A British Bride by Agreement (15 page)

She offered him a wary glance.
“Good-bye, Mr. Steller.”

Now, hours later, sitting in his
darkened office, he pressed his hands into his face and cringed at the memory
of the encounter. How could he help people if touching them bothered him? As he
leaned back, he knocked a file on the corner of his desk to the floor. He
picked it up. The report on Emma’s family in the U.K. had come in before they’d
left for their honeymoon, but he hadn’t had time to read it. Scanning the
pages, he pressed his lips into a thin line at the brevity of the information
provided.

Emma’s father, Montgomery Waterhouse had
been in the real estate investment business for over twenty years. Lilith Waterhouse
was a homemaker and sometimes broker for Waterhouse Agents. They had a nice
home in Knightsbridge, a very exclusive London address, and memberships in a
few prestigious clubs. As he scanned further, he read about several lawsuits
that had been filed against their company, but that was not uncommon in the
business world. The Steller Soda Company had had various legal woes over the
year spanning unlawful firing, breaches of contract, lack of timely payment.

He did find it interesting that all of the
Waterhouse’s lawsuits that had been settled out of court had been for fraud. He
rubbed his chin as he finished reading the report.
Odd how
Emma never talked about them or to them.
He couldn’t imagine not being a
part of his parent’s life.

He closed the file and shrugged on his
suit coat, his mind slipping back to his own troubles. He just needed to track
down the stolen money from Belize, continue to improve the productivity of the
charity,
then
surely his father would move him back to
corporate. Six months tops.
Maybe nine.
He swallowed.

Nine months. Enough time to have a baby.

His hands trembled as he shut his
briefcase to go home. Where had that idea come from?

***

Emma slumped on her new couch and kicked
off her designer black high heels. A sigh of pleasure left her lips. No one
could convince her that expensive high heels were any more comfortable than
cheap ones. She undid the heavy, diamond studded watch her mother-in-law had
given her, and pulled off the lime green and lemon yellow colored bangles
Jennifer had talked her into wearing.

It had been a long afternoon of a
society luncheon and more shopping with her dear
sisters
in-law. She thumped the couch pillow at her side and slid down to rest her head
against it. At least she had managed to pick out a few pieces of furniture.
Just as her mind started to wander off into blissful sleep, steps alerted her
to someone coming. At the humming of her housekeeper, Adele, Emma let out a
sigh. Having people working in her home around the clock was something she
didn’t know if she’d ever get used to.

“Mrs. Steller.”

Emma sat up and looked for her
mother-in-law, until she noticed the earnest look on Adele’s face. “Oh, yes?”

“I wanted to remind you that the
canceled dinner with the Cardinals players’ was rescheduled for tonight. And
Mr. Steller will be unable to attend.”

A wave of exhaustion washed over Emma.
Tears brimmed in her eyes as she remembered Jonathan saying something to her
this morning about his busy schedule. “Okay.”

“And I’m all packed to leave for my
family.”

“Yes, of course. Have a wonderful time.”

“Shall I arrange Orlando to drive you to
the dinner?”

“No, I will drive her.” In strode Nick.
“I hope you don’t mind, Mrs. Steller,” he swerved around the couch and sat next
to her. “That I let myself in. You know Jonathan and I are like…one.”

Adele rolled her eyes and walked away.

Emma sat up and smoothed back her hair.
Right now, all she wanted was a nap, a soak in a tub, and a chance to curl up
with a good book. “Nick, please call me Emma.” She shook the sleepiness from
her head. “Jonathan talks of you often, so you must do a really good job. I
mean.
Being one with my husband.”
She added with a
grin.

“Exactly.
Now,” he took
her hand. “You look very tired, and this is a very important dinner tonight.”
He smiled, with model-good looks. “I want you looking your best.” He took her
hand and led her toward a bedroom door. Is this one yours and Jonathan’s?”

Emma cleared her throat. “Ah, well we
don’t use—”

“Let me guess, you don’t use the master
because the furniture isn’t in yet. I know all about that, but which one—”

Emma pressed her lips and steered him
back to the kitchen. “I would like a cup of tea first, and then a nap.”

“Great. I’ll make it for you.”

***

Nick laughed softly to himself. His plan
to get Emma on his side was working perfectly. Now he could control her better.

Emma sat watching him, with her head
resting on her arms. She was
bellisimo
.
If he
had a woman like that, he wouldn’t leave her alone for a minute. His
finacee
lived in Germany and he was happy to remain single,
although Uncle Hans had strange ideas about married men with children being
more reliable and hard-working. He might have to actually get married, now that
Jonathan beat him to
the alter
.

But he knew how devastated Jonathan had
been at Dede leaving him. All Nick would need to do to truly destroy his
competition is to have Emma to do the same. Now that she was at ease around
him, he could use her to get to Jonathan. The lonelier she got, the easier it
would be to feed her lies about him. The easier it would be to break up the
marriage and destroy Jonathan again. It had worked with Dede, now he would do
the same to Emma.

As Nick poured the hot water into the
mug and stirred, he frowned. Dede was easy to con, as she didn’t have the
conscience that he sensed Emma had. He glanced over at her and smiled. And he
didn’t want to hurt her, but he had a job to do. He had to prove to Uncle Hans
that he would be better at running the company than Jonathan. And he’d do
anything to prove it.

***

Emma frowned as she watched Nick in the
kitchen boiling water and fetching a mug. How much did he know about her and Jonathan’s
agreement? She studied the tall, Italian looking man with dark hair and slender
hands. He seemed quite familiar with their home. Did he and Jonathan hang out
together after work before she came along?

