“Can we get food? She cleaned out my fridge and I haven’t been able to go to the store yet.”
“You could have gotten delivery.”
“All the nearby restaurants are owned by friends of Greg’s. They won’t let me order anything because they don’t want to piss Yvette off.”
Danielle groaned. “That is one woman that definitely doesn’t use her powers for good. Come on, we’re going to get burgers.”
“Oooh, with extra pickles?” Shari asked, instantly perking up. “I’d kill for a bunch of pickles!”
Danielle laughed as Shari groaned to stand up. As the woman started collecting her bag and wallet, Danielle couldn’t help but think that one day she’d be that big. She’d be that close to having a child.
“Look at you,” Shari said as she walked to the door. “Pregnancy looks good on you. I know they’ve been denying it all on TV, but I can tell. You have that glow.”
“I thought Yvette didn’t want the baby watching junk TV.”
“That’s why you’re not going to tell her,” Shari said with a smile that was almost threatening.
Danielle stifled a laugh. Apparently crazy came along with the territory of pregnant. Shari locked the door behind them as they stepped into the hallway together.
They had to drive thirty minutes out of the way before Shari would let her stop to get burgers. Between the two of them, it seemed as though they’d ordered the entire restaurant. Burgers, fries, onion rings, chicken wraps, they ordered it all.
“Oh my god,” Shari said, her cheeks full. “I have never been so happy in my life.”
“You look so put together usually,” Danielle said scarfing down a fry. “I never thought I would see you like this.”
Shari shrugged. “No matter how much you try to act refined, I think we all have the same basic instincts.”
Danielle nodded. “What made you want to do this? To go through having a baby for someone else?”
“I’m not ready for one myself. A baby would take over my career. You can pick your career or a baby. You can try to do both, but something’s going to suffer.”
“You don’t feel like that’s setting women back fifty years?”
Shari laughed. “Not at all. Having a career is a wonderful thing, having a baby is a wonderful thing. It’s just a matter of time management.”
“And what if you can’t do both?”
“You do whatever’s most important to you.”
Danielle bit her lip. What was most important to her? She’d started from the bottom with that career, worked her way up to the top through a mountain of rejection, sexist comments and several bouts of wanting to give up. Now, there was a baby. She’d wanted one so badly because having a career still hadn’t filled her heart the way that she thought it would. Maybe it was time to reconsider things.
“Thanks Shari,” she said as she popped a fry between her lips. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“Glad I could help,” Shari said with a grin. “Now, just help me with your crazy sister.”
Danielle dropped Shari off at her apartment with a surplus of fatty foods before she headed to her mom’s place. The woman had the day off, so they’d made plans to visit a museum downtown. It had been a while since Danielle had done that.
Chapter 9
She pulled into the museum parking lot before stepping out into the brilliant sun. Danielle closed the door before she lurched forward. The world was spinning, shifting. She felt as though her feet would come up off of the ground at any moment and she’d be kissing pavement. Danielle squeezed her eyes shut so tightly that they began to hurt. She forced herself to take deep, long breaths. When she was steady, she slowly opened her eyes.
The world looked the same as it always did; busy, sunny, the museum looming up ahead of her. Danielle shook her head as if to shake off the last bit of the dizzy spell that had overcome her. Her heart slowed back down as she took careful steps towards the building. She wondered what had happened, but she brushed it off.
“I hope I’m not getting sick,” she said as she brushed her hands over her belly. “We really don’t need that, do we?”
Danielle walked the short distance to the entrance. Once she’d paid the entrance fee, she was admitted into a haven of cool air. The breeze felt good, brought goosebumps up on her arms. She spotted her mom over by a painting, her hair pulled into a long braid. She smiled when she saw Danielle.
“What took so long, honey? Are you okay? You look a little winded.”
Danielle laughed. “I’m fine, Mom. I had a little dizzy spell that’s all. And I had to go visit Shari first.”
