He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Quiet! I’m taking care of it, since you obviously didn’t. One call, and the problem is gone.”
“Jose,” she whispered, feeling desperate. Everything in the past few minutes had gone horribly wrong. He’d never been anything but kind. He loved her. “You told me you had three ex-wives. We’ve been seeing each other for a year. Why are you saying these things? I would know if you were married.”
“So, what is one small lie? You didn’t know, and didn’t care. You became the star of the show. Right? Isn’t that what you wanted all along?” He turned his back. “Now, pack an overnight bag and I’ll drive you to someone who takes care of all the girls.”
All the girls? “No!” She shouted, folding her arms around her stomach. “I’m not going.” Tears blurred her eyes. “If you don’t want this baby, that’s all right. The baby is mine. I will raise him, or her, without you. My family…”
“Yes, your family…. it’s always about your family, isn’t it?” He sneered. “Do whatever you want. Just don’t expect anything from me. Far as I know, this baby could be anybody’s. You’re quite the tease, aren’t you, Brittany? A young, vivacious, beautiful woman who likes the attention of men. Many men.”
“I do not,” she hissed. She marched to the door and flung it open. “Go!”
He stepped around her and slammed the door shut, blocking the exit. “You work for me. I’ve seen you flirt, don’t forget.”
“They were patrons. People who support our business.” She tossed her head back, glaring at him. “You said it was part of our job.”
“Huh. How many of those men did you invite back here, or did you go to their place after one of our shows?”
She drew in a shuddering breath, shocked by his accusations. What had happened to the suave and charming man she’d thought she knew? He was a stranger standing in front of her—his face and soul as ugly as the words that spewed from his mouth. “That never happened,” she said softly.
“Why would I believe you?”
She looked him dead in the eye. “I never slept with another man. Not during the entire time you and I were together.”
His face showed his contempt. “I’m sterile. Had it fixed a long time ago.”
“That’s not true,” she whimpered, putting a hand over her mouth.
“You could ask my wife, but I don’t think either one of you would enjoy the conversation. Do you?”
“No. No.” Brittany bent over, feeling queasy, as though she might be sick.
“Be smart,” he said, his voice cruel and hard. “Get rid of the problem. You could still dance for me. We could still be friends.” His eyes dropped to her cleavage, and she regretted wearing the low cut dress that exposed her breasts and a lot of thigh.
“Friends?” She shivered. “You lying bastard, we can never be friends after this.”
His hand whipped out and smacked her across the face. The huge diamond on his pinkie sliced her tender skin. She screamed, holding her cheek, feeling the sticky blood on her palm. “Get out. Get out,” she cried.
Without a word or a backward glance, Jose turned and left. Hot tears mingled with the blood on her face as she ran to the bathroom. She cleaned and bandaged the wound, knowing the one inside was much deeper and would take longer to heal.
She kicked off her shoes and slipped out of her dress, putting on a pair of knee-length shorts and a tee. She went back into the kitchen and began to shovel the hot paella into a trash bag with a wooden spatula. The scents which had smelled so delicious an hour ago now turned her stomach and made her gag. She took the bag outside to the corridor and dropped it down the garbage chute. She didn’t know how long she’d be gone, or if she’d ever return. But it seemed unlikely now.
Brittany packed a large travel bag with comfortable, casual clothes for the laid-back Keys. She spotted all her lovely dresses on hangers in the closet, and touched them with regret. She might never wear them again, or if she did, they’d be attached to unpleasant memories. Of Jose. Of all the seductive temptations that the past few years and the dancing world had brought her.
Still, she couldn’t resist. She grabbed half a dozen and stuffed them in her bag too. Then she called her mother. “I’m coming home.”
* * *
Brittany lowered the top on her little red Miata convertible, then tossed her oversized suitcase in the back. The night air was hot and humid, not unusual for Miami, especially in late August. But her heart was heavy, the steamy night oppressive, weighing down on her like a deflated balloon. The damn car was too small, she sniffed, wiping away tears. But it would get her away from here and that lying, sneaky bastard, and that was all that mattered.
