She spent the rest of the night in the window seat, staring out onto the estate and watching as a new day began. With the sun lighting the sky, she finally felt safe enough to climb back into bed and slide under the down comforter. She was exhausted and hungry, but this time, tired won.
When she awoke, her mind turned back to the dream that had woken her during the night.
She sat in the bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “Button, that was weird. I think I had a dream about your daddy. I think I was married to Richard.”
***
Richard and Evelyn sat on the back deck staring out into the open land.
“You’re going to have to start making appearances with the girl,” she said, in between drags of her cigarette.
“The girl. You’re so cold, mother.”
“Well, it’s time. I’ve arranged a dinner date for the two of you to get reacquainted.”
“You keep saying that, and I still don’t remember the first time.”
“You will.”
Chapter 5
Getting out of bed, Sherry saw a note that was slipped into the room, under her door.
“Let’s see what today’s adventure is, button.”
She slid the note from the oversized unsealed envelope
Dinner for two at LE Mirage
Be ready at 7 pm
She felt a twinge of excitement at the idea of a fancy date, followed by nerves and fear as it was pretty obvious that Richard would be her date. Richard, the man whom she hadn’t shared more than two words with up until now, and whose child she was carrying.
“Dinner for two, button. Ha. More like dinner for three.”
She looked down at her ring finger and thought back to last night’s dream. She had to find out more. Maybe Richard would reveal what he knew, over dinner.
***
The ride to the restaurant was quiet. She and Richard barely shared the backseat of the limousine, one at either end. Sherry was usually comfortable with people, but with Richard she didn’t feel that free and easy. She wasn’t sure what he knew, or what he remembered.
The driver helped her out of the car, and Richard immediately held her elbow as they walked, but his affection seemed to be only for the benefit of the scattered photographers who waited outside the posh eatery.
Their feet had barely hit the entrance when a maître d directed. “Right this way, Mr. Black. Your table is ready.”
Sherry was seated beside him at a small table for two. Apparently, that was the way couples ate at this restaurant. She hoped it would help her feel less awkward and avoid the need for eye contact. Each time his knee brushed hers, she felt a twinge in her gut. She stared at the menu, trying not to gasp at the prices. A bottle of champagne was delivered, and two glasses were poured. Neither the waiter nor Richard seemed to realize that Sherry could not enjoy the bubbly alcohol. She casually pushed the champagne flute toward the middle of the table and sipped her water.
“Oh my. How rude of me. It’s just a natural instinct to start every meal with a bottle. Do you mind?” he asked as he raised his glass to his mouth.
“No. Go ahead,” she said, waving her hand in his direction.
She closed her menu and surveyed the room. She wondered if there were any notable celebrities here tonight. Then realized she was seated beside one, and that people were also looking at her.
“I had a strange dream,” she started, trying to break the ice.
“Yes?” Richard said, never lifting his eyes from his menu.
“In it, we were getting married, by the gazebo on your property.”
Richard looked up, finally. She saw that his eyes looked tired, and thought that maybe this whole thing was hard on him, too. “Do you think it means something?” he asked.
“You know, I just don’t know. To be honest, I’m having a hard time piecing together events lately. Clearly we created a life. But I have no recollection of ever being married.”
The water interrupted, “Mrs. Black, the usual?”
Sherry looked confused, but nodded.
“My usual?” she said to Richard, as the waiter walked away. “If we were married and this was our ‘usual’ place, why don’t either of us remember?”
“I don’t know,” confided Richard, and I haven’t built my name and multi-million dollar career on not knowing. I will get to the bottom of it.”
“Well, I can’t wait to find out what my usual is.”
They both laughed as the tension fell away, and clinked their glasses.
“Celebrating finding out the father of your baby?” a rude woman chided as she passed their table. Within minutes, Richard’s security guards had her removed.
***
They returned to the mansion and Sherry thanked him for a lovely evening and walked to her room.
Richard headed to his study and summoned his stepmother to join him.
“I want to know,” he demanded.
“Know what, darling?” she smiled as she poured herself a short glass of scotch.
“I want to know the whole story of me and Sherry and this baby. You know something and you need to come clean.”
“What makes you think I know anything?” she asked as she looked out the tall window at the setting sun.
“Don’t play coy with me, mother. You know what happened.”
“What? What happened?” demanded Marlene as she walked into the study.
“Richard needs to know how babies are made, apparently.”
The two women laughed as Richard tapped his pen on his desk.
