Chapter Nine
Nine
Bella stood at the top of the stairs, dressed in a snow-white, knee-length, tailored dress adorned with a red-ribbed belt with a matching poinsettia bow to her side.
Her shoes matched, too. The only jewelry she wore was a pair of sterling-silver chandelier earrings.
Sienna was dressed in Christmas plaid, the dress flaring out in poufy layers, shiny black Mary Janes on her feet.
They were ready for the Christmas party.
“Okay, Sienna. Remember, best behavior, sweet girl. This is your first Christmas party,” she said as she held Sienna’s hand and started down the staircase.
Jared stood at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a black suit, looking sharp and crisp and deadly handsome.
She’d missed him these past couple of nights.
And she was eager to be his date for the party.
Veronica sidled up next to Jared at the bottom of the staircase, and she also watched them descend.
There was a point when Jared’s mother looked at her and flinched, and then she seemed to recover, leaving Bella with an odd sensation before Veronica walked off.
“You look beautiful, Bella,” Jared said. He touched her hair, a sweet, innocent touch that sent shivers up and down her spine. “I like your hair like that.” She’d pushed all of it to one side, letting it drape down her chest. It was held in place with a long silver clip.
Then Jared bent to Sienna. “Sugar plum, I don’t think there’s a prettier girl here. Give me five.”
Sienna giggled and slapped at Jared’s hand. Sometimes she made it, sometimes she missed. Tonight she made it and her chest puffed out.
“That’s my girl.”
Jared rose and took Bella’s hand.
“This place is really transformed,” she said.
“Thanks in part to you.”
“Just a small part. I helped with the decorations.”
They strolled around the warm, cozy house, two big, blazing fires in the fireplaces keeping the cold December air away. The two trees were decorated with colorful bulbs and ornaments and garland. Christmas music played and Sienna danced about.
Jared introduced Bella and Sienna to many of the ranch hands, workers and their families who kept the ranch going.
There were many small children present and Sienna made fast friends with a few of them.
Bella also met some of Jared’s associates from his Dallas office.
All in all, there were about fifty people.
“Champagne?” he asked, grabbing two flutes from one of the wait staff.
“Sure, thanks.”
He put his arm around her waist and brought her up close, so they were hip to hip. “God, I miss you,” he whispered in her ear.
She swallowed hard. It was the first time he’d touched her in public like this for all the world to see. Heat rose up her neck. She was his date, but she hadn’t expected any real show of affection from him in front of his crew and friends. After all, she was his employee.
She whispered back, “Do you really think this is wise?”
“Wise? I think we’re beyond being wise, Bella. I’m falling for you and I don’t care who knows it. Do you?”
His declaration caught her off guard. God yes, she was falling for him, too. She was too floored to do anything but nod.
“Good. Look up.”
She lifted her eyes to find a thick bunch of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. And when she tilted her head back down, Jared’s lips were there, kissing her lightly but with enough potency to set her body on fire.
She scanned the room to see if anyone noticed and found Veronica’s eyes on her for a split second before she shifted her attention to the person she was conversing with. Bella’s gut clenched and she was suddenly ice cold inside. She shivered.
“Hey, if you’re cold, let’s go stand by the fire,” Jared said. “I think Sienna would like it, too.” Jared gathered up her daughter, tempting her with a candy cane, and the three of them entered the parlor and stood by a crackling fire.
“The caterers will be putting out dinner soon,” he said. “Are you two hungry?”
“I hungry,” Sienna said, sucking on the candy cane.
“Not just for candy, sugar plum.” Jared tickled her and she burst out in sweet laughter.
The sound was enough to put joy back into Bella’s heart, even though her stomach felt queasy. “I could eat a little something,” she said, plastering on a smile.
“Good, because later we might just have Christmas carolers come by the house. And who knows, maybe one of Santa’s elves might be stopping by, too.”
“Sounds like fun,” Bella said, reaching for Sienna and taking her out of Jared’s capable arms. She needed to hold her daughter tight to help the uneasy feeling in her gut disappear. Holding Sienna tight always seemed to work.
Yet her mind kept going back to Veronica.
Bella scoured her memory, trying to think if she’d said anything to Jared’s mother that would upset her.
