And the good-looking man who had opened the door, with his tall build, light brown hair, and green eyes that were so much like the other woman’s features… it was obvious they were siblings. I had felt his eyes on me the whole time, wondering who I was, what I was doing there. He probably hated me just as the rest of them did now.
I may not have had everything figured out yet, but I knew I loved my daughter more than anything and I was going to do whatever was needed to take care of her. That still didn’t change the fact that I would love to have someone here with me to share this experience with.
While I was sitting in my dark, drafty apartment and contemplating my future, I heard my cell phone ding with a text notification. I wasn’t interested in talking to anyone at the moment and chose to ignore it. Instead, I went into my kitchen in search of dinner, praying whatever I ate would stay down. I opened the refrigerator, but it was almost completely empty, just a carton of milk, some lunchmeat, and a jar of pickles. Again, I heard my cell phone ding. Deciding it could be important, I went to grab it off the foldable card table that was acting as a dining table and looked to see who the sender was.
With utter disbelief, I clicked on my text app to read the message from the one person who had been ignoring me.
Brad: We need to talk.
I felt like a lead weight had planted itself firmly in my stomach at those four simple words. Of course we had to talk, but what did he want to talk about? Had he decided he wanted to be involved with our baby? Did he want to finally confirm what I had feared this whole time, that he was done with me and our daughter and I was truly on my own? Or worse, did he want to try to take my child away from me? As much as I feared his intentions, I had to know what was on his mind.
Me: Ok. Do you want to meet in person or talk on the phone?
Brad: In person. Can you meet tomorrow?
Me: I have to work at 3 so anything before that is fine.
Brad: Noon at your apartment?
Me: Sure.
I didn’t know if meeting at my apartment was a good idea, but I wanted to be as agreeable as possible. Having him involved was the most important thing to me, and whatever I had to do to make things easier on him I was going to do it. I was determined that my child would have a father. I was fine with him only wanting a relationship with our child, but if he wanted us to have a relationship I wouldn’t rule that out either. Maybe that seemed foolish to some, but having grown up the way I did, the dream of having a stable home life, with a complete family, was too good to pass up. I knew how the real world worked and I had no illusions about Brad being in love with me. Hell, he could still be with his fiancée for all I knew. But if he wanted to work things out with me, I’d be willing to try. Because knowing my daughter and I weren’t alone in this… would mean everything.
The next day when my doorbell rang, I felt as though I might vomit. For the first time in months it wasn’t due to the pregnancy but rather because of the massive amount of nervous energy that was spinning in my stomach. I tried to calm down and not fidget.
I opened the door and was immediately met by a pair of steely blue eyes set in a handsome face. Brad was an extremely good-looking man with his blond hair and toned body. His looks were what drew me in the night I met him. Now those eyes weren’t staring at me in lust like they had that night, instead they flicked to my pregnant belly. It seemed in that moment it finally hit Brad that he was going to become a father. The quick intake of breath and widening eyes were a dead giveaway that reality was setting in.
Brad was just under six feet, but next to my five-foot-two-inch frame, he could be very intimidating. I had seen his anger often when we’d gone out, and even though it had never been directed at me, it was scary nonetheless. At the moment, he didn’t look happy to be here, but I was relieved that he didn’t appear angry.
“Hi,” I said, quietly.
His eyes shot back up to meet mine again and he took a deep breath before speaking. “Hey. Can I come in?” he asked, equally quiet.
I pushed the door open and moved aside as an unspoken invitation for him to enter. He had been in my apartment many times. Most of our hookups happened here. It wasn’t ‘til recently that I understood why he never invited me to his place. I could feel the bitterness seeping in so I quickly pushed that thought away. I wanted today to be about making amends and starting fresh, no matter what had happened in the past.
