Father & Son: Book two of the Jensen Family Series (35 page)

Although his shout had made her jump, she
was expecting the words he’d just spoken so they were in no way a surprise.
Shaking her head, smiling her perfectly perfected bitchy smile. “No. You are
right, I want a rich husband and now I have the perfect opportunity to get one.
You make an honest woman of me or I will ruin you. Even with your money, I know
there’s no way you’ll risk this contract so, here’s what we are going to do. We
are going to get married. You are going to look happy about it. You are going
to find us somewhere to live because I won’t be moving into the flat above the
club and I certainly won’t be living here and you will provide for me and our
child without complaining. You do that and I will protect your reputation with
my life.”

Poof. Just like that his dreams of his
bachelor pad above the club went up in smoke. With her connections, he had no
doubt that Eve could ruin him. He had a lot of balls in the air right now and
he couldn’t afford to drop a single one of them.
I have got to stop my cock
leading me through life.
He thought, shaking his head at the realisation
that he’d just handed the path of his life over to yet another woman.

Suzanne turned the envelope over in her
hands after reading her name in fancy script on the front. No return address.
The paper was thick, high quality. A pity to ruin it by merely ripping it open.
Picking up her silver letter opener with the mother of pearl handle, she
carefully sliced open the top of the envelope and retrieved the heavily
embossed card inside.

She sat with a plop on the cushioned seat
of the telephone stand in the hallway when she read the words on the card. She
didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She did know that she was having trouble
catching her breath. The rumours she had heard had just come true. The
invitation was for her plus one. There was no way her husband would attend with
her. She didn’t want to go. She considered sending an apology and making up
some excuse but knew she couldn’t. She had to see this with her own eyes and
maybe then she would get some closure.

Before she could change her mind, she R.S.V.P.’d
the invite, slipping her feet into her heels as she sealed the envelope. This
must have been on the cards for a long time as the date was only three weeks
from now. Suzanne picked up her hand bag and headed out of the house to do what
she did best, shop for a new outfit for what would surely be the event of the
decade.

Eve’s smile was wide and genuine when she
and Paul were snapped in all the top end restaurants with the current “In”
crowd. She’d had to jab him in the ribs a fair few times to jog the surly
expression from his face as she flashed her engagement ring.

So far, they had clashed about everything.
Paul knew she had him over a barrel but it didn’t mean he was going to make
things easy for her and she had underestimated just how belligerent and
stubborn he could be.

They told Monica of their impending
nuptials over lunch. Eve was hugged and warmly welcomed to the family but
Monica couldn’t fail to notice her sons less than enthusiastic response to her
congratulations. She waited for an opportunity to speak to him and fortunately,
socialite Eve, presented her with one.

“Darling, you don’t seem very happy.” She
stroked his arm, her eyes boring into his.

He hated this. He had made a promise never
to lie to his mother and so far had been able to keep it. Today he was going to
lie his perfect arse off. “I’m ok Mum. Wedding prep, Eve getting touchy about
absolutely everything and house hunting all at the same time is a major ball
ache. I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”

“The timing is horrible. The day after
your birthday? Can’t you re-arrange it?”

“Trust me, I’ve tried.” He shook his head.
“The date is set. My suit is being made, she has her dress, it’s all systems
go.”

“Are you happy?”

And now for the biggest lie of all. “Yes,
I’m happy.”

Lying next to his now fiancé later that
night, sleep once again hard to come by, he found himself racking his brains
for a way out of this without screwing up the more than lucrative council
contract that would be ongoing for many years to come. So far, he had come up
with nothing short of hiring a hit man and even he wasn’t that much of a
bastard.

Eve stirred next to him, he’d barely
glanced at her since she had announced her intentions. He didn’t think he had
ever argued with anyone as much as he had with her over the past few weeks. She
sat up and turned to face him. Dread filled him as she spoke.

“I want you to wear a wedding ring.” She
announced.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the
bed, he pushed his fingers through his hair as he stood and turned to face her.
“No.” he stated.

She huffed out a sarcastic laugh, “Oh I
think you will.”

He shook his head. “The whole fucking
world is going to know I’m married. I have exactly zero incentive to wear a
wedding ring for someone who is blackmailing me in to marriage so dream on
honey. Not happening.”

“If I buy it, you will wear it.”

“If you buy it? What? With my money? Get
it into your head. I am not wearing a wedding ring. Next subject, your
whineyness.” He bowed.

She scrambled out of bed. “Fine, as you
seem to want to go at it again. That tattoo. I want you to get it removed.”

Running his hand over his new ink, he
really should get it finished. “No. If anything, it needs completing, not
removing. Be content with the fact that you get my name. I won’t be making any
changes to me just to satisfy a whim of yours.” He walked towards the door.
“I’ll sleep on the couch.”

He made sure to be up and dressed by the
time his Uncle surfaced the following morning. It wasn’t worth piquing the
older man’s interest by lazing about on the couch in his underwear. It would
lead to questions he didn’t want to answer.

Twenty-one today,
he thought,
married man tomorrow, huh, not a whole
lot to celebrate there.
He was driving towards a small bistro to meet his
mother and brother, he’d left early to avoid another argument and he would need
to collect his suit before returning home. He found a parking space between the
bistro and the tailors, turned off the engine and just sat for a few moments.
It was now or never. His relationship with Carmen had become even more strained
since he’d told her of his upcoming marriage. He couldn’t blame her. He should
have bitten the bullet years ago and married her instead.

