Return of the Secret Heir (14 page)

The hospital room door burst open and JT strode through—tall, solid and everything she'd ever wanted. She blinked. “JT,” she said, looking back to him on the screen. “But—”

Macy and April discreetly left the room. “I only just got the messages,” he said as he reached her bed and grasped her hand. His hair wasn't as neat as the screen JT's, as if he'd been ploughing fingers through it, and his eyes were surrounded by tension lines. “What happened? Did you faint?”

“Cramps,” she said, unable to prevent her voice from wavering. She looked down at her trembling hand as it rested on her belly.
Come on, little one, you can make it.

JT placed a large, warm palm over her hand. “Have you seen a doctor?”

She nodded. “I haven't heard any results, though.
Dr. Crosby is on her way.” His voice coming from the television drew her eyes back. “How—”

“It was taped an hour ago.” His jaw clenched, then released. Clenched, then released. “I had my cell turned off for the interview and I'll never forgive myself,” he said, his mouth twisting with self-recrimination.

He was beating himself up over doing something he hated for her?
Pia Baxter deserves recognition.
When she'd been searching for him, wanting him here, he'd been out trying to help her career. Everything inside her softened, and she cupped his cheek. “You didn't need to do it.”

“My claim on a dead man's money has cost you too much.” His voice was a rasp, his eyes tormented.

“It wasn't your fault I was fired, JT,” she said, meaning every word. “
I
made those choices.”

His eyes flicked to the television, where the reporter was asking a question—a grimace passed across his features and was gone in less than an instant. Then he turned back to her, expression solemn.

“I had to try and salvage your reputation. And it worked.” He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. “I took four calls with job offers for you on the drive over here.”

“Thank you, but—”

“We're a team now,” he said, silencing her with a finger on her lips. “And no matter what happens today, even if it's the worst—” his voice broke on the word, and he swallowed before continuing “—this time we'll stick together. We'll get through it. Together.”

She squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that threatened and tried to close her heart as well before she read too much into his words.

“No promises, JT,” she whispered.

“
Yes,
princess, I'm making promises.” His eyes were
solemn, intent on hers. “I love you and I won't let you go again.”

The tears breached her defenses and spilled down her cheeks. These were the words her heart wanted so desperately to hear, but were they real? He thought he was losing another baby and was desperately trying to hold on. Yet now that she'd heard them, if it
was
merely his fears talking, her heart would break into a thousand pieces.

Dr. Crosby walked in through the doors, her features as unruffled as ever. “Hello, Pia. JT.”

As JT tightened his grip on her hand, Pia said shakily, “Thank you for coming in.”

“No trouble,” Dr. Crosby said as she sank her hands into the pockets of her white coat. “I've reviewed the scans and I've spoken to the doctor who saw you when you were admitted.” She smiled kindly. “We agree that the placenta is intact and your baby seems fine.”

Pia shuddered as a mammoth weight on her shoulders dissolved. Her free hand curved around the small bump of her belly, caressing.
You'll be fine, little one.

“But what about the cramps?” JT asked, pinning the doctor with his gaze. Pia stilled her hand as she looked back to the doctor.

“I can see why they would cause you concern with your history, but they were likely Braxton-Hicks, practice contractions, if you like. With the excellent care you're taking of yourself, there's every reason to believe this baby will go to term.”

“Thank you,” Pia whispered.

Dr. Crosby rocked forward on the balls of her feet, a twinkle in her eye. “There was extra information in the scan—would you like to know the sex of your baby?”

Pia's breath caught as she looked up at JT, who raised his eyebrows, leaving the decision to her. Her heart
swelled—she wanted to know everything there was to know about their baby. She turned back to the doctor and grinned. “Yes, please.”

“You're having a boy.” As Dr. Cosby left the room, Pia looked down at her belly in stunned wonder.
My son.
Tears filled her eyes.
I love you, little boy.

JT climbed onto the bed and held her close against him. “A son. We're having a son,” he murmured. “Everything will be okay.” His hand stroked up and down her arm, comforting.

She glanced up into JT's eyes and her mood abruptly swept down. Her son was safe, but JT… Her chest constricted, as if falling in on itself.
She might never have the only man she'd ever loved.
And now that she'd recognized that this
was
love, how could she bear to not have him? Pain exploded behind her breastbone and she edged away on the narrow bed.

“I won't hold you to what you said before,” she said quietly.

His forehead creased into a frown. “About not letting you go again? I meant that.”

