“How long is this going to take?” Marco asked. “We have some papers to go over. And I thought you were done with that one.” His thumb gestured toward Luc.
A growl came from the sofa.
She shooed him toward the boardroom door. “I’ll be there in a minute. And I told you before, my personal business is my own.”
“Who the hell is that, and why is he kissing your cheek?” Luc’s voice was calm but his fists tightened in rage.
Careful girl. Patty had warned that she shouldn’t push Luc too far. Evidently, his temper had been in fine form in the bar. As a result, business was down so much that Ian insisted Luc take a week off to write a cookbook.
Ian had taken over the bar and he locked Luc out during business hours.
The idea had sent Ainsley into a fit of giggles, which wasn’t easy these days.
“Luc, that’s rude. He’s kind and considerate and he wants to see me happy, which is more than I can say for some people.” Her eyebrow lifted. “He’s also one of my business associates so put your claws back in. What is it you wanted to discuss?”
Luc ran a hand through his hair.
“I want to make things right. I said some things I regret and you ran off before I even had time to think about what was going on. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to talk to you about partial custody.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Partial custody? I tell you I’m pregnant, something you didn’t even want, and you want to talk about custody.” The last part was a bit screechy.
Her heart weighed heavy in her chest. She thought he was here to admit that he loved her and that he loved the children she carried. That they could have a life together. She couldn’t believe she had actually gotten her hopes up.
“Yes. I mean, no.” Luc frowned. “I tried to come see you the next day, but you had disappeared already.”
He leaned forward, picking up steam. “I made several trips to New York but you were always out of the country. And should you be flying all over the world? What if you eat something with bacteria in it, or pick up the measles in some third world country.” He pointed a large finger at her. “You put yourself and our baby at risk.”
She was surprised he hadn’t heard the other heartbeat. He must have really been worked up not to know she was carrying twins.
Ainsley crossed her arms over her ample bosoms. It was time to buy the next bigger size bra. “I wasn’t flying all over the place. I flew to Manhattan to take care of some business and now I’m back.”
“Still, you don’t look well. It’s obvious you aren’t sleeping or eating right. Your cheeks are getting too thin.” He leaned forward and grabbed his knees as if he were trying to keep from touching her.
Leave it to Luc to be the only guy who would complain about a woman getting thinner.
“I’ve been taking care of myself. I saw Doc yesterday and I’m going for a sonogram today. Everything is perfectly normal. So keep your opinions to yourself.” She stood and glared fiercely at him. A twinge hit her side and she grimaced.
It didn’t take much for her temper to rise these days.
“Sit down,” Luc ordered. “Please. I saw that look on your face. Are you hurting? Should we get Doc?”
“I’ll be fine, Luc. Please leave. I’m just tired.” It wasn’t a show. She felt light-headed, almost weak.
She sat down on the sofa and put her head between her legs. Why had she thought she could eat an entire pizza at lunch? That tomato sauce would be the death of her.
“Oh, hell. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Luc said, anxiously coming closer to her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him reach for her. But she waved him away. “I can’t talk about this right now Luc. Some other time, okay. Just not today. Please…just go.”
Because if you don’t leave right now I’m going to make a complete idiot out of myself and wrap myself around you until you tell me you love me
That wasn’t going to happen. He felt a sense of duty and that he had to do what was right. All she wanted was his love for her and the babies. But all he’d mentioned was wanting custody. His stupid sense of duty he felt for the children. Not for her.
“But I just want—I mean—to apologize.” Luc said. “Ains, please. I was caught off guard and facing the thing I feared the most for so long. I promise you, I won’t ever hurt you again. I swear it. Please, just talk to me.”
“It’s okay Luc,” She kept her head in her knees because she couldn’t look at him without crying. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.” She swallowed the dancing frogs in her throat. “You were as surprised as I was that day and neither of us handled it well. Your reaction stung, but I’ll live. I saw your true feelings that day. It hurts, but we’ll be okay. You don’t need to pretend you want us.
“I need to lie down,” she said. She hadn’t lied. She grew weaker by the moment. She had to get him out of there.
Luc paced back and forth in front of her. “Dammit. Tell me what’s wrong. Are you getting enough protein? And milk. You should be drinking a lot of milk. Did the doctors give you the right prenatal vitamins? Some of them are absorbed better than others. Even though your belly is bigger, the rest of you is thinner than the last time I saw you and I know that isn’t right.”
How did he know all that? Then she remembered, this wasn’t Luc’s first child. He’d confessed the pain he’d gone through when he’d lost his wife and baby. Given his past, was she being a bitch now? Maybe. She wasn’t intentionally trying to punish him but it didn’t matter. She had to think of herself and her babies now. She didn’t have the energy to spend on Luc and his demons. And she wasn’t about to saddle her kids with a father who didn’t want him. She was going to spend the rest of her life making sure the babies knew how much love a parent could have for a child.
“Luc, please. Go. This isn’t good for us.” Grabbing one of the pillows, she pulled it under her neck as she lay on her left side. The sofa was just big enough for her to fit. Once she was horizontal, the dizziness subsided but the pain in her side continued.
