“Oh, Rebecca, aren’t you thrilled everything turned out so well? Now you don’t have to leave.” Chelsea gave her a relieved smile. “I would’ve felt so guilty if you’d left for my sake. Now we can really be friends and go shopping together and raise our children together.”
“Children?” Rebecca asked, still in shock.
“Well, Bill wants lots of children, but we’ve come to an agreement on four. We’ll have to get started right away. I don’t want to be forty and pregnant.”
“You’ll be the most gorgeous pregnant woman no matter what your age, sweetheart,” Bill said.
“As will Rebecca,” Jeff said quietly.
“Well, you should know, Jeff. She’s already had your first child,” Chelsea reminded him with a grin.
“And I missed the whole thing, except for the conception.”
Rebecca suddenly stood. “I have to go. I’m very happy for the two of you.” Then she headed for the door.
Jeff hurried after her. “I’m sorry I didn’t explain things before they got here. I thought you were aware of their attraction to each other, too.”
“Please take me back home.”
After they got in the car, Jeff asked, “Rebecca, you won’t still leave in the morning, will you?”
“No.”
“Then can I show you one more thing?”
“What?
“It’s another surprise.”
“I can’t take much more.”
He turned into a nearby street, quiet, with stately trees lining it and even statelier homes. When he parked in front of one of them, Rebecca stared at him.
“I can’t meet anyone tonight. I’m too—I can’t think clearly.”
“There’s no one in the house. My housekeeper only comes during the day.”
“This is your house?” Rebecca asked, her voice rising with signs of hysteria.
He nodded and got out of the car, coming around to open her door. “Come on, honey. I want to show you where I live. It’s not a new house, but I’ve kept it in good condition, and I really like it.”
She followed him up the curving sidewalk to the front door. He pulled out a key and opened the door. Then he turned and invited her in.
She stepped into the house, immediately loving it. It could use a little more color in its decor, but it had wonderful possibilities.
“It’s lovely, Jeff. Now I really have to go.”
“Not yet, Rebecca.” His voice was firm.
“But you promised—”
“I know I did. But tonight is our first time together when I’m free from any entanglements, and I can do what I’ve wanted to do since that first day I saw you at my office.” He suddenly dropped to one knee and took her hand in his.
She stared at him.
He didn’t waste any time. “Rebecca Barlow, will you marry me? Will you and Joey come live with me and be a family? Nothing in this world would make me happier.”
Instead of a joyful acceptance of his offer, Rebecca burst into tears.
He stood and took her in his arms. “Rebecca, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t want you to be forced into marriage. I promise I won’t leave. I’ll let you see Joey as often as you want. I’ll—”
He kissed her, one of those deep, soulful kisses that always turns a woman inside out.
When he finally raised his lips from hers, he whispered, “But I want to make more Joeys, or Josettes or whatever the feminine form is. I want to share my life with you until we’re both too old to remember all the joyous years we’ve had together. I want to be surrounded by our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Most of all, I want you, Rebecca, and no one else.” He looked into her eyes. “I can’t tell you I’ve been celibate for five years, but there were only a couple of ladies, and I never repeated it. Because every time, I realized it was nothing like making love to you. I never made love to Chelsea because we were friends, not lovers.”
He kissed her again and her arms went around his neck and she held on for dear life. When he whispered in her ear, “Please say yes,” she barely had the breath to answer, but he heard the definite yes.
“Oh, Becca, I’ve been waiting for this day ever since I saw you in English class back in school. I just never thought it would take so long.”
“Me, neither.”
He kissed her several more times, their bodies heating as they shared themselves. When he buried his face in her hair, she said, “Where’s the bedroom?”
He stiffened. “I should take you home.”
She took a step back. “I’m too forward for you? Have you changed your mind?”
“Never. But I promised myself I wouldn’t make love to you until my wedding ring was on your finger,” he explained.
“Do you think I trust you any less now than I did five years ago when I gave you my virginity? I didn’t do so because I loved sex. I did so because I loved you. And I still do.”
