Winning Back His Wife - Chapter 2

Janelle’s personal assistant opened a bottle of Evian and handed it to her. “You were great out there, Janelle,” she gushed.

Janelle drank liberally and handed the half-empty bottle back to her. “Thanks, Hannah.” She tossed off the robe and began to strip, unconcerned that she was nearly nude. She riffled through her duffel bag, looking for her most comfortable activewear, consisting of leggings, sports bra and cropped, seamless jacket. After quickly dressing, she was ready to go back to the hotel for some much-needed R & R. Nick Bomer, the much-lauded but demanding photographer, liked early morning light, so Janelle had been up since the crack of dawn after an overnight flight from her home base of Paris, where she’d moved a few years ago. She was dog-tired.

“The car is being brought around,” Hannah said once she was dressed.

There was a knock on the door and one of Nick’s assistants popped her head inside. “Excuse me, Janelle. I’m sorry to bother you, but we have a visitor who refuses to leave until he speaks with you.”

Janelle rolled her eyes. She was in no mood for a groupie who wanted a picture. Not now, when her time was finally her own. “Please get rid of them, Lois. I’m about to leave.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Lois said.

“Why not?”

“Because he says he’s your husband and he’s not leaving until he talks to you.”

Janelle’s heart plummeted to the bottom of her stomach and she had to blink several times. “Pardon me?” She spun around to face Lois, who’d turned several shades of red. “Where is he?”

Lois pointed at the door.

Glancing at Hannah, whose mouth formed an O of surprise, Janelle stalked to the door and peeked out. Just a few feet away, in all his dark chocolate glory, stood her husband, Silas Tucker. A man she hadn’t seen in half a dozen years. Instantly, her hand flew to her chest and her heart began palpitating in her chest.

What was he doing here?

She hadn’t seen him since that god-awful row they’d had in their tiny apartment in Lenox Park when they were trying to make ends meet. Janelle had just been discovered and offered a huge modeling contract, which Silas had demanded she turn down. Considering that she’d been born to a drug-addicted mother who had OD’d, causing Janelle to end up in foster care, Janelle hadn’t been able to turn her back on the once-in-a-lifetime deal. Instead, Janelle walked away from her husband, the only man she’d ever loved, in favor of money, glitz and glamour. Why? Because he wanted a stay-at-home wife and house full of children. Janelle had wanted that, too, but when this opportunity presented itself, she’d been unable to turn away.

Little did she know just what hard work modeling would be.

Janelle closed the door and leaned back against it.

Why did he have to look so damn good?

From the moment she’d first seen him standing with his boys by her high school locker after basketball practice, Janelle had been smitten. And although she hadn’t seen Silas in years, that hadn’t prevented her from keeping up with his successes. Having gotten his start on one of those reality-food-show series, he was now a famous chef. The show had catapulted him to fame, and Silas now owned not one but seven restaurants across the country, had cookbooks and cookware and was frequently on television as a host or commentator.

“Janelle?” Hannah rushed toward her. “What would you like me to do? Get security?”

“To what? Throw him out?” Janelle chucked wryly, standing straight. “You don’t know my husband.” Though she was surprised to still be calling him that. Why hasn’t he divorced me yet? “He can be very stubborn. If I refuse, he’ll merely cause a scene until I talk to him.”

“But why come now?” Hannah inquired. “Hasn’t it been years since you’ve seen him?”

Janelle nodded and walked over to the window to peer out into the bustling streets of Buckhead. “Yes, it has.”

“You’ve never spoken much about your relationship with Silas.”

With good reason, Janelle thought. Silas was the love of her life. They’d been together since they were teenagers in high school. They both grew up in foster care and knew what it was like to not have a home. She supposed it’s why they’d gravitated toward one another, because they had the same core values of wanting a marriage and a family someday. But that hadn’t been all. Janelle had never felt the fierce passion that existed between them before or since. In the years they’d been apart, other men had approached Janelle, but she could never find it in her heart to take any of them to bed.

Silas was the only man she’d ever been with.

“Janelle?” Hannah had moved toward her and was touching her arm. “I lost you there for a moment.”

Janelle shook her head. “You did.” She’d been adrift in the memories, but she needed to face Silas. Wasn’t it high time she found out why they were still husband and wife?

Janelle strutted toward the door and swung it open, only to find Silas right on the other side.

“Do you want to tell me what the hell you’re doing here?”