Читать книгу The By Request Collection - Kate Hardy - Страница 24

Fourteen

No matter how she mingled with the guests, no matter how many jokes Reid told her and no matter how many times she refilled her glass of sparkling water, Eve felt the presence of Graham just the same as if he’d come up and wrapped his arms around her.

Nora and Reid separated, but kept making eye contact with each other. Eve wondered what that kind of connection would be like. To look across the room and have your soul mate watching you. Silent communication passed between the couple. Whatever they were sharing, Reid gave a nod and Nora moved through the crowd toward the front of the formal living room.

“Those two are up to something,” Grace whispered behind Eve’s back. “They’ve been sneaking around all evening.”

Eve caught sight of Graham across the room in the familiar mask. His face was turned toward hers, but she couldn’t see his eyes. No matter, she knew they were on her. The connection across the room...it was just like Nora and Reid’s.

No. She and Graham were nothing like her sister and Reid. Were they?

“That’s what lovers do,” Eve replied, not taking her gaze from Graham. She had to admit, the thrill of having him in her family home was exciting. For someone who was such a stickler for rules, lately she found herself not caring so long as she saw Graham.

No matter how she tried to shift her focus to the baby, to remain in control of her life, she kept getting pulled back into Graham’s web. The encounter in the pool house shouldn’t have happened, but she wouldn’t change anything. How could she keep denying what they both wanted? They were having a baby together. That didn’t mean they had to automatically stop seeing each other...did it?

Nerves fluttered in her stomach. She was anxious to get this night over with, to finally let her family know what was going on. If there was an issue, she’d deal with it, but she couldn’t keep living this secret life. Keeping her affair hidden was difficult enough, but there was no way she’d be able to keep a child from her family. Soon, very soon, they’d see the evidence.

“Can I have everybody’s attention?” Reid called. When only half the room quieted, he put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. Silence immediately settled over the space. “I’d like your attention.”

“What’s going on?” Eve asked her younger sister.

“No idea, but Dad was just wheeled in.”

Eve turned around. Dr. Wilde was heading their way with their father. Sutton had his eyes on Eve and Grace, a smile on his pale face. The cancer had robbed him of his color, his dignity and his normal life. But here he was, attending the party in costume, giving his terminal illness the middle finger.

Eve glanced at Dr. Wilde, then down at her father when he pulled up beside her in his wheelchair and reached for her hand to give it a quick squeeze.

“Nora and Reid asked if I’d come in,” he explained.

Reid cleared his throat, drawing Eve’s attention back toward the front of the room. “As many of you know, Nora and I have been seeing each other for some time now. I’ve fallen in love with her, with her son, and I want to make things official.”

Nora’s wide smile was infectious. Eve found herself grinning, knowing what was coming. She clasped her hands in front of her mouth, mostly to prevent people from seeing her chin quiver. She was so emotional lately.

“I’ve asked Nora to marry me.” Cheers erupted in the room. “I’ve also asked to adopt her son,” Reid went on. Wrapping an arm around Nora’s waist, he pulled her flush against his side. “She said yes and we plan to be married on Thanksgiving right here on the Winchester estate.”

A burst of applause, and congratulations filled the room. Grace squealed and headed for the happy couple. Eve looked down at her father, who had actually teared up. Apparently she wasn’t the only one with high emotions lately.

“You didn’t know?” Eve asked.

“I had an idea. She asked if she could host a family gathering on Thanksgiving and I told her that would be great and just what the family needed.”

Eve gestured to Lucinda, who was standing behind the wheelchair. “One of us will take him back in a bit. Go mingle.”

With a simple nod, Lucinda made her way toward Josh. Eve gripped the chair and pushed her father toward Reid and Nora. Once Nora spotted their dad, she rushed forward, arms wide.

“I hope this is okay, Dad.” She threw her arms around him before leaning back to search his face. “I wanted to surprise everyone, to ease some of the tension this family has been dealing with from the trouble with the Newports and your illness.”

