Reclaiming His Bride (DiCarlo Brides book 3) (The DiCarlo Brides) (16 page)

“I like the way it fits just fine.” He joined her in the hall and took her hand. “I know this is asking a lot. Just stay with me and it’ll be okay.” He gave her fingers a quick squeeze and led her to the elevator.

When they were inside, she removed her hand from his grasp. “I know we want to look like a couple to your parents, but I’d prefer to keep speculation among the employees down as much as possible,” she said.

“I understand.” But the way his lips pursed slightly said he wasn’t happy about it.

They were seated at the corner table in the restaurant, shielded from public view by a collection of potted plants and a bend in the wall. When his parents and Charity arrived, Blake stood, smiling and greeting everyone. “Welcome to our five-star restaurant. Take a seat. I know you’ll enjoy the food.”

His mother eyed Lana, her brows rising slightly in surprise when she noticed Blake’s companion. “Lantana, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s good to see you again. How are things going with the Kid’s First fund? I heard you had a very successful fundraiser a few weeks ago. My friend Cleo said it was amazing.” She might as well start off with a touch of compliment, and it helped that it was accurate.

“Thank you, I’m glad she liked it. We were very happy with the turnout and are pleased about everything we’re going to be able to do to help the children.” She stood by her seat while her son pulled it out and held it for her, then sat, picking up her napkin and placing it on her lap in an automatic gesture. “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. Blake didn’t mention he was bringing you.”

“I wasn’t sure if she could come. It’s been really hectic,” Blake explained, taking the seat beside Lana again. Charity was already seated between him and his mother, with his father on Juliette’s other side. “Lana is doing an incredible job as hotel manager.”

 Lana smiled politely, though she wondered if he thought that, or if it was just flattery to make his parents think well of her. “It’s a team effort, and I have a terrific staff helping me keep everything running smoothly.”

His father smiled and shook her hand, all charm and friendliness. “I know better. A good leader is necessary to make all of those parts come together, no matter how good they are individually.”

 “Thank you.” She was glad at least one of his parents seemed to approve of her. Whether he still felt that way when he knew more about their relationship was another issue. “And how are things going at your hotel in Savannah?”

Conversation shifted to business talk for a few minutes while the server brought drinks to the table and took their orders. Juliette and Charity listened with apparent attention, but didn’t join the conversation, leading Lana to guide the talk toward a subject of more general interest once the waitress had left.

Lana felt the Bahlmanns’ speculative glances when Blake touched her arm, glided his fingers over hers on the tabletop and otherwise showed in small ways that their relationship went beyond business. She felt her cheeks heat with discomfort, even while she enjoyed his attentions.

Once the waitress brought the appetizers, however, Juliette took control of the conversation. “So, how long have you been seeing each other? I’m sure working together here all summer must have given you a chance to get to know one another better.” Her lips curved into a smile, but her eyes were wary and a little angry.

Blake slid an arm along Lana’s shoulders, pulling her close and giving her a reassuring squeeze. “It certainly didn’t hurt, though I’ve had my eye on her since we first met. She’s beautiful, smart and organized and she makes me laugh. Who could blame me?”

His mother’s look said she could, but she didn’t say as much. “How nice for you. And Lantana, what do you plan to do with your life once your year’s imprisonment here comes to an end?”

Lana stopped herself from grinding her teeth—she’d dealt with worse and could handle this with grace as well. “Actually, I love it here and had planned to come long before I knew about my father’s will. It’s a terrific opportunity, managing a resort of this size and I’m learning something new every day.”

“So no plans to settle down and start a family? I know a lot of women your age,” this last was said with an edge in her voice, as if twenty-eight was practically ancient, “are career focused, but then their biological clocks start to tick and they realize it’s too late. What will you do when your clock starts ticking louder?”

Blake’s hand squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and Lana took a second to curb her tongue before replying. “I suppose I’ll deal with the issue of a family when the time comes. Life throws us surprises all the time, doesn’t it? How we deal with them defines who we are. You must have been a terrific mother if Blake is any indication. I’m sure you’re very proud of him.”

“Of course,” his father broke in. “He’s a great leader. A chip off the old block.”

Lana snuck a glance at Charity to see her reaction to the conversation, and received a poisonous glare from the woman. So the matchmaking hadn’t been only in his mother’s head. That made things interesting. In a bad, awkward way. She felt a streak of possessiveness run through her and thought, for half a second, about putting her rings back on and flashing them at the woman, then dismissed it. It was stupid to act like that when it was clear Blake wasn’t interested in Charity, and though Lana had agreed to join him for dinner and think about their relationship, she wasn’t ready to make that particular move.

Dinner was uncomfortable and awkward, but it eventually came to an end. Lana and Blake saw his parents to their rooms, then he walked her out to her car.

“I want to thank you for tonight,” he said as they stopped by her door. “You were wonderful, and they were… not so much.”

“Charity didn’t seem all that happy to have me there, either.”

“I don’t care what Charity thinks, I’m worried about you, our baby and my parents—in that order.” He cupped her coat-covered shoulders and leaned forward, sliding his mouth softly over hers. It was barely a caress, but she felt it all the way to her toes. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Yes. Though I think I’m glad of the conference call as an excuse to miss your family breakfast,” she teased.

