Falling For the Billionaire

by Christina Tetreault

  Scott paced the length of the area rug before he sat down. Right away, Ryder took Scott’s action as a signal that he should leave the chair and jump on the couch next to him instead.

  “Yeah, I— ” Scott began as he scratched the dog near his collar.

  “Let me finish. I need to get this all out then you can tell me anything.”

  “But—”

  “Please, Scott. Let me say what I need to.”

  He raked his hand through his hair, something it appeared as if he’d done a lot since leaving her at the hospital. “Fine, go ahead.” The same frustration she’d heard earlier remained in his voice.

  This time she was the one to stand and pace. “You already know I’m divorced. What I didn’t tell you was why my marriage ended.” Paige moistened her lips and wished she’d brought water in the room with her. “I met Benjamin at the hospital. He’s a nurse too, but in the emergency room. We dated for a year before we got engaged.”

  Since pacing didn’t help get the words out and made it harder to watch for Scott’s reaction, she sat down again. “He comes from a family of six children, but he’s the only boy. Benjamin is big into keeping the family line going. Actually, his dad and grandfather are too. If he doesn’t have a son, the line and name will end with him.”

  Scott’s fingers curled around her hand, and she paused. “I don’t understand what this has to do with us?” he asked.

  “Since he wanted children right away, we started trying right after we got engaged and throughout our marriage. When it never happened, Benjamin filed for divorce. He blamed me.”

  He squeezed her hand and tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.

  “Even I know sometimes the problem is with the guy not the woman.”

  “You’re right. But not this time. How much do you know about the female reproduction system? Never mind, it doesn’t matter.” The man didn’t need a whole anatomy lesson. “When I was twenty, I had a dermoid cyst removed, and they took my left fallopian tube and ovary.”

  “I haven’t sat in biology in a long time. Do you need both to get pregnant?”

  “Well no, not technically. But it can reduce the chances if you only have one.”

  “So it could be your ex-husband’s fault you never had children.”

  She shrugged. “He got tested, and the doctor said the problem wasn’t with him. And we tried everything: tracking my menstrual cycles, recording my basal body temperature even those over-the-counter ovulation prediction kits. ”

  “Did the doctor tell you that too? Did you see his test results?”

  When it happened, she’d taken Benjamin’s word. She’d seen no reason not to. “No, but why would he lie?”

  “And how long afterward did he file for divorce?”

  “Two months. And he started dating again a few weeks after he moved out.”

  “I doubt he ever got tested. Sounds the type to be too afraid because he might not like what he hears. It’s much easier to blame the problem on someone else.” Scott ran the back of his hand along her jaw. “Your ex was an ass, but what does any of this have to do with us, Paige?”

  He was intelligent. How could he not connect the dots? “Scott, you told me you want children someday. If we stay together, it may never happen for you. I thought you needed to know. All week I’ve obsessed about telling you because I don’t want to lose you. At the same time, it’s not fair to wait until it’s too late.” She took in a deep breath and exhaled. “I love you, but I understand if you want to call it quits now.” A tear rolled down her face. Before she wiped it away, Scott did it for her.

  “If we decide we want children and have trouble, we can see a fertility doctor, Paige, or we can adopt. I’d never leave because you can’t have children.”

  Relief broke the chains squeezing her heart. “Really?” Even she recognized it as a stupid response, but it slipped out. Scott wouldn’t say anything he didn’t mean.

  “Any man who would doesn’t deserve you.” Scott leaned closer. “Whatever happens, happens. I’m not worried about it, and you shouldn’t be either.” The last of his sentence came against her lips. “I wish you’d told me this last weekend. You had me worried all week.”

  She kissed him before speaking again. “Sorry. Really, I planned to. But after Nicole’s news, I couldn’t do it. Instead I kept thinking if Cooper was your son maybe you’d want to try things with her again. Perhaps even marry her so the three of you would be a family.”

