by Gina Drayer
Emily
I thought once Christmas was over, I’d have some time to relax, but this move was taking over my life. After a solid month of construction, there was so much work still left to do. And every day a new problem popped up.
“There isn’t room in the budget for new doors. You need to figure out how to make the old ones work.”
“They’re not a standard size,” the foreman explained. “We’re going to have to frame each one individually. We’re talking another three days just to deal with the doors.”
“You’re already two weeks behind. I have to move ten families by the end of February. I can’t take any more delays.”
“You’re either going to pay for new doors or pay for extra time. It’s your choice, lady.”
Ben strolled up, frowning. “The doors again?”
“I don’t understand. They’re perfectly good doors.”
“Projects like this always hit unforeseen snags. That’s why I told you to put several thousand in the Oh Shit fund.”
“I did, and most of that was eaten up with the lead paint abatement. Oh, and the electrical issue on the third floor. I never want to build or renovate anything ever again!”
“You’re doing great,” he said and squeezed my shoulder. “Usually, by this stage of a project, I’m throwing things.”
“What do you want me to do about the doors?” the foreman said.
I’d totally forgotten he was still standing there. “What was that you were saying about throwing things?” Sighing, I turned back to the foreman. “If we switch from tile to laminate in the dining area, will that be enough of a savings to cover the cost of new doors?”
“No. You need tiles down there. That’s a high traffic area. If you go with laminate, you’ll end up replacing it in a couple of years.” Ben handed the foreman a card. “Order whatever doors you need and put it on my account.”
“You can’t do that. You’ve already donated way too much money for this project,” I said. I turned to get the card back, but the foreman was already halfway down the hall.
“Don’t worry. It’s not my money; it’s Cooper’s.”
“Cooper’s money? Why are you spending Cooper’s money on my doors?”
“Because he just wants to help.” Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “You two are so messed up. Don’t tell him I told you. He’d kick my ass. Half the money I’ve donated for this project has come from him.”
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t he just give me the money himself?”
“Because every time he offers to do something, you turn him down. Because he didn’t want you to think he was trying to buy your forgiveness. Take your pick. The man wants to help. Why don’t you just let him?”
I couldn’t tell him the truth. I couldn’t tell him about the contract or the fake relationship. Or about how all of that muddied our very real feelings for each other. I fell in love with him. I was still in love with him, but I didn’t know if his feelings were real or just a product of that fantasy relationship. And being around him, letting him help me, just complicated my feelings even more.
“How is he doing?”
“Good. We had lunch last week. He tried to talk me into taking yoga with him. He asks about you all the time. What’s really going on with you two?”
My phone buzzed with a text. I knew it had to be Cooper, so I just ignored it.
“It’s complicated.”
“This isn’t a Facebook status.” He nodded to the phone in my hand. “You two need to stop texting and just talk to each other.”
“How do you know it’s him?” I asked, tucking the phone into my pocket.
“Because every time you get a text from him, you go all soft. I know you still have feelings for him. And he’s in love with you.”
“He’s not in love with me. Infatuated, maybe. But not in love.”
“Trust me, he’s in love with you. He wouldn’t be doing all this if it was just infatuation. You’re not keeping him away because of that fight, are you? He overreacted. We’ve talked, and I promise you it won’t happen again.”
“It’s not just that. Everything moved so fast. I just want to slow things down.”
“You’ve gone beyond slow to glacial. Just go out with him. Let him make it up to you. Besides, I’m sick of passing notes between you two like we’re in middle school.”
Maybe he was right. I wanted to slow things down, but we’re not moving forward either. He’d stuck around after the contract had ended. He’s been secretly donating money to the shelter. He even scheduled a tour of the stadium for Mica and the other kids from the shelter. He was trying. It was about time I gave a little.
“You’re good for him. Don’t give up yet.”
Ben followed the foreman up the hall. I pulled out my phone and checked my messages.
Cooper: Are you free for dinner tomorrow?
I typed back a quick reply. I was willing to give us another chance—even if it left me in ruins.
Emily: I think it’s time we talk. Can we go someplace more private?
Cooper: Why don’t you stop by my place on the way home?
Hopefully, this wasn’t a mistake.
12
Emily
I rode the elevator to the penthouse. It was strange that here I was carrying Cooper’s child, but this was the first time I’d been to his apartment. By the time the doors opened on his floor, I was crying. Stupid hormones.
“What’s wrong?” Cooper came rushing over and pulled me into his arms. “Talk to me, Baby. Tell me why you’re crying.”
I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand and sniffed. “It’s nothing. This is me pregnant. I cry over the stupidest things. The other day, I cried for a solid five minutes over a beer commercial with a dog and horse. And I’m not talking about pretty, girly tears. No, I was ugly crying.”
“Well, we can’t have you ugly crying in the elevator. The neighbors will talk. Come in, and I’ll get you a tissue.”
