by Jessa James
“Thanks, Jeff. That was… insightful,” I managed to say as I pulled the door open and made a beeline for my office. I shut the door, leaned against the cool glass, and let the tears fall.
I worked through the rest of my morning, knowing that I should have just gone home because I got nothing done. I shuffled papers around, drafted a few emails, and cried in the bathroom. A lot. Carter had mercifully been gone all day, which meant Emma had been quietly working in her office. Nobody had bothered me, so I decided to keep working.
Within a few hours, I felt a little of the bitterness subside and I started to wrap things up to go home. Just as I sent a few last minute files to Carter’s desktop, Wyatt swung through my door with that heart-stopping grin on his stupid, boyish face.
“Hey sexy, how has your day been? I tried calling you yesterday but no answer,” he whispered, shutting the door quietly behind him. He snuck over to my desk and I stood too quickly as he got closer. I got a bit light-headed - all I’d eaten that day was a bit of toast and juice. Wyatt seemed to notice my struggle and looked concerned, stepping forward to grab my arms.
“You OK? You need me to get you anything?” he asked, but I jerked myself out of his grasp and moved towards my coat and purse, my heels clicking purposefully as I moved. I did not want to face him right now, I didn’t want him to try and kiss me again, and I most definitely did not want him to see me cry. Suck it up, buttercup, I told myself as I stuffed my things in my bag and turned towards the door.
“Tori? What the hell? Tor-” I cut Wyatt off by opening my office door and walked down the hall, keeping my chin up and my stride brisk. He won’t chase me at work, we’re not even an item, I assured myself. Apparently, just to prove me wrong, Wyatt nearly slammed my office door against the wall in his race to catch up to me, shouting, “Victoria!” as he came jogging down the hall.
Way to be inconspicuous, Preston, I internally shouted at him as I picked up my pace even more. People were walking into the hallway to see what the hell the shouting was about and I burned bright red. This was not going as I had planned. I turned to face Wyatt and bit out, “Everything is just fine, Wyatt. You can carry on with your life, not need to worry about me.”
The look of confusion on his face spurred me into more of a fury and I turned on my heels to leave. Jeff’s door opened as well and I steeled my gaze as our eyes meet. Hold him off! I basically screamed with eyes, and Jeff seemed to get the message. He nodded curtly at me, confused but still in Gentleman Mode. He stepped behind me just as I passed and his hands met Wyatt’s chest before he could close in on me.
“What the fuck, Jeff?” Wyatt bellowed, and I heard him try to push Jeff against the wall.
“Dude, let it go. We need to chat. Just let her go,” Jeff tried to whisper, but I could hear his words as I turned the last corner in the office.
“But… why?” I heard Wyatt ask, stilling. I tried to tell myself that I didn’t hear it, that it didn’t hurt my chest a little, but the truth was I did. I heard every word when Wyatt says, “I don’t understand. What did I do wrong?”
Nothing, Wyatt. You just don’t want me, and I felt myself crumple a little. The tears fell as I walked to the curb outside the office and flagged down a cab. I’m having a baby. Alone. Just like I wanted.
Chapter 6
Wyatt
Jeff still braced me by the shoulders, not quite looking me in the face as he held me back. Held me back from Tori, I thought as the confusion swept over me. What the fuck did you do this time, Preston? But I was coming up blank. I had no idea what I did; I thought we were having a great time. I thought she was falling for me. I was giving her space… Fuck! I shoved Jeff off more violently than I intended to, his left shoulder hitting the wall with a hard thud that was definitely going to leave a mark.
“Take it out on me if you need to, Wyatt, but you can’t go after her. Everyone in the office will think you’re psycho and I can’t handle Damage Control right now. Just come in my office. Please,” he added as he took in my shattered appearance. I knew I look like a freshly-kicked puppy but I couldn’t bring myself to put on the machismo. She fucking left. Tori doesn’t want to see me.
As he shut his fogged glass door behind us, Jeff leaned against the cool chrome handle and said, “Care to share what the fuck that was all about?” I blew out a breath and started pacing - I had no idea and didn’t even know where to start.
