Fake It, Baby

by Scarlet West

  There had been parts of me that didn’t even want to keep their last name when he passed. I would have happily gone to my mother’s maiden name if I could. But, with the debt hanging over my head, I knew I was going to need that inheritance.

  Without it, and now with the baby on the way, I knew I would end up on the streets. I couldn’t afford to live in New York with that much debt, and I couldn’t afford to move. I felt so trapped, and now I felt terrified on top of it. I was sure Blake wasn’t there, but if he was, I didn’t want to see him.

  Hell, I didn’t even want to see his father. I knew the man was shallow and apt to say something about my looks. I’d gained weight with the baby, and he would, no doubt, have noticed. Sure, he might not realize that it was baby weight, but he’d notice and he’d say something.

  On top of everything else, I couldn’t have my grandparents getting on me about losing weight. Not right now. Not until after the baby was born.

  “There’s the man of the hour!” my grandfather said when he and I walked into the conference room.

  “Victor! Good to see you! Where’s Elizabeth?” Monty asked.

  “She’s home sick in bed. I don’t think she’s really ill, but you know how she is. Doesn’t want to deal with these things, so she gets out of it in any way she can,” my grandfather said. “Well then, let’s get down to business, shall we?”

  “Is this your beautiful granddaughter?” Monty asked.

  “It is. I’m getting her well-versed in the world of business. Tried to get her to go to college for it, but you know how kids are these days,” my grandfather said. I tried not to let the jab get to me as we all sat down at the table.

  “This is Peter, he’s working to become a business partner here with my son, and this here, I’m sure you remember, is Samson Teller, our biggest investor,” Monty gestured to a man on his left and a man on his right, and my grandfather nodded to both.

  “I’m hurt. I thought you said that I was the largest investor,” my grandfather said, turning back to Monty.

  “That’s what I want to talk to you about. Times are changing, and I think we need to up our game,” Monty replied.

  “How?” my grandfather asked.

  Now slow down, slow down, I’m getting to that. But first, we need to wait for Blake to get here. I want to make sure he’s here to hear how business works,” Monty said. My heart leapt to my throat, and I nearly choked on the water I was drinking.

  All the men in the room stopped and stared at me, and I forced a smile. “Sorry. Went down the wrong way.”

  “Slow down. That is one of the rudest things you can do in a meeting,” my grandfather said, then he turned back to Monty. “Are you sure we need your son here?”

  “I’m sure. Victor, you surprise me. There are times when I think you don’t want to partner with him,” Monty replied. I knew my grandfather didn’t, and was surprised when he said nothing.

  “I want to get on with the meeting. You know I’m a busy man, and things like this are a pain in my ass,” he said.

  “I know, I told him not to be late. And if he’s much later than this I’m going to wring his neck for it,” Monty said. My grandfather laughed, but at that moment, the door opened and Blake walked in.

  My heart nearly stopped at the sight of him. He was still just as perfect as he had been six months ago. He scanned the room, but did a double take when he saw me.

  “Blake, you’re late,” Monty said.

  “I’m not,” he replied as he sat down. “Gentlemen, it’s good to see all of you.”

  I tried not to make eye contact with him, but it was nearly impossible when his father spoke once more. “We aren’t all gentlemen, Blake.”

  “You got that right,” he said, and his father started to turn red around the collar.

  “I meant there is a lady present, and if you wouldn’t be rude to her, that would be great,” he said dryly.

  “Apologies, Miss,” Blake said as he turned to me. “I hope you’re not offended.”

  “Not at all,” I said as I waived my hand. I wanted to brush off the entire thing and be swallowed by the floor, but I had to sit there. Blake’s eyes lingered on me, and I felt them travel over my body. I prayed silently that he wouldn’t be able to tell I was pregnant.

  I didn’t have any intention of telling him, and I didn’t want to deal with the scandal he might cause. He’d likely use it to get back at his dad, and my grandfather would use it to write me out of the will. I felt like I was trapped between a rock and a hard place, and I wanted to run out of the room screaming.

  “Now, let’s move on,” Monty said. I felt hot and sick to my stomach, but I knew if I were to get up and rush out of the room it would only cause more trouble. I squirmed in my seat, trying to keep as lowkey as possible. But, I knew every move I made my grandfather watched like a hawk.

  He wanted me to be my mother all over again – my grandmother all over again. A woman with an eye for business. A woman who could take over and command a room of men without being intimidated. He wanted me to be so many things that I wasn’t, and as I listened to the rambling of the business deal, I wished I had the courage to just walk out.

  When the end finally came, Monty sat back with a grin. “And what do you have to say about that?”

  My grandfather cleared his throat. “So you are telling me that you’re going to be handing this all over to your son?”

  “Not right away, but eventually, yes. I want him to have the resources he needs to be able to make it in the world, and we’re going to need money for that. You can see from the charts here that it’s going to benefit you as well,” Monty said. Blake looked irritated, though his eyes kept darting in my direction.

