The Wedding Secret

Before she could formulate a response, booted steps echoed up the stairs, then her prince from last night entered the room. In the light of day, and without any alcohol to impair her brain or vision, she came to the stunning conclusion that he was even more gorgeous than she recalled. Dressed in faded jeans that molded to his lean hips and a casual shirt that was fitted to a nicely muscled chest, he exuded a rugged masculinity that was a sharp contrast to the preppie, button-down image Sheldon and his friends preferred. This man was earthy and physical, with jet-black hair that set off his striking blue eyes, and a sensually cut mouth that made him all the more breathtaking and much too appealing.

Though his demeanor was reserved and distant, his warm gaze swept over her, taking in her disheveled hair, and making her all too aware that she was wearing his shirt. His eyes lingered briefly on her bare legs, prompting restless memories of him removing her stockings, and his hands caressing her skin.

Then he glanced toward Chelsea. A smiled curved his lips, softening his expression and captivating Jenna even more.

“Hey, there you are, pup,” he said, his deep voice rich with affection. “I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”

“I came in here to make your bed and found Jenna sleeping in it.” She hurried over to her father, clasped her hands together beneath her chin, and looked up at him beseechingly. “Can she stay with us? Pretty please?”

“She’s not a stray pet for you to keep,” he said with gentle humor. “Jenna only needed a place to stay for the night, and I’m sure now that she’s rested, she’ll be heading back home.” He tapped a finger beneath Chelsea’s chin. “Why don’t you go downstairs to the kitchen and I’ll be there in a few minutes to make breakfast.”

Chelsea did as she was told, and once she was gone, the room filled with silence. Jenna’s gaze connected with Garrett’s, and her stomach fluttered, not with nausea, but an awareness that took her completely off guard. The last thing she needed to deal with was this unexpected attraction to a man she barely knew, not when she was trying to come to terms with everything that had happened yesterday, along with her uncertain future.

She drew a stabilizing breath. “I take it ‘pup’ is your daughter?”

He nodded, and rubbed a hand along the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable now that they were alone. “Yeah, she’s mine,” he replied, an odd, possessive note to his voice. “I call her pup because ever since she took her first step she’s followed me around like a puppy.”

It wasn’t difficult to imagine Chelsea tagging along behind her father. Though Garrett’s parental love was unmistakable, and his daughter’s devotion just as strong, there was no physical resemblance between the two. His pitch-black hair and vivid blue eyes were an obvious contrast to Chelsea’s blond hair, green eyes, and fair, enchanting features.

“Chelsea must look like her mother,” she said, speaking her thoughts out loud and attempting to make idle conversation.

Her comment startled him, and his dark brows drew into a frown. “No, not really,” he muttered.

His curt tone didn’t invite further discussion of Chelsea’s mother, and Jenna decided the best course of action would be to steer clear of the subject, which appeared to be a touchy one. “Well, your daughter is sweet, and adorable. And very precocious. She thought you and I got married.”

He visibly winced, but remained across the room, keeping an appropriate amount of distance between them. “Chelsea’s mom died when she was barely two, so she doesn’t remember much about her, and lately she’s been asking for a mother. I suppose seeing your wedding dress and finding you in my bedroom led her to the wrong conclusion.”

“It was a very hopeful conclusion,” she said softly, understanding the little girl’s need to replace her missing parent. Jenna had grown up never knowing her father, and though her mother had been a good single parent despite their struggles, she’d never had a dependable male influence in her life, and that was a loss she still felt.

“Well, it’s best that she doesn’t entertain those kinds of thoughts, and I don’t encourage them, either,” he replied meaningfully. “How are you feeling?” he asked, smoothly and effectively changing the topic once again.

“A little fuzzy, but overall okay, all things considered.” She dragged her fingers through her tousled hair, feeling contrite for disrupting his life, even for one day. “Garrett…I’m very sorry about last night.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.” He shrugged those broad shoulders of his. “You weren’t in any shape to go anywhere and I gave you a place to stay.”

“No doubt I ruined your evening. I intruded on your home life and family, and I even slept in your bed. And from the bits and pieces that I can remember, I know I made a fool of myself at the bar.”

She recalled babbling on about silly things like hating her curly hair and making wishes to marry her own prince charming and living happily ever after—not that Garrett would understand the hopes and dreams she’d carried with her since childhood.

She ducked her head, and absently toyed with the hem of the shirt she wore. “And contrary to my behavior last night, I’m not in the habit of kissing strangers.”

Except Garrett hadn’t felt like a stranger. He’d been warm and receptive, and no matter how wrong, she found it difficult to regret that sweet, tender kiss, which had made her feel so safe and secure. There had been no pretenses, no expectations, just the kind of acceptance she’d craved for so long.

