by Meg MacRose
Nick looked over to Lacey in appreciation. “A slide, eh? Now as a kid, I would’ve loved that.”
“Are you sure you want to sell?” Ebony’s fingers were crossed on her knee, and Nick got the impression that she was only asking to be polite.
“Definitely. The sooner the better. My lawyer has all the details. I’ve asked that the purchase price just be enough to cover the cost of purchasing the land and the house build to date. You’ll need to enter your own contracts with the builder and Lacey.”
“Yeah, I can do that. But Nick, you could get so much more if you had the house finished yourself and sold it through an estate officer.” Ebony asked, her fingers still crossed on her knees.
Nick shrugged with nonchalance. “Perhaps. I’d rather just get it out of my hair right now. I don’t need to make a profit on it. Just not make a loss either.”
Ebony clapped her hands with glee. “Kids, I do believe this is our new home! Thank you so much Nick”
“Yay.” The twins jumped up and down and joined their mother as they clapped their hands too.
“So, any other changes you’ve recommended?”
“Lacey’s been great. She’s suggested a way to bring in some charm into the kids’ bedrooms and bathrooms by changing the colour schemes. And we’ll have a mini house built down at the back of the yard for the twins to play in. And what you had as a formal lounge that opens onto the deck over there will now become a playroom, so a completely new design there.”
“Um, Eb? How about you let Lacey answer the question.” Dan interrupted his over-excited sister.
“Oh Gosh. Sorry Lacey. I didn’t mean to answer for you. I always hate it when people do that too!”
“Don’t apologise Ebony.”
Lacey turned to address Nick. She looked cute as she blushed when she spoke to him.
“Eb pretty much covered it. I’m modifying some of the themes in the rooms the twins will use so that they are a bit more inviting for kids. But it’s easy enough to do. The concept that you first decided on lends itself well to adaptation and flexibility.”
There was something about Lacey that was different. Not just that she wasn’t wearing her leathers. Something else. The spiky hair-do was gone. Her short hair framed her head in small soft waves. He had an urge to run his hands through it. It wasn’t that she looked younger, but maybe more feminine and less severe. He glanced down at her.
“You don’t have your leathers on.” It was more a statement than a question. And also, a way of making her chat to him.
“No. I’d lent my car to a friend for the day and my bike’s having its annual check-up, so I was vehicle-less. Ebony very kindly sent a driver to pick me up. You wouldn’t believe how much I appreciated that. Usually getting to a job becomes downtime, but I was able to use the time to finish some specs that I’ve been working on.” She spoke in quiet gushes. “I really appreciate it, thanks Ebony.”
Nick could see from the warm smiles that the girls exchanged, that they had hit it off and liked each other. Diana was never able to do that with other women without checking their pedigree first. How had he missed all the similarities between Diana and his mother until now? A shudder went down his back. That was a close call. He wouldn’t have stayed long in a marriage with someone like his Mother.
Ebony was watching him with a curious look on her face. “Come on Dan, can you get the girls? We’ve got to go. I’ve convinced Dan to join us for lunch with the folks. I’m a coward really. It’s always easier than having to face our parents by myself! They still don’t agree with the whole divorce thing. Nick, send through your lawyer’s details. I’ll go in and sign all the papers as soon as a I can. Consider this home sold!”
“Done.”
“Parents, eh? They’re all the same. The only promise I made myself when I first had Therese is to make sure I’m not taking after my own mother. I’ve told my friends that if they ever hear me being a mini-her, to kick me hard!” Lacey’s face blushed bright red as she spoke, and she fidgeted as if she was uncomfortable.
“Isn’t that the truth? Sounds like you have a mother like us too. Caught up in what some narrow slice of society thinks about them, with no concept of reality,” Ebony responded breezily. She clapped her hands. “Come on kids. We’re off now.”
Nick had been following the previous dialogue with much interest. He’d bitten his tongue to stop himself from joining in, as he’d learnt more about Lacey in the last minute, than he had in the other three times that they’d met. Therese. That was a nice name for a child. A girl. He wondered if she had short wavy hair and bright sparkling eyes like her mother.
