Forever His Desire Page 2

  “Mother ran into Rosalyn at the grocery store. I assume that sometime during their conversation, she must have mentioned our engagement.”

  “So you’re telling me that out of the goodness of her heart, Rosalyn Spears decided to throw an engagement party for us?” Jennifer tossed her hands into the air. “The same woman who’s lusted after you for years.”

  “Jenn,” Andre said, his jaw tensing. “Let’s be reasonable about this.”

  “Bullshit,” she snapped. “You know that bitch hates me. The last thing she wants to do is throw a party for us.” Jennifer perched her hip against the counter. “I’m being reasonable. I’m also being realistic. I hardly think Rosalyn is happy to hear that you’re getting hitched. She’s up to something.” Jennifer started to pace. “I just know it.”

  “Look, I know that the two of you don’t like each other.”

  “Understatement of the year,” Jennifer snorted, interrupting him. “She’s got you completely snowed. How can you be blind to the fact that she’d do anything to sink her claws into you?”

  “Rosalyn doesn’t have me snowed. Honestly, Jenn. You think I don’t see her for who she really is?” Usually deep and controlled, Andre’s voice was filled with annoyance. “If you’d just let me finish speaking for once, instead of jumping to conclusions, then maybe you would realize that.”

  “Oh, give me a break!” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “If I had a dollar for all the times Rosalyn Spears has been the reason for an argument, I’d be rich. So don’t play the victim with me, Andre Jenkins.”

  “Knock it off, Jenn,” Andre warned, scraping a chair across the shiny linoleum floor.

  “For years I’ve put up with her crap, and I’ve listened as you made excuses for her, trying to convince me that I had nothing to worry about.”

  “You don’t!” Andre yelled, bringing his fist down onto the tabletop. “Why can’t you get it through your thick skull that I’m well aware of who Rosalyn Spears pretends to be and I’m not in the least bit attracted to her?”

  “Dammit, Andre.” Jennifer stamped her foot, her hands fisted at each of her sides. “It sucks to have to always be on guard. That some bitch and her group of wannabes are always trying to steal your man. Thank God I had Vicki and Nana to talk me down.” Jennifer lowered onto the chair across from him, folding her hands onto the tabletop. “Just when I thought we were finally free of her, she somehow managed to worm her way back into our lives.”

  I do know. But you should have trusted me more.

  “Rosalyn offered my mother one of the ballrooms at The Gilded Seashell Hotel at a minimal cost. Apparently, since she’s an employee of Newport Hotel and Resort Group, she not only gets a significant discount at any of their locations, but she has the ability to offer reduced rates during the off season. It—”

  “Well, isn’t that just ducky,” Jennifer answered sarcastically, once again, cutting off Andre mid-sentence.

  Jaw clenched, Andre stated, “My mother isn’t wealthy, Jenn. Rosalyn’s offer was too good to refuse.”

  “Okay, Andre. Whatever.” Jennifer stood up from the table. “We’ll have the fucking party at The Gilded Seashell Hotel.” She jabbed her finger against the tabletop, its tip turning pink. “But just for the record, Rosalyn has managed to get the upper hand yet again.”

  “Listen, I’m not thrilled about it either. I couldn’t care less where our engagement party is held or if we even have one. Being with you is what I care about.” Andre cupped his chin, moving his fingers across the rough stubble of his goatee. “I agreed because of my mother. She’s super excited to think she’d been given the opportunity to throw a lavish engagement party for us. And honestly, I don’t want her to spend money she doesn’t have on a party we don’t need.”

  She met his gaze, narrowing her eyes on him as Andre glared in her direction. “Good. At least one of us will be happy.”

  “The food’s getting cold.” Andre stood up and moved toward the counter. “We should eat.”

  “You eat, Andre. I’ve lost my appetite,” Jennifer said as she spun around on her heel and stormed from the kitchen.

  Chapter 4

  Jennifer

  As usual, Jennifer had gotten up early the next morning, her mood especially fowl. After her argument with Andre, she’d barely spoken to him for the remainder of the evening. When she woke up this morning, he was still fast asleep which meant that now she’d have to wait until later that evening when he got home from the station to apologize. Fucking Rosalyn Spears. The bitch has won again.

