The Man You'll Marry (17 page)

“This proxy battle’s been going on for months,” Suzi snapped. “It all started while you and Jordan were on your honeymoon. He couldn’t have chosen a worse time to leave. He knew it, too—that’s what was so confusing. When he returned from Hawaii, he had a full-fledged revolt on his hands. Dad used that time against Jordan, buying shares until he controlled as large a percentage of the company as Jordan did. He wanted Jordan out as CEO and my brother in.”

“What happened?”

“After months of gathering supporters, of buying and selling stock, of doing whatever he could to avoid a proxy fight,” Suzi continued, “Jordan handed the whole thing over to my father, who’ll hand it all to my brother on a silver platter. You met Dean, and we both know he doesn’t have the leadership or the maturity to be a CEO. Within five years, he’ll wipe out everything Jordan’s spent his life building.”

Jill didn’t know what to say. Her immediate reaction was to argue with Suzi. Jordan would never willingly surrender control of his company. She didn’t need the younger woman to tell her that Jordan had worked his entire adult life to build the company; he’d invested everything in it—everything.

Although it seemed a long time ago, she remembered that he’d told her about buying the controlling shares. He’d also said he’d soon be forced to battle to remain in power. Jill remembered what she’d said to him. She’d told him she couldn’t imagine him losing.

“Jordan’s resigned?” she repeated, breathless with disbelief.

“This morning, effective immediately.”

“But why?”

“You should know,” Suzi said harshly. “Because he’s in love with you.”

“What has that got to do with anything?”

“Apparently he felt it was either you or the company. He chose you.”

“He sent you here to tell me?” That didn’t sound like
something Jordan would do. He preferred to do his own talking.

Suzi gave a short, humorless laugh. “You’ve got to be joking. He’d have my hide if he knew I was within a mile of you.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I fancied myself in love with him not long ago. He was pretty decent about it. He could have used me to his own advantage if he’d wanted, but he didn’t. Beneath that surly exterior is a real heart. You know it, too, otherwise you’d never have married him.”

“Yes…” Jill agreed softly.

“He needs you. I don’t know why you left him, but I figure that’s between you and Jordan. He’s not the kind of man who’d be unfaithful, so I doubt there’s another woman involved. If anything, he’s too honorable. If you don’t realize what you’ve got, you’re a fool.”

Jill’s emotions were playing havoc with her. Jordan had resigned! It was too much to take in.

“Are you going to him?” Suzi demanded.

Jill hesitated. “I, uh…”

Suzi shook her head. “If it’s pride that’s stopping you, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Eventually Jordan will come to you. It may take a while, though, if you’re determined to wait him out.”

“I’m going to him.” Recovering somewhat, Jill looked at Suzi, struggling to speak. “I can’t thank you enough for coming. I owe you so much.”

“Don’t thank me. I just hope you appreciate what
he’s done,” Suzi muttered as she picked up her purse, tucking it under her arm.

“I do,” Jill assured her, leading the way to the front door. No sooner had Suzi left than Jill went looking for her mother.

She found her in the kitchen. “I heard,” Elaine said before Jill could explain the purpose of the other woman’s visit. “It might not last, you know.”

“I’m going to him.”

Her mother’s eyes searched Jill’s face before she nodded. “I knew that, too.”

As they embraced briefly, Jill whispered, “There’s a box in my room, Mom. Shelly brought it over for you—and for Andrew Howard.”

The drive into downtown Seattle seemed to take forever. It was rush hour and the only parking space she could find was in a loading zone. Without a qualm, she took it, then hurried toward Jordan’s office. Luck was with her because the building hadn’t been locked yet, but she was waylaid by a security guard. Fortunately, he was the same man she’d met earlier, and he let her stay.

“Has Mr. Wilcox left yet?” she asked.

“Not yet.”

“Thank you,” she said, sighing with relief.

She hurried to the elevator. Jordan’s office was on the top floor. When the elevator doors opened, she ran down the wide corridor to the outer office where his assistants worked. No one was there, but the double doors leading
into Jordan’s massive office were open. He was packing the things from his desk into a cardboard box.

