by E. L. Todd
Sean smirked. “Scarlet is pulling the same shit. She doesn’t realize how much hotter she is when she’s pregnant. I don’t get it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Women…”
“Yeah.”
“I basically had to force her to have sex with me last night.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You know, you can rape your spouse…”
I glared at him. “That’s not funny.”
“I wasn’t trying to be.”
“It wasn’t like that. She just kept saying she was ugly. I had to prove it to her by ramming her into my headboard.”
“Good to know,” he said sarcastically.
I smirked. “I’ll finish up here then head home early.”
“Such a slacker.”
“You’re one to talk.” I walked out then shut the door behind me.
Chapter 3
Sean
I picked up Scarlet from work then drove back into the city to see her doctor. She kept eyeing me from her seat, studying me.
“You’re still mad.”
“No.” I stared straight ahead and kept my eyes on the road.
“It really bothers you that much?” she asked incredulously.
“No.”
She sighed then rolled her eyes. “Sean, it’s really not a big deal. You’re being really immature about this.”
I was about to snap. “I love that you trust me, but trust has nothing to do with jealousy. It really doesn’t bother you when women want to sleep with me? Even when they don’t care that I’m married?”
“It does bother me, but I’m not going to get upset about it. Being angry won’t change anything.”
I gripped the steering wheel and fell silent.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Just forget it, okay?”
“I guess I’ll have to. There’s no reasoning with you.”
I turned on the radio so the conversation would end. The resentment toward my wife wasn’t helping my stress levels. I desperately wanted the doctor to tell us everything was fine and our baby was here to stay. I guess I wasn’t handling everything very well.
When we arrived at the office, I held Scarlet’s hand in the waiting room. I couldn’t deny how nervous I felt. Mike and Cassandra weren’t struggling with their pregnancy. Everything seemed good to go. I just hoped we were as fortunate. Scarlet didn’t speak while we waited. I put aside my anger for a moment and tried to be supportive.
The doctor finally called us back and Scarlet lay on the bed. She wore a t-shirt and running shorts, being comfortable. A woman in a coat came in then drew blood to run lab work. I watched her like a hawk, making sure she was doing her job right. When we were alone, I went back to worrying.
Scarlet stared at the ceiling and rested her hands on her ribs. I paced the room slowly, unable to take the anxiety. All I wanted was a healthy baby with my wife. I wanted my family. Why couldn’t I just have that?
The doctor finally arrived with the tests in hand. “Everything looks great.” He nodded while he flipped through the lab work. “You’ve been eating right, according to your results.”
“I’ve probably been eating too much,” Scarlet said with a laugh.
“But eating is good. So, how’s it going? Any pain or discomfort?”
“No,” Scarlet said. “I’m just a little tired.”
“That’s normal,” he said. “Any dizziness or lightheadedness?”
“No,” Scarlet answered.
“Blood in your urine?”
“No,” she said again.
“Great,” he said. “Everything is looking good.”
Please stay that way.
He set up the ultrasound machine then lifted up her shirt. “I’m going to take a peek inside and see how Baby Preston is doing.”
“Okay.” Scarlet leaned back and watched him apply the gel to the probe.
I stood beside her and held her hand in mine. It was hard to be brave for her when I was so scared. I tried to hide it from escaping my features but it was a struggle.
The doctor watched the screen while he moved the probe around. “Found it. Baby Preston has a strong heartbeat.”
Scarlet stared at the screen, taking deep breaths.
The doctor hit a few buttons on the machine, and a few numbers popped up on the screen. “Congratulations. You’re a few weeks into your second trimester.”
I stared at the screen for a moment, seeing the faint heartbeat. My son or daughter was in there, growing until they could finally meet us. I cleared my throat. “So…should we be concerned about losing the baby again?” I hated voicing the question. It pained my heart just to say it.
The doctor placed his hand on Scarlet’s shoulder. “Nothing is certain, but I’m sure you won’t go through that again.”
“How sure?” I asked.
“It’s rare for women to have miscarriages beyond the first semester, and Mrs. Preston is a few weeks over the deadline. I’m sure you’re fine.”
That was music to my ears. I felt the moisture below my eyes but I kept it back. “Should I keep her on bed rest?”
“That won’t be necessary,” the doctor said. “Just go about your lives like normal—nothing too extreme.”
“Okay.” I felt numb in joy.
The doctor shook my hand. “Until next time.”
“Yeah.” I shook it, lost in the emotion.
He walked out and gave us some privacy.
My wife grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“Yeah…” I placed a kiss on her stomach. “Baby Preston is on the way.”
“I’m so excited.” Tears burned her eyes and they welled up.
“Me too.” I felt my own tears escape the rim of my eyes and fall.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and held me. “It’s really happening for us.”
“It is.” I ran my fingers through her hair, trying to calm down. Ever since I got married, my emotional level had skyrocketed. Before Scarlet, I had cried twice in my life. It was really rare for me to be emotionally invested in anything, but with Scarlet, I wore my heart on my sleeve.
