To Make a Marriage (2 page)

‘Not at all,' she dismissed lightly. ‘Will you be coming down to the estate this weekend?' she asked, her expression still deceptively noncommittal.

Grey eyes narrowed warily. ‘Why?'

‘No particular reason,' Andie said casually. ‘I just thought I should warn you, if you were, that Rome is not in the best of moods at the moment.'

Which was definitely an understatement! Her sister Danie had promised a few weeks ago to do everything she could to distract their father's attention from Andie and her present dilemma, but as it turned out Danie hadn't needed to do that; Audrey, their father's assistant for the last twelve years, had managed to do that quite successfully for them!

‘I didn't think he looked too happy on Saturday,' Adam said. ‘But I put that down to the losing-a-daughter syndrome.'

Andie chuckled softly. ‘Daddy has been trying to give us away for years!'

Adam grinned. ‘I wouldn't put it quite like that. He wouldn't give any of you away to just anyone.'

‘That's comforting to know,' Andie replied dryly—although she knew that was actually the case. Luckily for Harrie and Danie their father approved of their choice of
husband—otherwise one or both of them would have had a battle on their hands!

‘Rome just wants a grandson to whom he can pass his business empire,' Adam assured her knowingly.

Andie looked down unseeingly at the photographs on her desk-top. ‘And if we should all produce daughters?' she prompted gruffly.

Adam laughed, seeming unaware of her distraction. ‘Then you'll all just have to keep trying until that male heir materialises!'

‘I'm sure Harrie and Danie will be thrilled to know that!' Andie gave a hollow laugh.

‘Look on the bright side, Andie,' Adam drawled. ‘Until you find a husband it isn't a problem that need bother you!'

How little he knew…!

 

She didn't look well, Adam decided concernedly. Oh, there was no doubting Andie was as beautiful as ever. That would never change. Apart from her blonde hair, which she had inherited from her father, she looked exactly like her mother. And Barbara had been the most beautiful woman he had ever known…

But he knew Rome was worried about Andie, and, after seeing her at the wedding on Saturday, Adam had to admit he felt the same way. Andie still looked good enough to eat, but there was an air of fragility about her now that he had never noticed before, and a haunted look to those deep green eyes.

‘So I really can't tempt you, then? To come out to lunch with me,' he pressed as she looked at him beneath mockingly raised brows.

She sighed her impatience. ‘I've already explained—'

‘Several times,' he agreed tersely. ‘Will
you
be at the estate this weekend?'

Now her expression became guarded. ‘Why?'

It never used to be like this between them! He had always had a close friendship with all of the Summer sisters, and Andie, as the youngest, had been able to twist him around her little finger. But there was a barrier between them now—and it wasn't a situation he was particularly happy with.

‘No particular reason,' he replied. ‘But it's a fact that I have been invited down this weekend, and, if Rome is as bad-tempered as you say he is, it might be nice to have some happier company along!'

Andie gave a loud laugh. ‘Ever the bluntly honest Adam!'

He grimaced. ‘You wouldn't know me if I suddenly became all charming and polite!'

‘True,' she acknowledged evenly. ‘It might be interesting to see, though,' she added softly.

Was it his imagination, or was there a wistful note in her voice…?

Wishful thinking, Adam, he instantly told himself.

Although there didn't seem to be anyone in her life at the moment; Andie had attended the wedding alone on Saturday. But Adam knew there had been men in her life in the past, and to even imagine that she might have been nurturing a secret passion for him all these years was the height of stupidity on his part.

‘So what's wrong with Rome?' he abruptly changed the subject.

Andie frowned as she obviously readjusted her thoughts to coincide with his. ‘Audrey has handed in her notice.'

‘
Audrey
has?' Adam gasped disbelievingly.

Because he
didn't
believe it. Audrey Archer had been Rome's personal assistant for so long now, had become part
of the Summer family life, it was almost impossible to think of any of them without including Audrey in the equation.

Andie gave an unhappy grimace. ‘We're all as surprised as you obviously are, Rome most of all—'

“Surprised isn't exactly the way I would have described my own reaction,' Adam said.

‘No…?' Andie looked puzzled by his words.

Were all of the Summer family blind? Adam wondered impatiently. It had been obvious to him for years that the beautiful Audrey was in love with her employer. Just as it had also been obvious that, although Rome might be unaware of it, to all intents and purposes, apart from the physical side of things—which, Adam had decided long ago, was none of his business!—Audrey had been Rome's wife in everything but name for at least the last ten years!

