I kept wondering when conception might have happened, and there was one night that stood out in my mind, when Cane had come home from a work trip, and I was feeling extra frisky. It was about two weeks after Belize, and neither Lora or Mrs. Cane were home. Cane came up to the room, and the first thing I did was help him out of his clothes. From that moment on, we couldn’t be stopped…and of course he didn’t pull out. He hardly ever did anymore. I guess he assumed we were safe, after spending so many years together and me not ending up pregnant.
Perhaps we thought wrong.
Six
CANE
Hell no, I wasn’t calling Eden back.
To be frank, I never wanted to hear from that woman again after I left college. As soon as I was off my flight, I hopped into my car and had Neo take me home. Of course my phone rang again during the ride. One thing I remembered about that woman was her persistence. I knew she wouldn’t stop calling, even when I got home, and the last thing I wanted to talk about with Kandy after not seeing her for three days was another woman calling me.
I groaned, head shaking as I lifted the phone. How in the hell did this happen? How was she a sponsor for Tempt, and I didn’t know it? With a sigh, I finally answered.
“Eden,” I answered coolly.
“He lives,” she chimed, and I could hear the amusement in her voice. Already, she was getting a kick out of this.
“How did you get my number?”
“Oh, I have all of my clients’ numbers.”
“Client?” I questioned. “Since when did I become your client? I don’t recall signing any deals with an Eden St. Claire.”
“That’s because you didn’t.”
“Explain now, before I hang up.”
“Oh, boy. Still so harsh.” She made a tisk noise. “Well, you may recall meeting a Gerald Miller?”
“Yes. He owns Paradise Golf Club.”
“Well, I take care of the ground work for Mr. Miller’s sponsorships. He invested a great deal into one of your Tempt stores in Charlotte, correct? I’m the woman who comes out to make sure our sponsorship banners, wording, and liabilities are correct.”
Shit. I did not see that coming.
“I’m also the one who gets to decide if a sponsorship continues after twelve months or dies. Tempt already doesn’t seem like it will be worth our time later.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Oh, no. No threats, love. Mr. Miller is very interested in having his club endorse the Tempt brand. I also hear you have a shipment coming in for the club—free bottles of wine for our members. Great way to rope him in.” She laughed. “You were always good at that.”
“Eden, what the hell do you want?”
“I just wanted to inform you that I take my job seriously. When I come to Charlotte, I like to see our banners in a spot that many others can see, even from a distance. We will not have our name hidden in corners, or in the dark. We want to be where everyone can see us, so they know that our club is the place to go. I’ll be arriving this Friday. I’d like to schedule a sit-down meeting with you to go over some paperwork.”
“Then call my office and speak with my assistant. She handles my schedule.”
“No, Cane, I don’t think you’re listening to me.” Her voice was tighter. “I am coming on Friday and will be showing up at your office at ten in the morning, with my paperwork for you to sign. No sooner, no later. See, the thing about my position is that I can yank this sponsorship away from you so easily that it’ll be gone before you close your fist around it. I can make you look like a fool to Mr. Miller, just like you made me look.”
My fist clenched in my lap.
“Friday at ten. If you have me wait, I will leave and let him know you weren’t willing to work fairly with us.”
“You do realize that Mr. Miller came directly to me and asked to be a sponsor? Though we can utilize the money, it’s not like I begged for it.”
“Yes, I realize that, but let’s just say that Mr. Miller has a lot of pride and is very easy man to tick off. If I tell him you weren’t willing to take a moment to sit down with me in regard to his club and all his sponsorship entails, he won’t be a happy man, and he won’t be quiet about it. The negative buzz will spread like wildfire.”
“I don’t like your tone,” I hissed.
“And ever since my sophomore year in college, I don’t like you, so I guess we’re even.”
I breathed hard through my nose. Neo was pulling up to my house, and I was sick of this bitch.
“Don’t get too arrogant, Eden. You work for Mr. Miller, but I’ve played golf with him, so if he finds out you’re making threats, I don’t think he’d be too happy about that. You sound very confident that he’ll take your word over mine. Why is that?”
“Because,” she said, “Mr. Miller happens to be my father, and I’m the one who helped him expand this company with my sponsoring skills. I tell him where to promote himself and his club. He gets paid.”
Of fucking course.
“Friday at ten,” I snapped. “Now get the hell off my phone.”
I hung up before she could say anything else to piss me off. It was just my luck that a former fling of mine was the daughter of a man who’d invested a great deal of money into Tempt. Tempt was doing fine, but his sponsorship was going to help us bring in dozens of jobs and internships. Having Eden fuck with that opportunity to expand my business really pissed me the fuck off.
“We’re here, sir,” Neo announced. “Should I get your bags?”
“No, Neo. It’s fine. I’ll grab them. Get back to your family. I’ll see you this weekend.”
“Yes, sir.”
I pushed out of the car, tucking my phone into my pocket. I went for the trunk, took my suitcases out, walked to the house, and unlocked the front door. I heard some murmuring coming from the kitchen, and then laughter.