She pulled away then gave me a kiss. “We shouldn’t be crying. We should be happy.”
“Baby, I am happy.” I rested my chin on her head and took a moment to soak it all in. Scarlet and I were already parents, we just didn’t have a baby yet. But now we knew it was coming. In just a few months, it would be in our arms, a perfect mixture of both of us. I never felt so grateful in my life. I was finally getting a family.
Now I had a bounce in my step. At work, I was in a good mood. My baby was strong and healthy and would be here in a few months. Seeing the happiness and stress on my wife’s face made it better. My earlier resentment toward her lack of jealousy was forgotten. I was too happy to care.
Not having Mike around was a little stressful. Now I had more work to do, and I quickly realized how useful he was. I always disregarded him because he was my idiot brother, but he actually was an essential component to this place. I sent him work via email as much as possible, but not everything could be communicated that way. I had to pick up the slack. The only reason why I didn’t bitch about it was because I knew I would have time off when Scarlet was late in her pregnancy. It was a fair trade.
“Mr. Preston, the vice president of Concave Engineering is here to see you,” my assistant said over the intercom.
I totally forgot about that. I had a meeting to acquire a new operating system for our new product. While our engineers had furnished the best technology in the business, this foreign company made something quite special. We were strictly an American company, but I couldn’t deny the progress we would make with something more advance. Cortland agreed it was worth investing in. “Send him in.”
“It’s a she, sir.”
Oh. “My apologies.” I quickly looked up the vice president’s name. Aris Augustine. I had no idea it was a woman. In my line of work, the forefronts of companies were usuall
y males, not that I was sexist.
The door to my office opened and my assistant chauffeured her inside. I stood up and came around the desk, ready to shake her hand.
She was not what I was expecting. She had shoulder length blonde hair that curled inwards slightly at the ends. It was layered and soft, framing her face and her slender neck. Skin as fair as porcelain, and lips as red as a strawberry, she had the typical features of a European woman. Her bright eyes reminded me of blue waterfalls, and her height was only a few inches shorter than mine. Her heels gave her some extra height, but even then, she was still tall and thin. I wondered if she was a mix of French and Swedish.
“Hello,” she said with a French accent. She shook my hand.
“Hi.” I gripped her hand firmly and shook it. “Thank you for coming.”
“Of course. I’ve been looking forward to our meeting today.” Some of her words were heavy with her accent but I could understand her after I processed it for a second or two.
“Likewise,” I said. “Please take a seat.”
She did then crossed her legs, perfect posture and grace. I couldn’t deny her obvious beauty. She was someone I would have been interested in if I were single. But I wasn’t single. I was happily married to a supermodel. This girl had nothing on Scarlet. But I was surprised, nonetheless.
“I’m flattered you came all the way here from France for our meeting.”
She smiled. “I love New York. It’s beautiful.”
“I like it too,” I said with a smile. “I apologize for assuming you were a man earlier. You know how these things slip.”
She chuckled. “It’s quite alright. Every time I walk into a room, people are always surprised to see me. I do not take offense to your ignorance. But I should explain something. The CEO and founder of the company is my father. I’ve been working with him for many years.”
“I see. That’s wonderful. My father built this company when he was my age, and now I run it alongside my brother.”
She nodded. “Will he be joining us?”
“My brother? No. He’s out on maternity leave.”
“Oh.” She smiled. “His wife is having a baby?”
“Yes,” I said with a smile. “I’m going to be an uncle.”
“Congratulations.” She seemed sincere.
“Thank you. I’m excited.”
She glanced down to my wedding band. “You’re married?”
“Yes,” I said quickly. “I’m a newlywed.”
“Oh.” She seemed a little disappointed. Her eyes scanned the pictures on my desk, each one containing a picture of Scarlet. “Your wife is beautiful.”
“Thank you. She and I have a baby on the way too.” It was nice to say it out loud like it was a certain event.
“That’s wonderful,” she said. “How far along is she?”
“She’s in her second trimester.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I said with a nod. “So, shall we get down to business?”
“Certainly.”
We discussed the rights for the operating system, but when I said my company wanted exclusive rights, she wasn’t accommodating. Since she appeared to be so sweet and gentle, I didn’t expect this aggressive side of her. She was a shrewd businesswoman, never taking less than what she felt she deserved. It caught me off guard.
She and I argued about the contract, but every compromise I made still wasn’t acceptable to her. I was desperate for this operating system. While our products were of quality and had quite a reputation, this new technology would put us at the head of the game. Aris wouldn’t budge.
She sighed. “Those are my terms. Think them over and I’ll return tomorrow so we can discuss it.”
I was irritated things hadn’t gone my way. My father would have somehow negotiated everything to his preference, but I wasn’t my dad. The experience he gained in his life was something I’d never have access to. “I will. Thank you for coming.”
She stood up and shook my hand. “It’s nice to meet someone at the same level.” She held my gaze while she said it, the confidence brewing.