“Trouble with Yvette?”
“Of course. Who would she be without it?”
Shana shook her head. “That’s true. I just hope she calms down by the time that child is born. Greg’s going to have his hands full, that’s for sure.”
“I’m going to talk to her later,” Danielle said as she drank down her bottle of water.
As much as she hadn’t wanted to get involved in Yvette’s drama, she was glad that she did. It was something to distract her from her own problems. Not to mention talking to Shari had put more things into perspective.
“What’s going on with you?” Shana asked. She said it so casually, but as usual it was as if the woman had been reading her mind.
Danielle shrugged. “Nothing new. Still pregnant, still employed, still being hounded by paparazzi whenever I leave the house.”
Shana frowned softly, “I know it’s hard. Yvette has always been strong willed. She just lasers in on things and never lets them go.” Her mother softly took her hand smiling wide. “But you are always there to knock some sense into her, alright? What's she doing to that poor girl anyway?”
“Making her feel like crap, apparently. Wants her on a diet, a strict schedule…if they were adopting Shari might have changed her mind by now.”
As expected, her mother’s lips pursed in way that only ever meant anger. “That poor girl. Yvie has to do better. She should have learned ages ago when that assistant tried to sue her.” The older woman sat back in her seat. “Just call her and set her right. If I talk to her there will be way too much yelling involved.”
For a moment they sat together, looking at a green and yellow oil painting of lilies. It was one of Danielle’s favorites. The colors were so serene, so calm, that even then they managed to quell some of her nerves. “So, what about you?” Shana asked after a pause. “How are you dealing with all the paparazzi?”
Danielle turned her gaze away from the painting. “It’s a lot,” she admitted.
“I thought you’d be used to all the media attention. What, with all those interviews you do.”
“Not this much attention,” Danielle shook her head. “It’s a wonder my boss let me keep my job. Every single time I try to go near a camera now it’s all ‘when’s the due date?’ and ‘are you involved with any other players?’. It’s so unfair. Duke was on camera for twenty whole minutes the other night, and they only brought me up once, as a joke.”
“We live in a tough world, baby girl.” Danielle smiled hearing her pet name. Shana stood, holding out a hand to help her daughter to her feet. “Forget about them. You are going to have a beautiful grandchild for me. And whatever happens with that guy of yours, happens. Let those people talk,” she waved a dismissive hand through the air. “They’ve got nothing better to do anyway. And look at the bright side…”
“What bright side?”
“You looked drop dead gorgeous on the news the other day. And whatever is eating at your boss will be gone in a few days. Once Duke’s team wins the Super Bowl, your office will be flocked with clients.”
“Maybe that will get Will off my ass. Everywhere I look he’s there, watching me. Like I’m going to jump Duke’s bones right in the office. We’ve been hiding our relationship for weeks and suddenly now it’s a distraction?”
They walked s
lowly down a hall lined with impressionist art. Shana’s second favorite next to the Africa exhibit. Usually, Danielle found the dancing lines and soft colors cathartic, but for some reason, looking at them was giving her a headache. She focused her gaze straight ahead. “Was being pregnant good for you?”
“Yvette was a drama queen even when she was still in the womb.” Her mother’s soft brown eyes lit up, “I swear, that girl was fussy. I was young, and just so angry that I couldn’t eat my cheese fries, even the smell made me sick. All she let me eat, without fail, was fried bologna sandwiches. And barbecue chips.” She added hastily, “Can’t stand either one now. And it’s weird because I don’t think Yvette likes them either. You though,” she paused, smile widening, “You were easy peasy. Hardly any morning sickness, I could eat all my favorite foods. Which was good and bad because I gained about twenty pounds….” Shana looked overjoyed, “But you both were worth it. Even if your grandparents never really got over the whole ‘teenage pregnancy’ I wouldn’t change a thing. Look where you girls are in life? Who could ask for better?”
