Читать книгу The By Request Collection - Kate Hardy - Страница 22

Twelve

Seven weeks pregnant and her body was already showing signs of change. Eve attempted to adjust her cleavage in the strips of fabric covering her chest. The white goddess costume had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now she felt very exposed.

Glancing in her floor-length mirror, she shivered as she recalled Graham’s text. The man wasn’t playing nice. He was trying to get her to give in and...well, she was having a difficult time recalling why she needed to stay away.

Oh, yeah. Someone had to be responsible and think things through right now. Someone had to step back and think straight. When he sent those messages, and there had been many, Eve found it more and more difficult to keep him at a distance.

She hadn’t seen him for several days. Too many. The messages hadn’t started out as flirty, but then she’d sent that picture and she’d opened up some sort of dam. He’d flooded her phone with messages that would’ve made her high-society mother blush.

With the cool, windy October weather, Eve would definitely need a coat this evening. Otherwise she’d freeze her butt off.

Eve glanced at the antique clock on her vanity and sighed. She was running late because insecurities over the changes in her body had her doubting her costume. But she had no plan B so goddess she was. Nobody would guess she was pregnant; of course Nora already knew, but she hadn’t said anything yet. There was no reason for anyone to believe she was expecting, so worrying over her fuller chest was ridiculous.

Still, she feared that when the rest of her family found out, when her father found out she was not only expecting, but carrying a Newport child, there would be trouble. She’d already gotten a glimpse of things to come from Nora. Her family wouldn’t be happy. Granted, she was going into this situation with her eyes wide open and not full of stars. Eve had lost a child before when she thought herself in love. Now her family would probably criticize her for making a mistake with another man who was all wrong for her.

Not that her baby was a mistake; the first person to even hint at that would have to deal with her wrath. No, her mistakes came in the form of choosing the wrong men. Clearly she had bad judgment.

By the time Eve pulled onto the Winchester estate, she was confident that she needed to tell her family. The sooner they knew about the baby, the longer they’d have to get used to the idea. After the party tonight, she’d tell Grace and their father when they were all together. It would be the perfect time. Not that there was a perfect time to drop a bomb like this. But there was no changing the fact that she was having a baby.

A baby. The thought thrilled and terrified her at the same time. She was still ten weeks away from the seventeen-week mark. She would feel so much better once she got past the hurdle that had left a hole in her heart during her last pregnancy. Eve honestly didn’t know if she could bear another loss so great. She was already facing the inevitable loss of her father, but to add a second baby to the...

No. This baby was just fine. She wasn’t going to even think that way... From now on she would have only positive thoughts. Her child was a Newport and a Winchester, which immediately equaled a fighter.

Eve pulled in behind Grace’s car and grabbed her clutch and the present she’d brought for her father—a framed photograph. Sliding her phone into her purse, Eve headed toward the grand entrance. Her childhood home was nothing short of spectacular—Sutton Winchester would settle for nothing less than the best.

Instantly memories of growing up here flooded her mind. The house always looked like a museum, but there had been a toy room on the third floor where the kids were given free rein. She and her sisters had spent hours in there playing, dreaming, fighting...all the things close sisters did. They’d run around outside playing tag, chasing each other and fantasizing about being grown-ups. Seriously, growing up was so overrated. They should’ve enjoyed those carefree days a bit more.

Pulling her wrap tighter around her, Eve made her way to the door. Without knocking, she let herself in. The aroma of something spicy, maybe cinnamon, hit her. Definitely a hint of pumpkin, too. Whatever the cook had prepared—or Nora had had catered—smelled absolutely divine. And thankfully in the evenings, Eve was fine; she didn’t have to deal with a queasy belly. So she was ready to have her fill of the party food, but not the wine.

Eve had just pulled her wrap off to hang it on the coat tree in the foyer when Nora came gliding down the hall. Eve put her wrap up and set her clutch and gift on the marble entryway table.

“You look gorgeous,” her younger sister declared. “I knew this goddess costume would be so perfect for you.”

Eve took in her sister’s vibrant green historical ball gown. “Talk about stunning. Nora, you’re glowing.”

Nora beamed. “I know it’s not what I bought when we were out, but then I saw this the other day and had to have it.”

“So what is Reid?”

“Lucky.” Eve glanced at Reid, who’d just stepped from the formal living space. He wrapped an arm around Nora’s waist and kissed her cheek. “I’m damn lucky,” he added.

Reid was dressed as a Civil War–era soldier, complete with sword dangling at his side. He and Nora looked as though they’d stepped out of a time machine. Eve was jealous of Nora’s itty-bitty waist; no doubt she’d gone for the whole corset and all. Eve’s hourglass shape was not long for this world.

