She reached out one hand to help him up. “Yes.”
As he clambered to his feet and swept her into his arms, she relaxed into the solid firmness of his body.
This was the beginning of the rest of her life.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Stone needed a drink…except he wanted a clear head so he could figure out a way to get Stephanie back.
He’d sat on the porch of his cottage all day and stared at the golf course through the trees, mulling over his options, still in shell shock over the fact that his mom and dad had never married.
Man, he was an idiot, plain and simple. He’d based his entire perception of relationships on their stormy partnership. And yet, that elusive emotion called love had kept them together through the rough patches, even though it would have been far easier for them to walk away from each other.
A rustle on the stone path drew his attention and he saw his cousin headed his way. Dane bounded up the porch steps, dropped onto the chair across from him, and simply said, “You’re an idiot.”
Stone didn’t even have to ask what he was talking about. “How’s she doing?”
“Mandy and Dora kept her busy all day with wedding and birthday preparations. She’s really good at pretending everything is fine, but when she thinks no one is watching her, she lets down her guard.” He shook his head. “My soon-to-be father-in-law has taken up glaring at me just because I’m your cousin. And Mandy has threatened to shut down the activity in the bedroom until I talk some sense into your thick head.”
Stone sat forward, rested his elbows on his knees, and clasped his hands together. “I didn’t leave her. She left me.”
Dane’s brow furrowed. “What did you do?”
All of his life, he’d been so careful not to allow a woman into his heart and his life. How had he fallen so deep, so fast?
Stone raked his hands through his hair for the umpteenth time and pushed to his feet, needing action of some sort to make him forget about how badly he’d screwed up. “All I know is that she doesn’t believe I love her. I need to figure out a way to prove to her that I do. How am I going to do that?”
This was the question he’d been asking himself ever since Stephanie had walked out of his life.
Dane stood and watched him pace. “What’s the one thing she believes you’d never do, not even for her?”
It hit him like a brick wall to the face, and the air whooshed out of his lungs. Stone grabbed Dane in a bear hug, lifted him off his feet, and spun him around. “That’s it. The perfect solution.”
“What is?”
He set his cousin back on his feet and headed into the cottage. “I know what I need to do.”
Dane followed him in. “Any way you can resolve this before Dora’s birthday party tomorrow afternoon? It would be nice if I didn’t have to sit in a corner with only myself for company.”
Stone grabbed his briefcase and retraced his steps to the front door. “I swear I’ll give it my all.”
Abandoning his cousin, he jumped onto the golf cart, then drove toward the main house at top speed, which was unfortunately considerably slower than he would have liked.
He found his mom at her desk. She looked up in surprise when he walked into her office. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be home.”
“Well, here I am.” She glanced at her watch, then pushed to her feet. “Can this wait till tomorrow? I have a date with your dad.”
“A date?” As she compressed her lips, he studied this woman who was his mother. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
She raised one perfectly formed eyebrow in his direction. “Do I have to answer it as if I’m under oath?”
“Why did you stay with Dad if you were so miserable with him?”
She appeared startled, then she cleared her expression and cleared her throat. She shrugged and studied her perfectly sculptured nails. “We weren’t always like this, you know. For the most part, our relationship worked exactly how we needed it to. But then we drifted apart and that’s when the problems began.”
“So everything is good between you now?”
She lifted her gaze to his face. “We’re going to work on it, something we’ve never really done.”
He set his briefcase on the top of her desk, sprung open the latch, and pulled out the contract she’d offered Stephanie. “Remember this?”
She glanced down at the papers, then back at his face. “Of course. She turned me down, you know, so you can shred those.”
He stayed where he was, flipped to the second page, grabbed a pen, and crossed off the stipulations. “I love her and I intend to marry her, so we need to take out the clause about falling in love, getting married, and having children. Because there is definitely going to be love, marriage, and children.”
Stone glanced up and saw the calculating look in his mother’s eyes, the same calculating look that always made him wish he could run for cover…or never come home again.
She slid the contract over to her side of the desk, studied the notations he had made, then wrote in the sidebar.
Stone tugged at his tie, suddenly nervous. “What are you adding?”
With a satisfied grin, she finished writing, then turned the papers around so he could read. “I’ll initial the changes you made, but only if you agree to the changes I’ve made.”
Reading the additions, he felt his heart thud to a stop, then start thumping in his chest. “That’s not nec—”
“I insist.”
Without further thought or hesitation, he signed his name on the document, then handed the papers back to his mom so she could initial the changes.
Because his future with Stephanie was worth any price, even if it meant he had to hand over his soul to the devil.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Stephanie wiped the steam off the bathroom mirror and stood sideways so she could study the soft rounding of her belly.
A baby.
At some point before she left, she’d have to tell her parents. And even though she knew they’d be supportive, she wasn’t looking forward to the conversation. They’d want to know who the father was, and why she wasn’t with him.
A pang of loneliness hit her right in the heart and she pushed away all thoughts of the man she loved.