“Aw, mom,” Danielle was truly touched. With all the issues that she and her sister had caused with their grandparents, deep down, Danielle always wondered if her mother held any regrets. “I know this isn’t ideal, not for me. At least Yvie is married right? I got knocked up during a one night stand…”
“Honestly sweetheart, I was more appalled that you were going to pay thousands of dollars for some strange doctor to get you pregnant. No use paying for something you can get for free.”
A blush crept across Danielle’s cheeks, hot in the cool air of the museum. “I was paying for the right genetic material, mother. So my baby won’t be short or...or have bad teeth or something.”
“Most people don’t get to hand pick their babies genes, you know that right?”
“I know it now. A football player, really? A young one too.” Her hand when to her belly automatically, “I’m so excited to meet my little one.”
“You’re going to be a great mother.” Her arms opened to encircle Danielle, “Just talk some sense into your sister. Her getting her baby taken away won’t help the situation one bit.”
Chapter 10
“I just want her to be healthy.” Yvette huffed from the new lounge chair that Danielle had bought for her office. It was a soft blue, and so comfortable that she would nearly fall asleep in it every time she sat down. With the baby making it’s presence more and more known each day, Danielle found herself close to waddling. The lounge was a little bit of an oasis, tucked away for comfort whenever she needed a little rest. Except, the pursed looked on Yvette’s face was making her little center of peace look more and more like a war zone.
“A pregnant woman eating just salad isn’t healthy. I understand you not wanting her to stuff her mouth with junk everyday, but there is a happy medium. You’re not the one carrying the baby, she is. You telling her to change her workout routine, and her diet, is dangerous. Did you even talk to a doctor?”
“No...” she said sheepishly. “I just want the baby to be healthy.”
“The way you’re going, you’re going to kill Shari and the baby.” She saw Yvette wince at the harsh words, “It’s true. You know it’s not healthy or sane for you to expect her to eat like that. You aren’t even supposed to start fad diets when you’re pregnant. She’s a perfectly healthy girl, and the woman who is going to help you care for your child. Be nice, and be sane. Do you want her to have your child taken away from you before it’s even born?”
“She can’t do that!” Yvette shot to her feet so fast that she nearly toppled over on her six-inch heels. “We have a contract!”
“Yeah, she can. Would you feed your baby only lettuce? Your surrogate is judging you as a parent. You are fitting the bill. Whats going on?”
Slowly, Yvette sat back down, all but flinging herself back into the lounge. “I’m just worried! It’s almost time for the baby to be here. I feel like something is going to go wrong any moment. I just want to minimize that.”
“How is scheduling a C-Section for a woman who doesn’t want one minimizing?”
“I don’t know. I can’t control anything else. It’s not my body, she doesn’t live in my house. Everything could slip out of control and I could lose it all.” Tears welled up in her eyes, smearing the perfect lines of her jet black mascara. “I don’t meant to be controlling. It’s just this all happened so fast and I’m getting a little crazy about the whole thing…” She sniffed, “Greg yelled at me last night.”
“And he should have! You’re acting way out of control. How would you feel if someone was telling you to do all this stuff?
“Awful….You’re right. “
“What else?” Danielle urged, tapping her pen on the desk.
“I’m going to apologize to Shari, and take her out for a big meal...Whatever she wants, and I’ll let her know that I wasn’t serious about all that other stuff.”
“You were serious, you just know now that you made bat shit crazy requests.”
“Yeah,” Yvette nodded as she swiped at her cheeks, “Yeah.” Danielle carefully got to her feet and walked the few steps to her older sister.
“You’re going to be an amazing mother once you relax. It’s not going to be your show anymore, Sis. It’s going to be all about the baby. All about that little bundle you’re going to get. Once you focus on that, you won’t have need for schedules or anything else.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. that’ll be $450,” Danielle smiled playfully at her sister's dumbfounded look, “Hey, if Shari had sued you, you’d be paying me way more to get your ass out of court. But I don’t care if you bill me later. Walk to my car with me? I have a doctor's appointment.”
