His Billion Dollar Baby

by Lea Nolan

  “Tell me this isn’t better than shopping on your computer?” Judith asked. Wearing a deep blue, fitted Marchesa dress and carrying a Birkin bag, she looked like she should be attending a corporate luncheon rather than shopping for baby supplies.

  Gwen shrugged. “I guess. Though, I’m sure I could have ordered the same cradle online.” She walked up to the swinging cherry wood baby bed and flipped over the price tag. Gasping, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Three thousand dollars for a baby bed?” Her voice was louder than she’d expected. One of the salesgirls lifted her head and squinted, no doubt looking to see who was too poor to be shopping in their store.

  Judith waved her off. “It’s a fine piece of handmade craftsmanship.”

  “Handcrafted or not, there’s no way it’s worth that much money.”

  “Please,” Judith said, flicking her wrist. “I have shoes that cost more than that. Why wouldn’t I be willing to spend the same on my grandchild’s crib?”

  “Whoa,” Gwen raised her hand. “You’re not buying my baby’s things. I’m her mother. I can provide whatever she needs.”

  Judith patted her hand. “Of course you can, dear, but surely you won’t begrudge me purchasing a few things? Judging by Carter’s record, this may be my only opportunity to prepare for a baby.” Her voice softened and her eyes turned down. She was really working the doting grandmother thing.

  Gwen sighed. “Fine. As long as you agree to donate it all to the charity of my choosing when she outgrows it. The D.C. Home for Girls could really use this stuff.” The latest ultrasound had confirmed Gwen’s hunch. She was having a girl and she couldn’t be more thrilled.

  Judith grinned. “Consider it done.”

  Gwen knew Judith didn’t mean to disparage Carter, but still, her comment rubbed Gwen the wrong way. She’d seen glimpses of the real Carter, and was very definitely attracted to him. There was no reason to think the right woman couldn’t make him a father. Eventually.

  “You know, you’re hard on him.” It was the first time Gwen had ever said anything less than complimentary to Judith.

  “Am I?” Judith walked away from the cradle and moved on to a changing table. As usual her expression was flat, composed. It was impossible to know if Judith felt insulted.

  Gwen followed. “I think so.” Feeling bad, she backtracked a bit. “Sometimes.”

  Judith flipped the price tag over on a combination dresser changing station. It cost more than Gwen made in a month.

  Shrugging, Judith said, “Perhaps. I don’t intend to be.”

  Irritation swirled in Gwen’s belly. “Can I ask why? He’s a good son, isn’t he? He runs the business, makes a ton of money, and he helps you out when you need it.”

  For the first time since Ben’s funeral, Gwen saw a hint of sadness in Judith’s eyes. “He is an excellent son. And a superb businessman. I’ve been truly blessed.”

  “But…?”

  Judith sighed. “But Carter hasn’t always been successful when it comes to matters of the heart.”

  Gwen laughed. “Maybe you don’t read the gossip pages, but Carter doesn’t have any trouble finding women. They’re practically throwing themselves at him.”

  “Believe me. I’m all too familiar with his situation. Let’s just say his position and wealth have made him an easy target for less than savory people. It’s caused him great difficulty and our family quite a bit of stress.”

  “Oh.” Gwen bit her lip, yearning to know more but afraid to pry. “I guess I never thought there was a downside to being charming, gorgeous, and rich.” She gulped, fearing she might have revealed too much. “Not that I, personally, think he’s charming and gorgeous. I mean, obviously he’s well off, so there’s no denying that part. But trust me, I don’t think he’s the total, perfect package.” Heat rose on her cheeks. She was blushing. About Carter. In a shop called Lambykins.

  Judith laughed. “Of course not, dear.” She moved on to a rack of the most adorable baby clothes known to man. The labels were written in French and the sizes were all on the European scale. “I realize I may come off as harsh, but it’s not because I’m angry with him. I’m not even disappointed. Quite the contrary, I love him deeply and only want the best for him. I’m just apprehensive about his prospects for attaining what he deserves.”

  Gwen shook her head. “I don’t understand. What does that have to do with saying you don’t think he’ll have his own children?”

