The Boyfriend List (12 page)

“We won’t be gone long, Ma.” Jenna kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk when I get back. But Nate’s right. We need to get away. I’d appreciate it if you kept this to yourself.”

She left her mother in the kitchen and when she had Nate alone in the hallway, she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

“What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”

“For standing up for me. No one ever has before.”

“I love you. You’re carrying my child, and one day you’ll be my wife. I will
always
have your back. Always.”

Running the pad of her thumb over his lips, Jenna smiled. “That’s what the kiss was for.”

He should be romantic.

—#6, Jenna’s Boyfriend List

Jenna awoke in a big, soft bed in a room decorated in varying shades of blue and cream. The windows were open, letting in a soft breeze that made the gauzy curtains look like angels’ wings floating in midair. Sitting up, she clutched the covers to herself, because even though they’d arrived in the middle of the night, exhausted, she and Nate had made love.

It seemed all he had to do was touch her to have her wanting him. Sometimes she worried it was all they had. They got along, and they genuinely cared about each other, but the real connection between them was being forged in bed. The sex was beyond good. It was magic.

She rose and stretched her arms over her head. The cool breeze licked at her skin, causing a little goose flesh to rise across her belly and her nipples to draw into tight buds. One thing she’d noticed over the past few days was that her body was hyper-aware. Her senses were more acute. Being touched brought the most amazing response.

Dropping her hand to her belly, Jenna pressed the flat of her palm against her womb. “I love you, baby. I promise to be a good mommy.”

She was startled for a split second when she felt Nate’s hands come from behind and covered hers, and Jenna leaned back into him. He was damp and warm and freshly showered. There was a towel wrapped around his waist, but she could still feel his erection pressing into her.

“You’re going to be an amazing mother. Our baby is very lucky.”

“I don’t want to mess it up. You heard my mother. I don’t think. I make bad decisions.”

“Jenna.” Nate turned her so they were facing each other. “Trust yourself. No one is perfect. Mistakes get made. We all do it. But we’re together in this and you have nothing to worry about. Now come on, I have to show you something.”

Walking her toward the French doors that led to a terrace, Nate grabbed a soft white throw from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her. Then, he threw open the curtains, revealing the most beautiful scene. Blooming flowers on the terrace, in a wash of pink, blue, yellow, and white, framed her view of the crystal-blue lake, the villages and the mountains beyond. It was like a dream and she was here with the most wonderful man, who loved her and was ready to be a father to their baby.

“Don’t be afraid.” He stood behind her, his arms wrapped protectively around her middle, and dropped such a sweet kiss on her shoulder, her knees almost buckled. “I’m not going to leave you, or hurt you.”

More than anything, she wanted to believe him, to trust him, and each time she’d let herself go, let herself fall more in love with him, Nate hadn’t disappointed her. He’d been there, loving her, without question. She glanced at him over her shoulder and couldn’t believe she was so lucky.

“What do you want to do today?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve never been here.”

“Well, we could go into town, do a little shopping, have something to eat. Whatever you want.”

“That all sounds so perfect.” She stepped onto the terrace and looked at the scene below. “I can’t believe we’re really here. That you arranged everything so quickly.”

“We have an appointment, but if you don’t want to go, we can skip it.”

“An appointment? With who?”

“A judge. If you’d like we can arrange to be married while we’re here.”

“Oh, Nate . . .”

“If we met with him today, we’d just talk it over. That’s it.” His eyes, his sweet smile, told her everything was going to be okay. But she still worried that he was feeling rushed. All he wanted to do was make her happy, but who was thinking about him?

“Okay. I just don’t want you to feel we have to do this.”

“I know. I wish you’d stop worrying about it.”

“I’m trying to think of you as much as you think about me.” Going up on her toes, she kissed him.

Holding her face gently in his hands, Nate pressed his lips to her forehead. Jenna had never felt so cherished. “If we do that, I think about you and you think about me, for the rest of our lives, we’re going to have a really good marriage.”

Jenna looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity and love there. She could trust this man. “Okay. Let’s go.”

***

Their meeting with the judge went well. He was a very kind old man named Antonio, who had a lovely home with a garden where he received those who wished to be married. He would make all the arrangements with the town hall in Como, where the wedding would take place, and have witnesses for them if they didn’t have anyone to call on.