“I know you meant it—” she moistened her dry lips “—but it was a natural reaction, just your fear speaking. Everything's fine with the baby, so we can go back to the way we were.” She would
never
keep him to words he'd spoken in desperation.

JT lifted himself up on an elbow. His gaze met hers as his Adam's apple bobbed down, then up.

“Pia, I'll be brutally honest,” he said, eyes clear and unguarded. “You broke my heart fourteen years ago, but I now know why you had to—you were so young, barely more than a child, and you were grieving. You had to do it for your own survival.” His voice was smooth, tender,
containing no judgment. But regret for how she'd handled things over the years rose in her.

“I wish I could—”

Softly, he kissed away the rest of her words, then drew back, smiling crookedly at her. “And for
my
survival, I had to smother my love. It never faltered, even for a
second,
but I couldn't risk the pain, so I hid it. Including from myself. Even recently, spending time together again, I told myself I couldn't open my heart to you or the baby, that I'd be crushed if you left or something happened to our child.”

“Life doesn't have any guarantees, JT,” she said softly. A tear slipped down her cheek. Why had it always been so impossible for them? He still loved her, he admitted it, but he would never open his heart fully again and that would kill any love they had, any relationship they formed.

Vibrant green eyes sparkled at her through dark lashes. “Tell me, what do you think of the name Thomas?”

Everything inside her stilled as she understood his meaning—he was
planning ahead
. “You're willing to choose a name?” she asked, breathless.

Gently, he smoothed a wisp of hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead. “I've discovered something—the greatest things in life need the greatest risk. And I'm prepared to risk everything for you and our son. I love you both.”

Happiness washed over her in waves too large to withstand—her heart was filled to bursting point, her body wracked with trembling joy. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she clung to him and surrendered to the majesty of the moment.

“I love you, too,” she finally said through the tears that clogged her throat. She looked up and met his gaze. “More than I ever have before. More than I thought was possible.”

He pulled her into a fierce embrace, and as she laid her
head against his chest, she felt all the air leave his lungs in one long breath.
He'd been nervous,
she realized and held back a fresh round of tears.

She pulled back and held his face between both her hands. “JT, I promise I'll never shut you out again,” she vowed.

He kissed her lightly on the lips, then smiled his crooked smile. “And I promise I'll never give up on us.”

P
ia stood in the foyer of the Lighthouse Hotel, surrounded by her two sisters, April Fairchild—now a good friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law—and Theresa Hartley. Their love swirled around her as richly as her cream wedding gown. She bent down to kiss the top of her baby boy's head. Thomas's strawberry blond hair was cool and silky under her lips.

“You be good for Nana,” she told the eight-month-old.

Theresa hugged the baby tight and smiled at Pia with tears in her eyes. “He's always a good boy for me, aren't you, Tommy?”

Pia's sisters gave Thomas a quick kiss as well before Pia waved goodbye and Theresa Hartley left with the baby to take her seat outside under the marquee. Seth and April's hotel had closed to the public this weekend for the family event, so the only people onsite were family, friends and the staff preparing for the reception in the ballroom.

April stepped forward, looking every inch the superstar, with her caramel-and-honey hair styled and glossy, her matching caramel eyes bright. “I think I'd better go and take my place now, too. Are you sure there's nothing you want before I go?”

“No, I'll be fine.” Pia said, squeezing April's hand. “My sisters are here and Macy will be back in a moment.”

April kissed Pia's cheek. “You look beautiful. JT will be knocked out when he sees you.”

Pia smiled, still not quite believing she was acquiring such a large and wonderful new family through this marriage.

As April left, she passed Macy coming the other way, and they paused for a brief hug. Macy grasped Pia's hand when she reached her.

“Every time I see you in that dress, I'm impressed all over again that you made it yourself.” Macy looked down at her own dress and across at Pia's sisters. “Or these dresses. They're stunning.”

The dresses had turned out even better than Pia had imagined. She'd wanted the three bridesmaids and April in blues and greens to harmonize with the sky, trees and ocean around the hotel, and had made a light, almost transparent overlay that would move with the sea breeze. Every stitch was from her own hand, and had allowed for lots of bonding time with her new sisters-in-law during fittings, which was a better outcome than the dresses themselves. And they'd discussed her ideas for a little store that sold Pia Baxter originals—with Macy's business brain and April's contacts, it was off to a great start.

Macy exchanged greetings with Pia's sisters, then turned back to Pia. “I've settled Georgia down with Ryder's mother. She's sitting with Theresa, so the babies can see each other.” She looked pensively toward the doorway.
“You were right, you know. Those babies are healing the harsh feelings.”

