Didn't Expect You (Against All Odds Book 2)

by Claudia Burgoa

  Still, I’ll take this down time to research doctors, prenatal classes, and maybe even places to exercise while I’m pregnant. My doctor retired back in February. I should text Persy and see if she has a new one. Why bother. I said I’d be the one finding us someone new. I’m sure she’s waiting for me to do it.

  Once we land, Nate announces that the car is already waiting for us. The driver welcomes us and then takes care of the luggage we brought. Nate keeps his computer with him and once the car drives away, he says, “I hope you don’t mind. I have to answer some emails.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I swear, I’m pretty independent,” I assure him.

  So much so that I can go a couple of days without communicating my whereabouts. I’m the one who reaches out to my siblings most of the time. I guess that’s our dynamic. It occurs to me that I should text Eros and Persy about… I frown at my phone, realizing that for the first time we haven’t spoken to each other for this long—since Saturday.

  They haven’t noticed, which isn’t strange. Persy is in the honeymoon period of her relationship, falling more and more in love with Ford.

  While Eros…what is his excuse?

  When I look at Nate, I remember that he’s working hard to make sure that his business not only takes off, but soars. All of us are too busy to think about the others, and as the glue, I make sure that at least I reach out to them.

  Nyx: My life sucks. I’m taking a break. Let’s talk once I’m back in town.

  Persy: Where are you going?

  Nyx: Out of town.

  Eros: Evasive. You either robbed a bank or kidnapped Nate’s dog.

  Persy: Nate is in Seattle. It has to be something else.

  Eros: He was here yesterday and visited our parents today—with Nyx.

  Nyx: How did you know?

  Eros: I was pulling into the house when you two were leaving. Dad said you have some news for us.

  Persy: You’re pregnant, aren’t you?

  Eros: What? Who knocked you up? If it was Nathaniel, I’ll kill him.

  Persy: She just met him. Unless he has some kind of supernatural sperm, I doubt he’s the father.

  Eros: Where are you going, Andromeda?

  Persy: To Seattle with Nate.

  Nyx: How do you know?

  Persy: He’s texting Ford and said he saved you from our parents.

  Nyx: They are hovering.

  Persy: I wouldn’t expect less from Edna. Octavio…Dad…well, it’s you. You’re his unrecognized favorite. Do you need me to meet you in Seattle?

  Nyx: Thank you, but I need some me time.

  Persy: Why there and not at home?

  Nyx: Oh, I got fired on Tuesday. I’m selling my place. Demetri is packing the stuff I left behind and storing it.

  Persy: Work for me and don’t sell your house. You love the place.

  Nyx: The school district is terrible. There aren’t many parks around for the kid to play. Though I might accept the job if you don’t mind letting me have a couple of months of maternity leave.

  Persy: Yay, I get to exploit my sister and finally pay her. When can you start?

  Nyx: You’re ridiculous. Let me…

  Persy: I know. You have to trace a plan before you can restart. Are you okay about the baby?

  Nyx: Yes, but I feel...I don’t feel anything yet. You know how you see those mothers that are gushing about their unborn child as soon as they learn they are pregnant?

  Persy: What does that have to do with you?

  Nyx: I’m not like them. So far, I don’t feel like a mother. What if I can’t love this baby?

  Persy: I’m sure it works differently for everyone.

  Eros: Dude, you’ll be fine. You’re the most maternal of my three sisters. You just need time to get used to the idea of having a baby. Congrats by the way.

  Nyx: Love you both.

  Persy: Call us if you need us.

  Eros: Same.

  The car comes to a roundabout with a fountain at the center, sweeps around it, and continues up toward a fantastic sprawling house. It is a Mediterranean style home with a stucco exterior, covered with tile rooftop, and oriented around a central courtyard. It’s twice as big as my house and surrounded by trees that seem to hide the place.

  “It is right by Lake Washington,” I state as I spot the waterfront.

  “You thought I was exaggerating?”

  “No, just…this is beautiful,” I say in awe.