  “Carter’s been hurt. Gravely. By his wretched, avaricious ex-wife. And that experience has made him gun shy.” She lifted a pale pink ballerina outfit off the rack and slung it over her arm. “Those women he takes out on the town? They’re nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

  Gwen had thought she understood what Judith was saying, but now realized she was completely lost. She’d definitely heard he’d been married before, to a horrible person, but didn’t understand the whole prophecy thing. “How so?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure those young women are lovely, but they tend to be shallow and out for only one thing, which is why they can’t hold his attention for very long. But they’re safe. He knows none of them will last. Yet, he spends too much time on these doomed relationships. Women of quality see him as a playboy and won’t give him the time of day. So you see, if he can’t break this cycle he’s destined to be alone. And I won’t have any other grandchildren.”

  A wave of sadness rolled over Gwen. Carter deserved to be happy, if only he’d believe it, too.

  “Rocky wasn’t always an adoring husband. Once upon a time he was a hot shot rookie quarterback with a roving eye and plenty of experience.”

  “So what happened?”

  “One day he opened his eyes and realized I was standing there, ready to love him, no strings attached.” Judith shot Gwen a knowing glance. “I only wish Carter could let down his guard long enough to recognize his soul mate, too.” Stepping away from the rack, she began flipping through a stack of handmade baby quilts.

  The hair on Gwen’s neck rose. Was it possible that Judith thought Carter and she should be together? Setting aside her own very definite feelings for Carter, she’d never given much thought to how Judith would feel about them being together. Could Judith condone such a union? After all, Gwen was pregnant with Ben’s child, not Carter’s. Wouldn’t she consider their dating, or more, somehow sacrilegious?

  Gwen forced the thought from her mind. She never knew exactly what Judith was thinking so there was no point in wondering. But she did know what she felt. Like it or not, despite his indifference, Gwen had fallen for Carter Anderson. But soul mates or not, there were just too many differences between them, too many complications to allow them to be together.

  …

  Carter walked into River View’s great room on Saturday evening and stopped short. Now that he and Gwen were back on solid footing, he made a point to check on his father when he knew she’d be around. But at this moment, he couldn’t make sense of the scene before him. Gwen and his mother were buried under a mountain of baby supplies. Blankets, bottles, clothes, and diapers littered the room, not to mention bouncy seats, a high chair, and a crib. If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought he’d just walked into a baby warehouse instead of his parents’ house.

  He furrowed his brow. “What’s all this?”

  “Baby stuff.” Gwen pointed at Judith. “It’s her fault.”

  “Ha! You were as much a part of this as I was,” Judith responded.

  “It was fun.” Gwen smiled as she laid a tiny yellow crocheted cardigan against her belly then paired it with a matching set of booties. “I think this is my favorite.”

  Carter’s heart tugged at the sight of Gwen’s swollen midsection. Suddenly, he had the strongest urge to rest his hand on it to see if he could feel its tiny occupant kick again. But that would bring him close to her, near enough to be enticed by her succulent peaches and cream scent and to have to resist kissing her rose-red lips. As much as he longed to hold her
in his arms, he knew better. He had to steer clear for her own good.

  Dragging his eyes away, he surveyed the baby-paraphernalia-littered landscape. Was it all necessary? “I thought you were only having one child. It looks like you could care for an army of babies with this stuff.”

  It seemed so decadent. And the polar opposite of what he’d come to expect from Gwen. Since when had she become such a consumer?

  Gwen shrugged. “I tried to rein her in, but you know how your mother gets when she sets her mind to something.”

  Judith squared her shoulders “I won’t be made to feel guilty for spoiling my only grandchild.”

  Gwen chuckled. “There’s a difference between spoiling her and drowning her with love.”

  “Pshaw, you’re just angry I bought the furniture at Lambykins,” Judith answered.

