Time Stands Still (Forever and Ever #51)

by E. L. Todd

  “It was okay. How was yours?”

  “It will alright until my dad ticked me off.”

  “What did he do?”

  He sat at the edge of the bed and kicked off his shoes. “Brought up the pre-nup bullshit.”

  The subject had been breached once but never mentioned again. I sat beside him and let my thigh touch his. “I really don’t mind signing it. I won’t be offended in any way. I’m not with you for your money so I don’t feel offended.”

  “You aren’t signing it,” he said coldly. “You don’t need to sign it.”

  I understood Conrad’s insistence but I also understood his father’s. “Conrad, I would rather sign it than not sign it.”

  “You’re just doing it so my family will like you.”

  “No. I’m doing it so the world will know that I’m not with you for your money. I’m with you because I love you.”

  “Forget it.” He shook his head. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do but I’m not taking the bait. If I make you sign that pre-nup I would be an ass. We’re going to be together forever so there’s no reason for you to sign it.”

  “I really think it would give your family a peace of mind.”

  “Don’t care.”

  “I’m sure Cayson signed up when he married Skye.”

  “Not sure,” he answered. “But I highly doubt it.” He left the bed, his shoulders tense from the bad mood he was in. “I’m going to shower.” He wasn’t mad at me but he wanted his space nonetheless.

  Otherwise, he would have invited me to join him.

  ***

  I stood in the lobby on the ground floor and waited for him to appear out of the elevator. I texted him and asked me to meet downstairs without telling anyone I was there.

  Hopefully, he would keep his mouth shut.

  Mike emerged from the elevator and walked toward me with purpose. His shoulders were broad and powerful just like his son’s, and they both had the same terrifying eyes. They could easily be Roman soldiers if we were in a different time. “Everything alright, Lexie?” He looked at me with fatherly affection, more than my own father ever gave me.

  “Everything is fine. I just wanted to talk to you in private without Conrad knowing about it.”

  “That doesn’t sound good…”

  “He told me about your argument over the pre-nup.”

  “Oh…I hope you don’t take offense to that. It’s really nothing personal.”

  “I’m not offended at all. I told him I wanted to sign it but he refused to let that happen. So, I wanted to see if we could arrange something ourselves. We could meet with a lawyer and take care of it.”

  “Uh…” He rubbed the back of his head. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do but Conrad would be pissed if we did that behind his back. Besides, he needs to sign it.”

  “When we’re finished we’ll ask him to.”

  He put his hands in his pockets and sighed. “Lexie, I can’t do that. He would see it as an act of betrayal and we’ve already hit a rough patch before.”

  “This is all my doing. I just asked for your help. I’ll explain that to him when the time comes.”

  He continued to stare at me with hesitance.

  “Mike, I want to sign it. I’m not doing it out of obligation or pressure. I really want it to be abundantly clear I’m with him for the right reasons.”

  “Lexie, we all know that.”

  “But I still want to do it anyway. If we get the paperwork and I sign it and then we hand it over, he’s more likely to go through with it.”

  “Maybe you don’t know my son very well.”

  “I do, actually. And that’s what we’re going to do.”

  ***

  We met with Mike’s lawyer and went over the paperwork. Once we establish what was Conrad’s and what was mine—which was nothing—the draft was complete. I signed it at the bottom then placed it in an envelope.

  “Just submit that before you get married and you’re good,” the lawyer said.

  “Thanks for your time.” Mike shook his hand before he walked out.

  When we were on the sidewalk, he handed the envelope over. “You’re going to talk to him now?”

  “Yeah. He’ll be mad for a few days so I’d rather him sulk during the week instead of the weekend.”

  He chuckled. “I guess that makes sense.”

  “And I’ll make sure he understands you weren’t responsible for this.”

  “Well, I was. I set you up with my lawyer.”

  “But you didn’t instigate it.”

  “Let’s just hope he sees it that way.”

  We returned to PIXEL and took the elevator to the top floor. Mike returned to his office and winked before I knocked on Conrad’s door.

  “Come in,” he barked.

  I walked inside and saw him making notes on his iPad. He looked like a powerhouse in his expensive suit and tie. But that suit didn’t do justice to what was underneath.

  He looked up at me, and his stern expression changed when he realized it was me. “Hey, baby. Apollo hasn’t been good company today?” He left his iPad on his desk and came around to kiss me.

  “He’s always good company. But I wanted to come down and talk to you.”

  “About?”

  I pulled the envelope from my hand. “I know you’re going to be mad at me for doing this, but I need you to understand how much it means to me. This isn’t for you—it’s for me.”

  He eyed the extended letter without taking it. “I don’t like this…”

  “Open it.”

  He hesitated before he snatched it out of my hand. He opened it and skimmed through the lines. Once he understood the context he gave me a terrifying expression. “Lexie, what the hell?”

  “I want this. I’m not doing it for you.”

  “You’re full of it and we both know it. What? Do you think we aren’t going to last?”

  “I never said that.”

  “You’re implying it.”

  “I just want the world to know I’m with you because I love you—and for no other reason.”

  He threw the letter on the ground. “I’m not signing this.”

