Finders Keepers by Edie Baylis (epub ebook reader txt) 📕

Jonah’s hand rested on the whisky bottle. Saul was correct on one thing and stupidly, it was something he hadn’t considered. He should have a pre-nuptial agreement in place. Regardless of his promise to uphold his deeply instilled family values, he also had to protect the business from all eventualities and that was something Lena would have to accept.

Deciding she should try and ease the atmosphere and make the best of the situation, Lena slid her toned arms around Jonah’s neck. ‘Have you had a bad day, babe?’

‘It hasn’t been the best...’ And having the person whose big gob had caused the latest bit of aggro hanging around his neck wasn’t helping. Shrugging Lena off, Jonah concentrated on pouring himself a doubly large scotch.

‘Ooh!’ Lena jibed. ‘Who’s in a snotty mood? And there was me about to discuss the wedding. I want to invite some of my friends.’

‘Weddings aren’t the best subject tonight,’ Jonah snapped. ‘Besides, have you even got any friends? I’ve never seen any, neither have I heard of any. I haven’t seen any of your family either, come to think of it. Are you a friendless foundling or something?’

He gulped at the whisky, knowing he was being needlessly unkind, but he couldn’t help it. Lena was getting on his nerves. Wedding this, wedding that. All of this shit was her fault and Saul kicking off about it was the last thing he needed. It was bad enough keeping an eye on him to make sure he was playing ball without Lena handing the man more fuel for the fire.

Lena’s eyes momentarily narrowed, quickly swapping her expression to a hurt one. ‘Why would you say something like that to me?’ she sniffed. ‘That’s horrible.’

Jonah topped up his whisky. ‘Like I said, I’m not in the mood to talk weddings.’

‘You never are!’ Lena cried. ‘But it’s only a few weeks away. Everyone invited are your people. I haven’t got anyone from my side and...’

‘Invite who you want. I’ve already told you that,’ Jonah roared. ‘Just do what you like - you usually do!’

Lena watched Jonah gulp at his fresh drink and her nerves jangled. Something had rattled his cage. ‘There’s no need to be aggressive. Why are you in such a bad mood?’

Jonah swung around, swaying slightly as he did so. ‘If you must know, it’s because of you!’

‘Me? Why me?’ Lena’s stomach plummeted. Oh no. Gwen hadn’t said anything, had she? They had an agreement and if Gwen had broken that, she’d make sure the old hag was finished in this town quicker than she could shake a stick. She scowled. She should have stuck to her original plan. She could have told Jonah all about Gwen. After that he’d have been far too irate to even listen to anything the old witch might say.

Jonah moved closer, backing Lena up against the wall. ‘All this shit about not mentioning the baby to anyone, then you tell my fucking brother? Thanks to you I’ve had nothing but abuse off him this afternoon.’

Lena blinked rapidly. Jonah scared her when he was like this - especially when he was drunk. And regardless of him denying it, he was drunk. She didn’t see it often. She eyed the whisky bottle on the side. He’d be even drunker soon, having already polished off half of that in the ten minutes since getting home.

She’d screwed up again. She’d been stupid by not thinking carefully enough about what repercussions telling Saul would bring. Stupid, stupid.

‘Saul thinks I’m ridiculous for marrying you,’ Jonah slurred. ‘He wants me to stop the wedding.’ Smirking at the shock on Lena’s face, he stumbled back to the drinks cabinet. ‘Yeah, or at the very least get a pre-nup sorted.’ He shrugged clumsily. ‘Everyone thinks you’re a gold-digger, so it’s probably a good idea.’

Cold flooded from Lena’s feet up to her hair. Fuck. A pre-nup? Oh, bollocks. Quick, think... THINK!

About to turn the tears on, she refrained just in time. She was due at that function shortly and there was no way she was redoing her makeup. It had taken a bloody age to get it perfect and she looked the business. Apart from the kitchen roll baby.

It had crossed her mind to give the ‘bump’ a miss tonight, but then thought better of it. It would be just her luck that tonight was the night Gwen got suspicious. But a pre-nup? She might as well not have bothered with any of this if Jonah went down that line.

As panic set in, a glimmer of an idea formed. It was risky, but she’d take the chance. At least it would give her breathing space to think of a way around this pre-nup crap before it actually happened. Besides, Jonah was far too volatile right now for her not to smooth things over.

Casually undoing the button of her jacket, she sniffed loudly. ‘It hurts that you and everyone else thinks so little of me. I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but I want to marry you, Jonah. I love you and I don’t want our baby to be born a bastard.’ She looked at him sadly. ‘I’ll sign your pre-nup if that’s what you want, you know I will. It’s you I want, nothing else.’

It wasn’t an issue. She’d think of something to get out of that when the time came, but tonight she’d say what was needed. Plus, she had a few more ideas up her sleeve.

Finishing his newest drink, Jonah sloppily topped his glass up, surprised Lena had so readily agreed. ‘You still haven’t explained why you told Saul? I thought you wanted to keep the baby quiet?’

He watched Lena perch on the armrest of the chair and it was then that he noticed it. Maybe he just hadn’t looked properly before, but it was there.

His eyes remained glued to the small, but definite bump where Lena’s perfectly flat stomach had previously been and