“All I know is that we were having a great time after… you know. Her birthday. Keeping it on the down low because we aren’t sure about the company policy, but having fun. Sexy texts, ass grabs in the hallway, shit like that. Then today, I come into her office and she won’t even look at me. It’s like she entirely changed how she felt about me in less than 24 hours, and I wasn’t even around to fuck it up!” I let out a strangled breath and kicked over the angled, plush chair in front of Jeff’s desk.
I was looking for something else to knock over when Jeff cleared his throat and I looked up. He wouldn’t meet my eyes and that wavy black hair was a bit like a shield between us. He looked guilty.
“Jeff? What the fuck, man?” I approached him slowly, squaring my shoulders. I swore to God, if he hit on Tori, I’d kill him. “What the fuck did you do, Jeff?” I felt the anger start to sizzle in my gut and knew he was damn lucky that we were at work or I’d throw him to the ground right then.
Jeff finally looked up as he brushes his hands through his hair, taking a slow breath in and out through his perfectly-shaped nose that I was considering messing up. “OK, so don’t get pissed, but Tori came by earlier tod-”
“What the fuck did you do, Jeff!” I bellowed and got as close to his face as I could without head-butting him. I didn’t think he had ever seen me this pissed and he looked equal parts violent and anxious.
“I didn’t do anything, jackass. Get out of my face.” I took a step back but didn’t lay off the intimidation techniques. “She came by today asking about you and I told her a little bit about you. About how she’d be lucky to have you. How you had a rough past but you’re solid now. You’re a good guy. That’s it, dude. I swear.” He sighed out a long breath, clearly feeling slightly better after this confession. I sure as shit didn’t feel better, though.
“That’s all good shit, Jeff. That’s not going to make her stop wanting to be with me. What the fuck else did you say? Did you tell her about me going off the deep end in college? What did you say?” I emphasized the last question with a strong shoulder shove, making his head smack against the glass of his door. He looked like he was about to bash my head in for my efforts and I welcomed the challenge. Fucking fight me, Jeff. Bring it on.
He seemed to register that picking a fight with me would be a terrible idea and instead widened his stance and crossed his arms. “I told her that you had talked about her since Day 1, that you thought she was amazing. I said the only other thing you ever talk about that much is kids and how much you want a family… But really, man, there’s nothing else.”
Jeff spread his hands wide in attrition, not noting the spark of recognition that flared in me. Kids? Family? “Jeff… what exactly did you say to Tori about me wanting kids?”
“I said that the only thing you talked about more than her was having a family and how you’d always wanted kids of your own so that you could show them what love really was. That’s all good shit, Wyatt. I don’t get why that’d freak her out? Does she not want kids?”
“Fuck, Jeff! She wants a baby. Like right now! That’s what started all of this! She was going to a sperm clinic and I offered… an alternative. That’s why we hooked up. She must think that-”
Our discussion was cut short as Jeff’s door attempted to open and instead met squarely with the back of Jeff’s head.
“Shit!” Jeff exclaimed as he stumbled forward, rubbing the back of his scalp. The door attempted to open again and this time, it was Carter standing on the other side, looking pretty pissed off at being denied entry.
“What are you two ladies squ
awking about in here? Where the hell did Tori go?” Carter demanded, looking from me to Jeff and back with that steely, no-bullshit gaze. Carter’s eyes settled on me in a way that let me know that I was the prime suspect in Tori’s exit from the office. I cleared my throat and looked at a spot just over Carter’s shoulder because I was a total chicken shit.
“Sir, I’m not sure where she went, but she’s mad at me. I need to go find her, but I don’t think she’ll talk to me right now. It seems we’ve had a … pretty severe miscommunication, courtesy of my buddy Jeff over here.” I emphasized that last part by staring daggers at Jeff. He rolled his eyes and threw up in his hands in defeat.
