Christmas Daddy Next Door

by Tia Siren

  He left afterward to get ready for dinner and take care of some things. I cleaned up after lunch and turned on the television as I curled up on the couch. I called the doctor and made an appointment for two days later, sending Ryan a text to tell him when. I didn’t feel like we were going to be together, but we could co-parent well. We both had the best interest of the baby in our hearts even though this had been planned around an inheritance. I felt like we could love this baby and make this work for us.

  Ryan sent a text back telling me that he’d take me to the doctor and that he was glad I had let him know. I took a deep breath and called Lucy. I needed to talk this out with someone who knew me. “Hey,” she said, answering the phone breathlessly.

  “Are you busy?” I asked hesitantly, not wanting to take too much of her time.

  “I’m just sorting through some paintings. What’s up?” She sounded cheerful, and I took a deep breath. I hadn’t told her too much yet beyond the fact that I went out with Ryan once.

  “I have something to tell you,” I said, feeling my nerves kick in as my heart started to pound. Oh, fuck. I was pregnant. I was going to have a baby. I started to breathe heavily as she waited for me to speak.

  “Brea? You sound like you’re dying!! What is it?” Lucy asked. I tried to compose myself by sitting still and taking deep breaths to calm down.

  “You know I went out with Ryan,” I began.

  “Yeah?” There was a question in her voice, and I licked my lips nervously, my stomach fluttering.

  “Well, we made something of an arrangement on the date. How much do you know about his inheritance?” I asked her warily, wondering how much I would have to explain.

  “Hmmm. Let me think. Something stupid about getting married or having a kid since he’s not completely obsessed with the banking stuff? It’s ridiculous,” she huffed. I let out a squeak. “Wait a minute. Are you fucking getting married?” Her voice was shrill, and I jumped and pressed my hand over my heart.

  “No,” I admitted, realizing that I might sound like a complete whore here.

  “Okay. So, the date was a few weeks back, right? I didn’t hear about any other ones since I’ve been insane with this gallery stuff. He didn’t propose, but did you sleep with him?” Lucy demanded. I closed my eyes. “You did, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but it’s not what you think. I mean, not completely,” I assured her as she screamed at me to explain myself. “He gets cut off from getting the money this year. I have all those school loans. We got to talking and decided to produce an heir to the business so he could start his own thing and I’d be able to relax about all my debt. It’s a contract that was drawn up and everything. It’s weird but totally legitimate. I found out today that I’m pregnant, probably just a few weeks along.”

  “Holy shit,” Lucy whispered as I heard her drop into her squeaky office chair. “Are you okay with this?”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I am freaking out a little bit. The contract is very thorough, and I know what’s in it for me. Ryan wants to be involved as well, and he’s going to take care of everything without touching my part of the money. He doesn’t want to be a deadbeat dad and I believe him. Am I crazy?”

  There was a long silence on the other end. “Is that all it is? An agreement? I thought you guys really hit it off.”

  “At the time, yes. Please don’t breathe a word of this until he tells his family. It’s really early still and he wants his dad to know first. I asked to call you because I couldn’t stand sitting here thinking about this by myself.” I felt relieved as my shoulders relaxed. “I just need a friend in this, and I trust you the most.”

  “He’s not with you?” she asked. I looked around the empty room.

  “He was. He saw the test and set me up with groceries and his Amazon account, but he called his dad to meet for dinner tonight,” I told her as I remembered how kind he’d been. “He’s being great about this.”

  “I’ve known him my whole life, as you know. Ryan has his flaws, but overall, I think he’ll be a good dad. I think he’ll support you the entire time. I wish I could say what his parents will think. What is his angle with them?” Lucy asked. I played back his story in my head, wanting it to be at least a little more than that.

  “He’s going to tell them it was just a one-night stand. An oops.” I hated the words as Lucy hummed on the other end.

  “That sounds best. I think even his awful father knows that Ryan wouldn’t leave a woman alone in that situation. I wonder what will happen from there?”

  “I have no fucking idea. I hope I don’t have to meet them,” I said. She chuckled into the phone.

  “Me, too.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Ryan

  I paced the apartment before I left for dinner. My mind had been racing ever since I’d left Brea’s. In just two short weeks, my life had been changed forever. Now I had to tell my parents.

  Brea was pregnant. I had seen the test with my own eyes. It was everything I wanted, but I was also terrified of the future. I knew it would give me the inheritance to start a support foundation for the families of alcoholics, which I’d been dreaming of for years. I also knew this would mean Brea could breathe again without the worry of debt looming over her head. She’d been through a lot and deserved the break. But we were having a fucking baby.

  On paper, I knew it was handled. In addition to getting her end of the bargain, I was going to take care of Brea in every possible way I could. I’d pay for the best doctors and anything she needed, and she could already shop to her heart’s content. I’d give her the world if it meant helping her through this pregnancy.

  I had seen that she was scared. It had been in her voice when she’d asked me to come over today, filling the phone and my heart with dread. I’d seen it in her eyes when she had opened the door.

