The Nearness of You: A British celebrity, standalone love-at-first-sight romance

by K. G. Fletcher

  “What ‘other’ news?” Catherine held a perplexed look on her face.

  Lauren looked down at her engagement ring and flushed. “Maybe I should wait. He might want to tell you himself.”

  “Please tell me now. It could be hours before we see him again. And I’m no good at waiting patiently. You should see me at Christmas. All the packages have little slits in them because I’m just too curious and have to find out what’s in them.”

  Lauren laughed imagining Catherine tiptoeing under the Christmas tree, spying on her presents. “Okay. But if David gets mad, it’s not my fault.”

  “Do tell!”

  She paused. “I’m pregnant too.”

  “No!” Catherine gasped.

  Lauren nodded and looked across the table at her, not sure if she should have told her the news without David by her side. “He didn’t tell you?”

  “No! Oh my god. We’re going to have little cousins who can grow up together. This is fantastic, Lauren!” Catherine quickly stood and made her way around the table, throwing her arms around Lauren’s neck. “I’m so happy for us!”

  The two women chatted animatedly about all the latest happenings in their lives as they sipped expensive tea from delicate cups. Catherine and Brian were traveling to England in two days to finalize the preparations for their second nuptials with her English family and friends. Brian was meeting her in the city, flying in from a West Coast race he’d done well in. David just so happened to call her, asking for ring advice and when he alluded he was planning to propose, Catherine insisted she get on the next plane and fly to NYC a day earlier than originally planned to surprise her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

  “We were coming through New York anyway on our trip to England. This worked out brilliantly!”

  Lauren nodded, realizing how much she truly liked David’s sister. There was nothing fake or snotty about her. The very fact that the two of them were pregnant at the same exact time was a miracle. Their children would grow up together and hopefully be close. The realization this was definitely a reality gave her butterflies.

  “Brian flies in tomorrow, so that gives us all afternoon to shop at the trendy baby boutiques in SoHo.” Catherine’s dark curls bounced off her shoulders in her excitement.

  “What about David? He should be wrapping up by now.”

  Catherine rolled her eyes. “We can meet up with him later. I sent him a text to let him know I was here. Make the man wait, duchess. Let’s go shopping!”

  ***

  David sat in a large conference room with an impressive view of the Empire State building. He drummed his fingers on the oak table, letting his mind drift to thoughts of Lauren and his future with her. He needed to find a way to balance work and his personal life. For the past ten years, he’d never really had a home life. His day-to-day life consisted of living out of a suitcase or having the occasional pit stop at his London flat. He wanted desperately to settle down and plant roots for his new family. Where that would eventually be, he had no idea. He was anxious to talk to Lauren about it and make some definite plans, but at the rate these interviews were going, he’d be lucky to see her by midnight.

  The Skype interviews his PR firm set up always took much longer due to unforeseen technical glitches and hosts that liked to hear themselves talk. This particular host on a telephone interview went on and on, his voice a dull drone in the background of David’s mind. His muted cellphone lit up with a text from Lauren letting him know his sister was taking her into SoHo to go baby shopping. His heart leaped in his chest and he couldn’t help but smile. Texting back an apology for his delay, he told her to have fun and buy whatever her heart desired.

  Setting the phone back down, he reached for a sandwich sitting on a platter in the middle of the table. At least they had food available. He listened to Sabrina give the latest stats regarding his new fragrance, which seemed to be doing very well. He wished his relationship with her was doing better.

  The call wrapped up and David quickly thanked the host, anxious to end the conversation. They were on a twenty-minute break until the next interview and he stood and stretched in front of the wall of windows, noticing Sabrina coming toward him. He grabbed his sandwich and took a big bite

  “Thank you for doing this today,” she said softly.

  “It’s not like I had a choice in the matter,” he replied with his mouth full, aware of his condescending tone.

  She sighed and looked up at him with what appeared to be remorse. “I apologize for my rude behavior last night at the awards ceremony, David. I was out-of-line and I admit it. For what it’s worth, knowing you’re happy makes me happy.”