  He moved his hand from her face and raked it through his hair. He’d come in frustrated and expecting the worst. Now anger replaced the frustration. Paige deserved better than the treatment she’d received from her ex-husband. He understood a couple getting a divorce because things weren’t working between them. Sometimes people who weren’t right for each other got married and only later realized they didn’t belong together. It’d happened to more than one person he knew. But leaving someone because you didn’t have children? Not okay in his book. Especially when there were other options to starting a family. Scott wished she’d told him everything sooner. Perhaps they both would’ve had a better week.

  “Anything else you need to tell me?” He didn’t want anything left unresolved between them.

  Paige shook her head. “Nope.” Her stomach growled, a reminder of the hour. “I’m starving. Do you want to get takeout? I’m kinda in the mood for Chinese tonight.” She stood before he answered. “Or I can make some blueberry pancakes.”

  He grabbed her arm before she got far. “Maybe in a bit.”

  Perhaps sensing they still needed to talk, she sat back down again. “If you’re not hungry, I can heat up leftovers for myself.”

  She’d told him everything. Time to reciprocate. “Starving, actually. I haven’t eaten since before I met with my uncle. We just have more to discuss.” Reaching over, he took both her hands in his. “Not long after I saw you at the hospital, I checked the lab website again. The results were there.”

  “Oh.”

  Yeah, that had kind of been what he’d said when he read them too. Followed by, “shit, now what.”

  “And?” she prompted when he said nothing.

  “Cooper’s….” Scott cleared his throat, the words lodged inside. “He’s… he’s my son.” When he’d first read the results, he’d passed the smartphone to Derek so he could read them and make sure he wasn’t seeing things. Unfortunately, Derek read the same words he did. Even after leaving the country club, he’d pulled up the results several times and checked them, hoping that somehow they’d changed or that both he and Derek were seeing things. It never happened.

  “Have you called Nicole and told her?” Paige asked softly.

  “Yeah, it seemed the right thing to do.” He’d considered telling Paige first, but if anyone needed to know it was Nicole.

  Paige tugged a hand free and cupped the side of his face. “How’d she take it?”

  “She’s thrilled Cooper’s mine and not Alastair Corey’s. I know, big surprise.”

  “And what about you? How do you feel?”

  He was still having a difficult time processing the information, never mind dissecting his feelings. He was a father. He had a month-old son. “Upset. Angry. Excited. You name it, I’m feeling it.”

  Paige’s eyes closed and she shook her head slightly. “I’m an idiot for suggesting this. But maybe it’d be better for the baby if you and Nicole get back together.”

  The anger he’d mentioned before came to the forefront. “Do not even think it. Even if I weren’t in love with you, I’d never give Nicole another chance. Christ, she slept with two other men when we were together. I could never trust her again.” He took her face in his hands. He needed her to understand how important she was to him. “I love you, Paige. Regardless of this, I want to be with you. Not anyone else. Remember that.”

  She gave him a semismile. “Hey, I said I was an idiot for suggesting it. I want to be with you too. But I know you’ll want what’s best for your son. And I don�
��t blame you. A child needs to come first.”

  Your son. The words tumbled around in his head.

  “What are you going to do now?”

  “Already called my lawyer in New York. He’ll take care of getting me joint custody. Nicole and I will need to finalize a schedule for when Cooper will be with me and when he’ll be with her as well as a parenting plan. She’s still in Manhattan with him. Monday she’s bringing Cooper over.” Nervous energy sent him to his feet. “I still need to tell my parents. He’s their first grandchild, but I’m not sure how they’ll take the news considering the situation. I’ll go tomorrow while you’re at work and do it.” He paced from one end of the area rug to the other. “At some point, I’ll need to go shopping. Babies need stuff. Car seat. Crib. Bottles.” He envisioned all the foreign items filling his cousin Callie’s house. He had no idea what some of the things even did.

  On his next pass, she grabbed his hand. “Sign me up. Shopaholic, remember? It doesn’t matter what I’m shopping for.” He let her tug him back beside her. “If you need moral support, wait until Sunday when we go over and tell them then.”

