Chapter Eight #3
“I understand. Gosh, it’s been years, but Cooper was like that, too. She’s adorable.”
“She’s a good girl,” Marie added.
“Thanks, Marie. She has her moments, though.”
“They all do,” Veronica said. “You never know what little bits of mischief they will get into.” She glanced at the ornaments in their hands. “Were you going to decorate the tree?”
“Oh, uh, yes we were, after I make breakfast.”
“No need,” Marie said. “I made Veronica some toast and coffee when she arrived. That’s all she ever likes to have in the morning.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“Jared has no idea I’m here,” Veronica said. “After speaking to him last night, I got overly anxious to see him so I changed my flight. Booked a red-eye and well...” She threw her arms up in the air. “Here I am.”
Bella smiled.
“Tared?” Sienna asked, looking around for him.
“He’s still sleeping, little one,” Marie said. “He’ll be down in a few minutes, I’m sure.”
Bella set Sienna down and she wandered over to the unadorned tree. “Are you sure I can’t get you something else to eat?” she asked Veronica.
“Not a thing. But what you can do for me, if it isn’t too strange, is let me give you a big hug. You saved my son’s life.”
She blinked. “Oh, um, sure.”
Veronica stepped up and brought her into a gentle embrace. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she whispered. “I can never repay you for what you did, but if you ever need anything, please let me know.” Veronica backed away, giving her a sincere look. “Okay?”
“Okay, but you don’t owe me anything. I’m only glad I was there to help.”
“So am I. When I think of what might have happened...never mind. I won’t nag him...much.” Veronica wiggled her brows and Bella laughed.
Veronica scrutinized her face for a second. “You kind of remind me of someone I know. But I can’t quite place it.”
Bella froze. Her heart began to pound. “Do I?”
Veronica nodded. “You do. Maybe it’ll come to me.” She turned her attention to Sienna, who was munching on a cracker Marie had given her. “So tell me, how old is Sienna?”
They spent the next ten minutes talking about babies, the joys and frustrations of raising children.
Veronica was super excited to become a grandmother for the first time.
She was planning on surprising Cooper and Lauren next this morning.
She was so easy to talk to, Bella passed off her earlier comment.
She knew for a fact she’d never met Veronica Stone, so it was probably nothing.
She was being too paranoid about things.
She had to lighten up. Amy had pretty much assured her she had nothing to worry about with Marco.
“Angel, Mommy.”
“Yes, I know, sweet girl. Excuse us,” she said to Marie and Veronica.
Sienna ran over to the tree and just then Bella spotted Jared in the kitchen doorway, his shirt undone, his jeans riding low on his waist, the face she’d kissed a hundred times shadowed with a day-old beard.
She gasped as his eyes found hers and then his mother stepped into her line of vision.
“Hi, honey.”
“Mom, you’re here.” He blinked a few times. “Am I dreaming?”
She glanced at Bella and then back at him. “Actually, you do look a little dreamy-eyed.”
His mother was astute. A warm rush of heat climbed up Bella’s throat.
Veronica walked into Jared’s arms. “So good to see you, son. I’ve been worried about you. I hope you don’t mind me surprising you this way.”
“No, Mom. It’s good to see you, too.” They separated after a few seconds and Jared stepped back, buttoning his shirt. “Have you met Bella and Sienna?”
“I have. We were getting to know each other when you walked in.”
“That’s good. Did you travel all night?”
“Just half the night. But it’s worth it to see you looking so healthy. I bet Bella has something to do with that.”
“Bella?” Jared nearly croaked.
“Marie tells me she’s an amazing chef, all healthy food apparently. Is that right, Bella?”
“Yes, uh, that’s right.”
“Well, I’m happy you’re here,” Veronica said. She gave her son another glance, one he may have deliberately ignored.
Walking farther into the room, he picked up a piece of toast from the table and chewed for a moment. “You want to put your angel on the tree, sugar plum?”
Sienna nodded.
“Let’s do it.” He smiled at his mom, then strode to the tree and bent next to Sienna. “Where do you think it should go?”
Sienna looked at the tree then ruffled a few branches until she found her spot. “Tere.”
“I think that’s a very good place for it.”
Hand in hand, he helped Sienna hook the ornament onto a branch. “Wow, Sienna. You did it.”
“I did it,” she parroted.
Bella clapped her hands. “Good girl. I’m so proud of you.”
Sienna’s face beamed.
Veronica and Marie smiled, too.
“Babies bring so much joy into the home,” Veronica said.
Then she looked straight at Jared with knowing eyes.
Jared sat for dinner at Cooper’s house, breaking bread with his brother and his wife and, of course, his mother.
“Too bad Bella couldn’t come,” Lauren said. “I invited her and little Sienna.”
“You did? She didn’t mention it.” It was news to Jared. His mother had insisted on all the family being together. It happened too rarely and he hadn’t been about to disappoint her by not showing up.
Lauren was feeling great these days, having passed some pregnancy milestone that meant no more nausea or exhaustion.
She was almost five months along now. And to think Coop had almost blown it with Lauren, plotting a scheme to stop her wedding to her sleazy fiancé.
All during that time, Coop never planned on falling in love with her.
Now Coop was married and going to be a father.
There was no doubt he would make a damn good one.
“Maybe Bella needed a night off,” Cooper said.
“It sounded more like she didn’t want to impose,” Lauren said. “Even though I insisted she wouldn’t be. She did me a big favor today and I feel bad I didn’t press her harder to come by.”
Jared scratched his chin. He wanted Bella here and was at a loss without her. But it hadn’t been his place to invite her. “What did you ask her to do?”
“You’ll see. It’s a surprise,” Lauren answered.
He’d spent a good amount of time catching up with his mother today, and while she’d rested this afternoon he’d finished up on the day’s work and hadn’t seen Bella after that.
“She seems like a lovely girl,” Veronica said, giving Jared another one of her expectant looks.
What did she want him to say? That he was falling for his personal chef? Hell, it was true. Bella was unlike any other woman he’d ever met. And that was a good thing. Instead of revealing his feelings, he simply nodded. “Seems to be.”
Lauren put a delicious rib roast on the table with white potatoes, creamed asparagus and biscuits and gravy. No salad, no fresh fruit. And the veggie that was smothered in heavy sauce.
He smiled. Bella would be analyzing this meal and figuring out a way to make it healthy, substituting things and completely removing others. He was getting used to eating her way...healthy with cauliflower everything.
“Are you in la-la land or something, bro? You’re smiling silly.”
“Am I?”
Lauren eyed him. “Yes, you are.”
“I’m feeling fit. Got an appointment on Tuesday with the doctor and I’m hoping he’ll give me the okay to get back to my life as usual.”
“That’s wonderful, Jared,” his mother said. “I hope so.”