Читать книгу The Baby Claim - Catherine Mann - Страница 12

Four

Jack Steele had known it would be tough getting his offspring and Jeannie’s adult children on board with merging their two warring companies. But hell’s bells, he hadn’t expected such a massive wall of bullheaded resistance.

His redwood mansion in the distance now, he settled deeper into the saddle, hoping the quarter horse’s rhythmic gait crunching through snow would settle his frustration. Riding had saved him from losing his cool more than once. In fact, riding had saved his sanity after his wife and daughter died in that plane crash. The open sky was his sanctuary, day or night.

Right now, the sun glistened off the snowcapped trees and mountains. Glistened off Jeannie’s hair as she rode beside him. He’d dreamed of taking her horseback riding once they could be seen in public together. Another reason he should be happy, but the world was topsy-turvy.

Jack gripped the reins loosely in his hands. He’d saddled up the Paint—Willow—for Jeannie. She was a natural. Just as he’d known she would be. The sunshine brought out the lighter shades in her golden hair, which was slipping free from the hood of her parka. She perched confidently in the saddle, the gentle curves of her slim body calling to him. The cinched waist of her parka. Her long legs that made him think of how much he would enjoy tugging off her boots, her jeans and silk leggings.

He would never forget that moment six months ago when they’d found themselves alone at a business conference in Juneau. He’d looked at her. She’d looked at him.

And the world had changed.

He’d felt it. Seen it echoed in her eyes. He’d asked her to have a drink with him. She’d said yes...and here they were. Together. Committed.

Clearing his throat with a breath of icy air, he returned his attention to the present. To the ride. His first with Jeannie. He could envision many more such outings in their future.

Once they settled the controversy between their children.

Damn it all. He scrubbed his gloved hand under the lamb’s wool collar of his coat. He and Jeannie were adults, for God’s sake. Their spouses had died years ago. He wasn’t ready to crawl in the grave, not by a longshot.

Maybe if he’d found someone else, someone without the surname Mikkelson... But life had always thrown him curve balls, and apparently, his love life wasn’t any different. Knowing how precious happiness was made him all the more determined to enjoy what he’d found.

He glanced at Jeannie as she swayed alongside him, so regally beautiful she threatened to steal his breath all over again. “Thank you for coming today, to my home.”

She smiled back at him. “Our home, soon.”

“That it will be.” He still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to leave her own home for his. “We could build a place of our own, if you wish, or if you think it would make things easier for your children.”

She scanned the stretch of land from his sprawling mansion to the seaplane bobbing on the lake. “This place is lovely. I promise I’ll be slow in putting my own stamp on things so as not to upset the Steele applecart.”

“It’s your home, too,” he said firmly. “Your choices are mine.”

Her exhalations puffed a cloud of white into the afternoon air. “If only it could be that simple. Are you sure you’re prepared for this fight? For what it could cost us?”

“Nothing in life has come easily for me or mine. My children are made of tougher stuff. Once they get past the surprise—”

“Shock,” Jeannie corrected.

“Well, that’s one way of putting it.” He couldn’t hold back his chuckle at the memory of Broderick’s and Glenna’s faces when they’d opened that bathroom door. “They certainly didn’t learn in the gradual way we’d planned.”

Jeannie laughed along with him, the sound of their voices floating together on the wind. Damn, he was getting downright poetic these days.

Love did that to a man.

He reached for the reins to Jeannie’s horse and guided both animals to a stop. He reached out to stroke back Jeannie’s hair and tuck it into her hood, then cupped her neck. “What we’ve found together is a gift.”

Her blue eyes glistened with tears and she touched his wrist, squeezing. “One I didn’t expect to have again.”

“And one I’m not giving up,” he said without hesitation.

“Even if it threatens your business?”

“Even if it threatens yours?”

“Ours,” she answered with a smile. “Like the houses.”

“Exactly.” He slid his hand down to grip her waist, then lifted her from the horse and onto his lap.

“We are a team now.” She looped her arms around his neck, leaning against him. “This is real.”

“Yes, my dear, it is very real.” As real as his growing need to have her right now. But this was more than an affair. He loved her. “Our families need to get on board with our engagement. No more separate explanations, separate family meetings. They have to learn how to be together if the business merger stands a chance at working.”

“You’re right.” She kissed him once, twice, enticing as hell. “And the sooner the better. For them as well as for us, because I love you, Jack Steele.”

“I know you do. I love you, too, lady.” He hugged her closer, securing both sets of reins in his fist. “And you know what else?”

“Do tell?”

“I want you. Right now.”

And lucky for them, the plane hangar was very, very close.

* * *

Glenna clutched the edge of her chair. She was in the glassed-in sunroom at the Steele family lodge for their first big co-family gathering. It was so surreal.

Not that it was a completely blended family get-together. The women sat on different sides of the room, based on family affiliation. Glenna and Alayna stayed closer to their mother, along with their sister-in-law, Shana. Whereas the two Steele hostesses, Naomi and Delaney, stood like bookends near the wet bar, so alike in appearance even if opposite in temperament, Naomi being a partying wild spirit, Delaney an intensely serious green-issues crusader.

The men were outside, horseback riding on a sunny day that melted snow into a glistening display. It could have been a gathering at Glenna’s mother’s home—her parents’ home—except more than double the people were present.

Through the window she could see her two brothers riding expertly alongside the five Steele men. But Broderick drew her eyes most today, his Stetson a hint higher than the others since he was so tall. His collar was flipped up, with the lamb’s wool against his ears. His hand held the reins loosely, confidently.

