When Dante and Adrianna made it to Quentin and Avery’s town house on the Upper East Side, the celebration was already in full swing. Sage, Quentin, Avery, Malik and Peyton were already there.
As he walked in, Dante was still surprised that Quentin had chucked his loft for a town house, but he guessed that’s what happened when a man got married and started a family. His priorities changed. Dante wanted the same one day. He didn’t know if that would happen with Adrianna or with someone else but he wanted a family. He wanted someone to love him unconditionally, for better for worse and who wouldn’t leave.
The town house was elegantly decorated with Avery’s touch in classic muted tones, but yet had Quentin’s flare. His colorful photographs were remarkably decorated throughout the downstairs and gave the décor punch.
Several bottles of champagne and glasses were already set out on the dining-room glass table. The dining-room set was classic black-and-white and it looked like several of his favorite appetizers from Dante’s were on display for the family to nibble on.
“Did Sage call you to arrange this?” Dante asked Avery as she carefully arranged each platter on the table. She was a perfectionist very much like him.
“Who else?” Avery asked.
Dante shook his head. Sage certainly knew how to take charge. It was one of the many things he loved about her. Dante strolled over to give Sage a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, my dear.”
“For what?”
“For getting all my favorite food here.” He motioned to the table.
“You’re welcome.” She gave him a pat on the behind. “Don’t you know I’d do anything for you?”
“I do. Where’s Ian?” Dante asked, glancing around.
“He’s running a little behind, but he’ll be here.”
“To the man of the hour.” Malik came forward to give Dante a flute of champagne.
Malik noticed Adrianna standing alone by the dining-room doorway. She looked uneasy in a roomful of people, some of which she’d once called friends, so he handed her a glass of champagne. “And to the lady of the hour.”
“Thank you, Malik.” Adrianna smiled as she accepted the glass with shaking fingers. She hadn’t been nervous during the taping of the show that had been a walk in the park compared to this. Being around Dante’s family who were clearly ambivalent about her presence in his life was disconcerting. If she left, no one would probably even notice.
“They did a fabulous job, baby.” Quentin squeezed his svelte wife, Avery, as he came to her side. After a few short months, she’d already lost all her baby weight. “You should have seen them. They made cooking in front of a bunch of cameras seem effortless.”
“Well, what can I say?” Dante leaned back. “I have a gift.”
“Oh, someone’s getting a big head now.” Adrianna chuckled from the sidelines.
“He deserves it,” Sage pronounced, channeling her gaze in Adrianna’s direction. “He’s worked hard for everything he’s earned.”
The group suddenly became silent at the implication that Adrianna had not had to work for the opportunity she’d earned.
Despite Sage’s comment, Adrianna maintained a stiff upper lip for the rest of the evening. She stayed close to Dante’s side, nibbling on appetizers and drinking champagne, but she was never fully comfortable.
The situation became much worse when Avery brought out her three-month-old baby girl, Bella.
“How’s my goddaughter?” Dante asked, taking Bella from Avery’s arms and holding the infant in the crook of his arm. He just loved holding the little girl. Whenever he held her he felt hope for the future and knew that anything was possible.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Avery asked, turning to Adrianna. Like any new mother, she was absolutely biased where her daughter was concerned.
Avery looked up and noticed the grief-stricken look on Adrianna’s face. “Are you okay?” Avery asked.
Adrianna shook her head, unable to speak. Just seeing the baby brought up all the old emotions, all the guilt she felt at losing her and Dante’s child. They should have had a little boy or girl of their own with Dante’s light brown eyes and her smile, but because of her lies that precious gift had been taken away and she’d never fully recovered from the loss.
Adrianna watched Dante coo and make baby noises at Bella and felt a tug of guilt so strong she had to look away. She couldn’t let him see how deeply affected she was.
As if she sensed her weakness from across the room, Sage focused on Adrianna’s response to Bella and commented, “Do you have a problem with babies?”
Dante glowered at her. “Why would you ask something like that? Of course Adrianna doesn’t have a problem with little Bella here.” Dante took Bella’s tiny hand in his and watched the infant grab hold of one of his fingers.
Adrianna watched the pure joy that crossed Dante’s face at just holding his goddaughter. She could only imagine how he would have been as a father. He would have been warm and loving and completely unlike her own father, but she’d denied him that chance. “Excuse me, something is in my eye.” Adrianna lowered her head. “Where’s the powder room?”
“Down the hall and to the left,” Avery offered and Adrianna quickly rushed off.
“Sage!” Dante whispered and Sage mouthed “What?”
“I’ll go,” Avery said and headed toward the powder room.
Dante pointed a finger at Sage for her to come toward him. He couldn’t believe how insensitive she was being. “I warned you.”
“I only asked if she had a problem with babies. What’s her deal?”
“Don’t be mad at Sage.” Quentin stepped forward to her defense. “You know she can’t help herself.”
“Well, she should try harder,” Dante said, bouncing baby Bella in his arms. “Adrianna is a permanent fixture in my life for the immediate future.”
“I realize that,” Sage returned. “But forgive me if I’m a little bit apprehensive of Adrianna’s intentions toward you.”
“I thank you for caring, but enough with the warnings. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time now.”
“Yeah, you have,” Quentin replied. “But we’ve always had each other’s backs. It took you a long time to recover from Adrianna’s deception before and we just want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“No one can predict the future.”
“No, we can’t,” Sage added, “but we can caution you when you’re walking in front of a speeding train…to hang back. Did you see how she reacted around Bella?” Sage nodded to his goddaughter. “She was visibly shaken. Why is that? What is she hiding?”
“Sage, trust me.” Dante glanced at the doorway. “I have some reservations, but I can’t live my life in fear of what might happen. I just have to live life.”
Quentin nodded. “I hear you.”
