Scott: Triplets (Members From Money Book 13)

by Katie Dowe

  “I am pregnant,” she laughed shortly. “This is unexpected.”

  “It is totally the right time.” Marcia said as she leaned forward. “You are well due a family and now is the time.”

  “I am not prepared for this. My business is going well finally and I have invested so much time. I–”

  “A business cannot compare to a family!” Marcia told her sharply. “I have been practicing medicine for a long time now and even though I love what I do I go home and I see my husband and children and I am thankful for them every single day! My practice will one day pass on to something else but I will have those beautiful children and that man who makes me feel all tingly. It is something that is the most important to me, more important than what I am doing right now.”

  “Triplets?”

  “A complete family and at your age that is a blessing.”

  “He has not proposed to me.”

  “He will.”

  *****

  He arrived at her apartment several minutes after she got there. She had taken off her shoes and gone into the kitchen to make herself some tea. She was pregnant! She had only taken a few sips of the tea when she heard the doorbell. Taking a deep breath, she went to get the door. He had brought her flowers, lilies and white roses. “I was not sure what you prefer so I brought these.” His eyes searched her face as he held them out.

  “It’s daisies and tulips. But these are fine.” She took them and went to the kitchen to get a vase to put them in. She turned to see that he was near her. “How are you?”

  “Pregnant,” she wrapped her hands around her arms and held on. “You were right. “I am a month pregnant but I am not sure it is… I am not sure it is multiple pregnancies.”

  “It is,” he reached out and rubbed her hands with his. “I need this Kadine. I need us.”

  “Stop,” she whispered as she swayed towards him.

  “I can’t,” he whispered back. He lifted her into his arms and went to the sofa, sitting with her in his arms. “I am going to take care of everything. There is a doctor that is used by members of the club. I will make an appointment and we can go and see him.”

  “Stop trying to control everything,” she said helplessly.

  “I will try not to,” he whispered as he bent his head to take her lips with his.

  Chapter 7

  He took her to Doctor Whittingham the very next afternoon. Kadine had to admit that she loved the small town look of the health center and was very comfortable with the friendly doctor as he ushered her into the examination room. She told him that she had been examined already and he nodded as he told her to get undressed. To her consternation, Scott insisted on staying for the exam.

  “I am not going to be able to tell if it is multiple until the last part of the first trimester. So in a matter of two months I will be sure.” He said after he had done the exam. “You are definitely pregnant and it is four weeks. I am going to be giving you some vitamins and folic acid for starters. Scott tells me that you are not having any symptoms?”

  “Apparently he is the one having them,” Kadine swung her feet off the bed and sat there.

  “Interesting,” Doctor Whittingham said with a twinkle in his eyes. “I will be in my office when you get dressed.”

  He helped her to get dressed and knelt before her holding her hands. “Look at me,” he pleaded and when she did he continued. “I am going to be there for you every step of the way, I promise.”

  “You had better be,” she retorted kind of getting used to him being around. “Okay, let’s go I am starving!”

  He laughed and got to his feet pulling her into his arms for a tight hug. “Kadine,” he murmured softly. She felt when the atmosphere changed and her body got weak.

  “We can’t,” she murmured lifting her head to his.

  “I need to kiss you and I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.” His wheat blonde head swooped down and took her lips in a kiss that stole her breath and had her clenching her fingers into his sports jacket. It was a few minutes before they were able to leave the room.

  *****

  He persuaded her to fly back to the farm with him that weekend. “I want to share the news with Patsy and I want you to see the place in the spring.” He had told her so she had agreed. She had not told her siblings yet and was trying to find a way to tell them. Khalif was very protective of all of them so he would be the hardest to sell.

  “You have a private jet?” Kadine looked at him curiously as they approached the hangar where the planes were housed.

  “It’s more convenient that way. Sometimes, I have to do aerial views of the lands I have and it’s better than driving around. I am a simple man Kadine, not as complex as people make me out to be.” He told her seriously as he strapped her in.

  “I bet you are,” she muttered, feeling the warmth of his breath on her face.

  “I am,” his mouth lowered and he teased her lips lightly touching the bottom on with his tongue. Her hands snaked up to capture the back of his head and automatically deepened the kiss. It was a few minutes before he could drag himself away from her and settled back in his seat, his breathing ragged. He placed his trembling hands on the control and willed himself to stop the shivering. “Let’s go,” he rasped sparing her a brief glance.

  The trip was too short as far as she was concerned! He flew low enough for her to take in the spectacular view from above. The snow had melted in most areas and she could see the lush vegetation. He pointed out several parcels of lands that belonged to him and fruits and vegetables growing there. She had taken the opportunity to read up on him and discovered that he was quite a powerful man but a very low-key one. He had been featured only a few times with women but had never been exclusive with one of them. Kadine had found the information particularly pleasing for some reason.

  There was a car waiting for them the minute they landed and Scott nodded to the man as he took the keys from him.