As he walked by me, I couldn’t help but notice that he moved stiffly and had a few bruises on his face, like he’d gotten into a fight. I swallowed hard, wondering if he had—with the green-eyed man. That man had looked fit enough to take on Brad, who was definitely not out of shape. While I didn’t condone violence of any kind, to have someone defend your honor… it was a nice idea. Granted, he would have been defending the honor of Brad’s fiancée, but one could dream. Knowing Brad’s quick temper, I wasn’t going to ask what happened. I needed him calm and focused.
He took a seat at one end of the couch, which was the only option in my tiny living room. I sat on the other end putting as much space as possible between us. I turned, propping my knee up on the cushion, and waited silently for him to start.
“So,” he said, slowly. He appeared to be choosing his words carefully so I gave him a moment. “I’m going to want proof that the baby is mine.”
My jaw went slack with surprise. I was slightly taken aback that that was the first thing he’d say after days of silence. In my mind, I wanted to throw back at him that I wasn’t the one with a fiancée that I had been cheating on, but I refrained. Lashing out wasn’t going to solve anything or make him want to be involved.
And even though his assumption offended me, I couldn’t deny that he had the right to ask. “Okay, I understand wanting to know for sure. I have no doubt that you’re her father but I’m happy to have the test done,” I said, emphasizing the gender of our child.
“Her?” he questioned, his eyes growing wide again.
“Yes, we’re having a daughter.” I smiled, hoping to see some kind of excitement from him.
For some reason, my answer seemed to displease him. His expression turned grim. “Oh, well, I’ve done some research and I found out you can do a paternity test while still pregnant. I would prefer that so we could know sooner rather than later. If it’s”—he paused when I eyed him questioningly—“I mean, if she’s mine, I’m prepared to do the right thing,” he said with zero enthusiasm.
“And… what do you think the right thing would be?” I inquired timidly, almost afraid to ask, but I had to know what he was thinking.
He looked away, resignation in his voice. “We’ll get married and raise the child together.”
Chapter 1
Simone
Present Day
My shift at the Ocean View restaurant didn’t start for another fifteen minutes so I had time to call Brad. I wanted to let him know that his mom had kindly offered to keep our daughter, Stella, overnight so he didn’t have to rush to their house after work to pick her up.
Brad worked at Erik’s Auto Performance, which was owned by one of his brother’s best friends. While he worked an 8-to-5 job five days a week, I worked four nights a week as a waitress. It didn’t allow us a lot of time together, but it did help us figure out childcare for our young daughter. When our schedules overlapped, Brad’s mother, Marla, would watch Stella. It was a perfect setup.
I took a moment and leaned against the side of my car, enjoying the early March breeze. Two things I loved about living in San Diego were the smell of the ocean and the year-round mild weather. I didn’t get to enjoy the beach as much as I used to, but it was nice to be near it while I worked. I dug out my cell phone from my purse, squinting against the afternoon sun bouncing off the waves of the Pacific.
I called Brad’s number and it rang four times and then went to voicemail. Thinking he may have left his phone in his work locker, I decided to call the shop.
“Erik’s Auto Performance, how can I help you?” Tiffa
ny, the receptionist, answered.
I had met Tiffany a couple times and each interaction left me unimpressed. If you were a woman, she would do the bare minimum necessary to help you. If you were a man, you would get her undivided attention and usually a flash of her cleavage when she purposely leaned over the counter.
“Hi, Tiffany, it’s Simone. I was wondering if Brad was available?” I asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
“Oh, he left a little while ago,” she answered, and I could hear the smacking of her gum in my ear.
“Um… Okay, thanks,” I responded, somewhat confused.
“Yep,” she said, and then hung up.
Brad wasn’t supposed to get off work for another hour, but I wondered if he had plans that I may have forgotten about. I decided to try his cell phone again, and this time, he picked up after two rings.