“Well, Richard …” Marlene whispered as she touched her hand to his. He jerked away from her and stood up.
“What the hell is going on here! This is my house! If there is information you’re hiding, it needs to be revealed. Now!” he demanded.
The two women looked at each other and smiled.
***
Back in her room, Sherry soaked in the warm tub longer than usual. What seemed like a great idea heading in soon felt like a bad idea when she couldn’t get herself out. When she finally did, she wrapped herself in her bathrobe and made her way to the bed, trying to catch her breath. “Button, you are getting so big. Whew, Mommy can’t get around so easily anymore.”
She slid her feet onto the silk slippers that coordinated with her bathrobe, all handpicked by her stylist, then wrapped her hair in a towel and ventured out into the hallway. She made her way to the kitchen where she located a teapot. She began to fill it with water when Marlene entered.
“Out of your room, I see.”
“Is that not allowed?”
“Well. You don’t have to make your own tea. Someone can bring it to you.”
“Oh. I don’t mind.”
Marlene opened a wooden box lined with velvet and a variety of flavored tea. Sherry picked one from the box and placed it into a tea cup.
“Would you like a cup?” she asked Marlene.
“No, thanks. I don’t drink tea.”
Sherry carried her cup of tea and saucer to the small table by the window. She sat down and looked around the grand kitchen.
“That table is usually for the help, on their lunch break,” snapped Marlene.
“Oh, it works just fine for me,” smiled Sherry
Sherry just felt good being out of her room, out in what felt a little more like the real world. She slowly sipped her tea and hoped Marlene would leave. There was something about her that Sherry didn’t trust. Granted, she was living in this mansion being treated like a spoiled prisoner, but her interactions with Marlene were always short and tense. She felt resented by her and wasn’t sure why.
Actually, giving it further thought, maybe she did know why. Did Marlene want to be the one carrying Richard’s baby? Was she jealous of Sherry? Sherry couldn’t imagine anyone being jealous of her current situation.
Marlene lingered in the kitchen, tidying up and typing things into her smartphone. An intercom voice summoned her to the garage and she left. With no one aro
und, Sherry enjoyed her hot cup of tea, even propping her feet up on the chair next to her.
She could hear voices in the hallway getting closer. The chattering voices entered the kitchen, not realizing she was there. “What if I don’t love her?”
“You will. You loved her before and you can …”
Richard and his stepmother froze in their steps, spotting Sherry sipping her tea. In an effort to avoid the awkwardness, Sherry stared into her tea cup, pretending not to hear them. She fought back her emotions, looked up and smiled politely.
“Oh, hello. We didn’t know you were in here. Is everything okay?”
“Just fine. Sipping some tea before bed.”
“I always thought of tea as a morning drink,” said Evelyn.
“Oh I enjoy it in the morning, too.” They all laughed, waiting for the awkward conversation to end.
Waiting for someone to leave and pretend none of this had ever happened, a lot like my relationship with Richard, Sherry thought.
Sherry took her last sip and struggled to get out of the chair. “Well. Goodnight.”
“Here. Let me help you,” Richard offered, reaching for her arm. “I’ll … I’ll walk you to your room.”
“Thank you,” Sherry blushed, as Evelyn looked on with a pleased expression.
Richard walked beside her down the long corridor.
“Did you enjoy dinner?”
“Oh yes. I’m still full. Thank you.”
Sherry opened her door and turned back to say goodnight. Richard was standing closer to her now.
“I really enjoyed your company tonight. I’m looking forward to piecing together our past. Together.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
“Uh, me too,” she smiled bashfully and entered her room alone.
She tucked herself into her bed and laid the journal on her lap. She began to write.
Richard kissed me. He kissed me on the cheek, but he kissed me. I felt a spark and a feeling that I’ve felt before. Something about his kiss made him feel familiar to me. It made me feel like he’d done that a thousand times before. Who would have thought that this powerful, wealthy man could be so gentle? I wanted so badly to reach my arms out to him. Instead I ran inside and went to bed like a little schoolgirl. What if this is love? What if this whole trip to bring me here actually results in us falling in love, or falling back in love? What if we’re about to become a happy little family?
Sherry closed the journal and threw her head back on the stack of pillows. “I could get used to this life, button,” she whispered. “And so could you. So could you.”
