Back to the Top (Ross Records) (3) (28 page)

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the minister declared in a jovial voice. “You may kiss your bride.”

Jake swept me into his arms and kissed me with such tender love that I forgot we had an audience. The small crowd broke into applause as they rushed forward to congratulate us. Once we signed our marriage license, Mrs. Gonzalez ushered us to an elaborate feast where we were the guests of honor. We gorged on spectacular food while a mariachi band played and people danced. Although I missed having my family and friends around to celebrate with us, it was a wonderful, happy atmosphere that I nearly regretted leaving. But one look in Jake’s eyes convinced me that it was time for the celebration to end and our marriage to begin.

I took my husband’s hand and allowed him to lead me to our room.

Twenty-Two

We boarded the plane late the next morning, both tired but happy. The smile on my face hadn’t faded since I’d made my vow to Jake the previous evening.

“So, Mrs. Johnson,” Jake said with a wink, “what do you want to do when we get home?”

I snuggled into his arm, my heart still trilling whenever he called me by my married name. “More of what we did last night.”

Chuckling, he kissed the top of my head. “I think we can arrange that.”

Sighing, I closed my eyes, content for the first time in a long time. Once we got home, I intended to plunge into the fundraiser planning in hopes of getting the new Children’s Center back on its feet. But for the time being, I was happy just being close to Jake.

“You know,” he said, easing our first class seats back, “that you can stop calling the house my house. It’s yours now, too.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” I said, growing drowsy.

“And you can change anything you want. If you want new furniture or curtains or any of that kind of thing, go right ahead.”

“Okay,” I said. “But it’s fine for now. Greta did a good job decorating.”

“She did,” he said. “But I’d like it if you put your personality on our home. Greta won’t be offended or anything.”

I knew what he was doing – giving me a new project once the Children’s Center fundraiser was finished. I appreciated it even though I didn’t want him to feel as if he had to keep me amused.

We landed a few hours later and made our way home. Weary, I was eager to get home to rest. I’d have to call my parents and Seth to tell them the news. I’d also need to call Cammy and Annie. And Jenny. So many people to tell.

Sighing, I leaned back in the seat.

“What’s wrong, angel?” Jake asked.

“Just thinking of all the people I’ll have to call,” I said. “I’d like to let them know before the tabloids get hold of the information.”

He laughed, taking my hand and lifting it to his lips. “It doesn’t have to be done as soon as we get home.”

“No,” I said, turning my head to smile at him. “But I’d like to at least let my parents know.”

“Of course,” he said. “We’ll call them when we get home and then chill out for awhile.”

He pulled through the gates and parked near the pole barn. I got out of the car, tired, and helped him gather our bags. He unlocked the door and moved aside to allow me to enter first.

“SURPRISE!”

Startled, I stood in the doorway, hand to heart, as everyone I loved clapped and cheered.

“Surprised, angel?” Jake asked as he brushed past me to set the bags down near the door.

“Yes,” I said, grinning at the banner hanging in the living room, congratulating Jake and I. “Did you plan this?”

“No,” he said. “I asked Nick to get in touch with Greta and the two of them did it.”

My parents rushed forward, hugging me and Jake. Next came Seth and Caroline, little Maggie clinging to her mother’s neck.

I became lost in a sea of people, all eager to congratulate me; Ronnie and Carly, Matt and Greta, Nick, Cammy, Jenny and Kevin, Doc, Rob and his wife Sidney, several people from Ross Records. But the real surprise was when Annie appeared in the crowd, her husband, Zach, in tow.

I hugged Annie hard.

“I’m so happy for you, Bella,” Annie said, kissing my cheek before crushing Jake in a hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Thank you for coming,” I said as Cammy joined us. “It’s been far too long since the three of us have been together.”

The party moved to the deck where Greta had decorated with white and purple streamers, vases of flowers, and flickering candles floating in the pond. The kitchen was loaded with trays and trays of food and the refrigerator filled with drinks.

From somewhere on the deck, music began, filling the festive air with lively sound. People began to dance, celebrating our union in a way I could have only dreamed of. I waded through the crowd until I located Greta retrieving a bottle of water from the fridge.

“I can’t thank you enough for this,” I said as I hugged her again.

“You don’t need to thank me,” she said, holding my hand. “I’m just so happy that you two are finally married. And, I think my dad would have been just as happy, too.”

I hugged her again, my heart full of love and emotion.

“I never gave up on the idea of you and Jake,” she whispered in my ear. “And look what happened.”

“I know.”

“And now you’re my sister.”

We laughed as I grabbed a bottle of water and we toasted.

“Come on. Let’s go party,” Greta said.

The party dragged on until the early morning hours before it finally broke up. Nick pulled us aside to say that he was crashing with Matt and Greta for a few days.

“You don’t have to do that,” I said.

“No, trust me, I want to,” he said, giving me a wink. “Besides, I have a couple appointments to look at some houses. It’s time I found a place of my own.”

I didn’t object – his primary reason for moving in with Jake had been to give him support after rehab.

“You don’t have to hurry,” I said. “I don’t mind having you around.”

“I know,” he said, chucking me under the chin. “But it’s time that I had my own place again. I’m all grown up now, you know.”

Laughing, he gave me another quick hug before leaving with the rest of the guests.

“Thanks for that, Jake,” I said as he shut and locked the door. “I’m so glad we were able to celebrate with everyone.”

“Me, too,” he said. “Now, let’s get upstairs and finish the celebration.”

“I’ll race you,” I said as I charged up the stairs.

***

A few days later, I sat at the kitchen table, going over a list of things that I’d made to do for the fundraiser. I’d met with the girls before Jake and I had married and we’d divvied up lists for each of us to accomplish. My list consisted of calling businesses near the Center, asking for help. So far, I’d gotten quite a few donations as well as volunteers to help at the fun fair.

