Celebration's Baby

by Nancy Robards Thompson

  She was halfway to the booth when she noticed that Maya was sitting with a man. Bia stopped and did a double take.

  That must be Charles Jordan.

  Good, Bia thought, she could use a little show-and-tell distraction to boost her mood. Plus, meeting the guy in person she’d be able to get a better read on him to make sure he had good intentions. The place she was in, he better be honorable or she’d personally run him out of town on a rail.

  The phrase struck her as funny. She made a mental note to look up the origin of that term when she got back to the office. In the meantime, she put on her best smile and her most generous attitude. If this man made her mother happy, she would be his biggest supporter. She whispered a silent prayer that at least one of them could be lucky in love.

  When Maya looked up and saw Bia approaching, she waved. Her hazel eyes were sparkling. She seemed to be glowing with happiness. Well, somebody must’ve gotten lucky, Bia thought. It wasn’t quite apparent whether it was in love or lust. Either way Maya was smitten, and Bia’s mood was instantly buoyed.

  The man stood as she approached. He was tall with dark hair and blue eyes. He had a great smile. Her first impression was that he had a kind face. Bia knew it was early to tell, but something about him made her confident that he was just as smitten with Maya as she was with him.

  Maya threw her arms around Bia.

  “Um...Charles,” Maya looked up at the man and made a face that seemed to indicate that they were sharing some sort of inside joke. “Charles, this is Bia.”

  Maya closed her eyes for a moment and took Bia’s hand.

  Tears were in Maya’s eyes, but she was smiling so they looked like happy tears. Bia hoped. This Charles had better not have done anything to make her mother cry—

  Maya gave Bia’s hand a quick squeeze. She took a deep breath, then said, “You don’t know how long I have dreamed of saying this. Bia, I would like to introduce you to your father.”

  * * *

  Her father?

  Her father.

  In the span of less than three weeks, she’d not only gained a mother, but a father, too.

  It was a little hard to wrap her mind around. But Bia had meant it when she’d said she would be genuinely happy for her mother if things worked out.

  And they had worked out in a way that Bia had never imagined.

  Charles was the only man Maya had ever loved. Her love for him had withstood nearly thirty years of separation, of giving up a child, of no other man ever measuring up.

  Her mind drifted back to Aiden and when he’d told her that she was the only woman he had ever loved. She wanted to believe that but...

  How could he love her? She was pregnant with another man’s child.

  This whole thing had started as a farce. It had blossomed out of the game of chase, of Bia being a challenge. If she put some distance between them now, there might be a chance to save their friendship.

  She felt almost panicky thinking about life without Aiden.

  Yes, she would fix this, somehow. Just not now. They needed time.

  * * *

  She finished the editorial that had taken her way too long to write. It wasn’t stellar, but at least it was done. The words were on paper. She could come back to it and visit it again tomorrow. For now she had to get out of this place.

  It was already seven o’clock. It was starting to get dusky outside. She still needed to stop by the grocery store. She might as well call it a day.

  The problem was, she didn’t want to go home. The house was cold and empty without Aiden. She wished that they could turn back the clock to the time when things were good.

  She wanted to tell him about her father. Heck, she wanted him to meet her father. Wanted her father to meet him. But why? What were they to each other now?

  This is my friend, Aiden.

  This is my almost lover and former fiancé, Aiden.

  This is my pretend fiancé and former friend, Aiden.

  None of it felt right. None of it made sense anymore.

  She missed him. But she’d messed that up pretty good, hadn’t she?

  Since she was the last person out of the building, she locked the door. She set her laptop bag and her purse down while she struggled to maneuver the tricky lock. When she finally got the dead bolt to turn, she picked up her things and turned around to leave. She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of the all-too-familiar and very much unwelcome face.

  “Yo, Bia. Joey Camps from XYZ Celebrity News. How ya doin’ today, darlin’?”

  He trained the video camera on her.

  How the heck did this guy do that? Sneak up behind her like that?

  “Hey, Bia, where’s your ring?”

  God! How did this guy know these things? Who was telling him—

  Nicole.

  The realization came over her in ice-cold waves.

  Oh, my God. It has to be Nicole.

  She’d been there when Bia had first interviewed Hugh. Nicole had commented on Bia’s getting sick in the bathroom. She’d asked her if she’d had a rough night out. Nicole had known Bia was out of the office for a doctor’s appointment because Bia had casually mentioned it at the staff meeting. She hadn’t realized she’d need to be vague about her whereabouts. It wouldn’t have been hard for Nicole to figure out which doctor Bia had gone to. The woman seemed to turn up almost as much as Joey Camps. But Bia would never have been able to put it together if not for Nicole questioning her today about the ring.

  Of course. It had to be Nicole.

  “So, Joey, did Nicole call you again?”

  For a brief moment, Bia saw a flash of recognition in Joey’s eyes. Not the look of confusion that would have been there had Nicole not been his informant.