“What?” he greeted in a flat tone. Brad had never been overly affectionate; in fact, most would probably call him uncaring. I wasn’t dumb enough to believe that Brad was with me for any other reason than he had knocked me up. I had accepted the fact that our marriage would never be filled with love like you’d find in romance novels. However, his previous indifference toward me had recently started to shift toward irritable and angry. I could live in a loveless marriage, but I wouldn’t stay in an abusive one, and I was starting to fear Brad’s recent mood swings. His anger made me feel helpless and I had no defense against it. My childhood had been filled with the same fear, and it was still difficult for me to deal with it. My instinct was to pacify and get out of the situation as quickly as possible, usually by apologizing or remaining silent. During the first few months after we’d gotten married, Brad had almost seemed… okay with the idea and it’d been nice. Recently, though, it was like a switch had flipped. The charming man who had attracted me in the first place was long gone. Instead, I only saw the side of him that made no effort to hide just how unhappy he was.
“Hey,” I said cautiously, trying to keep my tone neutral. “I was just calling to let you know that your mom and dad are keeping Stella overnight so you don’t have to go pick her up tonight.”
“Okay,” he said, and that was it.
I tried not to read into his one-word answers. He never seemed to want to have a conversation unless it interested him. After two years of marriage, I was used to it, but it disappointed me at the same time. I didn’t know what he wanted or how to please him.
“I called the shop a few minutes ago and Tiffany said you had already left. Do you have something going on tonight?” I asked, hoping he would at least be home when I got off of work. We hadn’t spent any time together, just the two of us, in at least three months.
“It’s Friday and I finished my work early tonight. Damn it, do you have to question everything I do?” he asked, irritated.
Another thing I had learned early on was that Brad hated answering to anyone. Even if the question was an innocent one, he immediately became defensive. Not only did his behavior negatively affect my attempts at communicating with him, it also caused strain in his relationships with his brother, Trent, and his parents.
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to be patient. Sometimes I wanted to snap back with a retort that would shock him. I was tired of walking on eggshells around him all the time, but I also worried about pushing him too far. Between my own parents and a couple of my foster families, I knew how ugly things could get. Instead of focusing on how Brad treated me, I focused on Stella, reminding myself that everything I did was for her, so I sucked it up and tried for civility.
“I wasn’t questioning you, Brad. I was just curious if you had plans,” I answered, trying to be even-tempered. I didn’t want an argument right before I started my shift and then end up taking it out on customers. I needed the money from tips. “I was thinking I could bring dinner home from the restaurant tonight and maybe we could watch a movie together. I just thought it might be nice.”
He pondered that for a moment. “I guess we can do that. What time do you get off?” he asked.
“I’m actually getting off early, around eight,” I answered, surprised he was taking me up on the offer, “they over-scheduled the staff tonight.”
“Fine, I guess I’ll see you then,” he said and then hung up.
He didn’t sound too excited, but at least he agreed to a date of sorts. Maybe we could try to kindle some sort of spark in our marriage. Maybe that’s what Brad felt he was missing. If I showed him some affection, focused on us, perhaps he wouldn’t be so angry. Even with his lack of enthusiasm, I had a good feeling when I headed in through the back door of the restaurant to put my stuff in my locker.
About halfway through my shift, I saw the hostess seating a couple in my section. I couldn’t see them clearly, but I watched with envy as the man guided the woman through the restaurant with his hand on her lower back. At their table, he pulled the chair out for his date to sit down. It was a simple gesture, one I had never been on the receiving end of. Brad had never taken me out on a proper date. In the beginning, I was blinded by his charisma and good looks so I accepted whatever time he was willing to spend with me. Once I was pregnant, he knew he didn’t have to put forth any effort. But how nice would it be to feel cherished and like I was worth the effort?
After giving the couple another minute to get settled, I approached the table to take their drink order. The man’s back was to me as I walked over to them, but I could see how absolutely gorgeous his date was. Sure, we lived in Southern California, where it almost seemed like a prerequisite to be beautiful. This woman, though, was definitely a ‘ten’ on the hotness scale. Her blonde hair cascaded past her slender shoulders in large curls and her makeup was perfectly applied, highlighting her bright blue eyes. As I took the last step toward their table I saw her flash her date a seductive smile.
