Everyone Deserves a Second Chance: A Billionaire Romance Box Set

by Tara Brent

  “Oh, I have a condition do I?” I squeak. “Am I ill?”

  “No, my darling, you’re pregnant,” he smiles as pride fills his face.

  “What?” I declare. “How didn’t I know that?”

  “Because you’ve been so busy caring for everybody else. I have no idea, Chrissy, but we’re having a baby and that’s wonderful.”

  “But...I should have noticed...I don’t know how this can be. Are you sure?”

  He nods, still smiling.

  “Oh yes, I'm sure. You’re still in the first semester but you need to go in for checks so they can make sure all’s well in there. You'll have to have some medication for your anemia. But, from what they can tell, our baby’s doing okay, given the circumstances.”

  “Oh my god, Drew!” I cry out. “I could have killed our baby. I had no idea.”

  “Stop right there and don’t go into a panic. The baby is fine. It’s only a tiny thing right now and it’s well protected in there. If anything, it’s you that’s suffered the most. Will you go back into the hospital today, Chrissy, and let the doctors do their stuff to make sure our baby stays healthy?”

  I nod silently. What the hell! How didn’t I know this? Come to think of it, my monthlies have been very light for the last couple of months. I never in a million years suspected that I was pregnant! Wow! I have Drew’s baby inside here. Thank goodness it hasn’t suffered.

  “Are you sure our baby's alright?” I ask as it hits me how many times I could have lost this little life that we’ve made.

  “Yes. Yes. They want to do a scan as your anemia won’t have helped but as far as they can tell, all’s well. While you were sedated they checked for a heartbeat through ultrasound and it was loud and clear. Now, they want to make sure that its mommy gets healthier so it can grow big and strong like its siblings.”

  “Oh my, Drew, we’re having a baby!”

  Lucas came running into the kitchen when he heard us laughing and Drew picked him up to carry him back into the living room. In there we told him and mom the good news. Though Lucas hasn't quite grasped what it all means.

  “I’m going to take mommy back to the hospital and then I’ll come back and pick you and grandma up. Annie and Rita will be back at the apartment soon, so we’ll go there and meet them. Does that sound okay, little man?”

  I’m not sure Lucas understands the concept of another baby, but he is happy about seeing Annie.

  “I’ll pack a few clothes,” mom says. “It's good that we’re all back together again,” she smiles.

  “Thank you, mom,” I manage to say to her before Drew whisks me off back to the hospital.

  Life sure does have a strange way of making you happy, doesn’t it?

  Chapter 45

  The Future

  There’s something very satisfying about having my family back together again. We’ve been back in the apartment for a couple of weeks now. It took Chrissy a while before she felt up to announcing our news of the baby. I suspect Lisa has already told Rita the reason for Chrissy’s illness. The fact that she has not pressed us for an explanation makes me realize that these two wonderful women have been confiding in each other. I am so happy that they have formed such a strong friendship.

  It’s been a busy household. The nurse I’ve hired for Lisa has also been caring for Chrissy until she gets back on her feet. Chrissy’s worrying herself that the baby hasn’t had such a good start. She imagines it to be underdeveloped but we’re getting her fattened up like a Thanksgiving turkey. Plus she’s on medication to put her iron levels back to normal. All the important things for pregnant women I’m afraid, go over my head. That’s why I rely on our nurse to make sure Chrissy’s health is good and that she’s doing all the right stuff.

  Tonight, I’ve informed Rita that we’re having a local famous chef to come in and cook a celebration dinner. She didn’t ask what we were celebrating. The fact that she’s allowing someone else into her kitchen shows her approval. Rita loves to cook for us. In fact, she loves to care for us but she doesn’t always take into account that she’s getting older, and it shows sometimes. I’m trying to get her to do less and less. Not only that, but Chrissy will eventually want to take over Rita’s role of being the family caregiver. Not that she would ever step on Rita’s toes or visa-versa, but it’s a natural process, I guess.