Cooper’s place wasn’t anything like I expected. I was expecting something more masculine. Dark wood and leather. Maybe a little messy, with lots of sports memorabilia. But instead, his place looked like they just finished a shoot of minimalist living.
The focal point of the room was definitely the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked Central Park. The main room itself was dominated by a large modern sectional in dark charcoal that would be a perfect place to gather with friends or family. The walls were a light gray. And there were little pops of blue and green in the art and plants scattered around the room. The space wasn’t completely impersonal. Under the massive TV, there were a handful of glass framed photos of his family.
“The view is the main reason I bought this place,” he said, coming up behind me.
“It’s beautiful. The whole place is amazing.”
“You were expecting a bachelor pad weren't you?”
“Maybe,” I said shrugging and took the tissues. The annoying tears had stopped, but I held on to the box just in case. “I like my clutter, but I have to admit, it’s really peaceful up here.”
“You can come by anytime you want.”
“You’re getting ready to leave for Florida. I’m not going to come by your house while you’re out of town. That’s just weird.”
“I need someone to water the plants.”
“I’m pretty sure there’s a service for that.”
Cooper sighed and took my hand in his. “Give me another chance. Not because of the baby, but because I want to be with you. I said some awful things that I’ll never be able to take back. It wasn’t about you. I was an insecure asshole.”
“I’m not going to give you another chance just because you apologized.”
“I didn’t ask you to.” He trailed his finger along the curve of my jaw. “I am, however, asking you to consider forgiving me.”
“This isn’t the right time. You’re leaving in two days.”
“I’m a ballplayer. There’s never a right time. Give
us another chance. I promise you won’t regret it.”
I sighed and met his gaze. “I’m considering it. But there’s a lot we need to talk—”
His lips were on mine before I could get the words out. Everything he couldn’t express with words was there in that kiss, begging me. And I was listening.
We broke apart, but he still held me in his arms. “We’ll talk, but first dinner.”
His finger traced down my arm, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I was struggling to catch my breath when he stepped away to get the plates from the kitchen.
“Let’s eat.” He kissed me as he passed on his way to the dining room, leaving me completely breathless again. Shit. Maybe we should have had this conversation over the phone.
He’d picked up my favorite spinach fettuccine alfredo with broccoli. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the sight of broccoli made me nauseous.
“This looks delicious,” I said, sitting across from him.
“I was reading in that What to Expect pregnancy book that you might need extra iron.”
I looked up from my plate where I’d been casually pushing the broccoli to one side and stared at him. “You’ve been reading a pregnancy book? Why?”
“Because you’re carrying my baby. Our baby. And I want to be part of that even if I can’t always be here.” He put down his fork and came around to the other side of the table to take my hand. “I’ve been giving you space because you asked me to, but I want to be part of this. I don’t want to miss a thing. I was talking to Greg. He said that they hired a doula to do private birthing classes and to help Joni while he was on the road. I was thinking—”
“You talked to Greg about the baby?” I asked, blinking back tears.
“Oh, man. I didn’t think you were keeping it a secret. I might have also told Kevin. And Ramon. Maybe, Calvin.”
“Who’s Calvin?”
“The doorman downstairs.” He wiped away a stray tear; a panic stricken look on his face. “Fuck. I should have kept my mouth shut. I’m sorry. Please don’t cry.”
He’d told people. Not just his sister and mom. That, more than his words, convinced me that he really did want the baby. I looked up and saw the concern etched on his face and laughed. Then kissed him.
“Are you sure you want this? Me? The baby? All of it?”
“More than anything,” he said without hesitation.
“I do, too,” I said.
My chest swelled with emotion, and I hated myself for keeping him away for so long. He was leaving in a couple days, and I’d wasted all that time. My hand slipped under his shirt, and I sighed as it met bare skin. I wasn’t going to waste another second.
“Emily, baby, you need to stop touching me,” he whispered against my lips. “You don’t know how much I want to touch you, but you wanted to talk.” He pulled away and stood up, putting distance between us. “I’m trying to prove to you that I want more than just sex.”
I followed him, smiling seductively. “I believe you,” I said and laced my fingers through his soft hair. “But that doesn’t mean sex is out of the question.”
“Emily…” He moaned as I pressed against his hard erection. “I can wait until we’re ready.”
“And I say we’re ready.”
Without saying another word, his lips were on mine. His hand went to the waist of my pants, deftly unbuttoning them in one swift motion. His fingers slid between us, finding my panties already soaked. As his fingers teased me through the fabric, his other hand slid under my sweater and cupped my breast. The dual sensations against my overly sensitive skin made me moan.
“You have no idea how much I’ve missed the sounds you make when you get turned on” His fingers teased my clit again and then slid under the elastic band to my slick heat. “Or how wet you get for me.”
“Is that all you missed?” I asked, pressing into his touch.
“If it was, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
There were too many clothes between us. I stepped back and pulled the sweater over my head, dropping it to the floor and wiggled out of my pants.
He took a moment to admire my body, then wrapped his arms around my waist, lifted me up, and carried me back to his bedroom. After gently setting me on the bed, he undressed and went to the nightstand for a condom.
