Playing for Keeps

by Whiskey Starr

  Pulling out from her, he took off the condom finding the small trash can next to the grill. He walked over to Shelly who was now lying down on the soft grass panting with her eyes closed.

  “Come on, Red, let’s go to bed.” Picking her up he kissed her softly and headed to the room she was staying in. Once in the room he laid her down and set an alarm on his phone to wake early. He had the damn meeting with some lawyer and Scarlett. So many thoughts ran through his head but he let them drift as Shelly curled next to him. Closing his eyes he let sleep take him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Stop fidgeting,” Scarlett scolded him as they sat in the office of Fletcher Griffin.

  “I will stop when I know why we are here and not in your office,” he countered.

  “Just relax, okay.” He bit on his fingernail, something he hadn’t done since he was a teen. God, this really sucked. He had things to do today. Between helping Shelly move and working on the outline for the new CD. Pictures were going to be tomorrow and even that he didn’t like too much—all in the life of the rich and famous.

  “Sorry to keep you both waiting.” A younger man, who shocked them both, walked over to his desk and sat down.

  “Thank you for seeing us. Now can you tell us what this is about since you wouldn’t on the phone?” Scarlett was on a no nonsense roll today it seemed.

  “Well, as you are aware, Hunter Michael has been in some trouble lately and it has been brought to our attention information has surfaced that could damage the label and the band. We need to correct it and stay ahead of the game.”

  “Okay and what is this information?” asked Scarlett

  “It seems Jody Manis is currently pregnant with Hunter’s child.” All the air around him had been sucked out and he felt sick. There was no way, hell he always wrapped it when he slept with anyone, well, except the one time with Shelly but no, no way.

  “Bullshit.” Scarlett spat at him.

  “I’m afraid it’s her story. She is currently in her second trimester. We can force a paternity and have asked, she is refusing stating there are too many risks to do an amnio test. She was also at one of the band’s concerts. I hate to say this but she does have an NDA she signed and it’s why she came here first.” Fuck. Hunter knew he was screwed and now Shelly.

  “Well, he takes no claim over the child, she knew what she was getting into when she…”

  Hunter couldn’t do that and cut Scarlett off.

  “I will take care of her and the baby.” Both looked at him with wide eyes.

  “Hunter, there is no proof.”

  “Come on, Scarlett, you and I both know it could happen. Condoms are not one hundred percent effective, and I can’t do it. I’m better than my fucking sperm donor. I won’t be that man.” He knew playtime was over and it was time to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. “Where is she?” He wanted to see her, to see if he could remember.

  “She’s outside the office right now,” Fisher stated. Standing, he went to the door and opened it. There sat a woman he couldn’t remember. She was cute and looked like something he would go for. Skinny, except for a small bump he assumed was his child. She had on way too much make-up but then again so did everyone else when compared to Shelly. Her outfit did not look very motherly and it concerned him.

  “Jody?” he said her name and it sounded odd coming from him.

  “Hi, Hunter. Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” She waved to her belly.

  “I know.” He sat down next to her. He needed to know what she wanted and where she was living. He wasn’t going to be a deadbeat dad. No way in hell! He had the means and the resources to give his child everything he or she needed.

  She went on about how she was staying with her mom and brother in Texas. Right now she was waiting tables at some diner but she was out of state, he would need her close.

  “How about I put you up in a hotel until we figure this all out.” He tried to offer a reassuring smile but he felt anything but. He was dying inside. Her answering smile was bright and seemed too excited. He stood and found a piece of paper on the desk. He scribbled his cell phone number on it so she had it. “Call me later and let me know you’re settled in okay. Then we can go out for dinner or something.” Offering another smile and a glance, he left with Scarlett following behind.

  Once the elevator doors closed he wanted to punch something. But he kept his cool. Not even a word was spoken to Scarlett, he couldn’t and he didn’t know what to say anyway. At his car, Scarlett pulled him into a hug.