“That you are,” Eve agreed, giving her sister a wink. “How’s Dad feeling today?”

“Good. He’s even donned a bit of a costume for the occasion, though he said he’d stay in the study since his oxygen and everything is set up in there. Visitors are welcome, though.”

Eve gripped the present beneath her arm and nodded. “I’m going to see him now before everyone else arrives.”

“You doing okay?” Nora asked, keeping the question vague.

Eve glanced at Reid, who showed no sign of knowing anything. “I’m great. If you’ll excuse me.”

Eve made her way to the study. She hated thinking of her father being so sick that he was confined to one room, but she knew that if he truly wanted to move about the house, his caregivers would make it happen. Her father remained in the study more out of pride than anything else. There was a bathroom right off the spacious room and hospice care had set everything up to look like a master suite. Her father’s old desk where he’d spent countless hours when he worked from home sat in the corner. Next to the desk was a large built-in shelf housing all of his favorite books.

As she walked down the hall, Eve took stock of all the memories. She hated the thought of his estate being split up when he passed. She wanted her childhood home to remain in the family, but that might not be possible. Who knew what would happen with Carson and how far his brothers would go to make sure he received his share.

Just the thought of Graham stirred mixed emotions within Eve. The ache she had for him kept growing with each day that passed without him, but on the other hand, she hated knowing he was one of the forces waging war against her father.

Pulling the framed picture from beneath her arm, Eve tapped lightly on the double doors and let herself into the study. The cozy fire welcomed her. Her father was actually in his chair beside the flickering flames. The last time she’d visited, he’d been sitting up in bed but hadn’t felt like going much farther. To see him in a chair was such a surprise, Eve’s eyes instantly filled with tears. The eye patch and pirate hat combined with his navy blue bathrobe made her laugh, though. He’d dressed up for the guests that would come through. If it weren’t for the oxygen, she’d swear he was back to normal. But he’d never be himself again. He’d never be the man he once was and she was slowly coming to grips with the harsh reality.

“Look at this beautiful goddess who came to visit.” He lifted a hand toward her. “Come on over. You look stunning, Eve. Just like your mother.”

Of course she looked like her mother; everyone told her as much growing up. The honey-brown hair, the bright eyes, curvy figure. Eve had seen enough pictures of her mother in her younger years to know she was practically a clone. But Eve didn’t want to discuss her mother right now. She wanted this evening to be fun, to be filled with love since the entire family would all be under one roof.

“What have you got?”

Eve flipped the frame around. “I had this made for you. It’s from my visit the other day.”

Sutton stared at the picture for several moments before finally reaching for it. With both hands, he gripped the sleek pewter frame and settled it on his lap. Eve waited, watching as her father continued to look at the faces staring back at him. Sutton with his daughters, an image that hadn’t been captured since they were little.

“This means everything to me,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “You’ve always had such a good eye for photos.”

Eve leaned against the side of the chair and laughed. “It was just a selfie, Dad. But I thought it turned out nice and wanted you to have something in your room.”

He glanced up at her, his bushy brows drawn together. “You always know what to do. This is perfect.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

He looked at the image once more before turning his attention back to her. “Tell me about Elite. How are things going?”

The man was on his deathbed and wanted to know about business. He would probably die with his company—his baby—on his mind.

“We’re doing great.” Eve was thrilled with the direction they’d taken since she’d been placed at the helm. “We actually just signed on a Sydney office two days ago.”

Sutton’s smile spread across his face. “I knew you would take a great company and make it even greater. I’m so proud of you, Eve. You’ve not let anything stand in your way.”

“I learned from the best,” she declared, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as she settled a hip on the arm of his chair.

“Some women are cut out for husbands, kids, which is fine. But I knew you were the one to follow in my footsteps. You never had—”

“Let’s not talk about work.” She had to steer him in another direction. Because even though she hadn’t wanted the whole family lifestyle once she’d gotten a taste of corporate world, clearly she wasn’t going to be able to dodge it for long. “Nora said you were feeling pretty well today. You look good.”

He started to laugh, but his robust chuckle quickly turned into a coughing fit. Eve rushed to the wet bar in the corner and refilled his water. She hated seeing him suffer even the slightest bit. For a man who was known to be a ruthless shark in the real estate world, he was now as weak as a baby. The vulnerable side of Sutton Winchester would only be known to his family, though. He’d never let outsiders see him in such shape.

Eve let him hold the cup while she took the framed picture and set it up on the table near the sofa.

“Thank you,” he said after taking a few sips. “Damn disease.”

Eve went back to his side and took his cup. She placed it on the small table next to him.

“You girls don’t have to lie to me,” he went on, taking her hand and squeezing it between both of his. “I know what I look like.”