  “Really?” his brow creased while trying to suppress a lopsided smile. He knew her better than anyone. She wasn’t happy at all.

  “Yes. I’m happy for you. There, I’ve said it. Can we please move on now? Is there anything I can do for you while we finish up with this PR nightmare?”

  David shook his head, amused, knowing how hard it was for her to say those things. “My cellphone is running low on battery. Do you mind giving it a charge while we finish up here? I want Lauren to be able to contact me while I’m working.”

  She offered him a genuine smile. “Not at all.” She held her hand out and he placed the phone in her palm.

  “Thank you, Bri.”

  She smiled again as if relieved he’d returned to calling her by his pet name. “You’re welcome.” Pausing in the doorway, she turned and asked, “By the way, what is Lauren doing while you’re working today?”

  He chuckled, not about to give away his latest news. “Shopping in SoHo with my pregnant sister at one of those popular baby boutiques. That should keep them busy for a while.”

  Sabrina’s lips curled up into a smile. “Indeed.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The car service dropped Lauren and Catherine off at the trendy Piccoliny baby boutique in Lower Manhattan. The store was known for its unique New York-themed baby apparel that was all the rage. Catherine oohed and ahhed, stroking everything on the shelves as if they were lovable pets.

  “Look, duchess! A hot pink tutu! Can you imagine a little baby girl in this?” She held the petite outfit up in front of her flat belly.

  Lauren walked over to a rack and stared at a row of tiny baby beanies with the crocheted words, “I love NY” on them. There was another whole row of infant onesies with pictures of iconic rock ‘n’ roll legends on the front. John Lennon, Bob Marley and Hendrix were front and center. Catherine could be heard across the rack talking excitedly with the owner of the store, asking if they shipped overseas. Lauren swallowed and picked up a hard-bound book called Happy by singer Pharrell Williams. She had no idea Pharrell had written a baby book or why. Thumbing through the thick pages she was aware of the beads of sweat breaking out across her forehead, realizing being in this store made her nervous. She hadn’t really thought much about having a baby. It was all so new to her. Being in the store and seeing all the miniature clothing and baby paraphernalia brought it all to the forefront. She needed to wrap her head around it once and for all. Feeling light-headed, she decided to get some air.

  “I’ll be outside for a minute,” she said softly to Catherine and pointed at the door. She made sure to smile while pointing so she wouldn’t worry her soon-to-be sister-in-law. Catherine nodded with raised eyebrows, holding an assortment of baby gear at her chest.

  Lauren swung the door open and took in a deep cleansing breath. She walked a few feet with her hands on her hips and nearly slipped on the concrete sidewalk. “Dang, these boots,” she mumbled to herself, lifting up her foot to look at the worn sole. She’d been meaning to get her prized boots re-soled at the local cobbler but never seemed to find the time.

  “Lauren Rose?”

  “Huh?” She jerked her head up at the sound of her name. A seedy looking man holding an expensive camera began to take pictures of her.

  “What are you doing?” Confused, she walked backward in an attempt to unders
tand what was happening. “Stop that!”

  “Are you engaged to supermodel David Randle because you’re pregnant?”

  “What? Who told you that?”

  “Is that why you’re shopping at a baby store? Are you a gold digger, Ms. Rose? You looking for fame and fortune?”

  “Who are you? Stop taking pictures of me!” She started to panic and turned her back on the man, briskly walking around the corner of the block to get away from him. The man followed closely behind and managed to run ahead of her in an attempt to take pictures of her face.

  “Are you trapping Mr. Randle into having your kid for the money?” His relentless, rude questions kept coming at her like bullets out of a gun.

  She jaywalked across the busy street barely avoiding a yellow cab and darted into the nearest subway entrance on Spring Street. Ducking into the underground entrance, she turned the corner of the stairwell and hit a patch of standing water. Her slick soles went out from under her and she fell forward, tumbling down the last flight of ancient cement stairs, landing with a sickening thud, knocking the wind out of her. A few onlookers came to her aid as the photographer snapped a final shot and bolted back up the entrance out of sight.