Jill stared at Jordan, unable to move or speak. He looked haggard, as though he hadn’t slept at all during the week she’d been gone. Dark stubble shadowed his face, and his hair, ordinarily neat and trim, was rumpled.

He must have sensed her presence because he paused in his task, his eyes slowly meeting hers. His hands went still. The whole world seemed to come to a sudden halt. In that unguarded moment she read his pain and it became hers.

“You can’t do it!” she cried, choking on a sob. “You just can’t.”

Jordan’s face hardened and he seemed to clamp down on his emotions. He ignored her and continued packing up the objects from his desk. A smile, one that spoke more of sadness than joy, came into his eyes. “Your husband is unemployed as of five o’clock this afternoon.”

“Oh, Jordan, why would you do such a thing? For me? Because I left you? But you never told me…Not once did you explain, even when I pleaded with you. Didn’t you trust me enough to tell me what was happening?” That was what hurt most of all, that Jordan had kept everything to himself. Not sharing his burden, carrying it alone.

“It was a mistake not to tell you,” he admitted, the regret written clearly across his face. “I realized that the night you left. By nature, I tend to keep my troubles to myself.”

“But I’m your
wife.”

He grinned at that, but again his smile was marked with sadness. “I’m new to this marriage business. Obviously I’m not much good at it. The one thing I was hoping to do was keep my business life separate from my personal life. I didn’t want to bring my company problems home to you.”

“But, Jordan, if I’d known, if you’d explained, I might have been able to help.”

“You did, in more ways than you know.”

Tears blurred Jill’s eyes. She would have given everything she owned for Jordan to take her in his arms, but he stood so far away, so alone.

Jordan picked up a small photograph, one of their wedding day. He stared at it for a moment, then tucked it into the box. “I loved you almost from the day we met. Don’t ask me to explain it, because I can’t. After that first night, when we kissed on the beach, I knew my life would never be the same.”

“Oh, Jordan.”

“Being with you was like standing in the sun. I never knew how lonely I was, how my heart ached for love, how much I longed to share my life with someone….”

Tears ran unashamedly down Jill’s face.

“The day we were married,” he went on, “I swear I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride. I couldn’t believe you’d actually agreed to be my wife. I vowed then and there that I’d never do anything to risk what I’d found.”

“But to resign…” Trembling a little, nervous and
unsure, Jill moved across the room to Jordan’s side. He tensed at her approach, his expression a blend of undisguised longing and hope.

“I can’t lose you,” he said.

“But to walk away from your life’s work?” What he’d done remained incomprehensible to Jill.

“I have a new life,” he said, gently pulling her into his arms. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. “None of this means anything without you. Not anymore.”

“But what are you going to do?”

“I thought we’d take a year off and travel. Would you like that?”

Jill nodded through her tears.

“And after that, I’d like to start our family.”

Once again Jill nodded, her heart pounding with love and excitement.

“Then, when the time’s right, I’ll find something that interests me and start over, but I’ll never allow work to control my life again. I can’t,” he said quietly. “You’re my life now.”

“You’re sure this is what you want?” He’d given up so much.

She felt him smile against her hair. “Without a doubt. I don’t need a business to fill up the emptiness in my life. Not when I have you.”

“Oh, Jordan,” she whispered, her throat tight. “I love you so much.” She squeezed her eyes shut and murmured a prayer of thanksgiving for the wonderful man she’d married.

“Shall we go home, my love?” he asked her.

Jill nodded and slipped her hand into his. “Home,” she repeated. With her husband. The man she loved. The man she’d married.

ISBN: 978-1-4268-4590-1

THE MAN YOU’LL MARRY

Copyright © 2010 by MIRA Books.

The publisher acknowledges the copyright holder of the individual works as follows:

THE FIRST MAN YOU MEET
Copyright © 1992 by Debbie Macomber.

THE MAN YOU’LL MARRY
Copyright © 1992 by Debbie Macomber.

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