Finding Family Read online

  “Mom and Dad ... you ... really?” Meaghan looked as if she might feel ill.

  Tony stepped over to Sheena and put an arm around her. “We’re all going to need to give Mom support, both before and after the baby comes.”

  “Okay. Can I please be excused?” asked Michael.

  “Sure,” said Sheena. “It’ll take time for everyone to get used to the idea.” Sheena realized Michael was thinking of the baby he almost had with Kaylee. Later, she’d talk to him about it.

  “Do Aunt Darcy and Aunt Regan know about the baby?” asked Meaghan in a small voice.

  “Yes,” said Sheena. “They’re pretty excited about becoming aunts again. Grandma and Grandpa Morelli don’t know yet. Your dad and I will tell them a little later.”

  “All right. Can I go now? I want to see if Aunt Regan is home,” Meaghan said, her voice quavering. At Sheena’s nod, Meaghan rose and hurried out of the suite to go next door.

  “So much for excitement from them,” said Sheena, unable to hide her disappointment.

  “Don’t worry. It’s just the shock of it. Over time, we’ll all get used to the idea. How did your sisters take the news?”

  Sheena’s eyes filled. “They’re going to support me all the way, so we can finish the hotel renovations and get it running well.”

  Tony gave her a nod of satisfaction. “Onward and upward and all of that. Good news.”

  “I hope so,” said Sheena, feeling vulnerable. Her whole world had turned upside down.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  REGAN

  Regan was changing into a dress for dinner with Brian when Meaghan burst into the bedroom they shared.

  “Mom’s having a baby!”

  Regan smiled and turned to her. “A big surprise, huh?”

  Meaghan plopped down on the bed, looking forlorn.

  Regan went over to Meaghan, sat down next to her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “What’s going on? Why the glum look?”

  “I don’t want a baby in the family. I can see it now. I’ll be the babysitter stuck at home changing dirty diapers.”

  “Why don’t you think of the positive things? You’ll have a little one to hug and love. And you know very well your mother is not going to enslave you, though having you around will be a huge help to her. Think of all the nice things your mother has done and is doing for you.”

  “I know,” sighed Meaghan. “It’s really hard to think of my parents doing it, you know?”

  Regan held back the laugh she felt bubbling inside her. “Parents are humans, you know. And yours love each other. Be happy they do, and when this baby comes, love him or her.”

  Meaghan’s jaw dropped. “Him? Oh no! If we’re having a baby, I want it to be a girl.”

  Regan gave her a pat on the back. “You’ve got a fifty-fifty chance. But I’m with you on that. I’d love it if you had a sister. Whatever it is, we’ll all love that baby. Right?”

  “Yeah. Guess it took me by surprise.” Meaghan’s eyes lit with excitement. “If it’s a girl, I’ll get to dress her up and everything.”

  Regan laughed. “She’ll be the best doll you ever had.”

  Meaghan jumped to her feet. “I’ve got to go talk to Mom.”

  Watching Meaghan dart out of the room, Regan shook her head. Teenagers! She finished dressing for dinner. She and Brian were meeting Mo and Kenton at Gavin’s to settle arrangements for them to rent the cottage on Kenton’s property. Brian had flat-out refused to use any of Regan’s money to buy a house for them. At the time, Regan had been hurt, but now she was pleased the bulk of her money could be used to go into business with Mo.

  Brian knocked on the door to the suite and entered. “Ready?” His eyes took on a brightness as he advanced, continuing to stare at her. “You look beautiful, Regan.” He lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips. “I missed you so much.”

  She gave him her crooked smile. “Not as much as I missed you and Florida. I’d forgotten how cold Boston winters are.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll remind you of that next summer when it’s hot here.”

  They left the Sandpiper Suites Building and walked over to Gavin’s. Mid-week nights were usually not that busy, but, tonight, the parking lot was full.

  Nicole greeted them when they walked in.

  “What’s going on?” Regan asked.