Placing my suitcase down, I headed down the hallway, following the sound. Mama and Lora were there. Lora had her elbows planted on the island counter, bent over a salad she was eating, and Mama was sipping something from a black mug.
“Look who’s home!” Lora said in the same sarcastic way she always did.
I walked up to them, giving them quick hugs. “Where’s Kandy?”
“Upstairs. She’s not feeling too good today,” Mama stated.
“Stomach bug, probably,” Lora filled in rapidly, putting on a small smile.
“Hmm. She been like that all day?”
“Since this morning,” Lora shrugged.
“Let me check on her.” I turned and made my way upstairs and to the bedroom. Kandy was on the bed, her hair sprawled all over the place. She was sound asleep, and it was only 8:30 at night. Didn’t she sleep in this morning?
Sighing, I sat on the edge of the bed, close to her, and pushed her hair back. She moaned a little, rustled around a bit. She looked like she was sleeping so peacefully. As badly as I wanted to tell her about that dreaded phone call I just had, I didn’t want to disturb her rest. I pulled the comforter on top of her, then kissed her cheek.
Going to the closet, I changed into something more comfortable, but when I came back out, Kandy’s eyes were halfway open.
“Cane?” she groaned.
“Yeah, babe. It’s me.” I climbed onto the bed, pulling her to my chest as she moaned. “Lora says you have a stomach bug.”
She yawned. “Oh. Yeah…something like that.”
“Feeling any better?” I glanced at the ginger ale on her nightstand.
“Still feeling a little sick.”
“Need me to get anything?”
“No.” She hugged me tight, nuzzling her cheek into my chest. “I just need you. That’s all.”
I smiled, stroking her hair back. That phone call may have had me on edge, but being with her and having her arms wrapped around me took some of the edge off. I wanted to tell her what was going on—I’d promised her no more secrets—but right now wasn’t the time. Not while she was sick.
&nbs
p; I told myself I’d fill her in once she felt better. Eden’s presence wasn’t to be taken lightly. I remembered a lot about her, and one thing I knew for sure was that she was going to make my life a living hell after what I’d done to her. It was best to brace myself, because until my contract with Mr. Miller was up, I wasn’t going to see or hear the end of that wicked woman.
Too bad the contract wouldn’t be up for another three hundred or so days, and I, of all people, knew how much shit could change in the span of a year.
Seven
KANDY
I thought I’d feel better after a few days, but I was so, so wrong. If anything, I felt worse. I was sick to my stomach constantly. Mom said the soonest she could get an appointment with Dr. Bhandari was on Thursday, and I was so ready for that day. I guess it was a good sign that all of this was happening, though. It meant my body was doing something right, or progressing at least, in preparation for a little one.
Mom wasn’t wrong, though—I was just getting started in life, and having a baby was going to throw me for a really big loop. It was hard to even worry about that, though, given that the odds were still so against me.
For the next three days, I walked around like a zombie, trying to keep up appearances for Cane, but it wasn’t working, and I was sure he was starting to notice. He kept asking if I was okay, or why I wasn’t eating much. And the smell of his cologne was starting to annoy me. For the first time, I wished he was working out of town so he wouldn’t be here paying attention, and I wouldn’t have to sneak and run upstairs, just so he wouldn’t hear me throwing my guts up.
Either way, he seemed preoccupied with his own work issues, which helped. He went to the office every day from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and even came home with work to do sometimes, so it kept him occupied for the most part.
When Wednesday rolled around, I waited up for him instead of falling asleep like I had been. He got home around 8:00 p.m., and when I heard him coming upstairs, I sat up a little higher in the bed, pressing my back to the headboard.
“Oh, you’re up,” he greeted with a smile. He walked around the bed, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Still not feeling well?”
“I’m better,” I lied. “I stayed up because I wanted to tell you that I’m driving to Atlanta tomorrow to meet Mom for lunch. I haven’t seen her in a few months. Kinda miss her.”
“Is that why you’ve been moping around lately?” he asked, focusing on my eyes. “If so, you should go—get out of the house. You don’t have to ask me to visit your parents, babe,” he said, untying his tie. “You can go whenever you want. I understand.”
“I know, I just wanted you to know. I’ll probably be back tomorrow night. Just a quick trip to see what they’re up to.”
“I’m all for it. Need anything?”
“No. I still have money on the credit card for gas and whatever else.” I climbed off the bed and walked up to him. “You seem bothered,” I mentioned, because he did, but he always got like this when he was stressed out about something that involved work. One thing about Cane was that he kept work issues at work and didn’t bring them into our home life if he could avoid it.
He lowered his gaze, lips pressing together. “I’m a little stressed, but I’ll deal with it.” He caressed my cheek. “You, on the other hand, are the one who seems a little out of sorts. You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Promise.” God, I hated lying to him. He deserved the truth, but I wasn’t ready to tell him just yet. I wanted to hear what Dr. Bhandari had to say before making any sort of announcement. “I think I need to see my mom. Catch up a little bit.” I grabbed his hand and made him sit on the edge of the bed. I climbed up behind him, placing my hands on his shoulders and starting a massage. “Will this help you relax?” I asked, rubbing his shoulders with the pads of my fingers.