“It was very nice of you to offer to
take me to the Cardinal’s dinner, but I have directions and I can drive
myself.”

Nick brought over the full mug and a
pitcher of milk. “People don’t just get up and go to these things. At this
level, everyone has drivers.”

Her hand shook as she stirred in the milk.

“I have offended you?”

“No,” She looked up at his frown. “There
are some things I’m going to do as me—Emma, and some things I will act like a
proper Steller wife. I really can drive myself and be just fine.”

“What about the paparazzi?”

She paused. “I can handle myself.”

He touched her shoulder and started
rubbing. “I just want to take care of you, when Jonathan is not around. He
trusts me to look after you.”

Emma stood and took a nervous sip of her
tea. “Don’t you have things you could be doing?”

“I’m doing them now. I’m here making
sure you are fitting in with the family.”

“Did Jonathan send you to check up on me?”

“Well, no, but he has said he wants me
to help with looking after you.”

“I don’t need looking—”

“Please, forgive me.” He offered a
sheepish grin. “I get carried away wanting to do a good job for the company.”
He held out his hand.
“Friends?”

“Friends,” she said as she yawned.

Adele walked back into the room with her
hands folded. “And one more thing, Mrs. Steller is here to see you.”

Reeling with astonishment, Emma
straightened up, slipped on her shoes, bracelets, and smoothed back her hair.

“Emma!” Babsy strode into the room and
then greeted her with a hug. “I thought I’d check in with you. How are you?”

As Emma searched for the right words,
she spied the very expensive watch still sitting on the side table.
Daft move, Duckie.

“I love what you’ve done in here.” Babsy
took in the coffee table, the soft tweedy couches, and oriental lamps Emma had
picked out on her own.
“Quite homey.”

Homey.
Was that good?
Emma was supposed to let the decorator
do
it, but
Franz had such eccentric tastes and they needed a few things while she
continued meeting with him.

As Babsy’s back was turned, Emma saw her
chance and dove for the side table. She snatched up the watch, gripping it
behind her back. “I’m glad you like it. I hope Jonathan will be happy. Do you
want me to get you, er, send for tea, coffee, or a soda?”

“Mrs. Steller, do you need something to
drink?” Nick strode back into the room.

“Nothing for
me.”
Babsy took him in with a frown.

But when Emma discreetly waved at him to
leave, the watch in her hand flew into the air and landed at Babsy’s feet. “Oh,
I was just admiring this back on—”

 
Babsy broke out into laughter until she
plopped down on the facing loveseat.

With a flush from head to toe, Emma
laughed to keep from crying.

“Oh my dear.
That look on
your face is priceless.” Babsy picked up the diamond watch and set it on the
table. “I remember that look and the feelings that went behind it.”

Emma blinked back tears. “You do?”

“All of this.” Her mother-in-law gestured
about the room. “I was once a new Steller bride. It’s overwhelming isn’t it?”

A ripple of emotion tightened Emma’s
throat. “Yes,” came out in a whisper.

“A new life, a
new name, a new husband, a new home.”

Emma nodded, as tears welled in her
eyes. She’d only been a new wife for two weeks, and already she felt deluged by
responsibilities.

“Oh dear.”
Babsy came and
sat beside her. “God has brought you to Jonathan, of that I’m sure. I know this
wasn’t a traditional romance, but you are a gift from God.”

A sob escaped Emma’s lips. “I certainly
don’t feel that way. He’s always working, weekends, late at night, and I’m not
sure what a Steller wife is supposed to do, dress like, act like,
be
like. And he’s not here to h—
help
me. I don’t know what he expects of me.” Emma pressed her hands to her face as
the emotions she’d been holding in
came
tumbling out
like a bad sonata. Should she be complaining about her husband to his mother?

Babsy patted her shoulder. “My dear,
I’ve always found the answers are always in God.”

Emma nodded as she dabbed at her tears.

“Do you pray for Jonathan?”

Emma paused. She had prayed for him, but
not every day. “I need to more.”

“I believe if you will pray for him
every day, God will show you the answers to all these questions.”

Nodding, Emma took the tissue offered by
her mother-in-law. It made sense. Get her eyes back on the Lord. Relying on His
strength and not her own. “I like that. I’ll do that.”

Babsy smiled as she stood. “And then I
believe God will show you His plans for you as well.” She paused in the
doorway. “I forgot to remind you, the Cardinal dinner had been rescheduled for
tonight. I thought I might be able to come in Jonathan’s place, but my husband
had already planned something. Can you handle it on your own? You’ll be the
only Steller there.”

A sick feeling clenched Emma’s stomach.
A dinner with some of the world’s most famous baseball players?
She hadn’t watched a game in years. She rubbed her forehead again. What if they
asked her baseball-type questions? “I’ll be fine.”

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Emma sat for a long time on the sofa,
praying for her husband and for the courage to face this evening’s dinner
alone. After a while, her head eased back against the soft pillows and her
thoughts drifted off to black.

A door slammed. Emma startled. Jonathan.
What time was it? In the darkness, she fumbled to turn on a lamp, but couldn’t
find her watch. She scurried to meet him in the entry. “Hi.”

“Hello.” Jonathan’s voice sounded weary
as he set his briefcase down and threw his keys on a box.

She winced. She meant to pick out an
entry table today. “How was your day?” She liked the sound of that very wifely
question.

“Good.” He took off his jacket and
paused to look at her.

The tiredness in his blue eyes stirred
her concern.
“Just good?”
Normally everything with him
was
great
. At the sight of his mussed
hair and askew tie, her insides tightened. She licked her dry lips. After
praying for him this evening, her heart felt very tender toward him. “Would you
like something to eat?”