by Cary Hart
“Daisy, I knew nothing about your cottage.” He throws the covers off, exposing his nakedness. Quickly looking down he heads to the dresser and pulls on some boxer briefs. “We have teams of people who search for properties to develop. I honestly didn’t know.”
“But you know now. You have a contract that proves it.” I head toward the kitchen to grab my things. “Is that why you invited me to the ball, the reason you started to be nice to me again? I mean, why else would you have done that?”
“Daisy, angel—”
“Don’t!” I pace back and forth, feeling the anger building. “You know what I think? I think you and my sister are pathetic excuses for humans and wouldn’t know what it was like to love or live.”
I grab my things off the counter and run toward the elevator, not giving him time to catch up. As I press the button trying to get the elevator doors to close, I can see him coming toward me.
“Daisy! Wait!”
“Bye Ferris! I quit!” The door closes and I collapse.
Hearing the dinging of the elevator I quickly stand up and realize that I forgot my shoes. Great! When I pull the keys out of my purse, I realize I’ve grabbed Ferris’. Looking toward the front parking spaces, I see his car. I shrug, walk over to it and get in. I pull out, not sure where I’m going.
“Daisy!” Ferris comes barreling out of the building and chases after the car in nothing but a pair of jogging pants.
Knowing he will try to find me, I avoid going home. I decide I’ll go through a drive-through and get some coffee instead.
Ping
Nat: I need you. I made a big mistake. Can you pick me up?
Me: You and me both. I’m on my way home now. Where are you?
Nat: At Colin’s hotel. *cringe*
Me: He’s that bad?
Nat: Not funny. I’m crushed. Please come, now.
Me: Give me 5 minutes.
In the drive-through I order one more coffee, and head to rescue my friend back at the hotel I just left.
As I pull up I roll down the window. “Someone need a ride?”
“Thank God! You are a lifesaver.”
“I’ve been called worse.” I hand her a coffee and inquire, “Where to?”
“Gamms. I need Gamms.” She takes the coffee. “How did you get coffee so fast and why are you still in your gown?”
“Nat, can we just agree to forget last night ever happened?”
“Daisy, that sounds like the perfect plan.”
**********
After dropping Daisy off at her Gamms’, I head to the cottage. I text Pops and he says they are already gone. I don’t question them or even tell them I know because I know they would never sell me out. That house means the world to me and they would do everything in their power to keep it in my hands.
Then why did they sign?
Walking in, I drop my things on the counter and strip along the way. Getting into the shower, I turn the water as hot as I can stand, relaxing under the pressure.
What do I do?
The heat of the water eventually gets to me and starts to make me feel lightheaded. Turning off the water, I grab a towel. Stepping out of the shower, I scream and start to fall back.
“Whoa!” Ferris reaches out to catch me.
“Get the fuck out of my house. I don’t want you here.”
“Are you done? Because what is going to happen is you are going to get dressed, eat something and then we are going to talk.”
“I don’t have to do shit. You can’t tell me to do.” I finish drying off and head to the bedroom to get dressed. “And I’m getting dressed only because I don’t want to be naked, not because you told me to, got it?”
“I’ll go fix you something to eat.” He walks toward the kitchen.
“Stop!”
He ignores me and continues down the hall. “You feel like pancakes or eggs?”
“I don’t want to eat!” I throw a shoe in his direction and pull on my robe.
“OUCH! What did you do that for?”
“Get out!” I tighten the robe around me, forgoing the clothes. I just want him gone.
“Daisy, please just listen to me.”
I stalk into the kitchen. “Why, Ferris? Why should I listen to you spout lies?” I get up in his face, not really knowing what I’m going to do. “Do you know what hurts the most? You broke my heart. I loved you and you took it and tossed it around like it was nothing to you. That night, when you walked up on my beach, I knew even then something was different about you. I felt as if we were supposed to be there. I felt comfortable with you. I couldn’t get enough and if I could have climbed into your skin I would have. Anything to be close to you.”
“Daisy—”
“Please don’t. All the secrets and plans I had, I shared with you. I let you in, in every way, except for giving you my name, and you left me with a broken promise and empty space.” I turn my back on him and start to walk away.
“Damn it Daisy, listen!” He grabs my arm and turns me around to face him. “That night, I felt something too. It wasn’t one-sided. I could have left so many times, but I didn’t. I stayed, for you…to live life…with you.” He turns, looking for the contract. “This paper, if you would have read it, was me buying the land for you. It only needed your signature to complete the process. Then you would be one-hundred-percent owner of that cottage, and the hotel…won’t happen. That house is needed to secure the land for the hotel and if it doesn’t get sold, then the hotel’s a no-go.”
“Why?” I grab the paper from him, not believing what he is saying, and pace to the other side of the room. “Why not let me fight this battle? Why couldn’t you let me decide not to sign?”
“Your grandparents, they needed the money. They wanted to travel and experience life, but they couldn’t do it full-time with the monthly costs of the utilities. They would have never sold it without your permission, but they really wanted it.” He comes closer. “I wanted to help. I wanted to surprise you with this land for us. It means something to me too, you know. It’s the place I knew I could spend the rest of my life with you, I was just too cowardly to do it, but baby, I’m here now. I’m ready to live life with you.”