Audrey went everywhere with Rome, had dedicated the last twelve years of her life to all of the Summer family, becoming a surrogate mother to the three girls after their mother had died ten years ago; what on earth could have prompted her decision to leave them all now…?

With blinding clarity Adam suddenly knew the answer to that, too. Audrey had lost hope, had given up any romantic dreams she might have had of Rome one day coming to realise he loved her too.

Adam, probably more than most people, knew exactly how painful it was to love someone in that hopeless way. To have to stand in the background and watch the person one loved as they lived out their life, possibly with someone else, because that love would never, could never, be returned.

But the saddest part of this situation was that Adam was sure Rome actually did love Audrey—he just didn't know that he did! Ten years ago Rome had been devastated by Barbara's death, hadn't even seen there were other women
in the world in the two years that had followed. Since that time Adam knew the other man had confined his relationships to brief, meaningless affairs, never seeing the love, or the beautiful woman who had felt that love, that was right in front of his nose!

‘And what are any of you doing to try and stop her going?' he bit out tersely.

Andie looked taken aback at his accusing tone. ‘What can we do?' she said. ‘We're all upset, naturally—'

‘Oh, naturally!' Adam came back scornfully.

Her eyes blazed deeply green as she glared at him. ‘But Audrey seems to have made up her mind,' she continued determinedly, ‘and so—'

‘Hell!' Adam butted in furiously. ‘Are all of the Summer family so wrapped up in their own lives, their own feelings, that none of you can see what this must be doing to Audrey?'

Andie's cheeks were pale now. ‘Aren't you being a little unfair, Adam—?'

‘No, I'm not, damn it, not even a
little
bit!' His hands were clenched at his sides. ‘But I can tell you now that you've helped make my mind up about going to the estate this weekend. I shall most certainly be there—if only to lend Audrey a shoulder to cry on!' he blazed angrily.

Andie's gaze was cold now as she looked across at him unblinkingly, although a nerve pulsed in her throat. ‘I'm sure she'll be very grateful—'

‘You know something, Andie, I came here today full of good intentions, hoped we could share an enjoyable lunch together,' he told her harshly. ‘But after listening to this I don't have any appetite for food, either. For goodness' sake, Audrey is a part of your family!' he groaned protestingly.

As I am, he could have added. But didn't. Because if
Audrey, who had been closer to Rome than anyone else these last ten years, and a second mother to Harrie, Danie, and Andie, could be allowed to just leave their lives without protest, then what chance did he have of meaning anything more to any of them?

It was certainly a leveller. One that made him feel slightly sick…

Andie gave a deep sigh. ‘I'm well aware of that, Adam,' she said. ‘And I have tried talking to her—'

‘Obviously with little result if she still intends leaving,' he rasped.

She eyed him suspiciously. ‘Maybe you will have more success this weekend,' she said softly.

Adam's mouth set angrily. It wasn't just because of Audrey, he inwardly acknowledged, shaken beyond words at the way she was being allowed to fade out of the lives of the Summer family. Could he, ultimately, expect the same fate?

He had met Rome almost twenty years ago, a young man of nearly twenty himself, with big ideas, and no money to back them up. Rome had been very much a business gambler in those days, and for several years he had become Adam's financial backer, Adam eventually in a position to pay him back, while at the same time being self-supporting. The last fifteen years had undoubtedly been highly successful ones for Adam, so much so that his film production company was worth millions.

His unhappy beginnings had been put behind him. In fact, they were something he preferred never to think about. But as a result, having no family of his own to speak of, over the years he had come to feel as much part of the Summer family as Audrey must do, had always regarded Rome as the older brother he had never been privileged to
have, and he had always looked on the three girls as indulged nieces. They were his family!

He had been a fool to think nothing would ever happen to change that…

‘Maybe I will,' he agreed grimly. ‘It's a sure fact someone has to try!'

Andie looked at him wordlessly for several long, tension-filled minutes, until finally she turned back to the work on her desk-top. ‘Perhaps I'll see you there,' she muttered, once again picking up her marker pen.

‘Perhaps you will,' he rejoined grimly, turning on his heel and walking purposefully to the door. But he paused before leaving and his hand on the door-handle, he inserted, ‘If you can manage to drag yourself away from your own interests long enough!'