Before they left for town, Jenna wandered outside into the expansive yard that fronted the lake. Filled with flowers and charm, it was one of the most beautiful places Jenna had ever seen. All she had to do was say the word and she would be getting married there in a couple of days.

It was a huge decision. Something life-changing. But even as she thought about the gravity of such a choice, it felt completely right.

“What do you think?” Nate asked as they walked down the cobbled streets in Bellagio, the beautiful village not too far from his grandparents’ home. The Promenade was a landscaped walk on the lakeshore and it was bustling on this beautiful day. Jenna had traveled some, and was not a stranger to Italy, but she’d never been to this stunningly beautiful northern province.

To answer Nate’s question, Jenna had been completely charmed by the elderly gentleman as he kissed her hand and spoke of
amore.

“He’s lovely. How did you manage it?”

“Manage what?”

Jenna smiled and squeezed Nate’s hand. “We arrived in the middle of the night. How did you set this up?”

“I’m very resourceful.”

“I can tell.”

Nate stopped walking and turned her to face him. “I’m also head over heels in love with you, Giovanna Albanese.”

“That’s good,” Jenna said. “Because I’m stupid in love with you, Nathaniel Bayard.”

And she was. More than she ever thought possible. Nate had mended her heart, a heart that was so broken, so cynical, she didn’t believe love like this was possible.

“Come here.” He led her to a stone bench surrounded by a rainbow of flowers, it was a gorgeous spot filled with people who were also enjoying the beautiful day. The lake spread out in front of her and Nate kept hold of her hand as he dropped to his knee.

There was a smattering of cheers and a bit of applause as the crowd gathered around them, ready to see two people in love promise their lives to each other. Jenna didn’t even try to hold back the tears that spilled out of her eyes as she looked at the man who was making her so very happy.

“Jenna. My beautiful Jenna. I think I’ve loved you since the minute I saw your eyes smile. You’re brave, smart, kind, and passionate. With you, I see everything my life could be. I love you.”

Jenna’s hand went to her mouth to muffle the happy cries that threatened to escape. This was really happening. Looking into Nate’s sparkling eyes, which were filled with emotion, promise, and love just for her, she reached out and stroked his face. “Marry me, Jenna. I vow to spend every day of my life making you happy.”

Again there was a smattering of cheers, but Jenna kept her eyes focused on the man she loved. The man who’d brought her heart back to life. “Yes,” she whispered and kissed his gorgeous, full mouth. “Yes, I will marry you.”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a red box that elicited oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Women were dabbing their eyes and men were openly impressed.

Jenna was sure that she let out an audible gasp when he flipped open the top of the box and revealed a large cushion-cut diamond, surrounded by more diamonds and set in a diamond-encrusted band.

It was spectacular, but in truth, he could have put anything on her finger if it meant they were going to be together. Closing her eyes as he slipped the ring on her left hand, Jenna touched her forehead to his, letting her fingers gently caress his face. She kissed him and kissed him again as the crowd cheered. Jenna felt like her life couldn’t be any more perfect.

“Should we call Judge Tony?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

When his lips brushed hers, again sealing their promise, any last parts of her heart that she’d been holding back broke open and took him in. He touched her in so many ways, mentally, emotionally, and physically—Jenna had no idea she could feel so much. That she could feel so happy.

Jenna felt cared for, cherished. She felt loved. Not manipulated or used, like she had in her relationship with Royce. Nate loved her.

He was smart, sure, and kind, and for the first time in her life, she had no doubts. Jenna loved him with her whole heart.

***

There were so many things Nate wanted to do, but more than anything he wanted to shout from the rooftops that he’d married the woman of his dreams, the woman who made everything right, who made him see his future exactly how it should be.

Their plane was approaching the airport in New York. They’d spent five perfect days in Italy, exploring small towns, planning for their future, and making love. His wife was curled against him, asleep, her long dark hair pulled away from her face. He wished they could have stayed there longer and he could have protected her from what they were about to face. Jenna didn’t know, but he’d heard from pretty much everyone that the information about the pregnancy had slipped out. He wasn’t exactly sure how, but he knew no one was happy about it. His parents didn’t understand, her parents were heartbroken, and their friends were angry and confused. Nate shouldn’t care, neither should Jenna, but everyone who was important to them was looking for answers, and they were going to have to provide them somehow.

