The Accidental Boyfriend (22 page)

She saw Miranda fighting back laughter as she held the phone up so security could hear her tirade. Oh hell, she was giving some doorman a good show at least. It was probably a matter of minutes before she was thrown out of here.

“You have been too blinded by anger and, let’s face it, probably jealousy, to realize that Jack has grown up. He’s changed. If you bothered to get to know Jack now, as an adult, you’d see that he risked throwing away a major fortune for my sister, out of loyalty and friendship. You’d see that he works his butt off every single day to make sure his company is a success. If you paid attention you’d see that your brother is the most committed, reliable, loving man you know.”

Robert’s jaw was somewhere near the ground by the time she came to an end. The silence in the room was deafening. When neither of her audience members responded, she picked up her purse where she’d thrown it on the couch and edged toward the front door. “Okay, well, that’s uh—that’s all I came to say. Um….have a good night.”

* * * *

Jack was just as speechless as his brother and sister-in-law on the other end of the phone. When Brunelli found him on the veranda a little while later, he was still clutching the phone and staring into space trying to digest all that he’d heard.

Holly had stood up for him. To his brother. Everything she’d said…she’d sounded so certain, so passionate. It was an odd feeling seeing oneself from someone else’s point of view. Normally when he did it was from the point of view of his brother or his parents…or the press. But the way Holly saw him—she saw the best in him, the man he wanted to be. The man he was trying to become. The tightness in his chest was so painful he pressed a hand to his heart tried to draw in a deep breath.

“You’re too young to have a heart attack,” Brunelli said as he walked toward him. “Leave that to me.”

He plopped down in the seat beside Jack with a grin but his smile faded quickly as he watched him. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

Jack forced the words out. “I’m an idiot.”

At that Brunelli tossed his head back with a laugh. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

They both turned at the sound of the villa’s back door opening behind them. Ivy marched out with Daniel close behind. “Jack Everett, you are an idiot,” Ivy called.

Daniel was following right behind him and looked like he was torn between laughter and concern. “Honey, please calm down.”

Jack glared at Daniel over Ivy’s shoulder. “You told her?”

Daniel shrugged, amusement apparently winning out. “Sorry, Jack, she’s ruthless when it comes to her family.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you like Holly?” she demanded. She’d come to a stop directly in front of him with her hands on her hips.

“Umm.” He turned to Brunelli for help but the old man was watching him with an expectant grin that said he was enjoying the younger man’s awkward situation. He shifted in his chair and glanced away but when he looked back Ivy was still glaring at him.

“I didn’t think you’d approve,” he said.

Her eyes grew so big he drew back in alarm. “Are you kidding me? You are one of my favorite people in the world, Jack Everett, why on earth would I not want you with my sister?”

He opened his mouth to speak but drew a blank. Where to begin? Because he was a notorious playboy? Because he had a lifetime of screw-ups under his belt? Because he’d never been in a long-term relationship before?

Because he’d never been in love before.

Jack dropped his head into his hand.

When he looked up again it was to see all three watching him with obvious concern. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Does she feel the same way?” Ivy asked.

Jack shrugged. “No, I don’t think so. I mean, she loves Benjamin—”

“Oh please,” Ivy said with a wave of her hand. “Holly is deluding herself into thinking they would be a good match but anyone who has seen the two of them together knows that they are not in love.”

Some of the tightness in his chest eased a bit at that proclamation. But even if she didn’t love Benjamin, that didn’t mean she loved him. He thought of the speech he’d just heard her give. Those were some strong feelings he’d heard in her voice. Maybe, just maybe, he had a chance. Or maybe he was reading too much into it, maybe she loved him as a friend.

He couldn’t stop the groan of misery that slipped out.

Ivy sat in the seat beside him and grabbed his hand. When she spoke it was to her husband who was hovering nearby. “Why are people in love so stupid?”

Jack nearly groaned aloud again. Was it that obvious? Daniel just shook his head. “What we need to do is come up with a plan.”