And Garrett probably thought she was a brazen hussy for allowing such liberties just hours after leaving her groom at the altar.

Shaking her head of those thoughts, she lifted her gaze back to his. “I am sorry about that kiss,” she said softly.

“No, I’m the one who should apologize.” Though his tone held a gruff certainty, his irises had taken on a dark, sensual shade of blue that belied his attempt at disinterest. “It won’t happen again.”

He sounded so determined, Jenna couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, possibly, he’d been just as affected by that kiss as she’d been.

The moment was shattered by the front door slamming shut, and someone bounding up the stairs. “Honey, I’m home!” a deep, masculine voice called out, his tone laced with carefree humor.

Jenna’s gaze widened in surprise, and Garrett groaned, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. A good-looking man briefly glanced inside Garrett’s room as he passed, then the heavy steps came to an abrupt stop, and he backed up, filling the doorway with his presence.

The man, who looked like a slightly younger version of her prince—albeit more tousled—glanced from Jenna, to Garrett, and grinned. “Well, I’ll be damned, big brother. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who got lucky last night.”

Jenna’s face warmed at the insinuation, and Garrett grimaced. “This isn’t what you think, Rylan,” he quickly corrected.

Rylan’s dark brows rose incredulously. “You mean to tell me you had a beautiful woman in your bed and you didn’t—”

Garrett held up a hand, effectively cutting him off with the gesture and the warning look he shot his way. “No, we didn’t, and I’ll explain everything downstairs.”

The other man didn’t budge. “Don’t I even get an introduction?”

Garrett sighed, the sound rife with impatience. “Jenna, this is my younger brother, Rylan. Ry, Jenna Phillips.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said, finding the other man amusing, and not nearly as serious as his older sibling.

“Likewise.” He scrutinized her face, making her feel self-conscious. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, she’s from St. Louis,” Garrett replied before she could respond, then headed toward his brother to usher him out of the room. “And she won’t be around long enough for you to start flirting with.”

“To heck with flirting,” he said with a gregarious grin and a wink at Jenna. “I was going to jump right to asking her out on a date.”

Garrett’s expression turned surprisingly fierce. “Tired of Emma Gentry so soon?”

Rylan shrugged. “Emma and I aren’t exclusive.”

“And Jenna isn’t interested,” Garrett countered, pointing toward the door. “Out, Ry.”

Jenna bit back a chuckle at the good-natured bickering, and the fact that Garrett felt the need to protect her virtue from his fun-loving, but womanizing brother.

Once Rylan was out of the room, Garrett turned back to her and said wryly, “Welcome to the crazy Blackwell household. As you might have guessed, having a female guest in the house, and especially in my bedroom, is a novelty.”

Though he’d injected humor into his voice, his comment said a lot about Garrett, himself—that he was a man of integrity, which he’d proved by rescuing her last night and giving her a safe place to sleep, and he was very discreet when it came to his family and personal life. She appreciated those qualities, even as she realized just how much her indiscreet past would clash with his admirable values.

The thought of embroiling Garrett and his family in the scandal that would forever nip at her heels brought reality crashing down around her. Despite enjoying the Blackwells’s warmth and friendliness, the last thing she wanted to do was take advantage of their hospitality.

She drew a breath that did nothing to dispel the ache in her chest, and slid off the bed. “I’d like to take a shower and change, if that’s okay.” At his nod, she smiled and added, “I’ll be downstairs just as soon as I’m presentable.”

“Breakfast will be waiting.” He backed toward the bedroom door, but not before giving her bare legs one last warm lingering glance she felt as strongly as his touch last night.

Then he was gone.

CHAPTER THREE

BREAKFAST wasn’t the only thing waiting for Jenna downstairs in the kitchen. She came to an abrupt stop when she found herself alone with a pretty, but very pregnant woman who was in the process of clearing the table. One look at her striking blue eyes and straight, glossy black hair that brushed her shoulders, and she was fairly certain she’d just encountered another Blackwell.

The other woman wasn’t shocked to find a strange woman in the house, but her kind gaze did a quick head-to-toe inventory of Jenna’s blue linen short outfit and matching heeled sandals, which obviously were not the kind of attire suited to a relaxing Sunday around the house. But, the outfit had been one her fiancé had selected, and was the most casual thing she’d packed for their honeymoon because she knew Sheldon preferred she always dress stylishly and looked the height of sophistication.

She suddenly felt like a fraud. The woman wearing the fashionable outfit was who she’d tried so desperately to be for Sheldon’s sake, and even on some level for her mother. But the glaring truth remained. Beneath the fancy trappings, Jenna was a plain and simple woman, and she suddenly wanted to be accepted for who and what she was, without pretenses, and without being judged by her past mistake—if that was even possible.

