Cooper didn’t seem bothered at all by the show they were about to put on. He’d been the one to make up most of the details of Owen and Jenny’s courtship, even fabricating the exact way Owen had asked her to marry him, in case anyone was curious.
Cooper had spun a story in which Owen had taken Jenny to dinner at her favorite Mexican restaurant. But as they arrived, she discovered that he’d rented the entire place and hired a twelve-piece mariachi band. He’d gotten down on one knee and proposed over a plate of chicken enchiladas, which Cooper assured Owen was Jenny’s favorite dish.
Jenny had smiled and confirmed the truth of that. But when the boy had started down the road of a fireworks display going off while he and Jenny shared a dish of fried ice cream, Owen had laughed and told him to stick with the enchiladas. The kid had a future career as a romance novelist.
He and Cooper spent the rest of the flight trying to outplay each other in a variety of games on their phones while Jenny napped across the aisle. She looked so peaceful sleeping, and Owen knew she needed the rest from months of firing on all cylinders. He wished he could do something more to help—pay for the expansion of the garden center or cover her mother’s bills. What was the use of having so damn much money if he couldn’t spend it on the people he cared about?
But Jenny was just as stubborn as his father, and also as likely to spurn any assistance he offered. If it wasn’t for Cooper’s intervention, he doubted she would have even agreed to keeping the ring. In fact, he wouldn’t put it past her to try to return it to him after this week. The woman had more pride than sense.
She woke as they landed, stretching slowly, then pulling back her red curls into a loose ponytail. His body reacted to the languid movements. Her guard was down for a few moments, and it made her sexy as hell. More than anything, he wanted to see her wake in his bed some morning, soft and sleepy after a night spent in his arms.
One more dead-end fantasy on his part.
As the jet came to a stop on the landing strip outside Hastings, Cooper turned to his mother. “You have to put on the ring.”
She swallowed and shot a glance to Owen. “Right.” She reached behind her neck to undo the chain. “Damn it.”
“Mom,” Cooper groaned. “Swear word.”
“I’ll owe a dollar to the jar,” she mumbled. “But I can’t get the clasp to work. Cooper, will you—”
The boy had already grabbed his bag and headed for the exit at the front of the Gulfstream.
“I’ll get it,” Owen told her.
Jenny looked like she wanted to argue, but turned in the cramped aisle and lifted her hair off her neck.
The intoxicating scent of citrus and lavender drifted up to him and her skin was pale above the collar of her shirt where the necklace sat. The need to lower his mouth to her neck and breathe her in was almost overwhelming. He only unhooked the clasp and allowed it to drop into her hands.
The ring slid off the chain and she slipped it onto her left hand. “Are you ready?” she asked.
He nodded but answered, “Hell, no,” earning a smile from her.
“I’ve got your back, Owen,” she told him, and the words were spoken so solemnly they felt like a vow.
“Then I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” he answered and followed her out of the plane.
His sister was waiting inside the terminal. Gabby had always been the life of the party in their family, animated and full of so much energy it was hard to contain her. Owen braced for her to launch herself at him, which was her customary greeting since he’d left home.
It didn’t matter where he saw Gabby, whether in the mountains of Vermont where she made her home during the off-season or at ski events around the world. Each time she greeted him like they’d been apart for years. He tried not to let more than a few months pass without traveling to see her. Since her return to West Virginia after the accident on the slopes that had effectively ended her professional career, they’d only connected via the phone or FaceTime.
Now she took measured steps toward him and he forced his gaze to remain on her face instead of straying to the slight limp in her left leg. She still wore her blond hair long and straight, falling almost to the middle of her back. Her pale blue eyes and delicate features were at odds with the strength she harnessed while racing down the steepest mountains in the world. She’d built a successful career on her talent as a professional skier, but the way she looked hadn’t hurt. She’d just been coming into her own as far as sponsorships and endorsement deals when she got hurt.