  Though the place is beautiful, the interiors make it feel…cold. “Needs some TLC.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s elegant. Don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t feel as if someone lives here,” I conclude.

  “The interior designer—”

  I glance at him judgingly. “Seriously, you hired someone to tell you how to fill your space?”

  “Yes. I was too busy working to worry about those superfluous details. It looks good, it’s functional, and I like it.”

  “But do you love it?” I ask.

  He stares at me and shakes his head. “Next thing I know this place is going to be filled with bright, blinding colors like my penthouse.”

  He scrunches his nose and I laugh. When he leased his Colorado penthouse to Persy, she redecorated the entire place, giving it a boho new-age style with bright pinks, oranges, and earthy tones. My sister and I are a lot alike, but she’s louder, bolder, and likes to express herself with dazzling colors.

  “You’re confusing me with my sister. I like some color but with moderation,” I clarify. “Not that I’d just change your decor arbitrarily. I’m just suggesting that you add a few details that make it yours. Fresh flowers would be lovely, but that’s of course, up to you. Wouldn’t you rather live in a place that feels like home?”

  He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Brock runs toward the double door that opens to the backyard and barks.

  “Let me get him outside and right after, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  So far, I’ve been in two of his places. His homes are gorgeous, but I wonder if he even enjoys them.

  Between this one and the penthouse, I think I prefer this house. It’s tucked in a corner and far from people. As we walk through every room, I observe that there’s nothing that says, “This is my home.” It could easily be a house decorated for one of those architectural magazines that lay on the coffee tables of medical offices, dentists, or waiting rooms in general. There’s something missing. Like pictures of him, his brother, and maybe even his father.

  “You can choose any of the guest rooms,” he offers, then points to the one at the end. “That one is mine.”

  “What if I want that one?” I joke.

  “We’ll have to share the bed,” he answers and then grins. “Just so you know, I sleep naked.”

  “Start wearing pajamas. What if I accidentally enter your room and…”

  I trail my gaze and press my lips together regretting what I just said. My life has changed, and I can’t just flirt with him. Playing with fire before was acceptable, but now… There’s too much going on with me to even entertain some playful banter.

  He narrows his gaze, “You like to challenge people and play with words, don’t you?”

  I scrunch my nose and nod. “Sorry, it’s a habit of mine. Try having an older brother, a chatty younger sister, and an annoying baby sister. It’s about survival. Eat or get eaten. Be the smartest or…you get the idea.”

  “It’s all good,” he answers. He walks me to his office, and then to the other side of the house where there’s an indoor pool, a gym, and the media room. Finally, he takes me to the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen where Demetri is staring at the open refrigerator.”

  “D, we’re home,” Nate announces.

  “Hey, Demetri,” I greet him.

  “Ms. Nyx, it’s a pleasure to see you,” he says, turning around and looking at me. “I stocked the fridge and the pantry. Nate, I should be back next Wednesday after I take care of your prope
rties in Colorado. Is there anything I need to know about your house, Ms. Nyx?”

  “No more than I emailed you,” I announce and give him the keys.

  “It’ll be fine,” Nate assures me, taking my shaky hand. “D, if you need anything, you know how to reach me. Make sure to take Nyx’s belongings to the guest room that’s closest to my room.”

  “So, you’re taking the risk of having me close,” I joke.

  He looks at me and blinks a couple of times, leans close to me and whispers with a low, husky voice. “The question is, can you have me close?”

  I shiver and press my legs together trying to ignore the ache in my core. As I said before, he’s not a guy I should be playing with, and now that I’m about to be a mother, it’d be a terrible idea to acknowledge the fire between us. There’s a little person I should be putting first.

  It’s not just you anymore.

  Twenty-Two

  Nate

  Nyx’s first night at the house is different from anything I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’ve lived on my own for years. Unless my brother drops by, it’s just me and Brock. Nyx and I have dinner, which for the second night in a row she finds endearing that Grandma taught me how to cook to keep me busy. When we finish, we clean up the kitchen and take Brock for a walk around the neighborhood.

