Chapter 14
She planned it carefully. Kyle had surprised her by planning a five-day trip, where they took in the spectacular sights in Norway and Sweden, places she had never been before. They had ended up in Scotland and Wales.
Now they were back. She still had not heard from her brother, but Andre had called and told her he was still shut down. She was just going to allow him to have his space.
When he gets out of his funk, she would slam him with the news that he was going to be an uncle. Surely that should lean heavily into him forgiving her.
She had argued and won the battle with Kyle who had insisted that she slow down at the office. She had a community to build and had already taken several days from the project, enough was enough.
He had warned her that if there was anything the slightest bit amiss, they were getting into it.
But now, she was doing something he would not approve of. She had invited his sister for lunch, somewhere they would not be bothered by the pesky reporters.
"Darlin'," Cherry Blossom (her real name!) gushed as she drifted over and embraced her. The woman was as willowy as a wand and one of a kind.
Today, her thick afro was colored red, with slashes of green through the black. Her dark brown eyes were heavily kohled and her lips were an eyepopping red. Her restaurant, "Cherry's Blossom" was an eclectic blend of foods from the Caribbean and Africa.
Cherry had become a friend when Ingrid fought the redevelopment of the area where she has her restaurant.
"Look at you." She purred, stroking fingers over Ingrid's cheek. "Please tell me that gorgeous man is treating you right. If not, you can always take me up on my offer to become my lover." She winked, long false lashes fluttering.
"I've testimony from several people that says I'm an excellent lover." Her braying laughter had Ingrid grinning.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass. He's treating me like a queen."
"Bitch." Sliding her hand through Ingrid's arm, she wove her way through chairs and tables until they were climbing the steps to a booth that offered privacy.
"Curry chicken and white rice is the special today. We're featuring Jamaica today. And our sorrel is to die for. Lots of rum--" She stopped when Ingrid shook her head.
"No alcohol for me."
The woman's eyes widened, and her smile spread. "Oh honey. You have a bun in the oven."
"Shh. We're not telling people yet."
Cherry mimed zipping her lips. "Ah, here comes the ice princess."
"Cherry."
"I promise to be on my best behavior." She drifted away as Jessica came forward.
The sneer on her face was evident as she took her seat. "Is the food any good?"
Tamping down the irritation and reminding herself that she was here to mend fences, Ingrid smiled. "The best. Hope you like spicy."
Jessica flicked a wrist vaguely.
They were served water and corn chips that were so crispy and delicious, Ingrid found herself gorging. "God, I probably won't do justice to the meal."
"Should you be eating that much?" Jessica had barely taken two pieces.
Ingrid's brows lifted. "Why? Because I'm not a size six?"
The woman had the grace to blush, the color giving her pale skin a glow.
"I didn't mean--"
"Yes, you did." Picking up her glass, Ingrid took a sip. She waited until the waiter brought their food and gave her a flirtatious smile.
"I went to school with girls like you." She gestured to the steaming meal. The curried chicken nestled on a dazzling bed of white rice and a curl of red pepper on the top as garnish.
"Dig in. Like I was saying, I went to school with girls like you. Bitches who were insecure enough to be afraid of girls like me. They did not like different and I was different, always have been." She dug in and felt the spice passing down her throat.
"I dealt with them and now--" She shrugged. "I can honestly tell you that the person I am, what I look like, does not bother me. I'm beautiful the way I am, and I have a husband who adores me." Her dimples peeked.
"But I'm also human enough to post some pics on Facebook. Especially the ones where we were touring Europe. I bet it just burned their collective asses." She waved her fork.
"Anyway, that's not important." She studied Jessica's pale face, the unhappiness so deeply etched, it created lines. "You don't deserve to be unhappy. It's not your fault you cannot have children and that lousy husband of yours made your life a living hell."
"What do you know?" The color rose up again, eyes flashing. "I've seen the way my brother looks at you--" Picking up her glass, she gulped water.
Her eyes were burning. "I have to spend every day of my life, knowing that I cannot bear a child. That my husband cheated on me over and over again." She blinked fiercely.
"And now he's gone."
"Happy riddance to extremely bad rubbish." Ingrid met the stormy gaze squarely. "I'm not going to apologize for being honest. He's not worthy of you. You're beautiful and intelligent.