She answered on the first ring and sounded
genuine as she wished him happy birthday and good luck for tomorrow. Paul found
himself apologising to her, trying to explain his actions but she soothed his
worries and for that he was grateful. She got off the phone pretty quickly
though and he could swear he heard a break in her voice as she called to Gavin
to come and wish Daddy happy birthday. She didn’t take the phone back from her
son, she allowed him to say goodbye and hang up leaving Paul a little
melancholy for something that could have been.

He heard the cough of his old Escort
Mexico driving by and climbed from his own, far more sophisticated vehicle to
meet up with Monica and Matt as they waited outside the Bistro. With drinks
served and starters ordered. Monica wished her sons Happy Birthday with the
requisite gushing and hugs of a mother coming to terms with her youngest
children entering bonafide manhood. Delving into her Mary Poppins sized bag
that held a myriad of just about everything and quite possibly the kitchen
sink, she produced two what appeared to be identical boxes. After the sufficient
amount of scrutiny, she nodded, smiled and slid the boxes across the table, one
in front of each son.

“You know what they are but I didn’t want
to just give you something without any thought as its part of your birth right.
I think I got it right but feel free to tell me if you don’t like it and I will
let you pick out something more to your taste.” She told them.

Glancing from his brother to the box in
front of him, Paul smiled. Yes he knew what was inside before opening it but he
was keen to see what Monica had picked out for him.

Peeling the decorative ribbon and bow
away, he opened the box and looked again to Matt. His brother was smiling
broadly and reverently stroking the item in the box. Looking down, he felt his
face crack into a smile that mirrored that of his brother. He was looking at a
watch. A Rolex Daytona Cosmograph in Rose Gold with a black face.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours”
Matt’s voice cut through his thoughts of his mother had nailed it once again.

Nodding, Paul grinned at his brother,
“Three, two, one” they both spun their boxes around, both reverting to their
childhood cry of “Whopah” upon the reveal.

Matt’s watch was the same model as Paul’s
but his was white gold with a white face. Each time piece reflecting each man’s
colouring and personality with precision.

Matt nodded his approval “Niiice bro.”

“Yeah, likewise.” Paul dragged the watch,
kicking and screaming from the box to examine it more closely. The back was
engraved “On your 21
^st
. Love Mum x” Smiling still, he removed his
old watch with the worn leather strap and snapped the heavier, classier Rolex
in place, holding out his arm to admire it and seeing Matt mirror his actions.

“What do you reckon Matt? Two pronged
attack?” He asked as he inclined his head in his Mother’s direction. Matt
nodded as they began to rise. Both enveloping their Mother in a bear hug at the
same time.

Patting her hair back in to place, Monica
tried hard to scowl at her son’s public display of affection but it was mighty
difficult to scowl when she was smiling so hard. She enjoyed her time with her
son’s, something that didn’t happen enough in her opinion.

She decided to accompany them for the
final fitting of their suits for tomorrows wedding. The staff at the tailors
making a huge fuss of the mother of the groom, making sure she had a
comfortable seat and a drink while she waited. Her son’s took her breath away
when they came out of the changing rooms. They were each beautiful in their own
way.

Matt fiddled with the collar of his tailed
jacket as Paul stood silently while the master tailor smoothed his jacket
across his shoulders and checked the fit. Watching his brother in the mirror,
Matt saw the tension in Paul’s shoulders and noticed his lips were drawn into a
tight line as he waited for the tailor to finish fussing.

“Damn we look good.” He spoke, drawing his
brother’s gaze.

Paul nodded and shrugged off the tailor,
enough was enough. “Yeah we do.” He shot Matt a grin then caught sight of
Monica struggling to contain her tears behind them. “Mum?” He asked, moving
towards her and crouching in front of her chair.

Monica reached out and stroked his face,
smiling. “You both look incredible. I can’t believe my baby is getting
married.”

Paul leaned in and kissed her cheek before
standing and going back to the bank of mirrors, muttering “I’m having trouble
with that myself.”

“You ok?” Sidling closer, Matt kept his
voice low.

“Yeah. Just nerves, you know?” Paul
answered but he didn’t meet his brother’s gaze.

“Bullshit.” Matt whispered but he didn’t
push the point further. He cleared his throat, did a little dance. “I am going
to be breaking hearts tomorrow.” He laughed.

Paul slipped the jacket from his
shoulders, laughing at his brother has he walked towards the changing room.
“Yeah well me being off the market is going to break a few hearts too. I mean,
have you seen me?” He asked, laughter in his voice. “I’m fucking perfect bro, I
will be missed on the party scene.”

“You’ll be missed when you actually stop
partying.” Matt quipped.

“Which will be never.” Paul answered.

Matt peered around the changing room,
checking they were alone. “Ok. What the hell is going on with you?”

“I told you. Nerves.”

“And I told you bullshit.”

Paul sighed and dragged a hand through his
hair, he still had to get it cut before the end of the day. “I can’t tell you
Matt. All will become clear very soon.”

Matt scowled as he continued to undress.
“You don’t want to do this do you?”

Paul shook his head. No. “I don’t have a
choice right now. I’ll tell you but not now.”

“Paul…..,”

“Don’t.” Paul held up a hand to silence
his brother. “I know what I’m doing. I’ll be ok and it will get sorted.”

Matt sighed “Ok. I’m going to take Mum
home. I’ll see you bright and early.”

“Yeah, oh and Matt?” Paul waited for him
to turn back. “Happy birthday.”

Matt wrapped his arms around Paul. “Happy
birthday Paul.”

Leaving the tailors, two suits in his
hands, he carefully put them in his car and pondered his next move. Hair cut
or…….? Grinning to himself, he did a swift U-Turn and drove in the opposite
direction from his barber, he’d whack some product in his hair and make it look
fashionably tousled. His afternoon was filled with laughter and pain but it was
a welcome distraction to what awaited him the following day.