They’d been on friendly terms these past couple of days as they got the house ready for the party.
And Veronica had been complimentary of the dishes she’d cooked for all of them.
So what was going on? And why was Veronica avoiding her?
The last of the partygoers was gone now and the caterers and cleanup crew were working hard to get the house back in order.
Sienna had managed to keep her eyes open during the festivities, fascinated by the lights and activity, the carolers who’d come inside the house to sing their Christmas tunes and, of course, seeing one of Santa’s helpers.
Sienna hadn’t been brave enough to sit on his lap, but she did receive a toy, a baby doll she’d clutched in her arms the rest of the night.
Now Bella was heading up to bed with Sienna fast asleep in her arms.
“Bella, wait.” Jared approached the staircase. “Let me take her up for you.”
She hesitated only a second. “Okay, thanks.” She made the transfer easily and Jared followed her up.
She walked into the adjoining bedrooms and quickly turned down the sheets on the bed.
She and Sienna had been sleeping together and, at some point, her little girl would get a bed of her own, but these conditions were fine temporarily.
Jared laid her down and Bella carefully removed her shoes and changed her into her pajamas.
She tucked her in and kissed her forehead.
Jared bent to do the same, and Bella blinked back tears.
It was a ritual she and Paul would do together.
She wasn’t saddened by the gesture but rather hopeful and touched that Jared cared so deeply about her daughter.
She walked him to the door and whispered, “Thank you. It was a lovely party.”
“Our first date.” She smiled and he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I’ll miss you tonight.”
He nuzzled her hair and then claimed her lips, the kiss going long and deep. They were both breathing hard when the kiss ended. “I’d better go.” He sighed and backed away from her.
“Yes, you’d better,” she whispered back, feeling the same longing she witnessed in his eyes. They were both aware his mother’s room was just down the hall.
“Good night.”
“’Night,” he said and then he was gone.
Bella walked around in a daze, her heart spilling over with emotion, her lips still tingling from Jared’s kiss.
She was in love with him. She had no doubt.
In the short time she’d known him, he’d become important to her.
Every time he walked into the room, her heart just about stopped.
She had come to cherish their midnight encounters, as well.
Making love with Jared was amazing, but it was more than that.
She shared her love of cooking with him, and had his full support.
Those late nights had come to mean so much to her.
Five minutes later, as she was brushing her hair, a soft knock woke her out of her thoughts.
Her heart pumped faster at the thought of seeing Jared again.
She opened the door quiet as a mouse and found Veronica standing on the threshold. She gave Bella a small smile. “Can we talk?”
“Uh, yes. Sure. Just let me get the baby monitor.”
Veronica waited and then led Bella to a sitting area, a little alcove in the hallway comfortable for two. “Is this all right?”
Bella nodded, her stomach beginning to ache. So she hadn’t been wrong, something was up with Veronica and she was about to find out what it was.
“I won’t beat around the bush, Bella. Or should I say Francesca? I know who you are. What I don’t understand is why you are lying to my son.”
Bella bit her lip and put her head down. Her eyes burned and she struggled to keep from crying. “You’re right. I am lying to Jared. But it’s not what you might think.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think. When I saw you coming down the stairs tonight, dressed like you are now, I remembered a brief meeting with a young woman who wore her clothes with poise and grace, whose long, dark hair was styled like yours tonight.
A beautiful young woman with striking green eyes. ”
“We’ve met? I don’t remember.”
“You wouldn’t really, I suppose. You see, before Grant retired, my husband owned a small chain of restaurants and we were at a charity dinner in San Francisco.
It must’ve been...oh, about five years ago.
Your father, Marco, was one of the main benefactors and you were with him.
I know I’m not wrong. I’ve since checked you out on the internet.
Granted, you weren’t in the public eye much, but I did find a link between you and Forte Foods. ”
“I’m sorry, Veronica. I’m not hiding my identity for any nefarious reasons. I’m trying to keep Sienna safe.”
“Care to explain?”
Bella had no choice. She’d been caught red-handed and a big part of her was glad to unburden her secret.
For some reason Veronica, although a mother hen with her boys, also had a compassionate streak and seemed willing to hear her out.
“Yes, of course. You see, I didn’t have a traditional childhood.
My mother died when I was just a tot and my father... ”