He hoisted himself up off the mat, as it was evident that the soiree was finished, and was about to follow Dan to help round up the twins, who had found hilarity in running off. As he turned, Lacey’s slim fingers tapped him on his shoulder.
“Um Nick. Can we have a quick chat? I mean after Ebony and Dan have left?” Her brow was furrowed, and she bit down on her bottom lip as she waited for his reply. The nervous energy that had emanated from her before had just tripled.
“Sure. No problem. I’ll drop you back when we’re finished.” Without giving Lacey a chance to comment, he called over to Ebony, “Tell your driver that I’ll see Lacey home.”
Never had he seen someone’s face go from anxious and worried to insanely mad in only a second.
“That is NOT necessary.” Lacey’s voice remained low but adamant. The changing colour of her eyes fascinated him.
“Don’t be silly. No point having a driver hanging around while we talk when he could be doing something else somewhere. Besides, I have nothing else planned, and you’ve already said that we need to talk. At least in the car, I’m a captive audience for you! See, it works well for everyone!”
She had a look of vulnerability in her expression and all he wanted to do was to put his arms around her and protect her. While he wanted to plant a quick hard kiss on her glossy lips, he refrained and with featherlike lightness, used his thumb and forefinger to gently massage her chin.
“You over-bearing egotistical insufferable …” Lacey spluttered as she pushed his hand away. Her eyes, the colour of the Atlantic Ocean on a stormy summer’s day, spat at him.
Did she know how sexy she was when she was cursing him and banging on his chest with her hands? There was something about this woman who tasted of cinnamon that lit a flame inside of him. Something that made him glad to be alive. It’d been there at that charity ball. It was here again now.
Chapter 5
Lacey sank into the back of Nick’s car, cocooned by the padding of the seats. The leather smelt fresh and was softer than she had anticipated. Now this was luxury. She’d thought back on her own privileged childhood when she’d been picked up by Ebony’s driver. There had always been a driver on call for her mother and father. Her first rebellious act as a teenager was when she had snuck away to use the tube. The security team had dobbed her into her not very impressed Mother. Then she’d passed her driver’s licence test and refused to be driven again. The arguments that had ensued with her Mother were all but distant memories. It was the best thing that she’d ever done, getting her own wheels, her independence. Her car licence had been followed by the motorbike licence, and she’d never looked back. But it had been both convenient and relaxing being picked up this morning. Although, as she pressed her fingers into the leather again to test the softness, Nick’s car was much more comfortable.
“Would you like a drink, Miss?” Nick’s driver had turned towards her. He wasn’t as old as she had expected. Her parent’s drivers had all seemed to be old, but maybe that was just because she had been so much younger.
“No, that’s fine. I have water in my bag.” She patted her bag. “Thanks anyway. It looks like you’re having to drop me off first. I live in Eridge. I’ve been to this house a few times, and the quickest route is through the B roads up to Tunbridge and then towards Eridge. Though that’s been on my bike.”
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��Righty-oh. Let me put that into the GPS. What’s the actual street address? That way I’m not having to interrupt you during the drive.”
Lacey had just finished reciting her address to him when Nick opened the other back door and slipped his large frame into the car.
“Right, are we ready? Sorry about that. I just wanted to thank the builders before I left. I probably won’t see them again.”
His voice was tinged with regret. The house was his own design. Diana had told Lacey that many times. Designed for Nick and Diana to raise their family in. Lacey hadn’t realised that Nick and Diana had split up until she’d been contacted to join Ebony on a walkthrough of the house. No wonder Nick had regrets. By letting go of his home, he was letting go of whatever dreams he’d had with Diana. Although, surely their relationship hadn’t been solid, not if he could kiss her like that the other day.