“Carter, I guess I fucked up,” Jeff began, looking at his brother sheepishly. “Tori came to me today asking about Wyatt and I guess I said some things about him that freaked her out. I thought they were all good, braggadocious things would make him look good, but my friend here has just pointed out my huge mistake.” Jeff looked at his older brother, appearing a little childish in such close proximity to the alpha male that was Carter.
Carter looked between us again and bit out, “I don’t give a fuck about what you two are talking about, I care about my assistant. She has worked for us for a decade and I’m not letting a little boy ruin that for her or for us. Now what the fuck is the problem so we can get her back here?”
I was burning bright red, knowing that I was going to have to own up to fraternizing with Tori. I didn’t want to get her into trouble, but I wanted Carter to understand that I was not giving up on this relationship. There’s not a chance in hell.
“Sir, Tori and I… we, uh… we sort of slept together. On her 30th birthday. It was supposed to be just a fling, but I think we both fell for each other. Jeff here was trying to make me look good today when Tori asked to know more about me, but ended up telling her that all I really want is a baby - a family. Not a woman, or a girlfriend. Or a wife.”
Jeff’s head snapped up to meet my eyes, his face shocked and tense. Yeah, dude. It’s that serious. Carter looked skeptically at me, sizing me up for the first time since I walked into his office for an interview almost three years ago. I suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious and realized just how young and idiotic I must have looked to him.
“Listen, Mr. Buchanan, I know… I know that Tori is important to you and that you’re protective of her. I know you don’t want to lose her as your assistant or as Emma’s friend. I get all of that, but you gotta hear me out. I need your help getting to her before shit really hits the fan.” I had my hands up in placation or surrender, I wasn’t entirely sure which, and I was laying it out for this guy who could kick my ass in three seconds flat if he wanted to. But he continued to stand there, his arms clasped behind his back, looking like a dad about to dole out punishment.
“First of all, Mr. Preston, I don’t know you and I don’t particularly care to. I do, however, care for Victoria. And so does Emma, which makes this a particularly precarious situation for me. Explain to me why in the world you deserve someone like Tori and maybe I’ll help you get to her,” he finished with a slight shrug of his massive shoulders. Challenge accepted, Carter.
“Ok. Ok. Fair enough,” I conceded and began to move towards Jeff’s panoramic windows that gave a great view of the city.
“It starts like this. I’ve got a fucked up past, right? Dad gone before I’m old enough talk, Mom high on drugs every day. I’m barely in 2nd grade before my mom ghosts and I go into the foster care system. Shitty place to be, you know?” I didn’t look at Carter or Jeff, I just kept walking and talking.
“The only thing that held my shit together when I was in the system was caring for the kids that were younger and more scared than I was. I’d stay up at night, singing to them. I’d help them with homework. I’d beat the shit out of the bullies at school for them. They became the thing that kept me going.”
I stopped and look at Jeff when I said, “Once I left the system and got into college, I sort of went off the deep end - I started doing drugs, drinking, trashing the school library when I snuck in. Stupid shit. And your brother here pulled me up by my toes and got me on the right path. Then you hired me here and on my second day in this office, I walked by this woman with the most gorgeous eyes and the sexiest walk I’d ever seen.”
I moved my gaze from Jeff to Carter and broadened my stance, puffed out my chest. Just thinking about Tori made me feel… like a man. “And I fell head over heels for her. Jeff had given me the keys to my future, but here was my future, walking by me in the halls on her way to the copy machine. Ever since that day - almost three years ago - I’ve been crazy for her.”
Taking a deep breath, I continued. “Tori and I, we… uh, slept together. I overheard her saying she was going to visit a sperm clinic this year, that she was ready to have a baby, man or no man.” I noted that Carter’s eyebrows kick up a notch - this was clearly news to him.
“Now that you know how I have always felt about her, you can see why I took issue with that. Not only do I worship the ground she walks on, but I wanted a family, too. It just seemed… too perfect. So I made a move. And now, she thinks that I only made a move because I wanted a baby more than I wanted her.”
I let my head droop and my arms fell to my sides. I had no fucking clue how I was going to fix this. I didn’t even know if she’d give me a chance to explain. But I knew that I needed Carter on my side if I was going to win my woman over.