  “Are you all right?” A fragile Asian woman asked, getting on her knees and peering into her face. Lauren was flat on her stomach with her cheek pressed into the grimy surface of the subway platform.

  “Please… find my friend at Piccoliny. I need help….”

  ***

  The interviews had gone well and David was glad to be calling it a day. He was just about to walk out of the building when he remembered his cell phone. When he returned to the conference room, he spotted one of his colleagues and asked if they’d seen Sabrina, which they hadn’t. He assumed she already left and decided to head back to the Plaza and wait for Lauren and his sister to come back from their shopping excursion. He’d get in touch with Bri from the hotel and have her send a courier with his phone later.

  Sitting in the back of the car, he couldn’t help but smile, wondering what Lauren might have purchased. It was a thrilling time for both of them and he was more than ready for whatever lay ahead. The late spring afternoon was morphing into what appeared to be a beautiful evening. He decided he would take his favorite girls out to enjoy an alfresco dining experience. The concierge would have superb recommendations, he was sure of it.

  ***

  Sabrina Watson held her handbag close to her chest in the back of a smelly cab, knowing she had intentionally kept David’s cellphone. She figured she’d feign forgetfulness or fatigue and apologize profusely upon their next meeting. A slight smile grazed her lips as she thought about her call to her New York Post contact. She wanted to interrupt Lauren’s outing much like she interrupted David’s career. She loathed Lauren Rose and was desperate to get her out of their lives. The girl was skittish around the paparazzi. If she could find a way to make her life miserable with them hounding her at all times, perhaps she might rethink her decision to marry someone so famous. It was worth a shot. It was also worth the extra publicity in the tabloids. Any publicity was good publicity. Sabrina hoped the photographer she’d contacted captured some unbecoming shots of Lauren, sure to make David’s fans go into an uproar. She was a nobody from the deep South. How dare she waltz in and take all his glory?

  A phone in her purse vibrated. She always had her ringer on full blast and knew right away the vibration indicated a text message coming in on David’s phone. Pursing her lips, she pulled the phone out of her bag, spying on what it said.

  911—David, please meet me at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Lauren was in an accident!

  The text was from David’s sister, Catherine. Sabrina read the message several times with wide eyes before quickly powering the phone off and shoving it back into her purse as if she hadn’t seen it. Biting the inside of her mouth, she tapped her foot nervously and decided now was as good a time as any to go to a movie.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The shower was as hot as he could stand, cleansing David from the long, boring day without the nearness of Lauren by his side. Wiping the fogged-up mirror with the palm of his hand he couldn’t help but hum Fly Me to the Moon as he continued to get ready. He’d left Bri a voicemail, asking her to please courier his cell phone to him. He also asked her to please text Lauren and his sister to let them know they could find him in the Rose Club when they returned from their outing. He figured Bri would go out of her way to relay his messages after her outburst from the night before.

  Running his fingers down his cheeks, he contemplated shaving but knew how much Lauren loved his stubble and decided against it. A smile grazed his lips—a natural side effect when he thought about the love of his life.

  He pondered all day about where they might settle down. His flat in London would be a great place to stay when they visited his family or if he had work obligations in England. Keeping the property was a no-brainer. Regarding a more permanent address, he thought about looking for a residence in the Southern United States close enough to Valdosta, where her family lived, and Hilton Head where they could vacation with his sister and Brian. Was Atlanta an option? He wasn’t opposed to it, having been in the impressive airport numerous times for connecting flights, and he enjoyed the city while attending Catherine’s wedding. There were parts of the metropolitan area that were utterly charming and he was sure real estate in this part of the country would be more than affordable. He was anxious to have a long conversation with Lauren and make some solid plans for their future.