  “We have a big birthday celebration for Tampa’s mayor going on upstairs. His sister lives in St. Petersburg, and she’s throwing him a surprise party. We were thrilled to get the business.”

  “Nice,” said Regan. “It’s important to keep the momentum going. Has Mo arrived?”

  Nicole smiled and said, “They’re in the small alcove toward the back of the restaurant.”

  “Thanks. Don’t bother to seat us. We’ll make our own way.” Regan took hold of Brian’s arm, and they made their way to the alcove overlooking a small garden. It was Regan’s favorite spot in the restaurant.

  Mo and Kenton were seated facing away from the main dining room. Both men stood as Regan and Brian approached. Mo, then Kenton, greeted Regan with kisses and shook hands with Brian.

  “A belated Happy New Year to you,” said Mo, smiling at them. “How did your trip to Boston go, Regan?”

  Regan smiled. “It went well. The hotel officially belongs to my sisters and me, and we’re going to be able to do more renovations to the property. Best of all, I’ll be able to go into business with you, Mo.”

  Mo and Kenton glanced uneasily at one another.

  “I’m starting a new television series in a couple of weeks,” said Kenton. “In California.”

  “And Kenton has asked me to move in with him,” Mo said, looking both happy and miserable at the same time. “I’m leaving for California in two weeks, as soon as we wrap up Arthur Weatherman’s restaurant projects.”

  “Oh, but ...” Regan’s stomach clenched with acid. “I thought ...”

  Mo reached across the table and clasped her hand. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want you to worry. I’m going to help you set up your own business.”

  “My own business? How can I do that? I don’t have a degree in interior design.” Regan fought the sting in her eyes.

  “You can advertise as an interior decorator,” said Mo. “I’ll be a resource for you in California, providing support, offering suggestions. I promise you that.”

  “Think of what you’ve already done as a decorator. You’re the one who brought in the business for the Weathermans’ project.”

  “And look at what you’ve done with the hotel,” said Brian. “Tony and I have already talked about installing you as the official decorator for the homes we’re building.”

  Regan flopped back against her chair, her mind spinning so fast she had to grab hold of the edge of the table. Her own business? Could she do it?

  “I hope you understand,” said Kenton. “Your wanting to go into business with Mo has been a grave concern of his. But after discovering what Mo and I have together, I want to share my life with him. In the crazy existence I lead, he’s the one I trust to keep me grounded.” He turned to Mo. “And I love him.”

  “You know more than most how important this is to me,” said Mo, giving her a pleading look.

  “Yes, I do,” said Regan softly. She rose and gave Mo a kiss on the cheek. “I’m happy for you. I really am.” She turned to Kenton. “And I’m happy for you, Kenton.” Still shaken by the news, she forced a smile. “I guess we’ve each found what we’ve been looking for.”

  Regan took her seat, and when Brian gave her hand an encouraging squeeze, she squeezed it back. Truth to tell, she was scared to pieces to have her own business. But somehow, she vowed, she’d make her dream come true.

  ###

  A couple of days later, Regan met Mo at Kenton’s house. They’d already agreed on the decorating changes they wanted to make to the house—changes Regan would now oversee.

  “This will be another project you can use as a reference for your future clients,” said
Mo, indicating the kitchen with a sweep of his arm. “For the next week or so, I’ll introduce you to suppliers, manufacturing reps, and others. I’ll give you all my sample books and do anything else I can to get you off to a good start. But, Regan, you’re a natural at this decorating business. You’re not going to have any problems being on your own, except for one thing.”

  “What?” Regan held her breath.

  “You’re going to be so busy you’re going to need to find help to handle the office. I know of someone who might be willing to work for you. She and I were in school together.”

  “Okay, before you leave for California, give me her name,” said Regan. She placed a hand on Mo’s arm. “I’m so relieved you’re not abandoning me, that you’ll guide me by phone and the internet until I feel comfortable.”

  “Of course,” said Mo. “And you know I’ll be back to see you and the family. My grandmother will see to that. She had a hard time accepting Kenton and me together, but she’s over that.”