He wasn’t sure Jenny or Cooper would notice her gait, but Owen knew the injury had changed more than just Gabby’s physical abilities. Her identity was wrapped up in how she performed and she could no longer do the one thing that had always given her so much joy.
“Hey there, hot stuff,” he said, moving forward to meet her halfway. He hugged her to him but she pulled away far too soon.
“More like lukewarm stuff these days,” she said with a laugh that sounded more bitter than amused. “I’m glad you’re finally here. You can stop me from killing our annoying, bossy, smug jackass of a brother.”
“Do you mean the one who’s getting married?” Cooper asked, coming to stand next to Owen.
Gabby’s blue eyes widened. “A kid, too? Nice touch, Owen.”
Jenny was at his side the next moment. “My son isn’t here to be part of our arrangement.”
Owen hid his smile as Cooper scoffed. “Of course I’m part of it. It was my idea.” He pointed at Gabby. “Wait until you hear what I came up with for how Owen asked Mom to marry him. It’s awesome.”
“Cooper, this is not a game,” Jenny said, her voice tight.
Gabby threw her an assessing look. “It kind of is a game.”
Owen felt Jenny bristle, and quickly cleared his throat. “Gabby, let me officially introduce you to my fiancée for the week, Jenny Castelli, and her son, Cooper.” The last thing he needed going into the wedding was Jenny and his sister at odds. “Cooper had a last-minute change of summer camp plans, so he’s with us.”
“Nice to meet you, Coop.” Gabby held out a hand.
“It’s Cooper,” Jenny said under her breath.
Cooper smiled at Gabby, who had a way with kids. She’d earned the money for her first pair of racing skis by babysitting neighborhood kids for the whole of one summer. “I like ‘Coop.’”
“If you’re the brains behind this fiendish operation,” Gabby said, leaning a little closer to the boy, “what’s in it for you?”
“A vacation to Hawaii,” he answered without hesitation. “And we’re going to borrow Owen’s jet for the trip.”
Gabby burst into the familiar cackling laugh Owen hadn’t heard for too long. She turned to Jenny. “You’ve got a great kid.”
Jenny nodded, still looking like she might break out with a throat punch comment at any moment.
But Gabby was a master at smoothing rough waters. She’d had enough experience at it while growing up. She gave Jenny a wide grin. “Honestly, I don’t care how it started or why you’re here now. I’m just glad my brother has someone in his corner this week.”
“Gabby.” Owen used his best big-brother tone. “Jack and Kristin can’t be that bad.”
She snorted. “They’re worse.”
“I can handle them,” Jenny said firmly, and something in her tone made Owen study her for a few seconds.
She met his gaze, her brown eyes rich with determination. He let out a slow breath. The tension that had been building inside him since they’d boarded the plane began to dissipate. Maybe he didn’t have a future with Jenny, but he believed her when she said she had his back.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d allowed himself to depend on someone. When he wasn’t the one offering assistance. An odd sort of tingling radiated through his chest at the knowledge he wasn’t alone, even for a short time.
Gabby looked between the two of them and then gave a short nod. “Great to meet you, Sis,” Gabby said to
Jenny. “Can’t wait to spend the week with you.”
Jenny flashed a calculating smile. “I think we’re going to have some fun together.”
The two women walked toward the terminal entrance, heads bent together so intently it looked like they were either plotting his ultimate destruction or coming up with a solution to world hunger.
“This is going to be awesome,” Cooper said as he and Owen followed behind.
Owen wondered if awesome was another way of saying unmitigated disaster in preteen speak, but kept his mouth shut. There was no turning back now.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Hastings, West Virginia, was much as Jenny expected—quaint in some parts and rundown in others. Owen’s parents lived in a modest, two-story brick home on a tree-lined street just outside Hastings’s small downtown area.
Jenny kept her gaze trained out the passenger window of Gabby’s Jeep as her pretend soon-to-be sister-in-law pulled into the driveway. Gabby had insisted that Jenny and Cooper drive with her while Owen followed behind in the rental car. She and Cooper had done most of the talking, which was helpful since Jenny’s nerves were sucking away most of her brain cells.
