His Billion Dollar Baby

by Lea Nolan

  She took a deep breath when they whooshed shut. “Wow, that was…interesting.”

  Not nearly as interesting as the conversation he’d have with Devon on Monday morning. But that was in the future. Right now he was with Gwen, and he wanted to savor every moment. “I know he comes off a little brash, but he’s devoted. Both to me and the company.”

  “That’s good. I guess. I’d hate to be his adversary. And considering what he said about your Friday nights, maybe I wouldn’t want to be his friend, either.”

  He chuckled. “Nah, Devon keeps me straight. He’s the best kind of friend to have.”

  Despite his response, her question lingered. Had Gwen taken Devon’s words to heart? He hoped not. The last thing he wanted was to add to her impression that he was a ladies man. It now mattered what she thought of him. He didn’t want her to believe he was shallow and opportunistic. His recent reputation may have been deserved, but it was an anomaly, a reflex reaction after being released from five years of Deandra hell. The real Carter Anderson wasn’t a philandering playboy. Suddenly he wanted Gwen to know the real him, or at least the man he wanted to be once again.

  “Hey, we’ve done enough for today. Do you want to get out of here?”

  She looked back at the computer and the still unfinished design. “Okay. Where do you want to go?”

  He grinned. “How about the duckpin alley?”

  …

  Carter knew it was just a matter of time before Devon tracked him down. He’d done his best to avoid his best friend’s calls on Sunday and Monday, but there were only so many meetings he could attend out of the office. By Tuesday afternoon, he had to stop in to pick up some documents that were ready for his signature. Hoping to grab the contracts and go, he instead found Devon stretched out in his chair, feet sprawled across his desk. Cornered.

  Devon crossed his arms. “Did someone change your schedule and not tell me? Because I was pretty sure you worked all week and stayed home on the weekends, not the other way around.”

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “Yeah. With Gwen Radley. Care to fill me in on that little development? Because I think I’m missing something.”

  “It’s not what you think.” Carter sat in the visitor chair on the opposite side of his own desk.

  “Really? Because from where I’m sitting it looks pretty screwed up. As in so screwed up you’ve stooped to some serious shit I never imagined you’d actually do.”

  “Exactly, which is why it isn’t what you think.”

  Devon yanked his feet off Carter’s desk and leaned forward on his elbows, narrowing his eyes. “You’re not wooing this woman to get her to sign over the proxy of her unborn kid’s corporate shares?”

  “No. Well, sort of. At least not any more.”

  Devon shook his head. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Carter ran his fingers through his hair. “At first, yes. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. If I made her fall in love with me, it would be much easier to get her to sign the proxy paperwork. But…”

  “But what?”

  He drew a deep breath. “Things have gotten…complicated.”

  “Complicated? As in, she hates you so much there’s no chance she’ll ever sign it? Because that would be bad.”

  “No, it’s nothing like that.”

  “Then what is it?” Devon scratched his head. “I gave you those forms six weeks ago. What’s taking so long?”

  “Things have…progressed between us.” That was an understatement. How could he explain how relaxed and free he felt around Gwen? How beautiful and desirable she was?

  “Progressed?”

  “Yes, so I’ve got to be delicate in how I ask her.”

  “Dude. You know you’re killing me, right?” Devon stood and walked around to the other side of Carter’s desk. “I don’t know if you realize what’s going on here, but the China deals have hit a serious snag with all their damned bureaucratic red tape. We’re running out of time. That kid’s going to be here before the agreements are finalized. And you know what that means, right? No proxy, Gwen gets a third of the say in every decision we make. And maybe she and Judith will derail all our plans.”

  Jutting his jaw, Carter rose to his feet. “You don’t have to explain the implications for my company. I know exactly what’s going on. And what I’m doing.”

  “Really? Because it looks like you’re putting your own needs in front of Work It Gear’s.”