He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Yes, you do. And the time will come when you think you got taken, so just remember you said that.”
“That time will never happen.”
“You haven’t seen me in labor yet,” she assured him with a chuckle.
“Oh, how I wish I had. I regret what happened so much.”
“As Will said, the past can’t be changed. The future can. Should I ask again, where’s the bedroom?”
“Are you sure?”
“More sure than anything I’ve done in the past five years.”
He took her hand and started up the stairs. “At least this will be a first for us.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, in a bed. We always made love in the back seat of my car.”
“I know. And it wasn’t as nice as the car you have now, but it was bigger. Our daughters are going to be warned about smooth talkers with a big back seat.”
“Our daughters aren’t going to be allowed out of the house until they’re thirty.”
“Famous last words. You think Joey’s got you wrapped around his little finger? Wait until a little girl with curls and big blue eyes begs for something.”
“I’ll tell her to ask her mother.” He opened the door to a large room. To Rebecca, the most important furniture at that moment was the big king-size bed. She started toward it.
“Wait a minute,” Jeff said.
“You’re having second thoughts?”
“No. I promised Will I’d call and tell them you weren’t leaving before they went to bed.”
“You told them I was leaving?”
“Yeah, I think that came out.” He looked guilty, but he moved to the phone beside the bed and dialed the number. “Will, it’s Jeff. Rebecca isn’t leaving after all. She’s going to marry me.” He paused and then said, “As soon as possible.”
Rebecca had followed him across the room. She lifted the phone from his hand. “Will, I won’t be home until morning. May we join you for breakfast?” After a pause, she said, “Thank you, goodbye.”
“Did you have to tell him that?”
“Did you have to tell him I was leaving?”
“I would’ve told the world if it stopped you from walking out of my life a second time. I barely survived the first time.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, walking into his embrace again. “I have so longed to be one with you. I’m hungry for your arms to hold me.”
“I never want you to be hungry again, my love.”
Their first mating went quickly, wildly, satisfying the aches that had been waiting for five years.
The second time, several hours later, was a savoring, a remembrance of their few times together. Each time Jeff used a condom, though he told Rebecca he intended to work on those brothers and sisters for Joey as soon as they were married.
“How many children do you want?” Rebecca asked as she stroked his chest.
“Four sounds like a good number to me. How many do you want?”
“Well, I
suppose we should keep up with the Wallaces, you know. Or we could have five just to be sure they know we’re overachievers.”
“We’re going to get an early start. They’re planning on waiting for June to marry. I have next weekend in mind. How does that sound to you?”
“As long as Rachel is back by then. She and Vanessa and Will and Vivian and Betty and Peter need to be there. And Joey, of course.”
“We’ll need to have Bill and Chelsea there, too, I think. And Harriet, of course. They’re the only family I have.” He kissed her neck.
She brought his mouth to hers, a joining of passion that had driven their lovemaking.
“If we keep doing this, I’m going to have to get dressed and go out.”
Rebecca sat up, clutching the sheet to her bare breasts. “Why? Where would you go?”
“To an all-night store to buy some more condoms. I only have one left and I’m saving it for in the morning.”
“Why in the morning and not now?”
“Because it’s long been a fantasy of mine to wake up in bed with you and make love as the sun rises,” he whispered before he kissed her again.
“Then start getting dressed. I want you to have your fantasy.”
“But I have one left. I don’t— Oh. I’ll be right back,” he said, and grabbed his jeans.
“I hope so,” she said sweetly. “Just don’t have any wrecks. I’m not going anywhere.”
He gave her a big smile. “I know, and nothing could make me happier than that.”
Epilogue
The chapel on the Southern Methodist University campus was available only for a noon wedding. So two weeks later, at noon, Jeff and Rebecca became husband and wife in front of all their family, real or adopted.
Afterward, they returned to Vivian and Will’s house, where Betty had prepared a sumptuous feast and a beautiful wedding cake that even Chelsea admired.
