Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
S till chuckling, Antonio smirked at Scarlett, but then her words bounced around in his mind. Wait . He blinked several times, wondering if he’d heard her right. No way. No way had she said what he thought she said.
“Say what now?”
“I asked if you would adopt Bella. I know this sounds crazy, but will you adopt her and become her father?”
Antonio stared at the beautiful woman sitting next to him, waiting to see if she’d say more. Surely, she was joking, but when she didn't laugh or crack a smile, he knew she was serious.
“Umm…” was the only word he could form, and he was fairly sure that wasn't even a word. His thoughts were jumbled, but he somehow managed to say, “Maybe you should start at the beginning.”
Scarlett sighed loudly, then reached for the liquor bottle, but Antonio stopped her from pouring more into her glass. Taking the bottle from her hand, he set it out of reach.
“I have a feeling this conversation should be done sober. Tell me what brought this on. All this time, I assumed Cynthia was trying to get you away from me.”
Scarlett snorted, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand and released a nervous laugh. “Sorry, and no, on the contrary. Asking you to adopt Bella was her idea, and the more I think about it, the more I think it’s a good idea. It all started when Cynthia mentioned she was leaving her estate to Bella. Or at least most of it, and it’s on the high end of multimillion dollars.”
Antonio listened as Scarlett told him about the conversation that she’d had with Bella’s great-grandmother. After leaving Cynthia's house, he'd known the woman had said something troubling. From the moment Scarlett had climbed into the car, she’d been distant and quiet. Even Bella had noticed and asked if she was all right. Now he understood why she'd been distracted.
He leaned forward and set his glass down, then propped his elbows on his thighs as Scarlett continued. Her recap of the conversation was all over the place, but he managed to understand a couple of things. Ezra’s parents were losers. Cynthia obviously was in a league of her own.
But Antonio didn't care how wealthy the woman was, she had no right to snoop into his family's life. On the other hand, his dad would have done the same thing if he was concerned about the people his kids, or his grandson, was involved with.
“I was so angry to know that she had dug into you and your family. I am so sorry, Tony. I promise I didn’t share any personal information with her. Heck, I don’t know enough about them to share much of anything. I hope you believe me.”
He shot her a glance and frowned. “Of course I believe you. Did she say why she was interested in us?”
“We talk at least once a week, so I can make sure she’s doing okay. She always asks about me and Bella, and sometimes Mahogany, wanting to know what we’ve been up to. She knows we spent Christmas with your family, and then there’s the wedding. I shared some of the preparations that were going into the event, and just stuff like that.
“Apparently, I’ve mentioned the Jenkins family more than I realized. It was enough to make her curious. Then she made a comment about how much I talk about you and…”
Antonio had been looking down at his interlocked fingers, but when her words trailed off, he turned to her. “What about me?”
Scarlett inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly. “She said you’re the only man I’ve spoken of since Ezra died. I hadn’t realized that, but it’s not like I’ve been out with many men since Bella’s been born. A date here and there, but nothing serious.”
Did that mean she hadn’t been intimate with a man since Ezra? Antonio hated it was the first thing that popped into his mind, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted her for himself. So of course, he wondered if she had been with many others, especially lately. She was a gorgeous, intelligent, creative woman. Of course, men would be interested in her.
What he should’ve been asking was— what did you tell her about me ? But he had learned a long time ago not to ask questions unless you were prepared for the answer. For Cynthia to suggest he adopt Bella meant Scarlett must’ve spoken highly of him. Still, that didn’t mean she was ready for what he wanted— her .
“Anyway, she said she had checked out you and your family. Supposedly, it was to protect me and Bella. She wanted to know what type of people the Jenkins were, and then she suggested I ask you to adopt Bella.”
Antonio shook his head, still not totally comprehending that logic. Clearly, he had missed something because this just wasn’t adding up.
Unable to stay seated, he stood and paced in front of the cocktail table, trying to wrap his brain around this crazy request. He slowly ran his hand over his short hair and let it slide to the back of his neck. As he massaged his tight muscles, several questions bombarded him at once. He wasn’t sure which one to ask first.
“This is a lot to take in,” he said. “Help me understand. Even if Cynthia is concerned her family might try to contest her will, how does me adopting Bella fit in?”
“Like me, she doesn't want Ezra’s parents to know about Bella. She figures if you adopt her and give her the Jenkins name, they’d never know she’s their grandchild. In all the years of knowing and visiting Cynthia, I’ve never run into Ezra’s parents. I plan to keep it that way because of what Cynthia and Ezra have shared about them.”
“What beef did Ezra have with his parents?” Antonio asked and returned to his seat.
Though he couldn't imagine being estranged from his father, he didn't have a relationship with his mother. She left him and Ben when Antonio was five, and they hadn't seen her since. He planned to keep it that way.
