Chapter14
“Nice work, Jack,”Mayor Wright said, glancing around the hallways.
Jack exhaled. “Thanks. I’m surprised to see you here,” he said, unwilling to engage in small talk or keep up appearances. Ever since he’d emailed Wright that he wouldn’t attend the rally—which also meant he wouldn’t publicly endorse the man—he hadn’t heard back from theman.
“Your wife invited me. How could I pass it up? You know, Jack, I know you’ve always kept yourself distant from partisanship, but how about you scratch my back now I’ve scratched yours?” The mayor leaned in. “I meant what I wrote in the email. I’d love you and your wife’s support. Your Latina beauty would bode well with my much needed voterbase.”
“Hear me loud and clear… I am not doing any of it.” That’s why he stayed away from politics. Didn’t want to owe favors to a dirty rat like this bastard. “And you never scratched myback.”
“Potato, potawto. Maybe I didn’t do it directly, but c’mon. I expedited the permit because she’s your wife. Why can’t you meet me halfway?”
“Is that… true?” Jack heard a female voice behindhim.
“I’ll get something to eat,” the mayor said, the coward, and scurriedaway.
Jack spun on his heels, his blood pounding in his temples. When his eyes met Lola’s, his veins chilled. His gut curled, like two, make it three MMA champions punched him simultaneously.
Lola’s facial features hardened into a tight mask as she clearly was making an effort not to cry. Sadness gleamed in her eyes, growing darker and bigger. She watched him silently for a beat, hands perched at her waist. “Tellme.”
Jack shoved his hand into his hair. He couldn’t lie to her. But he would have given anything to wipe that deceptive expression from her. Damn. The damage was done now. “Listen, the mayor is stupid. He’s thinking of his own agenda—
“And you asked him to give me the permit.”
“Not really. He was going to say no, but when he heard you were my wife he decided to help you out. Lola, this doesn’t take away from your plan. Your idea worked out. Look at this,” he said, swinging his hand around. “Don’t let something small get in our way. I just asked you to marry me. We’ll be together, the three ofus.”
Her shoulders dropped a notch, and she had a vacant look on her face. He popped his knuckles. When had been the last time life and vibrancy had deserted her? When we brokeup.
At last, as if something inside her snapped, she shook her head and said in a trembling tone, “Say that again.”
A pulse throbbed in his throat. Holy fuck. He blurted out about the baby. Ideally, he would have waited to tell her he knew. “You, me, and the baby,” he said firmly, determined.
The red dress she wore sparkled as she shifted her weight from one foot to another. “How did you know?” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Wait. That’s why you asked to marry me, isn’t it? Because I’m pregnant.”
“No. Hold on. That isn’ttrue.”
A guest looking for the restroom passed by them, and Jack led her to the kitchen. Consuelo waved, and the waiters she’d hired to cater for the night arranged the food on elegant trays. Jack opened the door to the pantry and they entered. He closed it behind him. Drawing attention to their personal drama was the last thing she needed tonight and he knewthat.
“How can I believe you, Jack? Within minutes, I find out the people dearest to me have lied one way or another. And I don’t care if it was meant to protect me. It hurts.”
He looked down. “I’m sorry.”
“I…would like for you to move out of the ranch.”
He raised his face to see her. A bob made its way down her soft throat. A shock of frustration electrified him. He curled his fingers into a fist and dug his index finger into his palm until it stung. “You can’t meanthat.”
She lifted her chin, and her eyes darkened, making him want to hold her. She suffered, and it was his fault. He made a move toward her but she held up her hand to stophim.
“We had a deal—you’d move out once I proved to you I could run a bed and breakfast,” she said. “Well, I think I’ve given you enough proof.”
“You can’t do that. Lola, we’re having a baby,” he said, and tried to touch her shoulder to squeeze it, console her, but she jerked away and stepped back until a couple of cans from the food shelf fell to the floor.
“Exactly. I don’t want this child to resent us down the line. Trust me, I’ve had my share of resentment.”
“It’ll be different with us,” he said. He undid the top button of his shirt. “It’ll be different thistime.”
She shook her head. “How? We tried to make it once before without a child, and we failed. Miserably. Do you know what kind of stress a newborn baby brings into a relationship?”
He gave her a slow nod. How could he convince that stubborn woman arguing with him that he wanted to be there for those bad moments too? “We’ve changed, Lola. Damnit.”