“Good morning,” the other woman greeted her, smiling amicably as she set the dishes she was carrying into the sink. “Would you like some coffee, or breakfast? Garrett left you a plate of pancakes warming in the oven if you’re hungry.”

Though her head had cleared from her shower, the thought of food made Jenna’s stomach tumble. “Maybe in a little bit. Just coffee for now, thank you.”

She watched the woman bring a mug down from the cupboard and pour steaming liquid into the cup then motion to the ceramic containers next to the pot. “Help yourself to cream and sugar.”

Jenna came up to the counter and sweetened her coffee. “Where’s Garrett?” she asked curiously, having expected her host to be in the kitchen.

“He’s outside with Rylan and my husband, Duane, poking around under the hood of our truck to check out a problem with the water pump. He’ll be back up to the house anytime. And Chelsea is playing out back.” She rested her hand on the swell of her very large belly. “And since I can see that you’re wondering who I am, I’m Lisa, Garrett’s sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she replied, shaking Lisa’s offered hand. “I’m Jenna Phillips, but I’m assuming you already knew that.”

“Yes. Garrett told us why you’re here and what happened last night at Leisure Pointe.”

Surprisingly, there wasn’t any judgment or criticism in Lisa’s tone, but Jenna was certain the other woman was wondering why she’d run out on her groom on her wedding day. An explanation was complicated, and the humiliation and shame that accompanied her reasons wasn’t something she wished to discuss with anyone.

She returned to stirring her coffee. “Considering my frame of mind yesterday, I appreciate his kindness in taking me in for the night.”

“Yeah, well, it’s nice to see that my brother is still capable of doing a noble deed for a woman when the situation calls for it,” Lisa said wryly.

Jenna followed Lisa to the kitchen table with her coffee, and took a seat on one of the pine chairs. She found Lisa’s comment ambiguous and odd, with an underlying intimation she couldn’t quite grasp. For as hospitable as Garrett had been to her last night, and despite his noble deed, their earlier conversation had given her the distinct impression that he fully expected her to be on her way back home today. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything left for her in St. Louis, unless bad memories and a sense of failure counted for anything.

Taking a sip of her coffee, she dropped her gaze to Lisa’s pregnant belly and changed the subject. “When are you due?”

Lisa gingerly lowered herself onto one of the chairs next to Jenna’s. “Not soon enough.” She laughed, and Jenna did, too. “I’m having twins, and they aren’t due for another four or five weeks, according to my last doctor’s appointment, but I feel like Jacob and Janet are ready to make their debut into the world now.”

“Twins, and a boy and a girl at that,” Jenna marveled, tucking a springy, loose curl behind her ear. “How wonderful.”

Lisa rubbed her stomach lovingly, though exhaustion lined her features. “Yeah, it is wonderful, but I have to admit, the thought of having two at once is very intimidating.”

Despite those legitimate fears, Jenna envied the other woman and the family of her own she’d have very soon. That was something she’d wished for herself, had hoped would happen with Sheldon, but she’d forfeited that particular dream when she’d left him at the altar—and he’d done nothing to stop her from leaving.

She cleared the sudden tightness from her throat. “I’m sure maternal instincts will kick in and you’ll be fine.”

“That’s what I keep telling myself, too.” Lisa shifted in her seat, her bulky girth seemingly making it difficult to find a comfortable position.

A few minutes later, Garrett finally entered the kitchen. His gaze landed on Jenna first, and he took in her sophisticated short suit and heeled shoes with a combination of interest and mild scrutiny before glancing at his sister.

“The water pump is temporarily fixed until you can get the truck in for repair this week,” he told her, heading to the sink to wash his hands. “Duane is waiting for you outside, and he’s ready to go. Thank you for watching Chelsea last night.”

“It was my pleasure. She’s a joy to have over, you know that.” Lisa struggled to stand, and Garrett was immediately at her side, gently grasping her arm to help her up. Once she was steady on her feet, she laughed breathlessly. “All three of us thank you for your assistance.” She pressed a hand to the base of her spine. “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there early,” he replied. “I have an estimate to work on and I won’t be heading into the city to check on the Leiberman project until eleven. Since there’s nothing pressing going on in the morning, take your time getting there.”

“I’ll be there early, too,” she said, reaching for her purse. “I’ve got a stack of payables that need to be entered into the computer and—” An unexpected “oomph” cut Lisa off midsentence. Her hand shot to her lower belly, and she grimaced at the discomfort her babies had caused.

Garrett’s mouth thinned into a tight line. “I think it’s past time you went on maternity leave. You should be at home resting, not at the office working.”

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