Pia's heart filled with even more joy. “I'm so glad.” It helped that Ryder's mother had never heard of Theresa until the past year, so had no built-up animosity. She'd even told Pia she felt bad for what Theresa had gone through at her husband's hand, and they now had a tentative friendship. Pia had invited them all today—every member of her new, unconventional family, and they'd all accepted.

“It might take a bit longer for Seth's and Ryder's mothers to settle their differences,” Macy said, “but they've come a long way already to both be at this ceremony.”

Pia's eldest sister popped her head out the door in the direction of the marquee. “They're getting April ready. I think it's almost our cue.”

“Nervous?” Macy asked.

“Yes,” Pia said, holding up her trembling hand. “I don't know why, though, I can barely wait to marry that man.”

“I was nervous when I married Ryder, too.” A faraway expression drifted across Macy's face—she was obviously remembering that day. “I think it's just because we want everything to go perfectly, and the excitement.”

The string quartet started to play, then April's voice floated on the air in a sweet melody. Pia's sisters gave her a quick hug, then walked out the door, bouquets at chest height, and proceeded toward the marquee. Heart racing, Pia watched them go and clutched tighter to her own posy of bright purple blooms.

Macy tossed her a broad smile, then followed the other women out the door.

“I thought they'd never leave.” The deep voice that came from the shadows made her shiver.

“I wondered when you would show up,” she said as she
turned to the man she loved with all her heart. “You're cutting it close.”

He grinned his crooked grin as he slipped an arm around her waist. “Somehow I don't think they'll start without us.”

They'd decided to walk up the aisle together, starting their marriage side by side, just as they intended to live it, but seeing him standing in front of her in his three-piece suit, she wondered at the wisdom of their choice—she just wanted to melt into him, not walk outside.

She took a deep breath, hoping it would restore sanity. “Maybe not, but April is out there singing the song she wrote for us,” she said, her heart skipping a beat as he leaned in, his breath warm on her face.

“And we don't want to deprive the audience from hearing it in its entirety.” He feathered a kiss across her lips.

Sanity fled. “You make a good point.” She pulled him close, her breathing ragged. “But we also don't want to mess up my lipstick just before our own wedding.”

“You can fix it for the photos,” he murmured, a breath away from her lips.

Pia looked into his beautiful, vibrant green eyes and examined her choices—to walk up the aisle with lipstick on her lips, or with the taste of JT on them. Not a hard decision when put like that. She twined her arms around his neck and captured his mouth. But before the kiss could become heated, the sound of someone clearing their throat brought her back to her senses. She dragged her mouth away from JT's and looked up to find the hotel's manager, Oscar, delicately staring down at his shoes.

“Now might be a good time,” Oscar said, diplomatically. “Before April runs out of words to sing.”

Pia laughed as she wiped her thumb over JT's sensual lips, removing any trace of her pink lipstick.

“Thank you, Oscar,” JT said, then turned to Pia. “Shall we?”

“Love to,” she said, and they walked to the door and out over the grass, hands firmly grasped together.

The snowy white marquee was bursting with people on white chairs with bows at the back. Her mother and father watched her from the front row, much happier that she was marrying a wealthy property developer than they'd ever been about her relationship with a teenage boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Any final resistance had melted when they first held Thomas. Beside her parents were her sisters' husbands, who were surrounded by their children. Pia smiled at them, then blew a kiss to Thomas, snug in Theresa's arms, who waved his fists in the air when he caught sight of his parents.

“As gorgeous as his mother,” JT whispered as he threw their son a broad smile.

Up ahead, at the end of the aisle, Pia's sisters and Macy were on one side, and Ryder, Seth and JT's attorney, Philip Hendricks, on the other. In the year since she'd called JT's half brothers to that meeting, a slow-growing bond had been developing between the three men. They weren't yet golfing buddies, but they could hold a conversation and share a joke. She—along with April and Macy—had high hopes for what the future would bring the brothers.

JT paused and turned her to him. “I just want you to know,” he said, the love in his eyes unmasked, “I love you, princess. I've always loved you.” He pulled her hands to cover his chest. “You're my heart.”

She pressed her lips together in an attempt to stem the tears that threatened, but one slipped out and JT brushed it from her cheek. Then she gave up fighting an unwinnable
war and let the others follow the path of the first. “I love you, too, JT Hartley. And I know with everything inside me, this love will keep growing forever.”

Then in front of their friends and family, before they'd even made it to the top of the aisle, JT hauled her against him and kissed his bride.