“Marco!” She yelled for her friend. He was only in town to help her settle in, but he’d taken on the role of protector. She need only mention something and he’d make it happen. He’d always been bossy—his partner sometimes saluted him when Marco was out of control.
“What did you do to her?” Marco screeched at Luc. “Out! Can’t you see she’s in a delicate manner? That poor woman is carrying your ba—a”
“Can you show him out,” Ainsley said softly. “Please. Luc, I don’t know about custody. Have your lawyer send the papers around and I’ll think about it. But if you ever cared for me at all, you’ll leave. Right now.”
Luc’s tan skin turned ashen, but he nodded abruptly and left. Shutting the double doors quietly behind him.
“Girl, that boy is hot,” Marco said, as he helped her put her feet on a pillow. After slipping off her shoes, he massaged her toes. Marco’s lover, who also worked at the gallery, had taken over in Los Angeles while Marco helped her figure out what she wanted to do with the businesses. She was really going to miss his foot massages.
“I’m pretty sure my panties melted as soon as he walked in the door.” She undid the first two buttons on the side of her pencil skirt.
“What do you think will happen?”
“I honestly have no idea, but I’m not giving up. I think part of me sort of hoped he’d haul me over his shoulder and take me home.”
Propping a pillow behind her back she scooted down a little further on the sofa.
“I would have cried,” Marco sighed.
When he hit the ball of her foot with his thumb, she closed her eyes. After she’d fallen apart on the phone when he’d asked if she was okay, Marco had flown straight to New York. He’d pampered her, made her get her hair done and forced her to get some new clothes. Hers had begun to hang around her. The doctors said it wasn’t unusual to lose weight the first trimester.
“He was so worked up, I never told
him I was having twins.” She shifted to her side and grabbed her belly. There was a small ache, a tiny twinge. She turned on the couch and there it was again.
No. Please, please.
The babies might be all she had from her time with Luc. She couldn’t lose them.
…
No way in hell.
That was his woman and his baby. Even if she didn’t want anything to do with him, and hell he couldn’t blame her, he would still make sure she and the baby were safe.
Luc sat down on a bench out behind the bar. Didn’t matter that he was the only one there or that snow floated like a feather pillow gone mad on his head.
The plan had been so simple. He would apologize and then they’d sit down and talk sensibly about getting married, and how they would split their time between Montana and New York. Luc could take on more consulting jobs with the FBI to bring in a little extra cash. They wouldn’t need it, but he wouldn’t feel right if he didn’t do his part to support the family.
She’d been so cold. Pleasant enough, but none of the fire he’d come to expect from her. It was if she couldn’t get away from him fast enough.
Could he blame her? Elbows on his knees, Luc felt about as low a guy could go. Well, he’d been lower but not at the cost of another human being. Two humans. God, she must have been scared out of her wits when she realized she was pregnant, and then like the ass that he was, Luc had yelled at her. Accused her of getting knocked up on purpose.
At the time when she needed him most, he’d let her down.
Luc might never forgive himself.
His cell rang, but he ignored.
Snow covered his hand and arms.
The phone rang again.
Dammit.
“What!” He roared into the phone.
“An ambulance just arrived at the house,” Ian said. “One of the women from the dress shop came into the bar and said she saw Ainsley being loaded into the ambulance.”
Luc took off on foot to the hospital, not even aware he ran full out in a suit and coat.
She’d seemed frail when he saw her. Her stomach had a bulge, but her arms and face had thinned. Pregnant women were supposed to get fat all over. He’d been reading copiously. When his son had been born, Luc hadn’t been around much. He’d been taking one assignment after another. This time, he wanted to be there, whether she wanted him or not.
He saw the ambulance as it pulled into the emergency area.
Running up, he nearly ran Marco over.
“What’s wrong? Is she okay?”
Marco stopped him at the door.
“Haven’t you done enough today? She was fine until you showed up and upset her. You need to stay away, especially now that she’s in the hospital.” Without listening for Luc’s response, he walked through the doors. .”
Luc stood there weighing his options. He had to know what happened to her but the idiot man was right. He’d upset her once already. If something happened to her or the baby – no. He’d been through that before he– no. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. What he’d been trying to avoid.
He pulled his cell out of his pocket.
“Ian here.” The tiger sounded like he was running.
“It’s Luc. I’m at the hospital and I…I don’t know what to do. I upset her earlier and I don’t want to make things worse but I have to see her.”
“I’m in here now,” Ian whispered. “I must have just missed you at the entrance. They’re wheeling her into surgery. What the hell happened?”
Luc leaned against a wooden post. If they were already wheeling her into surgery then that wasn’t a good sign. “I don’t know.” He felt defeated. “I tried to talk to her, but she told me to leave. You’ve got to find out what’s going on. It—I can’t lose her.” Luc’s voice was raw with emotion.
He’d known he cared for her, but until that moment, he hadn’t realized how much. Hell, it was a lot more than caring. Luc didn’t care if she tore his heart to shreds, as long as she was happy and alive. A world without her…no. She was tough. Whatever was going on she would survive. If she didn’t, Luc wasn’t sure he could live in a world without her.
