Billion Dollar Baby

by Imani King

  He held a hand up to his chest as if he had been shot through the heart. “You wound me.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. It’s better than Denny’s. Does that make you feel better?”

  A wide smirk painted his face. “Denny’s is your favorite place to get omelets.”

  “You still remember that?” I was surprised. It seemed like such an insignificant little detail to remember after being a decade apart.

  “Of course I do.” He leaned back in his chair. “I remember a lot of things.”

  “Such as?”

  “Your favorite color is yellow.”

  “Okay, that’s an easy one.” I laughed. “And favorite colors don’t have a lot to do with someone’s inner personality, Braden.”

  “Your favorite movie is Titanic. When I brought you to watch it in the theatre, you cried like a baby.”

  “I did not!”

  “Oh, really?” He grinned. “‘Oh! Jack! Don’t let go!’”

  I rolled my eyes. “I did not cry. Why would I?”

  “Because it’s an emotional movie and you want the couple to stay together. So, you think to yourself, yeah, the two of them could’ve probably survived on that same plank of wood, but the guy made the ultimate sacrifice for her, and that tugged at your heartstrings,” he hypothesized. “Or am I wrong?”

  “No… You’re right,” I grumbled. “It was romantic, okay? In a very late nineties kind of way. In a bad movie kind of way.”

  “Don’t you think it would’ve been more romantic if they stayed together? If we had—”

  “Do you think I could get something to drink?” I asked, cutting him off. I didn’t want him to ask the question. I had thought about it one too many times. How would my life differ if I had stayed behind, instead of going to the army? I tried to picture a scenario where I’d be happily married to Braden, but his acts of dishonesty always tinged that fantasy with doubt. It wouldn’t have worked.

  “Sure,” he answered, but his features had darkened.

  When he returned with a glass of orange juice, the awkwardness between us only intensified. I wanted to say something that would melt it all away, but what was I supposed to say? What could I say?

  So, we just sat there and ate in silence.

  Eventually, however, Braden cleared his throat and looked at me. “Do you remember our pact?” His voice shook slightly like he was nervous. His fingers twitched against the side of his mug.

  “I do,” I said, my tone flat, wondering where this conversation was headed. I didn’t add that it had crossed my mind several times last night — and this morning. Or that it was the one thing I wanted out of life when I was stuck overseas, tending to everyone else’s needs as a medic. I wanted a child — no, more than that. A family. Sometimes it felt like a silly thing to want, especially without a man in my life.

  But it was always there, the idea tugging at my heart. I wanted to feel a life grow inside of me. I wanted to give birth, hold my baby. Be a mother.

  It was good that he didn’t know any of that.

  “Do you ever… think about it?” His voice was soft as if he was treading on dangerous territory.

  “Yeah, but don’t you think that’s kind of a weird thing to bring up on a first date?” I joked, knowing the idea was ludicrous. Still, my heart skipped a beat. “We were really young.”

  He laughed, but it was a forced, strained sort of laugh that slipped through his teeth. “Yeah I guess we were pretty young.”

  I cocked my head in silent question, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. What was his angle? Why was he bringing up the pact? I thought about pressing the issue, but in the end, I decided it would be best to just drop the subject.

  “So, when did you learn to make such a good omelet? If I remember correctly, back in high school you had a knack for burning toast.”

  “I still do.”

  “How? All you got to do is set the toaster to the right setting, put the bread in … and then you get toast. Simple.” My lips twitched into a smile.

  “I think every single toaster in the world has a vendetta against me. Just the other week, mine kind of… exploded.”

  “You’re kidding. Since when do toasters just explode?”

  “Do you want to see the scorch marks on my counter? I’m lucky I still have eyebrows!”

  I giggled, trying to picture what he would look like without eyebrows. It was quite amusing.

  “Anyway, I learned to make omelets shortly after I started raising chickens.”

  “You have chickens?” I asked, a little surprised.

  “Indeed, I do. Eighteen of them, in fact. I’m sure they would all be happy to meet you. If you have the time, that is.” He rubbed the back of his neck in uncertainty.

  Even though we had spent the night together, I could tell we were still on shaky ground. Neither one us knew what to make of our relationship. It could be a one-night-stand, or the beginning of something more. My money was on the former.

  “Sorry, not today,” I said. “I have a few things going on.”

  “But maybe next weekend?” he offered, a hopeful look in his eyes.

  I wanted to say no, so that I could properly screw my head back into place, but at the same time, how was I supposed to deny that handsome face? I bit the inside of my lip in contemplation.

  “Okay,” I gave in. “Does Saturday work for you?”

  He nodded. “Yep, perfect. I’ll see you then.”

  After the date had been set, we finished our breakfast with a bit of light banter. It felt good to spend time with him again. Sitting at the table together brought back so many fond memories. A part of me just wanted to stay there forever, to listen to his voice, to bask in it for the rest of my days.

  But unfortunately, my watch started to beep at me.

  “What’s that?”

  “Oh, I have that tour in an hour. And then a meeting at my new job.” I bit the inside of my cheek. I’d stayed too long. Even though I didn’t have too many responsibilities, I did have a few. And last night, I had myself convinced this was a perfect idea.