I wasn’t sure what that meant.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I dropped my hand “Good bye.”
She put her purse over her shoulder then walked out.
I called my brother the next day.
“What?” he said over the phone.
“Hello to you too.”
“It’s only been a day and you need something.”
“You know that operating system we’re trying to get?”
“Yeah.”
“I met with the vice president yesterday and she was a hard ass.”
“It’s a woman?”
“Yeah, I was surprised too.” Really surprised.
“She said no, I’m guessing?”
“She said she would sell it to us, but exclusive rights wouldn’t be given. I already offered her a lot of money. Should I offer more for the exclusivity?”
“Hmm…” Mike pondered the question. “Having that technology privately really would give us an edge until other companies started to copy us. We’d make back that money in no time.”
“So you think I should do it?”
“I guess. It’s probably the best way to go.”
“Alright. I’ll tell her when I see her today.”
“Cool.”
“Bye.”
“Wait,” he said. “How’d it go at the doctor?”
“Good,” I said. “The doctor said everything should be smooth from this point forward.”
“That’s great.” He seemed genuinely happy.
“Yeah.”
“Be warned; when Scarlet gets big, she’s going to be bitchy.”
“My wife is already bitchy.”
He laughed. “It gets worse.” He hung up.
I sat at my desk and waited for noon to arrive. That’s when Aris would be returning. I wasn’t sexist, but playing hardball with a woman was odd to me. In the year that I’ve been here, I’ve never had to deal with women in meetings or negotiations. It was strictly a male dominated world. I was naturally gentle with women because that’s how I was raised. It was hard to be aggressive with them.
She came inside at exactly noon. “Hello, Mr. Preston.” She wore a black dress with a gray cardigan. Her hair was pulled back, revealing her thin face. A golden necklace hung across her chest, giving her outfit some color.
“It’s nice to see you again, Ms. Augustine.” I shook her hand.
“Call me Aris.”
“Will do.” I turned back to my desk. “Please sit down.”
“Honestly, I haven’t eaten lunch because I’ve been busy all morning. Could we discuss this at a restaurant?”
Uh… What do I say? It was one thing to speak in my office when everyone could see us through the windows, but to have a meal together…that felt inappropriate. I knew it was an innocent invitation, but I was married. What if someone saw me and assumed I was having an affair? The panic set into my bones. But then I realized Scarlet didn’t care. Even if this woman wanted to sleep with me, she wouldn’t give a damn. She trusted me, and if we were having lunch together, Scarlet wouldn’t blink an eye over it. “Sure.”
“Good. I’m starving.” Her accent was still thick.
We walked out and then headed to the lobby. I kept my hands in my pockets and didn’t look at her. “What are you in the mood for?”
“Greek food?”
“Can’t go wrong there.”
We entered the restaurant and I held the door open for her. She gave me a light smile then walked inside.
“Mr. Preston, it’s nice to see you,” the maître d’ said when I walked in.
“Likewise, Samuel.”
“How’s the wife?”
“Perfect. Thank you for asking.”
He nodded then spotted Aris. With one look at her beautiful features, suspicion came into his gaze.
“I’m having a business lunch
with my client. Just business.” I didn’t have to explain myself but I felt pressured to. New York was a big city but word still traveled fast.
“Of course, sir. The hostess will take you to your table.”
I couldn’t tell if he believed me. Why couldn’t Aris be hideous? Or why couldn’t she just be a dude?
We arrived at our table. I didn’t pull out her chair for her because I thought that would be too intimate. If she thought that was rude, she could deal with it. We immediately ordered our drinks then browsed the menu.
“You’re well known in your city,” she said while she looked through the menu.
“I have a few restaurants I frequent.”
“I see.” She put down the menu and gave me her full attention. “Your wife dines with you often?”
What kind of question was that? Who else would I go out with? “Yes. She joins me for lunch all the time.”
“Does she work?”
What’s with all the personal questions? “She’s an editor. She works from home.”
“That’s nice.”
I couldn’t tell if she meant that.
I straightened my tie. “So, I’m willing to meet your demand in order to establish exclusivity.”
She acted like she hadn’t heard me. “I’ve met many men who I’ve done negotiations with. The first thing they do is take one look at me then never take me seriously. Secondly, they can’t keep their eyes glued to respectable places. Negotiations turn into dates, and they pine after my affections until I eventually cease business with their companies altogether.”
Okay…”I’m not hitting on you. I’m married.” What the hell did I do? I kept my hands to myself and I never once checked her out.
She smiled. “I know. That’s why I like you.”
Oh. Phew, I was glad I dodged that bullet. “I apologize on the behalf of my sex. But I admit we live in a sexist world and it will remain that way for a long time, perhaps forever.”
“Unfortunately.” She played with her glass, tapping her nails against the side. “So, what do you do for fun?”
I’m not following this conversation. Why did she keep steering away from our deal? “Can we get back to the reason why we’re meeting today?” I said it as nicely as possible.