  Jennifer stopped mid-spin, her rolling pin unmoving above the homemade dough that she’d become locally famous for using in her pies. She’d have to think about Rosalyn later. At the moment, she needed to find out what was happening outside. She peered over to the door of the shop where Victoria entered, high-pitched voices wafting through the open door. “What is all that noise, Vicki?”

  Victoria looked over to where Jennifer stood, placing her fingertip against the middle of her thick, tortoise-shell glasses to push them up from the tip of her nose. “There is a group of girls walking across the street. You know, the ones we see every morning. I’m sure it’s nothing. Girls are naturally loud. They’re probably just goofing off and gossiping about boys.”

  “There are three of them, right?” Jennifer’s fingers clenched around the handle of her rolling pin. “Did you see anyone else?”

  “Yes, there was a girl who I’d never seen before walking behind them.”

  The fine hairs rose on Jennifer’s forearms. “Is she about 15–16 years old? Long strawberry blonde hair, very tall, and wearing clothes that look like they’re two sizes too big for her?”

  “Yeah, that’s her.” She scrunched up her tiny nose. “Do you know her?”

  “Nobody likes you!” the leader of the group of mean girls spat as they closed in around her, creating a human chain that would be impossible for her to break through.

  “So?” Chin jutted out, Jennifer stood ridged among her harassers. “I don’t care because I hate all of you.”

  “Who do you think you are, you stupid nobody?” the most vocal fan of the fashion want-to-be in charge chimed in. “Everybody knows Rosalyn is the prettiest and smartest and the nicest girl in the entire school. That is why she is the homecoming queen.”

  “Jenn?” Victoria repeated the question. “Do you know her?”

  “In a sense,” Jennifer muttered beneath her breath. Her lips etched into a scowl, she stormed toward the large paned-glass windows located at the front of The Literary Ladies Book Nook and Café, which she co-owned with Victoria, and stared outside onto Thames Street. “Oh shit!” She dashed to the front door, throwing it open. “Hey, leave her alone!” Jennifer bellowed, stepping onto the sidewalk.

  “Jenn,” Vicki warned from behind her. “Don’t do anything stupid. They’re just kids.”

  “Don’t worry, Vicki. I know what I’m doing. I’d never do anything that could cause them physical harm. I’m simply going to lay down the law with this vicious pack of wolves. It’s time they met a little something called karma aka me!”

  “Seriously, Jenn. Whatever is going on, it’s none of your business.” Victoria tsked, alarm in her tone as she added, “You’re acting like a madwoman.”

  “Good,” Jennifer threw out over her shoulder and then hustled across the cobblestoned street. Dressed in a stained white apron, coated with large thick blobs of vibrant cherry, splotches of blueberry, and fainter streaks of pinkish-red strawberry, and holding a rolling pin in one hand, Jennifer had learned long ago to use whatever leverage she had—in this case her appearance—to her advantage. Let the vipers think I’m a lunatic.

  “What’s going on?” Jennifer asked, not really needing an answer as she was well aware. She stepped onto the sidewalk and eyeballed the trio of girls who circled around their prey like a pack of ferocious wolves.

  “None of your business,” the most brazen of the trio spoke up, her pink lip gloss slicked thickly ove
r a smart-ass smirk.

  “Huh,” Jennifer uttered. “I think it is since you’re being disruptive on the very street my business is located.”

  “We’re sorry if we were too loud,” an obviously smarter girl responded with feigned remorse.

  A plump, dark-haired girl spoke next. Jennifer almost felt sorry for her, since nobody had taught her not to wear so much blush that she could be mistaken for a circus clown, but she didn’t enjoy the condescending tone of her apology. “We’re very sorry. We didn’t mean to bother you.”

  “Oh, I doubt you’d be stupid enough to bother me. After all, this is a small town. Most people know that my fiancé is a Newport police officer.” Jennifer lifted the rolling pin and pointed it directly at their prey. “But you did mean to bother her and as a result, you’ve bothered me. Perhaps, I should call Officer Jenkins now. See if he can assist in whatever is going on out here.”