*****
She’s took a lot of time figuring out which doctor she wanted to go with. Even when she’d been thinking about a donor, Danielle had wanted to be certain that she got a doctor she could trust. Someone that would be there when the time came, and who was confident in their work. Doctor Franklin was a stern looking woman, a ten years older than Danielle who fit the bill perfectly. She’d gotten a donor herself when she was in her mid-thirties, and took time after that to look closer into the process. Now, she specialized in working with women who wanted to get donors, or specifically, those that wanted to take up the role of motherhood on their own. It had been refreshing to know that she wasn’t the only one. Each time she came into the office, there was at least one other woman who didn’t have a significant other with them,
She’d prepared herself to go into the office and do her usual routine of rummaging through a magazine, and drinking a hot cup of herbal tea. As riveting as those plans were, Danielle was pleasantly surprised to see Duke waiting for her in the waiting room. He sat, a mommy magazine perched on his lap, eyes glues to the glossy pages. Danielle felt herself smile wide and big seeing him. At the same time a spike of guilt ran through her. He was still here….even after what she’d said and how she’d behaved, Duke was still supporting her.
“Do you often read about the best ways to avoid nipple chafing while breastfeeding?” She asked, unable to think of anything else.
Duke jumped at her voice, then turned to her, a grin quirking up the corner of his lips. “You know, I thought it would come in handy one day. If that little guy is anything like me, you’re going to have to feed him nearly 24/7.”
“What in the world are you doing here?”
“Jordan told me about the appointment last week. I figured I’d stop by to see how you were. You know, hold your hand if you need me to.”
“You don’t need to be here.” Danielle said slowly, looking down at the floor, “I mean, I understand if you don’t want to be here.”
He shrugged, “Yeah, but I know doctors visits are always easier with a little company. Besides, you’re not really gonna make me leave, are you?” He pouted a bit. “I came all the way here, skimped my way out of a practice an
d everything.” Hmm, he didn’t look angry. In fact he was much, much calmer than the last time she’d seen him.
“I’m sorry about all those things I said,” Danielle blurted out quickly, before the words could stop. “I was blindsided and I didn’t know what to do.”
He looked up as her, eyes serious, “Don’t worry about it. I took some time, thought it over. I want to be with you, but if you don’t that’s okay. I still want to be in your life, in the baby's life. In any capacity that you’ll have me. I know your boss is on your ass right now.”
“I actually called his bluff about firing me.” Danielle said proudly, “I bring in millions a year to that firm, you really think he was just going to let me go.” Smiling triumphantly, Danielle continued, “I just wasn’t thinking about that before. I mean, I’m having a baby. We are having a baby. I want what's best for it. And you're it.”
His smile was enough to let her know that all was forgiven. “It was so worth skipping practice to hear that. Apology accepted.”
“Thank you...wait you skipped practice?” Danielle just managed to keep her voice down. “Duke you’re weeks away from the biggest game of your life!”
“Yeah, and I got a little injury, don’t want to agitate it.” He said, as if it was no big deal.
“What kind of injury? You aren’t making me feel any better about any of this, Duke.”
“Okay, yeah,” he held up a hand, “I didn’t want all you guys freaking out on me. It’s not that bad. Just something I got last week. I iced it and everything. Scouts honor.”
With her fist balled at her sides, and her eyes boring down, Danielle looked more than a little intimidating. “Duke, so help me if you don’t tell me what you did right now, I’ll personally see to it that you’re out for the rest of the fucking season.”
He was sitting there smirking like an idiot, not even a little bit worried about the damage he could be doing to his career. “Okay, okay. Just don’t freak out when I tell you. I took care of it, it’s fine. I just…” He sighed, steeling himself. “I stubbed my big toe.”
Fallen For A Biker_BWWM Romance Page 23