  “We will figure this out, Hunter. I’ll call the guys and let them know.” He nodded and climbed into his car. Once home he went right to his liquor cabinet and poured a large glass of whiskey. He didn’t know what else to do. The more he drank the worse he got. Everything was closing in around him. He’d lost Shelly, he had lost any chance of freedom. Sure he wanted kids someday, but he had to grow up too soon so he wanted to live a little. Fuck. Taking his glass in his hand he threw it across the room. Sinking to his knees he sat down and tried to black out the world as it closed in around him.

  *****

  Shelly tried to call Hunter and see how his meeting went but he didn’t respond. Joey had gotten a call but he took it in the office with Mickey. Both came out looking like someone died.

  “Hey, guys, everything okay?”

  “Oh yeah, Shelly, everything is fine. Hunter ran into a snag at the lawyers. Scarlett is taking care of it.” Joey offered a reassuring smile. She nodded and hugged Sky goodbye, she needed to leave before Milo got home. She was headed to her new apartment and with luck, Hunter would help her break it in. But it didn’t happen. He never picked up or texted her back. Maybe he was blowing her off, she knew it would happen but at least he could have called or something. She went to bed with a heavy heart. Waking up, she was happy to see there was a Starbucks around the corner. In serious need of a White Chocolate Mocha and a cookie, she set about her day. Once at the shop she placed her order and sat down to eat. It was a nice day out, she sat down pulling out her phone. She wanted to call Hunter but then she would seem needy.

  Pulling up Facebook she about dropped her phone when in bright colors was Hunter and another woman with words written plain as day. “Playboy turns into baby daddy.” It showed a close-up of the woman who was beautiful and skinny but did indeed have a baby bump. Fuck. Unable to stop herself, she tossed her cookie in the nearest garbage can and practically ran to her car not stopping to think until she came to Hunter’s house. Once she stopped and got out of the car, she started to bang on the front door.

  “Hunter, open the fucking door, damn it.” She hit it a few more times. Until she heard someone stumbling.

  “Fuck, what the hell! Oh shit, Shelly.”

  “Yeah me. What the hell, Hunter. You knocked someone up?” The words seemed to flow before she realized what she was saying. Tears started to run down her face.

  “She says I did but I swear, Shelly, I didn’t know. You know I always wrap it. But fuck.” She looked at him. He was hung over with dark circles under his eyes.

  “So what are you going to do, I mean what’s this mean for us?” She couldn’t stop herself from saying it.

  “I don’t know. You think I wanted this? I don’t know her, Shelly, really. But it seems I’m going to…I’m going to be a fucking father.” His voice sounded panicked now. “I can’t do what my father did to me, what so many did to us. I won’t do it, Shelly, not for anyone. It’s not the baby’s fault.”

  “So what, you’re with her now?”

  “No, yes, hell I don’t know. I know I have to get to know her or try to see what we can do for the baby.” Panic swept over her as his words made sense. He always told her he would never be like his parents and this was the responsible thing to do.

  “I get it, Hunter. I do. Good luck. For the record, I think you will be a great dad.” She turned and started to leave but Hunter reached out and grabbed her arm.

  “Sh
elly, don’t leave me please.”

  “You want me for what, Hunter? To be your mistress while you play house with some unknown chick who is having your kid. Thanks but no thanks.”

  “But I don’t love her.”

  “Well you better start to learn.” She pulled her arm out of his grasp. Running to her car, she didn’t want him to see her break. This was much worse than she thought. Going to the only place she felt like home. She pulled up and just as she lifted her hand to knock on the door, it swung open. Booker stood there looking pissed until he saw her.

  “Oh, Shelly.” He wrapped his giant arms around her and hugged her close. She started to weep as he brought her in the house where voices could be heard.

  “She found out.” It was Sky’s voice this time. Booker released her only for her to be in Sky’s arms letting everything out. She knew in her gut that something was going to get messed up. But never did she think it was going to be this.

