We eat in silence as Aaron contemplates my question. When I press him again, he looks at me with sad eyes. “I’ll do whatever you need me to, but, Grace,” he pauses and swallows hard, “before I make any calls, you need to agree to meet with him.”
I shake my head. “No. I can’t—”
“Grace…” he scolds me.
“Not yet.”
He nods his head in understanding. Aaron clears our bowls and I decide to take a shower. When I finish, I find Aaron on the love seat, pounding away on his phone.
“You can leave now,” I say, knowing how rude it sounds, but I just want to be alone. I thought he would have left when I was in the shower.
“Jamie is asking about you.” He looks up from his phone.
My jaw tightens. “Tell her I’m fine and I’ll call her tomorrow.”
He nods and pounds out a quick message. There’s a knock on the door, and I narrow my eyes at Aaron in realization of his betrayal. It’s Drew. No one comes to my door, ever.
He holds up his hands in surrender before standing up. “I couldn’t stop him,” he swears, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. He holds my shoulders and looks me in the eyes. “Just hear him out.” He releases my shoulders and shrugs on his jacket before opening the apartment door.
Drew, looking desperate and harried, pushes his way in past Aaron and stops in front of me. I’m a mess, dressed in dirty yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt left behind in my hamper, but Drew doesn’t look much better. His eyes are rimmed red and his face is ashen.
He turns to Aaron, who’s just stepping out of the apartment. “Tony will take you back.”
Aaron nods in acknowledgement and winks at me, a silent vow of strength.
“What do you want, Drew?” I ask curtly. I’m done with his bullshit and I’m exhausted, not in the mood for a conversation at the moment.
“You,” he answers sincerely. Tears shimmer in the corner of his eyes. “Our baby.”
I huff out a breath of air and shake my head in disgust.
“Us. I want all of us,” he continues.
“Twelve hours ago, you didn’t want any of this,” I remind him. “Aaron told me your fucked-up daddy issues. I don’t give a shit, Drew. You think your life has been so bad…well newsflash, it hasn’t been.” Now I’m being a bitch. It’s not my place to disregard his emotions or downplay his hurt, and I feel immediately guilty the moment those words roll off my tongue. But I’m angry and hurt and he needs to know that. “You promised me you loved me. You told me to trust you, and I did, and then you hurt me—”
“I know.” His voice breaks. “I love you, Gracie. More than I love myself, and I fucked up. I fucked up so big.” He shakes his head. “I panicked, I got scared…I hurt the one person who I’d die for…you.”
I pace the small space, the wood floors creaking under my feet. “I need to get some rest—”
“I’m not done,” he starts.
“I am.” My expression is defiance. I don’t have the energy to continue this conversation right now.
Now he stands before me looking broken, like the shell of the man he once was. Always so tall and strong, now he looks small and weak. I hate seeing him like this, but this is what he did. These are the repercussions of his actions.
“Good night, Drew. Lock the door when you leave.”
* * *
As exhausted as I am, I fall asleep the second my head hits my pillow. I didn’t hear Drew let himself out, but I’m not surprised because I don’t think I even moved last night. Between yesterday’s events and still fighting this sickness, exhaustion has taken its toll on me.
Since it’s still dark, it’s hard to see, but I see the lump curled up on the floor and I’d know that form anywhere. It’s Drew. Curled up in a ball on the cold floor right outside of my bedroom. It’s freezing in this apartment and here he is, not a blanket, not a pillow, just him on the floor. I slide out of bed and pad across the wood floor over to him.
“Drew,” I whisper, not wanting to startle him. He doesn’t budge. “Drew.” He moves, grumbles, and finally sits up. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m not leaving, Gracie.” He reaches for me and I let him take my hand in his.
“You can’t sleep on the floor.” I tug at him to help him up and he takes it. “It’s four o’clock in the morning. Go home.”
“It’s not home without you there.”