“You don’t have to,” I said, biting my bottom lip. “It’s not like I can get any more pregnant.”
“Are you sure? I swear I’m clean. I haven’t been with anyone since our last time.”
“Yes. I trust you. Now come here.” I pulled him back to the bed and wrapped my legs around him.
“I missed you.” he groaned, sliding inside me. “So fucking much.”
Star New York
Baby Bump Watch
There’s a rumor circulating that Cooper Reynolds girlfriend, Emily Oliver, is with child. Sources close to the couple are keeping quiet, but Emily was spotted earlier this week leaving a doctor’s office. Photos show what may very well be a baby bump.
13
Emily
“How was your flight?” I was still curled up in his bed where he’d left me several hours ago, reluctant to leave. We’d spent the last three days wrapped in a cocoon of love and sex… and occasionally tears. Stupid pregnancy hormones.
“Crowded. But I made it to my rental without any issue. Are you taking care of my plants?”
“I hope you called a service because I have a brown thumb. Seriously, if you’re counting on me, they’ll all be dead by the time you get back.”
I stretched and got out of bed, not quite ready to return to real life.
“Don’t worry. There’s a lady that comes twice a week to water and prune. I’ll let her know you may be there.”
I walked over to the dresser where my clothes were stacked. “I’m not just going to sit around your house and wait for you to get back. I have a life and people who are counting on me.”
“I know that. I just thought if you wanted to stay, I wouldn’t object.”
My sweater smelled like his laundry soap. I closed my eyes and inhaled. “I’m comfortable at my place.” I snatched a soft, gray cotton shirt out the drawer pressed it to my face. “But I am stealing a T-shirt to sleep in.”
“Take whatever you want. And if you need anything, for you, for the baby, let me know. I left a credit card on the table for you to use.”
“This is part of what we talked about this weekend. You can’t take over. I want you to be a part of this, not solely responsible.”
“And you said if you needed anything you’d let me know.”
I slipped on his shirt and pulled my sweater over it, letting his scent surround me. “And I will. Right now, I need to go home, change, and get back to the shelter. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Work was crazy when I finally showed up. Two days of playing hooky meant two days of unfinished work waiting for me when I got in. Cooper and I spoke almost every night. But between his games, my work schedule, and the extreme pregnancy exhaustion, some nights it was little more than a simple good night.
As we drew closer to the move, Ben started showing up more and more. He always had a legitimate reason to stop by—paperwork from the contractor, thoughts on fundraising, movers willing to donate time, but I got the feeling he was checking up on me.
Today, he showed up at my office with the final schedule for the move…and dinner.
“You can tell Cooper I’m fine. I swear I’m eating,” I pressed my hand over my barely noticeable bump. “And I already promised I wouldn’t be lifting any boxes. I’m just packing them up, and one of the boys is stacking them for me.”
“He’s not the only one worried about you,” Ben said, setting down the bag. “You’ve been working too many hours. Let Tony pick up the slack.”
“I’m pregnant not broken,” I sighed and peeked inside the bag. “Is that a veggie burger from Superiority Burger? I could kiss you right now.”
“Cooper said they were your favorite.”
>
I pulled the sandwich out of the bag and took a bite. Heaven. Like the ravenous animal I’d become, I devoured the whole thing in just a few seconds.
“Now that I’m not throwing up every few minutes, I can’t seem to eat enough.”
Ben sat down beside me, his features serious. “Are you okay? I mean really okay with all this?” he asked, grabbing my hand. “I know this has to be hard on you with Cooper away. If he can’t be here for you, I want—”
“Ben, please don’t say anything else,” I said, stopping him. “When I said I could kiss you, I didn’t mean anything by it. I value our friendship, but that’s all it is. I’m in love with Cooper.”
Ben made a face and yanked his hand away as if my touch was contaminated. “That’s not at all what I was getting at. To start with, I like my face just the way it is. I don’t need Cooper rearranging it for me. But more importantly, I don’t feel that way about you. Sure, at first, I thought maybe,” he made another face and shook his head, “My feelings for you are very familial. Cooper is the closest thing I have to a brother, and you’re like my little sister. And that’s what I was trying to say. I want to be there for you… like a brother.”
I looked down at my hands, feeling my cheeks heat. “Can we pretend that this conversation never happened?”
“I think that would be for the best,” he said, getting up and straightening his jacket. “Although, I’m glad to hear you’ve finally caught up with the rest of us.”
“What do you mean?”
“That you finally accepted that you’re in love with Cooper.”
Then it hit me. That was the first time I’d said it aloud. God, and I said it to Ben. I needed to call Cooper. He’d be in the middle of a game right now, so I’d have to wait until tonight.
A swarm of butterflies took off in my belly, and I ran for the trashcan. So much for the end of morning sickness.
“Here’s some water,” Ben said, handing me a bottle. “Sorry, I didn’t think that would make you throw up.”