  He drove the short distance to the farm in silence which suited Kadine fine as she was enjoying the view. She remembered the first time she had made the journey more than a month ago. The roads had been piled with snow and the place had looked so isolated. Now it looked green and lush. He turned into the cobbled driveway, making his way up to the front door. The place was brimming with activities with the farm hands walking the various animals and some pruning the leaves on the palm trees lining the driveway.

  Patsy was out front to meet them, a smile on her homely face. “Good to see you back my dear,” she said clasping her hands warmly.

  “Thank you Pasty,” she allowed the woman to lead her inside while Scott took her bags out. It was not yet ten in the morning breakfast had been finished with. “You must be hungry?”

  “Starving!” Kadine admitted with a rueful smile.

  “Should I set up the suite you had before for you?” the woman asked as she rang the bell for a maid to come.

  “That won’t be necessary,” It was Scott who responded. “She will be staying in my suite.”

  Patsy nodded and went to get them something to eat.

  “We had not discussed that,” Kadine told him with a tinge of exasperation. She was not used to anyone deciding for her.

  “Where else would you sleep except by my side?” he asked her mildly as he came to sit next to her. “I am not going to sleep away from you Kadine.”

  “I am going home Monday morning Scott,” she warned him.

  “We need to talk.”

  Scott–”she broke off as Patsy and a maid came in wheeling in a tray of thin sandwiches and tea along with juice.

  The minute Scott got a whiff of the chicken in the sandwich his stomach started roiling! He excused himself and went straight to the bathroom along the hallway. Kadine got to her feet and hurried after him as Patsy stared after them curiously. She found him sitting on the floor with his head against the tiles. She quickly took in the elegance of the half bathroom and the lovely strawberry color of the decor. She got down on he
r knees before him and his dark blue eyes opened to look at her.

  “Are you okay?” she touched his face lightly and he captured her hand placing it against his hair roughened jaw.

  “I guess our children are not fond of chicken,” he told her ruefully.

  “Does this happen often?”

  “Often enough, mostly with chicken and beef.” He kissed her palm lingeringly. “I am happy to share some of the pregnancy. I am privileged to be more than the one who fertilizes the eggs for our children.”

  “Stop trying to scare me Scott.” She said shakily. “I can barely think about one let alone three.”

  “I will be there and I will hire two nannies to each if that is what it takes,” he told her sincerely.

  “I might hold you to that.” She told him. “You feel well enough to go and explain why both of us disappeared from the room?”

  “Of course,” he grinned as he pulled both of them to their feet.

  He held her hand as they made their way back and Patsy got to her feet immediately, her blue eyes anxious. “Everything okay?”

  “We have something to tell you,” Scott indicated that she sat back down and pulled Kadine down onto his lap. “We are pregnant.”

  Patsy stared at him wordlessly for a moment and then at Kadine. Her smile blazed forth and she jumped to her feet. “Oh my word!’ she clapped her hands to her mouth. “Is it–”

  “Triplets? Definitely.” Scott said with a pleased grin.

  “We don’t not know that yet,” she sent him a retiring glance.

  “Of course it is! Uncle Blake knew Madge was having triplets from the moment she was pregnant and he had all the symptoms. “She looked at her cousin in amazement.” The same thing is happening to you?”

  “Yes.” Scott pulled Kadine closer to him.

  “Oh my word!” she exclaimed again. “This place is going to be alive with the sounds of children!”

  “I am trying to get Kadine to agree to be my wife,” he said softly causing the two women to look at him.

  “Scott–”

  “Kadine?”

  “I will go and see to the lunch,” Patsy said discreetly excusing herself. She stopped at the doorway. “I hope I get a hand in helping to raise them.” She added before leaving and closing the doors behind her.

  She turned to face him. “I cannot marry you.”

  “And why not?”

  “Because this is too sudden. I have a life back home and my business is there. You don’t expect me to leave all that, would you?”

  “You could uproot your business and run it from her. There are rooms that are not being used. Speaking of which, I need to take you on a tour of the place. We could decide on where the children will be and the colors.”

  Kadine jumped off his lap before he could stop her. “Stop doing that!” she said in exasperation. “We just met a little over a month ago. You are overwhelming me Scott and you need to stop.”

  He got to his feet slowly as if trying not to spook her any more than he was already doing. “I am sorry if you feel that way. I am in love with you–” he smiled at the look on her beautiful face. “You are going to discover that when I see what I want I don’t allow anything to stand in my way. I have thought about having a family briefly over the years but I have never met anyone that I want to start that family with. I saw you in the kitchen that night and I just knew it. We are in our forties Kadine and I am not saying that time is running out on us but we both need this. I am asking you to be my wife and promise you that I will be the best husband you could ever dream of.”

  “I need to go and lie down,” she muttered feeling a wave of tiredness coming over her.

  “I will show you to my suite.”

  “Okay.”

  “I will have one of the maids bring you something to eat.” He told her as he took her hand. “I will give you the tour later. I have something to attend to and also want to give you some space.”

