The Playboy's Fugitive Bride (42 page)

Cameron flashed him a big grin from across the table.  “Yeah, like father like son, I guess.  You must be relieved you don’t have to pay for it.”

“I had no intentions of offering to pay for your education.”  He watched his reaction over the rim of his coffee mug.

“Oh, come on.  What’s the point of having a rich brother-in-law?  I already apologized for hitting you.  Give a brother some slack.”

Massimo held back his chuckle, knowing it would cause him pain.  “Well, maybe I would have paid for it, but you would have had to work it off during breaks and summer vacations.”

“I have no problem with that.  It would be an honor to do internships at Andretti Industries.  I’ll still do it if you’ll have me.  I could learn a lot from you.”

“Yeah that would be great, Mass.”  Shaina, who was sitting beside him, turned and gave him a big hopeful smile.  “That way I’ll get to see him more often.”

“What about internships at West Gate Mills?” Massimo said, giving his attention back to Cameron.

“West Gate?  The new owners probably wouldn’t allow it.  They might think I’m trying to steal it back,” Cameron said, popping a slice of bacon into his mouth.

“You can’t steal something that’s already yours.  Yours and Shaina’s.”

Massimo smiled as Cameron’s mouth dropped, and Shaina gasped. 

“Ours?  West Gate is ours?” his wife asked, wide-eyed.

Massimo cupped her chin and gave her a quick peck on the lips.  “I bought it back and rehired most of the former employees.  When I met with your father, he told me the amazing history about West Gate Mills, about your ancestor, Thomas—a run-a-way-slave—who started it.  It has been in your family for generations and it shouldn’t have been taken away.  So, I’ve been waiting for this day.”

“What day?” Cameron asked with bated breath.

Massimo reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out an envelope.  “The day I give you the deed.  It’s just a faxed copy, but the mill is in your name.  West Gate Mills is now back in the hands of the Norwood family.”  He passed the envelope to Cameron.  “You better make damned sure it stays in the family this time.”

Cameron sat there with tears running down his cheeks as he read the deed.  Shaina hugged him, sobbing with joy and excitement.  Massimo was so happy he could do this for them, help them keep their father’s name, his legacy alive.

“I don’t know what to say, man.”  Cameron stared at him.  “Thank you.  Thank you so much, Massimo.  I won’t let you down.  I’ll work my butt off to make sure West Gate continues to thrive.  I’ll make you and my father proud.”  He was out of his seat and bending over Massimo, hugging him, even kissing him on the cheeks.

Massimo hugged them both, loving the nascent feel of family in his arms.

For some inexplicable reason, his thoughts wandered to Galen.

It was two weeks to the day that Shaina and Mass had renewed their vows.  Just for the sake of nostalgia, they’d renewed them in the interrogation room at Granite Falls Police Station, and she’d worn the ugly gray dress she’d worn before.  Officer Jordan had called them a pair of crazy lovebirds when she and Mass had asked if he and the rest of the force would be their witnesses again.

After the ceremony, while the entire police force was upstairs gorging themselves on the food he’d had catered in from Andreas, Massimo had covered the piece of glass in the door, locked them inside the room, bent her over the table, hiked up her dress, eased her panties aside, and taken her from behind.

A tremor rushed through Shaina’s entire body and she curled her toes as the wicked memory assaulted her.  While she was still raining Massimo, they’d gone upstairs where he’d given a press release and allowed the local paparazzi to take pictures of them.  Since there was nothing more to fear, Shaina had smiled proudly for the camera, while her body quivered and glowed from within.

Back at the mansion, they’d spent the rest of the day proving their love for each other.  And on Saturday, Shaina had awakened Massimo with the best birthday gift ever.  The tingling and throbbing in her body deepened at the memories of his sleepy blue eyes fluttering open to the sight of her mouth clasped around his…

“Mizz Shaina.”

Shaina jumped at the sound of Azi’s voice.  She shook her head and tucked the memory back inside her heart.  “Hi Azi,” she said looking up from the interior decorating magazine she’d been leafing through before her thoughts began wandering.  Mass had left on a three-day trip to Europe this morning, and she was planning on asking him about renovating the interior of the mansion when he returned.  Kaya had already given her some ideas, and she was anxious to get started.  She wanted her home to look and feel as modern and sophisticated as Kaya’s and Michelle’s.  Both the exterior and interior designs were magnificent and she wouldn’t dare think of changing a thing, but the atmosphere, the colors were cold and unwelcoming.