  Being a man I’m not too informed on these things but I do see Rita struggling sometimes. Even if Chrissy was not in my life, I would have got some part-time help for Rita. Though she would have protested, no doubt.

  Anyway, that aside, I’m smelling some delicious aromas from the kitchen. Manfred, our chef and family friend, is cooking up something delightful.

  Chrissy decided to return to teaching the children in the mornings, a couple of days ago. She said she needed some normality in her life, and the children do too. I had hired a temporary teacher to take her place while she was recovering, but now she’s keen to get started again. In the afternoon we went for a walk to the boat, because I’m selling her. We’re announcing the reason why, to the family, at dinner.

  I've insisted on everyone wearing formal clothes as I feel the occasion warrants it. The children complain a lot so we allow them to come to dinner in their play-clothes. There’s something quite unreal but great fun about having a fairy and superman at the dinner table.

  The time comes for dinner and we’re all seated, so I take the opportunity to speak to everyone.

  “Well, family. May I have your attention?" I ask. "Today, we’re having a three-course meal cooked by one of the best chefs in Canada, if not the world. Plus, he's also a very good friend of my family. I give you, Manfred, who we all know and love."

  A round of applause erupts at the dinner table and everyone shouts over to Manfred in the kitchen area.

  “We have some more news for our little family, and mommy will go first,” I say, looking over at Chrissy as I take my seat and she stands up.

  “Okay, kids, mom, and Rita,” she says looking around the table at them, with her hands clasped together. “I want to tell you all that we’re going to have another child in the family. I haven’t been poorly, I’m having a baby.”

  “What does that mean, mommy?” Lucas asks, unsure why everyone is clapping at the great news.

  “It means we are going to have a baby sister,” Annie tells him.

  Lucas seems happy with that explanation so we leave it at that and chatter on excitedly about a new baby. When the servers start to bring in the main course. I stand up to speak once again.

  “Okay, now for the family announcement, number two,” I say as everyone hushes.

  “Am I getting a brother then?” Lucas asks, even though we had just spent the last half-hour explaining that we don’t know whether he’ll get a brother or sister.

  “As mommy told you, Lucas, we don’t know the answer to that one yet. What I have to say is something different. I want to tell you all that we will be moving. We have bought a huge house in Long Island, New York.

  “Where is that, papa? Is it in France?” Annie asks, grasping the fact that it means we are moving away from here.

  Rita looks at me with a slight frown. I was hoping she would be pleased but I'll talk to her later.

  Chrissy stands up as the hired waitress serves the dinner.

  “With all daddy’s connections, we thought it might be a good idea if your baby brother, or sister, was born in America.”

  Though the children have no idea what this means, Lisa’s face lights up with a big smile. We make our way through the dinner course, explaining to the children what a marvelous house we’ll be moving into in Roslyn Harbor. This delights the children and Lisa, she’s always wanted to go to America. I suspect that Rita was hoping to return to Europe though.

  Finally, we get to dessert, and I take the floor to thank our visiting famous chef.

  “Okay, kids, quieten down now while we do some grown-up talk,” I say, as they’re very excitable with all the news. “Manfred, th
at was a fantastic meal, thank you so much. We would love you to join us for dessert.”

  As he comes to join us, I ask him about his own family. He’s a famous chef with a few Michelin starred restaurants in Canada. He’s always been a family friend, though more with my parents than myself. His company has organized the catering at many of my mothers’ large fundraising events. His coming to our home was a great honor and meant we could celebrate in style. Now, we have happy children running around the table. Lots of congratulations are in the air as Chrissy delights in discussions about babies. At last, our future is set on course for happier times.

  Chapter 46

  The Missing Ring

  It’s taken approximately a month to furnish the house in New York. Drew and I did a few trips between the new house, and Cowichan Bay, to make sure the basic furniture was in place. The rest we can get once we’re living there. I must say, the house is huge in comparison to anywhere I’ve ever lived before. One feature I love is the small lake, complete with a waterfall in the huge grounds. Okay, it’s man-made but it’s well established and the children will love it.

