When they stepped out to the verandah, Danielle nodded but didn’t seem overly impressed. “I’d want a better view of the pond, personally.”
“Oh.”
“I’d take down that whole line of trees that’s blocking it.”
“You’d just kill all those trees?”
“They’re killing your view. Either way, something’s getting killed.”
Danielle’s harsh words made Nicole think of her loss. Something had been killed all right. Her baby was dead. Her dreams had been crushed—and that poor little soul was never going to have a chance to live and grow and be loved by her parents.
“Those trees have every right to exist there, and I think they’re beautiful,” Nicole said, with sudden fierce emotion in her voice.
“All right, all right. Chill, Nic. I was just saying—personally, I prefer the view to the trees.”
“I get it.” Nicole sat down and crossed her arms and looked out at the rolling hills. She thought the view was just fine.
Danielle stood and looked at her. “Okay, something’s up.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” Danielle said. “What the heck is wrong with you?”
“I don’t know,” Nicole lied. “Maybe you’re the one who’s acting weird.”
“Me? How so?”
“You can’t be serious,” Nicole told her, smirking. “Just look at how you’re dressed, for starters. And coming here in a limo?”
“Kane wanted me to use it. His driver knew how to get here. What was I supposed to do, take a gypsy cab to satisfy you?”
Nicole shrugged. “You’re the one who’s changed. You’re like suddenly all high society.”
“It’s called being happy. You should try it sometime.”
Nicole didn’t have much to say to that. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
Danielle sat down next to her. “I think I know what this is all about.”
“Okay, tell me what you think.”
“I think this is about Kane beating Red in some silly business deal and now you’re feeling protective.”
Nicole couldn’t help but laugh at that. The last thing she’d been thinking about recently was Kane taking Red’s business from him. After all, they still had plenty of money and Red was rejuvenated with his new company. But she didn’t say any of that. She just cocked her head. “Is that what Kane told you? That he beat Red?”
Danielle held her hands out. “I don’t want to get in the middle of it. I mean, I love Kane regardless of all that cutthroat stuff he does. And honestly—he wants to be a better man, Nicole. You should have heard some of the things he told me when we were together in The Caymans.”
“I’m sure it was lovely. He’s a charming guy.”
“Don’t give me that. You think he’s the scum of the earth, and so did I. But then he showed me who he really is. And underneath all that suave masculinity, he’s just a regular chap with the same hopes and fears as anybody else.”
Suave masculinity? Nicole thought, stifling a giggle. Kane Wright was about as suavely masculine as a hammerhead shark. And at least the shark would have the decency to show you its teeth before it bit you in half.
“Danielle, I swear to you—I’m not upset that you and Kane Wright are together and that you’re happy. Red and Kane might not be the best of friends, and maybe Red is stinging from what happened with Jameson International. But I personally haven’t given it a thought in the last few days.”
Danielle listened to her and nodded. “Well good. I just…I really care about you, Nic. You’re one of my best friends and you’re the only one who knows what it’s like to be in this kind of situation.”
“What kind of situation?” Nicole asked. A flock of birds suddenly burst from a nearby grouping of trees. Watching them soar into the sky and take off into the distance, she thought of her never-to-be-born child and her heart twisted in her chest. Maybe her child’s spirit was soaring off with them, completely free and unbound.
Danielle followed Nicole’s gaze. “You know the situation we’re in. Getting married to an extremely wealthy man. All of the shenanigans, the drama, dealing with business associates and friends and ex-lovers and family members. Everyone feeling threatened by your new place in his life.”
Nicole nodded, thinking of Red’s vindictive mother. “I do know about that stuff. It’s not easy to deal with those people.”
“And everyone thinks you’re after his money,” Danielle complained. She gripped her hat so tightly in her hands that Nicole thought she might tear it to pieces. “Even he suspects that you might be in it for a quick payday. And then you have the whole awkwardness of negotiating the prenuptial agreement.”
Nicole didn’t respond to that. She just licked her lips and looked away.
“I mean, hasn’t Red talked to you about a prenup yet?” Danielle said, when Nicole didn’t say anything.
“No, not really.”
“What do you mean? Aren’t you getting married soon? Haven’t you two even discussed the financial part of the whole thing?”