He was almost thirty-five years old and she was twenty-nine, but no one seemed to trust that they knew their own minds. And it pissed him off.

The sun was just coming up on the East Coast. They’d go home, get some sleep, and then head out to the Hamptons farm for the big barbecue his parents were hosting the next day. There would be a lot of Reliance people, friends, family . . . it should be nothing but a good time, a celebration with their friends and family, really, but Nate had a feeling it was going to be an inquisition.

“Jenna.” He kissed the top of her head. “We’re going to be landing soon.”

She snuggled in and moaned. “Couldn’t you tell the pilot to turn around? I don’t want to go home.”

He smiled. “I wish, but we have to face the fallout at some point.”

“Fallout? What fallout? We’re both adults. We can support ourselves. It’s not like we’re a couple of teenagers who got knocked up. Why is this everyone’s business?”

“I’m not sure, but there are a lot of people wondering what the hell is going on.”

“Let them wonder,” she snarled. “If they don’t watch what they say, I’m going to tell them all to fuck off and then you and I can go back to Italy and have our baby there.”

Nate had to smile. Pregnant, tired, and hormonal Jenna was not going to take anyone’s shit. This could be very entertaining.

But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t hurt. Some of the strongest messages he’d gotten had been from Owen. His friend had been dealing with his own issues since his return from his last tour and the injury that changed his life. He was more driven, less forgiving. He wasn’t violent or abusive, but he was harder. And he was asking questions about Nate’s relationship with Jenna that no one would have dared asked him when he got involved with Kim.

That would wound Jenna deep. Owen was married to his wife’s best friend, and truthfully, he didn’t know what Kim was going to do.

They readied for landing, and once the plane touched down at JFK, it started taxiing to the private terminal, where they would clear customs before they disembarked. Jenna reached in her bag and turned on her phone. The pings started and kept going. “Holy shit,” she whispered. Her face was frozen in disgust and sadness. “Why can’t they just be happy for me?”

Nate took her phone. One hundred and eight text messages. Fifteen voice mails. Holy shit was right. “I’m sure they’re just worried.”

“They’re worried they won’t be able to control my life. They think I’m impulsive and act without thinking. You heard my mother. God, this is such bullshit.”

She shoved the phone back in her bag and headed toward the restroom. This was what he was worried about. The texts and voice mails weren’t congratulations. More than likely, Jenna was being scolded, questioned, and reprimanded.

Nate promised himself right then and there he would run interference if he had to; he’d stand up for her. He’d make it stop.

She did not deserve this.

***

Jenna considered staying locked in the airplane lavatory indefinitely. Since when did her life become everyone’s business? Over a hundred texts? She didn’t even see who sent them, but she could guess. Her sister Tina, Kim, Joey, her mother and father, to name a few. She did notice a couple from her younger sister, Francesca, and those she’d probably answer. Chessie was just twenty, she’d lost her big brother, and chances were she was confused. Her family was going crazy.

Jenna opened the first text from her mother. It was all in caps, never a good sign. She wrote the thing without any spaces. Something about
LYINGANDSHAMINGTHEFAMILY
. Christina just asked over and over if she’d gone crazy.

But for the first time in a long time, Jenna didn’t feel crazy. Or lost. Or like she’d done something that could wreck her life. Or that she’d embarrassed her family. No. For the first time in a very long time, she felt like she was doing something right.

Seeing a small travel-size bottle of mouthwash, she took advantage and rinsed out her mouth. The mindless activity helped her think. She was so mad. Why couldn’t people just worry about their own lives? She’d married a great guy. One who loved her. Wasn’t that a good thing?

Stepping back into the cabin, Jenna didn’t know how to answer the messages. How did she defend her happiness? And why weren’t the people closest to her letting her enjoy it?

Nate wrapped her in his arms, and without a word gave her more support than people she’d known her whole life. When she finally picked up her bag and checked her phone again, there were ten new texts. The most recent one was from Kim.