  Carter stepped toward Devon, rage filling his chest. Who the hell did he think he was talking to? “You know that’s not true. Everything I’ve ever done has been for this business.” He slammed his fist on the desktop.

  Devon’s nostril’s flared. “Then stop screwing around and get the proxy paperwork signed.” He brushed past Carter and headed for the door.

  His council had a point, but Carter wasn’t about to be pushed into anything that might ruin his chances with Gwen. “I will. When I’m damn good and ready.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  No matter how hard she tried, Gwen couldn’t stop thinking about Carter and all the time they’d spent together. In her quiet moments, in between patients, and at night before she fell asleep, her mind flashed back to the design lab. The memory of his strong body wrapped around her back ignited yearnings she wasn’t sure she’d feel again, at least not until her child was old enough to be shipped off to college.

  She had wanted Carter so badly, and had thought she’d seen the same in his gaze. But that was ridiculous. Wasn’t it? Sure, they enjoyed each other’s company, but he had his pick of Washington’s elite women. How could he be interested in a former foster girl with a swelling belly? That question would remain unanswered, if only because Gwen intended to stay focused on their project, and out of arm’s length.

  And that’s what made Carter’s question the following Saturday evening so difficult to answer.

  “Hello? Earth to Gwen.” He leaned across the work table in Work It Gear’s design lab and smiled. “I said we’re done here. Do you want to grab dinner? We could go someplace nice.”

  She’d heard him the first time but was struggling to answer. The term “someplace nice” reminded her of his first attempt to take her to Bezu, the fancy French restaurant. In her standard workout clothes, she wasn’t dressed for a decent eatery. But they’d been working all day fine-tuning the stabilizing design and running bio-mechanical computer tests. It was time to eat. Their casual carry-out lunch had worn off a while ago and now her stomach was rumbling. Well past the halfway mark, she’d finally learned to balance her eating. The morning sickness was long gone, but she still needed to nibble every few hours to prevent getting lightheaded or nauseous.

  “We could just go home instead. I’m sure Loretta’s planned something for us,” she finally answered.

  “I doubt it. Thanks to you and Dad’s terrific progress, Mother’s attending another charity event tonight.” The wonder was evident on Carter’s face. Even though she administered physical therapy for a living, she, too, was astonished by Rocky’s improvement. And now that he was determined to get better, she had no doubt he would.

  Carter continued, “I’m sure she told Loretta not to bother. Come on, I know a great little place just down the road.” He scooped up his papers.

  She stood, stiff and already awkward. “But I’m not dressed for someplace nice.” Then gestured to her stretchy pants and lycra top. Unless he was thinking of a combination restaurant-yoga studio. Then she’d fit right in.

  He grinned. “Sure you are. Don’t you know some of the best places in town are dives?”

  …

  When Carter pulled his shiny black Jaguar into the uneven parking lot, Gwen gasped. He wasn’t kidding. City Barbecue was more than a dive, with its rusted aluminum siding and stilted front porch it, was little more than a shack.

  She looked at him. “I’ve got to admit I’m shocked.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, you’re the king
of fancy cuisine. It’s a little hard to imagine you’d actually pick this place on your own.”

  He took mock offense. “Hey, I’m not as stuck up as you think.” She hitched her brow and he threw up his hands. “Okay, I confess, I found it on the Internet, but it’s supposed to be great. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  “I don’t.” She yanked the car handle and stepped out of the car.

  The rich, hickory barbecue scent wafted from the smokestack to her nostrils. It was divine. Her mouth watered. Then something fluttered in her tummy.

  “Oh.” Her hand flew to her abdomen.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked as he jogged around to her side of the car, his voice filled with concern.

  “Yes.” She beamed. “I think I just felt the baby kick for the first time.”

  “Really?” He gazed at her expectantly.