  I thought she already looked beautiful, being pregnant with my child, but I also hadn’t seen her in a couple weeks. That damned wedding, which probably wouldn’t work out, had taken up a lot of time as well as the facade that I wanted to learn the family business. I would finally be free of that tonight.

  I would take a load off my shoulders tonight, but I was dreading seeing my father’s face. The story was good, and I hoped he wouldn’t see through the lie. Dad wanted to meet at one of the best steakhouses in the city in an hour, and I had no idea how it might go. It seemed like all we did anymore was bicker. I’d been at the bank to appease him. Tonight, everything might change.

  I was wearing a pair of nice black slacks and a white shirt with a dark green tie. I felt like I was going to an interview or something, but the required dress for Frank’s was formal. I didn’t know why Dad couldn’t just pick a more casual restaurant and enjoy a meal like a normal person. We’d be seen by all his associates tonight, which didn’t make for the best time to tell him my news. I sat down on the couch and put on my nicest shoes, knowing I’d be in the public eye tonight.

  I grabbed my keys and locked the door, wishing I drank like my mom for the first time in my life. This baby was more reason not to drink now, and I took a deep breath as I walked to the elevator. I’d arranged for a car to pick me up.

  I felt the eyes of the other residents on me as I stepped into the lobby. A lot of them were women who wanted me or who I had hooked up with in the past. They’d probably love to be Brea right now, waiting for me to support them in style. Brea had protested when I’d set her up with some accounts to shop with. The women around me were a little ridiculous, and I just looked forward as I walked to the door, my eyes finding the black car waiting for me.

  I was silent during the drive, moving ahead in my mind as the car moved along. I pictured Brea growing with my baby and the day we would become parents, followed by the things that would stand out after that. The car stopped and the window in front rolled down as Liam let me know we’d arrived. I pressed my hands down my pants and stepped out, hearing the whispers and seeing everyone looking at me. I fought the urge to roll my eyes
and made my way inside, looking around for Dad. He was a very punctual man and would no doubt be here already. I checked with the hostess to see if he’d arrived, and she blushed as she batted her false eyelashes at me. “Yes, Mr. Hall. He’s at the usual table.”

  “Of course he is,” I murmured with a tight smile. I nodded and turned to go to the same table by the window. Thankfully, there was some privacy there, but we were still on display. Dad was there alone, and I prepared myself for some excuse about Mom. I realized I was happy she wasn’t here. “Dad. How are you?” I asked as I slid into the seat across from him.

  “Ryan. Your mom wasn’t feeling well, so she couldn’t be here tonight. She sends her apologies.” What that meant was that she’d tied one on and was too drunk to come, but I smiled and nodded. It would go better without her here. “Is everything okay?”

  I ordered an iced tea from the waitress, and we went ahead and placed our orders. There was no need to look at the menu since we came here a lot. “It’s fine, Dad. I just got some news that I thought I should share with you.” He frowned and looked at me with concern. He was worried about our perfect image. I started to speak again. “I hooked up with a girl a few weeks ago after a party, and she came to me today to tell me that she’s pregnant.” I kept my face serious so he would believe me, watching as his face turned from concern to pride. He was going to have his heir.

  “I admit that it might not be under the best conditions, but I know you’ll take care of this child. He can also take over the business so you can do what it is you want to do. Who is she, Son?”

  “She’s a nice girl. I think that together we can co-parent just fine. I obviously plan to support her financially through all of it as well as be a part of the baby’s life. It was sudden and not at all planned, but you have to deal with things as they come,” I said with a shrug as our drinks were placed before us.

  “We’ll need to meet her as soon as possible. I need to know the girl who is going to have my grandchild and ensure that she’s going to be a good role model. I don’t suppose I’m familiar with her family?” he asked hopefully before I shook my head.

  “No, you don’t. She’s a close friend of Lucy’s, but she’s never mixed with our social circle apart from that.” Dad knew Lucy was different than everyone in our family. He and Mom often fussed over the life choices she was making. I saw the look on his face as he pulled his phone from the table to glance at it.

  “I see. Well, being that this fills a requirement of mine, your inheritance will be released upon the birth of the baby. I don’t suppose that you plan to marry this girl?” He raised an eyebrow at me, and I just stared at him. “I’d let her know that she’s not to go running to the tabloids with this story, either. If that happens and our family name is seen in a negative public display, your inheritance as well as your place in the family will be gone. You’ll be on your own.”

  “What about when the baby is here?” I asked coldly as he looked at me.

  “That’s approximately nine months away. Anything could happen, so why stir up the media if you don’t have to? We’ll come up with something to announce the birth.” I watched him discuss my child and Brea’s pregnancy like it was nothing. Anger and resentment filled me. I simply nodded and held in my reaction as he started to talk about some party that was coming up, but his disapproval of the woman he pictured Brea to be was apparent in his body language.

  Dinner was uncomfortable from there. We discussed the bank and some of the partners. I could see that he was disappointed in me for not wanting to take over, and when he asked if I’d still be around, I nodded. “I want to know everything so I can teach my son or daughter,” I replied. His face reddened.