  “Sign it for me, Con.”

  “Fuck. No.” He marched back around his desk and fell into the chair. “Now get out of my office.”

  “Sign it.” I grabbed the letter from the ground and placed it on his desk. “Conrad, please. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with people thinking I’m some kind of gold digger.”

  “Who cares what people think?”

  “I do,” I said honestly. “Please don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”

  He rubbed his fingers across his chin as he stared at the letter. Then his eyes narrowed to terrifying slits. “Did my dad put you up to this? He’s making you do this, isn’t he?”

  “No. Your father would never do that.”

  “He’s a psychopath and we both know it.”

  “I’m telling you he had nothing to do with this.”

  He narrowed his eyes on the paper. “What a coincidence…my father’s lawyer.” He turned his suspicious stare on me.

  “I asked him to help me. Actually, I had to convince him. He wanted nothing to do with this.”

  “Don’t cover for him.”

  “Conrad Michael Preston.” I threw my hands on his desk. “I’m telling you the truth. I’m not lying to you. I would never lie to you. I’m telling you the truth as it is, okay? Your father had nothing to do with this and this is entirely on me. I want to sign this paper because it’s important to me. I already screwed up this relationship once and people don’t think I deserve you. So please let me do something to show the world I actually do deserve you.”

  Conrad’s anger disappeared instantly when he heard the passion in my voice. “Baby, you do deserve me.”

  “No, I don’t…” He’d forgiven me for all the things I’d done. It took him a long time to let me back in, but he deserved all the time h
e needed. He loved me enough to let the past stay in the past. No other man loved me enough to do that. “Let me do this. I want to do this.”

  He bowed his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “Lexie—”

  “I’m not marrying you until we sign that.”

  “You aren’t marrying me?” he asked incredulously. “Do you know how crazy you sound right now?”

  “Insane, yes. But I still want to do this. As a favor to me.”

  “I really think you’re overthinking about everything.”

  “I don’t. Besides, if we’re going to be together forever what does it matter?”

  “Then what does it matter if you don’t sign it?”

  I wasn’t prepared for him to throw that back at me. “Please. I’ll beg if I have to.” I pushed the document closer to him then grabbed a pen. “Come on.”

  He took the pen and eyed the paper. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” There was no doubt.

  He clicked the back of the pen and stared the line where his signature would do. “For the record, I don’t want to do this.”

  “I know. And no one even needs to know.”

  He pressed the pen to the paper but didn’t make a mark. “I really think this is stupid—”

  “Would you shut up and just sign it?”

  “Way to sweet talk me, baby.” He finally signed his first and last name across the paper. He dropped the pen and shoved the paper back at me. “There. Are you happy now?”

  I grabbed the paper before he could change his mind. “Actually, I am. Thank you.”

  Still disappointed, he shook his head. “Not the way I wanted to start off our marriage but whatever.”

  “It’s fine, Con. You’re reading too much into it.” I knew he would be pissed at me for a few days. I should probably stay with my mom in the meantime. Maybe I could take Apollo with me. “Well…I’ll see you later.” I shoved the paper into the envelope and turned to the door.

  “Whoa, hold on.”

  I turned back around, expecting another argument.

  “What are you doing two weeks from Saturday?”

  “Uh…” I didn’t have a clue. “Probably sitting in my pajamas all day with Apollo.”

  He rose to his feet, his watch catching the light. “You wanna get married instead?”

  A smile formed on my lips and the emotion caught in my throat. “Yeah?”

  “Hell yeah. You’ve got your dress so we’re ready to go.”

  “You think everyone will be okay with that?”

  “Are you kidding me? They would move mountains to be there. So, that date works for you?”

  “I’d marry you today, Con.”

  Now his eyes softened. “Then it’s a date.”

  “Yeah…it’s a date.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Silke

  It was three am when I woke up in the middle of the night.

  Arsen lay beside me, dead asleep. He was naked under the sheets because we made love right before we fell asleep. It was the slow and sensual kind, make up sex even though our fight ended weeks ago.

  My stomach cramped and I headed to the bathroom. I’d had the stomach flu for a while but I hadn’t thrown up. I didn’t have an appetite since I ate something bad.

  I sat on the toilet because I thought the problem was coming from down south. Still tired, I rested my chin on my palm and closed my eyes. Nothing happened down below and my stomach still clenched in pain.

  Then I felt it move up my throat.

  I quickly turned around shoved my face into the toilet. The unpleasant burn moved up my throat and I deposited everything into the toilet. I tried not to gag so Arsen wouldn’t wake up. I emptied my entire stomach then caught my breath. I hung over the toilet, my hair falling in front of my face.

  When I was finished I flushed the toilet and threw my hair into a bun. I wiped my mouth with the back of my forearm then brushed my teeth in the sink. When I was done I tossed my toothbrush into the trash.

  I got back into bed and Arsen didn’t stir. His eyes didn’t open and his quiet breathing continued. I glanced at the clock and knew I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep for a few hours.

  Hopefully, my stomach flu was finally gone.

  ***

  “I’m so excited for Conrad and Lexie.” Mom sat across from me at the Italian bistro. We usually met for lunch once a week. Dad was coming, but he was running late. “A wedding in Hawaii? It’ll be so nice.”