A blast of hot, humid air washed over her as she climbed out of the car. She hadn’t noticed the oppressive heat at the airport with her nerves humming, but now—
“It feels like we’re in an oven,” Cooper said, wiping his forehead with the back of his arm.
“This is the difference between a dry climate and a humid climate,” Jenny told him. “Think of it as a science experiment.”
“Like how hot can a person get before his insides start to boil?”
Jenny ruffled his overlong hair. “You’re a kid. You can adapt to anything.”
“This isn’t even the worst of it,” Owen said as he walked over to join them. “You should try living through August.”
“At least Mom and Dad have central air now,” Gabby added. “Dad refused when we were growing up. He said the fresh air was—”
Gabby stopped and shot a look toward Owen that Jenny couldn’t read. “Why the meaningful glances about fresh air?”
Owen shrugged. “I told you I had allergies as a kid. It meant I couldn’t keep my windows open.”
“His room was a furnace,” Gabby confirmed. “I don’t know how you ever slept.”
“Couldn’t they have installed a room air-conditioning unit for you?” Jenny asked.
Owen shared another look with his sister, then turned to Jenny. “It was a long time ago. I turned out fine and now they have AC. Discussion over.”
It was far from over, but the muscle clenching in his jaw stopped her from saying anything more. She grabbed his hand, and they walked up the cobblestone path toward the front door, Gabby leading the way with Cooper.
Needing to ground herself and him, Jenny interlaced her fingers with Owen’s. She rolled her eyes when he shot her an incredulous look.
“It looks better this way,” she said, although that wasn’t the reason she’d taken his hand. She also wanted to remind him he wasn’t alone, because right now he looked about as happy as if he was meeting a drug lord whose stash he’d just flushed down the toilet.
He quirked a brow but didn’t answer as they entered the house. The living room was neat and cozy. The candle burning on the coffee table gave off the sweet smell of vanilla, and framed photos hung on the walls. As a girl, Jenny had been envious of kids with houses like this one. They looked so normal, as if every one was filled with happy families living the American dream.
She’d quickly learned not to judge a person’s family dynamics by the hominess of their environment and understood the Daltons were no exception.
A woman who was a doppelgänger for Gabby, only thirty years older, walked out of the kitchen. Her gaze traveled past her daughter and over Cooper, flicking briefly to Jenny before settling on Owen. The flood of love in those blue eyes almost leveled Jenny with its ferocity.
“You’re back.” Tears welled in her eyes.
“Hey, Mom.” Owen seemed slightly confused and more than a little embarrassed by the intensity of his mother’s greeting.
She rushed forward but stopped midstride when a door slammed from the back of the house.
“Karen, I’m ready for the steaks.” A brawny man, who looked like he could have single-handedly moved a mountain in his heyday, strode into the room and stopped short when he saw Owen. The man’s light hair was graying around the temples and his belly had gone soft, but there was no mistaking that he was the ruler of his domain.
His features went tense in the same way Owen’s had when they started up the walk to the house, and Jenny knew without a doubt she was looking at Hank Dalton.
Owen’s mother hugged him, but her movements had become stiff and halted. “It’s nice to see you,” she said, the love in her eyes warring with a look of regret Jenny couldn’t understand. “I hope you had an easy flight.”
“He has a private jet,” Hank said, his voice booming. “Of course it was easy. I bet he still can’t appreciate the honor that goes into a day of physical labor.” He stopped and shook his head slightly, as if he wasn’t sure why that outburst had poured forth. It was like riding Owen was a habit so ingrained in his father’s makeup that Hank had no control over his own words.
Owen sucked in a breath and tried to pull his hand away from Jenny’s but she held fast. No way in hell was she letting go of him now.
“Hank,” Karen said through clenched teeth. “He just got here.”
