His jaw clenched. But if she preferred to think the worst of his motives, then let her. He wasn’t explaining himself to anyone.
He made a move toward the stairs. “Get your things together. We’re going back to shore.”
Six
W hen they arrived back at the apartment, Gabrielle half expected Damien to carry her off to bed, and firmly squashed a sense of disappointment when he strode straight over to the dining table and started sorting through his briefcase.
“You’re working now?” she asked, then realized how that sounded. “I mean, aren’t we going to see my parents?”
He glanced at his Rolex, his attitude telling her he was a busy man. “I’ve got a couple of calls to make, then we’ll go break the news of our marriage to your mother. We’ll leave it up to Caroline to decide whether to tell Russell yet or not.”
Gabrielle swallowed, feeling guilty. In a way she didn’t really feel she should feel too guilty about it. Not after everything her parents had put her through. Yet she did.
“And by the way,” he added. “I’ve ordered a Porsche to replace the rental car.”
Gabrielle groaned, feeling swallowed up by him. “You did?”
“And I’ve told your ex-boss, Eileen, we were getting married.”
Her eyes widened in dismay. “You didn’t!” Now this she did feel guilty over.
“I had to give her some reason why I was having your things sent up here.”
She couldn’t believe he’d done all this without asking her. “You really are a piece of work, aren’t you?” she snapped, then spun toward the spare bedroom, intending to use the phone in there. “I’d better phone her on the other extension and explain.” Eileen had been so good to her and would be disappointed not to have been invited to the wedding.
“Gabrielle?”
She stopped at the bedroom door. “What?”
“You’re in the master bedroom now,” he drawled, nodding his head at the other bedroom door. “With me.”
A tremor of desire quaked through her body. “Master bedroom?” she scoffed. “Oh, goodie. I can sit at your feet and feed you grapes all day.”
His expression relaxed into a smile, and it was devastating. “I can’t see you being part of a harem.”
“I’m amazed you appreciate that.”
His eyes dropped to her br**sts. “Oh, I appreciate you just fine, Gabrielle.”
She moved slightly to cover her tingling n**ples beneath her lime-green top. “Don’t you have some calls to make?” she pointed out sourly, intending to shower and change out of her white slacks and into something more suitable for the office, just as soon as she spoke to Eileen.
His lips curled faintly upward. “They’ll be brief.”
“Well, I could be a while,” she said, letting him know he’d caused problems and now she had to clean up his mess.
He ignored that. “I’ll come get you when you’re ready.”
“So you have X-ray vision and can see through walls now?” she derided. “I think you’ve been eating too many carrots.”
“No, grapes,” he mocked, then strode out onto the balcony, already pressing the numbers on his cell phone, already forgetting her.
She didn’t smile, though she secretly appreciated the smart comment. And she was still appreciating it after talking to Eileen, and then an hour later when they took her mother aside and told her the news. Gabrielle had already insisted that she wanted to be the one to tell her mother, though how on earth did she explain without telling her the true reason?
She didn’t expect Caroline to burst into tears. “Mum, I’m sorry but it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
Caroline dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “But I’m your mother, Gabrielle. I would have liked to be at my only child’s wedding.”
Damien put his arm around Gabrielle’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Caroline, we knew you’d be torn about leaving Russell’s side, so we decided it was best we didn’t tell you until it was over.”
She still looked hurt. “But couldn’t you both have waited until Russell was better?”
“I’m sorry, no,” Damien said quietly but firmly. “I wanted Gabrielle to marry me and I couldn’t wait a moment longer for her.” He looked down at Gabrielle with a warm look in his eyes that totally shook her, then he squeezed her shoulder, urging her to back him up, making her realize it was all a front.
“Yes, that’s right,” Gabrielle confirmed. “We just couldn’t wait. I’m sorry,” she said, feeling really bad now. She knew her parents loved her. She didn’t like causing them pain, despite how much they’d caused her.
Caroline sniffed. “You must love each other very much,” she said, relenting.
“We do,” Damien said without hesitation, and for a split second Gabrielle actually thought he meant it. Her heart gave a thud, then settled down to reality.
“Russell will be pleased,” Caroline said. A frown marred her forehead. “But perhaps we shouldn’t tell him until I speak to his doctor?”
“Good idea,” Damien said. “And look, I know Russell’s been too sick to have visitors, but don’t let Keiran in to see him just yet. He might slip up and give it away about our marriage, and I’d hate to set Russell back because he received a shock.”
She nodded even as she looked startled. “Keiran knows about your marriage?”