First she’d tell Mandy, then after her mom’s birthday party—maybe five minutes before she left to begin the long flight back home—she’d break the news. That way they wouldn’t have a lot of time to grill her about her plans.
Because all she knew at this point was that she wanted this baby, even though the thought of being responsible for something so small frightened her.
A knock sounded on the bathroom door. “You almost done in there, kiddo? I’d like to use the bathroom and hit the sack some time before the next century.”
From the bedroom down the hall, Dora joined the conversation. “Tom, don’t get excited. Remember your blood pressure.”
Stephanie slipped on her bathrobe and opened the door. “Sorry, Dad.”
Dora stepped into the hallway. “Never you mind, honey. Your dad has forgotten what it’s like to share the bathroom.”
As Stephanie skirted around her dad, he motioned Dora ahead of him. “You go first, babycakes.”
It was quite unbelievable how quickly her parents had made up, although really, it had all been for show. Her dad had spent the evening sucking up, and her mom…well, Stephanie suspected Dora had played up the hurt feelings just so she could join her oldest daughter at the Kincaid estate.
And then it happened, that thing Mandy had warned her about—
Dora sent her husband a sultry look. “If we shower together, we could save on water.”
One of Tom’s eyebrows rose, and Stephanie suddenly saw a side to her dad that she’d never noticed before. The rakish, babe magnet that had obviously attracted her mom.
She cleared her throat and hooked a thumb down the hall. “I’ll—uh—just—”
But they were already disappearing in
to the bathroom, hand in hand.
Stephanie headed toward the guest bedroom, determined not to think about what her parents did when they were alone. She’d barely closed the door when Mandy slipped into the room.
“I’m staying in here until, well, you know,” she said. “My bedroom is right next to the bathroom and I can hear everything.”
Stephanie made a face. “Everything?”
Her sister nodded. “When they’re in the house, never—I repeat, never—let them into the bathroom at the same time. I swear, they make more noise than Dane and I do.”
“So how do I keep them from going in together?”
“Sleight of hand.” Mandy grinned, pushed away from the door, and sauntered toward her. “You know. Dad, I’m out of gas and I don’t have any money. Or, Mom, I want to talk to you about this guy I met. I think he could be the one.”
A laugh escaped. “Seriously, that works?”
“Every time.” Her sister sat down on the bed and crossed her legs under her. “I have news for you.”
“Good new, I hope.”
“Grandma Elvira and Morty are moving to the island so that Grandma can be closer to Grandpa George. They’re going to be living at the Heavenly Estates Retirement Resort.” She lowered her voice. “There’s more. Mom and Dad figured that since everyone is moving to the tropics, they should too.”
“Seriously? I thought you and Dane moved to get away from…well, them.”
“We did.” She sighed and fell back on the bed. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell Dane. What if he decides he doesn’t love me enough to put up with my annoying family for the rest of our lives?”
Stephanie smothered a yawn. “Dane’s crazy about you. He’s not going to leave you because you have a family that doesn’t understand boundaries.”
“I suppose I could help Mom and Dad find a nice condo on the opposite side of the island. Someplace far enough away that they can’t just drop in whenever they feel like it.”
Stephanie smothered another yawn. “Good idea.”
Mandy sat up, hugged her around the shoulders, then pushed off the bed. “You’ve had a busy week, so I’ll let you get some rest. Tomorrow is another busy day.”
“Goodnight, Mandy. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Alone, Stephanie climbed into bed, turned off the light, and stared at the dark ceiling.
And she wondered if Stone was somewhere out there doing the same thing…or if he’d forgotten about her already.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
By the time Stone drove into town and located Mandy and Dane’s house, the revised contract in hand, it was nearly midnight. As he sat in the truck and stared at the dark house, he debated whether or not to wait till morning, then decided this was far more important than a few hours of sleep. For all he knew, Stephanie had a plane ticket off the island first thing in the morning.
He slipped out of the truck and into the yard, careful not to make a sound, wishing now that he’d thought this through while Dane had been out at the estate.
With a shrug of his shoulders, he picked up some pebbles off the road and tossed them at the window. A few moments later, the window slid open, a head popped out, and a voice hissed through the darkness, “Who’s there?”
It wasn’t his cousin. “Sorry, Mrs. G. It’s me, Stone.”
“Heavens, dear, you do have it bad, don’t you?” She lifted her wrist and glanced at her watch. “Shush now, or you’ll wake Tom.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and kept his voice down. “I’m looking for Stephanie. Would you mind pointing out her window?”
“Last bedroom on the far side, but she’s asleep. Quit skulking around in the dark like a divorce lawyer and come back tomorrow.” The window started to slide shut, but then the one a few feet away swung open and a furious looking man poked his head through the opening.
“What’s going on out here?”
Stone gulped. “Hello, Mr. G.”
Silence filled the air between them until finally the older man said, “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from my daughter?”