Before he can say more, and before I can process what he's just said, he's across the room and on me. He presses me against the wall, ripping my robe open.
Our lips meet, and we're a tangle of roaming hands and hungry mouths. This is so different than the last time we were together. That was passion and chemistry but this is like an all-consuming fire, every touch and kiss is like an electric shock to my system.
Maybe it's the hormones; I've read articles about increased libido while pregnant. He lifts me up and wraps my legs around his waist and I know that my desire has nothing to with being pregnant and everything to do with this man. My perfect stranger.
His kiss deepens and he roughly whispers in my ear, "I have to be inside you. Now!"
I nod and he maneuvers us to the bedroom, losing my robe in the process. He lays me on the bed then stands there drinking me in, eyes full of desire. He quickly rids himself of his clothes and covers my body with his. When he slides into me I feel like we are both finally living.
Chapter 13
Daisy
We take Monday off to lie around the cottage and chill, something Ferris hadn't done in forever. The only time we got out of bed is to eat or wander outside to the beach.
After getting ready, we head back to his penthouse for him to change clothes, then in to the office.
It’s quiet. Colin is done here and only expected back for the grand opening, and Nat called Ferris yesterday telling him plans changed and this was no longer her dream.
Ferris wants to throw a party for the construction crew, so he has me scouting places this afternoon. While out, I decide to pick us up some lunch and bring it back since he’s on back-to-back conference calls all day.
Deciding on my favorite bar. I order us a couple burgers and fries to share at the office. No
rmally I would drive, but today isn’t as busy, so I walk the five blocks.
Walking in I make my way to Ferris’ office, where I’m greeted by an open door and welcoming arms.
“Hey babe. What did you bring us?” He takes the bags from my hand and lays the spread out on his desk. “Burgers…again?”
“I figured we could use the protein.” I walk over to him and whisper, “Plus, they are fucking delicious.”
“I love it when you talk dirty to me.” He pulls my head in closer and smashes our lips together, tangling our tongues.
“What the hell?” Lillian yells, causing us to turn around.
“Daisy, way to be trashy, sleeping your way to the top while you are pregnant with another man’s child.”
“Lilly! Stop!” I beg.
“Stop what? Stop warning Ferris that my sister is a tramp and that she is almost 14 weeks pregnant with another man’s child?”
“What? Daisy…” Ferris turns to me. “What’s she saying?”
“It’s not true, Ferris. Lilly doesn’t know what she is talking about.”
“Oh, so you aren’t pregnant then?”
“Lillian, out now!” Ferris roars, stalking towards her. “Get the hell out or I’ll throw you out.”
“Daisy, tell the man. Tell him you’re pregnant.”
“Ferris, I wanted to tell you, but didn’t know how.”
“Fuck, Daisy, are you kidding me right now?”
“I just need you to listen.” I step toward him.
“I can’t. This is unforgivable. I fucking fell for a liar.” Grabbing his keys and cell phone from his desk, he heads for the door. "I loved you!"
“Ferris, please wait!” I chase after him. “Please look at me.”
Running out the doors and down the steps, Ferris loses it.
“Lilly, do you realize what you just did?” I run past her and follow Ferris out. Running past my desk I grab my phone and keys.
“Daisy, let him go. He is too good for you.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about.” I run past her and head to the door, but my feet tangle in the hazardous rug that I complained about. No time to think and nothing to grab on to, I go flying down the stairs.
Instinct kicks in and I wrap my arms around my belly and try to twist to my back. I fall backwards onto the gravel, hitting my head.
“NOOOOOOOOOOO! DAISY!” I hear Ferris yell and Lillian scream.
Then my world goes black.
**********
Ferris
Rushing over to Daisy, I drop to my knees. “Baby, oh my God! Please be okay.” I’m careful to examine without moving her. Finding a pulse, I call out to Lillian. “Call 911.”
“I’m sorry.” Lillian doesn’t move.
“Call 911 NOW DAMN IT!”
Finally, she pulls out her phone to call and a minute later she says they are on their way.
“Hold on baby, help is coming.” I rub Daisy’s head and feel something sticky. Blood.
“Fer…” Daisy starts to wake up but winces in pain. “…baby K?”
“Baby, I don’t know, but you need to hold on. Help is on the way.” I keep talking to keep her alert.
“The baby…it’s…you…dad…”
“The baby is mine? I’m a dad?” I piece together what she is saying.
“Ferris, look!” Lillian points to Daisy’s pants. Blood is everywhere. She is bleeding out.
“Baby, you have to stay with us. Okay? Look at me.” Her eyes start to roll to the back of her head. “No! Don’t you dare leave! Stay with me.”
“Save baby.” Daisy looks at me as a single tear escapes and her eyes close.
“NOOOOOOOOO!”
“Sir, sir, we need you to move. We are here to help.” The emergency crew has arrived.
“Please, save them. Save my forever.”
Chapter 14
Ferris
The smell of antiseptic, blood and tears lingers in the air as the florescent lights glare on the tile floor. Pacing, I wait, refusing to become one of the grief-stricken faces lining the seats against the walls.