I sigh, too tired to argue with him. “Go lie down.” I usher him to my full-sized bed with a too soft, worn-out mattress. He climbs in and holds up the quilt, wanting me to join him.
“Please,” he says desperately as I stand there looking at him. “I need you, Gracie.” His voice is tired and hoarse.
My shoulders droop with exhaustion, with reluctance, but ultimately with surrender. We can fight more tomorrow, but I don’t have it in me tonight. Shuffling to the bed, I squeeze in next to him and he curls himself around me. His body trembles from the cold, but he makes sure I’m covered with the quilt. Then we lie in silence, both of us succumbing to sleep just as the sun begins to rise.
When I wake, I need to pee like I’ve never peed in my life. Only Drew’s hand is placed firmly on my belly, holding me close to him. I wiggle out of the tight space and make a beeline for the bathroom. When I finish, he’s sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting for me.
“Hey,” I say quietly, shuffling from foot to foot.
“Thanks for letting me sleep here.” He gestures to the bed.
“You should probably get going,” I urge him, glancing at the clock to see it’s almost eight o’clock. “The office needs you.”
He shakes his head. “They need you. I’m not accepting your resignation, Gracie. You can hate me. You can never talk to me again, but I will not lose the best employee I have.”
“I can’t—” I pause, choosing my words carefully. “Drew, I can’t work there. I can’t see you every day, knowing I caused such a major disruption in your life—”
Drew runs a hand through his hair and clenches his jaw. “Goddammit, Gracie, did you hear a word that I said last night? I love you. I’m not going anywhere and you are not leaving me. I made the biggest mistake of my life, and I will spend every damn minute of every day making it right.” He stands up and crosses the tiny room, standing in front of me. “I love you. I fucking love you more than I love myself. And I will love our baby and give both of you the life you deserve, if it’s the last thing I do…” His voice breaks and he turns his head, averting my gaze.
“Aaron told me about your dad,” I divulge. It’s hard for me to watch him become emotional, but it doesn’t excuse yesterday’s behavior.
He nods and swallows hard. “I don’t want to be him—” His voice breaks and he looks at me, his eyes full of remorse. “I promise I won’t be him. Let me love you both. Please, Gracie.” He reaches for my hand, but I resist.
My heart breaks for Drew, for our baby, for us. I don’t know that I’m ready to forgive him so quickly. “I asked Aaron to help me find another job.” My heart races when I tell him that. I know he’s going to be upset, but I also want him to know that I can and will do this without him. “I can take care of myself and my baby—”
“Our baby,” he corrects, so much regret and pain all over his face, “and you’re not doing this alone. You’re not leaving your job, and you can’t leave me.” His eyes mist over as we stand toe-to-toe. “I need you, Gracie. I never believed I needed anyone until you.” The most vulnerable versions of ourselves are laid out in front of each other; all of our insecurities no longer hidden, stripped bare before each other.
“Please forgive me,” he whispers. “Don’t leave me, Gracie.”
My throat tightens when I think about losing him.
“I promise to be everything you need—”
“You already were. All I ever needed from you was…you. Just your love, but more importantly, our baby needs that from you.”
He nods and closes his eyes. “I’m scar
ed.”
“So am I,” I admit. “So fucking scared.”
With that admission, he takes a deep breath, pulling me into his arms. “We will do this together, Gracie. You and me forever. All the ups and downs, all the unknowns, but we’re going to do this life together. Promise me.”
I’m still hurting and I know it will take time to work through this, but I can’t imagine my life without Drew. Our baby needs him, but so do I.
Relief washes through me with his words. I need Drew as much as he needs me, and our baby needs both of us. “Promise,” I whisper.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
“What is this?” Grace exclaims in surprise when she enters the conference room at AM Global.
“Surprise!” everyone yells as blue and pink balloons are scattered about the room, and a giant cake sits in the center of the conference room table.
I convinced Gracie, with the help of Aaron, to rescind her resignation from AM Global and stay on. She was promoted to a senior account manager, which, lucky for her, came with a hefty raise. Regardless of whatever happens with us, she is too good of an employee to lose, and I refuse to let personal issues hinder her professional career.