“Not yet. We’re on our way to the office soon to tell him.”
“Oh, good. He’ll be so surprised. And delighted, too, no doubt. He’s taken on a big responsibility trying to fill Russell’s shoes, always phoning me and checking to see how your father is doing. He’s been such a comfort.” She smiled warmly. “As you both have.”
“Don’t worry, Caroline,” Damien said. “We intend to help him as much as we can.”
Her mother’s brow rose. “We?”
Gabrielle knew she had to tell her mother their plans. “Mum, Damien’s going to help me run the company until Dad gets better.”
Her mother’s face lit up. “Really?”
“Yes.” Deliberately she didn’t mention Keiran. If her mother asked, she would say he intended to help out in another capacity at the office.
“That’s wonderful, darling. I’m so proud of you.” She glanced at Damien. “Russell always thought of you as a son, Damien. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled about this.”
Damien cleared his throat. “He’s been like a father to me, too, Caroline,” he said, sounding gruff.
Caroline gave a light laugh. “Good heavens, I now have a son-in-law. Who would’ve believed it?” She winked at Gabrielle. “And maybe one day I’ll be a grandma?” she teased, a sudden speculative light in her eyes.
Gabrielle stiffened, but she was sure only Damien felt it. “Not yet, Mum. I have too much to do to help Dad first.”
Caroline looked only slightly disappointed. “That’s okay, darling. But I look forward to the day when you’re ready to give me a little grandbaby.”
Gabrielle swallowed hard. She wasn’t sure that day would ever come again.
As if Damien knew she was uneasy, he changed the subject. “How about when Russell’s better we have another ceremony? A big event with lots of family and friends. What do you think, Caroline? Would you and Russell like that?”
Caroline’s eyes lit up. “Oh yes, that would be wonderful.” Then the light in her eyes dimmed. “Of course, I’m not sure where I’ll be once Russell gets better…”
Gabrielle’s heart thudded to a halt. “Mum?”
Caroline patted her hand. “Darling, I came back because I love your father and he’s sick, but I don’t know whether he still loves me.”
Gabrielle was horrified. She’d thought her parents were back together. “Mum, of course he does.”
Caroline frowned. “To be honest, I’m not sure.” Then her mother fluttered a dismissive hand. “But this is about you and Damien, not me and Russell. And I promise that no matter where I am I’ll come back for another ceremony.”
Gabrielle was having trouble trying to come to terms with her mother’s admission that she hadn’t resumed her marriage, so she was thankful when Damien stepped in and suggested they leave.
“Don’t let the comment about grandchildren worry you,” he said on the way out of the hospital. “Your mother’s just doing some wishful thinking. It’s only natural.”
Somehow she found the strength to pretend she didn’t care that her parents should have already been grandparents. If only…
No!
Instead, she shot Damien a glare. “Did you know they weren’t actually back together?”
“Yes,” he said, opening the car door for her.
“What! You told me—”
“That your mother had come home because of your father’s stroke. She did.”
“But—”
“Let them work it out themselves. We have other things to worry about right now.” He took her elbow and guided her onto the passenger seat. “Keiran being one of them. He’s bound to be difficult.”
The thought of facing Keiran kept her quiet as Damien closed the door and came around the other side of the BMW. A short while later they entered her father’s office to find her cousin again behind the desk, looking so self-satisfied she wanted to wipe that look right off his face. Thank goodness she’d dressed in a short black skirt and cream silk blouse that looked very businesslike.
“Keiran,” she said, walking over to the chair in front of the desk and taking a seat as Damien went to stand by the window. “Do you realize you lost the company a three-million-dollar contract?”
Keiran suddenly looked wary. “They wanted more than we could give. We don’t have the resources for what they wanted.”
“No,” she snapped. “My father would have bent over backward to find a way to keep that contract.”
Keiran glared at her defiantly. “I did all I could.”
“I’m sure you did. But this company isn’t only about you and what you can and can’t do, Keiran. It’s about being a business. About keeping people in jobs.”
Keiran stiffened. “Don’t come in here and start preaching to me on how to run things, Gabrielle. I’m in charge now and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Correction. You were in charge.”
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t start that again. You and Damien are—”
“Married.”
He flinched, then quickly recovered. “So?”
She leaned forward and slapped a copy of the marriage certificate and the document transferring the shares on the desk. “We’re married. We were married yesterday. And Damien’s given me eleven percent of his shares as a wedding present,” she said, enjoying dropping that bombshell. She made a point of standing up. “So thank you for holding the fort, but I’ll take over now.”