“Where is she? Daisy Daniels?” A petite, middle-aged woman comes running through the waiting room with who I assume is her husband hot on her heels. “Daisy Daniels? Where’s my baby girl?”
Realization sets in. Daisy’s parents. Rushing over to where they are, I fill them in on what happened.
“Oh God!” She turns, holding on to her husband as sobs wrack her body. “What about the baby?”
The baby.
“I don’t know…they won’t let me back there.” I pull at my hair, anger starting to build.
I should be there.
“Nurse!” I buzz at the door rapidly for someone to come and give us an update. Something, anything to let us know what is going on.
I shouldn’t have run.
“Oh, David! What if—” Daisy’s mom looks up at her husband, questioning.
“Rosie, hush baby. Our Daisy is strong, a fighter…” her dad interrupts, trying to keep his wife from filling her head with negative thoughts. Something I have been fighting since the moment she fell.
“Mr. and Mrs. Daniels?” The nurse questions, irritating me even more. For hell’s sake, she was just screaming for her daughter asking if she was okay.
“Yes! How is she?” they both ask as words fail me.
“Come with me. The doctor would like to speak to both of you.” She holds the door open, guiding them through.
Following them, I get to the door and the nurse holds out her hand, stopping me. “Sir, immediate family only.”
I just stand there, staring, for the first time in my life feeling helpless.
“He is her fiancé and father of the unborn child. He will come back.” Daisy’s mom reaches for my hand, pulling me through.
Following closely behind the nurse, down the hall, the narrow walls start to cave in on me. As I pass door after door, my heart beats uncontrollably. Nurses and doctors stand around discussing where to go and who to deliver news to next. All I can do is hope and pray they aren’t talking about my beautiful angel.
“She is in the next room.” The nurse stops, opening the door. “The doctor is in with her now and can fill you in on your daughter’s condition.”
“Thank you,” her dad replies as he guides his wife inside.
“You must be Daisy’s parents,” the doctor says, keeping his head down, flipping the papers on her chart. “Daisy and the baby are doing fine.”
“Thank you Jesus!” Her mom falls into her husband.
Looking at my beautiful angel lying in the bed, I can tell something isn’t right. “Doc, what aren’t you telling us?”
“They are fine, however, Daisy hit her head during the fall causing a traumatic brain injury. After running extensive tests, we determined it was just a moderate case, but we think with the loss of blood combined with her body physically trying to protect the baby, she has fallen into a deep sleep.” The doctor looks around the room. Waiting for one of us to ask more questions, but I’m still trying to figure out what he is saying.
“So…she is…just sleeping?” I’m confused. “When will she wake up?” “
“That is totally up to her. She will wake up when she is ready.” He walks toward the door, patting her dad on the back, pausing before he places the chart back. “Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. Her baby needs her.”
I need her too!
“Thank you doctor. Can I have a word with you?” Daisy’s dad follows the doctor, shutting the door behind them.
“Ferris, honey, how are you doing?” Daisy’s mom comes over to me, touching me slightly on the arm, causing me to jump.
“Oh God! I did this. I shouldn’t have run from her. I should have let her explain.” I pace back and forth, pulling at my hair. “Why didn’t I listen?” I ask as I start to hyperventilate.
“Ferris, calm down. Please…Daisy and the baby need you to be strong for them.” She comes up beside
me, pushing my shoulder down so I’ll sit in the chair behind me. “Three weeks ago, my daughter came to me and told me about the pregnancy. She was tired, worn down and exhausted from the worry of not telling you, but after she got some sleep, she woke up. When she did she told me her feelings for you and how she has never felt this way about anybody in her life.”
“Why didn’t she tell me then?”
“She said you were avoiding her, but when she left, she was determined to tell you the next day.”
The dinner...
“Ma’am—” I start, but she interrupts.
“Call me Rosie.”
“Rosie, I can’t lose her. She’s everything to me.”
“Honey, we won’t lose her.” She walks over to her daughter, brushes the hair out of her eyes and gently kisses her forehead. “You…you stay.”
“Wh-What?”
“You stay tonight. She needs you, your baby needs you. Talk to her, tell her you need her back.”
I don’t know what to say. I should tell her that I’ll leave and they can stay, but I’m a selfish bastard.
“Rosie?” I get up and walk over to her. “Thank you. Thank you for being there for her when I was too blind to see, and thank you for letting me be with her now.”
“Honey, you are the one she wants to wake up to.” She turns and leaves the room.
Looking back at Daisy, I can’t help but be close to her. Walking around to the side of her that’s absent of monitors, I climb in, careful to not disturb the wires attached to her body. “Baby, I’m here,” I tell her, carefully placing my arm behind her, pulling her against me. “Wake up baby girl, I need you, our baby needs you.”
Nothing!
Reaching my hand down, I pull down the blanket to see her belly. Cupping it in my palm, I caress the flesh underneath. “Hey there princess,” I speak to the baby, then look back up to Daisy out of the corner of my eye. “I’m your daddy and your mom, who is the most beautiful angel, is asleep and I think it’s about time we wake her up…so, how about you wiggle around in there and wake your momma up?”