Fortunately, she accepted my apology and, after endless discussions, agreed to move back into the Chelsea condo with me—our home. She gave up her Red Hook apartment when the lease expired. It took me potentially losing Grace, and our baby, to realize I want—need—both of them. They are my family now, and I’ll do anything to protect them.
I grin at Grace and her fucking adorable seven-month baby bump. Sue wanted to plan a baby shower at the office, and being the boss and baby’s father, I shamelessly let her. It wasn’t much of a surprise when we did announce to the office that we were dating. Worst kept secret ever, but our professionalism at work has proven that we don’t let our relationship get in the way of our careers. Thankfully, everyone here supports us.
With Grace living in the condo and without her lease at her apartment in Red Hook, she’s paying down her debt quickly. She refinanced her loan through a legitimate bank and is actively paying it down every month. Of course, she argues that her salary should go to more than her debt, and she tries to give me money for household expenses, but I told her it’s her job to pay off her debt, then we’ll renegotiate what she can contribute once that’s done. However, she’ll contribute nothing. It’s my job to take care of her and our baby. What she does with her money after her loan is paid off is up to her.
Jamie sidles up next to me, bumping her shoulder against mine. I smile softly at her. Gracie was easy to win back, Jamie not so much. She’s coming around slowly but surely, and truly, I believe she knows I love Gracie and our baby and would never do anything to intentionally hurt them.
“She looks happy,” Jamie comments as we watch Gracie hug everyone who has come to the baby shower.
I turn and look at Jamie. “I hope she is.”
Jamie sighs and leans against the wall. “I know she is, but it’s the first time I’ve seen her look content, peaceful.”
I smile, realizing she’s right. There’s a peace that surrounds her.
“You look happy too,” I remark. We’ve tiptoed for months around the topic of her and Aaron. The night they left our condo, Aaron didn’t return until the next day and they’ve been inseparable ever since.
She rolls her eyes and shrugs. “I’m all right.” She’s so full of it. She and Aaron are very much on the expedited relationship path Gracie and I were on, minus the surprise pregnancy. He bought a condo in SoHo and she moved right in. She still has her place on the East Side, but I’ve heard Aaron mention her possibly selling it. No sense in maintaining a property that isn’t being used. I chuckle, knowing that my brother is happy and has someone like Jamie to keep him in line.
“I have another surprise for her,” I whisper to Jamie.
Jamie groans. “You better not propose to her here,” she mumbles under her breath. “Way too cheesy.”
I huff out a laugh. “I’m not going to propose to her here.” However, I am going to propose to her, and soon. I have the ring, I’m just waiting for the right time. I don’t want elaborate and over the top, though, because that’s not Gracie. I want intimate and simple, like her.
“Aaron is at JFK, picking up Gracie’s mom and should be here in the next few minutes.” I glance at my watch. “The plane should have landed over an hour ago, so I expect them soon.”
“What?” Jamie snaps her head and looks at me, her eyes wide in surprise. “You got her mom to come visit her?”
I was surprised as hell too. After Gracie called her mom and told her our baby news, she wanted to take a trip back to Montana. Only with the weather turning from fall to winter and the unpredictability of flights due to bad weather, she thought it’d be better to wait until summer to visit Montana.
Jennifer is very much like Gracie with her travel anxiety and was hesitant to travel to New York City. I convinced her we’d have someone guide her every step of the way and that Aaron would be waiting for her after she got off the plane. For anyone, New York City is intimidating. For someone who’s never left small-town Montana, New York City is downright daunting. When I told her about the baby shower, and promised her a first-class ticket, she agreed to the visit—and we decided to keep it a secret from Gracie.