Those green eyes were hard as emeralds as she looked across at him. ‘I'm sure that if you can I can,' she finally answered in freezing tones.

Adam shot her a glittering glance through narrowed lids before swinging the door open, closing it determinedly behind him as he left.

The pretty young secretary seated at the desk outside turned to give him a shy smile, and it took tremendous effort on Adam's part to eliminate his scowl for the few seconds it took to give her a smile in return, before leaving. After all, she hadn't done anything to annoy him.

Who was he really angry with? he asked himself as he strode outside in the sunshine.

Rome, for being so blind that he couldn't see the unselfish love right in front of his eyes? A love he was about to lose…

Or Andie for seeming so indifferent about Audrey's imminent departure?

Or was he just angry with himself?

The latter was probably the more truthful, he accepted. He had gone along for years believing nothing would ever change, that Rome, Audrey, and the three girls would be there, as they always had been.

But nothing had stayed the same. Harrie and Danie were both married now, with homes of their own. Audrey had decided it was time for her to leave the family. And Andie—Andie had become a stranger to him.

And self-pity, he decided determinedly, was not an option!

A
UDREY
gave a wistful smile. ‘It's simply time for me to move on, Andie,' she lightly answered the latter's enquiry.

Andie hadn't meant to come to the estate at all this weekend, had felt she was going to need time on her own after her enforced leave of absence from the magazine had started yesterday. But annoyed as she might have felt at Adam's remarks earlier in the week, they had struck a chord, and she had decided she had to come down after all and talk to Audrey.

She had arrived at the estate the previous evening, but this was the first opportunity she had had to talk to Audrey on her own, Rome a glowering presence at the dinner table the evening before, but luckily out on estate business this morning.

Audrey looked as beautiful and composed as she usually did, the blue of her tailored dress a match for the colour of her eyes, her blonde hair loose about her shoulders. But there was also a sadness in those blue eyes Andie had never seen there before…

‘But move on where?' she questioned now as the two women enjoyed a mid-morning cup of coffee together in the sun-lounge.

Audrey gave a laugh. ‘I haven't exactly thought that far ahead yet,' she admitted.

Andie's eyes widened at the admission. ‘You haven't…?' she said slowly. ‘But I assumed—I thought you must have found yourself a better job?' She frowned her confusion.

Was it her imagination, or did Audrey's gaze suddenly become slightly evasive. And if so, why had it?

Could Adam be right, after all—damn him!—and there was more to Audrey's decision to leave than was at first apparent?

Audrey shrugged. ‘I'm actually thinking of not getting another job for a while. I have quite a bit of money saved—after all, what do I have to spend it on?—and so, I thought I might travel, see some of the world.'

Andie didn't feel in the least reassured by this answer. ‘But you travel with Daddy all the time…'

The other woman sighed. ‘Travelling with Rome is nothing more than a series of business meetings. Most of the time I have no idea which country I'm in at any particular moment; boardrooms look the same the world over!'

This explanation sounded feasible enough, Andie decided. After all, Audrey was only in her early forties, still young enough to want to do some of the things that she might have dreamed of in her youth. And yet…

Adam had put these doubts into her mind, Andie realised irritably. After all, it was Audrey's life, and she must be allowed the freedom to do with it what she wanted. The same freedom Andie had recently insisted on in her own life…

‘You never know,' Audrey added with a smile, ‘I might just meet someone and have children of my own. I'm not too old yet, you know.'

‘You most certainly aren't,' Adam remarked firmly as he strolled unannounced into the sun-lounge. ‘And whoever he is, he'll be a lucky man!' he added warmly.

Andie had known Adam would be here this weekend—he had made that more than obvious on Monday!—but, nevertheless, she was rather nonplussed at having him walk in on her conversation with Audrey in this way.

It was also a little disconcerting to hear him talking to Audrey in this slightly flirtatious way, especially as she was still processing Audrey's remark through her own thoughts!

She was ashamed to admit she had never thought of Audrey in that particular way before, had always assumed the older woman was happy with her life and career. Or maybe Adam was right, and they had all just selfishly taken Audrey's presence here for granted all these years…!

But Audrey was quite right, too; at only forty-two, there was still time for her to have a family and home of her own.

From the warmly appreciative way Adam was looking at Audrey now, he was more than aware of the other woman's attraction. And why shouldn't he be? There were only just over two years' difference in their ages…

‘Thank you for that kind remark, Adam,' Audrey told him warmly as she stood up to kiss him on the cheek.