Dora’s voice came from the other window. “You know that thing you like to do on Friday nights—” She glanced at Stone, a pained expression on her face, then shrugged and smiled as she turned her attention toward her husband. “Well, if you ever want to do it again, you’ll start being nice to Stone.”
It was obvious the older man knew where to draw the line. He snapped his mouth closed and resorted to getting his point across with a grumble and a grunt.
Dora smiled at him, at once encouraging and motherly. “There’s no judgment here, Stone. Whatever you have to tell us will stay between us.”
“What has she told you?”
“Nothing. Just that the wedding had been canceled and that she had to be back in the city first thing Monday morning. She doesn’t have to tell us anything. It’s perfectly obvious that for the first time in her life, our oldest daughter fell in love and now she doesn’t know what to do about it.”
There was more, but Stone didn’t think it was his place to tell them about the pregnancy and the loss of the baby. “I’m in love with your daughter, but she doesn’t believe me.
“We can’t tell you what to do,” she said, her voice soothing in the dark and the uncertainty. “You have to make that decision for yourself. But no one goes into marriage knowing whether it will be forever. In fact, there’s sure to be times when you wish you’d never made that choice. But if you’re willing to do the hard work, it’s all worth it.”
Tom stayed where he was, a silent sentinel over his family.
“Thank you, Mrs. G.”
As the moon came out from behind a cloud, he saw her smile and wink his way, then turn toward her husband.
“Tom, I found a Kuma Sutra book on Mandy and Dane’s bookshelf.”
Tom growled, “I don’t want to hear about their sex life.”
“It’s the ultimate guide to the secrets of erotic pleasure. If you promise to leave Stone alone, I’ll light a few candles and we can—ummm—read a few pages together.”
Stone saw the older man struggle between fatherly responsibilities and husbandly duties. But finally, with a grunt he slammed the window shut and disappeared inside.
Dora hummed. “Works every time.” She hooked a thumb toward the room on the other side of the front entrance. “Good luck, dear.”
Stone waited till she shut the window before he tossed some pebbles at the other upstairs window.
This was it, the moment of truth.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Stephanie heard something hit the window. At the same time, a knock on the door sounded, the door swung open, and her mom popped her head through the opening.
“That nice lawyer is here to see you, honey.”
She sat up in bed and pushed the hair away from her face. “What does he want?”
“Why you, of course.” Her mom stepped into the room, shut the door quietly behind her, then came to sit on the edge of the bed and captured her hands. “Do you love him?”
A sob caught in her throat. “He’s an idiot.”
Dora smiled. “All men are idiots. It’s up to us women to keep them in line.”
“Dad’s the exception, right?”
“No, he’s right in line with all of the other men on this planet.” Dora patted her hands. “Honey, what happened in the past doesn’t matter. Today, right now, this is your moment to start fresh. Don’t be afraid. Marriage is wonderful. Even though I sometimes want to throttle your father, most of the time I want to hug him tight.”
A knock sounded on the door and Tom poked his head into the room. “Ummm, sorry to interrupt, babycakes, but that thing you promised…?”
She gave a sultry laugh. “I’ll be right there. Why don’t you get things ready?”
And as he disappeared, she turned back and faced Stephanie. “Even though he’s a divorce lawyer, I kind of like him.” She pushed to her feet, bent at the
waist, and placed a kiss on Stephanie’s forehead. “You girls are growing up so fast. And I’m so proud of you both.”
Then she disappeared, leaving Stephanie alone with the pebbles tinkling against the window and an uncertain future.
She climbed out of bed, grabbed a robe, and headed downstairs.
As she came around the side of the house, she spotted the man she loved and her throat closed up.
What would her future be like without him in it?
Why did she even want to find out?
She must have made a noise, because he suddenly turned and faced her.
He looked good, yummy good, and those female parts that always did the Mambo Jumbo in his presence were doing double-time right now.
“I’m sorry.” He held out a bunch of papers and waited for her to take them. “It’s not a prenup agreement, but it gives you everything you want.”
“Everything?” She glanced down at the papers and blinked back sudden tears. All she wanted was him.
“Yes. The Eternally Yours show. My mother’s unconditional support while you’re off on maternity leave.”
Startled, she glanced back up at him. “Maternity leave?”
He gave a self-deprecating grin. “Yes. We made the first baby without even trying. I’m sure that when you decide you’re ready for another one, we’ll make another.”
She placed one hand on her abdomen and glanced back down at the contract, squinting to read the writing in the dim light. Her breath caught. “What’s this?”
And even though she held out the contract and pointed to the hand-written section, his gaze never left her face. “My mother figured that if I really loved you, I’d sign anything.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “She was right.”
“But every Sunday supper with your family? What about my family?”
The tension on his face eased, and he took a step forward. “Sweetheart, if it means you in my future, then we’ll live in a big enough house that all of our parents can come live with us.”
Caught Between an Oops and a Hard Body (Caught Between series Book 2) Page 23