Lacey curled her fingers in so that they didn’t reach out and touch him. She bit her lip. This was not going to be an easy conversation to have. How many times had she tried to practice at home how to explain that they had a daughter? At least he was no longer engaged. A new daughter on the scene would have been a more difficult adjustment with a new wife in tow.
The car started to roll down the driveway. She stared out the window, watching the trees pass by until they were on the road. She took a deep breath to settle her nerves, then turned in her seatbelt so that she faced him. He was checking a message on his phone, and not a happy message by the looks of his grimace.
“Nick?”
“Sorry about that. There are twelve unread text messages from my mother. I’m sure that they all have the same message. I’ll talk with her later. You wanted to have a talk. I’ll give you my undivided attention.” He leant forward and closed the window that separated them from his driver.
Nick’s impatience was evident as he waited for her to talk. But the words refused to form in her mouth. A deep breath in, and a deep breath out. She could do this, she willed herself. She had to do this. She’d start from the beginning and take it from there.
“We first met nearly six years ago at the charity ball.”
“Mmmm. I remember. You were wearing …”
“Nick, please.” She snapped, as she put her hand up to stop him, just like she did with Therese when she wanted her attention.
“I need to continue. Please.”
Nick turned his body to hers. His look of surprise morphed into weariness as he waited for her to continue. His steely grey eyes watched with intent.
She looked up to meet his stare, aware and attentive.
“We were drawn to each other. Well, we both know that. Things went a little quicker than probably either of us ever expected. And then in the bathroom, I looked in the mirror and saw the bits of leaves and twigs in my hair. It was all going to be too hard to restore, to explain to anyone, and my reaction to you terrified me. So, I escaped through a side door. Not because I didn’t want to see you, I couldn’t face having to deal with my mother or my brother or any of their friends. And I wasn’t looking to hook up with anyone. I did the cowardly thing and I scarpered back to my flat.”
“I did wait. My friend Alex came over and joined me, and when it was obvious that you weren’t coming back, we left and joined Dan at the bar he had recently opened. I wondered at the time why you didn’t return. But it’s fine. I’m not emotionally scarred by it or anything. Things happen, life moves forward.”
“No, no. You don’t understand. We didn’t exchange any personal information, so I didn’t know who you were. To be honest, I didn’t really know anyone at the charity ball. It wasn’t my kind of scene. I went because the charity was headed up by my aunt. But I’m going off topic here.”
Lacey forced herself to pause and waited until her breath was back under control, before she tried to continue. There was no more dancing around, she had to spit it out before the words got all tangled up in her mouth.
“Nick. That night we had together in the garden. Well, I got pregnant. The child I mentioned earlier on the deck, Therese. She’s your daughter.”
As she waited for Nick’s reaction, the memory of when she’d first taken the pregnancy test came flooding back. She had been full of disbelief, bemusement and uncertainty. It had certainly been a shock.
Nick looked at her, his expression frozen in disbelief. “Are you sure? Is there any possibility she belongs to anyone else?”
Lacey shook her head. Her eyes pleaded with him to believe her. “Therese is definitely your daughter. There is no possibility of anyone else having fathered her.” She kept her voice calm and her words slow. This was always going to be a shock when she revealed it.
“How can I be so sure?” Nick asked with suspicion lacing his voice. “What do you want? You know I’m wealthy and you want some money?”
“No Nick.” She kept her voice quiet and level. She had to keep the conversation rational and even. Though it saddened her that he would think she was nothing more than a gold digger.
“I know it’s a shock. It was for me too when I first found out. I don’t want any of your money. Therese doesn’t even know that I’ve found you.” Lacey’s gaze dropped down to her brown boots. How does one explain why she’d shared the information? Maybe this was just a bad idea.
“I just thought you deserved to know. That’s why I’m telling you. Please believe me when I say that I don’t want anything from you. Therese and I are happy as a family unit. But once I knew who you were, it didn’t seem decent to keep it a secret.”
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Nick looked at this unconventional woman who sat next to him. She looked as uncomfortable as he was bewildered. Could she really have borne his daughter? His heart was beating a slow heavy rhythm and there were so many questions that he wanted to ask, but each time he tried, they got caught in the back of his throat.