Joey, dressed in a new suit his father had bought him, had listened to all their explanations about what would happen and why, but he still seemed rather confused.
“Mommy, why can’t we still live here with Grandpa Will and Grandma Vivian?”
“Because when people get married, they live together, sweetie. You have a nice bedroom at Daddy’s house, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I want to keep my bedroom here.”
“Joey, that’s not—”
Vivian interrupted. “How about we keep it just the way it is so when you come visit, you’ll feel at home?”
“I’d like that. Can I come visit often?”
“Anytime you want, dear.”
“Daddy, Grandma Vivian said I can come visit anytime I want.”
“That’s nice of her. By the way, I thought you should have a gift, too, on our wedding day. Would you like to have it now?”
Dinner was complete and the wedding cake served, and presents opened. It seemed as if everyone was waiting for something.
Rebecca guessed it was Jeff’s gift to Joey. He must’ve told everyone but her. He would have to get over this surprise fetish he had.
She didn’t realize Bill had left the room until he returned. In his arms, he carried a golden retriever puppy. The little dog was trembling with nervousness.
“A puppy? I can have a puppy?”
“Yes. I thought you’d like to have him to sleep with you.”
“He can sleep in my bed? Did you ask Mommy?” Joey had his eyes on Rebecca, not sure she’d agree to such a thing.
Jeff stood and put his arms around Rebecca. “What do you say, Mom? Can Joey have his puppy?”
“I suppose so, but I don’t think he should sleep with him until he’s trained.”
“He’s already been trained. All we have to do is train Joey.” Everyone laughed at that.
“What are you going to name your puppy, Joey?” Rebecca asked.
“I don’t know. He’s kind of like my baby brother, isn’t he? Grandma Vivian, what are you going to name your baby?”
“We don’t know yet, Joey. We don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy.”
“Oh. Well, I think I’ll name him…” He studied the puppy. The little dog, now in Joey’s arms, reached up and licked his face.
“He likes you, Joey,” Rebecca said, “and he’s a little boy, too.”
“I think I’ll name him Davy. That’s the little boy in my favorite book. Is that okay?”
“That’s fine. You and Davy will be very happy. Did you thank your father?”
“Aw, Mom, we’re married now. He’s supposed to give me presents.”
“Joey Jacobs, manners are important, married or not.”
“Thank you, Daddy, for Davy. I love him.”
“I’m glad, son.”
Joey wasn’t through. “And thank you, Mommy, for finding Daddy. He’s the bestest present ever.”
Will knelt down and put an arm around Joey. “Well said, Joey. Family is the best present anyone can ever receive.”
Everyone toasted their glasses, joining in with Joey’s feelings.
Rebecca looked at her husband. In a whisper, she said, “Thank you for giving me Joey.”
“I’m the lucky one. You took care of our son until I could help. Most men aren’t that lucky. Now we’re a family and no one will ever tear us apart.” Then he kissed her.
Joey looked at all the guests. “They do that all the time.”
Everyone laughed again, Vanessa and Rachel sharing a smile. They were sad that Rebecca would be moving out of the house, but she would be close by, and her happiness was obvious to everyone.
After the kiss, Jeff turned to their guests. “We want to thank you for being with us today and sharing our happiness. One more toast, to family. I now have one, and I hope it keeps growing.”
Will sighed, “I’m doing my best.”
Vivian patted her stomach. “You certainly are.”
Everyone roared with laughter as Will tried to explain he meant finding David, the other brother, and convincing Jim to come home from the Middle East.
“However we get them, Will, we’ll take them. And if you run out of bedrooms here, I have a few to spare at my house,” Jeff added.
With that, he picked up Joey and his puppy and put an arm around Rebecca. “We’re going home. Come visit whenever you’re in the neighborhood.”
They were a real family at last.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5877-2
REBECCA’S LITTLE SECRET
Copyright © 2004 by Judy Christenberry.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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