  “I’ve been feeling something strange for the last week or so, but wasn’t sure if it was hunger pangs or something else. But that was pretty obviously a jab.” Gwen moved her palm around her midsection, pressing ever so slightly. “And there it was again.” She giggled. “Do you want to see if you can feel it, too?” She held out her hand to him.

  Carter looked like a deer caught in front of a semi-truck. “Uh, sure. I guess. O-okay.”

  “Ooh, there was another one. Quick! Before it stops.”

  He awkwardly stretched out his fingers. She grabbed his hand and placed it firmly against the lower half of her swell. Obediently, the baby thumped back.

  His jaw dropped. “There’s a baby in there.” His expression morphed from one of astonishment to something she couldn’t quite make out. Was it sadness?

  “Of course there is, silly. In fact, I think it’s a girl.” She moved his hand once more to follow the fleeting movement, but the little bundle was done entertaining them.

  She suddenly realized her hand was gripping his. This was a clear violation of her vow to steer clear of him. Caught up in her enthusiasm about the baby, she just wanted to share her excitement with someone, anyone. Was it so horrible that person was Carter?

  In that moment, Gwen understood how deeply lonely she was. It struck her like a hammer. Growing up as a foster child she was used to squelching her need for love in order to be strong, independent, and alone. It was her armor against heartbreak and sorrow. She’d worn that protective covering as an adult, too, limiting her relationships to a select group of people, usually those in her immediate circle.

  She had Stan, but he’d come into her life late and was more of a grandfather figure. Emerson was her best and only friend because they’d met in graduate school and started at Walter Reed together. They talked about work and his revolving-door relationships, but really nothing more. She’d lost track of the people she’d met in college and the scores of others she’d lived with in the foster system. As for love, though she’d dated, she’d never experienced a real, deep, and abiding match. Until now, that hadn’t bothered her. It wasn’t as if she thought those sorts of connections actually existed outside of movies and romance novels, at least for people like her. But she’d just experienced the first tangible proof of her baby’s prenatal existence and vitality and wanted to share it with the world. Too bad she’d shut out the world a long time ago.

  Carter slipped out of her grasp. “Shall we go in?” He looked as if he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

  Unbidden, her eyes misted and her throat tightened on a sob. “Forgive me. I’m a little…emotional.” Her palms flew to her face and she pressed down on watery eyes. “God, what’s wrong with me?” How could she go from euphoria one moment to public crying the next? She was usually so in control.

  “Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones. I hear they’re pretty wicked.”

  “Yeah, that’s it.” She laughed and sniffed at her now runny nose. “I’m a crazy pregnant lady.” She looked down at the cracked pavement and shook her head.

  “That’s not what I mean.” He reached out and gently lifted her chin. “Hey, this is an emotional experience. Feeling your baby for the first time has got to be one of the most special things in a woman’s life. Don’t be embarrassed by it. Embrace it.” His smile was warm, filled with compassion and understanding.

  “Thanks.” She nodded, her heart filled with a mother’s protective love and pride. Collecting herself, she took a deep breath and said, “Hey, how about that dinner? I’m starving and it smells delicious.”

  Inside, they got a table right away and an overly friendly waitress brought them some menus. From the way she ogled Carter, Gwen suspected their waitress wasn’t normally so attentive to her customers. The service with an extra-wide smile was purely for his benefit. They ordered pulled pork sandwiches, sweet potato fries, corn on the cob, and two side orders of macaroni and cheese and collard greens. It was more than she normally ate in a sitting but the menu looked so good, it was too hard to pick.

  After the waitress brought their drinks, Carter leaned his forearms on the table. “Despite all the time we’ve spent together lately, it occurs to me that beyond knowing you’re exceptionally talented at redesigning shoes for therapeutic purposes, I don’t know much more about you.”

  Gwen nearly choked on her lemonade. This was exactly what she’d hoped to avoid. The more Carter knew about her past, the more likely he’d be to get the wrong idea about her. Unless he already knew, and was testing to see if she’d admit it. “Well, there’s not much to tell, really.” She shrugged, hoping that would be enough to change the subject.

