San Antonio's Finest Eligibles

by Tee, Marian

  "Has he mentioned when he plans on coming back?" Nicholas asked with deceptive casualness.

  She shook her head. "Have you tried asking him? He says he was able to speak to you yesterday, too."

  "Yes, we did get to talk," Nicholas lied without missing a beat. "But it was only for a short while, and I wasn't able to bring it up." The music changed into something slower, and Nicholas pulled his wife close, her head fitting perfectly under his chin.

  His wife was damn right about his son being pigheaded, Nicholas thought. He had been sending the boy messages every damn day, but not once had Daniel answered him back. And until his son returned, it was left to Nicholas and Joe to figure a way out of the mess Daniel had created.

  The thought of this had Nicholas' lips tightening as it dredged up memories he didn't want to revisit. His last conversation with his lawyer had been frustrating to say the least, and it had left an unsavory taste on his tongue that lingered to this day.

  "I've been hearing good things about your new wife," Joe commented over the phone.

  "There's no need for you to call her that." Nicholas' tone was brusque. "You know the real score between us."

  "I guess I do. But do you?"

  "Just get to the fucking point," Nicholas said curtly, "if you have something to say."

  "Hey, now—-" The lawyer's tone turned conciliatory. "I'm not your enemy here. And all I'm saying is that from what I hear and from what I know...she's a nice girl." Joe paused. "So would it be really that bad if we let the marriage—-"

  "Carly was someone I had known since I was a kid," Nicholas cut in harshly. "She was supposed to be a good girl. And you know how that went down."

  Joe cursed in his mind. He had forgotten about that bitch.

  "You need to stop letting the past control your life, Nick. Daniel's found the perfect woman for you, and because he knew you would never have given her the time of the day, he went as far as pulling off this unbelievably elaborate scheme just to give you a chance at happiness."

  "He's an idiot," Nicholas said shortly, "to risk our entire fortune—-"

  "Just give it a damn chance, Nick."

  "It was nice talking to you, Joe. Call me when you've found a loophole."

  "Nick?" Bee's brows furrowed in concern when her husband gazed down at her unseeingly for a moment. "You've been miles away. Is something wrong?"

  His expression instantly cleared, and even as his lips curved as he told her it was nothing, Bee couldn't shake the feeling that he was lying.

  "I know this party was over the top," she began anxiously. "But—-"

  "Stop worrying." Nicholas cupped her face. "This party was perfect." He bent his head. "You're perfect." And in full view of his entire staff, he covered her mouth with his in a long, deep kiss.

  By the time he lifted his head, she was on her toes, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly, body melting against his lean, hard form. She looked up at him, and her heart just couldn't take it anymore.

  "You make me so happy," she whispered tremulously. "Just so happy I'm scared I'd wake up and this is all a dream—-"

  "It's not, baby."

  Tears suddenly stung her eyes. "Nicholas." She had planned to keep it a secret for a little bit longer, but him saying that...

  The sudden distress darkening her eyes had him asking sharply, "What is it?"

  "I have something to tell you." A smile wobbled over her lips. "Just three words, really—-"

  Not those three goddamn words, Nicholas thought. Because that would be fucking awkward.

  And it wasn't.

  It was worse.

  "Congratulations - I'm pregnant."

  Chapter Ten

  As teenage children from local and nearby orphanages quickly filled up the auditorium of Evergreen's community hall, Bee hastily let go of the stage curtains and felt like kicking herself in the head as she turned away to rejoin her friends.

  Her stage fright had been bad enough earlier, she thought glumly, but after seeing the size of the crowd that awaited her, it wouldn't be long now before she either ended up having hysterics or just fainting dead away.

  Both Isla and Harry glanced up when Bee came back to their shared dressing room. Her pale face spoke volumes, and the two women simultaneously groaned.

  "Oh, Bee, please tell me you didn't," Harry said with a sigh.

