“How can I be sure she won’t deceive me?”
Olivia sat up, looked him in the eye. “If she were out to deceive you or she had something going on with Anthony, don’t you think she would’ve gone to the tabloids the second she uncovered the truth?”
Bronson swallowed. “I suppose. I just can’t live with another broken heart.”
“Who says you have to?” Olivia patted her damp cheeks. “I can almost guarantee that if you go to Mia, she’ll not only welcome you with open arms, she’ll forgive you for doubting her. That’s how true love works. It’s forgiving. You’ve forgiven me, haven’t you?”
Bronson smiled. “There’s nothing to forgive.”
“And that’s how Mia will feel. Don’t shut her out when you need each other most. Believe me—love only comes once. Don’t waste time arguing over my past sins.”
Pulling his mother into another hug, Bronson kissed her cheek. “Quit blaming yourself for this. All your children turned out fine. We all love you and we’re going to be okay. Somehow, this will all work out.”
“What do we tell the media?” Olivia asked, fear lacing her voice.
“Nothing.” He pulled back. “We wait until we are comfortable talking about this, until we all can stand before a camera as a united front.”
Her eyes bore into his. “Can you do that? Can you bury your hatred for Anthony?”
Bronson swallowed. “I’m beginning to realize he’s not the man I thought he was. True, we clash on film sets, but as for the private life he’s led, it’s not nearly as wild and deceitful as I’d thought.”
“So you’ll make this work?”
The hope in Olivia’s eyes, in her voice had Bronson nodding. “But first I have to get my own life straightened out.”
He kissed his mother one last time on the cheek. He might have a great deal of groveling in his immediate future, but the end result with Mia and his baby in his life was all that mattered at this point.
Eighteen
Nearly six months along in the pregnancy and Mia had never felt better. Other than her disappearing waist, she had no complaints. But every time she felt a kick or a swift movement from her baby girl, the waistline was all but forgotten and joy filled her.
The baby name book wasn’t giving her any suggestions she thought she—or the baby—could live with for the rest of her life. She’d been through the thing at least five times and nothing resonated with her.
Of course, her heart hadn’t really been in the search because this was not something she wanted to decide on her own. She wanted Bronson at her side, giving suggestions, laughing when she chose silly name combinations.
But since she’d seen him in the doctor’s office yesterday, he’d only called to double-check on her next exam appointment. Other than that, he’d said nothing on a more personal level.
And there was only so long she would wait before she marched to his mansion and made him see what he was throwing away because of pride and fear. She’d tossed down the proverbial gauntlet, so why hadn’t he picked it up?
Why did men let such negative emotions rule their love lives? And speaking of negative emotions, Mia was still reeling from Anthony’s phone call earlier when he’d told her that he and Charlotte had separated. But she couldn’t dwell on that now.
Mia glanced at the boxes sitting in the room she’d had painted a very pale pink. The furniture had arrived yesterday, and she’d instructed the deliveryman to put everything in here. The bedding would arrive shortly if Bronson called Fabrizio to tell him the baby’s gender.
When she and Bronson had ordered the crib and bedding, she certainly hadn’t expected to be the only one putting it all together. She’d envisioned them working as a team, taking an occasional break to feel the baby moving within her belly, sharing a smile of recognition that they were going to be parents in just a few short months.
Mia moved into the room. There was no way she could move anything by herself. Maybe some of Olivia’s staff would come help.
Mia tore into the boxes and smiled. The circular crib was going to look perfect tucked into the corner between the windows. Trailing a finger along the edge, Mia couldn’t wait to see her baby all snuggled up, safe in her bed with the chandelier-type mobile hanging overhead.
She moved to the smaller boxes and opened them, curious to know what else there might be. The second her eyes landed on the pale-pink-and-ivory bumper cover, Mia’s breath caught. The soft swirl pattern was so much more delicate and precious than she’d hoped.
As her finger slid over the ruffled edge, tears clogged her throat. This was supposed to be a joyous time, a moment every woman would remember.
She looked deeper into the box to find her boy bedding. A note attached to the bumper read, “Send back what you don’t need…or keep for the next bambino. Love, F.”
For a second, Mia closed her eyes, giving in to the tears. She was so happy for this baby to come into her life and didn’t regret a moment of being with Bronson. She just wished she hadn’t allowed herself to open her heart so freely when she knew she was going to get hurt. She’d known from the start that she carried a secret that would change his life. How could she blame him for being so angry and not believing anything she said now?
On a sigh, Mia wiped her damp cheeks. “I can do this on my own. I’m stronger than I think.”
“Yes, you are.”
Mia spun around to see Bronson standing in the doorway of the nursery. “What are you doing here?”
Casual as you please, he lifted a shoulder, but kept those mesmerizing eyes focused directly on her. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be welcome, so I let myself in since I knew your code.”
With slow, easy steps, he crossed the room to stand directly in front of her. Mia tipped her head back to look up into those eyes she’d so easily fallen in love with.
Bronson slid a thumb over her cheek, wiping away one lone tear. “Are those tears over me, sweet Mia?”
The words may have sounded cocky if he hadn’t delivered them with such agony in his own tone, such torment in his eyes.
Mia blinked and cleared her throat. “My tears are over a lot lately.”