  “No! It’s nothing really,” the girl said, her smirk quickly replaced with a look of sheer panic. The trio scooched together, abandoning their wide-eyed victim.

  “We aren’t bothering her, she is bothering us,” Slicked Lips spit out.

  Jennifer turned her attention from the mean girls, her heart squeezing as the subject of their taunts bent down, feverishly scooping up her belongings. Faded and thread bare at the knee, the blue jeans threatened to fall off the girl’s ramrod straight hips. A few pastries would certainly do you some good, Jennifer thought, resolving to pack up a box for this young girl to take home.

  “If I asked her”—Jennifer nodded to the girl—“will she agree?”

  “Uh...uh,” Slicked Lips muttered.

  “We have to go or we’ll be late for school,” Circus Girl said, motioning for them to leave.

  Jennifer narrowed her eyes, watching as the trio nearly ran down the sidewalk. Satisfied that they were no longer within earshot, she moved beside the girl, placed her rolling pin onto the cement and knelt down. “Here, let me help you.”

  “Thank you,” the girl sniffled.

  “No thanks needed. I know how it is to feel like an outsider. I moved here from Georgia when I was twelve. Mean girls love to see how far they can push the new girl. Especially if she’s pretty like you.”

  “You got bullied too?” Soft blue eyes peered up to hers, glistening with unshed tears, which did nothing to distract from their beauty. With porcelain skin, high cheekbones glowing with a peachy hue, and a sprinkle of freckles across her nose, she really was lovely. Once she grew into her lanky body, she’d be sure to be a stunner.

  Jennifer’s lips quivered ever so slightly before she willed herself to smile. “Yup. Sure did. But sometimes fairy tales come true. I’m living proof.”

  Puzzled, the girl’s brows furrowed.

  “I was rescued by Prince Charming, only his name is Andre.” Jennifer held up her left hand, proudly waggling a quarter cut single solitaire. We’re getting married soon and we just bought our first home. “By the way, I’m Jennifer. What’s your name?”

  “Katie O’Halloran,” the girl answered quietly. “And—” She hesitated slightly before informing Jennifer, “I’m seventeen.”

  “That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Welcome to Newport, Katie. For some reason, I think we’re going to be good friends.”

  “I ALWAYS KNEW YOU HAD a heart, my friend. It was very nice of you to drive Katie to school,” Victoria stated, straightening a row of bookshelves as she walked toward the café.

  “It really wasn’t a big deal.” Jennifer shrugged, her eyebrow raising as Victoria leaned against the display case, bracing her elbows onto the countertop. “But if I find smudges on that glass after I just got done cleaning it, that is going to be a big deal.”

  “Oh, for the love of God,” Victoria muttered, moving to stand upright. “You do realize you run a café and that this is a display case containing pastries.” As if to make a point, she stabbed her fingertip over the glass. “People are going to stick their grubby fingers all over the top and the sides just like this.”

  “That is why I’m always prepared.” Jennifer picked up a nearby bottle of Windex. “People who come in here are overcome with excitement. Who wouldn’t be when they see all of these pastries?” She waved the bottle above the case before squirting a generous amount of the glass cleaner onto the countertop, cackling as Victoria jerked her hand away. “I bet you’d never guess that Katie’s last name is O’Halloran.”

  “Get out!” Victoria exclaimed. “She’s related to Liam and Shane?”

  “Baby sister.” Jennifer peered up from scrubbing the countertop and added, “Half-sister. Katie has a different mother.”

  “You’re right. I never would have guessed. She doesn’t look anything like either of them.” Victoria scratched her head. “She must take after her mother. I wonder why she’d move back to Newport now. It seems odd to relocate right after the school year started.”

  “Her mother died,” Jennifer deadpanned.

  “Oh, that’s awful.” Victoria clamped her hand over her mouth. “When my parents died in the car accident, it took me a long time to adjust to them being gone but I wasn’t even in school yet.”

  “Losing a parent at any age is just plain cruel and it changes you forever. I don’t want to make light of your situation, please know that.” Jennifer stopped scrubbing and returned the Windex and cloth beneath the counter.

