so sorry.”
“You didn’t let anyone down. You were human, that’s all.” But he didn’t hear her words, didn’t absolve himself.
“If I had been there, if I had put my family first—” He shook his head. “I should have…oh God, I should have.”
And then he was in her arms, and she was holding him tight, and telling him he hadn’t failed at all, that he was a good man, and that she understood. And he was apologizing over and over, until his voice went hoarse. His tears dampened her shoulder, and she went on holding him, letting him release the pain that had held him hostage for a year. If she did nothing else for him before she returned to Uccelli, she could do this.
After a while, Daniel drew back. She could see a clarity in his eyes, as if finally confessing his guilt brought absolution. “I’m sorry.”
“For what? For letting a friend comfort you?”
“Is that what we are, Carrie?” His gaze searched her face. “Friends?”
The word hung between them. Friends. Was that what they were? she asked herself. Answering yes would be a lie. Saying no would open up a whole other door that she wasn’t sure she wanted to open again. So she took the coward’s way out and changed the topic. “You’ve been through a lot and though I can’t begin to say I know what you’re going through, I want to be there for you, Daniel.”
If he noticed she didn’t answer the question, he didn’t say anything. “From here on out, I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep. Never again. I’ve let Belle down a hundred times since that day, and I don’t want to do it again.”
“She said you had a tea party with her.”
He smiled, and she could see the regrets ebb a little more. “I did. I even wore the boa.”
Carrie laughed. “You? Really?”
“Yup. I figured it was high time I showed my daughter how I felt about her. Proved to her that I was listening to her needs. Ever since my wife died, I felt like I couldn’t be a good dad. I was gone so much when Belle was little that I barely knew her. My own daughter and it was like I was a stranger. I didn’t know the names of her stuffed animals. Her favorite cereal. Her favorite book. But ever since you came along, I’ve learned to pay more attention.”
“Me?” Carrie pushed off with her feet. The swing moved slowly back and forth, its soft creak-creak joining with the sounds of laughter and the birds, creating its own natural song. “What did I have to do with anything?”
“You slipped into her world as easily as diving into a pool. You hardly knew her, but still you found common ground. And she was happier and better for it.”
“We’re girls.” Carrie shrugged. “It’s easy to find common ground.”
“And she and I are related, so it should be easy for us, too. But it wasn’t. It was harder than hell and I felt like such a failure. I’ve just been—” he shook his head, let out a curse “—afraid.”
“You?” She looked at the tall, confident, strong man beside her. One who had braved fires and gunshots to get the story when he’d worked in New York. She couldn’t imagine ever using that word to describe Daniel Reynolds. “Afraid of what?”
“Afraid of letting down the people I love again. I kept thinking that if I didn’t get too close, if I kept my focus on my job, it’d be easier.” His stormy eyes locked on hers. “Easier than risking my heart…and falling in love.”
The words hit her like a wall of ice. She jerked away from Daniel, sending the swing arcing back. “In love? Don’t say that, Daniel, not if you don’t mean it.”
He got to his feet and came to stand before her. With one hand, he stopped the swing. With the other, he hauled her up and brought her within inches of his chest. “I do mean it, Carrie.”
How she wanted to believe him. But she’d trusted him once before, and let this man into her home, into her heart. Where had it gotten her? On a television show that could ruin everything. How could she be so sure he wouldn’t betray her again?
Her gaze rested on the dancing flames in the fire pit far across the yard. Orange and yellow warred for dominance, each hungrily licking at the logs steepled in the center. The fire could have been her heart—and the war inside her between want and common sense.
Damn, how she wanted him. Wanted to believe him. But still he held ammunition in his pocket, and she couldn’t quite let her heart go again. He was wrapping her in his spell, trying to get close, she told herself, because he wanted the story. Not her. She returned her gaze to his and asked the question they’d both been dancing around. “Tell me the truth, Daniel,” she said. “How long are you going to wait to betray me and ruin my life?”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DANIEL stared at Carrie, confused. Didn’t she understand what he had done? “Wait for what?”
“Before you air the piece about my real father. A day? A week? A month?” She bit her lip, and tears glimmered in her eyes. “Just get it over with, Daniel.”
“I’m not airing it. Ever.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not going to air it,” he repeated. “In fact, that footage no longer exists.” She truly hadn’t seen tonight’s episode. Otherwise she wouldn’t be saying this.