  “You’re okay with meeting my parents this weekend?” The bombshell of having a son had pushed their earlier conversation aside.

  “And also with going to your cousin’s wedding and meeting any other family members you want me to.”

  “What about Cooper?” Being with one woman while sharing custody of a newborn with another was awkward to him. He imagined it was for Paige too. “It’s my intention to spend as much time as possible with him. He’ll always be a part of my life. Nicole too, unfortunately.” Some women wouldn’t want to help take care of a baby from another relationship.

  “I expected as much. Family’s important to you. And while I’d be okay if I never spoke to Nicole again, I understand. She’s the mother of your son. You won’t be able to ignore her. She and I’ll never be best friends. She’s not the type of person I usually spend time with, but I can get along with her. And I’ll help you in any way with Cooper. Not that I think you’ll need much. You did great with my niece in Virginia. She doesn’t let anyone outside the family hold her.”

  “Wish I shared your confidence. I held Gabby for what, five, maybe ten minutes? And if she’d needed something your brother and sister-in-law were right there. Same thing whenever I’ve been around my cousins’ kids.” With no difficulty he could envision a scenario where he held a screaming Cooper and paced around his apartment, unable to get him to stop. “I don’t know anything about changing diapers and getting bottles ready.” Maybe Dylan or Trent could give him a crash course. They could call it Daddy 101.

  “You’ll figure it out. Changing a diaper doesn’t take a lot of skill. Trust me, if I handled it when I was thirteen and babysat my neighbor’s daughter, you can do it. And you’ll have me too, remember.” She squeezed his hand. “I’ll do my best to be there whenever Cooper stays with you. Or maybe we can get things and leave them here for him too. So sometimes I can come to you in New York or your place in Newport and other times, you can bring him here. I have a spare bedroom I never use. We could turn it into a nursery.”

  Next time he saw Mom, he needed to give her the biggest hug and thank-you for asking him to join the bachelor auction. When she’d approached him, he’d been more than a little annoyed. If she hadn’t done it though, the incredible and caring woman next to him wouldn’t be there.

  “You’re wonderful, you know that, right?” It’d been too long since he kissed her. Leaning forward, Scott brushed his lips across hers. “Most women I know wouldn’t be so understanding about this.”

  Paige pulled away, her face a mask of outrage. “Wonderful? Try fantastic, buddy.” The corners of her mouth twitched as a smile tried to break free. “Or even better, magnificent. Yeah, that sounds more appropriate.” Unable to hold her expression any longer, she grinned at him. “I shouldn’t tell you this because it’ll probably go to your head, but I think you’re pretty wonderful too.”

  “Yeah, I know, but someone has to be.” His stomach took the opportunity to rumble so loud, Ryder’s ears twitched when he heard it. “And now might be a good time to order the Chinese you mentioned. Otherwise your neighbors will call the police because my stomach is disturbing the peace.”

  Paige tilted her head and ran her gaze up and down his body before meeting his eyes. “We could.” She undid the buttons on her shirt before shrugging it off. Then she went for his. “Or we could wait until later. I’ve missed you this week.” Once all the buttons were undone, she pushed it off his shoulder. “Up to you?” Paige reached between her breasts and undid her bra. “So what’s it going to be?”

  Scott ran his thumbs over each nipple, teasing them until they pebbled against his skin. “My stomach can wait. Right now I see something my mouth wants much more,” he said before closing his lips over her.

  ***

  She watched Scott come around the car and wiped her sweaty palms against her thighs. Throughout the ride to Weston, he’d kept up a steady conversation. She wasn’t sure if he’d been trying to distract her or himself.

  When he opened the door, she swung her legs out and accepted his hand. Although she still found it unnecessary, she’d grown accustomed to him opening the car door whenever they went out. “Is this where you grew up?” The enormous home behind Scott reminded her a great deal of Aunt Bebe’s estate in Scotland, a home her husband had inherited from his grandfather and she’d visited a few times.