“Get some sleep, babe.” He stepped back, his reluctance clear, and tucked his hands into his pockets.

“I will. Now get inside before you become a Popsicle.”

He wasn’t wearing a winter coat, but had followed her out in his suit jacket. As the temps were dipping into the low teens, he had to be freezing.

“Happily.”

Lana pressed her lips together, remembered the fleeting kiss as she drove home. The evening had been stressful, but she knew Blake was right—his parents were going to be a permanent part of her life, so she might as well find a way to get along with them. If only she could believe they would learned to be pleased about the truth.

“What, exactly, is going on between you and Lantana DiCarlo?”

When Blake had seen his mother in his office doorway, he’d been pleased that she was dropping in to see him. That had been before she shut the door and gave him a frosty look. He wanted to spell it out for her in living color, but he’d promised to give Lana a little more time to adjust before announcing it to the whole world.

That left him in a hell of a pickle. How did he satisfy his mom’s curiosity, tell her no lies and still put her off a little longer? Why had he told Lana he’d wait to tell the others about the baby? Worse yet, why had he continued to keep their marriage a secret—did he think it would all magically work out if he let her make all of the rules?

“It’s nice you have time to come down to speak with me, Mother. Please, have a seat.” He gestured to an overstuffed chair in one corner of his office and then took the one across from it. “Would you like some coffee or tea? I could order up refreshments as well. I do plan to take the afternoon and evening off, but needed to get a few things out of the way first.”

“Don’t avoid my questions,” she said as she sat primly on the edge of the chair. “You never mentioned that you were involved with that woman, and I want to know what’s going on. The whole story.” Her gaze was direct and no-nonsense. When Julliette Talmadge wanted answers, she got them.

Blake stood again and walked to the coffee pot to give himself a few extra seconds to think. “Lana and I got to know one another quite well when we were both working in Chicago. We became involved. Then we had a misunderstanding and separated. We’ve been using the time here in Colorado to try to work things out.” All true, even if it wasn’t the whole truth. He poured the coffee for his mother and brought it back to her. He poured a second cup for her

“So it’s not serious? You know you need to be with someone with the same social standing as yourself, and Lantana, while a
sweet
woman who is apparently very good at her job, is surrounded by
scandal
right now. Charity on the other hand—”

It took all of Blake’s self-control to keep his voice even while he doctored his mother’s cup with cream and sugar. “Charity and I have nothing in common. We’re not interested in the same things, have insipid conversations and I’m just not attracted to her, Mother. You need to stop pushing us together.”

“But her mother and I are such good friends and I know you’d come to love her.” Unfazed, Juliette accepted her cup and sipped from it, studying her son over the rim.

He hated disappointing his mother, but he had to put an end to it. “I already love Lana.” He set his cup on the desk and pushed toward the bigger revelation. “I’m
in love
with Lana. Compared to her, Charity doesn’t even tweak my interest.”

Juliette’s hands drifted down to her lap, though she kept the delicate china perfectly erect. Disbelief covered her face. “You can’t honestly plan to marry the girl.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell his mother that they were already married, but he held back. He’d promised.
Lana owes me big time for this.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but there’s nothing I’d love more than to be able to announce a marriage between us. I wouldn’t be surprised, if I were you, to hear such news before long.”

“Now you’re just being ridiculous. She’s nice looking, and has money, to be sure, but you’re bright and successful and could draw the eye of any number of wealthy young ladies, if you’d take a job somewhere more civilized than this place.” Distaste twisted her mouth when she glanced out the window overlooking the snow-gilded forest.

He thought that comment was ironic and even a little funny considering she was sitting in a five-star resort nice enough that royalty had plans to stay with them. But he couldn’t say that to his mother, both because of confidentiality clauses in the contract, and because his mother would take offense at his cheek.

Time to change the subject.
“Now, what kind of plans do you have in mind for the rest of the morning? Did you make that appointment at the spa?” Blake took the empty coffee cup from his mother and set it on the side table, reigning in his frustration as best as he could.

“You’re impossible. Fine, I’ll let you change the subject, but you haven’t heard the end of this.” She placed her hands primly onto her lap. “I have my spa appointment in half an hour. I’m getting the works. Don’t expect to see me before mid-afternoon, though your father looks forward to meeting you for lunch and spending the afternoon. He works so hard in his hotel, he needs the break.”

“I understand completely.” Thankfully, Juliette either ignored or missed the ironic twist in his voice.

“What did you tell her?” Lana asked, barging into Blake’s office shortly after his mother left.

He sighed and shifted away from the keyboard. “What did I tell who? My mother?” Juliette was the only
her
he’d spoken with that morning that Lana would have a reason to care about.

She shut the office door, blocking Gina from the conversation. “Yes. She gave me a cold glare when I passed her in the foyer a few minutes ago and made some comment about how hard I must have been working to get my claws into you.”

Blake rubbed his face. “I just said that we’d gotten involved last winter, split over a misunderstanding and were working through things. She tried to tell me how terrific Charity was and how I ought to get involved with her.” He lifted a hand to stop the snarl he saw forming on her lips, though it made him feel good to see a twinge or two of jealousy in her expression. “I said that I love you and wasn’t interested in anyone else.”