Wed on His Terms: Million-Dollar Marriage Merger. Charlene SandsЧитать онлайн книгу.
âWhy the sudden concern about my well-being?â
Tony softened his tone. âIâve always cared about you, Rena.â
âNo, Tony. Weâre not going there. Ever,â she emphasized. She wouldnât go down that mental path. She and Tony had way too much history, and she thought sheâd never heal from the wounds heâd inflicted.
âCanât you just forget for a few minutes who I am and who you are? Canât we break bread together quietly and enjoy a good meal?â
Rena relented but still questioned Tonyâs mysterious behavior. âFine. Iâll eat before the ravioli gets cold.â
âThatâs a girl.â
She shot him a look.
He raised his hands up in surrender. âSorry.â Then he dug into his filet mignon with gusto and sipped wine until heâd drained two goblets.
After finishing their entrées, Tony cleared the dishes himself, refusing Renaâs help. He needed time to collect his thoughts and figure out how he was going to propose marriage to his best friendâs new widow and not come off sounding callous and cruel. There was only one route to take and that was to tell her the truth.
Hell, he hadnât ever really thought about marriage to anyone but Rena Fairfield. As teenagers, theyâd spent many a night daydreaming of the time when theyâd marry. But then Renaâs mother became ill, and Tony had been given a real opportunity to pursue his dream of racing stock cars. Leaving Rena behind to care for her ailing mother and help her father run Purple Fields had been the only black spot in an otherwise shining accomplishment. Begging her to join him served no purpose. She couldnât leave. She had family obligations. She loved making wine. She loved Purple Fields. She was born to live in Napa, where Tony had been born to race.
Heâd hurt her. No, heâd nearly destroyed her.
Each time heâd called her from the racing circuit, sheâd become more and more distant. Until one day, she asked him not to call anymore. Two years later, sheâd married David. He hadnât been invited to the wedding.
Tony covered a tray with tiramisu, spumoni ice cream and chocolate-coated cannolis. He returned to Rena and answered her skepticism as she watched him place the food on the table. âWhat? Regardless of what you think, I wasnât born with a silver spoon. We had to do chores at the house. My father was a stickler for pulling your own weight.â
âI would think youâre one who is used to being served.â
âI am. I wonât deny it. Life is good now. Iâm wealthy and can affordââ
âShutting down a restaurant for the night to have a private dinner?â
âYeah, among other things.â
âI guess I should feel honored that you served me dinner. You must have a good reason.â
âI do.â He glanced at the desserts on the table and moved a dish of spumoni her way. âYou love ice cream. Dig in.â
Rena didnât hesitate. She picked up a spoon and dove into the creamy Italian fare.
Tony dipped into it as well, butting spoons with her. They made eye contact, and Rena turned away quickly. How often had they shared ice cream in the past?
After three spoonfuls of spumoni, Rena pushed the dish away. âOkay, Tony. Iâve had dinner with you. No one is around. So are you going to tell me why you needed to speak to me?â
âI know you hate me, Rena.â
She steered her gaze toward the fountain in the middle of the dining area. âHate is a strong word.â
âSo, you donât hate me?â he asked, with a measure of hope.
She looked into his eyes again. âI didnât say that.â
Tony didnât flinch. Heâd prepared himself for this. âWhat did David say to you before he died?â
She straightened in her seat, her agitated body language not to be missed. âThatâs none of your business.â
âFair enough. But I need to tell you what he asked of me, Rena. I need you to hear his last words to me as I rode beside him in the ambulance.â
Tears welled in her eyes. Tony was a sucker for Renaâs tears. He never could stand to see her cry.
For a moment, fear entered her eyes as if hearing Davidâs words would cause her too much pain. But then, courageously, she nodded, opening her eyes wide. âOkay. Yes, I do want to hear what he said.â
Tony spoke quietly, keeping his voice from cracking. âHe told me he loved you.â Rena inhaled a quick breath, and those tears threatened again. âAnd that you deserved a good life.â
âHe was the kindest man,â she whispered.
âHis last thoughts were only of you.â
A single tear fell from her eyes. âThank you, Tony. I needed to hear that.â
âIâm not through, Rena. Thereâs more.â
She sat back in her seat and leaned heavily against the back of the booth, bracing herself. âOkay.â
âHe asked me to to watch out for you. Protect you. And I intend to do just that. Rena, I intend to marry you.â
Tony might as well have said he was going to fly to the moon on a broomstick; his declaration was just as ridiculous. Still, Rena couldnât contain her shock. Her mouth dropped open. She couldnât find the words.
Her heart broke thinking that Davidâs very last thoughts and concerns hadnât been for himself but for her. But at the same time, if what Tony had said was true, then a wave of anger built at her departed husband as well. How could he even suggest such a thing? Asking Tony to take care of her? To protect her? He was the last man on earth she trusted, and David knew that.
Didnât he?
âYou canât be serious,â she finally got out once a tumultuous array of emotions swept through her system.
âIâm dead serious, Rena.â He pinned her with a sharp unrelenting look.
âItâs ridiculous.â
âMaybe. But itâs Davidâs last wishes.â
âYouâre saying he asked you to marry me?â Rena kept a tight reign on her rising blood pressure.
Tony nodded. âI promised him, Rena.â
âNo, no, no, no, no, no.â She shook her head so hard that her hair slipped out of its clip.
Tony held steady peering into her eyes. âTell me what he said to you. His last words.â
âHe said,â she began, her voice shaky, her expression crestfallen. âHe said he loved me. And that he wanted me to keep Purple Fields.â She looked down for a moment to compose herself. âHe knew how much it meant to me.â
âAnd you promised him?â
âI did. But Iââ Flashes of her conversation with Mr. Zelinski earlier today came flooding back. There was no hope of saving the winery. As much as it hurt her, sheâd resolved