  “I hope it’s a son. This business should carry on the family name,” he muttered, and another flash of anger rushed through me. I wanted a healthy baby, and if we did have a girl, I’d love her just as much. Brea was a smart woman and could do whatever she wanted once she had some of her stress lifted. The baby would be lucky to take after her in many ways. As we sat there, I let my mind wander to thoughts of Brea. I remembered the look in her eyes when she’d come for me.

  Fuck. That was a random thought. I blinked as I looked at my overpriced plate of food. I picked at it, feeling worse as the night went on. This was the way I had to go about it, so I accepted that and just remained calm. It might turn out that Mom and Dad weren’t a part of our lives at all, and as sad as that was, it was reality.

  We finished dinner and left the restaurant together, looking every bit the close family Dad required us to appear to be. He looked at me on the sidewalk, saying that his car was here, and I nodded. “Are you getting a ride?” he asked as I looked back and forth. I just knew that I needed to get away from here.

  “I’m going to walk for a bit,” I told him, and he nodded. “I’ll call you about dinner soon.”

  He moved to the shiny cream Rolls-Royce, and I turned left to walk toward my penthouse. It was several blocks, but I needed to think. Dad was an asshole, but this was the quickest way out of this, and I knew Brea and I would be good parents. I reached for my phone once I loosened my tie and dialed her number to fill her in.

  “Hello?” Brea sounded tired, and I frowned as I glanced forward.

  “Hi. Are you okay?” I asked. She laughed on the other end and admitted to it being a long day. She asked how it went with Dad, and I bit my lip for a moment as the thought that I wanted to see her crossed my mind.

  “He was excited about the idea of an heir. He wants to meet you, Brea. He wants to know the mother of his grandchild, probably to warn you to keep your mouth shut about this.” My words flowed out before I could stop them, and I looked around to see if anyone was listening. “Shit. I meant that he wants it to stay out of the media. Publicity and reputation, you know.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’d never do that.”

  I smiled. “I know. You’re a good person and think of others probably before yourself,” I replied as she went quiet. “I thought the best plan was to have dinner at a restaurant, at least the first time.”

  “There will be other times?” she croaked, and I sighed.

  “I really hope not, but let’s just get through this one,” I said as I stopped at a red light.

  “I’m so scared to meet them. What if they don’t like me?” Brea asked.

  I shook my head. How could anyone not like her?

  “I told him that you’re friends with Lucy. They question her personality at times, but I figured it should be out there. Lucy will more than likely be closer to the baby than they ever will.” I bowed my head down to talk as she sighed on the other end.

  “Was that the best idea?” Brea asked. I heard her moving through the apartment and calculated how long it would take to get there. I wanted to see her, though I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. “I have to go, Ryan. There’s something wrong.” She ended the call, and I stopped walking as fear rushed over me.

  What could be wrong? Was it the baby?

  I called her back but the call went to voice mail the first time and the next. “What the fuck?” I asked as I started looking for a cab to take me over there. I’d stupidly sent the driver home, thinking I’d enjoy the walk, but she was farther away from me. I called back again and it connected, but the only sound I heard was crying.

  “Brea?”

  “I’m bleeding, Ryan. Not a lot, but a little bit. What if I’m losing the baby?” I heard the fear in her voice and raised my hand in the air for a car. “I just found out. You told your dad. This can’t happen so soon.”

  I didn’t tell her that my dad nearly suggested this happening earlier tonight. Instead, I promised her that I was on my way. She started sobbing, and I swore that I would be there with a doctor as soon as possible. I was panicking as I hailed a cab and barked the address to the driver.

  CHAPTER 10

  Brea

  I looked in the mirror and took in the sight of myself in my dress.

  Tonight was the night I wa
s going to dinner with Ryan’s parents. They had wanted it to happen sooner, but I thanked my lucky stars that I’d had a couple weeks to prepare. I didn’t want to do this at all, but Ryan’s father was insistent. I knew he wanted to see the girl who was pregnant with his heir, more than likely to size me up.

  I also knew that he might be a complete asshole to me. I tried to prepare myself for that possibility, but I was nervous. Then there was Ryan’s mother. Would she be drunk? I didn’t want to see that.

  I had picked a dark purple dress, which was comfortable and light. I wasn’t showing yet, but I didn’t want to come off as some slut who had hooked their son by getting pregnant, even though it had been planned. I thought it might be better to look cheap and have them think I was just a casual thing.

  Ryan and I weren’t dating or even seeing each other, but he kept in contact with me. He was concerned about me and the baby, which I appreciated.

  I’d chosen to be myself tonight as much as possible. This dress was something I would wear for dinner with anyone, and I figured if they didn’t like it, then I wouldn’t have to worry about seeing them again.

  Ryan and the baby could have a relationship with his family and I could just not be a part of it. That was what co-parenting was all about, right?

  My stomach flipped as I ran a hand through my curls. My hair was growing fast now, and I assumed it was from the prenatal vitamins my doctor had prescribed to me. They were strong, but I knew they helped the baby. They also made me feel a little more nauseated.

  I knew that was really the morning sickness, or the all-day sickness as I called it. I had it on and off for the better part of the day, though it wasn’t too severe and mostly only caused me some slight discomfort. I rarely threw up, though I was considering it right now.