In lieu of gifts, because I know Gracie would have thought it was “too much” to expect from her co-workers, everyone chipped in for a diaper delivery service. I, of course, had never heard of this, but apparently, this is something that’s a godsend for new parents. Diapers are delivered on the regular; you just pick the size and they show up at your door. Sounds fucking brilliant and seems reasonable and hard to argue with, because all I hear about is how much babies eat, sleep, and shit. Yet, I couldn’t be more excited for it all.
“They’re here,” I whisper when my phone buzzes with Aaron’s text message telling me they’re on their way up. I nod at Sue, who’s been in on the surprise and helping me with all the details.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Sue says loudly, getting the room to quiet down. “Gracie,” she reaches for Gracie’s hand, “we couldn’t be more excited for you and Andrew, and we cannot wait to meet your baby. We’ve taken a poll to see what everyone thinks you’re having, and overwhelmingly, we think it’s a girl.” Sue points to a poster board on the wall with a stork that’s covered in blue or pink stickers. Only two of them are blue.
Of course, Gracie didn’t want to find out the sex of the baby early. She said it’s the only real surprise in life. So we’re waiting. All we want is a healthy, happy baby.
Rubbing her belly, Gracie smiles before saying, “A girl, huh?” She’s fucking beautiful with her round belly carrying our baby.
“Do you have names picked out?” Eddie asks.
“We have a few. Nothing has been agreed upon yet.” She glances at me pointedly, and I roll my eyes. We’ve gone in circles discussing names and haven’t narrowed it down just yet.
Aaron enters the conference room and winks at Jamie before nodding to me.
“Grace,” I call her name and she turns her attention to me. “I have a surprise for you.”
She grumbles and twists her lips into a smirk. “You know I hate surprises.”
“I think you’re going to like this one.” I grin widely, and she walks over to me. I place my hands on her shoulders while Aaron guides her mom into the conference room. He positions her behind Gracie so she can’t see her yet. “You know there are very few things more important than family, right?”
“Of course,” she answers quietly.
“Turn around.”
She turns slowly, her eyes scanning the room. When they land on Jennifer, everyone in the room can hear her gasp.
“Mom?” she says, getting emotional. It’s been years since she’s seen her mom, and I knew this would be the only meaningful gift I could give her.
“Gracie,” her mom says, tears rolling do
wn her cheeks. Gracie definitely gets her looks from her mom. Jennifer stands a few inches shorter than Gracie, but they share the same hair and eye color.
Gracie lunges as gracefully as she can into her mom’s arms, where the two women embrace for what seems like hours. The room is buzzing with excitement and the look on Grace’s face tells me there was no better gift she could have received.
* * *
“I can’t believe you have a driver,” Jennifer says as we slide into the back of Tony’s Town Car that sits in the same spot it has every day since I bought Williams Global. I know having a driver is a luxury most don’t have, so I appreciate Jennifer’s exuberance.
“We don’t have him full-time,” Gracie explains.
We did, until Gracie told me we need to be more like “normal” people and take cabs and trains and walk. Of course, Tony is always available to us. I know we’ll use him more once the baby comes, but to appease Gracie, we cab it places from time to time.
Gracie reaches out for her mom’s hand. “Do you feel like going out for dinner or staying in?”
“In, if that’s okay. I’m tired tonight.” You can see the exhaustion on Jennifer’s face. I’m sure the anxiety of traveling on a plane for the first time and the overwhelming atmosphere of New York City has her beat. We’ll take her out another night since she’s staying with us for a week.
Of course, Jennifer is staying with us at the condo. There is no way I could put her up in a hotel in New York City. Tony delivered all of Jennifer’s luggage to the condo while we celebrated at the office. I can tell all of this is overwhelming to Jennifer as I’m sure it was to Gracie when she first moved here.
Gracie smiles understandingly. “I’m always tired. Drew has a list of restaurants on speed dial. Pick your poison: Italian, pizza, Thai, Indian, Mexican—”
“New York pizza,” Jennifer says quickly, and we all laugh.
“New York pizza it is,” I tell her. She reminds me so much of Grace, easy to please.
Unexpectedly Yours Page 24