Jake and Ronnie were working with the security company to make sure that Brad didn’t slip through to somehow sabotage everything while Jenny was contacting local contractors, asking for donations of time, work, and materials to get the new building up to par. Things were falling into place.

Jake and I had talked several times about a honeymoon but decided to put it off until after the fundraiser. He didn’t want to wait too long, though, as he feared I’d become more uncomfortable as my pregnancy progressed. I wasn’t too worried about it as things seemed to be running smoothly in that department. I’d visited Greta’s OB and was given a clean bill of health. Unlike Greta, I hadn’t suffered too much morning sickness, nor had I had any more bouts of dizziness.

I sat at the kitchen table, thinking about the donations I’d received so far and what I could use them for when Nick ambled into the room, his face screwed up in thought.

“Hey, Nick,” I said. “Welcome home.”

“Huh?” he said as he opened the fridge and glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, hey Iz. What are you doing?”

“Just going over stuff for the fundraiser,” I said. “Something wrong?”

He grabbed a bottle of juice and a glass before sitting at the table. “Jake around?”

“He’s on the deck talking to Rob on his cell,” I said. “He’ll be back inside in a second.”

Nick nodded as he poured a glass of juice and nearly drained it in one drink. I watched him, brow furrowed, straining to figure out a way to get out of him what was on his mind. Just as I opened my mouth to ask, Jake strolled into the room.

“Nick, dude, what’s up?” Jake asked, dropping into the chair beside me. “You look like ass.”

“Thanks, man,” Nick said with a half-hearted smile. He ran his hands through his hair while sighing, leaning back in his chair. He stared at the ceiling, releasing long breaths.

“Nick,” Jake said, suddenly serious. “What the hell is going on?”

He dropped his chin to his chest, eyes closed. “I went to see Andrea.”

Jake cursed loudly, causing me to shoot him a warning look as I reached across the table to grab Nick’s hand.

“What did she want, man?” Jake asked. “More money?”

Nick shook his head as he turned his hand over, twining his fingers with mine. “No, not really. I mean, I finally figured out why she was hiding from me.”

“Why?” I asked, my voice a whisper.

“Because,” he said, lifting his head, a queer grin on his face. “Because she has a kid.”

“What?” Jake roared, making both Nick and I jump. “What is going on?”

Nick released my hand to stand up and pace, fingers raking his hair. “She got pregnant right at the end of the marriage. She didn’t know when we split. We did a quickie divorce and if she knew then, she didn’t tell me. She’s been trying to tell me for months but couldn’t do it. Finally, her friend convinced her to just have me come over and meet Jase.”

“Jase?” I asked.

Nick paused to give me a lopsided grin. “Yeah. Nicholas Jason Collins. She calls him Jase.”

“It’s a boy, huh?” I smiled.

Nick nodded but Jake was not convinced.

“Are you sure it’s yours?” Jake asked, getting to his feet to stand in front of Nick. “Maybe she’s using this kid to get more money out of you.”

“I thought of that,” Nick admitted. “We went to the doctor yesterday and did a DNA test. They put a rush on it and we should find out soon.”

“Shit,” Jake said as he placed a hand on Nick’s shoulder. “You cool with this?”

Nick stared at Jake for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, I am. I mean, if he’s mine, then yeah. I want him. I want to be part of his life.”

“What did she say about that?” I asked.

“She said that I could see him if I wanted to,” he answered. “She said we’d work out a custody thing.”

“And what about support?” Jake asked.

“I met with my attorney this morning,” Nick said. “If the test says he’s mine, then we’ll work out a child support amount. If he’s mine, then I want to make sure he’s taken care of.”

“Absolutely,” Jake said, pulling Nick into a hug. “Dude, you need anything, you let me know. Okay?”

“Yeah, thanks man,” he said. “I’m going to go crash in my room for a bit. I’m tired. But later, maybe the three of us can cook some grub on the grill.”

“Sure,” Jake said. “No problem.”

Jake watched as Nick left the room, presumably to take a nap. He turned to me, worry etched on his face. “I hope that it’s really his and that bitch isn’t toying with him.”

I nodded, hoping the same exact thing.

***

Nick found a house a week later and began the process of purchasing it. With all the inspections and paperwork, it seemed to keep his mind off of the pending DNA results.

A date was finally set for the fun fair and concert to benefit the Children’s Center. I had three weeks to get everything done. It was an ambitious plan, one that worried Jake, but I was determined to make the deadline. It helped that I had a small army working with me and no sign of Brad anywhere.

A week before the fundraiser, Nick stormed into the house, wide grin on his face. Jake and I were in the living room, plans and receipts strewn all about, as Nick waved a piece of paper in his hands.

“He’s mine. I’m a dad,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “Jase is mine.”

“Congratulations,” I said as I leapt to my feet to hug him. “Wow.”

“Cool, dude,” Jake said, wrapping Nick into a man hug. “Do you know what this means?”

“No, what?” Nick said, still smiling as he stood between us.

“That all four of us have to grow up now,” he said. “Ronnie has a kid, you have a kid, Matt has one on the way and so do I.”

“Oh, Lord,” I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples.

“Yep,” Jake said, laughing. “A new band for a new generation.”

“Think about it,” Nick said, eyes wide. “They’ll all be about the same age. Man, if we start teaching them young…”

“Hey, can they at least start eating solid food first?” I asked.

Jake just grinned. “It’s just really cool, Iz. I mean, Me, Nick, Ronnie, and Matt practically grew up together. I mean, Nick and I have known each other since Kindergarten. We met Ronnie in middle school and Matt in high school. Now our kids are going to grow up together.”