“That would require dating,” Crissy told her. “I don’t date. Especially first dates. They’re the worst. Besides, I have a cat. He’s more than enough. I have friends and a great life.”
Noelle laughed. “What about a really cute guy?”
“He’s a really cute cat. Seriously, I’m fine being single. I never had that burning need to bond with someone.”
Noelle wondered why. Didn’t everyone have a biological need to connect? She knew she’d always imagined herself getting married and having a family. Funny how now she was doing both, and neither felt especially real.
* * *
“Thanks for agreeing to go from the office,” Noelle said. “I know you offered to go from my house, but I haven’t told my parents about you yet and…”
Her voice trailed off.
Dev glanced at her, then returned his attention to the road as he drove to the restaurant. “We were both at work. It’s fine.”
She was obviously nervous and he was willing to admit the situation was unusual.
“You’re being really nice about everything,” she said. “I’ll get better at this, I promise. I just need a little time.”
“We both need that,” he said, knowing it was true. “That’s why we’re having dinner—so we can work out the logistics. Decide when I’m going to meet your parents and what we’re going to say to them.”
She nodded.
She was sensible, he thought. He’d been watching her in the office and she seemed good at her job. Katherine said she was well-liked. Together, he thought, wondering what she’d seen in his brother.
On the heels of that came guilt. Guilt over what had happened to Jimmy and guilt for taking what his brother had lost—his girl and his baby. Something Jimmy—were he alive—wouldn’t understand. Of course, if Jimmy were alive, none of this would be an issue.
Dev reminded himself he didn’t want Noelle, he was simply doing the right thing. Still, he felt regret and wished Jimmy were here to be the one to marry her.
At the restaurant, he handed the keys to the valet and then walked around the car, put his hand on Noelle’s back and guided her into the restaurant. Once there, he gave his name to the hostess and they were shown to a quiet table in the corner.
“This place is very nice,” Noelle said with a smile as she was seated with her back to the main dining area. “I’ve heard about it, of course, but I’ve never eaten here.” She wrinkled her nose. “We don’t eat out that much and with my friends, we do more lunch kind of stuff.”
She accepted the menu the waiter offered. Dev reached out for his, but realized the young man wasn’t paying attention to him at all. Instead he seemed mesmerized by Noelle. It was only when the server had left that Dev looked at her, really looked, and saw her as others would. As a young woman rather than just the girl who had dated his brother.
She was pretty, he thought with some surprise. Her skin was smooth and pale, her eyes a dark blue. Long blond hair hung well past her shoulders. Her dress hugged full curves although he remembered a narrow waist and hips.
Her body got his attention and his body responded automatically. The sudden arousal and heat stunned him. What the hell? There was no way anything was going to happen between them. She was pregnant and his brother’s girl. What was wrong with him?
He focused on the menu and pushed all other thoughts from his mind, although a lingering heat remained. Noelle was nothing but someone in need. She was going to be like a sister to him. A much younger sister. There could never be anything between them.
Unfortunately his promise to keep his vows popped into his head just then and he mentally groaned at the thought of two years of celibacy. Two very long years. Yet the thought of cheating wasn’t appealing, either.
“Everything looks great,” Noelle said as she read the menu. “Are there any dishes you recommend?”
They talked about the menu until they ordered, then Dev leaned back in his chair. “I have some paperwork I want you to look over,” he told her. “My lawyer wrote up an agreement. It’s very straightforward and there aren’t any surprises. The details are as we discussed. The baby will have Hunter as his or her last name. There will be a trust set up for the child, along with child support and a monthly income for you. When we divorce, you will be able to buy a house. With real estate values going up so much, I didn’t set a specific value. Instead, I’ve specified the type and size.”
The waiter arrived with their drinks. Dev picked up his. “Your copy is in the car, along with a list of lawyers who are familiar with this kind of agreement and a letter saying I’ll pay for the consultation.” He leaned forward. “I’m serious about this, Noelle. Don’t take my word for what I’m telling you. Have someone knowledgeable look the document over and give you an opinion.”
The more he insisted on her getting her own legal advice, the more she felt she didn’t need it, Noelle thought. But she would do as he asked. It was smart and he was making it easy.
“I know you’re not trying to cheat me,” she said. “I’m not concerned.”
“You have no reason to trust me.”
That made her smile. “Dev, when you found out I was pregnant with your brother’s child, the first thing you did was propose. You never asked for a test to prove the baby was Jimmy’s, you didn’t accuse me of trying to trap him or you. I appreciate all that. You’re the kind of man who does the right thing. I respect your principles.”
He stiffened and she wondered what she’d said that was wrong. Before she could ask what, he said, “We need to discuss the wedding. I think sooner is better than later.”
As much as she didn’t want to admit it, he was right. It wasn’t as if she were getting any less pregnant by the day.
“Las Vegas is an option,” he continued. “It’s close and easy. Most of the hotels there will be happy to arrange the wedding. We could fly out on a Saturday morning and be back by midday Sunday.”
“That’s fast,” she murmured.
Las Vegas. She had an immediate picture of a tacky chapel and an Elvis impersonator performing the ceremony. A far cry from the large, elegant affair she’d always pictured for herself. She imagined her sisters as her bridesmaids and her father giving her away.
Dev surprised her by reaching across the table and touching her hand. “You’ll have your dream wedding next time,” he said.
How had he known what she was thinking? “Las Vegas is fine. It makes the most sense.”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “I thought we’d wait until we’d been married a few weeks before telling your family about the baby.”
She nodded slowly, liking the warmth of his fingers on hers. “That’s for the best. The wedding will be enough for them to take in at first.”
She didn’t want to think about how everyone would react. Her mother would be hurt to be excluded from such an important event and her father…her father would want to be sure she really loved Dev.
She didn’t know how she was going to get around that question, so she would have to do her best to avoid it.
So much to think about, she thought as their salads arrived. So much change so quickly.
“I thought it would be less complicated to tell your parents after the fact about the wedding,” he said. “When we get back, we can drive over and tell them it’s done. Then you’ll move into the house.”
Noelle put down her fork and stared at him. Of course she’d known that getting married meant living in the same house, but she