Jose’s final words rang in her ears, and brought a stifling sob to her throat. “Get rid of it,” he’d snarled, as if a baby—his baby—was nothing more than a nuisance, an object easily discarded, as meaningless as a stray kitten that she’d mistakenly brought home.
How could she have been so wrong about him? And what had he said about being sterile? Had he lied about that too?
Feeling miserable, she flicked around the radio stations and settled on one that played nineties hits. She listened to Celine wailing about her heart going on and on, and then to Whitney about it not being right, but it was okay.
Well, she certainly knew a lot about that!
The music was not helping her mood so she switched it off as she executed the heavy Miami traffic to find her way back to the Keys. Mile after mile, her spirits lifted, knowing that her mom would be waiting with open arms. She needed her right now, more than ever before.
Happy tears blurred Brittany’s eyes the moment she saw the blinking pink and green flamingo on the side of the road. “Taylor’s Cafe.” Her sister’s cafe bordered Paradise Cove Cottages, the seaside resort her family inherited after her step-dad’s untimely death, only months before he was to retire.
Situated in the Upper Keys, the drive had taken less than an hour and a half. It was not yet nine o’clock but the cafe was closed and most of the cottages were dark. Islamorada was a fishing community, where people got up at the crack of dawn to catch the biggest fish.
It was this lack of nightlife that had driven her to Miami to pursue being a professional dancer instead of teaching ballet to kids whose parents wanted a babysitter for a couple of hours. She’d had success—for too short of a time—dancing her way across the Eastern seaboard.
That life was over. It hurt her to realize it, but it was a bitter-sweet kind of hurt. She was home, broken-hearted and pregnant, but safe, and loved, teary-eyed by the mere sight of the familiar blinking flamingo.
She swiped the tears away, turning left on the dirt road. Her shoulders were knotted and tight, and she ached from inside out. She couldn’t wait another minute to feel her mother’s warm arms around her, to breathe in her familiar flowery scent, and to feel the love and acceptance that would always be there.
Anna was a strong woman who had taught her daughters to be strong. She’d picked up the pieces and held the family together through the many tragedies life had thrown their way. She’d convinced them all to come to the Keys and rebuild this resort, her husband’s retirement plan that he hadn’t lived to see.
Brittany had thought it was a crazy thing to do, but she’d been outvoted by her two older sisters. They’d each found their true strengths here as well as their true loves. Kayla was now married to her handsome cardiac surgeon, and Taylor had opened her cafe, married her charter boat captain, and adored his sweet son.
Life had been good to them—it would be for her, and her baby too. Paradise Cove was a happy place, filled with love, and nothing else mattered. She had been a fool to leave. I’m back now. To stay.
She pulled up in front of the light pink cottage she had once shared with her mother and sisters. A wooden plaque read Birds Of Paradise above the door; she’d proved to be the flightiest bird of all. Now her wings were clipped and she’d come limping home.
Sh
e sucked in a breath and released it slowly. Tears burned behind her eyes. Everything would be all right. Her family would make it so.
Turning off the engine, she stepped out of the car and breathed deep—ocean air caressed her skin, a hint of salt on the breeze.
Suddenly, the cabin door opened. Shouts of welcome surrounded her as her mom and sisters smothered her in hugs—the best medicine in the world.
Her two sisters were stunning brunettes, tall like her, with warm-colored skin from their Greek heritage, and they’d all inherited the same passion and fire. Petite Anna was nearly crushed by the three girls.
“Kayla, what are you doing here?” Brittany kept one hand on her sister’s shoulder while looking at Taylor. “You too, Tay. You should be home with Colt.”
Damn, but they looked good. So happy. Even in this dire situation, they had a knack of turning bad luck into good fortune. Kayla, the eldest, was wise beyond her years. Always patient, thoughtful, a mother hen in her own right. Taylor, with her love for cooking, was a homebody by nature, and should have had a dozen kids. Newly married, there was plenty of time to do just that.