“Hold on, the doc’s coming out and talking to that guy who came in with her.”
Luc held his breath while Ian put him on hold.
The bear in him wanted to climb the wall and find her. The man wanted to hold her tight, to tell her how much he loved her and their child. He might lose them both, and it would be his fault for upsetting her.
“Luc,” Ian said, “she and the babies are okay. Something about her cervix not being strong enough, but it’s a brief surgery and some bed rest. The doctor says the babies are healthy.”
Luc sniffled.
Thank, God.
She was okay. The baby was healthy. Wait. Babies?
“You okay?” his friend demanded.
Luc swallowed the huge knot in his throat. “No.” It killed him to say the following words. “I upset her, which set off this whole hospital mess. You go on up. Make sure she’s doing all right. I have some things I need to take care of right now.”
Ian gave his friend an odd look, but patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll check on her and let you know what I find out.”
“Thanks.” But Luc no longer listened. There was too much to do. The woman he loved was having his babies.
And she hated the very sight of him.
Chapter Sixteen
After Ian’s brief visit, Ainsley stared at the ceiling, her hands folded in prayer. She wondered if she were being punished for being so mean to Luc. The man was the father of her children and she should have at least listened to what he had to say earlier, instead of getting worked up and asking him to leave.
What had she accomplished exactly? Nothing. She’d upset them both and sent herself into premature labor. She’d never been one to play games so why had she? She’d learned her lesson.
Being away from him was making them both miserable. The way he’d cried out asking about her health. She heard the desperation in his voice. Maybe he didn’t love her, but he cared. He wanted her to be safe and for the babies to be healthy even if he no longer wanted to be with her romantically.
If ever there was time she needed a bear hug, it was now. Luc’s strength would help her get through whatever came next. And she wouldn’t be alone. Maybe it wouldn’t be an ideal relationship, but she and Luc respected one another. They could figure something out.
The pain crossed her lower extremities, this time more powerful than the last one. Where was Doc? What was going on? Machines beeped and whined around her. The patter of footsteps running down the hall, and then the slamming of the door.
Doc. He made it. “Thank, God, you’re here,” she cried out. “I’m so scared. Are the babies okay? I’ve been so worried—” She lowered her voice to a whisper “—that maybe the sonogram they took might show something …wrong. The other doctor did the exam, but he said he had to talk to you first, before telling me what he found”
“The surgery went fine, Ainsley. The babies are fine as well. We’re going to have to keep monitoring you throughout the pregnancy because the weight is too much for your cervix—the pressure is causing you to go into early labor. We’ve sewn you back up for now and have given you medication that will stop the contractions, but you’re still going to feel some discomfort. And you’re going to have to take it easy.”
Relief flowed through her at hearing her children were safe. Did Luc know?
As if reading her thoughts, the doc took her hand in his. “I saw Luc outside. Whatever happened, that boy looks like death. You must have torn him up pretty good.”
“I’m such an idiot. I need him. Now more than ever, and I did everything I could to push him away.”
“It’s all right, Ainsley. Luc’s tough. He can handle it. And few things are rarely so broken that they can’t be mended. ”
A sob escaped her lips.
“Awww, now Ainsley. Don’t you cry, every
thing is going to be just fine.” Doc patted her head. “Besides, I haven’t told you the good news.”
Ainsley couldn’t focus. Why was he smiling like that? She was scared to death.
“There’s good news?”
Doc’s face spread into a wider grin.
“Yep,” he said.
…
The bar was packed and business booming. Luc was more miserable than he’d ever been in his life. Through Keen, he was able to get updates. The word was Ainsley was out of the hospital and that she and the babies were doing well. They had been too heavy on her body, and she had to rest for a few weeks. But Patty promised, no bullshit, that Ainsley was doing great now. She grew stronger every day and the babies were healthy.
Luc kept telling himself that was all that mattered. Sure his heart was in tiny pieces and his soul a giant black hole. But he’d survive. Ainsley had made it clear that she didn’t need him in her life, so he had to figure out how to go on without her. But he refused to budge in one area. He needed to remember to put the call into Cody about the consulting job.
Luc didn’t want to leave Clarksville but he had to support his child.
And damn his sensitive nose, he swore he could smell her honey scent even though he’d scrubbed every inch of the bar three or four times. It was as if she’d become a part of the place and she wasn’t going to leave any time soon.
Damn he missed the woman.
“Boss, we need some more Shiner Bock,” Chris said. “Those bears from Texas have been through a case already.”
Luc grunted but headed to the cooler to pick up another case. “If they wanted Texas beer, why didn’t they just stay in Texas?” He grumbled to himself. There was a lot of new construction in the area and the bears seemed to be more than happy to hang out longer than they were welcome. It didn’t help that the Cub Club was the only bar for about sixty miles.
As he brought the case around he heard a commotion out in the bar. He wasn’t in the mood for any crap. Setting it down on the corner of the bar, he pushed through the crowd and stopped short at the sight before him.
Lions, Tigers, and Sexy Bears, Oh My! Page 13