  “That’s not the point, Monty. You know you and I have been in this game a long time, and now you want to give it all away, using my money!” my grandfather said.

  “No, Victor, that’s not it at all,” Monty said frantically. “I’m asking for you to give us a leg up, so when the time comes, you can benefit from it.”

  “I don’t think it’s any secret to you how I feel about how your son has been living,” Victor replied. “In fact, I’m shocked that you’ve taken this turn with the company, and I’m even more shocked you waited to tell me.”

  I said nothing, but I wondered what game he was playing. He had known about Blake taking over the company for a while, but I wasn’t going to get involved.

  “What’s your problem with that? Are you afraid of the innovation that’s coming?” Blake chimed in, and I cringed. I knew it wasn’t going to go well if he got involved, and I was right.

  “No, I’m afraid that I’m going to give you more of my money and you’re just going to lose that, too,” My grandfather snapped at him. His mouth fell open, but Monty stepped in before he could say anything.

  “I know my son has made mistakes, but he’s not lost much of the money,” he tried.

  “Bullshit! I’ve seen the paperwork, I know the stocks. I’m sorry, Monty, but you’re going to have to come up with a better plan if you think this is something I’d ever consider,” my grandfather rose from his chair. “I’m sorry you had to bring me all the way down here to hear it for yourself.”

  “How dare you?” Blake started, but my grandfather didn’t have any interest.

  “I’ll leave our contact information for you to reach out to us when you have a better plan. Until then, good day,” he said. He motioned for me to follow, and I tried to be as graceful as I could getting out of the chair. I fought the urge to put my hand on my stomach on our way out the door, but I could feel all eyes on me as we walked.

  I dared not make eye contact with anyone, but I still felt sick to my stomach when my grandfather left both of our numbers with the woman at the front desk. I didn’t want to talk to anyone here. Hell, I didn’t want to talk to my grandfather.

  I just wanted my baby, and enough money to take care of the immense debt I was in.

  Then, I wanted to disappear.

>   5

  Blake

  “Again I say, how fucking stupid can you be?” My father turned to me. I was pissed, but my mind was still spinning. I recognized Ashley from the second I walked into the room. I didn’t think she was so involved with her grandfather’s investments, but at the same time, things had changed drastically for me in the past six months, so why not think that they could change for her, too?

  I noticed she didn’t make much eye contact with anyone in the room – including me. It was strange to me that she would do that. She had been so engaging – so connected to me when we were on that yacht, but something had clearly changed.

  She put on some weight. I could see that, but not enough for her to feel embarrassed about. She was still incredibly sexy, and I would have loved to do her again in a heartbeat. Of course, seeing her in a blouse that covered most of her body, she definitely left more to the imagination.

  “Are you even fucking listening to me?” my father asked.

  “Dad! I told you I’m going to fix this. I don’t think we need them anymore, really. They have been nothing but a pain in your ass for years now, and though you call them your favorite investors, we both know how you really feel,” I snapped.

  “That’s a downright lie. Just because he has the decency to know that you aren’t living like a true Bogart doesn’t mean that I’ve lied about him. You are the one who needs to change. And I expect it,” my father said.

  “Do you want me to call him?” I asked. “Apologize, tell him that we’ll be happy to bow to their demands?”

  “No! You are forbidden to talk to any one of them. The last thing we need is to lose another investor because of you. Let me handle this,” he said.

  “Great. I’m going to get out of here then,” I said. “Pete, you want to grab a drink?”

  “You know, there are times in my life when I wondered why I tried so hard with you,” my father said.

  “Sorry to be such a disappointment,” I replied.

  “Get out of here,” he snapped. I left him and Samson, dogged by Peter.

  “Hey man, I’d love to get a drink, but I’m meeting with another potential investor in an hour, and I need to get there on time,” he said.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked.

  “Listen. I think there might be a way we can still have our company. We just need the money to do it, right?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “Well, I’m going to meet with someone who might be able to give us a hand with that. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it if we’re able to pull this off,” he said.

  “Really?” I asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because I had a feeling you would tell your dad about it, trying to get him to give us the money instead. But, with how pissed off you are at each other now, I don’t think there’s going to be much talking,” he laughed.

  “You better let me know how it goes,” I said. “I’m going out for that drink.”

  “I’m jealous, but I will,” Peter replied. We shook hands and he turned to go, then I headed out of the office. My mind was still spinning about seeing Ashley, and I knew I had to find a way to talk to her. I didn’t care that my father forbade it. He wasn’t there that night, and I was. She was incredible, and I wasn’t going to just forget about her.

  I tried to ignore my impulse to get her number from the woman at the front desk, but by the time I walked by, I knew there was no way I could do that. She gave it to me and I headed out onto the street, grabbing a cab to the nearest pub. I wasn’t looking to get drunk, but I did need something to take the edge off.

  But, the more I took the edge off, the better I felt about talking to Ashley. I just wanted to know why she was so distant. Why she didn’t even look at me when we were in the meeting.

