Center Stage (The Keller Family Series)

by Marie, Bernadette

  “You’re very quiet,” she said softly.

  “I’m pissed off.”

  “I know, but you heard them. There is no proof it’s him, and they can’t do anything about it.”

  “No, but we can be on the lookout. That bastard is crazy, and I’m not about to let him touch you like he touched your sister. And he’s not getting his hands on her or that child either.”

  He heard what he thought was a sob, so he took his eyes off the road and saw Arianna gazing at him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Not a thing. I’ve never felt so safe.”

  “Well, I wish you would have told me about this before you even moved back. What if he’d gotten to you again? What if…”

  “I love you.”

  He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You love me because I’ve made you feel safe?”

  “No, I’m very certain I’ve loved you for a long time. The feeling safe, that’s just a bonus.”

  He nodded. He’d started this last night by telling her he’d care for the woman he loved, and of course, he’d meant her. But was she expecting him to say those words to her? Did she need validation?

  When he stopped at the next light and looked over at her, she was smiling and watching the people move about the city from her window. He needed to tell her, but not under these circumstances. She needed to know it was a sentiment from his heart, not out of need.

  “I think we need to get everyone together and tell them what is going on,” he said as he eased off the brake and shifted the truck into gear.

  “I think we should have everyone meet at Mom and Dad’s.”

  “Start calling. We can’t wait. We need to do it now.”

  By seven o’clock, the entire Keller family was assembled around Arianna’s parents’ dining room table.

  The room had grown smaller over the years with spouses and children.

  Usually the room bustled with noise and laughter, but the atmosphere was different now. They’d all joined there because Arianna had asked them to, but they knew something was wrong. And how she was going to ease into it, she wasn’t sure.

  “John and I needed to share something with all of you.”

  Regan lifted Spencer to her shoulder and narrowed her eyes on Arianna. “The funny part about all this is I’d like you to follow up that sentence with something like we’re getting married. But with your tone and the look on your face, if you tell me you’re dying I’m going to lose it.”

  “I’m not dying.”

  “Good,” Madeline spoke up. “I’ve already tried that. Let’s leave that subject alone.”

  Carlos put his arm around his wife’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “So why are we all here?” he asked.

  Arianna let out a long, slow breath as John took her hand in his and interlaced his fingers with hers. He knew she couldn’t tell them and keep them calm. She gave him a nod.

  John acknowledged and looked at her family. “The reason Arianna moved back to Nashville was because she had a visit from Alexander Hamilton in New York.”

  Zach was the first to come out of his seat, followed by Curtis.

  The vein in Zach’s neck bulged, and his face turned red. “That maniac came to you, and you didn’t tell anyone? He’s on American soil, and I haven’t killed him?”

  Regan placed her hand on his arm. “You’re going to scare Tyler.”

  “Regan, if he even steps foot in this state…”

  “I think he has,” Arianna interrupted.

  Curtis was swift as he came around the table and turned her toward him. “We’re not playing games with this. You know what he did to her.” He pointed to Regan. “You should have told us what was going on.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she couldn’t stop the sobs that had taken over her breathing. She was the one always in control, and now she didn’t know what to do as that control slipped.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  John pulled her into his arms and held her close. “Listen, the point is he’s out there. He’s been calling her and hanging up. Last night she got a text message and a picture of us outside the theater. If it’s not him, someone is following her and that’s just as scary.”

  Simone lifted her head. “I have not spoken to my father in months, but I will call him and ask if he has spoken to the idiot!”

  Zach shook his head. “He’d wanted Simone’s father to invest in a build. I wouldn’t have anything to do with it.”

  “Well, the fact is he’s surfacing,” John continued to hold her.

  Arianna took in a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She turned back to her family. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell everyone why I came home. John and I have gone to the police and given them the information. There is nothing they can do. They don’t have a way of tracking the calls or texts. The phone number doesn’t come up.”

  Arianna’s father sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “We will protect each other. That is how this family works.” He then leaned in on his elbows and took the time to connect with each and every one of them with a glance. “We will do all that is necessary.”

  That was all that needed to be said.

  Strangely enough, Arianna felt more secure than she had in a very long time.

  The evening hadn’t ended with the bad news about Alexander Hamilton. Once her mother had her family all gathered, she had to cook.

  It wasn’t anything more than spaghetti and garlic bread, but it was a family meal.

  They hadn’t spoken about Alexander Hamilton again, but he was on everyone’s mind. And if she knew her siblings, they’d all take a shot at her.

  As her father moved to the family room with his grandsons Eduardo and Christian close behind, Arianna helped her mother clear the table as her sister and Simone both nursed their babies.

  Arianna set the dishes in the sink and opened the dishwasher as her mother walked into the kitchen.

  “You’re all moved in?”

  “Yes. I finally have everything in its place.”

  “Good. And you’re comfortable with John in the basement?”