  “Oh, Shelly, I’m so sorry.” It was nice to be comforted. But right now she needed a drink. It seemed to work for everyone else in the house. Fucking Hunter always screwed up things for her. Every time things seemed to be going okay he figures out some way to mess it up. It was the first time she admitted she fell for him, and she fell hard. She loved the big idiot and now he was having a baby with some skinny pretty thing.

  Booker came over and handed her a shot of something dark. Not caring what it was she took it all in one gulp. “Think it’s gonna be a long night,” Sky said as Booker moved away.

  *****

  Hunter still sat on his doorstep looking at the cars drive by and wondered if she would come back. He messed everything up. He didn’t want anything to do with Jody, but he had to. Life wasn’t going back to how it was. His phone buzzed and he pulled it out looking at the number. It was Jody. Damn.

  “Hello,” he said in a clipped voice.

  “Hey, Hunter, I was wondering if maybe you would want to go shopping with me. You know for the baby. I haven’t gotten anything and thought maybe you would want to.” Shopping. God, he hated shopping. Sure shopping at the store with Shelly was fun but it’s because she wouldn’t let him get Cookie Crisp and had to get bananas. But this was his life now. He had to deal with it.

  “Sure, I’ll pick you up in an hour.” He hung up and went back into his house. He looked down at his phone and wanted to throw it at something. He was such a coward, he should have told Shelly about the baby. Instead he didn’t and ignored her calls, hell he ignored everything hoping it would go away, but it didn’t.

  Walking back into his house he looked over at the piano and remembered playing several times for Shelly. Now those times were gone. Growling to himself he went and took a shower. He needed to face his new reality.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It had been over two weeks since she had seen Hunter and Shelly was determined to move on. She got tired of seeing him on the news media about the new rocker baby coming and what the odds were if it was boy or girl. Hell, she knew it might not even be his. But it didn’t matter now. She started working on several different homes, helping create a vacation home feel. Though she had wanted to work at various companies, she found she was working better by herself. After this last project, which was a simple outline and would be finished by the end of the week, she was going to take a break. It wasn’t hard to get things moving and done in a timely manner if you had money, and these people had money.

  Tonight she was going over to Sky’s for dinner. She was told Hunter wasn’t going to show up, he was either spending time with Jody, ugh…what a name, or drunk off his ass. Booker had helped her a lot. When he wasn’t suffering what seemed like depressing moments, he was funny. They went to the movies the other day to see the new Ninja Turtles which made both of them laugh. She wished she hadn’t, she loved the original one more, which then led to Booker saying he never saw them. So they were going to watch them and they wanted to include Milo.

  Pulling her car next to Sky’s giant SUV, she climbed out ready to help with dinner. Actually, she was making it. It was her way of thanking all of them for the whole situation. She could still feel the tension in the air when it was brought up. Thank God, Milo hadn’t said anything. In the kitchen she saw Sky working on a salad.

  “Hey, chicky.” She came over and gave her a hug, as did Scarlett who came out of the living room.

  “Here is the lasagna. It’s the largest one I’ve ever made. We might want to put it in the oven for a few minutes,” she said while she sat down and took the glass of wine Sky gave her. She smiled and took it.

  “So how’s work going?”

  “Oh, you know, work is work. Nothing really changing, well actually everything’s changing but I get to make it pretty,” she joked.

  “I guess you do. So are you taking a break at all? I hardly get to see you anymore and I would love to try to do something before I get too big and while Milo is at school.” Shelly smiled and nodded. Sky called everyone to eat and she pulled out the lasagna. She sat down with Booker on her right and Scarlett on her left. The front door opened and closed and she could hear a pin drop.

  “Hey, guys, sorry I’m late. I brought Jody so you all could mee…” his words stopped as he entered the room and looked at her. He looked as good as he had the first day she saw him. Well okay, not the first drunken time but the second time. He had the woman, who was Jody, standing behind him smiling with bright red lipstick on. Suddenly she wasn’t hungry.

  “I should go.” She went to stand but Booker pulled her down, draping his arm around her in an almost protective gesture.

