Romeo Night

By Patricia Holden

Beth Hartke Pernoud and her husband Ed Pernoud find out they are going to be parents after previous disappointments. Due to turbulent water under the bridge with Ed's father, Beth's dad refuses to accept their clandestine marriage, and the reality that they had been sneaking around spending Romeo Nights together for four years. Now, with a crisis in the pregnancy and Beth needing to be more dependent on family, she and Ed have to come to grips with how their lives are about to change including her quitting her job, and buying a house in the same neighborhood as his brothers, both moves she was reluctant to make before the baby was conceived.

This interlude is the fifth book in the "Turn My Head" series. The story follows the romances of seven brothers, sons of a wealthy family, who fall in love forever at first sight. Previous installments include Turn My Head, Break Through, Third Time's the Charm, and Conflict of Interest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patricia Holden
• Release date: Jan 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370196357

Patricia Holden

A resident of Flyover Country in the Unites States, Patricia Holden, the pen name of a good Catholic girl from the Midwest, is committed to Christianity and traditional social roles, as well as high arts and culture. Watching politics, observing human behavior and writing are some of her long-time interests. The author known as Patricia Holden is a classically trained soprano and proud citizen of Cardinal Nation, although, during hockey season, Bleeds Blue. She lives with family and a cute and charming tyrant...make that a toy dog. She also crochets.Please, visit this writer's Facebook author page @PatriciaHoldenAuthor for reader fellowship and frequent conversations about upcoming books including voting on cover art, and snippets of upcoming offerings.

Book preview

Romeo Night

by Patricia Holden

Published by Susan Sampson at SmashWords

Copyright © 2017 Susan Sampson

Cover Photo from wallpaper selections

Other Titles from Patricia Holden on Smashwords:

Turn My Head

Break Through

Third Time’s the Charm

Conflict of Interest

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Previously, in Conflict of Interest:

She leaned back into the spray, and brought her hands up to feel the aching and straining nubs when the door to the rest of the suite opened with a knock. You in here? came from Beth’s voice.

Margot’s heart constricted with disappointment. No relief from the aching yet. Yeah, hang on, she said just loudly enough for Beth to hear.

Quickly, Margot turned off the shower, wrapped her hair in one towel and her body in another, and stepped out into the blindingly white luxury bathroom. Mae had decorated it in bright colors which gave some relief, but for the most part, it was like walking in a sterile lab in a bad sci-fi movie. She found Beth sitting on the chair at the vanity looking forlorn with unbrushed hair, and in an old Michigan hockey t-shirt Margot assumed was Ed’s. Just get up? Margot asked, bending over to towel dry her hair a little. She picked up a comb to get the tangles out of it, and looked at her friend. Haunted blue eyes looked back at her.

We tried, Beth said without preamble.

You tried what? The comb kept hitting snags.

We tried to get pregnant. Beth’s hands twisted in the hem of her shirt.

Margot restrained an eye roll, and worked to keep her voice even. Weren’t you going to?

Well, yeah, Beth started, But I guess I didn’t really get...Ed wants me to move out here with him, and my father is going to hit the ceiling.

Didn’t you know that before you married him? Margot asked, her heart starting to hurt.

Well, yeah, but at first, all the sneaking around was really kind of kinky and fun. I mean, trying not to be discovered. It was like being a bad girl without actually being one.

Margot went to the sink, and put toothpaste on her toothbrush. Who actually knew that you and Ed were married? She started to scrub.

Just Adam at first. Gradually, all the guys knew. I even told my brothers when I needed their help. Now that you know, I’m guessing the only people who are really in the dark are my parents.

Margot spit out the toothpaste, and rinsed her mouth. And you’re telling me this because…?

Because you are Margot, and you listen and understand without judging.

Bethie…. To her own ears, Margot sounded almost exasperated. Look, what happens between you and Ed is none of my business.

In one way, I guess, Beth agreed, but haven’t we shared everything?

Margot turned to Beth, and crossed her arms under her breasts. You didn’t tell me you were married for years.

That was a necessity. Now I need to just have somebody know that….

That what? You’re terrified of having a baby?

No. Beth’s hands twisted again. Terrified of having another miscarriage.

Miscarriage? Beth nodded. When did that happen? And why was Margot just hearing about it?

It only happened once, and it was very early, like at five weeks, but Ed was devastated. I felt empty for weeks. I don’t want that to happen again.

Margot considered her friend. Was that one planned?

Beth hesitated. Sort of. It wasn’t unplanned, just...I hadn’t really been taking care of myself. This time...it hasn’t been totally planned out or anything, I’m just taking prenatals and not drinking as much and eating better, but the stress levels are still off the charts. It may or may not happen, and if it does, I don’t know what Ed and I are going to do.

Margot considered her friend. Over the years, Beth had always been the stalwart one when Margot’s life was in a shambles, or felt like it was. Margot had never seen her like this. Beth, is this really about being pregnant, or is it more that your dad is going to disown you?

Beth blew her breath out. Both, I guess. I mean, I know it’s time we do this, and for the last year we’ve been arguing about it. And then Mae got pregnant right away, and….

And nothing happened other than Adam marrying her, Margot guessed.

Same thing with Darcy. Ed really wanted to try. I mean, nothing might happen, but I’m still scared. Everything can go sideways-

Beth, you’re inviting trouble. Margot went to her friend, and took her hands. Does Ed know about this? About you being a mess?