  "But you did," Isla guessed darkly. "Didn't you?"

  Bee collapsed on one of the vacant chairs. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice. "I just couldn't help it. I felt like I had to take a look—-"

  "And now you're thinking you can't possibly do it," Harry finished. "Isn't that right?"

  Bee bit her lip. "Well..."

  "We were in your shoes before," Isla told her, "so we have more than a good idea of what's going through your mind. I know the prospect of talking to those kids is terrifying, but you need to focus on what's important."

  "And that's your ability to give them hope," Harry said softly, "just by being you."

  Bee swallowed hard as the truth of their words sank in. After taking several deep breaths, she lifted her chin and gave her friends a determined smile. "Alright. Let's do this."

  Minutes later, and all three of them were up on stage as the program's host completed the introductions. "For one whole day, these three women will be available to mentor you, listen to your stories and share theirs - today is all about you because you matter."

  The event lasted until the wee hours of the night, with the three women and their fifty-plus protégés shedding both tears and laughter as they shared and learned from each other's experiences in life.

  It was an infinitely rewarding experience, and Bee couldn't thank her friends enough for encouraging her to participate.

  "Does that mean you're up for next month's function as well?" Isla teased.

  "Even if I have to sing and dance," she joked, "I'll do it."

  "We'll hold you to that," Harry warned her with an impish grin.

  Devon and Sean arrived soon after to drive their wives home, and when they asked where Nicholas was, Bee fought hard to keep her smile as she answered, "He's, um, out of town for work."

  "Of course." Devon's smooth voice revealed nothing of his unease. Bee's smile was just too bright. It was damnably obvious she was hiding something, and it most likely had to do with her missing husband.

  Bee waited until all of Nicholas' friends had driven off before quickly walking to where Nicholas' driver was waiting. Keep it together, Bee. Just a few more steps. Just a few more. But by the time Jerry opened the passenger door for her, it was already too late, and the tears were running down her cheeks.

  The silence inside the car was painfully awkward, with Jerry frequently darting worried glances at his employer's wife through the rearview mirror. She looked woefully alone, her tiny frame swallowed by the vastness of the Bentley's backseat, and her quiet sobs made painfully palpable by the sight of her shaking shoulders.

  They had seemed so fine a few days ago, Jerry thought morosely. What in the world could've happened that would make Mr. Sutherland drive off in the middle of the night like the Devil himself was after him?

  Unknown to Jerry, the exact same question had been running through Bee's mind. For five days now, if one had to be specific, or ever since she had woken up alone in Nicholas' bed.

  At first, she hadn't been concerned at all, thinking that it was work that had him leaving so early. But when night had fallen once more, and there were still no signs of him, that was when she had tried calling him on his cellphone...and had her call transferred to voicemail.

  Five days, Bee thought, and she could only cry harder, unable to believe how little time it took for her new life to fall into pieces.

  For five days now, she had done her best to keep busy, with Nicholas' foreman patiently showing her the ropes as she tried to find her place in the ranch and figure out how she could be of help. And when that wasn't enough, she had tagged along with Isla and Harry, doing what she coul
d to help with their non-profit projects.

  Anything to keep herself busy, anything to keep her from thinking that for those same five days, she hadn't gotten a single message or call from Nicholas.

  Her phone suddenly rang, the jarring sound making Bee jump in her seat.

  But then a thought occurred - that it might finally be Nicholas, and this whole nightmare could be over - and she quickly answered the call. "Hello?"

  "Hello, pretty mitria." The word was Greek for 'stepmother', and at the realization that it was Danny who was calling...

  Danny, not Nicholas.

  Danny.

  From the other end of the line, Daniel frowned at Bee's continued silence. "Hello?"

  And then he heard it.

  "Danny." Bee's voice caught. "I think I messed up."

  The sound of his stepmother's heart breaking...and his own heart broke alongside hers.

