Secret Son, Convenient Wife(15)

Still, she’d started contraceptives last week as a precaution. The doctor had said they would take a month to work and had recommended using other precautions until then. She didn’t expect to need them.

“It’s not quite over yet,” Tate said, bringing her focus back to the present. “We still have to return to our guests.”

She forced aside her thoughts. She could handle the rest of the wedding. After that lot out there, it would be a piece of cake!#p#分页标题#e#

Perhaps she would rethink that, Gemma mused to herself, when a short time later she ended up alone with Tate’s grandmother.

“I hope you’ll treat my grandson right,” Helen Chandler said, with that same coolness her granddaughter, Bree, showed to Gemma.

For a moment, Gemma thought Helen was talking about Nathan, then realized she meant Tate. “As long as Tate treats me and Nathan right, I will.”

Helen inclined her head. “He will. My grandson knows his responsibilities.”

“I’m sure.” His sense of duty was the reason they were here today, wasn’t it?

And then…Helen seemed to hesitate. “Tate takes things to heart. He feels deeply…like his father.”

Gemma had the feeling that the older woman was trying to tell her something. After all, there was no question that Tate felt deeply. He thought he’d been deceived. First about Drake and then about his son, and both assumptions had greatly upset him. But was Helen talking about more than that? Was there something Helen knew that she didn’t? Gemma couldn’t think what.

Tate appeared in front of them. “I’m afraid I have to take Gemma away from you, Gran. We’re expected to dance.”

Expected? There was that responsibility thing again. Gemma suddenly felt like someone’s cross to bear.

His cross.

She slipped smoothly into his arms, wishing she could slip as easily into his life—or out of it—but neither was to be. “I know where you and your sister get it from now,” she said, tilting her head up at him.

“What?”

“That attitude of yours. They’re never going to forgive me, are they?”

“Gran’s old.”

“And Bree?”

“She’s young, but her experience is light years away from yours.”

Gemma swallowed her gall. He made it sound as if she’d been sleeping with the local football team. “As long as they don’t take it out on Nathan, they can be as cool as they like to me.”

“No one in my family will hurt my son.”

“Our son.”

He ignored her comment as they continued dancing, but their conversation got her thinking. The paternity test had been taken, but Tate hadn’t mentioned it since. Maybe it took a while for the results to come in. Not that she was worried. Nathan could only belong to Tate.

“Your parents will be sorry they missed all this,” Tate said, jolting her. She reacted without thinking.

“I’m sure.”

He immediately scowled. “Why do you say—”

“Ouch!” she said, needing to change the subject.

“What’s the matter?”

“My toe. You stepped on it,” she fibbed.

She didn’t want to discuss her parents. If they were here, it would only be out of duty, and she’d probably get upset. Why give Tate the chance to be more critical of her?

“I did? Sorry.” He actually smiled. “I haven’t done that since I was a teenager.”

“Perhaps you’re going through puberty again,” she joked.

He chuckled, and, for a brief instant, they were on the same wavelength.

Like old times.

Only, it wasn’t like old times, she reminded herself, quickly looking away.

Far from it.

The music ended and Tate led her over to his parents. Gemma was surprised to hear them talking about building a childproof fence around the gardens and grounds, to keep Nathan from accidentally wandering off or falling in the lake. For that, Gemma couldn’t stop her heart from softening toward them, and she now regretted keeping Nathan from them for so long. As painful as it was to be married to a man who hated her, she was glad that Tate had accepted his son and glad Nathan had people around him who would always care for him. That was a huge comfort.#p#分页标题#e#

The afternoon came to a close after that, and the guests started to leave. Finally, only Tate’s immediate family remained, and they said their goodbyes once the caterers had cleared up. It was an hour’s drive back to the city, but everyone had agreed it wouldn’t look good “honeymoon-wise” to have the in-laws staying in the house, no matter that it was the size of a football field.