  “For the most part. We spent a lot of time at my parents’ house on Block Island and I visited Cliff House every summer too.”

  He squeezed her hand, and she noticed his hand was as clammy as hers. “What a pair we make today. At least I’m not the only anxious one.”

  “You’ve got no reason to be nervous, babe. They’re going to love you.” Behind her, he closed the car. “I’m the one with a reason to be nervous.”

  She disagreed. Based on what she’d read over the years about his family and what he’d told her, his parents were going to accept Cooper into the family without any hesitation or questions.

  Although still impeccably dressed in white linen pants and sleeveless blouse, Marilyn Belmont appeared much more casual today than at the auction when she met them in the grand foyer. “I’m so glad you made it today.” She immediately gave Scott a hug and kiss before looking Paige’s way a warm smile on her face. “Scott’s told me so much about you. It’s great to finally meet you.” Marilyn didn’t pause. Instead, she stepped forward and gave Paige a hug. Unsure of the proper response, Paige returned the gesture.

  “Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Belmont. He talks a lot about you too.”

  “None of that. Call me Marilyn and my husband, Harrison.”

  Scott gave her hand a squeeze as if to say “told you there was nothing to worry about.”

  “We’ll wait for your dad in the sunroom. He received an unexpected call from an old college friend. He won’t be long.”

  Marilyn walked across the two-story grand foyer, her kitten heels clicking against the marble floor making Paige wish she’d dressed up a bit more. Scott had insisted she dress casually, so she’d gone with a jersey knit tank dress and sandals. She should’ve gone with her first choice though, the wraparound cotton dress Aunt Bebe bought her during a recent trip to Los Angeles.

  “I planned to have lunch served outside, but your dad’s allergies are acting up so we’ll do the next best thing and eat in here.”

  The sunroom overlooked the back lawn and had clearly been designed with both comfort and elegance in mind. Paige could picture someone retreating to the room for some peace while they enjoyed the view or a good book.

  “Scott tells me Bebe Fleming is your aunt,” Marilyn said, starting a conversation while they waited for Scott’s dad. “I’ve always liked her. She doesn’t let society dictate her actions.”

  Paige guessed that was more polite than saying Aunt Bebe did what the hell she wanted. “She’s like a grandmo
ther to me. She invited me to the auction.”

  Marilyn laughed. “And I’m so glad she did.”

  Had Scott told his mom about what Aunt Bebe had done?

  Footsteps approached, and Scott’s leg rubbed against hers as he moved it up and down. Reaching over, she placed a hand on his thigh.

  “I apologize for that.” Harrison Belmont entered the room and went straight to them. Besides age, the only real difference between the two men was facial hair. While Scott wore a light well-trimmed beard, his father remained clean-shaven. It was actually a little scary how much the two resembled each other.

  Much like when she met Scott’s mom, his dad greeted her with a smile and a hug before even greeting his son.

  “If everyone is hungry, I’ll let Michelle know we’re ready to eat,” Marilyn said.

  Under her hand, Scott’s thigh started to move again. They’d discussed this in the car and agreed he’d tell his parents about Cooper before lunch.

  “I’m ready,” Scott said.

  Paige pinched him. He ignored her.

  “Me too,” Harrison chimed in.

  “Fabulous, I’ll let Michelle know.”

  Before Marilyn stood, Paige leaned into Scott and whispered into his ear, “Forgetting something?”

  “No,” he said, his voice barely audible, before clearing his throat. “Actually, can we wait for lunch? I have something important to share with you both.”

  It wasn’t telling his parents he had a son that he dreaded. They’d accept and love Cooper, no questions asked. Rather, he dreaded facing their disappointment. In many ways they remained old-fashioned and believed marriage should come before children.

  “Of course,” Mom replied as worry filled her eyes. “Are you ill?”

  “Nicole, a woman I dated for a few months last year, contacted me about a week ago and asked me to take a paternity test.”

  “And?” his mom asked before he finished his explanation.

  “Cooper is my son. He was born in July.”

  His parents glanced at each other before speaking.