“Mom said you were coming home,” Kayla answered. “For good. We wanted to welcome you back.”
Anna pushed her way into the circle, put her arms around Brittany, and stood on tiptoe to kiss her daughter’s cheeks. She withdrew a little, to get a better look. “Oh, my sweet girl. What happened to your poor face?” She touched the bandage, and tenderly took Brit’s chin in her hand. “Did Jose do this?”
“Yes. It’s a long story,” she replied, giving a careless shrug that masked her deep hurt. “Let’s get inside and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“This sounds like an excuse to make a pitcher of drinks,” Anna said with a renewed twinkle in her eye.
“I better not join you,” Brittany said. “I’m pregnant.”
CHAPTER TWO
Kayla hooked an arm through Brittany’s, and Anna took up the other side. Taylor grabbed the large suitcase from the car and hurried after them. “Don’t start talking without me.”
They crowded through the door, and once inside, they each gave her another big hug. All of them were wiping away tears.
“Pregnant.” Kayla grinned. “Seriously? This is great news!” She squeezed Brittany’s arm. “Little Shauna is six months old and I didn’t dream that she’d have a cousin so soon.”
“I don’t know how exciting it is,” Brittany replied, touching the bandage on her cheek. “As you can see, Jose didn’t take it too well.”
“I can’t believe he hit you,” Anna said, her jaw set. “Nobody hits my girls. How dare he! We should call the police. Charge him with assault.”
“Don’t bother, Mom. He’s an asshole. I just didn’t know it until now. A married asshole,” she added, glancing at their faces. Were they disappointed in her? She didn’t blame them, after all she had been gullible, and should have been smarter than to believe his lies.
“He was married?” Kayla asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. “How could you not know?”
Her stomach churned. She looked down. “I guess I wanted to believe him, and ignored the obvious signs.”
“Didn’t you ever go to his apartment?” Her mother opened a bottle of Rose wine and poured three glasses. She handed one to Kayla, the other to Taylor, and gave a bottle of water to Brittany. The four of them sat down at the round kitchen table.
“Of course.” How to explain? She uncapped the water and studied the living space they’d once shared. Birds of Paradise was an unpretentious cottage that was a single room separated into sections, the kitchen and living area, by an island counter. A hall led to the two bedrooms and a single bathroom.
They’d updated the cottage soon after moving in. Thrown away the old pull-out couch, and bought Tommy Bahamas furnishings which embraced Key West décor. The rattan sofa and chairs in earth tones complemented the bright Floridian pictures on the beige walls, and under the coffee table lay a pretty area rug of coral and green. They’d made it a home, unlike Jose’s studio. She’d attributed the lack of personal touches to his being too busy.
“Jose had a few rooms off the studio where we practiced. It wasn’t much.” She covered her eyes for a moment, then lifted her head. “I should have known. The sofa made into a queen-sized bed, a TV on one wall—no plants or anything personal. No photos. Not even of his children.”
She squeezed the plastic bottle in anger. It had been a love nest, not a home.
Kayla leaned forward, her elbow on the table. “Brit. I’m sorry.”
“It was obvious he didn’t spend much time there. We were on the road a lot, stayed in hotels, so I didn’t question it.” Hearing her own words, she was ashamed, feeling like the world’s biggest fool.
“That’s understandable, hon,” Taylor said gently, stroking her arm.
The sympathy in Taylor’s eyes almost set off another crying jag. “He told me the situation was temporary. That he couldn’t get a better place until his divorce was finalized. Said they were still haggling over the financial arrangement, but that it was a done deal. He always referred to his wife as his ‘ex’.”
“What a creep.” Kayla patted her back. “Good thing he doesn’t want any part in raising this baby. He’s bad news.” She eyed the bandage. “What happened here? Do you feel like talking about it?”
She nodded and picked at the loose label on the plastic. “He hit me with the back of his hand and his pinkie ring clipped my cheek.”
“I’d like to clip his prick,” her mother muttered. “Look at what he did to your pretty face.” She cupped Brittany’s chin, searching for any other sign of abuse.