  That dog is on cloud nine. He acts as if Nyx walks on water and she’s the only person who deserves his love, attention, and loyalty. I’m not sure what it is about her, but having her around is refreshing. These couple of days she’s been less guarded. I like this version of her, or maybe I like the version of myself when I’m around Nyx. It’s all too complicated and simple. The ambiguity of the situation doesn’t go unnoticed. Though it’s best if I ignore it—for now.

  I can say that I enjoy her being around as much as I enjoy when Ford visits, but I’d be lying. Nyx is different. She’s fun, I love our chats, and she’s gorgeous. My brother grunts. We have the best time when we’re skydiving, or as he likes to call it, channeling my inner Evel Knievel. I’d like to say he’s ugly, but that’d be calling myself ugly. One thing he never does is spend half of the night with morning sickness.

  The first time I hear thumping, running, and grunting is around one. As I get out of bed and put on a pair of boxers, I regret not giving her my bedroom where I have a private bathroom. Since she’s using the bathroom across from her room, I can hear everything—and it ain’t pretty. When I hear some heaving, I rush to her. I hold her ponytail, rub her back, and say, “It’s okay. I’m here.”

  Once she’s done heaving, I grab a hand towel, wet it, and put it on her neck the way I saw her mother do it last Saturday.

  “Sorry, I’m…” she laughs. “I swear this is worse than when I go out drinking with Persy.”

  “You always get so drunk you end up puking?” Someone should teach this woman to drink or avoid drinking.

  She laughs, “That’s what everyone thinks, and I make them believe that it’s true. My brother and sister swear I’m super hammered when I start puking, but I am not. After a few shots, I begin to feel sick and if I continue, well… I spend thirty minutes puking everything I drank. Sometimes I think that my stomach is too weak and…maybe I’m alcohol intolerant.”

  “But you’re not that drunk when it happens?”

  She shakes her head and takes a deep breath, then she finally brushes her teeth. “Nope, and the next day my hangover is not as bad as Persy’s.”

  “Maybe we have to take you to a nutritionist. I can’t have you like this for the next seven to eight months. The blueberry needs food to grow.”

  She blinks slowly as she looks over at me and smiles. “Blueberry?”

  “According to your drawings, right now it’s a blueberry,” I remind her as I lean against the wall and study her. She looks adorable, with her hair coming undone and falling down her neck. Her face is flushed, her eyes sparkling. “Have I mentioned you’re cute?”

  “You’re weird. I just flushed down my entire dinner and all the yummy popcorn I ate during our movie night, and you think I’m cute,” she says, trailing her gaze toward the door and back at me. “Thank you for being here for me. I…this is better than the last few days.”

  “You should’ve called me before,” I say, reaching forward with one hand and sliding it along her waist. I pull her to me and hug her. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have left you on Sunday.”

  “I can be on my own,” Nyx mumbles.

  She doesn’t sound ungrateful. I’m guessing she’s fighting her instincts. I just met the Brassards in person, but I’ve been watching them from afar since they appeared in Ford’s life. They are all independent. However, they support each other, and the one who is always pulling the weight of the world for them is Nyx.

  “You can, but for the sake of the blueberry, you’re going to lean yourself a little on me,” I suggest. “Nothing that’ll make you feel uncomfortable.”

  “That’s not me,” she confides with a sleepy voice.

  Her head rests on my chest, her eyes are closed, and her heart beats slowly against mine. There is something about this moment that feels right. I want to pick her up and take her to my bed. Just hold her all night long to make sure I’m there when she gets sick.

  She yawns and says, “Thank you again for watching over us. I’ll try to sleep and not wake you up if…”

  “Please, wake me up,” I appeal and kiss her forehead before releasing her. “Sweet dreams.”

  She turns to look at me, giving me a shy smile. “You too.”