  Chapter Eleven

  This is it, Nicholas thought as he slowly walked up the driveway. It had recently occurred to him that he had been doing it all wrong by asking strangers to find Daniel's whereabouts. Those guys might have been experts at finding missing people, but Nicholas' need to keep things under the radar meant doing their jobs with one hand tied behind their back.

  If he wanted to find his son, he would be his own best shot since he knew his son better than anyone. And so for the past five days, he had been flying all over the world, visiting their old haunts one by one, until he finally ended up here: a tiny seaside cottage in Isla de Flores, which he and Daniel stayed in when the boy had asked for "quality time" for his sixteenth birthday.

  A tall, good-looking guy came to answer the door at Nicholas' knock. He could've passed as Nicholas' twin if not for the dark locks of his hair, and as their eyes met, the somberness in his son's gaze had Nicholas' chest tightening to the point that he could hardly breathe.

  "You know." His voice was flat. "Don't you?"

  "That I'm about to be a big brother?"

  Shit. It was all Nicholas could think of as words completely failed him. If Daniel knew about Tabitha's pregnancy, then it meant his son had also recently spoken to her. "How is she?" he forced himself to ask.

  "We should go inside—-"

  "Daniel." Nicholas' voice was steely. "Tell me how she is."

  The glare his son shot at him had Nicholas stiffening. He had never seen Daniel lose his temper, but could he really blame his son for doing so now?

  The front door slammed shut behind Daniel, and his son advanced towards him, saying in angry accusation, "You left her. She told you about the baby, and you left her, Dad. How could you?"

  "Don't fucking make this all on me," Nicholas growled. "You were the one who made this mess to begin with—-"

  "For your own good," the boy yelled. "I did it for you—-"

  "You had no fucking right—-"

  "You were lonely!"

  All the words Nicholas had to say burned into ashes at the unmistakable look of anguish on his son's face.

  "You were lonely." Daniel's voice became thick with tears. "Even if you never told me, even if you did your best to hide it, even if you had the whole world fooled - I knew it. I saw it. Something in you changed since you got me back, and I'm just tired of seeing you so lonely.

  I just want you to be happy, Dad—-"

  "I am happy, dammit."

  "But not enough," Daniel said with a shake of his head. "I know things in our family weren't ideal at the start, and I know you still blame yourself for the past - but come on, Dad. Can't you see you've more than made up for it? You practically turned yourself into a monk just to set a good example for me. And when I told you I was gay, you didn't just stand by me. The way you looked at me that day - I'll never forget it. You were looking at me like you didn't understand why I thought I even had to say it, why I would think that it would matter to you or make you love me less—-" Daniel's voice broke. "Do you know how lucky that makes me, Dad?"

  "You're my boy," Nicholas said gruffly. "Or girl. Whatever you want me to call you—-"

  Despite everything, Daniel couldn't help rolling his eyes even as the urge to bawl his eyes out became harder to resist.

  But then Nicholas suddenly hauled him close.

  "You're my flesh and blood, dammit. Of course I'd fucking love you no matter what."

  Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, but it was just too darn much, and his tears started to fall. "You're the best dad any son could ever have," he said with a sniff, "and I just wanted it to be my turn to make you happy—-"

  Nicholas swung away at the words. "It's not that easy," he muttered. "And dear God, the risks you took with that fucking contract—-"

  "There are no risks," Daniel said wearily, "and deep inside, you know it. You know it, Dad. Just like I knew the moment I read her letter...she's meant for us."

  Nicholas didn't answer.

  Daniel refused to give up in the face of his father's continued silence. "Do you know why I thought she was right for you?" he asked fiercely. "Her whole life was just one tragedy after another. Everyone she loved was taken away from her. But somehow...she never lost her ability to smile, and it just made me think...if she could go through all that and still find a reason to smile...maybe she's the only person who can help you understand...you've done enough. You've paid enough. And you're free to be happy again."