  Good old Joey Camps didn’t have a very good poker face.

  “So, no ring, huh?” Joey asked. “Does this mean the wedding’s off?”

  How ironic—just yesterday she’d resented Aiden for always trying to come to her rescue. She’d been so adamant about saving herself. About trust and truth and everything she ever thought was good and real and right.

  And then today she’d met her father.

  A man that Maya had thought dead for nearly thirty years.

  So what did it all mean?

  What was truth? The things you grew up with? The father who had never bothered to tell her she was adopted? Did that make him any less of a father? Because Charles had been in her life less than twenty-four hours, did that discount him?

  Because Aiden had always been her friend, did that mean he couldn’t be her lover—her husband?

  Did it make any difference how Aiden had exposed Duane for the cheater that he was? Once a cheater, always a cheater, right?

  Everything was upside down.

  “Since the engagement’s off, does it mean that Hugh’s your baby daddy, Bia?” Joey whined.

  She suddenly realized that she could be tossed and turned by the changes that were taking place or she could grab the wheel of her life and steer it in the direction that she wanted it to go.

  “Hey, Joey, I’ll make a deal with you. Let me put my purse in the car and I’ll give you an interview you will never forget. Just let me set these things down. They’re heavy.”

  “Cool. I’m down with that.”

  Bia put her things in the car and her keys in her pocket, and rolled up her sleeves. She picked up the garden hose that was lying in its usual heap on the asphalt, turned it on at the spigot—

  “Hey, what are you doing?” Joey cried as she drenched him and his camera with water.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Every time someone new entered the shop, Bia’s heart gave a little lurch. Tonight was the party that Maya had originally planned as a post–grand open
ing celebration—once she got the kinks worked out of the day-to-day operations.

  Now that she was ready to show off her shop, the party had morphed into a triple celebration: the shop’s opening; the reunion of Bia, Maya and Charles; and an engagement party for Maya and Charles. After all this time the two would finally be married.

  Bia owed it to her mom—to her parents....She hadn’t yet gotten used to calling them that. She really truly was happy for them, even if she was still mourning the loss of her relationship with Aiden. She was hoping he would come tonight. He’d been invited. As a matter of fact, Maya had invited him herself. But so far he was a no-show.

  Bia’s heart ached, but she’d be damned if she would let the smile slip from her face and ruin what should otherwise be a very happy occasion.

  The key was to keep busy. She was helping A.J., Pepper, Caroline and Sydney keep the hors d’oeuvres stocked and circulating. She helped fill champagne glasses and made sure that the dessert table was stocked with plenty of Maya’s chocolates. If being an editor didn’t work out, she figured she could always get a job as a waitress. She cajoled herself with the thought that she sort of had a knack for it.

  She was back in the kitchen restocking a tray when Drew walked in. “So I hear your friend was back the other day. The XYZ reporter? Is that what you call him? A reporter?”

  “Why don’t you ask Nicole? I’m almost positive she’s the one who has been feeding him information.”

  Drew’s nostrils flared. “Are you kidding? Do you know this for a fact?”

  Bia leaned on the counter, looking him squarely in the eyes. “I can’t say that I have any hard factual evidence. It’s mostly circumstantial. But she really does fit the part. I started detailing all of the events and who might’ve known. She’s the common denominator in all of them. So let’s just call it a very strong hunch. The same kind of hunch that helped me help you bring down Texas Star.”

  Drew stroked his chin contemplatively. “Should you fire her? It is considered conflict of interest if she’s giving news to other sources. She signed a no-compete agreement when she came on board.”

  Bia sighed. “I don’t know, Drew. I’ll have to think about it. Although, at the next staff meeting, I will review the no-compete agreements and make sure that everyone understands exactly what it means.”

  “Good idea.”

  Bia stared down at her naked left hand, at the place where the ring used to adorn her finger. Now it was as empty as she felt.

  She looked up a little sheepishly. “Have you talked to Aiden?”

  “As a matter of fact, I have. He’s taking it pretty hard. He loves you, Bia. If you ever want to talk about what happened...I’m not really good with that kind of advice, but I can listen.”

  Bia gave him a rueful smile. “And I’m not really good at talking about things like that. So, I don’t know if we’d make a very good counselor–patient team. But thanks, anyway. I appreciate the thought.”

  “At the risk of sounding like I’m giving advice,” said Drew. “Talk to him. Tell him how you feel. I think you might be surprised at how much you two think alike.”

  Actually, no, she wouldn’t be surprised. She and Aiden had always been simpatico. What had happened to them?

  They’d crossed that line. Now it felt like there was no turning back.

  Maya appeared in the doorway. “There you are!” she sang in her lyrical accented English. “Come, come! We need you out here tout de suite.”

  “This sounds urgent,” said Drew. “Leave the tray. Caroline will help me fill it when the quiches are done. You go ahead and see what Maya needs. This is your night—well, yours and your family’s. Why are you working?”

  Because if I don’t keep busy I’ll make myself crazy.