At the mention of the Newports, Eve searched for Graham, but couldn’t find him. Surely he hadn’t left. He wouldn’t. Somewhere he was waiting for his chance to get her alone again.

“This is perfect, Nora,” their father said. “I’m so happy for you guys and having the wedding here is an excellent idea.”

Nora straightened and said to Eve, “I hope you’ll stand up by my side.”

Eve hugged her sister. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

When Nora pulled away, she looked toward Eve’s flat stomach, then back up into her eyes. “Everything okay?”

Eve simply nodded, not wanting to get into this now.

Dread filled her. No, she couldn’t get into this now, or even an hour from now. This night belonged to Nora and Reid. The baby news would definitely have to wait, but for how long? As much as Eve would love to shield her child from the fallout, she knew she’d have to just tell her family and not worry about the timing. But telling them right now was definitely out of the question.

Stealing the night from Nora and Reid wasn’t right.

A flash from the corner of her eye had her turning. The man in the striking Mardi Gras mask moved toward her. There was no way Graham could get this close to her family. He wouldn’t purposely give away his identity, but still the idea of him getting within talking distance had Eve excusing herself from her sisters and father.

“You need to go,” she whispered as she walked by him.

Eve kept walking, knowing he was right behind her. When they reached the foyer, Eve smiled at one of Nora’s friends who was heading down the hall toward the bathroom.

Once the foyer was empty, Graham lifted his mask to rest it on the top of his head. With his back to the rest of the house, he stared down at her. He wasn’t too concerned about the risk of being seen, not with the way he was standing.

“I can’t tell them,” Eve murmured. “Not tonight.”

She hated this. Hated that such an innocent child, a child she loved with all her heart, was being kept a secret like there was something...dirty. A child should be celebrated, not hidden.

Graham’s hands slid up her bare arms, his fingers curled over her shoulders. “I know.”

He pulled her into his embrace and Eve willingly went. She hated leaning on anyone, but right now, they were a team, whether either of them wanted to admit it or not. And she had to admit, having Graham’s arms around her felt...right. But that couldn’t be. Nothing about having him here, let alone his embracing her as if he cared, was right. This affair had started as a whirlwind and they were caught up, that’s all. There could be nothing more.

“Let’s go away,” he whispered into her ear. “We’ll go to my cabin in Tennessee for a few days and relax. Nothing will bother us, you can rest, and we can figure out a plan that will work for our child and our families.”

Was that even possible? She’d give anything to be able to escape for a few days, to come to terms with everything and figure out a way to work with Graham. But if she went away with him, she knew what that meant...there would be more of what had transpired in the pool house.

Eve sighed and pulled back. “My mind is all over the place.” She glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone. “Let’s go out onto the porch.”

Once they were outside, she led him down to where the lights weren’t shining right on them. The chilly air hit her hard and Graham instantly took off his black jacket and draped it around her shoulders. His familiar woodsy scent hit her, and the warmth from the jacket where it had hugged his body was just like having his arms around her.

“I keep battling myself where you’re concerned,” she went on, gripping the lapels closer together. “I want to keep my distance physically, but then I see you and—”

“I don’t even have to see you to want you.”

“Graham, we have to think of what’s best here.”

“I am.” He leaned in closer, crowding her against the side of the house. “Right now, I’m thinking that escaping for a few days is exactly what we need. We would have time to talk without interruptions. I can fly the helicopter and nobody would have to know where you and I went. We’ll both just say we’re away on business.”

Eve closed her eyes, giving the idea more thought than she probably should. “You make this seem so simple.”

“Say the word and I’ll make sure it’s simple,” he whispered against her mouth. “All you’ll have to do is pack a bag.”

There was a reason Graham was one of the top lawyers in Chicago. The man could persuade anyone with that charm of his. He made his case so perfectly, so convincingly. Eve opened her eyes, meeting his bright blue stare.

“When do we leave?”

