Dating a Metro Man (28 page)

“That fits,” Seth said easily.

“So which one of these alluring women mulling about is the leading lady of your soap opera,” Talia asked with a smile. “I’m simply dying to meet her.”

Seth’s smile dropped away. “She’s not here. We had a fight and I—I didn’t invite her.”

“Oooh, not good, Mr. Carter. That’s definitely going to be a bugger come make-up time,” Talia said on a laugh. “None for you, sir.”

“Assolutely not,” Seth said, making Talia laugh in return.

*** *** ***

Jenna slipped in the door of her mother’s house and heard the party in full swing. She adjusted the blue dress it had taken her three days to find, not to mention locating the matching three inch heels on her feet.

Nerves had taken over, and she now wondered how she was ever going to pull off crashing in on him without melting. She had no idea what she was going to say to Seth. It had taken all her bravery just to find clothes to wear. Actually following through on crashing now seemed almost impossible.

But her feet took her forward down the hallway, and the next thing she knew she was merging with the crowd.

*** *** ***

Talia felt the phone ringing in the bodice of her dress. She turned from common view and slipped the phone out of her bra. Seeing who it was, she walked quickly to the nearest room off to the right, ducked in, and closed the door.

Five minutes later, she emerged with a smile that was brilliant. She searched for the man she needed to share it with until she saw him in the middle of the room. Talia parted the crowd before her, striding confidently to his side like the conquering warrior that she now considered herself.

“Mr. Carter,” she began when she had his full attention. She crossed her arms across her chest. “I just made you a very rich man. It’s going to cost you.”

“You got it worked out?” Seth asked. “Seriously. Two mil?”

“No,” Talia said, watching him closely for signs of disappointment. “I couldn’t stick with the two mil number. It just wasn’t going to work.”

“Well, anything is good. We can always work on the rest of it later,” Seth said.

“No need,” Talia said, waving a hand. “Three point five, Seth. Three. Point. Five. That would be million. I added two extra wind turbine companies who needed the part. Production will start in a month. Parts will be delivered in two. You’re going to owe me commission before summer is over.”

Seth blinked a couple moments in shock. “Seriously? You exceeded my original order? Can I hug you and do a dance?”

“Well the number is in the millions,” Talia said, grinning and raising her arms. “Definitely hug and dance worthy.”

Seth scooped up the brilliant woman he hired from the floor and spun Talia Martin around while she laughed.

Mason walked up with Casey close by. “Do me,” he demanded to Seth.

“Certainly,” said Seth, releasing the smiling Talia. “Spinning and dancing for everyone tonight.” He scooped up the laughing boy and spun him in a circle while his braces jingled.

“Do it again,” Mason demanded.

Seth laughed and did just that.

*** *** ***

Jenna watched in stupefied horror as Seth first spun the beautiful laughing woman, and then the child.

I’m too late
, Jenna thought, as dizziness engulfed her. She knew she had hurt Seth and more than once. How could she blame him for wanting to move on?

The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her as she stood watching him. She was wearing her new clothes and shoes that she’d bought to impress him—to seduce him, and fighting not to cry. If she had ever been unsure of her feelings for Seth, seeing him happy with someone other than her cleared everything up completely and immediately.

Lesson finally learned, Jenna decided, just a little too late.

She was absolutely and totally in love with Seth Carter.

The competition of the beautiful woman Jenna could have handled, but the kid with the braces on his legs and Seth’s obvious affection for him made Jenna feel ashamed for not appreciating the good heart Seth possessed. Even now Seth held the boy in his arms, still hugging the child and smiling. Seth looked happy and carefree with the woman and little boy, not irritated and frustrated, like he usually was with her.

And then there was Casey laughing and talking, as if the woman was already one of them—one of their family.

When realization came this time, Jenna accepted that what she was seeing was the family Seth could have without her. She thought of all the men she had dated. Seth had hated her dating, but he’d never really gotten in the way. How could she not get out of the way now and give Seth a chance to find a better happiness than she’d been able to offer?

Jenna turned to escape before anyone saw her, and ran straight into Allen Stedman.

“Don’t you have more faith in Carter than that?” Allen chastised, seeing the shattered look on her face.