  There had to be a reason, and I was determined to figure out what it was. Hell, there were so many ways she and I could make each other feel better. I refused to let myself think about Candace as I thought about what I wanted to do to Ashley. Candace and I weren’t together, it was my father who wanted us to be. I could do what I wanted.

  Hell, I knew she was out there sleeping with other men. I had heard it from more than one person, and I believed it. She was the kind of woman who would sleep with anyone if it got her what she wanted in life. And I didn’t give a damn. I just knew I didn’t want to marry a woman like that.

  My father was so adamant about the relationship, I knew he would freak out if he knew that I felt that way, but it was true. I was still trying to figure out a way out of it, though I felt my time was running out. She was on a trip to Rome, doing whatever it was she did with her friends, and when she came back, he expected me to ask her to be my bride.

  I had a feeling she already knew about the whole thing. The way she would act when we were around each other before she left was enough to tell me she was hunting for something, and I had a feeling it was for that ring.

  I got a second drink and sipped it as I pulled Ashley’s number out of my pocket. Her business card was simple, exactly what I would expect from her. Hell, it probably was the best she could do with what her grandparents wanted. She wasn’t as lavish as they were. I knew that from the moment I took her to bed.

  Finally, I worked up the courage to call. I didn’t know if she’d answer, I didn’t know what I’d say if she did. But, when I heard her voice on the other end of the line, everything that I’d felt that night with her on the yacht came rushing back.

  “Ashley?” I said.

  “Yes, who’s this?” she asked. “I’m not interested if you’re selling anything.”

  “I’m not selling anything,” I assured her. “This is Blake. You remember? From the yacht.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, then she spoke again. “I don’t want to talk.”

  “Why not?” I asked. “I thought we had a really good time. What changed?”

  “Listen,” she replied. “A lot has changed in my life, and I really don’t want to talk about it. Please, don’t call this number again. If you want to talk to someone, you can call my grandfather.”

  “Ashley?” I said again. But, she hung up without another word. I was immediately irritated. I hated being hung up on by anyone, but it was especially insulting when I was just trying to figure out what was going on with her. She was definitely acting strange, and I was starting to fear something was wrong.

  Was she wrapped up in some sort of bad deal that had gone wrong? Was she being used in ways that she didn’t want to be? She had been such a sweet girl, but she told me that night she was at the party because her grandparents wanted her to be.

  I didn’t think very highly of her grandfather, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was pushing her into a relationship or some situation she didn’t want to be part of, too. At the same time, perhaps she really did just want to be left alone. There was no way for me to know for sure unless I talked to her.

  And I was going to talk to her.

  I sat at the bar for a moment, playing with my phone. I tried to figure out a way to get her to talk to me. But, if I were to call, she would just hang up. I couldn’t harass her, but she couldn’t run from me, either.

  I was going to get to the bottom of this.

  Finally, I had an idea. Her phone number was the only address on the business card, but I had her name and her number. That was really all I needed with the connections I had in town. I could make a few phone calls and ask for a few favors, and I’d get her address.

  You don’t want to stalk this girl. Just figure out what’s going on with her. She was so sweet that night, and there was a connection. You aren’t crazy, there was a connection.

  You know you never try to hunt down the women you sleep with, but this one was different. How many times did you want to track her down? If you’d known she was from New York City you would have done this a long time ago. Now’s your chance to get a hold of her and just talk, figure out what’s go
ing on and why she doesn’t want to see you.

  The thoughts seemed logical enough, and though I still hesitated, I decided it was for the best. If she really didn’t want to talk to me, she could call the police when I showed up. But, I wanted to talk to her, and I was going to push for it. There had to be a reason, and I wanted to find out what it was.

  I shot a few text messages out, and within the hour, I had my answer. I paid my tab and headed out of the pub. I knew where she lived, and I’d just show up at her door. We’d talk, and that would be the end of that. It would be simple, it would be easy, and I’d have my answer.

  What was the worst that could happen?

  6

  Ashley

  I felt bad about just hanging up the phone on Blake, but I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t know how to talk to him. This was going to come out, and it would turn into one of the biggest news scandals the nation had seen in a while. I didn’t want that, and I really couldn’t lose the money.

  At the same time, I didn’t want Blake to think that all I wanted was money from him. I didn’t. I missed that night that we spent together, and I’d thought about it often.

  But, I knew things had to be the way they were, and I was going to stand by what I felt was best. I’d just arrived back home at my apartment, and I took off my blouse.

  Home was really the only place I felt comfortable with my pregnant body. Of course, I loved the change that had taken place, and I looked forward to the day I’d get to meet the little child I was carrying, but when I was out, I was afraid I’d run into someone I knew who would tell my grandparents I was expecting.

  But home, home I could lock the door. I could get undressed and make myself some tea. When I was home, I didn’t have to worry about anything, and I was glad for it.

  I chose a snug t-shirt and loose sweatpants to wear. The t-shirt rose partially over my belly, making it obvious I was pregnant, and I felt I looked cute. There was a part of me that wished I had someone to share this with besides just myself, but I had to make do with what I had.