Chapter One.
Family.
It’s what the St. Claires were. What they stood
for. What they believed in. Mason and Bernadette were the parents who raised
four handsome, intelligent sons and instilled in them the value and preciousness
of family. No doubt this is why they all made good husbands and fathers.
Gemma pondered this while they all sat around the
dinner table at Ramsey and Gianna’s home – a change of pace from having Sunday dinner
at Mason and Bernadette’s. Soft jazz music played through the home’s sound
system. The white pillar candles that sat in the center of the table served as
a mood setter, enhancing the ambiance in the dining room. She discreetly looked
around the table at everyone who were having a good time talking and enjoying
their meals. Ramsey was holding his daughter Rianne while at the same time whispering
something in Gianna’s ear, prompting Gianna to blush. Siderra softly bounced
Egan. The little boy looked just like his father, Romulus. Felicity and Regal
had their daughter, Rayne, sitting between them and Royal was holding their son,
who was also named Ace.
All the brothers had children except Royal. Royal
had made the comment that he didn’t mind being the uncle who’d babysit whenever
the family needed him to and Gemma felt the same way. She’d be Aunt Gemma
especially since she couldn’t have children of her own and since Royal never
wanted kids, their relationship was ideal. But Gemma couldn’t get over how he interacted
with his nieces and nephews. He was so good with them that it fueled her doubts
that maybe he wasn’t so cool with the idea of not having any children of his own.
He would be the ideal father – so patient, kind and loving – the same way he
was with her. Why wouldn’t he want children?
Ace stirred in his lap. Royal said, “Uh oh. I’ve
seen this before. Felicity, where’s his bottle?”
Felicity dug around in the diaper bag on the floor
next to her chair until she found it then handed it to Royal.
Royal took the bottle and said, “Alright, lil’
man. Here’s your food.”
Ace latched on to the bottle like he was
starving.
Royal chuckled. “Whoa. This boy has an appetite
like his daddy.”
“Yes, he does,” Felicity agreed.
Gemma aimlessly stirred green beans around on her
plate looking to her right to see Royal talking to his nephew. He was good with
children – so good that she often wondered why he never wanted any of his own. Or,
perhaps he wanted them but since she couldn’t have them, what was the point of
changing his mind?
Blinking away from him, Gemma forced herself to
eat. She wasn’t in the mood for a family dinner, especially after watching this
and feeling left out. It was all her – she knew that but it still didn’t negate
her feelings. The truth of the matter was, she felt left out at their family
dinners. She took a sip of lemonade and glanced around the table again, seeing
everyone happy and being social like families were supposed to be. In doing so,
she caught the eye of someone who wasn’t talking but rather staring right back
at her – her mother-in-law, Bernadette. That’s when she knew she had to excuse
herself to take a breather.
She pushed her chair back. The slightest movement
and Royal was looking at her.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Royal asked, placing
a hand on her thigh before she got up.
“Just to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” she said mustering a fake smile while avoiding
eye contact because she already knew he’d see the truth hidden in them. “I’m
fine. I’ll be right back.”
Gemma stood up.
Royal said, “Come here for a minute.”
“What?”
“Come here.”
She leaned down close to him to which he
whispered, “You know I want those lips. Stop playing with me,” and then took a small
kiss. “Hurry back.”
“I will.”
But she was in no hurry. Gemma took her time walking
to the bathroom and when she reached it, she closed the door and just stood
there, trying to process her thoughts. Maybe she was overthinking this thing as
usual. She’d been known to overthink things – like when she realized Royal was in
love with her. She thought about all the reasons why he’d be better off with
someone else. She even tried to understand his thought process by determining
why a man as gorgeous and successful as him would want to be with a woman who had
some serious health issues like she had the right to question that.
Paperbacks will not be available for sale on Amazon. You can only order from my website. To order a paperback, visit my online bookstore here.
IMPORTANT:
*Gemma is best enjoyed AFTER you’ve read Royal (A St. Claire Novel). Royal is currently available for $0.99 and is on Kindle Unlimited! You can also order a paperback from my online store. They are on sale for a limited time for $5.00 plus shipping. Visit Tina Martin Book Shop.
*For the BEST reading experience, read the series where Gemma first appeared to gain some background on her: The Boardwalk Bakery Romance Series that consists of three Books, Baked With Love, Baked With Love 2 and Baked With Love 3.
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