  Shrugging on his lightweight jacket, he flicked the lamp off and exited the room, ready to meet his favorite girls in the Rose Club. As the door clicked shut, the hotel phone on the desk started to ring….

  ***

  Catherine paced in a tiny waiting room with her cellphone held up to her ear.

  “Come on, David. Pick up!” She whispered agitatedly. Frantic, she called and texted several times and was becoming worried he hadn’t responded. The front desk clerk at the Plaza Hotel put her right through to his hotel room and the phone continued to ring and ring and ring. Looking down the sterile hallway she noticed the doctor on duty come out of Lauren’s hospital room. Shoving her phone into her handbag, she flagged him down.

  “Doctor? Doctor!”

  He turned and looked at her expectantly.

  “How is she? Is she going to be all right?” she pleaded.

  Pursing his lips, the doctor stepped near the white wall and motioned for her to come closer. “Her cheek has a large contusion, but she suffered no facial fractures,” he spoke quietly. “Is her fiancé on the way?”

  Catherine sighed and shook her head. “I can’t seem to get in touch with him. When he gets here, I’ll let you know.”

  The doctor nodded, and what appeared to be disappointment crossed his face, causing Catherine’s breath to hitch.

  “Is the baby okay?”

  The doctor offered a slight smile. “She’s been asking for you. Why don’t you go in and keep her company until her fiancé arrives?” He patted her arm and quickly walked away.

  Catherine watched him for a few seconds and took a deep breath before opening the door with a flourish. “There’s my duchess! I’ll tell you what, the first thing we’re going to do is get your precious boots re-soled! No wonder you slipped and fell.” She picked up one of the leather boots sitting next to the wall and peered at the bottom of it. “There’s not but a scrap of leather on the bottom of these shoes.” She tried to be upbeat and animated while taking in Lauren’s bruised cheek that was starting to discolor.

  Lauren didn’t answer and looked away toward the unobscured window staring outside. Catherine put the boot down and dragged a chair right next to the bed and sat. “It’s not so bad, duchess. A little makeup will cover that bruise right up….”

  “It’s over,” Lauren whispered.

  “Pardon me?”

  Lauren closed her eyes and a single tear slid down her black and blue cheek. “It�
��s over. I’m spotting. The doctor believes I’m having a miscarriage.”

  Catherine clutched Lauren’s hand and brought it up to her mouth overcome with grief. She didn’t know what to say. “Bloody hell, Lauren. I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered hoarsely. Releasing her hand, she began to stroke Lauren’s honey hair. “How do they know? Did they do an ultrasound?”

  She nodded. “They also did a fetal heart scan. There was no sound.”

  Catherine swallowed hard. “Oh, God.” Her thoughts went to her brother. How was he going to take this news? He would be devastated, she was certain. “David will be here soon. He won’t leave your side for a second.”

  Distress was obvious in Lauren’s penetrating gaze. “How do you know Catherine? He’s not here now. Where has he been all day? Why can’t you or I get in touch with him?”

  “I don’t know but I’m sure he has a good reason.”

  Lauren sadly looked out the window again shaking her head. “The only reason he proposed was because I was pregnant.”

  “That’s rubbish and you know it! He loves you, Lauren. I can attest to that.” She continued to caress her hair. “There, there. You need to rest now. I’ll track down my brother and find out what’s been going on.” Hoisting her tired body out of the chair, she walked to the doorway. When she glanced back at Lauren a final time, she could see her shoulders shaking up and down as she cried silently into a pillow. A wave of empathy shot straight to Catherine’s heart, and when she got into the hallway, she brought her wrist up to her mouth to stifle her own cries.

  ***

  “Hello.”

  David turned his head and was greeted by a tiny girl with an English accent dressed head-to-toe in pink. She wore a pink tutu, pink leggings, pink sneakers and a pink jacket. Even the large bow tied to her dark ponytail was pink.

  “Well, hello there. How are you?”

  “I’m fine, thank you.”

  “Let me guess. Pink is your signature color?” He sat up straight and placed his cocktail on the table.