Committed to You

Chapter 20 Surprise!

               

Marcella and Justin lay curled up in bed.  He had his hand on her stomach stroking it.  Justin was so proud that he had the woman he wanted and the child that would fill their lives with joy.

"Wasn't the rehearsal dinner great?"

"Yes, baby." He turned and kissed her stomach. "I've never seen them happier."

"Robert impressed me."

"Dad has really changed."

"I saw just one odd thing.  At the end of the dinner Jet seemed very upset about something.  Did you notice?"

"I did and I asked him about it.  He said that he has to go to California in the morning to sign some paperwork on a game app deal."

"Two days before the wedding?"

"He told them no, but Sloan said that he really needed to go because he'd worked too hard to risk losing the account."

Justin took his hands and did a full sweep between Marcella's shoulders, her arms and swelling stomach.  The touch was calming, and she leaned into it, receiving his warmth.  "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."  She squeezed his hand.

"You've never asked me about my past relationships.  Why?"

Marcella flipped around and looked at Justin.  She was quite puzzled.  "Where did that question come from?"

"Please just answer it for me, and then I'll tell you."

Marcella blinked up at him, not knowing what to say.  She knew the reputation of those Trent boys from way back in the day—Jet being more girl-crazy than her half of the twins.  It wasn't until he settled down with Sloan that he changed.  Look at them.  They were undeniably handsome, successful, monetarily set for life and intelligent.  What woman wouldn't want to be attached to their arm?  She kept forming her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"I asked you once about your relationships, remember?"

"Yes, I remember.  I guess women are different. We really don't want to know or even talk about it.  I don't want to think about you being with Carla Evans, Lauren Temple ... "

Justin pulled himself upright on the bed. He blushed and couldn't believe what he was hearing.  He never thought that she'd paid any attention to him while they were growing up.  He and Marcella didn't get together until after her divorce.  It all happened one Thanksgiving when he'd come home for the family dinner.  He'd not seen her in years.  When he pulled up in Nora's driveway, he saw her wrapped up in a coat with her head down between her legs sitting on the porch.  He decided to say hello. 

When he walked across the street, he heard her crying.  That's where it all started.  He was her comfort after the divorce.  They built a relationship as friends at first.  Then one weekend he invited her to stay in Boston with him, and things bloomed.  Then a year ago they made things more official but kept quiet about it because of Dillon.   "You remember them?"

"All of them, and I remember Vanessa Harlow."

That was the last woman he dated before he started seriously dating her.  Justin was stunned.  She had been paying more attention to him than he'd thought.  It made him feel proud in a good way.  He liked knowing that Marcella had noticed him long before they started dating.

"Justin, it is enough to know that you are mine."

"Wow.  Then I guess it's really okay."

"What's really okay, baby?"