PassionsPoison (32 page)
Authors: Lexi Post
She ran to the window and threw it open, allowing the warm
spring air to flow into the room. Yes, they would have an extraordinary
marriage. And if she didn’t miss her guess, a lot more burned food because they
couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
With the noise stopped and the fresh air flowing in, she
turned to see Zach coming toward her, his ever-present grin firmly in place.
“Now, where were we?”
Bea looked up at Zach. He stood behind her chair in his
living room, grinning.
She faced the animated group in front of her. “Okay, so let
me make sure we’re all on the same page.”
The noise level didn’t diminish in the least bit. Kayla
spoke to Charlie and Gerry. Mathew’s hands were everywhere as he pontificated
to her future in-laws and Grandma Beatrice, while her mom had Tony, Andy and
Josh’s attention riveted. The only one not present was Jim.
Zach noticed her dilemma. He put a hand on her shoulder and
squeezed.
Quickly, she covered her ears as he produced a shrill
whistle.
Everyone went quiet and looked expectantly at them.
She tried again. “Okay, I just want to make sure we’re all
in agreement on the wedding before we give you our surprise gift.”
Mathew leaned against the stairway. “Hate to tell you, honey
bee, but we already know you’re pregnant.”
Bea placed her hand on her barely rounded abdomen as they
all chuckled. She still couldn’t believe she would be having a baby. “Very
funny, Dad. No, we have a gift for all of you, once I’m sure you’ll behave.”
Gerry shut his open mouth.
She didn’t want to know what he’d planned to say, especially
in front of Zach’s parents. “Now, I have booked the M.S.
Wavemaster
out
of Stone Cove Beach. Gerry, you and your friends will escort me on the Harleys.
Charlie is driving me and Mom to the landing in his antique car and then to the
Lakeside Inn for the reception. Mathew, as justice of the peace, is performing
the ceremony. Ginny has agreed to sing at the service and Tony’s swing band
will play at the reception. Josh, you’re the best man—”
“Damn right I am.” Josh crossed his long legs and glanced
sideways at Kayla.
Bea gave him a mock frown. “Hey, no swearing in front of the
baby.”
He pouted, but kept quiet.
Bea continued. “Andy is a groomsman. Grandma Beatrice is my
matron of honor and Kayla, my bridesmaid. Mom is walking me down the aisle.
I’ve asked Jim and Craig Larsen to do readings.”
Andy spoke up. “What about Nathan here? What’s he going to
do?”
Bea slumped. How could she have forgotten her future
father-in-law?
Zach answered. “That’s a good question. Dad, what role would
you like to play in this production?”
Nathan put his arm around Ginny. “I was hoping to sit back
and enjoy the spectacle, but I guess if you need me, I’m agreeable. It’s not as
if the birdhouses I sell will be of any help, unless you plan on having birds
at the wedding.”
Bea’s mom clapped her hands together. “Oh, birds would be so
beautiful. What do you think, Bea?”
Nathan saved her from answering. “Actually, Susan, they
would probably shit on the guests and spread a lot of loose feathers.”
Her mom slumped back on the couch.
But her mom’s excitement did give her an idea. “Mr. Woodman,
do you think you could build us a box for the wedding cards? Maybe it could
look like a birdhouse?”
Nathan grinned. His resemblance to Zach at that moment
provided her with an image of how Zach would age and she warmed with happiness.
Zach studied his father. “Dad, what are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking you need a box that is modeled after this
house. And I’m thinking this box will need to be used for something practical
after the wedding, like maybe a breadbox.”
Touched, Bea smiled warmly. “Thank you. That will mean so
much to us.” She glanced at Zach to see a very different look on his
face—humility.
Gerry broke into the tender moment. “So, do we all agree?”
Everyone nodded.
He stood. “Good, because I wouldn’t want to have to twist
some arms.”
Bea shook her head and used her best parenting tone. “Gerry,
there will be no talk like that. This celebration is one we’ve been waiting
for, for a long time.”
Grandma Beatrice interjected. “Yeah. Some of us longer than
others.”