Eve kissed the top of his head. “Like my handsome father.”

“You’re going to find some man and charm him one day,” her father teased. “Just make sure when you do that you don’t leave my company in a bind.”

As if she’d ever settle down and take the time to nurture a relationship. A global company and a new baby were definitely enough to keep her occupied. “I’ll never leave Elite,” she promised.

“I hate to bring this up—”

“But you will because you’re honest,” she joked. “Go ahead.”

“I know that before all the questions came up about me being the Newport boys’ father, you and Graham were—”

“Nothing,” Eve interrupted. “We were nothing.” And that was the truth. It was after the paternity test results came back that they tore each other’s clothes off.

This conversation was entering dangerous territory, and that was putting it mildly. Guilt squeezed her chest like a vise. There was no way to avoid it much longer, but she wasn’t going to tell anyone about the baby until after the party. No way was she going to ruin Nora and Reid’s evening. There would be enough time to discuss it after the guests were gone and only family remained.

“I saw how he looked at you, Eve,” her father went on. “Getting involved with a Newport would be the biggest mistake you could make.”

Eve bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything. What could she say? She could deny that she was involved, but that would be an obvious lie. She could even pretend they weren’t going to be anything more than parents sharing a child, but since they were still flirting and she couldn’t get him off her mind, it was only a matter of time before her control crumbled and they ended up intimate again.

Pulling her hand from her father’s grasp, she leaned down once more and kissed his head. “I’m going to go see if Nora needs help since the guests should be arriving any minute. I’ll be back in a bit.”

To tell you I’m expecting a Newport’s baby.

“You’d better,” her father winked. “But keep in mind what I said, Eve. Graham and Brooks have an agenda. They think I know their father’s name and they’ll use any means necessary to get it. I wouldn’t put it past him to use you to get to me.”

Eve stilled. She’d never thought for a second that Graham was using her for anything other than a bedmate...and she’d used him right back. But did her father’s words hold any truth? Nora had hinted at the same thing the other day. Was her family just being overly cautious or did they truly believe Graham would use her to get to Sutton?

No. Graham wasn’t the type of man to play games. He was a lethal attorney and when he wanted something, he went straight at it. He wasn’t the type of man to hide behind a woman and let her do the work.

Eve let herself back out into the hallway and pulled in a deep breath. Voices filtered through the house and it was clear guests had started arriving. Giving her cleavage one last glance in a mirror, she gave a mental shrug and headed toward the formal living room.

Grace, Nora and Reid stood near the mantel, talking and laughing. Grace was dressed as a sexy witch with glittery hose, a sparkly black hat and some killer black stilettos. Their guests were dressed in various fun costumes. Eve glanced around the room and saw an oversize Mrs. Potato Head—presumably the Mr. Potato Head by the wet bar with an appetizer in his hand was the spouse. There was another couple dressed as Vikings and a few others in glamorous gowns and masks. Some reminded her of Mardi Gras with their ribbons and gems.

Eve was stopped by Lucinda Wilde and Josh Calhoun. Lucinda was their father’s main caretaker and had pretty much morphed into being one of the family. She and Josh had fallen in love recently and Eve smiled as the couple approached her.

“If there’s a contest for best costumes, you two win hands down.”

Lucinda smiled as Josh wrapped his arm around her waist. “Josh isn’t one for dressing up, so he basically threw on things he already owned.”

Eve gave him an approving nod. “The cowboy look works. And your saloon girl is perfect,” she told Lucinda. “I could never pull that off, but you guys look so authentic.”

“I’m here for the food,” Josh joked as he tipped his hat down in a typical cowboy fashion. “And I’d use any excuse to have Lucinda dress up like this.”

Lucinda gave him a playful swat. “Eve, you look amazing. This is such a fun party, and I think it’s just what Sutton needs. He may come out later.”

“Really?” Eve asked. “I hope he does. Everyone here loves him and I know it would do him good.”

“I agree,” Lucinda said. “I’m going to talk to him in a bit and coerce him to join the party. I even dressed him up.”

“I saw,” Eve laughed. “I love the pirate.”

“It’s all he would agree to.”

Lucinda glanced around the room, pushing her curls to the side so they slid over one bare shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to talk to Nora and Reid. They look great, too.”

Eve watched as the two couples met in the middle of the room. They laughed and chatted. Eve stared for a moment too long because she caught Grace’s curious look and quirked brow, silently asking if Eve was okay.

Eve pasted on a smile and gave a brief nod. Everything was fine. Seriously. Just because she was expecting a child by a man who was an enemy of her father, just because the two families would go ballistic once the pregnancy was revealed, and just because her father was dying...why shouldn’t she be fine?