‘I'm not being kind, Audrey.' He looked down at her intensely. ‘I'm stating a fact.'

‘I thank you, anyway.' Audrey smiled up at him as she squeezed his arm. ‘I'll just go and get another cup and you can join us for a coffee,' she said before disappearing out of the room.

The silence that followed her departure was stilted to say the least, Andie decided as she glanced across at Adam beneath long lashes.

He was dressed casually today, in a black silk shirt teamed with fitted black denims, having thrown his silver-grey jacket into one of the wicker chairs as he'd entered the sun-lounge a few minutes ago. He was looking tall and lithe, his slightly overlong silver-blonde hair brushing the collar of his shirt, a slender gold watch nestling in the golden hair of his right wrist.

Adam looked exactly what he was, Andie realised: a
highly successful businessman, and a very eligible bachelor!

His expression was guarded as he looked across at her. ‘You decided to come down, after all,' he murmured distantly.

He was still angry, Andie realised. But by what right? Okay, so they had all been a bit unthinking where Audrey's resignation was concerned, but Adam had no idea of the circumstances of the last few weeks—and he would remain in ignorance as far as she was concerned! He had no right to judge what he didn't understand. Besides, she still stuck by her position that it wasn't for any of them to stand in the way of what Audrey had decided she wanted to do.

‘Yes, as you can see,' she replied, sitting forward in her seat as she prepared to stand up. ‘You'll have to excuse me, I'm afraid; I was just about to go over to the hothouse to check on Mummy's roses.'

Adam gave her a derisive glance. ‘I'm sure they can continue to grow for the next ten minutes or so without your checking on them! Long enough for you to sit with me while I drink my coffee, at least.'

She drew in a sharp breath at his undoubted mockery. She and Adam seemed to have been at odds with each other just recently—and she couldn't say it was something she was very comfortable with.

‘I'm sure they can,' she acknowledged softly as she remained seated. She was feeling slightly vulnerable since her leave-taking of the magazine yesterday, and certainly didn't feel up to another confrontation with Adam. ‘Did you know that it was Jonas presenting Danie with a bunch of yellow roses, just like the ones Mummy loved to grow, that confirmed for Danie that she was in love with him?' she continued conversationally.

‘No.' Adam smiled as he stretched his long length in the
chair opposite hers. ‘Although that sounds like the unpredictable Danie we all know and love,' he went on affectionately. ‘How do you feel about having a doctor in the family?'

Her aversion to anyone in the medical profession, since going into hospital at the age of five to have her tonsils out, had become a family joke. And as Adam had been almost part of that family for the last twenty years…

She retained her casual demeanour. ‘He could come in useful, I suppose,' she answered flippantly.

Adam chuckled. ‘I'm sure Jonas would be pleased to hear it!'

‘He's an obstetrician, did you know?' Andie said.

‘I think Rome did mention it.' Adam nodded. ‘I wonder how on earth Danie ever met him?' he asked thoughtfully.

Andie knew exactly how her impulsively madcap sister had met the gorgeous Jonas Noble. But that was something else that wasn't for public knowledge. And in this particular case, Adam was definitely part of the public…

‘Rome is out on the estate somewhere,' she very firmly changed the subject. ‘But he shouldn't be too much longer.'

‘I'm not complaining,' Adam drawled, smiling warmly as Audrey returned with the promised cup and saucer.

‘What man would complain about having coffee with two beautiful women?'

‘One beautiful woman, I'm afraid,' Audrey announced.

‘The post has just arrived, so I'll have to leave the two of you for a while,' she told them regretfully.

‘Shall I pour, or would you like to be Mother?' Adam invited sardonically, once he and Andie were alone once more.

Andie gave him a sharp glance, her hands clenched tightly on the arms of her chair as she felt her cheeks lose all their colour, breathing shallowly in her shock.

Did Adam know? Had her father, despite her request for privacy, confided her condition to this man, his best friend?

Because she was going to be ‘Mother'—in six months, she was going to have a baby!

The realisation of her pregnancy nine weeks ago had come as a tremendous shock to her, one that she hadn't taken to too readily initially. After all, without the baby's father in her life, it was something that she would have to go through alone.