“Welcome to the Ocean View. My name’s…” I started but was interrupted by the man I had yet to fully see.
“Simone?” the man next to me questioned.
Recognizing the voice, I looked over, and was immediately met by a familiar pair of green eyes. Kyle O’Neill was here, sitting in my section with a model-perfect date.
I smiled at him briefly, almost forgetting I was there to take their order. “Hi, Kyle,” I said, trying to go for casual, but my voice caught in my throat and it came out breathy and shaky. His date gave me a quick up and down look, then seemed to dismiss my very existence.
I had seen Kyle a few times over the last couple years. He and my brother-in-law, Trent, spent a lot of time together so I would occasionally run into him, usually at my in-law’s house. He knew I worked here, but this was the first time I’d ever seen him come to this restaurant. I suddenly felt nervous and could feel my face get a little warm.
Every time I saw him, I was in awe of his good looks. Tonight wasn’t any different. He wore a pair of black slacks with a crisp, burgundy button-down shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, giving him a somewhat casual look. His hair was gelled and styled perfectly.
“Courtney, this is my friend’s sister-in-law, Simone. Simone, this is Courtney,” Kyle said. “She’s a lawyer, too.”
“Oh, how nice,” I acknowledged, and mentally kicked myself for the lame response. The fact that Kyle took the time to introduce me to his date was a surprise. It also warmed something inside of me. The two of us had never talked about the night we unofficially met but he never seemed to hold a grudge. Everything I knew about him led me to believe he was a really nice guy. It also wasn’t lost on me that he hadn’t introduced Courtney as his girlfriend, but something more platonic, and Kyle’s date hadn’t missed it either. She had given me a haughty look and promptly picked up her menu without saying anything to me.
“How’ve you been?” he asked.
My attention veered back to Kyle. He was smiling warmly up at me and his gaze was direct. Like I wasn’t some no-nothing waitress or the woman who had ruined his sister’s life—but instead, someone who deserved as much a
ttention as his date. He treated me like we were equals when we really weren’t. It was flattering, if not a little disarming. I’m sure he was like that with everyone, especially toward his dates. And I bet he had plenty of dates. He was probably like Trent, who dated a lot but didn’t have a steady woman in his life.
“Good,” I finally answered, realizing I needed to stop thinking about Kyle’s relationship status and focus on my job instead. I turned toward Courtney and smiled politely at her. “It’s nice to meet you,” I offered, but moved on quickly so I could leave. I focused on my duties as their waitress and it helped with my nerves. I gave them my spiel about the specials and took out my pen and notepad. “Can I take your drink order?”
I spent the next bit of my shift glancing at Kyle and Courtney in between serving my other customers. I didn’t know why I was so interested in what was happening at their table, but my focus was glued to the both of them, at their interaction and expressions. Kyle was attractive, but that wasn’t all that had captured my attention. I couldn’t help but notice the small things like the flirty way Courtney placed her hand on Kyle’s arm or the smile he would throw at her in the middle of their conversation. It made me long for something I didn’t have.
A couple hours later, once I was done with my shift, I grabbed the meal I had ordered from the kitchen and headed out the back exit. I was a little less excited now about heading home to see Brad. I knew it was because I was jealous of the date I had spent an hour and a half observing. I had fantasies years ago that I would be with a man who was attentive like the way Kyle had been with Courtney. But I had come to terms with knowing that wasn’t ever going to be my reality.
I placed the food in the backseat of my Honda Civic, next to Stella’s car seat, and got into the driver’s seat. The drive home only took about fifteen minutes and I spent that time making an effort to change my attitude. By the time I pulled into our designated parking space at our apartment complex, I’d convinced myself that I was looking forward to my impromptu date night with my husband. I noticed Brad’s truck parked in our other space and I felt a sense of relief that he was actually home. There had been a part of me that thought he was going to bail on our night together. I wouldn’t have been surprised. He’d done it before, and me pointing that out only caused him to get mad at me.
Falling for the Unexpected (Life Unexpected Book 1) Page 2