  Carter’s gut twisted. He hadn’t thought of that store in years, not since he’d paid off the massive debt Deandra had rung up there. When it was clear he’d had enough and they were finally headed toward divorce, she’d attempted the mother of all Hail Marys. Childless, she was owed nothing more than a settlement. But giving birth to an Anderson heir meant years of generous child support, a guaranteed trust fund for “their” child and company stock. In on the scheme, Deandra’s long-time lover was only too willing to get her pregnant. All she had to do was convince Carter the child in her womb was his. After discovering the horrible truth, he could have refused payment on the grounds of fraud, but that would have only attracted unwanted attention. Instead, he quietly paid off her debts to make the nightmare go away and rescue his last shred of dignity. And now, his mother had just given that ridiculous store even more Anderson money.

  “I was ticked, I’m not going to lie,” Gwen said. “But only because that shop is so outrageously expensive.” She turned to Carter, a sly grin creeping up her mouth. “But I got her back by taking her to Target.” She laughed. “You should have seen the look on her face when we pulled up to the store. I figured if she was going to spend thousands of dollars on baby crap, we might as well get our money’s worth.”

  Thousands? On “crap?” Carter’s pulse thrummed in his ears. After all she’d said to the contrary, how could Gwen be so cavalier about spending money that was obviously not hers? Had he missed something? Or more importantly, had he been duped? Again? Why hadn’t he asked her to sign the proxy paper when he’d had the chance? Now that she was showing her true colors, Gwen was likely to refuse to sign them.

  Judith looked indignant. “I’ll have you know Lambykins is Potomac’s premier infant and toddler boutique. Though, I was pleasantly surprised with Target’s selection. They certainly have everything, don’t they? Look what I found there.” She lifted a pink Work It Baby mini-jogging outfit for Carter to see. “It’s too adorable for words.”

  A bitter taste filled Carter’s mouth. “I could have gotten one of those for you in every color. Along with a selection from our new line. And it would have been free.”

  Judith beamed. “Then please do. We’ll need them in a variety of sizes. Babies grow so fast.”

  “That would be great,” Gwen added then patted the sofa cushion next to her. “You want to come help us sort this stuff out? I know guys aren’t usually into these things, but there’s so much and we could use your help. Plus, when it’s as cute as this, how can you resist?” She dangled a bright yellow robe with a hood designed to look like a duck’s head. Swinging the terry cloth back and forth she said, “Quack, quack.” Then giggled. “And I got something special I want to show you.” The light from the setting sun glowed in the panoramic windows, making her look luminescent. He forced himself to look away as unease roiled his stomach.

  Suddenly the room zoomed to a thousand degrees. He needed to get out. Fast. “Actually, I’m going to turn in early. Suddenly I’m not feeling too well,” he answered.

  “Oh, sorry about that,” Gwen said as she opened a package of tiny side snap t-shirts.

  “Good night, Carter,” Judith added as she waved him off.

  Turning, he marched toward the east wing. He didn’t want to believe that Gwen was anything like Deandra, but the boutique and profusion of baby items made it hard not to draw comparisons. Did her conspicuous consumerism have anything to do with the fact that he’d named her as the co-inventor on the Walk It, and had offered an even split on royalties? Had that gesture gone to her head, making her think she was entitled to even more?

  Maybe he was just overreacting, conflating old, tortured feelings about his conniving ex-wife with Gwen. For his sake he hoped so, because he’d already begun to care far more for her than he’d ever expected. But his intuition hadn’t exactly been spot-on when it came to women. At least not women with whom he considered getting serious. Good time girls were a different story. He saw through them a mile away. All they wanted was dinner and a couple of nights of fun. But he’d thought Gwen was different.

  Now he wasn’t so sure.

  Chapter Twenty

  Rocky’s mangled cry echoed down the hall then bounced across the large open foyer. Carter’s heart roared. Was his father hurt? Had he fallen and broken his hip? Carter shoved his fears aside and broke out in a full-on run, sprinting toward the sound’s origins. A second keening wail emanated from the video room.

  Rounding the corner, he skidded to a stop in the doorway. Chest heaving, he stared as his mind worked to comprehend the sight. His father wasn’t flat on his back writhing in pain, he was watching a football game with Gwen, and from the looks of the oversized score box on the screen, the Giants had scored a touchdown and field goal in less than a minute’s worth of play.

