Baby Mine - Tressie Lockwood Page 0,20
for him? Who will probably send him off to a private boarding school by the time he turns ten? A school in Europe, mind you.”
Jada froze.
The triumph in Nicoletta’s eyes said she knew she’d struck a nerve.
“You know what? Don’t worry about what’s between me and Renzo. You’re just mad because he doesn’t want you. Nobody will decide what happens with my baby, including Renzo. Now step aside before you get more than your feelings hurt up in here.”
Disbelief colored Nicoletta’s expression, but she dropped back a step so Jada could get past. Fuming, Jada marched from the restroom in search of Renzo. To her relief, the event seemed to be ending, and people drifted toward the exit. Her lover stood in the midst of a small group of men, each trying to talk over the other in their loud conversation. None appeared to be angry, and she put it down to just the way they were.
Jada headed toward the exit. She would catch up to Renzo later. Maybe someone outside could give her a lift back to the house, because the grounds were extensive. She stepped into the early evening air with the sunlight showing no signs of relinquishing the day just yet. Ettore stood next to a BMW, and she started toward him, but a beautiful Asian woman strolled over and hooked her arm with his. A coy smile and a few whispered words in Ettore’s ear, and the man was soon escorting the woman into his car. They pulled off, and Jada sighed.
“Ma’am, may I offer you a ride?”
Jada turned around at the voice behind her and smiled at the man who must be in his late twenties or early thirties. He wore a suit, but it appeared lived-in a bit, yet there was an appeal to him with his boyish good looks. “Sure. Thanks.”
An imposing form blocked the sun for both of them. “Ms. Thompson has a ride.
Jada peered up into the angry eyes of one of the men handling security that Zita had pointed out. Before she could tell him she didn’t need him, he wedged himself between the rumpled friendly guy and her, somehow propelling her toward a waiting vehicle without even touching her. Once Jada settled in the back and he in the driver’s seat, she frowned at him. “I was just fine getting a ride from that guy. He didn’t look like the type to hurt anyone.”
The guard threw the car into gear and started down the road. “No one at the tasting was that type. We made sure of that.”
She sat back, folding her arms over her chest. “Then what was the big deal?”
He gave a prompt answer. “Mr. Mariani assigned me to look after you, and that man who wanted to get you alone in his car is a reporter.”
“Oh.”
Renzo didn’t want her talking to the press? Did that mean he was ashamed of her or didn’t want anyone to know about her? Then again, he had come to get her during the event and insisted she stay beside him. Anyone looking on must have picked up on her importance, even if it indicated they were just lovers. She was too early to show, so no one could jump to the conclusion she was pregnant. Considering how Zita complained of being overprotected by her family, she wondered if that was it. Either way, Renzo had thought to get a guard to escort her back to the house although they weren’t that far away. The fact warmed her inside, but not enough that she wouldn’t confront him regarding his intentions the first chance she got.
* * * *
Jada didn’t get a chance to talk to Renzo until the next afternoon. She had thought he would come to her room later, but Marie informed her Renzo returned to his office after the tasting, and it wasn’t unheard of that he would stay late in the night working. Jada had to admit she missed him, but the fact that almost twenty-four hours had passed since she’d seen him when they were staying in the same house solidified what Nicoletta had said. She understood working long hours. The lawyers in her office did so whenever a big case came up, and sometimes she did as well, but when the baby came she had no intention of neglecting him or her with work.
Marie found her in the library going over her notes for the two cases she was assisting the lawyers on. Since she’d been