You sit in the background and allow your grandfather to control your life. He chose that piece of crap for you. Yes, he pushed me and Kyle together and for that I owe the interfering bastard a kiss or two.
If you want a child, adopt one. There are millions out there who would love a home. And you need to start dating or not. My point is you have your whole life ahead of you.
You're not a victim. Get up, dust yourself off and show that piece of crap that you're a survivor. Before your brother, I wasn't interested in a relationship.
I'd had it with men who either treated me like a novelty or were intimidated by who I am and what I represented." She eyed the pastel wool suit the woman was wearing critically.
"What you need is a makeover and I know just the person. You have gorgeous hair and skin, pinning your hair back into a bun makes you look like a librarian."
Jessica's hand flew to the neat chignon at the back of her neck.
"I like my hair like this."
"No, you don't. Finish eating and let's get started."
She resisted at first and when Marco approached wearing his flamboyant red and gold cape and wielding a pair of scissors, she balked at first. But now she was staring at herself in the mirror in amazement.
Her thick blonde hair had platinum streaks and tumbled around her shoulders in artless and carefully tousled waves. Marco also did her makeup and her eyes glowed like sapphires beneath long lashes.
"My God." She whispered. "I haven't looked this good since, ever." She whispered. "Not even in high school." She looked at Marco with glowing eyes.
"Thank you."
"You already did Cherie." He told her with a grin. "I'm outrageously expensive."
"And worth every dollar."
"All right, shopping next." Ingrid glanced at her watch. "We do this online; I have a meeting."
Jessica gripped her hands as they made their way out. "I owe you."
"Yes, you do. Do me a favor and make peace with your brother."
"I will."
*****
"You promised."
Stifling a sigh, Ingrid looked up as her husband walked through the open doors of her office. "I know. I just need to finetune this press release. We've been getting a lot of buzz on social media about the new development.
The shops are all gone and the little cottages with their pink and white trims, are so adorable, people are rushing to become owners." She looked up from her file to see the resolute expression on his gorgeous face and felt her heart do a slow and profound dive.
She wondered if it was always going to be like this.
"It's half past seven."
"And we have a movie date." She smiled winningly. "How about this? We snuggle up in the theater at home, binge watch anything you pick out and gorge ourselves on popcorn and soda."
He hitched a hip on her desk, his gaze steady.
"I hate when you do that." She muttered.
"Do what?"
"Berate me with just a look. Okay, fine. I'm done. I will leave the work unfinished, because God forbid a three-month pregnant woman can work up until a certain hour." She slapped the folder closed.
"Happy?"
"Not until you're out of the office."
"You're a nag."
He merely lifted a brow and went to fetch her jacket. Helping her on with it, he wound the boa constrictor scarf around her neck and hauled her in for a kiss that had her anger melting away.
"Jessica met someone. She wanted to let you know."
"Oh. Is he good enough for her? He might be after her money. Is he--"
"Shh." He kissed her again to shut her up. "Call her, you can grill her to your heart's content."
*****
"He moved in."
"Is that a problem?" Matthew still had a stubble on his face from the two month stint he had done undercover. Two months since she had seen him or been in touch.
She missed him and as soon as he called, she had dropped everything and come running. Her brother was still cold and aloof, and it tore at her heart.
"I'm happy for you." She wanted to hug him, but his stance was still guarded.
"Are you?"
"Yes, dammit Matt. How long are you going to be angry with me?"
"Yet to be decided." He stared at her with a frown. "You've put on weight."
"Why, thank you for noticing." Walking over to the mantle, she held her hands out to the electronic blaze. "I get that you were undercover, but the least you could do was to reach out and let me know you're okay." She huffed, jolting when he clamped hands on her shoulders and turned her around.
"It's not just weight--" His eyes widened. "Jesus! You're pregnant?"
She angled her head, expression cool and haughty. "You don't get to hear any good news from me."
"Stop jerking around." He shook her slightly, expression dazed. "My little sister is going to be a mom."
"Not so little."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"When?" She asked frostily.
He shook her again and she relented. "I'm going to be a mama." She went into his arms and closed her eyes when he clamped his hands around her.
"I'm going to be a kickass uncle." He said hoarsely.
"Damn straight."
He eased her back and searched her face. "Are you happy?"