“Carter, I’ve never wanted anything more than I’ve wanted Tori, and I’m willing to do anything to prove it to her. Baby or no baby, I want her. Just her. I gotta go get her, man.” I finished my soliloquy lamely, looking at Jeff for reassurance. He still looked blown away, like he can’t believe his shitshow best friend was capable of complex sentence structure. Thanks for the support, bro.
Carter was looking at me appraisingly again, this time focusing his attention on my face more so than my body and my clothes. His cunning eyes seemed to recognize the seriousness in my gaze, the gravity of my confession. Once he was done, he cleared his throat and looked at Jeff.
“Well, little brother, you seemed to have stepped in it once again. I suggest you help your friend clean this mess up. Preston, go get Tori. Jeff, try to call her at home to make sure she’s there.”
I did a little side shuffle in my excitement and clapped my hands together, almost bowing to Carter in my gratitude. “Thank you, sir,” I exclaimed as I bolted for the door.
Carter blocked my way and stood up to his full, intimidating height. “Oh, and Preston? If you fuck this up or hurt Tori in any way… Jeff will be the one to fire you.”
Great, I thought, but I couldn’t dwell on the threat too long. Tori, I’m coming to get you, I declared as I grabbed my suit jacket and headed for the office’s front door.
Chapter 7
Tori
The steam from my tea swirled around my mug, the string wrapped around my finger so I could stir occasionally. It had only been a couple of hours since I stormed out of work, but I felt a few years older, a few decades sadder. There was another pregnancy test sitting next to the original three in my bathroom, keeping the others company as I thought about what I was going to do. I wanted to tell Wyatt. I wanted to tell everyone, actually. But mostly, I wanted Wyatt. Just Wyatt. And I wanted him to want me, too.
Jeff’s words were still ringing in my head - He’s never wanted anything as much as he wants kids. I could almost feel the touches, kisses, and pleasure shared between Wyatt and me as they began to erase. They didn’t count; they meant nothing to him except trying to produce a child. Maybe another woman would be ecstatic to find out that her lover wanted a child, but I wanted more than a baby daddy. I wanted a man. I wanted a partner. I wanted a husband. I shook myself roughly, refusing to let the tears fall again.
As I rocked myself gently on my porch swing, I thought about what the weather would be like in nine months. Hot, probably. Sunny, slightly muggy. The baby would have to wear just his or her diaper most of the tim
e. The thought made me smile. Who didn’t love a cute baby butt? As I was considering all the things I’d have to buy for myself and the baby, I heard a vehicle approaching from around the corner.
A red SUV pulled into the driveway - the last red SUV I wanted to see at the moment. Wyatt, my brain thought, and my body responded. My hands, of their own volition, began smoothing my hair. My spine straightened, my breasts came to attention. My brain screamed at me to get a grip, but my body just didn’t care. My body wanted him. My brain did too, but it was smarter than that. I stood as Wyatt slammed the car into park and basically leaped from the driver’s seat.
He looks upset, I noted as I moved to the edge of the porch. I put my tea down and stared squarely at his approach. His black suit was cut perfectly, the cuffs on his pants stylishly pinned. His combed-back hair made him look like a ‘50s bad boy without all the grease and God he was just so sexy. I bet our baby is going to be beautiful. The thought comes unbidden and my chest tightened. That’s probably all he wanted. A beautiful baby to call his own.
I shucked off the urge to cry and glared at Wyatt. As he approached the foot of the stairs, I realized he was glaring back. He’s furious, but what the hell does he have to be upset about?
“Why the hell did you run away, Tori?” Wyatt demanded, his arms out wide in frustration/ His ocean blue eyes were flat, almost dead. I felt bad for making him feel this way, but couldn’t bring myself to explain.
“Tori! Talk to me!” he continued to demand and he put his foot up on the first step. The encroachment on my territory stiffened my backbone and I said, “Wyatt, please just leave.” He looked slightly discouraged but not beaten as he met my gaze. He visibly softened and lowered his hands, placating me.