Fidelity (Infidelity #5)(111)

“That little baby boy…” Jane shook her head. “…it shouldn’t be long now.”

“Grandma,” Angelina called as we stepped through the doorway into the pool house. “Finally. Now can we open presents?”

“Yes,” the room said together with a collective sigh.

Warmth filled my cheeks as Oren wrapped his arm around my waist. I handed him his mug.

“Your arrival was greatly anticipated,” he whispered.

“I guess it was. I didn’t realize.”

He nodded toward the windows filled with a winter wonderland and winked. “I have a gift for you.”

“You do? What do I need? I have you and the kids. I have Angelina and soon little Dominic…”

Placing our coffee on a nearby table, he reached for a long, slender box, wrapped in beautiful white and gold foil paper.

“Hmm,” I assessed as he handed it to me. “It’s too big for jewelry.”

“If you’re telling me you’ll wear a ring if it’s a present, I can be back in an hour.”

I laughed. “On Christmas?”

“Don’t doubt me. I have connections to some of the best jewelry stores in the city.”

“I’d never doubt your connections.” I shook the box to the sound of rattling. “Is it broken?”

“Perhaps you should open it and find out.”

“Momma,” Alexandria said from near the tree, “what do you have?”

“I don’t know.” I pulled the ribbon and slid my finger under the tape. As the paper bowed backward, I read the box and grinned.

“Battleship?” Alexandria said. “Since when do you play board games?”

Oren smiled, his eyebrows dancing. “Your mother has many secrets.”

Both Lennox’s and Alexandria’s hands flew into the air.

“We don’t need to know more,” Lennox said with a grin as he turned to Angelina. “Now, my little princess, which package do you want to deliver next?”

“This one,” she said, pointing at a small red gift with a green bow.

Lennox read the tag. “That one says it’s to you from me.”

“It does?” She wasted no time ripping the paper and opening the hinged box. “Oh, look, Mommy, it’s a necklace like yours.”

Alexandria smiled and nodded. “It’s just like mine. Your daddy’s kind of overprotective.”

“Does that mean you love us?”

Lennox secured the chain around Angelina’s neck and kissed her forehead. “It means I love you very much.”

“Because we’re your princesses?”

“Yes!”

“But what about my brother?” Her little face scrunched in question. “Will Nic get one too? Boys don’t wear necklaces like this.”

Lennox shrugged, giving Alexandria a smile. “I’m sure Deloris can figure out something. And when you, Miss Angi…” He pointed to her nose. “…are a teenager, we’ll make you a necklace like your mommy’s other one.”

Alexandria laughed and she shook her head. “I don’t know. There might be a few things we’d rather not hear.”





“DAD, ARE YOU sure it isn’t time for you to go back to London or maybe Savannah?”

“You’re stuck with us until our grandson arrives,” Oren said with a grin.

I eyed him up and down. “I do admit, this family-man thing is looking good on you.”

“I know… I should have tried it sooner.”

I shrugged. “Better late than never.”

“Now back to what I was saying. Higgins lost the reelection, but Carroll is still in. That finance bill we fought five years ago was pocket change compared to some of the shit they have ready to be heard.”

“It’s good that Higgins is out. He was dirty anyway. I’m surprised he made the last term.”

Oren shook his head as he leaned back in the chair across the desk from me. “I’m learning more and more about Georgia politics. There’s some good people, but the old guard is hard to oust.”

“One at a time, I suppose.”

“Have you spoken to Carroll?”

“I have,” I admitted. “The distribution centers we opened a few years ago are working three shifts a day. But you’re right, the new national bill could seriously hurt us by taking away the tax breaks we were given.”

“Those were guaranteed for ten years.”

“What is that in political years?”

Oren nodded. “I think it’s time to court the new elected officials. We need to concentrate on the states that have supported business in the past. We have more than Demetri now. We have Montague now too.”

“I don’t feel right…”

“Why? It’s your wife’s company. We’re not at odds. We want the same things.”

“Lennox,” Silvia said as she opened the door. Her brown eyes were wide with concern.

I jumped to my feet. “What is it?”

“Alex didn’t want me to say anything, but I can’t keep quiet any longer. She needs to get to the hospital.”

My gaze met Dad’s as we both rushed toward the doorway. “Have you called Clayton?”