“Oh, Mom.” Brittany released a little laugh. “He does deserve it though. You know what he said to me? Told me “to get rid of it”. Like the baby was a stray animal I’d taken in. Then he insinuated that the baby wasn’t his. Said he’d been fixed. I don’t believe it, because I know darn well that I never slept with anyone else. Not since the day I met him.”
“Poor Brit.” Taylor hugged her. “He was obviously lying about that, like everything else. You’re so much better off without him. I hope you’re not going back? We can all help raise the baby.” She tossed her head and her ponytail bounced. She looked like a high school girl, not a woman of thirty. “Another baby to spoil. You know how we love to do that…and you won’t be alone.”
Tears filled Brittany’s eyes and flowed down her cheeks. “Thank you for that. I really haven’t decided yet what I want to do.” Would she be a good mom? She liked to think so, but she had a different temperament than Kayla and Taylor. Even her mom. She touched her stomach, wanting to feel a connection with this child. Jose’s baby. “But I will decide soon, I promise.”
“Of course you want this child,” Anna cried. “We all do. A baby is a precious gift. You can’t discard it.”
“Mother…” Kayla shook her head. “This is Brittany’s decision, and only she can make it. We will fully support whatever she decides to do.”
Her mother looked ready to argue but seeing the look that passed between the three sisters, she held her tongue. She reached for her wine and took a sip to fortify herself, then lifted her eyes to her daughter. “I’m sorry, Brit. It is your choice, of course. I just hope that you make the right one.”
Taylor snickered. “Mom. Please? Just drink your wine, and pass on the advice. We know what you want, but you need to butt out.”
“Well, I…I just want what’s best for the family.” Anna looked at all their faces, gauging each reaction. “How can a baby, a little cousin for Shauna, not be the best news ever?”
Brittany stood up. “I understand how you feel, but this is my body, my baby and my decision. And I’m sorry, but I’m tired. I’ve had a hellova day, and I’m going to bed. You three can sit up and talk about me, but I’m not in the mood.”
“Oh, Brittany.” Kayla stood too. “You know how much we love you. Please don’t be upset. Not with us. We only want to help you in wha
tever you decide. Isn’t that right, Mom?”
“Yes, of course. Sleep on it, sweetheart, and don’t rush into any decision right now. Wait until your anger subsides and you can think more logically. I love you very, very much.”
Brittany kissed them all goodnight, and then dragged her large bag into the bedroom that had previously been Kayla’s and Taylor’s. She’d shared a bedroom with her mother, but with both sisters gone, she could claim the second bedroom as her own.
Taylor had married Colt nine months ago and was living in the house he shared with his son, Jamie. They were ridiculously happy, as was Kayla with Sean and her new baby. They had their own lives and loves, while she had returned to live with their mother. Strange how that had all worked out. She’d been the one to run off, needing adventures, wanting the high life. And look at her now.
She sank on the bed, and rocked back and forth. A rush of emotions churned inside her and she tried to identify them all. Anger, shame, fear but mostly she felt sorry for herself. Why me?
When she got tired of her pity party, she stood up, needing action. Brit picked up her bag, flung it on the bed and began to unpack. As she lined the closet with her clothes and filled the drawers, she couldn’t help but feel nostalgic for the old days when she and her sisters would be fighting over space, the only bathroom, or what TV show they’d watch.
But life went on whether you wanted it to or not.
* * *
A week flew by and Brittany was starting to feel like she’d never left. Juanita cleaned the cabins, so that was one chore she no longer had to do. She filled her days by taking a shift at the Cafe, or helping her mother in the office while looking after Meri, Juanita’s three-year-old girl, and her six-month-old niece, Shauna.
Brit had been at her niece’s christening but hadn’t seen her since, and the squiggly red-faced infant was now a blonde, blue-eyed, pink-cheeked sweetheart with an angelic smile. Brittany was bouncing Shauna in her arms, blowing kisses on her plump cheeks, when a man entered the office.
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