His eyes roamed over her face and she just knew she looked like a mess. At this point, though, what did it matter? She was turning into a whale. But, God, she’d waited for him to come to her. Waited and prayed.
“You’re not sleeping well,” he told her, running a fingertip below her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Mia jerked away, shocked those two words came from his mouth. “What are you sorry for?”
She turned back to the boxes, unable to be so close to him.
“Everything,” he whispered in her ear as his hands came to cup her shoulders, pulling her back against his chest. “I’m sorry for everything. For denying this child is mine, for not being the man you needed me to be, but most of all for not returning the precious gift you so freely offered me.”
Mia’s head dropped to her chest. So much for holding those tears back. “And what gift was that?”
Bronson turned her around, lifting her chin with his fingertip. “Love. Your unconditional gift of love was so rare to me. I didn’t believe it, didn’t believe in you or us.”
Hope speared through her, but fear accompanied it. Could she allow herself to let her guard down again? Bronson wouldn’t be here if he didn’t believe her and, dare she hope, love her.
“I know what I did may not have been the right decision, but Bronson, it wasn’t my place to say.”
“I realize that now.” He kissed the top of her head. “If I’d been in your shoes, I can’t say what I would’ve done, but I know that what you did was right. There aren’t many people who make the right decision when they’re under pressure. I was so angry I wasn’t sure if I could forgive you.”
Bronson stared back at her, then reached to pull her into his strong, warm embrace. Mia fell against his chest and sighed.
“And now?” she dared to ask, tipping her head back to look into his eyes.
“Now I’ve fallen in love with a woman who only eats green M&M’s, who has persevered through life no matter what the odds and who I want to spend the rest of my life with so she can try amazing new recipes in my gourmet kitchen. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me, how much your loyalty and integrity have made me a better person.” He swiped a lone tear that trickled down her cheek. “I want to wake up every morning and see you next to me. I want to make more children with you so we have a house full of love that can come only from the bond we have. But most of all, I want you to know that I was a fool for ever doubting you. Let me spend the next fifty years showing you how much I love you.”
Mia’s breath caught. “Is that a proposal?”
Bronson stepped back, reached into his pocket and held out a locket. “It’s not to replace the one you have, but I thought you might want a picture of your new family to keep with you.”
“Oh, God.”
Bronson smiled. “How am I doing in making up for being a jerk? Because I’ll grovel more, Mia. I’ll do anything to make you see just how serious I am about loving you and committing myself to our family.”
“Our family,” she repeated.
His image blurred as her eyes collected with more tears than she could hold. They fell down her cheek, one after another, as a laugh escaped her. “You’re amazing. The locket is… God, Bronson, I don’t know what to say.”
Bronson slid the chain around her neck and fastened it, then pulled a small box from his pocket.
“Just how much do you have in those pockets for me?” she joked through tears.
“Not nearly enough to make up for my actions,” he told her, opening the velvet box. “This is the ring my father gave my mother.”
“What? Bronson, I can’t take her ring.”
“When I told her my plans, she insisted. This isn’t her original engagement ring—that one she’ll never part with. He gave her this on the night I was born for this purpose right here. To pass down to the woman I will marry.” He took her hand, sliding the ring on. “Perfect fit.”
Mia eyed the ring on her finger. The glistening diamonds stole her breath, but had someone else worn this before?
“No,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. “I didn’t give this to my ex-fiancée. She wanted a new ring, and when she asked to go ring shopping, I didn’t even mention that I had this. I should’ve known then she wasn’t the one.”
Unable to contain her excitement one more second, Mia threw her arms around Bronson’s neck, but their baby stopped her from getting too close.
“Oh, sorry.” She laughed. “Bella is growing pretty fast these days.”
Bronson raised a brow. “Bella?”
“Um, I call her that. It means—”
“Beautiful,” he whispered before capturing her lips for a brief kiss. “Just like her mother.”
His kiss never failed to send a jolt of love and hope through her.
“Let’s start our life together,” he murmured against her lips.
Epilogue
“Are you ever going to put her down?”
With a radiant smile on her face, Bronson’s wife of two months rocked their sleeping daughter. A sight he never tired of seeing.
“She’s just so sweet,” Mia whispered. “I could look at her all day.”
Bronson knew exactly how she felt. He eased off the door frame and crept into the room, loving the look of his family—Bella, with her mother’s dark wispy hair and almond-shaped chocolate eyes, and Mia with her glow that never ceased to clutch his heart.
He knelt down beside the plush rocker they’d ordered on their trip to Italy. “You’re going to have to let her sleep on her own, you know.”
Mia’s lips brushed the top of Bella’s head. “I know. I just want her to know how much she’s loved.”
“I’m sure she knows.” Bronson wrapped an arm around Mia, leaned his head against hers and watched his child sleep, nestled against Mia’s chest. “I love you, Mia. Love you more every day.”
“I love you, too.”
“I just hung up with Anthony.”
“Bella’s a heavy sleeper. Tell me.” Mia’s rocking slowed. “Did you ask him to work with you on your mother’s film?”
“We’ve talked about it. We’re taking this one day at a time. We know how important this is to Mom, and we can’t let our past differences affect the movie. We both want this to be the best film either of us have ever produced and directed.”