In addition to modern living and dining rooms, she also longed for a cozy family room with a huge sectional, a humongous wall TV, big comfy chairs, and oversized pillows strewn around the floor.  She and Massimo had that kind of place in the living room of the master suite, but she needed a place to hang out, kick back with family and friends in front of a fire on a cold winter’s night.

Azi had informed her that the house hadn’t been renovated since Massimo’s grandmother was alive, so she didn’t think Mass would put up too much of a protest.  Even Azi was excited about having a state-of-the-art kitchen with all the modern smart appliances like Mrs. Hayes, the LaCrosses’ housekeeper had.

“The mail has arrived,” Azi said, placing a pile of envelopes and magazines on the kitchen table.  “One of the guards just dropped it off.”

“Thank you, Azi.”  Shaina glanced at the pile of mail, then smiled at the housekeeper, of whom she’d grown extremely fond.

“Are you feeling okay, my dear?” Azi asked, placing a hand against Shaina’s forehead.  “You look a bit flushed.”

“I’m fine, Azi.”  Shaina felt a bit of embarrassment as her nipples tingled and moisture gathered between her legs.  She couldn’t tell Azi that she was blushing because she’d been fantasizing and reminiscing about intimate moments with her husband, but she was sure Azi knew.  Nothing was lost on that woman.  She was not just a housekeeper to the Andrettis but a distant relative from the tribe Massimo’s ancestor had been stolen from.  When Azi was still a teenager, Luciano had taken her to Europe and sent her to several of the best culinary schools in the world.  She’d been with the family for years.  She’d also discovered that Azi slid into her native accent, only when it pleased her.  She also spoke Italian and French as fluently as Massimo.  She was a complex woman, keen and observant, too.

“Would you like Azi to make you some lunch, Mizz Shaina?”

“That would be wonderful, Azi.  Thank you.”  It was a little past noon and she was getting a little hungry, which surprised her since she’d had a snack—more like a brunch—just a couple hours ago.  She was eating like a pig, much more than usual, but who could blame her?  Andreas’s chefs had nothing on Azi.  If she didn’t cut back, she’d be big as a whale soon.  She had to start making use of the fully equipped home gym.

“Azi will make for you a chicken sandwich from last night’s leftovers, and warm you up some soup, eh?”

Shaina smiled as Azi made herself busy.  Azi was like the grandmother she never had, and it had been such a long time since Shaina had had a female role model that she soaked up all the attention Azi had been lathering on her.  When Massimo was at the office, Shaina spent her days with Azi, learning a lot about the Masai way of life, and about Massimo—like how for months after his mother’s death, he used to wake in the middle of the night screaming for her.  The only comfort he’d found was in Azi’s arms.  No wonder he and Azi had such a close relationship.  She’d felt that special bond between them the moment she’d stepped into his house.

Shaina had also learned that Mass supported a number of Masai children in Kenya and since many of the tribes had been forced to relinquish their nomadic customs, he’d built schools for them to attend, and sent others to universities worldwide.  He’d installed irrigation systems in villages to aid in farming and to provide running water in each compound so the women wouldn’t have to walk for miles for that most precious commodity.  And just recently, Fonandt Energy had begun erecting wind farms to bring electricity to some of the most remote areas.

The more Shaina heard about Massimo, the deeper her love for him grew.  She’d married a remarkable man.  She still could not believe that he’d bought West Gate, and handed it over to her and Cameron, and that he’d eliminated Eddie as a threat to them.  Her father was so wrong about him not being good enough for her.  He was just good for her, and she for him.

“Here you are, Mizz Shaina.”  Azi placed a plate with a huge sandwich, a bowl of vegetable soup, and a tall glass of milk in front of her.  “Eat up now.  You don’t want the little one to starve.”

Caught momentarily off guard, she stuttered.  “Little one?  What—what lit—little one?”

“Azi knows these things, Mizz Shaina.  You will make Massimo
veeery
happy. 
Veeery
happy, eh?”  She grinned, flashing her big white teeth.