  “Where do you work?” Braden asked, clearing the table.

  “At the animal shelter. They were kind enough to hire me as a veterinarian assistant while I study.”

  “And you’re going back to school?” He leaned against the wall, his legs crossed.

  My hormones surged at the sight. He looked like a model that belonged on a billboard in New York, not a ranch in the middle of nowhere, Colorado. When did he become so sexy?

  He waited patiently for my answer, cocking his eyebrow when I just continued to gawk at him. “Adele?”

  “Oh, sorry. I just got a little distracted.” I cleared my throat. I was always doing that. Getting lost in my own little world. And Braden didn’t help — not with the way he looked.

  He smirked. “You were staring at me, weren’t you?”

  “What? No,” I said quickly, folding my arms over my chest. “I was just—”

  He shook his head. “You always did suck at lying.” With a few strides, he closed the distance between us, laying a hand on my shoulder. “Well, it’s great you’re going back to school and following your passion for animals. If I ever have any issues at the farm, I know who to call.” He winked.

  I smiled.

  Awkwardly, I made my departure out of the house. It felt like I was forgetting something. Like I was leaving something behind, something important.

  “Do you want me to drive you home or are you going to walk?” Braden called out from the door.

  “Oh. Right.” I tucked my curls behind one ear, looking down. “Yeah, a ride would be nice.”

  He chuckled. “No problem. Let me grab my keys.”

  “And would it be possible to borrow a shirt?” I asked.

  “If you insist.” He bounded up the stairs, disappearing.

  I sighed, feeling like I had just run a marathon. There were so many emotions swirling around my chest that it was hard to keep tr
ack of them. Everything was happening so fast. I had only moved back home a few weeks ago and I had already slept with my ex-boyfriend. Hell, I had even agreed to a second date. Things weren’t supposed to go like this. I was supposed to focus on my career first and guys later.

  All that family stuff — the getting pregnant, having a baby. That stuff was in my heart. But my career needed to be the priority. I had to keep that in mind.

  “Ready?” Braden reappeared, wearing a tight baby blue shirt that really brought out the color of his eyes.

  As I looked up at him, I could already feel myself falling—just as I had ten years ago.

  He was the kind of man who made a woman forget just about everything she ever knew.

  The week went by slowly. My job as a veterinarian assistant was emotionally draining. The shelter housed a lot of strays with varying health problems. One too many times, I had to be next to an animal as it passed away in the night. It was tough, grueling work. When I was a medic, at least I got a thank you here and there from the soldiers. This work with animals was important, especially to me. But it could be tiring and thankless.

  By the time Friday rolled around, I was actually looking forward to seeing Braden again. I didn’t want to admit it, but I wanted to spend time with him. A part of me wanted to see where the wind would take us.

  I was watching TV on the sofa when Dahlia gave me a call. I answered, putting her on speaker. “What’s up?”

  “So, did you spend the whole week at Braden’s, or what?” she asked, her voice high-pitched and annoying. I should have known that she’d only call me to bug me about my love life.

  “No.” I tried to keep my tone flat, so she couldn’t read me at all.

  “Then, why haven’t you called me?”

  “I guess it must’ve slipped my mind,” I answered, feeling a bit guilty that I had been neglecting my sister all week long. “I’ve been busy with work and school. I’ve barely had the time to think.”

  “It’s fine, I understand. How’s work been treating you?”

  “Honestly? It’s been rough. It’s heartbreaking to see all those animals in such horrible conditions. We had to let a few of them go.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds awful.”

  “Yeah.”

  We were silent for a moment, both of us uncertain as to how to proceed.

  Finally, Dahlia spoke up. “So, this weekend, are you busy?”

  “Actually…” I trailed off, knowing if I told my sister the truth, she’d never let me hear the end of it.

  “Actually, what?”

  “Um… I have a hair appointment.”

  “With who? You just got your hair done when you got here two weeks ago.”

  “Dahlia, I — it’s the salon in Greenbridge — I might be —” I stuttered for an answer, struggling to find the right story. Fuck, why was I so bad at coming up with a convincing lie?

  “Spill it. You’re going to see Braden, aren’t you?”

  I sighed. “Yes. He invited me over to see his farm.”

  “To see his farm, huh?” I could almost see the smirk on her face. “Is that all you two are going to do?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure about that?” she teased.

  “Oh, shut up.”

  She laughed. “Well, I hope you two have fun.”

  “What about you? What were you going to ask me?”

  “Well, I have these tickets to a comedy show at the city center, but don’t worry about it. I’ll ask one of the other teachers. I’m sure they’d be thrilled to get away from their kids for once.”

  “Are you sure? I can reschedule with Braden.”

  “No!” she said, way too quickly. “Go to the farm. Have fun. You deserve it. But, we should catch up sometime soon. Call me when you have a day off.”

  “Okay.”

  “Great!”

  “Bye,” I prompted, knowing if I didn’t initiate the farewell, she would stay on the line forever.

  “Bye!” With that, she hung up.

  I tossed the phone onto the couch before I sunk into the cushions, staring at the ceiling. I thought about calling her back and accepting her offer, but at the same time, I didn’t want to miss my chance to see Braden again.

