What he’d found was worse than he’d expected. In fact he’d kept the sleazy information to himself for a hell of a long time, hoping he wouldn’t need it.
Then Mrs. M. had called him last night and told him about the wedding. He’d had to show her what he’d discovered. When she saw the information, paying Wayne off had been her mother’s idea. The lesser of two evils was still evil, and he reminded himself that Rosie must be feeling pretty bad right now.
He tried to be gentle with her. “Your mother was concerned.”
“My mother thinks Prince Albert wouldn’t be good enough for me. You know that.”
“She loves you, squirt. Your whole family does. They want the best for you.”
“Who gets to decide what the best is? Shouldn’t that be me? And when do I get to start calling the shots? I’m twenty-six years old. It’s about time they stand back and let me alone. If I fall on my face, so be it. It’s my face!”
And a nice face it was. But he couldn’t tell her that. He didn’t know what to say. Something positive. “They’re proud of you, Rosie.”
She shook her head. “In a pig’s eye.”
“Look at the bookstore. They’re pleased at the success you’ve made of it.”
“That doesn’t count. They couldn’t force me into the family business and I used my trust fund to open the store. We’re talking about interpersonal relationships here. My parents don’t trust me, Steve. It’s as simple as that. You don’t interfere if you believe in someone.” Her eyes turned accusing. “And you of all people—I thought you would support me. You were the only one who didn’t think I should go into the restaurant business with my brothers.”
She was right. He did a lot of work for the Marchettis. If she’d followed her brothers into the family operated restaurant chain, he’d have had to see her more than he could handle. He’d supported her desire to start her own business, but his motives had been selfish.
“I’m sorry you’re upset,” he said. “But this is for the best. You’ll see.”
“I’ll never see that. And you helped do this to me.” Her eyes got bigger—and angrier, if that was possible. “You checked out Wayne, didn’t you? You investigated his background.”
He nodded. “When you first started seeing him.”
“Why? My mother?” Her face was composed, even though she was mad.
“No one trusted him.”
Evasion. It was better than the truth. No way would he tell her that no one had asked him. He’d done it on his own. She would want to know why and he wasn’t sure he even knew the reason.
“I don’t understand.”
“Little things you said. No visible means of support, vague references to stocks and investments. He pushed his advantage with you at the speed of light.” He was too slick, too smooth, too evasive. Too damn charming.
“So what did you find out?”
“Do you want to see the reports?” When had he learned to bluff so well? He prayed she would say no because he’d left them with her mother. Besides, he wouldn’t show her everything. That info would devastate her. He’d agreed to do the dirty work, but he wouldn’t destroy her in the process.
“Just tell me what you found,” she answered.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “He lives off wealthy women.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“Why would I lie?”
There was a bruised look in her eyes as she shook her head, indicating she didn’t know. “But I’m not wealthy. That proves he cares about me for myself.” She took a step forward, her eyes pleading with him to agree that she was right. “My bookstore makes a small profit, which Wayne encouraged me to channel right back into the business. Does that sound like a man after my money?”
“It sounds like a cheat who’s done his homework.” He walked over to her and nudged her chin up until her troubled gaze met his own. “How could he miss? Your family is well off. If he couldn’t get it from you, he’d get it from them.”
“So Mother commissioned you to cut to the chase.”
He nodded. “He opted for the quick buck. And Flo figured the hurt you’d feel now is nothing compared to what it would be if you’d married that son of a—”
She put a hand over her mouth and turned away.
Here it comes, he thought. He figured action as the best way to deal with the situation. He would hurry her out of the hotel and to the airport and on the first plane back to California.
“It’s time to go—”
“This is awful.” She ignored him and started pacing. “You don’t know what you’ve done.”
“Yeah. I do. I got that cheating con man out of your life.”
“I had to get married today. I needed to get married, Steve.”
Something about the way she said “needed” gave him a bad feeling. “I don’t understand. Define ‘need.’”
When she faced him dead on, he didn’t see the anticipated tears in her eyes. Just misery mixed with anger. And full-blown panic.
“I’m pregnant, Steve. I’m going to have a baby.”
Chapter Two
Never say never, Rosie thought. Steve Schafer had finally noticed her.
If only it had been for her ravishing beauty, to-die-for body and irresistible charm instead of her shocking announcement. With all her heart, she wished that she could take those words back. Why in God’s name had she blurted out her news like that? Her excuses lined up like ducks in a row: shock and hurt and anger, mixed with a down-and-dirty desire to shake him out of that damn complacency he wore like a pair of sexy jeans.
And fear. Terror had pushed the words out of her mouth.
She’d had the situation under control. She’d planned to marry Wayne and give her baby a name and a father. She’d been determined to make the best of their relationship. She would have made it work, too. But her well-meaning family, with Steve’s eager cooperation, had raced to her rescue. Now she was out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Above all, Rosie did not want anyone else to know she was pregnant. At least not yet. But she knew she’d get more secrecy from a tabloid reporter than Steve. He’d been dispatched by her mother to take care of her; he would feel obligated to report that she was going to have a baby.
There were two reasons she didn’t want them to know. Number one: she was afraid the shock would send her mother back to the hospital with another heart attack. Number two: she didn’t think she could stand to see the hurt and disappointment on her parents’ faces when they found out their only daughter had messed