  Regan laughed. She loved Mo’s family. His grandmother, Carlotta Beecher, oversaw the group like a queen and her court. And his cousin, Bernice, had opened her own cleaning business to handle the housekeeping department at the hotel.

  “Now, let’s do a walk-through of the cottage,” said Mo. “Kenton wants me to make sure you and Brian will be comfortable there. You’re moving in this week?”

  Regan grinned. “We can’t wait to move out of the Sandpiper. Renovations are going to start there soon, so we’ll all have to be out. Darcy’s already moved into Austin’s condo, and Tony and Sheena are buying a house in the development he and Brian are building. They were going to build their own smaller house, but with the baby coming, they decided to buy one already built, one that is bigger and more convenient.”

  “Where are you going to set up your office? At the hotel?”

  “No,” said Regan. “Because I’ll be working at the development, Brian and Tony are setting up a design office in the model house there.”

  Mo shook his head. “Funny how everything is working out. I never thought I’d be happy living in California, but I’m excited about it. Of course, it has everything to do with Kenton.”

  “I don’t want you to miss my wedding,” said Regan. “I was going to ask you to be my man of honor.”

  “Well, that’s not a problem, if you can do it within the next two weeks.”

  Regan clasped a hand over her heart. “Darcy would kill me if I got married before she did.”

  “But? I hear a big ‘but’ ...” prompted Mo.

  “It would make things a whole lot easier to set up my business in my married name.” Regan shook her head. “But I could never hurt Darcy by upstaging her wedding. We’ll have to plan mine for another time when you and Kenton can be here.”

  “Deal,” said Mo.

  “Let’s see the cottage,” said Regan, full of excitement. Wedding or not, she and Brian would be sharing the cottage for the foreseeable future. When things settled down at the housing development, they’d build the house of their dreams. Brian had already reserved a building lot for them.

  ###

  Later, Regan followed Mo out of the cottage, thrilled with the whole arrangement. It was a perfect size for Brian and her and was fully furnished with top-of-the-line furnishings. The building consisted of three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a nice kitchen, an open living area, and a gorgeous, screened-in patio with an outdoor kitchen. It still surprised Regan the lovely house was called a cottage. It was as lovely a home as any she could imagine for herself.

  While they stood outside talking, Kenton drove up in his red Corvette.

  Regan nudged Mo with her elbow. “You get to ride in that?”

  He grinned. “It’s a whole different world for me, but I love it.”

  Kenton got out of the car and came over to them. “You all set on renting from me?” he asked Regan.

  She clasped her hands together. “It’s perfect for us. I can’t wait to move in.”

  “If you need anything else at all, you let me know. It’s a huge relief to me that you and Brian will stay here and keep an eye on things while we’re away.” Kenton put his arm around Mo and grinned. “I’m so glad Mo introduced me to you. You’re a good friend.”

  Regan returned his smile. “Thanks, but I’m the lucky one.” She knew she spoke the truth. Mo had opened up her world in a way no one else could. She’d always be grateful to him.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  DARCY

  Darcy awoke in bed, rolled over, and peered at the man she was going to marry. Austin was asleep on his back, his hands thrown up near his head. His broad shoulders and muscular chest were a turn-on, even at this early-morning time before the alarm went off. But rather than disturb him, Darcy rose out of bed, grabbed her robe, and padded into the kitchen.

  After fixing herself a cup of coffee, Darcy carried it out to the patio. The cool morning air felt chilly on her skin, but she didn’t mind. After the trip to Boston, she reveled in the weather in Florida. Soon, she and Austin would be on their honeymoon trip to Europe. In anticipation of the much cooler weather there, she’d shopped online for warm clothing. She’d even picked up a couple of things in Boston.

  Darcy pulled her feet up on top of her chair and wrapped her robe around her legs. Taking a sip of the steaming coffee, she gazed at her surroundings. The condo was a townhouse complete with patio and private lawn area. The Australian pines, hibiscus, bougainvillea, and oleander around the older buildings were lush and green and added a softness to the appealing landscape.