Beth shrugged. Ed knows about me having issues with Dad, but the rest...probably. I never could put a poker face on him.

Maybe you should talk all this over with him.

Margot, guys don’t talk about problems. They solve them.

Beth, you’ve been with the man for ten years. He loves you. This involves his family. He’ll listen.

Beth blew out her breath as tears filled her eyes. Sing well today. Darcy and I are going to stay out here, and hold down the fort.

Beth, it will all work out.

I know, it’s just...waiting is not my strong suit, and now that the sex is done, I’m in limbo.

Chapter 1

Beth Hartke Pernoud sat on the side of the tub in the pristine white bathroom of the hotel suite and stared, just stared, at the early pregnancy test lying on the vanity next to the sink. Enough time had gone by since she had peed on the darn stick, that the answer should be clear. It should be. Just like it should have been the last time she peed on a stick and the answer came back negative. Four weeks ago, ten days after she and Ed Pernoud, the man she married four years earlier, had actually tried to get pregnant, the answer was no. And then right on schedule, Aunt Flo came to visit. She was lighter than normal, not that Beth thought much about it at the time. After the initial disappointment, she and Ed had to come to grips with having to try again…and the reality that he would be out of town at the proper time of the month during the next window of opportunity.

Being the fifth of the seven Pernoud brothers, one of the wealthiest families on the planet with businesses and properties all over the world, Ed spent a lot of time travelling. And that particular week this month, Beth couldn’t tag along so they could try again.

The question that was being answered today, though, was did they really need to?

Beth took a deep breath, and reached for the EPT only to pull her hand back. Did she really want to know? Did she really want to see Ed’s disappointment again? After all, she and Ed hadn’t made love more than a handful of times in weeks. The first test, when the time for indication was supposed to be optimal, was negative. Maybe so, she thought, but that test being wrong might actually explain a few things.... Things like, no PMS this month, breasts that were suddenly overflowing every bra she owned, and sore in a way that had never happened before, smells making her stomach heave, and an exhaustion that would not go away even with her suddenly needing to go to bed at seven in the evening.

Beth knew darn well and good what those symptoms were generally attributed to. Couple them with a light period, and it may just turn out that she and Ed almost got into the mother of all fights for nothing.

Beth’s upper teeth gnawed on her lower lip. Deep down, she knew the answer without having to look at the test. If she was honest with herself about it, she knew the answer last month when the first test was negative. She knew it was wrong, but grabbed the reprieve of not being pregnant with both hands. It meant she and Ed could put off the inevitable just a little longer. It meant that her father wouldn’t disown her just yet, not that Ed saw it that way. No, Ed’s patience on that score was pretty much at the end, and she knew it.

With a heave of air, Beth lifted herself from the side of the tub, and walked over to the sink. Need to get this over with, she thought. Need to face the music if she could.

Her eyes closed, Beth looked down at the sink vanity, and lifted her lids slowly.

In that instant her world changed. Two very clear lines were on the stick. Positive with no question this time. She was pregnant. All the way pregnant, not like a couple years ago when she was late, and had no symptoms before a heavy period took what had been conceived. No, this time, there really was a baby inside her.

If all went according to plan, she and Ed were going to be parents.

Beth blew out an exhale, and looked into the mirror over the sink. To her china blue eyes, she looked no different. She had the same strawberry blonde hair worn straight to her bra line. Her skin was still the pale, unblemished white with roses she inherited from her mother. Her shoulders were still slim despite all of the athletic endeavors over the years. She still had a small nose, fuller lips, and delicate ears hidden under her hair where the diamond studs Ed gave her earlier in the year sparkled. On the outside, she looked no different.

But on the inside...on the inside, she was too tired all of a sudden to be nervous about telling Ed that the first test was wrong, and that they were going to have to confess not just their marriage, but the pregnancy to her parents sooner than they talked about yesterday. She knew he would jump at the chance to tell her father to go to hell, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to be without the man who raised her. She wasn’t ready for that any more than Ed was when his parents just disappeared all those years ago leaving him and all his brothers to fend for themselves. Beth knew her own brothers wouldn’t abandon her when the announcement came, but she wasn’t sure about her mother. Her mother was the quintessential woman who deferred to her man just to keep the peace. As bad as the thought of living without her father was, living without her mother would hurt.

A lot.

At that cheerful thought, Beth picked up the stick, and headed into the bedroom of the four star hotel where she and Ed would be spending the night. The king sized bed was made up with a fluffy white down comforter, huge pillows, and French blue accents against a dark stained wood headboard. It beckoned like a neon sign.

She walked over to the desk and put the pregnancy test next to the chart she used to track her fertility. Since the first test was negative, and Ed was going to be out of town most of the month, she hadn’t bothered to actually draw lines between the dots on the chart for the past few weeks. Quickly, she did so, and sure enough, the telltale pattern of elevated temperatures with no dips or spikes told the same tale as the EPT.

She should have done that earlier.

There was nothing for it now, but to deal with it. That thought pressed on her like a weight. She closed her eyes, and moaned.

Methodically, she started to strip off her work clothes, the dressy office attire she had to wear all week long at the bank. She closed her eyes, and put away the day and the loan applications she denied. Some people really could handle the responsibilities of balancing money, but just as many couldn’t. She hated telling good, hard working people no, but when the debts were high and another loan would put families and households over the edge...she just couldn’t do that to them. She was going to have to do that to at least four families on Monday.

Once she was down to her panties, and her girls were free