  The moment I closed my eyes, his face popped up in my mind. I could picture his every inch, almost as if I had burned his image into the back of my eyelids. There was a playful smirk on his face as he beckoned me forward, pulling me into the world of slumber and naughty dreams.

  Chapter 5

  Braden

  My heart leapt at the sound of the doorbell.

  Adele.

  I jumped off the couch and practically ran to the door, but then stopped myself a few feet away. Quickly, I glanced at the mirror in the hallway, making sure I looked presentable.

  A few of my curls were being unruly, sticking out without hope of ever being tamed. I sighed, smoothing them down, only to have them pop back up again. Hopefully, Adele wouldn’t mind.

  When I finally mustered some courage, I opened the door.

  “Wow. You look… stunning.” I stared at her, like some kind of a fool, holding onto the door for support.

  “What?” She blushed darkly. “I’m just. It’s not. These are just jeans…” She stumbled over her words in bashfulness. It was cute.

  “Just jeans? Have you seen yourself in a mirror? You look like a goddess.”

  “Okay, now you’re overdoing it.”

  I chuckled, letting her inside. I didn’t miss my opportunity to squeeze her ass as she walked by.

  She turned her head and glared at me.

  “What?” I asked, an innocent expression on my face. “You can’t expect to wear skinny jeans like that and not have me drool over your ass.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You always did like my butt.”

  “What can I say? You have a nice butt.” I slapped it once more for good measure, causing her to jump in surprise. Before she could even properly settle on her feet, I folded her into my arms and kissed her.

  She was stiff at first, but she soon melted against me, her body turning to putty. I held her close, my hand pressing into the small of her back, causing our hips to lock together.

  We continued to make out until we were both short of breath and our lungs were burning, but the need to kiss her burned even hotter. Before I could fully catch my breath, I kissed her again, pushing her against the wall, her back arching, one of her legs wrapping around my waist.

  I smirked into the kiss, loving how receptive she was to my advances. She could deny it all she wanted, but she wanted me, just as much as I wanted her. Her body language gave her away.

  Finally, we pulled apart. “I missed you.”

  “I can see that.” She smiled coyly. “But, I’m starting to wonder what your intentions are?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “This.” She placed her hands on my chest and pushed away, creating some distance between us. “I mean, you bring me home. Sleep with me. Bring up the pact… That’s serious relationship territory. Not something to talk about idly, especially not with a twenty-nine year old woman.” She ran her fingers through her hair, looking wistful for a moment. “Not that I’m complaining — I think the fact that you still want to have children is sweet. But it seems kind of strange that it would be one of the first things you would bring up. It’s gotten me all confused, Braden. Like you have babies on the brain.”

  My eyes widened. I suddenly felt hot, sweat beading on my forehead. She couldn’t know… could she?

  “Braden?”

  “Sorry. It’s just—I forgot I have a cherry pie in the oven.” I quickly rushed into the kitchen, pulling out the pie. It was not quite done, but Adele didn’t need to know that. I fumbled with the knobs on the stove, my fingers shaking.

  “Are you going to answer me?”

  I sighed and turned to face her. “I just miss you. I miss what we used to be.”

  She looked into my eyes, mak
ing me nervous. Could she see through my lie? Well, technically it wasn’t a lie. I did miss her. It’s just, having a baby with her would solve all my money problems.

  “And that’s all?”

  I nodded.

  “I missed you too,” she admitted. “God, it’s been so long. I feel like I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

  “Well, why don’t you get to know me again?” I took her hand and pulled her out the door.

  Together, we walked toward my farm, having to cross through a small cluster of trees to get there.

  “It must be nice having a farm,” she commented, carefully jumping over a fallen log.

  In that moment, I was reeled back in time to when we were still in high school. Adele had been on the track and field team. I had gone to every one of her meets, watching as she flew over the hurdles with the grace of a gazelle.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, stopping up the path to look at me.

  “Oh, sorry. I was just remembering you on the field. Do you still run?”

  “Sometimes. Haven’t really had the time to do it lately.”

  “What about right now?” We had reached the clearing. Up ahead was a large open pasture, filled with various farm animals from cows to sheep and goats. “I’ll race you to the barn.”

  She smirked. “You’re on!”

  “We stick to the patch and no shortcuts.”

  “Got it.” She was already leaning into a runner’s pose. I knew I didn’t have a chance in hell to beat her.

  “Ready? Set? Go!” On my mark, we charged forward.

  Adele was so light-footed that it almost looked like she was floating. Her body was a well-oiled machine whose only purpose was propelling her forward. Her arms pumped with a synchronized vigor.

  But the best part was her ass.

  Not only did it look amazing in her skinny jeans, it now had the added bonus of bouncing with her every step.

  My eyes locked onto it, completely mesmerized. I pushed myself a little harder, wanting to reach out and touch it.

  I was so focused on her delicious curves that I didn’t notice the sudden dip in the ground. I stepped into it hard, losing my balance. Unable to stop myself, I tumbled forward, landing face-first in the grass, eating a mouthful of dirt.