  “I know. Arsen and I are going to make a vacation out of it. Abby will love it.”

  “I’m sure she will.” She grabbed her menu and looked through the selections. “Your father better get here soon otherwise I’ll order without him.”

  I still hadn’t had an appetite. Food was disgusting to me, actually. “How’s work?”

  “It’s good and bad. Ever since I got promoted I have so much more on my plate. I’m thinking about taking a step down.”

  Whoa, what? “Really? But you worked so hard.”

  “I know but I’m out of the house early and I’m home late. Your father hasn’t pressed me on it but I know he’s not happy. He’s wanted to take a vacation for a while but I never have time.”

  “If that’s what you want…”

  “I love my job but I love my husband more. Besides, now I have a grandson I have to spoil and that’s a full time job.” She smiled as she examined my face. She most have unnoticed how thin I was because she said, “Honey, everything alright? You look really thin.”

  “I’ve had the stomach flu for almost a week now.”

  “Oh no.”

  “I threw up last night. Ugh, I haven’t thrown up since I got drunk at that—” I stopped talking when Mom narrowed her eyes on me. “Never mind.”

  “Do you have a fever?” She placed the back of her palm against my forehead.

  “No, I’m fine.” I grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm back. “It’ll go away.”

  “You’ve had this for a week?” she asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “What did you eat?”

  “Not sure but I think it was Panda Express.”

  Mom didn’t drop the conversation even though there was nothing else to say. “Silke, have you taken a pregnancy test?”

  “Mom!”

  “Have you?” she pressed. “When I was pregnant with you and Slade that’s exactly how I felt—to the last detail.”

  “Mom, I’m not pregnant.”

  “How do you know unless you check?”

  “I just—”

  “Sorry, I’m late.” Dad kissed Mom on the forehead before he sat beside her. “Wow, I’m surprised you didn’t order without me.”

  “Almost did.” Mom kept her eyes on me. “Silke—”

  “Mom, let’s not talk about this right now.” I grabbed the menu and buried my nose in it.

  “Oh no,” Dad said. “Is this one of those mother-daughter conversations?”

  “No,” Mom said. “Silke is an adult and we can talk about this. I think she’s pregnant.”

  And now we were all talking about it.

  “Silke, is this true?” Dad asked.

  “Mom thinks a lot of things.” I put down the menu because I couldn’t hide behind it. “I’ve had the stomach flu this week so naturally Mom assumes I’m pregnant.”

  “Do you still have it?” Dad asked.

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  “And she threw up last night.” Mom turned her look on Dad. “You remember how I threw up when I was pregnant with them? It’s the same story.”

  “Hmm…” Dad pressed his lips tightly together. “It’s possible. But you won’t know until you check.”

  “I’m not pregnant. I’ve been taking—” I loved my parents but I wasn’t having this conversation with them. “I’m not pregnant, alright?”

  “I still think you should take a test. You don’t want to drink alcohol if you’re unsure,” Mom said.

  “I’m not pregnant.”

 
Mom and Dad both gave me a firm stare.

  Talk about the third degree. “Okay, okay. I’ll check later. Can we have lunch now?”

  Mom finally backed off and looked at her menu.

  Dad glanced out the window, slightly awkward by the conversation.

  “Don’t mention this conversation to Arsen, alright?” I gave my dad a glare so he knew I meant business.

  “Sweetheart, I would never cross the line like that. If you are pregnant, you need to be the one to tell him—not me. It’ll be one of the happiest days of his life.”

  “It really will,” Mom said. “He’s wanted to have another child.”

  I was done talking about Arsen and I having babies. “What are you guys getting? I think I’m going to get a pizza.” I wasn’t hungry at all but I needed to change the subject—fast.

  ***

  I don’t know why I did it, but I bought a pregnancy test on my way back to the firehouse and peed on the stick in the bathroom. I let it sit on the bathroom counter as I pulled out my recent sculpture from the safe box. It still needed to be painted.

  I worked for a while at the work bench, but the pregnancy test kept coming back to my mind. I knew it was negative, but what if it wasn’t? What if I really was pregnant?

  Nah, not possible.

  I’d been on the same birth control since I was a teenager. It never failed me and it wouldn’t fail me now.

  The anticipation finally got to me and I walked into the bathroom to check. I took a deep breath before I grabbed the stick and took a peek. It was going to be negative.

  I just knew it.

  But it wasn’t.

  It was positive.

  It was fucking positive.

  My knees buckled under me and I plopped down onto the lid of the toilet, still holding the stick. My stomach clenched tightly in anxiety and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

  I was having a baby.

  I wasn’t ready for this.

  But it was happening anyway.

  ***

  I cleared the dishes and washed them in the sink. My mind kept drifting to that small little pregnancy stick I threw in my trash. A baby was growing inside me at that very moment. I just started a new career but I was going to have a baby instead.

  I wanted to have more kids with Arsen.

  But I didn’t expect this to happen now.

  I was hoping we would grow our family in a few years, when I was older. I was twenty-five years old. I was only halfway to thirty.