  Of course, the game. He’d promised his dad they’d watch it together. But after a nearly sleepless night brooding over Gwen and her potential motives, he’d nearly forgotten.

  It seemed she had a talent for knocking him off his game. Case in point: all the wasted opportunities he’d had to ask her to sign over her proxy votes. Devon was right. The China deals were stalled, nearly ensuring that her child would be here before the contracts were signed. Carter needed her proxy to maintain control over the company.

  During dinner dates, design sessions, duckpin games, even when he’d brought the prototype shoes to Walter Reed, he’d planned to ask her for control over her child’s shares in Work It Gear. But then he’d catch a glimpse of her dazzling smile and his heart would skip. With things going so well, he didn’t want to risk losing her.

  Now, thanks to that damned mountain of baby supplies, he couldn’t help but wonder if that had been a big mistake. Gwen had made him feel things again he’d thought impossible. He’d started to believe that he could open up and find real happiness, that someone could love him for who he was, not what he had. What if it had all been a ploy? What if Gwen really did want to take advantage of the Andersons for their wealth?

  Gwen laughed, pulling him from his incessant worrying. “I told you, old man. The burgundy and gold is going down!” She turned her head. “Hey Carter, just in time. Want to join us?” She smiled.

  As usual, she was breathtakingly beautiful. But his new insight warned him to avert his eyes. He wouldn’t allow himself to be tempted or taken in by her again. At least not until she’d proven once and for all that she didn’t care about grabbing the Anderson fortune.

  Rocky nodded, an equally broad, though still uneven grin on his face. “Come on.” The old, we’re-going-to-win twinkle shone in his eyes. His father hadn’t exhibited that kind of joy in years.

  The hair on the back of Carter’s neck stood up. Had his father just spoken? And had he just moved his arm to beckon Carter in? How was it possible? It seemed as if just yesterday Rocky could barely manage to move his fingers and toes, but now he could communicate. He’d seen his father in passing at the breakfast table with Loretta, and Judith and Gwen had described his father’s improvement but for some reason Carter didn’t realize it was this impressive.

  How could he have missed this progress? The answer was simple. He
’d been so busy with Work It Gear, the new Walk Its, and his tortured feelings for Gwen and all the reasons he should stay away from her, that he’d missed something truly remarkable. His gut dropped, filled with empty accomplishment. What good was running the company when it caused him to miss life’s most important events?

  Gwen waved him in. “We’ve each got twenty bucks riding on this game. I’m starting to think I’m in for a big pay day. But you never know, the ’Skins might come through for your dad.”

  His pulse near normal, Carter gathered himself. “You’re rooting against the Redskins under the Anderson’s roof? Good luck with that.” He scoffed as he entered the room and took a seat in a leather club chair near Rocky. “You’re lucky he doesn’t toss you out.”

  Gwen rolled her eyes. “Nah, you wouldn’t throw me out over a silly football game, would you, Mr. A.?”

  Rocky worked to shrug his right shoulder. The left side was still ridged and fixed, but his intent was clear. “Maybe.” He chuckled.

  Carter patted his father’s upper arm. “You look great, Dad. Really great.” A lump formed in his throat. “I can’t believe how far you’ve come.”

  “Gwen.” Rocky pointed a shaking finger in her direction.

  She pointed back. “No, you!” Glancing at Carter, she said. “Ooh, I’m glad you’re here.” Then hopped off the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”

  Carter and Rocky watched the mega screen in contented silence, sharing the one thing they had always had in common. Ever since Carter was a boy, they had shared a love of football. No matter their differences—Rocky’s sports and subsequent business pursuits, and Carter’s early love of art—they always had the unspoken camaraderie of Sundays on the couch.

  By the time Gwen got back, the Giants were on their second down and only fifteen yards from the end zone. “Excellent, just in time.” She beamed, an enormous striped shopping bag in her hand. Walking around to Carter’s chair, she said, “I got you a little something yesterday but you left before I had a chance to give it to you. That, and it was buried under the pile of baby stuff.”