Brunelli was nodding his head in agreement and Ivy’s eyes lit up in excitement. Jack’s tone was wary when he finally spoke, “What kind of plan? How do you expect me to fix things with Holly when I’ve made a mess of things since the first moment I met her?”

He told them about the wedding—about how he’d had the most amazing night of his life…and then walked away from her.

“Yes, but she walked away from you too.” Ivy pointed out with a nonchalant shrug. “The way I see it, you were both idiots.”

“Okay, fine. But then I went and—”

“Saved her from herself by tracking her down in Paris?” Daniel finished. “I’d think most women would find that quite gallant.” He looked to his wife for confirmation and she gave them both an eager nod.

“But then I dragged her into my family drama,” Jack said. “She saw me at my absolute worst.”

“And she stood up for you,” Brunelli pointed out. “From what you told us, it sounds like you’ve found the perfect match. A woman who understands where you’ve come from and sees you for who you truly are today.”

“A good man,” Daniel said. “A responsible business partner and a loyal friend.”

“A reliable, generous, and caring man,” Ivy added. She had tears in her eyes but that was nothing new these days.

Jack was touched by their kind words more than he wanted to admit. His tone was gruff when he said, “Thanks, guys. I don’t know if I’m the kind of man Holly deserves yet but being around her….she makes me want to be that guy.”

Brunelli was giving him a fatherly grin of approval. “Finding someone who sees the best in you and who makes you want to be a better person…there is no better love than that.”

Jack knew they were right. He’d found the one. The One. And he’d been too stupid to see it. He wiped a hand over his face as the full weight of his actions hit him.

“Okay, let’s get started with a plan,” Daniel said, in true Daniel style. The man lived for plans.

“It’s too late,” Jack said. He looked up to see them staring at him in confusion. “It’s too late,” he repeated. “I, uh, I flew Benjamin out to Paris…Paris, France. The two of them are probably planning out their future children’s names by now.”

He watched all three of their faces fall. “Well that was nice, I suppose,” Ivy admitted. “But stupid.”

Brunelli and Daniel murmured their agreement on his stupidity. It was official.

Brunelli looked lost in thought. “If you could, how would you make things right?”

Jack’s laugh was humorless. “I would start over again. I would go back to Daniel and Ivy’s wedding and do it right. I would sweep her off her feet and show her the kind of love she deserves. And once I had her in my arms, I would never let go.”

The tears were streaming down Ivy’s face by that point and Daniel was rubbing her back in consolation. “Well then that’s just what we’ll have to do,” he said. The grim look on his face was simultaneously frightening and heartening. Daniel had a plan.

Brunelli apparently could read his mind because he and Daniel shared a look and the old man clapped his hands together in excitement. “I’ve got to find Lucia and the other grandkids. We have a lot of work to do.”

Ivy and Jack were watching him walk away in confusion when Daniel turned to his wife. “Sweetheart, our baby is going to make an early appearance.”

* * * *

Holly was already at the airport waiting standby for a seat to open up on the next flight to Italy when the call came.

“Daniel, is everything okay?”

“The baby is on the way.” Holly barely heard him speak after that. She rushed to tell him, “I’m on my way” before he hung up the phone.

She looked around the airport with a smile. What excellent timing.

Having grabbed a seat on the next flight out, she arrived in Italy within hours and she spotted Lucia waiting for her near baggage claim.

“You got here quick,” Lucia said after giving her a hug.

“Yeah, well, I was actually already on my way.”

Lucia raised her brows in question. “Really? Why? I thought Benjamin had arrived in Paris. Wasn’t that what you wanted?” Holly let out a sigh of annoyance at her own stupidity. “Yeah, well, I thought that’s what I wanted but…I was wrong.”

Lucia was smiling at her. “So what is it that you want? Or should I say who?”

Holly returned her grin and tried to ignore the nerves there wreaking havoc on her stomach. She wasn’t sure she was ready to spill her guts just yet. Not when there was every chance that Jack could still reject her. His words from the night before had been haunting her all day.

Maybe she would never make him see reason. Or maybe he didn’t love her. She swallowed down the doubts and insecurities as best she could. She would have her say and hope that she wasn’t totally off base about their connection. She didn’t think she could face the heartbreak if she was wrong.