“I disappointed him one too many times, Allen. You don’t understand,” Jenna said, the confession choking her.

“I understand perfectly. Sydney isn’t here to point out the obvious, so I’ll do the honors for him. You’re wearing the dress and the kick-ass shoes, honey, but you got to do them justice. I’ve seen you charge into much worse situations with both guns firing. Don’t you have the guts to go find out what’s really going on with Seth?” Allen chided.

Jenna lifted her chin in anger, and Allen laughed. He was glad Carter was the one who was going to have to live with this so easily angered female and not him. The thought made him smile.

The headache brought on by a thwarted temper tantrum descended on Jenna viciously, but thankfully the giant flood of tears that threatened receded.

Then Kendra jumped and giggled as Allen’s chest rumbled against her back. He wrapped a hand around the baby, making her squeal in delight as she grabbed the fingers splayed across her. He looked down at the top of her head, marveling at how much it thrilled him to be the cause of her amusement.

Jenna was marshalling the nerve to order Allen to get out of her way when she finally noticed the yards of material Allen was wearing and what it contained.

“Allen? Why is there a baby strapped to your chest?” Jenna asked, trying not to sound shocked, but finding it hard not to laugh at the squealing pixie.

“Now that’s the right kind of question to be asking,” Allen said wisely. “Man, I thought for sure you’d bolt before you stopped to think rationally. Jenna Ranger, meet Kendra Martin. She’s a very excitable cutie who likes to hang out with muscle guys—just like her mother does.”

Kendra cackled and squealed again when she heard Allen say her name. It made the ends of Jenna’s mouth twitch. Allen? With a baby?

“That baby is not yours,” Jenna stated firmly, but looked at Allen with questioning eyes. “What are you doing with her?”

Allen looked so—well, so normal with the baby that it almost spooked her. It was like Jenna was slowly waking up in an alternate reality.

“Well, I’m hoping Kendra will be mine soon,” Allen said enigmatically. “I guess it’s not totally your fault for being in the dark. I saw Carter coming out of a storage closet after you the day of Lauren and Jim’s wedding. You both were so dazed with lust, you looked high. What’s Carter doing? Keeping you chained to the bed?”

Only her raw emotions kept her from blushing.

“Chained, no. I was working too much to handle anything kinky,” Jenna said, smirking at Allen’s low laughter despite the fact she was still fighting the urge to cry a little. “But the combination of Seth and sixteen-hour work days made a normal life impossible for a while. I’ve been building a house, remember?”

“Yeah—speaking of work, I got a hunch about your mystery client. I think the man is planning to give the house to his future wife for a surprise. That’s why he’s been so secretive about it all. Want me to keep digging to see if I’m right?” Allen asked, watching her face to see if she had a clue, laughing at the irony when he saw she didn’t.

“No,” Jenna said, shaking her head. “I’m over that too. Stop where you are and keep the rest of the money. It does make me feel better to think that the man is intending the house for a couple. I just had a feeling about it the whole time I was designing it.”

“Good. Now follow your instincts about Carter, even when your eyes are seeing things you can’t understand,” Allen told her. “Now turn around and go get your man away from my woman before he hugs her again and I have to hurt him. Their damn business deal probably came through.”

Jenna’s eyebrows rose at Allen’s orders and his pronouncement. “Your woman? You’re dating the tall Asian woman Seth was hugging? That was quick.”

“Yeah, it was. Talia and I are much less stubborn than you and Carter,” Allen told her. “We’re both optimists and just want to be happy.”

The jab was fair, but it smarted.

“Seth is an optimist too. I guess I’m the pessimist. I’ve wasted months being too mad to give him a real second chance,” Jenna said, feeling the last of the unshed tears ebb away. “You were right to break up with me. Seth had to practically chain me to the bed to make me admit I wanted him. You were right about me being stubborn too, but I’m over it now.”

“Great. I love being right,” Allen said. “Now go ask Carter the right questions while you’re still feeling humble. I know you. Humble moods never last long.”

Jenna snorted at the insult. “You don’t know me all that well.”

Allen tilted his head. “Damn straight I don’t. Make you sure you validate that if you’re ever asked by a tall, exotic woman. I need her to trust me. I’d like to marry her one day.”

