Page 31 of Secret Match
What in the world? Kiwi’s hands went to her collarbone as she said, “Yes.”
Jennifer shook her head. “Then why does Piper Lacey still call him?”
He’d declined the call. How did that relate to Jennifer needing to choose a Morgan? The movie star was so dramatic. Kiwi lowered her hand and hugged her baby inside her as she asked, “How do you know?”
Jennifer shrugged. “She left a voicemail on the house phone.”
Seriously, they were guests but this was Gio’s home. Kiwi’s lips parted in disapproval before she asked, “You listened to it?”
Jennifer patted her rounder, more well-defined mother’s body. “I was in the kitchen getting ice cream when she called and heard it live.”
None of this mattered. The past was the past and a man like Gio was going to have ex-lovers and girlfriends. What came out of Kiwi’s mouth was, “Gio said he hadn’t seen her in a year.”
Jennifer stepped around the chairs and back as if restless. “That wasn’t what it sounded like.”
“What do you mean?” Kiwi instantly wished she’d sealed her lips.
Jennifer looked down her pretty nose at Kiwi. “She’s in town and wanting to see him, again. The again sounded pretty desperate and sure.”
“So?” No. She should have shut this entire conversation down already. Who cared if some famous and beautiful woman in Jennifer’s world wanted to see Gio again? He’d asked her to marry him… though she hadn’t said yes.
Technically, she had no claim on him. Kiwi wanted to shake off the thought.
Jennifer wiped a tear from her eye. “So, I lost Peter because I stupidly waited and he found another woman. If I don’t choose between Anthony and Peter fast, I could lose them both. And if you don’t grab onto Gio with both hands, you could lose him too.”
Would she lose him like that? In a blink of an eye? Was Jennifer right? Every conversation they’d ever had, Gio seemed so easy and open. What if he was like that with all the women? She needed to protect herself and her child from being a fool.
Those thoughts alone were a betrayal when they’d agreed to try. Her face heated as she looked at Caro for guidance as she said, “I don’t want to rush into marriage.”
“Wait. That’s new.” Caro tilted her head. “Marriage? Has he asked?”
“Yes.” In her head, Kiwi realized neither one of them ever once said the word love. Not even when he’d proposed. Her hands went into fists at her sides. “He wants us to be a family.”
Jennifer quickly said, “Say yes and don’t look back. You’ll figure out if you love him later.”
“I can’t do that Jennifer,” Kiwi said. With both women staring at her, the room seemed to grow smaller and smaller, like she was being pushed into a box.
Jennifer stepped out of her almost-vertigo-like vision. “I wish I’d married Peter before everything fell apart.”
Everything normalized. Kiwi’s feet were still planted on the ground. She was seated in the big chair. The world hadn’t fallen off its axis. She blinked and Caro and Jennifer faced each other, both standing.
Caro clasped her hands together. “Had he ever asked?”
“No.” Jennifer’s lips curled as she admitted, “I could have asked him before his father died. Mitch liked me and supported my relationship with Peter.”
Right. The father. Gio hadn’t spoken kindly of him, but Kiwi had no idea if Jennifer was being honest. “Would Mitch have liked me?”
Jennifer pushed her hair back and shook her head firmly. “No. But he wouldn’t have approved of Caro either. She’d been the maid and Kiwi, you were an employee for a company he’d think he owned already. To his mind, Morgans do not interact with the hired help.”
Kiwi turned toward Caro and said, “Now that sounds like a hateful man.”
Jennifer gave a tiny shrug. “Caro, he wasn’t completely awful, tell Kiwi what he was like.”
Caro’s eyebrows lifted and her lips puckered like she’d make a face to scare children on Halloween. “Luke, Peter, and I’m sure your Gio, all have good reason to avoid their father’s opinions,” Caro said. “Kiwi, if you love Gio then marriage is great but you don’t have to rush. It’s the twenty-first century. I took my time with Luke and we’re both happy.”
Jennifer then made atisksound. “I don’t think-”
“Wait,” Caro interrupted, and her hands went to her hips. “Jennifer, I don’t want you with Peter. I liked Belle and wanted Belle at my wedding. What you did was horrible and you’re the reason she left.”