“You do realize he built Dalton Enterprises from the kernel of an idea to one of the most respected technology companies in the world?” Hank’s gaze zeroed in on Jenny’s left hand and she tipped up her chin. The engagement ring seemed to grow warm under Hank’s stare.
Jenny let her protective instincts take over. It might only be a temporary bit of make-believe, but at that moment Owen belonged to her, as absolutely as anyone she loved. “That takes more hard work than you can imagine. It’s a company that bears your family’s name. Your son’s name. His reputation.”
“It’s okay,” Owen said quietly.
“And besides running a major corporation and philanthropic foundation,” Jenny continued, taking a step toward Owen’s father, “he’s helping me to expand the garden center I own.” She dropped her voice to an overdramatic stage whisper. “Which involves physical labor.”
“Dad, this is Jenny.” Owen tugged her back to his side. “My fiancée.”
There were no words for all the ways Jenny wanted to take down Hank Dalton after only having the briefest of interactions with him.
But she gave him a dazzling smile and stuck out her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you,” she said, her tone sickeningly sweet. “Owen told me so much about you.”
To her surprise, Hank threw back his head and laughed, the rich sound echoing in the awkward silence of the room. She looked around to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. Owen’s mom and Gabby looked as stunned as she felt. Cooper made a funny face, and Owen . . . well, she didn’t dare look at Owen.
Hank took a step forward and enveloped her hand with both of his. “You’ve got the personality to go with that hair,” he said, his grin wide. He turned to Cooper. “Is this your boy?”
“I’m Cooper Castelli, sir,” Cooper said, making eye contact just as she’d taught him. But his voice was unsure, his nervousness obvious. She wondered how Hank Dalton would react and steeled herself to go on the defensive once more.
Even if Owen hadn’t told her about his father’s military career, it was clear from the high-and-tight cut and the Semper Fi emblem on the front of his T-shirt that his time in the marines remained a big part of Hank’s identity.
He gave Cooper an approving nod. “Nice to meet you, son. Let me know if you want to get a haircut while you’re visiting.”
It was clear Hank was teasing, but Cooper’s eyes widened. “Um . . . maybe, sir.”
“You’ve got manners and backbone,” Hank told him, and C
ooper’s shoulder straightened a little under the unexpected praise. “That’s a great combination.” Jenny tried not to be affected by another subtle display of how her son clearly valued male approval. “Must be because your mom raised you right.”
Cooper nodded. “She’s the best, sir.”
“Don’t ever forget that, son,” Hank said and winked at Jenny.
She felt herself return his grin. How was this gruffly sweet bear of a man the same person who minutes earlier had been so blatantly dissing Owen?
Abruptly Owen dropped her hand, as if with a giggle she’d changed sides from his to his father’s.
Before she could find a way to reassure him of her loyalty, Karen moved closer and took her hands. “It’s lovely to have you here.” She smiled at Cooper. “Both of you. We didn’t realize Owen had gotten serious with a woman until we saw your picture on Facebook. I would have thought he’d tell us first but . . .”
Jenny could almost hear Owen grinding his teeth. “I explained that I didn’t know those photos were going to be posted. I would have called first if—”
“We understand you’re busy,” his mom interrupted. “We’re happy to have you here now. Are you sure you won’t stay with us? There’s plenty of room.”
“I’ve rented a place not far from here.”
Karen pressed her lips together but nodded. “Jack will be glad to catch up with you. They should be here any minute. He and Kristin have been so busy, but now that he’s—”
“I’m going to put the steaks on the grill,” Hank interrupted. “Gabby and Cooper can set the table.”
It was clear Hank was used to giving orders and after Jenny nodded, Cooper followed Gabby and Owen’s father into the kitchen.
“He really is glad to have you here,” Karen said quietly, laying a hand on Owen’s forearm.
“Mom, don’t.”
Before Karen could reply, the front door opened and another big, blond hulk of a man came into the room. With the exception of Owen, the members of the family looked so similar to each other they could have been the poster family for a strong, sturdy Scandinavian gene pool.
Meant for You Page 15