Solena and Raymond her reasons for this sudden secret marriage to Tony, she hadn’t confessed about the baby yet. Sheneeded time to come to grips with all that had changed in her life.
When the dinner was over, Rena walked outside with Solena, bidding her farewell. “I hope I’m not making a mistake.”
Solena took her hand and squeezed gently. “Remember, David wanted this for you.” She glanced at Tony who stood beside Raymond and his brothers. “Give him a chance,” she whispered. “You loved him once.”
“It’s different now, Solena. There’s so much hurt between us.”
“I know. But if you find forgiveness, your heart will open.”
Rena doubted it. She didn’t know if she was capable of forgiving Tony. He’d destroyed her life not once but twice. Was she supposed to forget all that? Emotions jumbled up inside her, and she fought to control them. “I can’t believe I married him.”
Solena reached out to hug her tight. “It will work out as it’s meant to. Be patient. And remember, I am always here if you need me.”
Rena faced her and gratitude filled her heart. “I know you are.” She reminded herself that if she hadn’t married Tony, she wouldn’t be able to employ her dear friends, and that was enough consolation for now.
Tony approached and put a hand to her back. “Are you ready to leave?”
She nodded to him and bid farewell to her friend, squeezing her hand tight. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Solena.”
“Yes.” Solena glanced at Tony. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Once Raymond and Solena left, Tony took Rena’s hand and guided her to his car. “You’re not going to your own execution, you know.”
“Did I say anything?” she quipped, slipping her hand away.
“Not in words.”
She shrugged. “It’s all so strange.”
But before Tony could respond to that, Joe and Nick walked up. Nick smiled. “You did it, you two. Finally. ”
Joe cleared his throat. “Let’s leave them alone, Nick.”
“Just wishing them well,” he said. “I guess we’ll see you at the house later.”
Tony shook his head. “I’m not going back to the house tonight.”
“You’re not?” Rena’s nerves jumped. She hadn’t discussed with him what they’d do after they married. She’d only assumed that since the marriage was secret, he’d stay at his house and she’d stay at hers.
“No.” He turned to her. “I’ve booked a suite at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.”
Joe grabbed Nick’s shoulder and gave a little shove. “Let’s go.”
“I guess I’m going,” Nick said with a cocky smile. “Congrats again, Rena. Big brother.”
Rena watched them both get in the car and leave. She turned to Tony, dumbfounded. “Why did you get us a room at a hotel?”
“It’s our wedding night.”
She closed her eyes, praying for strength. “Surely, you don’t expect—”
“You’re my wife now, Rena. Did you expect me to remain celibate the rest of my life?”
Five
R ena sat stonily silent in the car all the way to the hotel, her expression grim and her pretty mouth deep in a frown. She said nothing as he checked in or on the ride in the elevator to the Presidential Suite.
A private servant opened the door and showed them inside. In awe, Rena gasped when she entered the suite.
Rich furnishings, stately artwork and a Steinway grand piano filled the living room. Tony put a hand to her back and guided her inside. The servant showed them around the suite, walking them through French doors to the master bedroom with an amazing view of San Francisco Bay, the master bathroom highlighted by a sunken whirlpool bath filled with scented flowerpetals, a second bedroom and an elegant dining room with seating for eight.
Once back in the living room, Tony dismissed him. “We won’t need your services for the rest of the evening.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, and once he left the suite, Tony opened the French doors to the terrace.
“It’s massive,” Rena said, stepping
When the dinner was over, Rena walked outside with Solena, bidding her farewell. “I hope I’m not making a mistake.”
Solena took her hand and squeezed gently. “Remember, David wanted this for you.” She glanced at Tony who stood beside Raymond and his brothers. “Give him a chance,” she whispered. “You loved him once.”
“It’s different now, Solena. There’s so much hurt between us.”
“I know. But if you find forgiveness, your heart will open.”
Rena doubted it. She didn’t know if she was capable of forgiving Tony. He’d destroyed her life not once but twice. Was she supposed to forget all that? Emotions jumbled up inside her, and she fought to control them. “I can’t believe I married him.”
Solena reached out to hug her tight. “It will work out as it’s meant to. Be patient. And remember, I am always here if you need me.”
Rena faced her and gratitude filled her heart. “I know you are.” She reminded herself that if she hadn’t married Tony, she wouldn’t be able to employ her dear friends, and that was enough consolation for now.
Tony approached and put a hand to her back. “Are you ready to leave?”
She nodded to him and bid farewell to her friend, squeezing her hand tight. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Solena.”
“Yes.” Solena glanced at Tony. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Once Raymond and Solena left, Tony took Rena’s hand and guided her to his car. “You’re not going to your own execution, you know.”
“Did I say anything?” she quipped, slipping her hand away.
“Not in words.”
She shrugged. “It’s all so strange.”
But before Tony could respond to that, Joe and Nick walked up. Nick smiled. “You did it, you two. Finally. ”
Joe cleared his throat. “Let’s leave them alone, Nick.”
“Just wishing them well,” he said. “I guess we’ll see you at the house later.”
Tony shook his head. “I’m not going back to the house tonight.”
“You’re not?” Rena’s nerves jumped. She hadn’t discussed with him what they’d do after they married. She’d only assumed that since the marriage was secret, he’d stay at his house and she’d stay at hers.
“No.” He turned to her. “I’ve booked a suite at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.”
Joe grabbed Nick’s shoulder and gave a little shove. “Let’s go.”
“I guess I’m going,” Nick said with a cocky smile. “Congrats again, Rena. Big brother.”
Rena watched them both get in the car and leave. She turned to Tony, dumbfounded. “Why did you get us a room at a hotel?”
“It’s our wedding night.”
She closed her eyes, praying for strength. “Surely, you don’t expect—”
“You’re my wife now, Rena. Did you expect me to remain celibate the rest of my life?”
Five
R ena sat stonily silent in the car all the way to the hotel, her expression grim and her pretty mouth deep in a frown. She said nothing as he checked in or on the ride in the elevator to the Presidential Suite.
A private servant opened the door and showed them inside. In awe, Rena gasped when she entered the suite.
Rich furnishings, stately artwork and a Steinway grand piano filled the living room. Tony put a hand to her back and guided her inside. The servant showed them around the suite, walking them through French doors to the master bedroom with an amazing view of San Francisco Bay, the master bathroom highlighted by a sunken whirlpool bath filled with scented flowerpetals, a second bedroom and an elegant dining room with seating for eight.
Once back in the living room, Tony dismissed him. “We won’t need your services for the rest of the evening.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, and once he left the suite, Tony opened the French doors to the terrace.
“It’s massive,” Rena said, stepping
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