His mother had never wanted kids. She’d only had babies to please his father, but after trying to embrace motherhood, she realized it wasn't for her and left. At that age, Antonio remembered a little about her. Her scent, how quiet she was, and he remembered a few occasions when she got frustrated with him for being a typical preschooler who failed to do what she said.
Though his father had her contact information and said Antonio could reach out to her when or if he was ever ready, he hadn’t. She never tried to contact them, and he had made peace with not having her in his life.
Had something similar happened to Ezra?
“He never had anything good to say about them. He once told me that his father was verbally abusive, and he and his mom always made him feel as if he was a burden. Like they couldn’t reach their goals with him in tow. It sounded like they were rarely home, leaving him with a nanny. When they were there, they rarely talked to him.
“In middle school, he ran away to his grandparents’ home, and his parents never came for him. From then on, Cynthia and his grandfather raised him. They adored him, and the feeling was mutual.
“It sounds like Cynthia has loathed them from that point on. She hates that they put their careers before their own child, and more than once, she’s mentioned they only care about themselves and appearances.”
“That’s too bad,” Antonio said.
“Yeah, it was, but he was happy, and his grandparents doted on him. He was their everything. The only times his parents came around where he was concerned was when something big was happening in his life. Like when he graduated valedictorian of his high school, and when he graduated from college with honors. I think one of those years was an election year, and his father had the media there to capture the moment.”
Antonio shook his head. Coming from a supportive, loving family, it sickened him to hear stuff like this. He could understand why Ezra kept his distance from his family and why Scarlett didn’t want them near Bella.
“Cynthia doesn’t think they’d ever cause Bella physical harm,” Scarlett continued, “But she fears they might try to use her for their benefit, specifically Theodore’s benefit. He’s a U.S. Senator, and it’s an election year. I can’t let them find out they have a granddaughter. Another reason why I want Bella to take your name.”
Antonio had heard enough. They definitely sounded like people who would use a child to make themselves look more relatable. He also could understand Scarlett’s concerns.
Still…
“You know this idea is insane, right?” Antonio said, but deep down, he secretly loved the idea. Nothing would make him happier than to have a child, especially Bella. Except he wanted a family. Besides that, he was fairly sure adopting Bella wouldn’t be as easy as Scarlett was making it sound.
“I know. It’s a little out there, but I already know you’d make an amazing father. Besides, if Bella got to choose her dad, I’m a hundred percent sure she’d choose you. Tony, you’ve only known her for what, maybe six months, give or take? Yet you have treated her like your own from the first time Jayden introduced the two of you.”
Antonio smiled at the memory. Bella had attended Sunday brunch with Mahogany and they both were introduced to the family. But for whatever reason, Jayden had sought him out to introduce him to Bella personally. He’d said she was his best friend, and he wanted her to meet his Uncle Antonio.
Antonio picked up his glass of brandy and chuckled as the memory bloomed fully in his mind. Though Bella had heard Jayden call him Uncle Antonio, she called him Uncle Tony. It didn’t matter that Jayden chastised her for calling his uncle the wrong name. Bella had smiled up at Antonio and said, “Can I call you Uncle Tony?” He had probably fallen in love with her in that moment.
“Why is Cynthia giving you a heads-up about all this? Is she dying?”
“She hasn’t said, but I have noticed a difference in her health. She looks like she’s aged considerably over the last couple of weeks, and she just seems tired. But let her tell it, she’s just getting old. I think something is going on. I’m planning to stop by and see her Monday morning before we leave town. Maybe I can get her to tell me then.”
“Who else knows Bella will be the main heir to Cynthia’s estate?” Antonio asked. He wanted as much information as possible as he seriously considered this proposition.
“I have no idea. She’s a private person. Besides her lawyer, I’d be surprised if anyone knows, but maybe Nancy. Maybe .”
Antonio drained his glass and set it on the table. He was still trying to come to terms with this unusual request.
“Bella needs you, Tony. We both do. I don't know what these people are capable of, but I want my child protected. Even if Theodore and Alberta never seek us out, I still want you to be Bella’s father.”
“You already know how much I love that little girl. I will always protect her. No matter what happens between you and I, I will always be there for both of you.” He took a breath, trying to get his words to match his thoughts. “Scarlett, do you understand what you’re asking?”
“I know I’m asking a lot, and I don’t expect you to give up your life. You can be as involved as—”
“Stop,” he interrupted. “Do you really understand what it’ll mean if I adopt Bella as my own? She’ll be my daughter, and you and I will have the same rights as it relates to her. I suggest you think long and hard. I’ll be her father in every sense of the word. Is that really what you want, Scarlett?”
The worried look in her eyes told him that she hadn’t thought this all the way through. Problem was, the more he thought about becoming Bella’s father, the more he wanted to make it a reality.
But what about Scarlett? She trusted him to take care of Bella, but what about her? What would it take to get her to trust him with her heart?