Chapter 6
The next few weeks revolved around private dinners, late night talks, and a series of events that reconnected Richard and Sherry. An in-depth interview with a major new station was set for the end of the week, and Sherry and Richard had been practicing up on their compatibility skills. Mrs. Black felt it was important that they really look like they knew each other and were in love. But something else was happening: they really were falling in love. They were starting to finish each other’s sentences, and Sherry was fast becoming the woman of the house. She no longer felt like the privileged prisoner in the fancy bedroom, but more like the lady of the manor. She was crafting shopping lists, making dinner recommendations to the in-house chef and taking over duties once held by Marlene.
Marlene—who always seemed to be there even when she wasn’t needed. Marlene was the thorn in her side, and she didn’t need any added pain these days with the baby growing bigger and room running out. Some days, Sherry found it hard to move. And Richard had become quite the doting Dad to be.
The nursery was coming along nicely, and Sherry had moved her things into Richard’s bedroom. They weren’t just spending their days together, but their nights too.
Sherry sat in the downstairs spa, having her hair and makeup done for the interview planned for that night. Her stylist stood before her, holding up clothing options.
“Do you know how lucky you are?” she asked.
Sherry laughed and smiled, “I do. I do know how lucky I am. I’ve been given a gift. I get to fall in love with a man twice.”
“What?”
“Never mind me. That’s just my pregnancy brain babbling again. I’ll go with the pink one.”
“Great choice,” said the stylist as she placed the maternity dress back in the garment bag. “I’ll have this ready for you on your room, along with three show choices.”
***
The interview team arrived hours before the interviewer. An entire team of light people, camera people and makeup people.
Sherry sat in the bedroom, mentally preparing for the questions she would have to answer. Outside her door, she could hear Marlene and Richard arguing.
“I’m just saying I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come out with everything,” Marlene pleaded.
“Marlene, this is not about you. What we had was over some time ago,” Richard whispered, loudly. “I apologize if you think I misled you—”
“If I THINK? You think this is all about what I think? You’re taking no responsibility? I should’ve just gotten myself pregnant, like her. Then, you’d notice me. Then, you’d care.”
Marlene stormed away down the hall.
Richard pushed the door open, almost knocking Sherry to the ground as she was leaning against it trying to listen.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay? I didn’t know you were there. Why were you there?”
“Because I, uh, I dropped my earring by the door…”
“Oh, let me help you find it.”
“No, no it’s okay,” she said, standing up and smoothing out her dress.
She hurried over to the mirror and pretended to fix her hair.
“Were you eavesdropping?”
“ME?”
“Yes, you were standing awfully close to the door when I came in. Were you trying to listen to my conversation with Marlene?”
“No. Should I have?”
“No.”
“What could you two have to talk about at this hour anyway?”
“Business.”
“Mmhm.”
“Why do you sound like you don’t believe me?”
“Because I don’t know how to believe you. I don’t know your truths or your secrets. We share a child, but we don’t share that connection,” she began to sob.
“Yet,” he said. “We don’t share a connection, yet. We will. Give it time. Give US time.” He lifted her chin with his forefinger, forcing her to gaze into his eyes. “Give us a chance,” he whispered and kissed her, gently, on the lips.
A single tear slid past her chin and along her jaw.
Looking up at him, she suddenly saw someone she wanted to get to know. She wanted to feel connected and let him love her.
He wiped her tear and held her head close to his chest. She didn’t care how it was ruining her hair. She loved the way he held her, like he would take care of her forever.
***
“A forever fairy tale. A happily ever after dream come true. That’s how some people are describing my next guests. Their relationship began with her finding out that he was the father. But ended happier than most. Mr. Richard Black and Sherry Smith, thank you for joining me.”
“Thanks for having us,” Sherry and Richard replied.
“So how is your love life? When’s the wedding? Or better yet, when is the baby due?” the interviewer was firing questions with rapid fire.
“Let me start by saying that Sherry and I are very happy and ready to take things at our own pace. We’re happy, we’re in love, and we can wait to meet this little bundle,” smiled Richard as he rested his hand on her belly.
“Mr. Black, I have to say, we’re seeing you in a whole new light,” beamed the woman in the beige suit.
“Well, this is the new me. I’m a family man, now.”
“Look at them. Two phonies!” Marlene sucked on her cigarette with her feet propped up in her living room. “Family ma
n, ppsshh. That was supposed to be me.”
Carrying the Billionaire's Baby: A Clean BWWM Billionaire Romance (The Billionaire Baby Mystery Book 1) Page 3