“I was there, Daniel. I saw the cameras running. I just wish I hadn’t been so stupid and I’d kept my mouth shut when Matt confronted me.”
“You’re not hearing me, Carrie. The footage doesn’t exist anymore. Your story is safe.” He reached for her hands and held tight. “Trust me. It’s gone.”
Still, she resisted. He could see the disbelief lingering in her chocolate eyes. “How did you do that?” she asked.
“I went in this morning, did some creative editing of the piece and slipped that into the queue to run tonight instead of M
att’s disaster. And while I was there, I just happened to delete the other footage. And shred my notes. Something I should have done in the beginning when I realized I was falling for you.” A grin spread across his face. Thank God Ted had been on board with the plan—not just on board, but enthusiastic about it. Seemed the young production assistant had had his run-ins with Matt—and Matt’s lack of morals—as well. Ted had been more than happy to get back at Matt, and in the process, get credit for editing a quality news piece.
“But…but that could get you fired.”
“I already quit.” Daniel shrugged. He’d thought it would bother him to lose his job, but it didn’t. Working for a boss he disliked in a job that grated on his conscience wasn’t a career. It was a prison sentence. He would land on his feet no matter where he went from here, he was sure. “I might get sued, but I think not.”
“They’re just going to find a way to recreate it or come out with the story anyway.”
“Nope. I took care of that, too.”
“How? Come on, Daniel. This is the media. They’re an unstoppable train.”
“Unstoppable unless you know something bigger about them than they do about you.” He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of this idea earlier. But at least he had thought of it in time. That was all that mattered. Carrie’s story was safe, and he’d do it all over again if he had to, just to protect her.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“Turns out Mr. Miller, your grumpy customer and my mother’s neighbor, knew something about my boss, Matt. He’s Mr. Miller’s nephew-in-law, and apparently he’s not the Harvard grad he made himself out to be. In fact, he didn’t graduate from any college. He was kicked out for plagiarizing a term paper. The station’s owner, who prides himself on being a Harvard guy, wouldn’t take kindly to finding out about that. And Matt knows it. He only got the job because of the Ivy League connection. After talking to one of the other employees, I found out Matt’s done a few other shady things while working for Inside Scoop.” The list Ted had given him had been long. Paying off sources, creating scandals when there weren’t any, setting up interview subjects by putting them in a room with someone paid to create a stir.
“You blackmailed him?”
“I’d like to call it convincing him that it was in his best interests to let this go.” Daniel had no doubt Matt wouldn’t last long at Inside Scoop. The shady producer had seen the writing on the wall, and was probably emailing off his résumé right this minute.
Daniel had enough ammunition against Matt to create a sensational story of his own. One he could sell to the national networks. And in the process, save his career—or get the same one back. But that powerful urge to unearth the truth at any cost had died in Daniel and he knew that meant it was time to move on to another field.
“I could use that information to get a big exposé, get back on the networks,” he said, “but I don’t want to. If there’s one thing you’ve taught me, it’s the importance of being true to yourself.”
“I taught you that? How?”
“By being true to who you are.”
“True to being a fraud?” She turned away. “I don’t think so.”
“Do you think blood is the only thing that makes you part of a family? Even a royal family?”
“Maybe not, but—”
“There is no but. You are a princess. In my eyes, in this town’s eyes, in your country’s eyes. And especially in Annabelle’s eyes.”
The last broke her heart. Somehow, she had to make it up to the little girl.
“If you act like a princess, you will be in the world’s eyes, too,” Daniel added.
“Act like one?” Carrie sighed. “You know me. When have I ever acted like a princess?”
“When you got on that plane and went to Winter Haven and took on a project that you loved. One that would bring the best of your country to the world. When you stood up for what was important to you and to your country. You are an ambassador, whether you know it or not. And isn’t that what you told Annabelle a princess did best?”
Carrie shook her head. An ambassador didn’t create a scandal on television. An ambassador held her tongue and kept her counsel. “I don’t know about that.”
“My daughter has said it to me so many times, I can repeat your words by heart, or at least do a good job paraphrasing.” He grinned. “‘Being a princess isn’t about being the daughter of the king or being kissed by a prince. It’s about being a good person, one who takes care of the people she loves and stands up for what’s important to her.’” His smile softened. “You said that, Carrie, and it’s true.”
