Wed on His Terms: Million-Dollar Marriage Merger

She looked at him and inhaled a deep breath. “I’m sorry. This isn’t easy for me. Believe me, I have the baby’s well-being in mind every second of the day. That’s why it’s been such a tug of war.”

Tony had thicker skin than to be offended, but most women wouldn’t consider a proposal from him a terrible thing.

The waitress walked up to the table again. “Hi, what can I get for you?”

Rena faced her without opening the menu. “I should have the California café salad.”

“One California café salad, got it. And for you sir?”

“But,” Rena interrupted and the waitress turned back to her, “I’m craving a chili cheeseburger with extra pickles.”

The waitress grinned. “That’s our specialty. Got it. And I’ll make sure you get those pickles.”

“Thank you. I’ll have a lemonade too.”

Tony ordered the same thing, and after the waitress left, he glanced at Rena. “You’re having cravings? I wondered why you wanted to meet me here.”

She lifted a shoulder and shrugged. “It’s been a long time and this morning when I got up, I couldn’t stop thinking about having a chili cheeseburger.”

“We sure ate our share of them when we were kids. We used to close down this place, remember?”

“Yeah, I do.”

And for a moment, Rena’s face softened. Tony remembered what it was like being with her back then. The fun times they’d had together. They’d been so close and so much in love.

Rena stared at the manila folder she’d set down on the table and her expression changed.

“What’s going on?” Tony asked, glancing at the folder. “What’s in there?”

“It’s something I want from you.”

Surprised, Tony looked at her, arching a brow. “Okay, so why don’t you tell me?”

She slid the folder toward him. “It’s a prenuptial agreement.” Her eyes met his directly.

Tony hid his surprise well. He didn’t react, though a dozen thoughts popped into his head all at once. He decided to hear her out and not jump to conclusions.

“If I marry you, I want Purple Fields to remain in my name. I want full ownership of the winery and vineyard. I want to have the final say in every decision having to do with it. My child will own Purple Fields one day, no questions asked. Have your attorney look it over. It’s legal and there shouldn’t be any problem.”

Tony sighed heavily. “Rena, you do see the irony in this, don’t you?”

Rena searched his eyes. “How so?”

“First of all, I don’t want Purple Fields. Marrying me has nothing to do with me getting my hands on your winery. The fact is, I’m worth tens of millions, Rena. Everything I own will be yours. I’m not asking for a prenuptial agreement from you.”

“If you want one, I’d sign it.”

“I don’t want one, damn it! I’m not entering into this marriage lightly. If we marry, it’ll be for keeps. We’ll have a child and we’ll be a family. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, of course. But you’ve made promises to me before that you’ve broken, and now I have no choice in the matter. I want some control. You should understand that, being a Carlino.”

Tony’s lips tightened. He didn’t want an argument, so he chose his words carefully. “This time it’s different. This time, I’m not going to break any promises I make to you.”

“I’d sleep better at night if I believed you.”

Tony let go a curse.

Rena continued to explain. “I’m only protecting what’s mine. Can you blame me? It’s all I have left and I don’t want to lose it.”

Angry now, Tony didn’t bother reading the agreement first. “Fine. I’ll sign it.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. Then he slid the papers out and gave them only a cursory glance before signing his name at the bottom.

“Don’t you want your attorney to look it over?” Rena asked, her expression incredulous, watching him slide the papers back into the folder.

He shook his head. “I know you well enough to know there’s nothing in this agreement that I’d find questionable. I trust you.”

Rena sat back against the booth, her chin bravely raised. “I won’t let you make me feel guilty about this.”

“I’m not trying to make you feel guilty,” Tony remarked gruffly. Then when he saw Rena holding back tears, he softened his tone. “I signed the papers. You’re getting what you want—at least as far as Purple Fields is concerned. I never intended on taking that away from you.” Then he braced his arms on the table and leaned in. Their gazes locked. “We have to make this work, Rena. If for nothing else but that child you’re carrying.”

Rena closed her eyes briefly. Her silence irritated him, as if she were trying to believe and trust in him. He wasn’t like his ruthless father, but would Rena ever acknowledge that? “I know,” she said finally.

Tony settled back in his seat. What was done, was done. He didn’t want to rehash the past. It was time to look toward the future.

And live in the present.

Tony changed the subject as soon as the food was delivered. He wanted Rena to enjoy the meal she’d craved. Lord knew she needed to build her strength. She also needed some calm in her life and wondered if he could ever provide her that.

Without Rena actually saying so, the existence of the prenuptial agreement he’d just signed was an acceptance to his proposal.

Tony resigned himself to the fact that soon he’d be a husband to a pregnant and reluctant bride.

One week later, Rena stood beside Solena, Tony beside his brother Joe as they spoke vows before a Catholic priest in a little church just outside of San Francisco. Rena’s mind spun during the entire mass thinking this was some kind of a bad joke. She couldn’t believe she was actually marrying Tony Carlino, the boy she’d once loved beyond reason. The boy she’d dreamed of marrying with every breath that she’d taken. Now that dream seemed more like a nightmare.

As the priest blessed their union, Rena reminded herself of the reasons she’d made this decision.

Marrying Tony meant saving her winery from ruin.

It meant that she could honor David’s last wishes.

It meant that her baby would never want for anything, much less a roof over his head or a meal on his plate.

They were good solid reasons. No sacrifice was too great for her child.

Father Charles finished the ceremony. “You may kiss the bride.”

She hardly felt like a bride. She wore a pale yellow dress suit. Tony had provided her with a small calla lily bouquet and had placed a simple platinum band on her finger during the service. Out of reverence to David, he hadn’t given her a diamond—she’d only just last week removed her wedding ring from her finger and tucked it away safely in her jewelry case. It had been excruciatingly hard letting go.