Jenna did laugh then and put her hand out to stroke the baby’s cheek. “Is Kendra always this happy?”

“Yes. Wait till you meet her brother, Mason. Kid’s as sharp as a whip and doesn’t mind telling you about it. He cracks me up,” Allen said sincerely, motioning Jenna to walk back to the crowd.

*** *** ***

A few minutes later, Allen walked up to Talia and laced his fingers with hers, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Run away with me for a few minutes. Carter has some unfinished business to take care of soon,” he said.

Trusting the serious look in Allen’s eyes more than his words, Talia nodded and slipped quietly away from Seth as he was talking to someone other than her.

When the phone in Seth’s pocket buzzed, he stopped talking and excused himself to check the message, eyes widening as he read it.

Meet me in my room. Please.

Seth looked around, looking to see if Jenna was actually here. Across the living room, he saw Allen and Talia talking to Jim and Lauren. Casey and Mason had bonded when they met and had been inseparable for the evening. Mason was packing Casey’s cane and hanging with him everywhere he went.

Seth turned and walked quickly down the hallway and padded softly up the carpeted stairs to a room at the top. He stopped to peer through the partially closed door. Inside he could see Jenna standing by the bed, arms crossed in her typical defensive gesture. She looked guarded and upset, but also wonderfully sexy. Not an easy woman to love, Seth decided, but his—all his now.

He wondered how many years they would be together before they could have a serious conversation without her crossing her arms. His wishful thinking only made him laugh.

Pushing the door open, Seth entered the room, and then closed and locked the door softly behind him. Jenna didn’t move when she saw him, just waited for him to come to her, which was what he’d been doing the whole time he’d known her.

Her lack of warm welcome didn’t matter to him, Seth thought, walking across to her. He would always keep coming back, no matter how long it took or how she greeted him. Eventually, Jenna would open her arms to him, and Seth was just going to have to work harder to get her to open her heart. Jenna was all he wanted. There was no other choice.

He walked over to where Jenna stood and looked down at her, noting the distance wasn’t as far as usual. His gaze dropped to her feet and enjoyed the journey back up to her face. “You’re very tall tonight.”

“My mother made me buy new clothes,” Jenna said, knowing she sounded a bit like a pouting twelve year old.

“Well, it’s a very nice dress,” Seth told her, taking in every nuance of her appearance. “The shoes are sexy as hell. You can wear them to bed next time.”

“Don’t get too used to seeing me in girl stuff. Being this womanly isn’t easy for me. It seems to always turn into slutty instead of glamorous. Just so you how serious I am though, I’m not wearing any underwear,” Jenna replied, liking the way sweat beaded on Seth’s forehead almost immediately.

“Marry me,” Seth ordered. “I’m not going to bother asking this time around. Consider it a damn demand, and let’s fight about it. And when I win this round, I’m going to want the wedding to be soon. Don’t think I’m going to give you time to change your mind when your mood shifts. I know better than that.”

Jenna sniffed. Damn it. She was going to cry. “Just like that? I thought we were done, Seth. You said we were and I believed you. I thought you were never going to talk to me again,” she said.

“I changed my mind about talking, but I’m not touching you until I get the answer I want,” Seth said, crossing his own arms and giving up all plans he had for a peaceful life.

“I guess I can understand that. So here it is—I love you. I’ve always loved you. I—I was afraid to talk about marrying you when you asked me the first time, and I’m still afraid. But I’ve decided not to let my fear of being hurt stop me,” Jenna said softly. “Just know if you ever start to ignore me too much, I’m going to give you hell until you pay attention.”

Seth took in steadying breaths, in and out, in and out. Was she saying yes? It was hard to tell with Jenna.

“I know you love me. You tell me all the time with your body. Once you even said the words in your sleep,” Seth told her, more confident sounding than he actually was about her. Usually he never knew where he stood with Jenna. He had just taught himself to live with the insecurity.

Jenna closed her eyes, willing herself to just tell Seth exactly how she felt—to risk it all—commit and let the rest work itself out as they went along. They would build their life together, one compromise at a time as they debated everything under the sun.