* * *

“You’re leaving when?”

Graham held the phone between his shoulder and his ear. “Tonight.”

Brooks laughed on the other end of the line. “Who is she?”

After placing a perfectly folded pair of jeans in his carry-on bag, Graham stood straight up and gripped the phone. “I said it was work related.”

“We pretty much have the same mind and I know this urgency in your tone has nothing to do with work.”

Hell, yeah, he was urgent to get Eve alone in his cabin. The obvious reason of privacy aside, Eve needed rest, she needed to relax and not worry about telling her family she was expecting. Now that Nora knew, Graham prayed she was too focused on her engagement to discuss Eve’s condition. Graham had to trust her to keep her word. Plus, he had an engagement of his own to worry about. He wanted to get that ring on Eve’s finger, and he’d use this trip to advance his case.

“I have a pressing matter that needs my attention,” Graham said to his twin. “I’ll only be gone three days.”

“And this has to do with what case?” Brooks asked in a mocking tone.

“You know I can’t discuss my client cases with you.” Totally true. “Besides, I need to finish packing, so this conversation is over. Unless there’s an emergency, don’t contact me and I’ll let you know when I get home.”

“If I find out our father’s name I’ll sure as hell be calling you and you’ll have to put your mystery woman on hold.”

“If you find out our father’s name, I’ll be back,” Graham promised.

“Wait...tell me you’re not sneaking out of town with Eve. I thought you were done messing with her.”

Graham turned toward his walk-in closet to grab some shirts. “I’m not messing around with anyone.”

It was only partly a lie. Because he wasn’t messing with her. He was the father of her child. That went well beyond messing.

“You’re lying, but I’ll let you off the hook because I’m on my way to meet Roman. He thinks he has a lead. I’ll keep you posted.”

“This late?” Graham asked.

“He texted me right before you called, so whatever he wants, it must be something important.”

Excitement filled Graham as the possibilities swirled through his head. “Did he say what the lead was?”

“No. And he said it was minor, but at this point we’re going to explore any option we have.”

Graham would love nothing more than to find their biological father. Then maybe Brooks’s vendetta against Sutton would ease up a bit and the tension would ease between their families. But that was doubtful, especially when Sutton discovered Eve was pregnant.

“Keep me posted,” Graham told his brother before hanging up.

After tossing in the rest of his belongings, Graham zipped up the bag. He couldn’t wait to get Eve to the cabin. She could take long bubble baths in the garden tub in the master suite that overlooked the mountains and just relax. He would make sure of it. He’d already called one of his staff members to have certain foods stocked. Eve wouldn’t want for a thing these next few days.

The only look he wanted to see on her face was happiness. She was still so early in her pregnancy, and his goal was to get her to take her mind off her troubles because he knew she was worried.

Which left the question he’d had on his mind for days. What did Nora mean when she’d mentioned Eve’s previous pregnancy? Graham didn’t want to dredge up bad memories for her, but he also felt he deserved to know.

These three days could bring anything their way. But one thing was for sure: Graham wasn’t going to let her get away without convincing her to marry him. This child would be a Newport. Added to that, merging the families in such a bold way would show everyone just how serious they were about ending this feud. But time was running out and Graham needed to act fast.

He grabbed his things and set the security alarm on his penthouse. After he swung by to pick up Eve, they’d be on their way to his cabin. Nothing would stop him from putting that ring on her finger. He may not have been looking for a family, but there was no way in hell another man would raise his child. And he’d yet to find anyone as compatible as Eve. No, they weren’t in love, but what did that have to do with marriages these days anyway? Being an attorney, he’d seen the aftermath when people entered into holy matrimony solely on the basis of love. No thank you.

Graham was confident that by the end of this trip, he’d have Eve convinced this was the best decision for everyone. He knew what to say, how to get her to see his side. After all, he’d gotten her to agree to this trip in no time.

A little seduction, a little charm and she’d have that ring on her finger.