  Arianna began loading the dishwasher. “Yes.”

  “Ah.” Her mother’s German accent grew thicker the older she became. Arianna always wondered if it was something that mentally kept her connected to her past. Perhaps if she kept the accent, she’d still have that part of her.

  Her mother went about putting away items in the refrigerator as Arianna filled the dishwasher, but then she felt her nearby.

  She turned to see her standing with her hands on her hips.

  “You don’t have anything to share with me?”

  “Such as?” Arianna matched her mother’s stance.

  “You and John. I’m not blind, Arianna. What has happened between the two of you?”

  Arianna’s hands dropped to her side. “I think I’ve fallen in love with him. That’s what’s happened between us.”

  The swinging door that led into the kitchen opened, and Madeline walked in. “Thank goodness you got that out in the open. I couldn’t eavesdrop any longer.”

  Arianna laughed. Madeline was as close a sister to her as Regan. She’d missed her for years when her brother was so stupid to have divorced her.

  “Why did you have to eavesdrop? Regan already knew all of this.”

  “Of course she did. That’s why we all know about it. But I wanted to hear for myself.”

  Arianna walked to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. If she and her sister were young, she’d have taken hold of her hair and pulled until she cried for sharing her secrets. Then again, they must not have been very secret if Regan was sharing them. Regan didn’t gossip for spite.

  By the time she’d sat down, the kitchen filled with Simone and Regan each carrying their babies. Soon Clara was following close behind. Thank goodness she was. At least they wouldn’t be embarrassing her about her sex life in front of Clara.

  “Clara, are you famil
iar with the musical Annie?” she asked her niece.

  “Isn’t everyone?”

  That was true enough. “You’re right. Did you hear that Zach bought a new building, and it’s a theater?”

  “I thought everyone bought it for you,” she said innocently as Madeline reached for her and pulled her close.

  She gave her an enormous hug from her seat. “No one was supposed to tell her that.”

  “I didn’t know it was a surprise.”

  Arianna reached for Clara’s hand. “It was a wonderful surprise, and I’m going to make you all proud. And I was thinking of Annie as the first production. It was the first show I ever saw, and I saw it at the Rockwell Theater.”

  “That would be neat,” Clara said.

  “Will you help me with it?”

  Clara’s eyes widened, and she exchanged glances with Madeline and then looked back at Arianna. “Really?”

  “I think you’d be the perfect choice.”

  “To help you?”

  “Yes. But I also thought you’d be a perfect Annie.”

  Chapter Ten

  The atmosphere in the truck was much different than on the drive over to Arianna’s parents’ house. She was at ease, and John wasn’t near as tense either.

  He’d wrapped his arm around her shoulder once he was on the highway headed home. She rested her head against him.

  “I think this theater is going to be wonderful.”

  He hummed his agreement. “It’s going to be a lot of work.”

  “I know, but I’m ready for that.”

  “Zach asked me to work on it. He said since it’s a Benson, Benson, and Hart acquisition, it’s part of my job.”

  Arianna leaned up against him closer. “So I’ll get to see you work?”

  “I’m not a nice guy when I work. You might not want to be around.”

  She lifted her lips to his ear. “You can’t get rid of me of me like that. You’re stuck with me.”

  His arm tightened around her shoulders. “That’s exactly what I wanted.”

  By the time they pulled up behind her house, Arianna was completely stirred up. She’d be damned if John slept in his own bed tonight without her. As wound up as she was, he’d be lucky to get any sleep at all.

  The moment she opened the back door, she was swept off her feet and thrown over John’s shoulder.

  She let out a yelp. “What are you doing?” she laughed as he carried her up the stairs like some caveman.

  “You ruined my night last night. I seriously don’t want to be sleeping alone. So you’re going to have to make that up to me.”

  She was still laughing. “Very aggressive of you.”

  “I’m a man with a need. And that need is for a shower.”

  He carried her through the bedroom and to the bathroom where he dropped her on her butt on the vanity.

  She sat there while he turned on the shower. When he turned back to her, his eyes were dark. There was, indeed, a fury burning behind them.

  Arianna stopped laughing and met his eyes with her own. He turned and reached for her. His hands were tangled in her hair, pulling the band which held her ponytail.

  Her hair fell in curls around her shoulders as his mouth took possession of hers.

  There was nothing like the fire of a kiss when a man was worked up, but knowing she loved this man, the heat was much greater.

  John pressed up against her, and she wrapped her legs around him. His hands were making quick work of her clothes, and she fought with the buttons on his shirt.

  Steam from the shower mixed with the pants of hot breath shared between them.

  John pulled her from the vanity and shimmied her pants off of her and then quickly undressed himself.

  The water was hot, but not as hot as the man who stood before her. He might be sensitive about his age in years, but she’d never seen a man more fit and more sexy than John Forrester.

  He pulled her to him and centered them both under the stream of hot water.