But four weeks ago there had been the scare that she could lose the baby, and from feeling in the depths of despair, not knowing quite what to do, she had suddenly realised how much she really wanted her child. So much so that she wasn't willing to do anything that might jeopardise the pregnancy going full-term. Which was why, on Jonas's advice, she had taken a nine-month leave of absence from her high-powered, time-demanding job…

Her family knew of her pregnancy, of course, as did Audrey, but they had all been sworn to secrecy. Had her father now broken that promise and confided in Adam…?

Andie looked at him searchingly, seeing only lighthearted enquiry in his expression as he didn't wait for her answer but poured the two cups of coffee himself, and started sipping the strong, milky brew unconcernedly.

No, he didn't know, Andie realised with a thankful sigh. There would be plenty of time for that later, once her pregnancy began to show.

Strangely, she had lost weight at the beginning of her term, but Jonas had assured her that was only because of the worry and strain she had initially put herself under, because of her uncertainties, and that eventually she would start to put that weight back on. If the tightness of her clothing about her waist was anything to go by, that was starting to happen now!

But not enough, she was relieved to realise, for Adam to be in the least suspicious that his sardonic remark was actually fact! She was glad about that; Adam was the very last person she wanted to know about her pregnancy.

Because although she knew Adam had always been in love with her mother, Andie—for her sins!—had always loved Adam. Oh, she had always known it was a pointless love, that her feelings would never be returned, but she couldn't help that, she loved Adam anyway. So his pity—or even worse, his scorn!—concerning her pregnancy, were not things she felt able to cope with on top of everything else…

 

Adam sipped the coffee without tasting it, his thoughts broodingly introspective. He had been pleased on his arrival to see Andie had come down this weekend after all—damn it, he was more than pleased! But it had become glaringly obvious during the last few minutes that the strain which he had sensed between them on Monday was still there. In fact, it was worse!

Hell!

He drew in a ragged breath. ‘How is Rome this weekend?' His coffee finished, he relaxed back in his chair.

Andie grimaced. ‘About the same.'

Considering Audrey—from the little Adam had heard of the two women's conversation when he'd arrived—was still intent on leaving, he wasn't in the least surprised by Andie's reply.

He shook his head. ‘I suppose I'll have to have a chat with him,' he said reluctantly; ordinarily Rome was the most genial of men, but not when it came to interference in his personal life. And whether Rome realised it or not, Audrey was very much in his personal life!

Andie gave a rueful smile. ‘He's extremely volatile at
the moment, so make sure you have your body armour on first! I only asked him to pass me the pepper at dinner last night, and he almost bit my head off,' she explained with a pained grimace.

Adam groaned. ‘Maybe I should come and look at the roses with you before tackling Rome.' He thought of the confrontation he would no doubt have with the older man once he had said what he felt needed to be said on the subject of Audrey's resignation. ‘Isn't there some sort of saying about stopping along the way to smell the roses…?' he wondered.

Andie laughed as she stood in one fluid movement. ‘I think that applies to people who need to relax more—not someone who wants to avoid someone else!'

Adam looked up at her appreciatively. Her golden-coloured hair was loose today, falling silkily down her back, framing the loveliness of her face, a face dominated by those beautiful green eyes, her skin having attained a light golden tan from the summer months.

Yet as he continued to look at her he realised there was something different about her…

But as he stood up to accompany her out to the hothouse at the back of the house, where Barbara had spent so much of her time tending her beloved roses, he couldn't quite decide what it was.

The heady perfume of the beautiful blooms assailed them as they entered the heated greenhouse, bringing back vivid memories to Adam of the woman who had first grown and tended them. Barbara had been such a lovely woman, inside as well as out, and her death ten years ago, from cancer, had been yet another blow in Adam's life. He—

Now he knew what was different about Andie! Like her mother before her, Andie always looked perfect, her make-up in place, no matter what the time of day, her clothes
always beautifully tailored. Andie's make-up was still perfect, but for once she wasn't wearing any of her designer label clothes. Instead, she had on a loose green shirt over fitted denims, the former so big it looked as if it could be one of Rome's cast-offs!

Not that Andie didn't look as gorgeous as always; in fact, the casual clothing gave her a more approachable appearance, Adam decided thoughtfully. He was just surprised at the change in her, that was all…

She paused in the act of dead-heading roses, turning as she seemed to sense his gaze on her, a slight blush colouring her cheeks as she looked at him—warily, it almost seemed to him…? Had their friendship really come to that?