  My daily routine consists of spending an hour in the gym, rinse, swim ten laps in the pool, and then shower. Fridays are casual days at the office. I normally arrive early with boxes of bagels and trays of fruit for the employees. This time I ask my assistant to pick them up at the coffee shop for me. I also warn her that I’ll be late. I want to make sure Nyx eats breakfast. She woke up at least two more times that I heard. I should have her sleep in my bedroom to keep an eye on her.

  “How are you feeling?” I ask as I hand her a cup of yogurt and one of the last ginger seltzers.

  “I texted Demetri to see if he can find something similar to these drinks while we wait for your dad to finish the next batch,” I announce.

  “Thank you,” she sighs. “I’m grateful to you for taking care of me, but I also hate you a little.”

  “Not a morning person?”

  She gives me a glance over and says, “Look at you. It’s as if you’re ready for your photoshoot looking all hot, fresh, and sexy. I…I look like roadkill.”

  I laugh and shake my head. “You look beautiful,” I correct her. “Tired, but beautiful. We should find you a doctor. Marcia, my assistant, is already searching for a nutritionist.”

  “That’s on my list of things to do. Maybe I can get an appointment as early as next week,” she says. “And don’t worry about booking me a flight. I’ll do it later today. I just need to decide when it’d be best to leave.”

  “Why are you leaving?” I frown. “You should stay here longer.”

  “You’re so sweet, but I’m sure having someone waking you up in the middle of the night because I can’t keep any food in my stomach must be aggravating to you.”

  “Not at all,” I assure her. “I had no idea what morning sickness was all about until I met you. Not sure if my life will ever be the same.”

  “So romantic,” she jokes and frowns. “What about…? Sorry, I shouldn’t be asking personal questions.”

  “We’re friends,” I observe, knowing where her train of thought was heading to. I had a pregnant girlfriend. She’s wondering if I’m handling this well because of my previous experience. “We should be able to trust each other, don’t you think? Now, to answer your silent question, Bronwyn didn’t have morning sickness or if she did, she never told me. I…when she gave me the news, she was about thirteen weeks pregnant.”

  “Hmm,” Nyx says, and I wonder if she’s thinking what I am thinking.

  Who wait
s so long to tell the father, and why didn’t I question any of this from the beginning? I’m an inquisitive man, but during that time I wasn’t thinking at all. As of today, I don’t have any answers about my behavior while I dated Bronwyn. I took everything she told me without questioning if any of it was even true. The biggest issue about those years is, who the fuck was I?

  “But you’re a pro living with a pregnant woman, and that’s why you’re so calm about this,” she states.

  “Kind of,” I respond. “Bronwyn and I didn’t move in together until Wyatt was born. She lived in Midtown. Her place was closer to work. I lived in Brooklyn, and the commute was too much for her to handle. We decided that once the baby was born, she’d quit and live with me, but until then we’d live apart. I was also traveling a lot. So no, I think I’ve dealt with more stuff during the past week with you than with her.”

  I sound like a shitty boyfriend and a terrible father. I was excited about my son, committed to them, and I visited her as much as it was possible unless she drove down to her mother’s place in Philly. Then I wouldn’t see her during the weekend.

  Nyx watches me, and I’m not sure if she’s judging me or…

  “What are you thinking?” I ask instead of assuming.

  She shrugs. “Nothing really, I’m just…”

  “Judging?”

  “No, analyzing. Because when you talk about your relationship it sounds one way but then, you swear she’s the love of your life. Was she really?” she asks. “It feels like you were keeping each other at a distance. In my experience—watching others dating—when things get so serious, they... Never mind, maybe I’ve been hanging out with Persy for too long.”

  “Almost all your life,” I joke, and wink at her.

  “My point is that I appreciate what you’re doing for me and the little berry.”

  I smirk.

  “What did I say?” she asks, wiping her mouth and tucking her hair. “Do I have something—”

  “You call the baby berry.”

  “Well, it’s a lot better than not having a name,” she answers. “After hearing you call her blueberry it just…I don’t know. It sounds catchy. Next week it is raspberry so I might as well stick to something for two weeks.”