Of its own volition, Shaina’s hand went to her stomach and a warm glow passed through her.  Dear Lord, was she really pregnant?  Her mind wandered back to the day she and Massimo first made love a month ago.  It was possible.  She’d been ovulating the night they got married.  Nia grabbed up her phone from the kitchen table and opened her calendar.  She should have had her period two weeks ago.  She’d been so preoccupied with learning how to please her new husband, she wasn’t paying attention to anything else.  The shock of the realization hit her full force, and she took a few quick breaths.  She stared at Azi.  “But I don’t have any symptoms.”

Azi brushed her hand down Shaina’s hair, much like her mother used to do to comfort her when she was a little girl.  “It’s still early.  You will have your symptoms, Mizz Shaina.  Now eat up while Azi takes care of the laundry,” she said on her way out of the kitchen.

Shaina ate up.  All of it.  Massimo’s child—the next generation of Andrettis and Norwoods was on its way.  Joy bubbled up inside her.  She couldn’t wait to tell Massimo that he was about to become a father.  But first, she needed to confirm it with a home pregnancy test and an appointment with Kaya’s doctor—Dr. Jillian Welsh—Erik’s colleague.

Michelle and Kaya had brought her up to date about the billionaires, and the brides clubs.  One of the rules was that even though Erik was the best OB-GYN in the area, he wasn’t allowed to attend any of the wives.  He would assist if complications arose.  Made sense.  What man wanted his best friend poking around in the most intimate part of his wife’s anatomy?  There were some things that needed to remain secret and sacred between them.

Her lunch finished, Shaina put her dishes into the dishwasher and collected the pile of mail on her way from the kitchen.  Out of habit, she shuffled through the bundle not expecting anything for her…   She came to a halt as she stared at a white envelope addressed to Mrs. Massimo Andretti.  The return address was that of a local law firm.  Shaina frowned.  Why would any lawyer—other than Steven—be sending her mail?  Propelled by curiosity, she ripped open the envelope.

She could feel the blood siphoning from her veins and her body growing cold as ice.

Massimo had lied to her.  He’d lied.  The letter slid from Shaina’s trembling fingers and slithered to the floor as fat tears of hurt, disappointment, and outrage slid down her face.

* * *

“After all the things he’s done right, you’re going to punish him for this one little infraction?”

“It’s not little.”

“Seriously, Nia—I mean, Shaina, it is little in comparison to everything else you told us about him.”

“Whose side are you on, anyway?”  Shaina frowned at her friends, Josie and Amber, as they faced her across a table on the veranda of Josie’s magnificent beach house.  After reading the letter, the only place she could think about running to was Dulcina where her old friends could offer her some comfort and support.  The embarrassment of Michelle and Kaya knowing the real reason Massimo had married her was too much to bear.  But Josie and Amber weren’t being very supportive.  They were being pragmatic instead.

She supposed it was because they were happily married to two wonderful men—Colby and Mark who were both pilots.  They were stable in their marriages and family lives, and wanted the same for her.  Josie and Colby had a one-year old daughter, Justine.  Amber had seven-year-old twin girls, Paige and Payton, from her previous marriage, and she and Mark shared a six-month-old son, Mark Jr., or MJ as everyone called him.  They owned a majestic beach house, a few palm trees down from Colby and Josie.  To give the women time alone, Mark and Colby had taken the kids to church and then to visit with Josie’s parents on the other side of the island.

“We’re not on anyone’s side,” Josie said.  “We just think you have a good thing going with this Massimo guy.  I mean he sounds like the perfect man.”

No one was perfect, Shaina thought, even as she grudgingly agreed with her friends’ opinions of Massimo.  He’d done a lot of good, but she just wished he’d been honest with her, at least when she’d asked him to marry her the second time.  She could understand how he would have kept it from her the first time, but not after all they’d shared and definitely not after he’d told her he loved her. 
Was that a lie?

She’d been crying since she read that letter.  And even though she’d hardly slept last night, she’d been too agitated to stay in bed this morning.  Her body just refused to relax.  Her eyes wandered off behind her friends’ heads to the green manicured lawn, the line of palm trees swaying in the cool morning breeze, and the open stretch of sandy white beach beyond.  The calm blue water of the Caribbean Sea was inviting as it sparkled under a clear blue sky.  The magic and beauty of the island had been beckoning to her since her arrival yesterday evening, but she’d been too hurt, too distraught to enjoy this wonderful paradise.