  Victoria nodded. “I understand. She’s a teenager without her mother. Her body is changing. No doubt, her hormones are all over the place. It’s got to be scary without a female to go to for advice.”

  Jennifer folded her arms across her chest, moving to recline her back against the oversized refrigerator behind her. “We kind of bonded once I told her that my mother died of ovarian cancer.”

  Victoria’s eyes widened. “You told her? I can’t believe it. You never talk about your mom.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Jennifer sighed. “It felt like the right thing to do. Katie reminds me so much of myself. Everything you said is true. Luckily, your nana was there to see me through. I’m hoping that Katie believed me when I offered to help her if she reached out to me. I gave her my phone number and told her to text anytime.”

  “That’s awesome, Jenn. I’m sure your kindness helped her,” Victoria said.

  “Someone who is female has to rescue the poor girl. Liam O’Halloran has more testosterone than any man should be allowed to have. He’s a great guy and all, but damn! He’s like a walking porn star.” Jennifer released an unladylike snort.

  Victoria giggled, adding, “I don’t know Shane well, he graduated a few years ahead of us. But it doesn’t appear that he’s lacking in the testosterone department either. He’s hot!”

  “That he is. Almost as hot as my man.” Jennifer winked. “The thing is I had no idea when I broke up that bully fest earlier just how similar Katie and I are. I don’t want her to deal with the bullying that I did. With her brothers around, she needs a strong female presence in her life.”

  “Certainly sounds like it.” Victoria peered over her shoulder, taking a quick once-over at the rows of bookshelves. Apparently satisfied that no one needed assistance, she returned her focus back to Jennifer. “Is having met Katie why you’re so down today?” she asked.

  “Nope. But it sure didn’t help. I mean, it made me feel good to help her, it’s just that it brought back some bad memories.” Jennifer shook her head. “It’s just always the same old crap. Andre and I are officially engaged and it still won’t stop.”

  “What won’t stop?” Victoria moved to sit at one of the small round tables. “Tell me what happened.”

  “Rosalyn Spears happened,” Jennifer said, pulling out the chair beside her.

  “You can’t be serious!” Victoria tsked. “You’ve got to forget about her. She’s not a threat.”

  Jennifer’s voice rose. “Sure, I’ll just forget about the competition.”

  “Don’t get mad at me. You’re engaged to Andre. She’s just jealous,
” Victoria said. “Believe me, she isn’t competition at all along with anyone else because Andre only loves you.”

  “Well, she must think she still has a shot with him because she is hosting our engagement party at The Gilded Seashell Hotel.”

  Victoria’s mouth dropped open. She cocked her head to one side as she processed what Jennifer had just said. “What?” An arsenal of questions rained down on Jennifer. “Why? How? What does she want to do that for?”

  “Well, wait until I tell you this,” Jennifer said and then recited the details of the evening before with Andre.

  Chapter 5

  Jennifer

  The four weeks leading up to the engagement party had been a whirlwind of activity. Somehow, Victoria had managed to convince Jennifer that it would be best to keep the peace with Andre by allowing his mother to throw the party at the extravagant hotel. As much as she hated giving in to the idea, Jennifer had reluctantly agreed to allow Rosalyn to organize the event for the sole purpose of Gladys’s happiness. The only saving grace being that Jennifer planned to retain complete control over the wedding.

  Big mistake!

  Jennifer had soon found out that what she’d hoped to be a simple, no-fuss Vegas wedding was quickly morphing out of control. Between Gladys and Victoria, you’d think that an elopement was a vile sin. The two of them nearly hit the roof when Jennifer kiddingly suggested that the union be facilitated by an Elvis impersonator. Although it would have made an awesome story to tell Andre’s and her future children, they’d decided to go with a traditional justice of the peace. With the plane ride being at least six hours, neither she nor Andre wanted to be trapped in a flying metal box listening to Victoria and Gladys nag about it.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” Andre said.

  Jennifer lolled her head to the side, her stomach flip-flopping. “You sure do clean up well, Andre Jenkins.”