“Why wait until now to tell me?” His question came out more grating than he had anticipated.
Should he trust her? Surely, she knew that someone as rich as he would demand proof.
As if she read his mind, she responded “you’re welcome to do a DNA test, if it’ll make you feel better. But yeah, I’m one hundred per cent sure that you are Therese’s father.”
He stared back at her and urged her in silence to look up and talk to him. She raised her head again and met his stare. Her gaze didn’t flinch. She sat up straight and had the look of a female warrior about to take on her opponent. There was something raw and honest about her, and Nick knew deep inside that she wasn’t one of the gold-diggers, she told the truth.
“Look, I’m going to tell you something. I’m not going to apologise for Therese’s existence. She’s a beautiful child and I’m very proud of her.”
Nick noticed as she placed her hands on her knees to still the slight tremor in them.
“I’m also not going to grovel for your attention or for you to participate in our lives. Ever. As I’ve told you Therese isn’t aware of who you are. I wasn’t aware of who you were until less than a month ago when you walked in on Diana and I arguing at your house.”
Nick didn’t dare interrupt, from the resolute tone of her voice, and the rigid form of her body, she had not yet finished her monologue.
“I didn’t tell you on that first meeting, as I was still in shock at bumping into you, and your fiancée was right there. I didn’t even know if I wanted to tell you at that point. I had to think it through. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to unleash such a surprise to a new wife without preparing her first.”
Nick narrowed his eyes in surprise. Most women wouldn’t give any consideration to Diana, especially when she had been the client from hell. Lacey’s graciousness was a rare quality.
“I was meaning to tell you the next time we met. But then things got out of control and if it wasn’t for your phone ringing, we would probably have enjoyed another quick shag without thinking it through. Which is something that I also want to point out to you. That behaviour is not how my normal course of even
ts play out. Not six years ago. Not now. So please don’t think that I’m some free and easy girl ready for a shag at any moment. The reason why I asked to talk to you privately is that this wasn’t a conversation that I could have with you on the phone, nor did I feel it was appropriate for email either. I didn’t realise you were turning up today, but as you did, and here we are, I’m telling you now.”
Nick gazed out the car window behind Lacey, his head starting to thump. He didn’t know what the appropriate response should be. His mind was oscillating between being blank and being jumbled with too many questions. As Lacey spoke, he’d had a dozen different reservations, uncertainties and doubts form in his mind. His head was a muddle, and he daren’t verbalise his concerns. He’d already jumped off on the wrong foot and accused her of being a gold-digger. The trouble was, her revelation had stopped him in his tracks. He didn’t even know where to start from here. He had a daughter!
“Nick. Nick. I know it’s a lot to take in. Why don’t you drop me off at the next town? I can make my own way home.”
Her soft voice was gentle and the concern in her eyes sent a sharp stab through his chest. Her humility almost undid him. For someone not prone to displays of emotion, his eyes had started to well with unshed tears, and he was unable to swallow. He blinked hard and tried to make sense of the chaotic thoughts that churned through his mind.
“Lacey. Tell me. Have you been through this all alone? The pregnancy, having the baby, bringing her up?” The thoughts that whipped around his head were guilt, a sense of responsibility, and something else. Something like a sense of proprietorship. They churned in his stomach and a heavy weight settled on his shoulders.
Lacey looked out her window. She looked alone and that sense of bewildered vulnerability returned to her frame.
She turned back to face him. The sight of Lacey’s own red eyes and red, moist cheeks kept him silent, waiting for her response.
“My pregnancy, yes. It took me a few weeks to comprehend what being pregnant was going to mean for me and my life. But I was lucky, I shifted out to a small cottage in the country where the rents were cheaper, and my uncle shared my details with an old friend of his who heads up a remote team of designers, which was great as I was able to work from home. I still do. I resisted telling my own family until I was nearly showing. We’ve never been close, and I had no idea as to their reaction.”