  Although my belly is growing, I’m able to still disguise it with my clothes. I’m pleased about this because I want to concentrate on getting Lucas and Annie settled into our new home. They’re both starting kindergarten together. Because of their birth dates, it means they’ll always be in the same year group at school. Not quite twins but as good as.

  Mom is doing much better now that she has a nurse looking after her. She ensures she takes her meds and sticks to the right diet. Mom always wanted to visit America and now we’re going to be living there, she’s so pleased. As it happens, my father was American born but he settled in Cowichan Bay with his boat and always considered that his home. I’ve always had a dual passport because of this, but this will be my first visit to my father’s home country.

  This morning is our last in Cowichan Bay, Drew and I sit on our bench staring out at the bay. Memories of my dad came flooding back and I could almost visualize his boat bobbing about on the tide. With a sigh, I took Drew's hand, and together we left the bay behind.

  Later that day, we took a flight to New York on a privately booked jet because Drew insisted on arriving in style. I didn’t deny him his luxury, I’ve learned my lesson on that one. It wasn’t his fault I was born to a poor family. Nor was it his fault that he was born to a wealthy one. We’re used to different things and we'll both need to make compromises.

  A huge luxury sedan picks us up from the airport and drives us through the ultra-busy New York traffic. It's going to take some getting used to, so many people hustling and bustling. Soon we’re pulling in to the driveway of our new home. The kids are super excited and get out of the car to run towards the front doors, as soon as the car pulls up. Everyone has their own bedroom, with rooms to spare. I’m glad to say I won’t be cleaning them all. That’s another compromise I was happy to accept. We have a team of staff, which is rather odd for mom and me as my mom worked for Drew’s family. Now, we’re on the other side. There are cleaning staff, cooking, gardening, mom’s nurse Emma, a permanent driver, and goodness knows who else Drew has organized to work here. There’s an annex for staff to sleep-in when they’re on duty if they wish. Most of them don’t live far, other than Emma who has moved in with us.

  It’s all very new to me but I’m beginning to accept it. I felt uncomfortable at first, with all this wealth. I’m starting to become accustomed to the advantages it allows. Besides, it’s a part of Drew's life and now, so am I.

  One thing that does sit in the pit of my stomach though, is that he hasn’t asked me to marry him. Not once has he mentioned this and I don’t think he’s even thought about it. It could be that he’s reluctant after losing his first wife. Or that he’s unsure how it might affect Annie. I don’t know because it’s not a topic we ever discuss. I wonder if I should be the one to bring it up but that doesn’t seem right to me.

  Not that marriage matters in this day and age, I suppose, but I’m an old fashioned girl. When two people fall in love, they make that extra commitment by tying the knot in their relationship. That’s what I want for us, but my traditional beliefs mean that Drew has to be the one to ask me. Other than that minor detail, I couldn’t be happier.

  Lucas and Annie are busy running around each other’s rooms. All the staff are here to greet us and the children have a new nanny, Zoey, and she’s lovely. She’s quite young but she's most definitely on their level of thinking, which I love about her. I can hear them all upstairs running around the rooms together, including Zoey who has a room right between theirs. They all have doors leading into each other but Zoey can lock them if she wants privacy.

  Even Rita has come around to accept living in America. She pines to return to Europe but she too has had to make compromises. We have had long chats over the future of our family and she tells me that she goes wherever we go. Her devotion to Drew and Annie now extends to Lucas and me and no doubt to our new baby. Plus, she and mom have become best buddies.

  Drew has expressed that he will return to his work now that we are in New York. Not that he has to, but he’s still young and likes to feel he has control over his business affairs. I know he has part-ownership over many large companies and I'll make it my task to learn all about his business side. I want to know everything there is to know about the man I love. He was delighted when I showed an interest in his business. I want him to see that I can play the dutiful wife, even though that's a role I don't have yet.

  Yeah, I keep bringing it up, I know. That’s because I want to marry Drew. That would be the final piece of my dream. I have my children, my mom, a beautiful home and the man I love. But, I don’t have that golden ring on my finger.

  Chapter 47

  He’s a Beaut!