But first thing’s first, she had to be there for her sister and then she would worry about how to convince Jack that he was in love with her.

“Are we going to the hospital?” she asked. “Are my parents on their way?”

Lucia’s smile was secretive. “Danny asked that you wait for him at the villa. I’ll take you to the hospital when they’re ready for visitors.”

Holly nodded and focused on the view outside the window. She drew in a deep steadying breath. They were going to the villa. Would Jack be there? If so, what would she say? She wasn’t ready. She wiped suddenly sweaty palms on her jeans and gnawed on her lower lip. She had to come up with a way to convince this man that she was worth taking a risk on. That he was capable of committing and that they were more than a casual fling.

Right. No pressure.

The house looked dark when they pulled up. “Where is everyone?” she asked.

Lucia shrugged and rushed ahead of her. “I’ll ask one of the boys to come grab your bags. Why don’t you go out on the veranda to wait, I’ll be right out with something to eat.”

Before she could protest or ask questions, Lucia had disappeared into the house and Holly followed the path on the side of the house that led to the veranda. The last time she’d been here was for Ivy’s wedding. The night she’d met Jack.

The night her world had turned upside down.

She turned the corner of the house and gasped at the sight before her. Blinking rapidly, for one brief moment she thought perhaps she’d fallen and hit her head. There was no way this was reality.

It was the same. It was
exactly
the same. From the twinkling lights strung overhead to the outdoor stage with a ten-piece band—the veranda looked like Ivy and Daniel’s wedding had just come to an end.

The music floated over to her softly and she looked around in wonder. A movement to her left caught her eye. He was silhouetted by the stage lights but she knew it was him.

“Jack,” she said, her breath catching in her throat. Her brain was struggling to make sense of what was going on but her heart had leapt far ahead of her mind. Her heart tightened and her breathing came in ragged gasps as tears started to trickle down her cheeks.

He had done this. For her. That was the only explanation.

He reached her side and she could see his expression. His normally floppy hair was slicked back off of his face as it had been that night. He was wearing a tuxedo and he looked oh-so-amazing. He looked like a movie star. Too good to be true.

The only thing different was the look in his eyes. At the wedding he had been lighthearted, charming, filled with laughter and teasing. But now, she could swear she saw…fear.

“What is this?” she whispered.

Instead of replying, he held out a hand. “May I have this dance?”

She stepped into his arms and let him lead her in a waltz around the empty dance floor.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his eyes melting her with their passion and their heat.

Blood rushed to her cheeks and she glanced down at her faded T-shirt and jeans with a laugh. “If I’d known this was a formal occasion…wait, Jack, where’s Ivy, is she…”

“I’d imagined she’s tucked into bed beside Daniel at the moment,” Jack said, that familiar mischievous twinkle returning to his eyes as he explained. “I needed to see you. We figured the baby’s arrival would get you here.”

Holly choked on laughter and tears. “You know, that wasn’t necessary. I was already on my way.”

Jack stopped dancing, his eyes wide with surprise. “You were? Why?”

Holly shook her head. She wasn’t ready to bare her soul yet, she had too many questions. “You first. Why go to all this trouble? What is this about?”

She thought she knew—she
hoped
she knew. But she needed to hear him say it.

“I wanted a do-over,” Jack said. She saw a hint of that familiar lopsided grin as he gave her a rueful look. “I’ve been such an idiot, Holly. I should have done it all differently, from the first moment I met you.”

The tears that had been threatening to fall trickled down her cheek. With the lights and the music…it was too much to take in. “What are you saying?” she asked.

He paused then and she saw fear war with conviction. “I love you,” he said, the words coming out on a rush of air. “I think I loved you the moment I set eyes on you and if I’m being honest I was already head over heels crazy in love by the time we finished our first dance.”

Holly’s voice came out wobbly and soft. “You were?”

He nodded and the love she saw in his eyes at that moment was so heady she thought she might faint. She gripped his hand tighter and clung to his shoulder. “Why didn’t you…do something or say something?”