  He shook his head. “That can’t possibly be true. You’re bright and accomplished, yet unassuming and not at all arrogant. There’s got to be a reason for it.”

  Sure there was, but she wasn’t likely to tell him. “I don’t know. I guess it’s got to do with my upbringing.” That was as far as she could safely go. She scanned his response for some evidence that he was aware of her tumultuous youth, but there was none.

  “Okay, then start there. Where are you from?” He took a swig of beer. “I assume D.C. because you’re so close with Stan.”

  “Yup. D.C. How about you?” She smiled.

  “I was born in Texas, when my father was with the Cowboys, but we bounced around a lot in those days. We didn’t find a permanent home until he signed with the Redskins.” He reached for one of the buttermilk biscuits the waitress had just dropped off. “Where in D.C.?” His expression was open and unguarded so Gwen felt reasonably sure this wasn’t a test. Damn. He wasn’t going to be easily re-directed.

  “In the city. Northwest, mostly, but I’ve lived all over the District.” She grabbed her own biscuit, broke off a flaky piece, and popped it in her mouth. Its buttery-infused decadence melted on her tongue.

  “What about school? You must have left the city for college.”

  “Actually, I didn’t. George Washington University has great scholarship programs for D.C. residents.” Of course, those scholarships only went to the most underprivileged, but Carter didn’t need to know that. “I went there for both my undergrad and graduate training. It was kind of nice to stay in one place.”

  “So you’ve never traveled?” He seemed shocked, as if every twenty-five year old should have backpacked across Europe or been on safari in Africa.

  “Well, I’ve been to the Kings Dominion amusement park in Virginia and obviously I live in Maryland now, but yeah, that’s about it.”

  He laughed. “There’s far more to see beyond the borders of Virginia and Maryland, I assure you.”

  “Hey.” She batted him with her paper napkin. “I only graduated last year. Cut me some slack. I haven’t had much opportunity to get out in the wild.”

  The waitress brought their heaping plates of food. As hungry as she was, Gwen wasn’t sure she’d even be able to eat half of it. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try. One bite was all she needed to know this was one of the best restaurants she’d ever eaten in, dive or not.

  “Well, I hope you do get a chance to get abroad,” Carter said a
s he dug in. “The world is a big place, I’m sure you’d enjoy seeing it. Did Ben ever tell you all the places he’d been?”

  It was an innocent question but it struck her like a ten-ton weight. Gwen swallowed hard. Over the past weeks she’d hardly thought about Ben. Not that she’d spent much time pining for him since their encounter, but the pregnancy had certainly brought him front and center to her mind. Ever since Carter and she had made up and started working on the stabilizing shoes, the tiny space she’d reserved for Ben had been taken up by other thoughts. If she were being honest, most of those centered around Carter.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought him up. I’m sure it’s difficult to think about him.” Carter glanced down at the red and white vinyl tablecloth.

  It was time to tell the truth, at least about Ben. “Actually, it’s probably not as hard as you think.” She winced, anticipating his reaction.

  He looked up, his brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  Drawing a deep breath, she looked up at the ceiling to try and form the words in her head. “Ben and I weren’t as close as you might imagine.”

  He leaned back. “No?” His shoulders stiffened, as if guarding himself from some cruel confession.

  Oh no, he’d misunderstood. He probably thought she was about to reveal that she’d lied about the pregnancy.

  Gwen shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong. We were together, and this is absolutely, without a doubt, his baby.”

  Carter exhaled and his posture eased. “Okay. But I don’t understand. I thought you two were a couple. I mean, I assumed you were. Ben wasn’t the sort of guy to engage in casual attachments.”

  “Well then, I guess I was special. Sort of.” She laughed half-heartedly. “Because ours wasn’t what I’d call a formal arrangement. In fact, it was about as informal as you can get.” She bit her lip.