“Maybe, but—”
“No buts about it. You stood up for what you believed in when you took the chance on coming to this country and running the wine shop. When you got on that show and showed the world that a real princess doesn’t have to embroider or speak French or do whatever it is supposed real princesses do. That she can be a working woman with a fabulous business under her. And when I saw you do that, I knew that I had to stand up for what was important to me, too.”
Her eyes were wide and glistening under the moonlight. “And what is that?”
“Family. The people I love. I want what I said a minute ago. Keeping my promises to the people I love is more important than anything else. Than any story, any job.” He had realized that last night, when he’d been sitting at the small table with Annabelle. He wanted nothing more than to make his daughter smile and laugh like that, every day for the rest of his life. And he couldn’t do that until he had righted the wrongs he’d done to Carrie. “I made a promise to you, Carrie, when I started this. I told you it would be okay, and now, it will be.”
She bit her lip. “What are you going to do now?”
“Well…” His smile widened and his thumbs traced the back of her hands. “I thought I might get married.”
“Get…” She shook her head, as if she hadn’t heard him right. “What?”
“Married. Though I have to admit, I may not be that good a catch, considering I’m currently unemployed.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a job. You’re very talented.” She broke away from him and turned toward the swing. “You’ll make some woman very happy.”
He came up behind her, so close he could feel the heat emanating off her body, watch the whisper of his breath catch on the tendrils of her hair. “Is it really that hard to trust me?”
She turned back to face him. “I trust you.”
He arched a brow. “Carrie, darling, you don’t trust anyone.”
“Of course I do.”
The brow arched a little higher, calling her on her lie.
She sighed. “Okay, you’re right. I don’t trust people easily. And reporters…”
“Are the hardest to trust of all.”
“Yes.”
He winced at the truth. He could see why she thought that, even about him. He had earned that title of untrustworthy as surely as some of his colleagues had. In the quest for the story, there were casualties in relationships both casual and long-term.
No more, Daniel decided. He wasn’t that man, not for one more second.
“I understand that because I’ve been on both sides of the equation. Matt used me, like he would any interview subject, to get the scoop he wanted. I thought I could keep the lid on it, but I should have known better. He’s a ruthless man who wanted fame and fortune at any cost. When I saw him do that, I knew I could no longer be that kind of person. I realized how badly you were going to be hurt—not just you, your family, your country, your family’s business—by one foolish moment twenty or more years ago that never should have seen the light of day, so I took action.”
“What’s to stop someone else, someone who was there and overheard everything, from going to the papers?”
“Nothing.” He wished he could erase memories as easily as he had the digital recording. “But we’ll deal with that if and when it happens. Together. Any scandal that comes o
ur way, we’ll beat it back.”
He could still see the doubt in her eyes. “Daniel, I don’t think—”
He pressed a finger to her lips, cutting off her objections before she could voice them. “You don’t trust anyone, because no one has ever seen or known the real you. But I have, Carrie. And the real you is pretty damned fantastic.”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks since we met. How can you possibly know me in that short a time?”
“I know that you are a determined, strong woman who will take whatever risks she needs in order to protect what she loves. You are a princess, through and through. Not the kind of princess who goes around wearing a crown and pitching diva fits, but the kind of princess you described to Annabelle. You take care of the ones you love, and you stand up for what’s important to you. Not to mention, you’re honest and sweet and loving, and most of all, you have Annabelle’s vote.” He grinned. “If you ask me, that’s the most important vote of all.”
“Vote for what?”
“To be my wife.”
Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. Had she heard him right? “Your…wife?”
“There’s only one woman I want to marry.” He waited a beat. “And that’s you, Carlita Santaro.”
Daniel’s words sank slowly into Carrie. They settled into her veins, then her heart. Her gaze met his and in those blue eyes, she saw truth. A smile curved across her face and filled every ounce of her. “This amazing, courageous and incredible man wants to marry me…a regular girl?”
He laughed. “You, my dear, are far from regular.”
“And so are you. From the minute I met you, well, maybe the second time I met you—” she grinned “—I knew you were different. I saw you reading that story to your daughter and I saw a man with heart and soul. A man who will do whatever it takes to protect the ones he loves. And you have done that with me.”