  His hands slid over her skin, and she held tight to him as her knees grew weak from his touches—his kisses—his passion.

  Their love-making in the shower was fast and furious. Soap slicked skin only enhanced each touch—each movement.

  John took down the shower head and rinsed them off, his mouth still working against hers.

  She had to admit there was stamina with him. There were no robes or towels. There was no time. He helped her from the shower and straight to the bed where he laid her down and quickly moved atop of her—inside her.

  Arianna wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him closer. Needing him nearer to her than any other person had ever been before.

  And when the motions stopped and contentment had been had, she kept him close, his rapid breath strong in her ear.

  “I love you, Arianna Keller. I always will.”

  She fought back the tears which came with his sentiment. There may never be a marriage license or a child bearing their resemblances, but there was the promise of forever. And that was all she’d ever need.

  Arianna heard the alarm go off on John’s phone the next morning, and it was the first time he’d rolled away from her all night.

  He silenced it and wrapped himself around her again.

  “Wouldn’t your boss be okay with you taking a day off?” she asked with her voice raspy with sleep.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never taken a day off.”

  She grunted. “Never?”

  “Never.”

  She believed that—mostly. If there was a more loyal man than John Forrester, she’d be surprised. And the best part was, if he was that loyal to Zach, she couldn’t imagine how loyal he’d be to her.

  An hour later he was showered, shaved, dressed, and gone. The house was instantly lonely.

  Arianna had her cup of coffee at the kitchen table and looked over her notebook of ideas for the theater. Soon she wouldn’t have time to feel alone in her own home—their home.

  She put down the notebook. His stuff needed to come upstairs. She wasn’t going to marry the man, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to let him sleep away from her ever again, even just a few feet away.

  Arianna stood up, rinsed out her cup, and got dressed. She wasn’t going to move him. That would be the dumbest thing she could ever do. They could leave it as a man cave, but she sure was going to head down to the site with lunch and make him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

  On her way to the build site, her phone rang. She was seriously going to have to give everyone a special ring tone because just hearing the ring made her antsy.

  She looked down in the cup holder where her phone sat. It was Regan.

  “Hey, Sis. Did you call to apologize for telling everyone I was sleeping with John?”

  Regan laughed on the other end. “Did you think anyone thought you weren’t?”

  “Pretty transparent, huh?”

  “We were at the weddings, too. It was just a matter of time before the two of you ran into each other instead of away from each other.”

  The comment was true enough. They probably had given everyone some reason to think they’d catch each other in the end. And probably only the two of them didn’t know it.

  “Are you out and about?” Regan asked.

  “Yes, I was headed to the build site to take John some lunch.”

  “Well, we are all in Zach’s office. John is on his way here. Swing by.”

  “Impromptu meeting?”

  “You could say that.”

  Arianna changed lanes, turned down the nearest street, and headed the opposite direction. “I’m on my way.”

  She’d only been in Zach’s office a few times. She’d thought that if she had to work in an office, his was the one she’d want. It was spacious, well decorated, and the view was spectacular.

  Zach’s assistant escorted her into the office. Zach sat behind his desk with Tyler on his lap, and Regan nursed Spencer on the couch. Just through the other door was Zach’s
conference room, and she could see John standing over the table with blue prints rolled out and Eduardo stood next to him.

  She went directly into the conference room. “Why are you not in school?”

  “Apprenticeship. I get school credit for the last two hours of my day if I’m here,” Eduardo explained.

  “Really? How cool is that?”

  John looked up at her. “He’s quite an asset, too. He’s been working with me for a few months.”

  There was heaviness in her chest. She didn’t even know John spent time with her nephew. Was it that she hadn’t heard of the arrangement that bothered her, or that John had never mentioned it?

  She tried to push it from her mind. It was petty. She’d been the one that was gone. Why would they ever have called her with news like that?

  “So, what are you two studying?” She walked next to John.

  It surprised her when he pulled her in next to him and wrapped his arm around her waist. He didn’t come across as the kind of man who would show affection in public.

  “These are the theater prints.”

  “Really? You have them already?”

  “They’re public.”

  She was certainly new to the whole construction world.

  Zach carried Tyler into the room and set him in a chair. “Ed’s going to help on the renovation. Is that okay with you?”

  “Of course. This is a family theater. All the better if my family is in on it, right?”

  “Clara wouldn’t shut up about acting last night,” Eduardo said. “She was driving me crazy.”

  “And tonight you’ll drive her crazy talking about the blue prints, won’t you?”

  He chuckled. “Probably.”

  “What about Christian? Does he have a part in this?”

  “I told him he could sell popcorn at intermission.”

  They all laughed at that.

  “Christian doesn’t have time for anything other than baseball,” Eduardo added.

  “We all have our callings.” Arianna looked up at John, who looked down at her. And she knew, at that moment, her calling was to be his.