Secret Love - Brenda Jackson [57]
“What kind of an announcement?” Traci asked, whispering. “Are you going to announce that Whispering Pines made an extra-large profit last year?”
Jake grinned. Traci, a compulsive shopper, was anxious to know just how much extra money she would have to spend at the malls.
“I’m not saying anything just yet. And remember what I’ve told you is a secret. Don’t say a word to anyone.”
“Our lips are sealed,” Kattie said.
A smile tugged at the corners of Jake Madaris’s mouth. The three of your lips haven’t been sealed since the day you were born, he wanted to say as he looked at the earnest expressions on their faces. “I’ll talk to you ladies later. My friend Kyle Garwood and his wife Kimara just arrived.”
Jake looked at his watch as he walked off. He knew it wouldn’t be long before every living soul at the party knew that he would be making an announcement about something. His three very talkative nieces would see to it.
Chapter 15
I t was time.
Jake glanced around the room and noticed a number of people were eyeing him expectantly. It seemed his nieces had done a pretty good job of spreading the word that he would be making some sort of an announcement. He gave a discreet nod to his brother Jonathan, who nodded in return before slipping up the stairs unnoticed.
Jake smiled. He was not the type of person to give in to dramatics, but he had to ashamedly admit that he was actually enjoying this. “May I have all of your attention for a minute, please?” he asked the group of people assembled in his living room.
Conversation stopped immediately, and all eyes, those that were not looking at him already, turned in his direction. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Other than his men; his brother and sister-in-law, Jonathan and Marilyn; and his two close friends, Kyle Garwood and Sterling Hamilton and their wives—no one else knew of his relationship with Diamond, let alone the fact that he was married to her. But now that was about to end. He would not be guarding their secret any longer.
“First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming. Someone recently reminded me that it’s been a long time since I’d given a party for my family and friends, and that person was right. It has been a long time. It’s been too long. There’s nothing like getting the people you care about together in one place, especially on an occasion like this when I have news to share with all of you.”
Jake let his gaze move across the room before continuing. “Today I am an extremely happy man, and I want to share the reason for my happiness with all of you.”
From the excited looks on everyone’s faces, he had a feeling that like his niece Traci, they thought he was about to talk profits. Most of them had an invested interest in Whispering Pines and knew that besides being a hardworking rancher, he was also a successful businessman. He was the financial adviser to most of them.
“A year and a half ago something happened to me that I never expected to ever happen again. I met someone and fell in love.”
Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Some people blinked in surprise, others’ mouths dropped open and one or two, like his nephew Clayton, wore a smug “I knew it had something to do with a woman” expression.
Jake could not help but grin at the buzz that went around the room. He knew that everyone thought the idea of him falling in love was absurd and absolutely ridiculous. No doubt they were also wondering if what he had just told them was true, how in the world had it happen since he spent the majority of his time busting his butt on the ranch.
Before they could recover and ask questions he continued. “After realizing just how much she meant to me, I knew I had to make her a permanent part of my life. And so I did.”
There was a long silence, then his nephew Dex asked, “Just what are you saying, Jake?”
Jake’s gaze moved around the room before coming to rest on Dex. He had a feeling Dex knew the answer to that question, but had