  It’s all good honey, the baby’s doing fine,” I tell Chrissy, as I wipe her brow.

  Not that she needs me to cool her down as she’s having a water birth in a huge tub. We weren’t sure whether to go for it, as this is her first child, but I’ve brought in the best of care, should we need it. Anyway, it’s all going well so far. Not that that alleviates the pain she’s going through. At first, she refused any drugs but she soon changed her mind. Now she’s breathing in the gas that helps calm her pain whenever she needs it. It's times like this that I’m glad I was born a male.

  Sitting with Chrissy brings back memories of Annie's birth. There is something so perfect about having a baby with a woman you love. As the birth plays out, it's an amazing experience. The connection that Chrissy and I have right now is pretty intense.

  I’m doing all the breathing with her, so she doesn’t have to think about it. I serve as a reminder for her to copy. The scene must look quite comical, the two of us breathing and panting in unison. Not that I care one bit. My only concern is that Chrissy and our child come through this in one piece. After the scare right at the beginning of her pregnancy, I’ve been fussing over her to make sure there are no more complications. It’s been a good pregnancy though, but that’s because Chrissy is damn amazing.

  Over the months, the kids have been fascinated with the growth of her belly. They've loved feeling those little feet inside there, kick out. Today, Rita and Lisa have got the kids. They’re off enjoying themselves at a zoo, to keep them occupied. We’d considered involving them but decided against it. Besides, I can’t wait to see their faces when they get home and see their new brother. We know we're having a boy but we didn't tell the kids so it stays a surprise for them. Annie won't stay disappointed for too long that it's not a girl. She wanted a sister to boss about and dress up. Lucas thinks a boy will be a new instant playmate. He’ll have a shock when he sees the size of his new playmate.

  Chrissy's now at the stage where she can’t stop herself from pushing. That urge to push is taking over her body, and she’s screaming out. I have to stand aside a moment while the midwife gently delivers the head of our baby.

  It’s a strange experience for a
man to participate in a birth. You sort of feel useless, yet it couldn’t have happened without you. Right now, I’m on the outside looking in. I’ve got a tight grip of Chrissy’s hand and she’s yelling like there’s no tomorrow, and...there it is! The head crowns and our little one is almost here.

  Before pushing the baby’s body out, thankfully, she gets a bit of a break. She’s exhausted as she’s been having signs of labor for a couple of days now. This part is always the most worrying and I’ll be glad when we hear that first sound of our baby crying.

  Here we go again. Chrissy's pushing as if her life depends on it. Her screaming once again builds up to a crescendo as she heaves out her pain. It’s all over soon as the nurse informs us that our baby has now safely arrived. She hands him to Chrissy who puts him to her breast. He’s a little beauty, that’s for sure. All crinkly and covered in some blood still. His little arms start to shake and his face crunches up. He won’t feed yet as he’s too busy protesting against what he’s just been through.

  Another nurse takes him and wraps him in a soft towel, then they weigh him and check him over as Chrissy gets out of the water.

  “He’s a perfect little boy, Mr. and Mrs. Gagnon,” she announces as she hands our baby back to us. I didn’t correct her on her mistake, but it did set my mind thinking. Mrs. Chrissy Gagnon does sound real good.

  Chrissy is now in bed and we hold onto each other for dear life as we nervously accept our new baby.

  “You okay, babes?” I ask her, to make sure she's strong enough for this. Yeah, a stupid question I know, of course she's not okay. But hey, I’ve just had a baby too, I'm not thinking straight.

  “He’s so handsome, Drew, just like his daddy,” she laughs as she cradles him in her arms.

  “You’ve been so amazing girl,” I tell her, my voice full of pride.

  My emotions are all over the place. What with worrying for Chrissy and wishing I could take all that pain away that she's just been through. Plus, worrying for the baby that something might go wrong. Anyway, it hasn’t and here we are with our little bundle of pure joy. I’m so moved I can feel my eyes welling up. My new baby in the arms of the woman I love. It's one of the most joyous sights any man could ever wish to see.