  Bia smoothed her hair, checked the front of her black cocktail dress for crumbs and went to see why Maya needed her so urgently.

  When Bia stepped out onto the shop floor, the crowd parted, revealing Aiden at the center.

  He smiled when he saw her. And her entire body gave in to the feeling of relief seeing him there. Her first impulse was to walk up and put her arms around him and kiss him senseless, but then she remembered they hadn’t even talked since the night she’d given him the ring back.

  “There you are,” he said. “I have something to ask you.”

  Bia glanced around, fully aware that everyone was watching them. “Here?”

  “Absolutely. This is something all of our friends and family need to see.” He walked up to her, took her hand in his and dropped down on one knee.

  “Bia Anderson, will you do me the great honor of being my wife?”

  The room was so quiet, Bia was sure everyone could hear her labored breathing and the beating of her heart.

  Oh, my gosh, what is he doing?

  She glanced from Aiden to Maya, who was nodding vigorously, to Charles. “I’ve already asked your parents for your hand. They said yes.”

  He was holding the ring between his left thumb and index finger. The brilliant diamond sparkled as if it were connected to an energy source.

  She leaned in and said, “Can we talk in private?”

  * * *

  Ever the eternal optimist, Aiden pacified himself with the fact that she didn’t say no. Of course, she could be talking to him in private so as not to hurt his feelings, but they were too good together. This time he was not going to let her go. He knew she loved him as much as he loved her. He just did not know what the problem was. He had a feeling he was about to find out.

  He followed Bia into the kitchen and up a set of stairs that he didn’t know existed in the shop. They led up to what seemed to be Maya’s sleeping quarters.

  He glanced around the cozy space. A Murphy bed adorned one wall, and a small love seat and chair grouped around a coffee table in the center of the room.

  Bia chose the love seat. Aiden sat down next to her.

  “Aiden, what are you doing?”

  “Last I checked, I had proposed to you. I guess the most accurate answer would be that I am waiting for you to answer me.”

  “But why?” she asked.

  “Bia, I told you once, but I’ll tell you again. Hell, I will tell you every day for the rest of our lives. I have never loved a woman the way that I love you. So it’s only natural that I would want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  “Doesn’t it bother you that I’m pregnant with another man’s baby?”

  “I want a family, Bia. The baby’s birth father is dead. I don’t know what I would’ve done if it hadn’t been for your father stepping in and serving as a role model for me.”

  She straightened. “So, wait, are you marrying me out of duty—paying back some perceived debt—or because you love me and want to spend the rest of your life with me?”

  “Did you not hear me? I’ve never loved anyone but you. It’s always been you. Well, except for the time I fell in love with my kindergarten teacher. But she wouldn’t marry me because she already had a husband.”

  She smiled and shook her head, love apparent in her eyes. “Yeah, you’ve always been a player.”

  “So come play with me, Princess.” He dropped down on one knee. “Come play with me for the rest of our lives. Will you?”

  “Nothing would make me happier. I love you, Aiden.”

  They made their way back downstairs. Everyone hushed as they walked into the room.

  “She said yes!” Aiden said.

  He pulled his bride-to-be into his arms and sealed the deal.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from RECIPE FOR ROMANCE by Olivia Miles.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Special Edition story.

  You know that romance is for life. Harlequin Special Edition stories show that every chapter in a rela
tionship has its challenges and delights and that love can be renewed with each turn of the page.

  Enjoy six new stories from Harlequin Special Edition every month!

  Visit Harlequin.com to find your next great read.

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Other ways to keep in touch:

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  Chapter One

  Reaching behind her waist to tie the strings of her crisp cotton apron in a jaunty bow, Emily Porter kept a firm eye on the clock, waiting with a quickening of her pulse until the long hand finally ticked to the twelve. She glanced to her friend and boss, Lucy Miller, who gave a nervous smile followed by a simple nod of her head. Eleven o’clock. This was it!

  With a deep breath, Emily crossed the polished wood floors and turned the homemade sign on the door of the Sweetie Pie Bakery. They were officially open for business.

  “I haven’t been this nervous since my wedding day,” Lucy exclaimed giddily, her voice high with sudden emotion.

  “It’ll be a huge success. I just know it,” Emily said, grinning ear to ear. This was the most exciting day she’d had in a long time, and heck, it hadn’t even started yet! Her stomach fluttered with anticipation as she glanced around the sun-filled bakery. The past few weeks had flown by in such a whirlwind of activity to get everything ready for the opening day that she hadn’t stopped to stand back and take it all in. The walls were painted a creamy ivory, nearly the same shade as the sleek cabinets that lined the wall behind the gleaming glass display case now housing fifteen different kinds of pie, all baked fresh that morning, with more in stock in the kitchen. The counter was a warm rustic cherrywood, chosen to complement the spotless floor. Ten cozy tables dotted the room, all eagerly awaiting the guests who would soon be coming through the front door.