  The interior of the condo was comfortable with high ceilings and open spaces. Austin had built several bookcases for the den, upgraded the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and added a few other features to make it even more attractive and livable with better convenience and storage.

  Darcy had offered the use of some of her money to buy a house, but she and Austin had decided there was no need to buy something bigger until they had children. Sitting outside, enjoying the peace and quiet, Darcy was happy they’d agreed on that.

  Austin slid open the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the patio. “I missed you in our bed.” He bent over and kissed her on the lips. “Good morning, Almost Mrs. Blakely.”

  Darcy laughed and drew him closer for another kiss. It sometimes seemed a dream she’d found him—someone who understood her sass and respected her dreams.

  “I go for the final fitting of my wedding dress later today. And then Sheena and I are going shopping for a dress for her. The one she’d picked out earlier is too small for her. It’s hard to believe another surprise pregnancy has happened to her, but she’s pretty excited about it now.”

  “How about the kids?”

  Darcy chuckled. “Now that Meaghan is used to the idea, she’s thrilled about it. Of course, she, like Regan and me, wants a girl.”

  Austin smiled and lowered himself into a chair beside her. “I can’t wait until we start a family. Being an only child, I want lots of kids.”

  “Down, boy,” said Darcy. “We’re starting with one or two. Right?”

  “At least two,” Austin said. He gave her a sly grin. “We’d better start practicing. I’ve got a little extra time before my first appointment today.”

  Darcy’s lips curved with satisfaction at the way Austin’s eyes burned with desire. She loved that she could make him so happy. She got to her feet. “I don’t think we should waste that extra time.”

  Austin jumped to his feet and threw an arm around her. “I love you, Darcy.”

  ###

  Later, Darcy stretched like a cat in warm sunshine, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. Making love with Austin was as much an emotional journey as one filled with sensual sensations. She could hardly wait to begin life officially as his wife.

  She’d once thought upon her return from her honeymoon she’d begin writing the novel that hovered in her head. But that idea had been put on hold after she promised Sheena she’d help oversee the
hotel’s renovations. It would take the work of all three sisters to see the job was done quickly and well while they were trying to build their business.

  Hearing Austin singing in the shower, Darcy hurried out of bed. As she’d told him, she didn’t like to waste time, and she knew how good Austin was at soaping her body.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  SHEENA

  With Regan covering the registration desk, Sheena felt comfortable accompanying Darcy to the fitting of her wedding dress, and she hoped to find a dress of her own for the ceremony. The simple, white sheath she’d chosen several months ago was a little too small for comfort now.

  Sheena stood outside the Sandpiper Suites Building waiting for Darcy to pick her up in her new car. As she gazed at her surroundings, excitement filled her. With the money they’d dedicated to the hotel, they’d be able to make it a very special place. She hoped they could do the upgrades while still allowing guests a pleasant stay. It was all a numbers game.

  When Darcy’s silver Mercedes convertible pulled into the lot, the corners of Sheena’s mouth turned up. The sassy car was so Darcy. It was the one extravagance Darcy had allowed herself. Per an agreement between her and Austin, Darcy was investing the bulk of her money for future use.

  “Ready for a spin?” Darcy said, resettling her white baseball cap on her red curls. She handed Sheena a scarf.

  Laughing, Sheena wrapped the scarf around her head and settled into the passenger seat. The air was cold, but the sun was warm as they pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Thanks so much for coming with me to my fitting,” said Darcy, turning to her with a smile. “At times like this, I really miss Mom. She’d be so pleased with the whole idea of my marrying Austin. He’s such a good guy.”

  “And don’t forget Regan. She’d like Brian too,” said Sheena. Her mother had been disappointed by Sheena’s rushed wedding but had grown very fond of Tony.

  “I wonder when Regan and Brian are going to get married? Regan hasn’t said much about it.” Darcy glanced at Sheena. “Maybe they’re waiting until Brian is completely healed.”