  “Thanks.” Her eyes took in the decor as they went the roundabout way to his suite of rooms. The place was well kept and immaculate. He pushed open a rose-colored door that led into a sunken living room with parquet floor and a huge fireplace. He took her into the largest bedroom she had ever seen outside of a magazine. It had the same floor to ceiling windows and thick rugs strewn around the bed that was on a raised dais. The doors to a huge walk in closet were left open and she glimpsed shelves lining the walls and clothes hanging from hangers. “The bathroom is through there if you want to shower.” He kept her hand in his. “How much time do you need?”

  “To consider your offer of marriage?”

  “To be by yourself?” he corrected her.

  “About an hour.”

  “Good,” he nodded briskly. “I will be by to check on you.” He turned her to face him. “I want to give you the world.” He whispered and without another word he turned and left, closing the doors behind him.

  Kadine sank onto the sofa nearest to her. She felt like a freight train running off the tracks with no brakes to stop it from heading into the bushes below! He wanted to marry her! And move her home and business here to this remote slice of paradise to live and raise a family with him. He had said he loved her! How could he be in love with her after such a short space of time? She thought biting down on her bottom lip. This was not some fairytale, this was real life and surely in real life things like this do not happen? She had not said anything to her siblings yet! She sank back against the cushions and closed her eyes. It was too much to absorb. She definitely had a lot of thinking to do!

  *****

  “I had no idea you were even seeing someone let alone getting pregnant,” there was a frown on her brother’s face as he looked at her. She had video called him first knowing that he was the toughest nut to crack. “That’s not like you Kay,” he always made her feel as if she was a teenager growing up with him telling her that she had to be the best she could be.

  “I met him while on vacation. His name is Scott Taylor.” She almost laughed at the look on his very attractive face. Khalif Washington was the eldest of her siblings and was fifty-two but looked years younger. He had been a professional basketball player in college until he had injured his knee and had had to give up his dreams because of that. But he was in no way regretful about it now.

  “The same Scott Taylor who happens to be the billionaire organic farmer? That Scott Taylor?”

  “The same.” She said with a twinkle in her eyes. “He owns the health and wellness vacation inns all over the country.”

  “I know what he owns girl,” he said impatiently. “How did all this happen and what is his intention?”

  “Stop!’ she told him a little sharply. It was later in the afternoon and had come by and shared lunch with her before going back out. He had not asked her about his offer or said anything about babies but had simply shared lunch with her and told her a little about what he was doing. She was planning to go on a tour with later when she was not feeling so tired. “You might not have recognized it, Khalif, but I happen to be a grown ass woman who can take care of herself. I don’t need you to protect me.”

  He was out on the road so she was not able to talk to her sister in law and niece and nephew. “I am just looking out for you,” he grumbled. “When is the wedding?”

  “You are worse than Scott.” She said with a sigh. “I have not told Karen and Kandy yet about being pregnant and I have not decided on marrying him yet.”

  “You are going to need the help–” he broke off at the frown on her face. “Okay fine. You are grown and I need to butt out. Are you happy?”

  “I am confused. I am still trying to get used to all this. I am on his farm now and it is massive with acres of land stretching for miles.”

  “I have read about him. He is quite a genius when it comes to that sort of thing. He even has his own section in supermarkets with the name of his company on the packages of fresh fruits and vegetables. Doreen never buys anything else. She is going to be pretty psyc
hed to hear that you are both involved.”

  “I live to please,” Kadine said dryly. “How are the kids?”

  “Kelly is your typical moody fifteen-year old and Matthew is considering going into law. I cannot keep up with that boy.”

  “You were the same when you were his age so be patient.”

  “It is a lot of work Kay,” he told her seriously. “Marriage and children.”

  “I know.” She told him softly. “I will talk to you later.”

  *****

  He held her hand as they made their way across the grassy knoll and onto rolling fields with a dazzling display of leafy green vegetables. They had passed men working nearby and there was a tractor making its way across a nearby area. “This is called the turnip patch.” He gestured towards the vegetables as far as the eyes could see.

  “It is more like a turnip island,” she murmured as she looked around.

  He laughed and pulled her into his arms. “I have visions of our kids running around and pulling up the vegetables by the roots or trying to reach up and pick a fruit.” He whispered.

  She lifted her head back to look up at him and his dark blue eyes met hers. “You are doing it again,” she murmured.

  “I can’t seem to help myself. Patsy is so excited, she cannot wait to find out if it will be two boys and a girl or two girls and a boy so she can have the nurseries decorated but before that we want to plan a wedding right over there in the gazebo. We could rent some chairs and tables and have it near to the apple trees. I could fly your brother and sisters over and their families. There are enough rooms here for them to stay.”

  He had turned her to face him.

  “You are doing it again Scott,” she said weakly swaying against him in spite of herself.

  “I need you,” his hand drifted down to her flat stomach. “I need you to be with me and I am going to have a hard time letting you leave on Monday.”

  “I have to go.”

  “Then I am coming with you until you decide.”