People chuckled, but then Tony caught everyone’s attention
with his soft-spoken voice. “So, Bea, what are the gifts you brought us here
for?”
Zach came around her chair and sat on the arm.
Bea looked into his eyes as he took her hand. Every time she
thought about it, she choked up, and he knew it.
He answered for her. “It’s only one gift that we all have to
share.”
Gerry groaned and Charlie hit him.
Bea smirked. “Oh no, you’ll like sharing this. Grandma, Mom,
it’s so amazing, I can’t believe it.” She paused, letting her gaze connect with
every expectant face. No one seemed to breathe. “As you all know, the
Rappaccini women have given birth to girls for over a century.”
Grandma nodded. Mr. and Mrs. Woodman took in the new
information.
Zach spoke. “We went to the doctor’s today.”
Bea waited a moment then burst with her news. “I’m going to
have a boy!”
The silence lasted but a second.
Gerry swore, half in awe. “Holy shit, I’m going to have a
grandson.”
Charlie piped in, “I can teach him how to fix cars.”
Andy turned to Susan. “He’s going to need to know
construction. I can help him build a tree fort.”
Bea lost track of the conversation as everyone spoke at
once. Zach put his arm around her. “I think my parents are a bit overwhelmed,
but I can tell my father is going to demand his grandpa time.”
She took a peek at Nathan to see him more animated than
she’d ever seen him as he spoke to Mathew about teaching her son how to carve.
She moved Zach’s hand to her stomach. “He’s going to be spoiled rotten. We
better make sure he has lots of siblings.”
Zach winked. “I can help you with that.”
The noise in the room grew until Bea noticed yelling and it
wasn’t pleasant.
“Gerry’s a perfectly good name!”
“Huh, that has no finesse to it. I think Mathew sounds more
impressive.”
Grandma Beatrice had to add her two cents. “They may want to
name the baby after Nathan here.”
Bea tapped Zach’s leg. “You better tell them before Gerry
decks someone.”
Zach stood and whistled again. The room went silent. “I
think you should know we have already decided on a name.”
Susan couldn’t hide her surprise. “You have? You can’t name
him after a flower, you know.”
Bea put her hand over her eyes at her mother’s remark while
others chuckled. The Woodmans looked lost, and Tony tried to explain quietly to
her mom why the flowers were no longer needed.
Zach continued. “We have decided to name our son after the
one man who made his existence possible. Josh, if you don’t mind. We would like
to name our son after you.”
Josh’s face turned bright red, as did his neck, but he stood
and took the two steps that brought him to Zach. “I’d be honored.”
The two men hugged and Bea couldn’t keep back the tears any
longer. As the room erupted into cheers, she found herself in her soon-to-be
husband’s arms. She never would have believed she could have a husband, never
mind a son. Only her grandmother and mother could understand how unbelievable
it all was. Only them and the man in her arms.
Zach pulled back and kissed her. She could feel his love
from her lips to her toes.
She couldn’t wait to tell her son their story. He would be a
Woodman, but one day when he was old enough, she would tell him what it had
been like to be a Rappaccini.
Lexi Post spent years in higher education taking and
teaching courses about classical literature. From the Medieval work “The Pearl”
to the 20th century American epic
The Grapes of Wrath
, from
War and
Peace
to the
Bhagavad Gita
, she's read, studied, and taught great
classic literature.
But Lexi's first love is romance novels. In an effort to
marry her two first loves, she started writing erotic romance inspired by the
classics and found she loved it. Lexi feels there is no end to the romantic inspiration
she can find in great classic literature.
Lexi lives with her husband and cat in the Caribbean where
gorgeous sunsets, warm weather, and driving on the left are the norm.
Lexi welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email addresses on her
author
bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.
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Lexi
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Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Passion’s Poison
ISBN 9781419947254
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Passion’s Poison Copyright © 2013 Lexi Post
Edited by Grace Bradley
Cover design by Fiona Jayde
Cover photography by Mayovskyy Andrew/shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication August 2013
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