Broderick’s bay quarter horse, Abacus, demanded nearly as much attention as his rider. They were a matched set. Dark, muscular—commanding. Even the way the bay tossed his mane said something of his wild, albeit tempered, nature. The two moved like one, almost as if Broderick’s soul had been fused to the bay. Every response, every turn seemed to happen from instinct.

Was there anything this man couldn’t handle?

Glenna’s hand dropped to Kota, stroking the puppy’s fur for comfort. Each touch of his coat soothed her ragged nerves.

She’d thought about Broderick’s proposition again and again throughout the night. But they weren’t two strangers meeting for the first time, with no entanglements. He had to understand they couldn’t just resume where they’d left off long ago.

But if she were meeting him for the first time?

Her gaze wandered back to the sight of him tall and strong on horseback. Her stomach lurched with awareness—and apprehension.

Yes, even if she were meeting him for the first time right now, she would still run. Because truth be told, this attraction was more than she could risk. Her emotions had to be off-limits. Losing her husband had already decimated her heart.

Glenna drew her attention back to the rustic luxury of the sunroom, a room that was the direct opposite of the Steeles’ sleek office space. Fat leather chairs and sofas filled the expansive, light-filled room. Rafters soared upward, dotted with skylights, as well as lantern-style lights for the long winter nights. One stone wall held a fireplace crackling with flames. Elk antlers hung above the mantel. The wet bar was laden with snacks and drinks.

The room was packed with wary women, gathered at the edict of Jeannie and Jack.

Glenna’s sister-in-law, Shana shot to her feet. “We’re going to play a party game. I reached out to Naomi and we’ve come up with some icebreakers to help us all—” she gestured weakly “—get over the newness of this.”

Well now, wasn’t that diplomatic? Kudos to Shana.

Jeannie waved from a log-style rocking chair. “Please, not one of those wedding shower games where we all end up wearing silly hats covered with bows.”

Glenna’s baby sister winced. “Or please say we don’t have to tell lies and truths and guess. I never win those because people can always tell when I’m lying.”

Edgy, Naomi stood, wearing brown leather leggings with a thick Sherpa vest. “We’re going to play the dating game.”

Alayna frowned, peering around the room at each woman. “But she’s already engaged, and she’s already married, and I suspect that she—”

“No,” Naomi stated, “this is a different sort of dating game. I’ve been consulting with a company that helps people write their bios for online dating sites—”

Her sister chuckled. “You’ve done what?”

“You heard me, Delaney. Guys in particular have a tough time expressing themselves with words, so they ask for help. It’s like marketing or editing. I have some samples and we’re going to figure out who’s for real and who’s a poser.”

Shana gathered her thick caramel-colored mane and tossed it over her shoulders. “Like the kind of guy who hangs out in a bar and claims to be an astronaut.”

“Great example.” Naomi walked to a corner table with the laptop computer connected to three wide screen televisions. “The names have been changed to protect the guys. Now are we ready to play the game?”

A dating game? Glenna would rather do the polar bear plunge, jumping naked into icy water. But she said, “Let’s get started.” So they would be done all the sooner and she could go home, away from this awkward gathering and the tempting view of Broderick as his horse galloped along the fence line.

Shana clapped her hands. “Good. Here are the rules. One point for every warning sign, five points if you can catch an outright lie.”

Delaney’s expression said she was clearly not sold yet. Glenna wasn’t, either; her eyes kept returning to the window, to the wild scenery and the precision with which Broderick moved with his horse.

“I was thinking for each correct guess, pick your poison for someone or yourself—a champagne Jell-O shot or a chocolate truffle?” Shana suggested.

Forcing herself back into the present moment, Glenna decided to be helpful. “Where are the truffles and alcohol?”

Naomi and Shana each swept a silver cover off a platter just as the wide screen televisions hummed to life. Each TV went to split screen, with multiple profiles.

“Oh, oh!” Her cousin Sage’s hand shot into the air. “Well, this is easy enough. I see five guys with creepster in their profile name. Like ‘Legman.’ Four guys reference their penis length.”

“Eww.” Alayna shook her head. “And there are two with ‘hard’ in their name.” Both she and Sage rushed to the minibar and popped an assortment of champagne Jell-O shots and truffles into their mouths. They savored them with closed eyes, yums and mmms.

Glenna crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “Do guys really think we go for that level of slime?” She pointed to another screen. “The guys on the left side appear real.”

Yes, for the moment, she would play this game and drink a little champagne, then she’d be on her way.

Her eyes went to Broderick again. She wasn’t in any condition to be in the same room with him once the men came back inside. She’d spent so much time with him this week, she couldn’t handle being in this house with him surrounded by family. It was too close to the cozy mistletoe image he’d painted for her back in his office.

Naomi nodded. “Well done, future stepsister. Help yourself to the treats.”

Stepsister? Glenna made a beeline for the champagne shots. Another mark on the why-anything-with-Broderick would be infinitely complicated. The sweet, slippery shot with a kick sent a delicious tingle along her senses. Yes. Just what she needed. This would be her treat of choice for the duration of the game.

Especially if she expected to get through an evening with Broderick and keep her sanity.

“I’m sure there are good ones out there, too. Honest ones.” Glenna considered another shot, just for the hell of it.

“We could do a percentage chart of how many there are, and I’m guessing it will all average out. The point here is to be wise, ladies. Be wise.”

Naomi snorted. “Or stay single.”

Shana laughed. “Cynic.”

“Realist.” Naomi waved to the minibar. “Please help yourself to the food before the men return.”

“What?” Alayna stood, swaying a little, clearly a drinking lightweight. “That’s it?”

“Would you have preferred a male stripper?” Naomi’s laugh was hoarse and deep. Genuine. Glenna liked her honesty.