“Sage, you’re just going to have to accept that I know what’s best for me and your behavior toward Adrianna can’t continue.”
“Fine.” Sage folded her arms across her chest. Her gut instinct as a lawyer told her that something was off with Adrianna. She had intended to find out sooner, but had gotten too caught up with one of her cases, but there was no better time than the present to find out exactly what Adrianna was trying to hide. Sage stepped away privately to call the detective her firm kept on retainer. Patrick Kelly picked up on the second ring. “Patrick, I need you to do me a favor.”
“Are you okay?” Avery asked Adrianna from the other side of the powder-room door.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Sage wasn’t too nice,” Avery responded.
On the other side of the door, Adrianna blotted her eyes with a tissue from her purse. “No kidding.”
“Please open the door, Adrianna. I’d like to talk to you.”
Adrianna glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She looked a wreck. Her cheeks were stained red and her eyes were slightly puffy from crying. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the door.
Avery grabbed her hand. “C’mon, let’s go to the kitchen. It’ll be quiet there.” Adrianna followed behind her, but stopped at the doorway.
“Why are you being nice to me?” Was she just trying to reel her in so she could throw her back to the sharks?
“Because…I know how hard the gang can be on outsiders,” Avery responded, leaning against the island in the center of the kitchen. “Trust me, I know. When I had a difference of opinion with Malik about my biological father, it nearly destroyed his and Quentin’s relationship, which I never, ever wanted. So, it wasn’t smooth sailing for me, either, but somehow you’ve got to find a way to make peace with them.”
“How do I do that?” Adrianna asked, pacing the floor as she wrung her hands. “They hate me.”
“They don’t hate you,” Avery replied. “They don’t trust you. There’s a difference.”
Adrianna rolled her eyes. “You could have fooled me.”
“Take my advice,” Avery said. “The best thing you can do to prove them wrong is show them just how much you love Dante. The rest will fall into place.”
Love Dante? Heck, she’d loved Dante her entire adulthood—that wasn’t the problem. It was the lies she’d told that could come back to haunt her that threatened to destroy what they had. Just seeing Bella today had proven that. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.” Avery flashed a smile. “I had a rocky start with this family, too, but eventually they accepted me and they will accept you in time.”
Adrianna touched her arm. “Thank you, Avery.”
“You’re welcome.”
When she returned to the party, all eyes were on Adrianna and she felt like a deer in the headlights. Sage was the first to approach her.
“Listen, I’m sorry,” Sage said. She could feel Dante’s eyes burning a hole in the back of her head. She didn’t want to be at odds with him, especially over Adrianna, so she would do whatever was necessary to prove she could be civil. “I was unforgivably rude and I apologize.”
Adrianna glanced over at Dante and could feel the tension emanating from his every pore from across the room. He wanted her to get along with Sage so she would make an effort. “Apology accepted, Sage.” She forced a smile.
“Thank you, you’re very generous.” Sage wasn’t sure she would have reacted the same.
“And believe me when I say that I have no intention of hurting Dante again. I care a great deal about him.”
“Glad to hear that because I will be watching you,” Sage said and headed over to the bar to pour herself a drink.
Adrianna had no doubt Sage would be eyeing her like a hawk. She had to pull herself together and not allow Sage to see just how baby Bella was affecting her.
Dante walked over to Adrianna with Bella still in his arms. “You okay?” he asked, giving her the once-over.
“Your family is a tough bunch to impress.” Adrianna inhaled deeply.
“They are, so I appreciate the effort you’re making,” Dante said.
“I can’t much blame them,” Adrianna whispered. “I hurt you once and they don’t want to see that happen again. How can I be upset with them for wanting to protect you?”
“That may be true, but Sage still has no right to be rude to you.”
“I’m a tough cookie,” Adrianna replied. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Do you want to hold her?” Dante asked. He was sure Sage was wrong about Adrianna. She’d always wanted children in the past and he couldn’t imagine that wanting a family now would be the one thing they didn’t share in common.
Adrianna shook her head. “I wouldn’t know how.” She didn’t think she could bear to hold the little girl in her arms.
“It’s easy.” Dante slowly eased the baby into her arms.
Adrianna looked down and was amazed at the lovely creation Quentin and Avery had made together. Bella was a testament of their love for each other. Her eyes misted with tears as she walked over to Avery and handed her daughter to her. “She’s beautiful. You’re truly lucky.”
Dante and Adrianna didn’t stay too much longer at Quentin’s after that and said their good-byes, much to Adrianna’s delight.
“So, where to?” Dante said. He hoped she would say his place. He was getting used to sleeping next to her.
It had been an emotional day and the only place Adrianna wanted to be was home. “Do you mind dropping me off in the Hamptons? I want to check on my father.”
“Of course not.” Dante was disappointed, but he tried not to show it.
“I’m sorry, but I really haven’t spent enough time with him.”
“I understand.” He notified the driver and away they went.
Dante noticed Adrianna was withdrawn and sullen on the drive to the Hamptons. There was a huge gap between them and she sat facing the window. Dante knew it had to do with Sage’s behavior toward her.
“Adrianna.” He scooted closer to her. “I’m sorry about Sage. I’ve warned her that I’m not going to take any more of her shenanigans.”
“It’s not just Sage,” Adrianna said. “Your entire family doesn’t want you to be with me. It’s hard to fight that.” From the moment they met, it seemed like everyone and everything was against them. First her father and now Dante’s family. “Maybe we’re just not meant to be.”
Dante grabbed her chin and forced her to face him. “I don’t believe that. We’ve just found each other again and I’m not going to let anyone get in the way of that ever again. Promise me you won’t, either.”
She gave a reluctant smile. “I promise.”
The way Dante said it with such conviction made Adrianna believe it, too.