  “I didn’t know you would be here,” Hunter said in a hushed tone.

  “I was invited,” she said in a way of explanation but she didn’t need to give one. She needed to leave. This was his band and she was an intruder.

  “Stay,” Booker grunted.

  Hunter watched as Shelly sat back down. Now this was awkward. He had wanted to introduce Jody to the band but he didn’t think Shelly was going to be there.

  “Here, sit here.” Sky and her impeccable manners seemed to win overall. Hunter smiled and Jody started to bounce with excitement. She was so young and the more he got to know her, the more he really didn’t want this with her. All she wanted to do was shop, have her picture taken, or meet other people.

  “OMG, this is like totally awesome of you all to have me here,” she said as she sat down. He wanted to look up at Shelly, but avoided her stare like the plague. He didn’t want to be sucked up into her bright green eyes again. If he did, he wasn’t sure he would be able to pull away.

  “Well it’s nice to finally meet you, Judy,” Sky said.

  “Oh it’s Jody, with an O. I keep telling Hunter we needed to meet sooner. I mean with the baby and all, I’m sure y’all would want to be take part.” She rubbed her baby bump.

  “So when are you due?” Mickey asked as he put food on his plate. Suddenly Hunter thought this was wrong. This was his family and to bring Jody was a bad idea.

  “Well I am sixteen weeks now so they say it’s what forty weeks, so I have, umm, hold on. I’m so bad at math,” Jody stammered.

  “Twenty-four weeks,” Shelly blurted out.

  “Oh wow, okay, there ya go. Wow you must be really smart,” Jody said to Shelly.

  “I have my moments.” Hunter cleared his throat. Trying to change the subject. He took a bite of the food and instantly he felt better. Damn, Sky knew how to cook a homemade meal.

  “This is amazing.” He looked at Sky who smiled but shook her head. Was he missing something?

  “Thank you.” He turned to look at Shelly who was now looking at him, except this time he couldn’t avoid her.

  “Huh?”

  “I said thank you. I made dinner tonight. Sky wasn’t feeling well so I volunteered. I’m glad you like it.”

  “Oh well it’s great, Red.” But as he said it he saw the sadness in her eyes, she turned away and started talking to Booker. It’s when he noticed Booker was
attached to her.

  “Uncle Hunter, are you having a baby?” Turning, he looked at Milo.

  “Yes, little man, I am.”

  “Why can’t you have one with Ms. Shelly? I like her better. The other one is weird, she is playing with Ms. Shelly’s food.” He looked over to see Jody was indeed picking and pulling apart her dinner.

  “Something wrong?”

  “Oh no, I just don’t want to get too fat, so I am pulling out the pasta and the cheese.” She kept moving it around.

  “You’re pregnant. You need to eat to feed the baby.”

  “I know and I will, but not too big. It’s bad enough I looked like a whale in those pictures this morning.” He didn’t know what to say and it seemed like no one else did either. They all ate in silence, not saying anything to anyone, Milo tried but Sky had let him take his dinner to his room and watch a movie. That hurt. Milo was his pal and even Sky didn’t want him around this fucked up mess.

  With dinner done, Jody went out to the backyard while he helped clean up. He wanted to talk with Shelly and Joey understood, pulling everyone away from the two of them.

  “Hey, Red.”

  “Don’t call me that,” she snapped as she spun spilling soapsuds on him from the wet dishes.

  “I will always call you that.”

  “Well just stop okay.”

  “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry for what, Hunter? That you’re a manwhore, I get it. I knew I was just a fling until you moved on to someone else.” The hurt in her voice was evident.

  “It’s not like that, Shelly. I didn’t want it or this. I, fuck, this is so messed up. I want you, Shelly. Not her but I can’t do it to the baby. I won’t be one of those parents.”

  “Well you could be a dad and not be with her.” Yeah, he thought about it too, but the fact was, he was afraid if the option was there, she would still hate him for having a kid with someone else.

  “I owe it to the baby to try to make this work, Red. Please understand.”