“Oh, yeah,” he sighed. “It’s helping.”
“You sure everything is okay, Cane?” I couldn’t help thinking we were both holding back on something.
He reached up for my hand, looking over his shoulder. “Come here,” he murmured. He turned a little, bringing me onto his lap. I wrapped my arm around the back of his neck, and he let out a weary breath, holding me snug to his body.
“There is something you should know about work,” he began.
“What is it?”
He looked me in the eyes very briefly before looking away. “There is a woman I have to work with because of a sponsorship. Eden St. Claire.”
“Okay?” I sat up, pulling my arm from the back of his neck. A woman? “What about her?”
“She and I went to college together. We fooled around back then, but it didn’t get very far. She was too…ridiculous for me.”
I swallowed hard. “Ridiculous? What do you mean? Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I did something to her that she’s holding a grudge about. If I’d known she was in charge of the sponsorships for the golf club we just took on, I wouldn’t have signed the contract. She’s making threats, Kandy, and she’s going to try and play mind games with me until the contract is up. She’ll make work a living hell.”
“Well, when is the contract up?”
“It’s in effect for a year.”
“Jesus, Cane. A year.” I climbed off his lap, standing in front of him.
“The only reason I haven’t found a way to terminate my contract with them is because this is a big deal for Tempt. Her father gave us enough money to salary out several great employees and fund a bunch of internships. One of my dreams is to help people, Kandy. Give them something to do—something to look forward to every day. I want Tempt to be the place that allows miracles and chances.”
“I understand that, Cane, but can you not work with someone else for the sponsorship? Maybe tell them you’re not comfortable working with her one-on-one?”
“I’ve tried, Kandy. She’s head of that department. Has nothing more than an assistant. Not to mention she’s the owner’s daughter.” He dropped his head while my eyes expanded. “She’ll be here Friday for paperwork. I already know she’s going to try and ruin shit, but I’m telling you now so you don’t panic or think something crazy is going on, because it isn’t and never will be.”
“You seem really anxious. What did you do to her?”
He looked away from me completely and paused, inhaling through his nostrils and then back out. “When we were in college, she had this crazy libido. She kept asking me to do things with her that I didn’t like doing. She asked me to take part in a threesome, an orgy—all this crazy shit, but I never did. I was getting fed up with her requests because I felt boring, you know? Like I wasn’t good enough. She apologized about it one day, said she would calm down, and then said she’d make it up to me by taking me on a ski trip. She begged me to go, so I caved and said I would.” He finally met my eyes. “She’d booked flight tickets, a cabin, and everything, but I just couldn’t do it. I stood her up. Left her waiting at the airport.”
“Oh my gosh, Cane! Of course she’s going to make your life a living hell! Why would you stand her up?”
“I was young, okay? I knew she wasn’t the woman for me; I didn’t like her like that. We were just having fun at first, but when I realized how serious she was, it was a turn off. I didn’t want a woman who craved four cocks at once. I wanted a woman who only wanted me, and she wasn’t that person.”
I felt my face relax and looked him all over. Well, I guess I couldn’t blame him for that, but if I were in her shoes, I’d have been devastated, too— and looking for revenge. “Aww…Cane.” I walked back up to him, lacing my arms around the back of his neck again.
“No man wants to feel like they aren’t enough,” he went on. “I knew I could be more than enough for someone else one day, so I moved on. Was it fucked up? Yes. But I was an asshole back then who refused to face her. I apologized through email like a fucking punk.”
My lips smashed together. I rested my cheek on his chest, closing my eyes with a steady sigh. �
��I understand,” I whispered.
“Are you upset?”
“No.” How could I be upset, anyway? It was long before I was a part of his life .
He brought his hands up to cup my face and leaned back just enough to look into my eyes. “Are you worried?”
“A little. She sounds like a seductive person. Even her name is sexy.” I laughed dryly.
“I’m hoping she’s not like that anymore…but even if she is, you don’t have to worry about that, okay? I love you. You are my future wife, and I would never do anything to betray you.” He planted a kiss on my lips, and despite my nausea, I felt a puddle of heat deep in my core. “You trust me?”
I nodded slowly. “I trust you.”
“Good.” He kissed me again then dropped his arms to hold me. It wouldn’t have been like Cane to not have more baggage. He’d dated many women in the past. There was bound to be at least another who would come for him, especially with how wealthy and powerful he’d become over the years. Besides, this Eden sounded like a breeze in comparison to the tornado that was Kelly Hugo.
I rested my head on his shoulder, drawing in a deep breath. He’d told me what was bothering him, yet I’d still kept my mouth shut. Right now was the perfect opportunity to spill…but I couldn’t. Not yet. The guilt was real, and it was eating me alive. I couldn’t wait to go to the doctor and get results. Then I could tell him, and everything would go back to the way they used to be.
Eight
KANDY
My drive to Atlanta went by much slower than I’d hoped, most likely because I was anxious to know what would happen.
I really wanted there to be good news, but with my family’s history, and what my body had suffered through because of what Kelly did to me, I knew my chances were slim. Still, I clung to hope.
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