  Chapter Twelve

  The next morning dawned bright and clear, but in one particular law office, the mood was dreary and irksome. Joe hated calling in sick, and he hated it even more now, with his secretary on vacation, and he was left to make do with a scatterbrained temp. Trying to keep the impatience out of his voice so he wouldn't rattle Beth into making another goddamn awful error like yesterday's mixup, he asked carefully, "Did you get all that?"

  "I think, no, um, I'm sure I did, sir."

  "Then dictate it back to me, will you?"

  "Mr. Paulson needs to be informed about tonight's dinner being rescheduled."

  "Go on."

  "There's a document on your desk, regarding Alice Winfrey's divorce settlement, and I need to fax it to the Tel Aviv branch before I leave."

  "And the last one?" His nose started to itch as he spoke.

  "I need to mail out the packet—"

  Joe let out a sneeze just as Beth finished, "—to Mrs. Sutherland."

  "Yeah, that's right," Joe muttered, having caught the last word the temp said.

  In the process of asking if she had indeed gotten that one right, Beth changed her mind instead, saying simply, "I'll work on these then, sir." After putting the receiver down, she cast a final look at the notes she had scribbed for today's to-do list.

  Damn, Beth thought with a wince. She really had the most horrible handwriting. She couldn't even tell if she had written Mr. or Mrs., but since Mr. Gilmore had said she got it right...

  Mrs. it is, Beth thought as she called for the law firm's in-house courier.

  A guy about her age came up to her desk minutes later, and she handed the packet towards him, saying, "Please make sure Mrs. Sutherland personally gets this. Mr. Gilmore has classified this as urgent."

  "Gotcha."

  And so exactly thirty-four minutes later, a frowning Thomas accompanied the courier to the living room, and Bee ended up with an unexpected packet in her hands.

  "Mr. Gilmore says it's urgent," the messenger thought to emphasize.

  "Um, thank you. I'll make sure to read it right away." And so she did, waiting only for her visitor to leave before tearing the brown envelope open. The first thing that fell out was a handwritten letter, and it was addressed to her husband.

  I still don't think this is a good idea, but I'm a man of my word and I take my oath seriously. That's the only reason why I'm giving you this.

  I know Danny might have tricked you into marrying her so, yeah, I can see that's not the best foundation for a marriage. But it could be worse, you know?

  And about the pregnancy...yes, you didn't get the contract clause w
rong. Tabitha Sandler had agreed to be on the pill for at least one month prior to meeting you, and you - or rather Danny - was supposed to be the one to provide those pills.

  I managed to track the deliveries, and as it turns out, your boy's exceptionally good at this whole con thing. The packaging used for the pills was for a well-known contraceptive, but what Tabitha actually ended up taking was just vitamins.

  Which means neither of you had protected sex, and that's how babies are made.

  Anyway...I found the loophole you've asked for. It's highlighted in the contract, and you can use it to get out of the marriage without having to worry that Danny might get sued for forgery or fraud.

  But if you want my advice - both as your lawyer and as someone who's known you your whole life - give yourself more time to think things through.

  I know she's nothing like the women you're known to date, but she isn't all that bad either, is she?

  Let me know if you need anything else.

  ~ Joe ~

  Bee's fingers shook as she took the rest of the documents out. She flipped through them, reading the lawyer's comments page after page after page, and it was like having her face slapped, with every issue Mr. Gilmore believed would help Nicholas' case as he sought out of their marriage.

  And the more she read, the number she became until she felt dead inside.

  Oh, dear God.

  She should have known things were too good to be true, should have known there was no possible way for a man like Nicholas Sutherland to actually want to be her husband. Everything just made more painful sense now. The way Nicholas had looked at her the first time they met, and it was as if he had a strange creature suddenly dropped on his lap. The way he had chosen to go along with the deception, just to ensure that his son wouldn't be sued for forgery or fraud.

  It all sounded more plausible, she thought dully, than insisting that this was all a mistake, and Nicholas really did want her as his wife.