“So are you going to keep seeing him?â€� Harper asks as she leans across the table. We’re at our favourite brunch spot and I’m staring at my plate full of Belgian waffles, piled high with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Call it comfort eating after a difficult goodbye. “Yeah, he said he’d come to New York in a couple weeks,â€� I answer as I cut a sliver of the waffle and poke my fork into it. “No fucking way,â€� Rosie says, shaking her head and smirking. “You, the queen of the single life, are smitten.â€� I lean back. “Smitten! What!â€� Rosie raises an eyebrow and laughs. “I know that look. It’s the same look I had on my face when I met Lucas. It’s the look that says, ‘I’m completely fucked. I’m not getting out of this one in one piece’â€� I laugh. “Maybe I am smitten. I have no hope.â€� “Not a chance,â€� Rosie answers with a laugh. “You’re going to end up heartbroken or married. There’s no in between.â€� I groan. “Neither of those sound particularly appealing. Can’t we just settle for dating?â€� “There’s no in between,â€� Harper says. She shakes her head and I go back to my waffle. The two of them laugh and I roll my eyes before grinning at them. “So come on,â€� Rosie says. “Show us a picture.â€� “If you insist,â€� I laugh as I lunge for my phone. “Let me find a good one.â€� Rosie and Harper make the appropriate oohs and ahhs when I flick through his social media profile, and both lean back with an approving nod. Harper takes a bite of her food and chews thoughtfully. “Owen McAllister. Why does that name ring a bell?â€� I shrug. “No idea. He used to live in New York, maybe you met him?â€� Harper shakes her head and shrugs. “Maybe. It just sounds familiar.â€� “Show us another picture, maybe we’ll be able to figure it out,â€� Rosie says as she wiggles her eyebrows. We all laugh and I pick up my phone. “If you insist. I don’t mind looking at photos of him all day long.â€� “Like I said: smitten.â€� Rosie looks at me with a smirk on her face and I laugh. When we leave the restaurant, Rosie gives me a big hug. “Make sure you introduce him to us when he comes to town,â€� she says. “I’m happy for you. You deserve to be happy.â€� I can’t help but smile. “Thanks Rosie. I will. And even if you don’t meet him I’ll tell you everything so it’ll feel like you’ve already met him.â€� “I’m sure you will,â€� she laughs. We part ways and I make my way back to my apartment. When the door closes behind me, my phone buzzes. It’s Harper. I googled him – I knew I recognised the name! Attached to the text is an article. I read the headline and frown. Billionaire’s Son Accused of Fraud, Avoids Jail Time I click the link as my heart drops. I scan the article but I already know what it says. I remember this story from months ago. The city’s biggest real estate investment mogul, Richard McAllister, was accused of fraud. His whole company was investigated and he’s still going through the trial. They’d been turning run-down apartment blocks and businesses for profit, but siphoning money and grossly mis-reporting costs. They used shoddy building techniques to make a quick buck, leaving the new owners to pick up the pieces. They were scammers. His entire company was investigated, including his second-in-command and eldest son: Owen McAllister. My hands are shaking. It can’t be him! I read the article again and again and click a related link at the bottom. Within a fraction of a second, Owen’s face appears in front of the courthouse. He’s lifting his hand to cover his face from the cameras but I can still see it. It’s him. The man that I’ve opened up to, the man that I trusted with my story and my secrets, the man that I just spent the happiest week I’ve ever had is a scumbag. I sit down on the couch as my phone buzzes again and again. It’s Harper. She’s texting and calling but I don’t have the heart or the energy to pick up right now. I just keep looking at the photo of Owen in front of the courthouse. He’s a criminal. He’s a fraud. And now, he’s in my hometown doing the same. fucking. thing. He’s scamming the people I grew up with. He scammed me! No wonder I’m smitten, he’s nothing more than a con man. The heat starts flowing through my veins as my anger starts to boil. My hands are shaking and I throw my phone across the room. I grab a pillow beside me on the sofa and press it to my face, screaming as loud as I possibly can. The pillow muffles the sound and I take it away from my face, panting. I take a deep breath and bring the pillow back up, screaming into it with all my lungs before throwing it away. It lands on the coffee table and knocks off a couple magazines. They fall in a heap on the floor and all I can do is sit there and stare at them. My chest is heaving up and down and all I can do is feel the anger as it boils through me. My emotion is tinged with something else – embarrassment, maybe? Embarrassed that I fell for it, that I fell for his charm and his smiles and his words. Embarrassed that I didn’t question why he’d chosen that small town, that hotel. Embarrassed that I didn’t press him to know why he left. Embarrassed that I didn’t google his fucking name even once. Obviously the gossip had some truth to it. He was running away from something. It wasn’t a grizzly murder or a divorce, but it was still a crime. Chapter 34 – Owen
I’m whistling as I pat the dark earth around the new plants that line the front of the Lexington Hotel. I didn’t even know I was able to whistle, but it just started coming out of me. I stand up and lean against my shovel to admire my handiwork. I’m proud of this place. It used to be a run-down hotel and now it’s the town’s crown jewel. It feels good to do something like this, to do something real. It might not have the profit margin that my father expected when I worked for him, but at least it’s good, honest hard work. “Looking good,� comes an overly sweet drawl from behind me. Mary’s standing with her hip cocked to one side, looking me up and down. “The flowers, I mean,� she adds with a smirk. “Thanks. How’s your husband?� I ask. She looks taken aback but recovers quickly. “Fiancé,� she corrects. “He’s good.� She sashays past me and goes up the steps. Instead of heading inside, she leans against the railing on the balcony, pressing her chest towards me. I try not to roll my eyes. I’m glad I’m not her fiancé. “So,� she starts. “You and Jessica Lee, huh?� “What do you mean,� I ask, sticking the shovel into the ground and turning over the earth I’d just patted down. “You two are an item now, I guess, aren’t you?� “What business is that of yours?� I ask, finally glancing up at her again. That smirk is still playing on her lips and she shrugs innocently. “Oh, it isn’t any of my business. I just thought with you being new in town you might not have the full story.� I try to ignore her but I can’t help myself. The curiosity needles at me until I have to ask. “What’s the full story?� Mary waves a hand and turns around to lean against the railing. She swings a leg over so she’s straddling it, looking down at me as her hair swings down on one side of her face. She licks her lips slowly and grins. “Jessica Lee got into all sorts of trouble. She’s not the kind of girl that a respectable business owner such as yourself should be hanging around with.� “Everyone has their past,� I answer, driving the shovel back into the ground with a little too much force. “Well, everyone has a past, but not everyone screws their way into a full scholarship at a top college.� I can’t help it. My jaw drops open and I look up at Mary. She looks almost triumphant as she nods at me. “Honest to goodness truth. I don’t blame you for falling for her charms. She’s gotten lots of practice. Even tried it with my fiancé. Before he was my fiancé, obviously.� I shake my head and pick up the shovel. “I don’t want to hear this. Isn’t your shift already started?� Mary shrugs and I feel h
er eyes on me as I walk around the corner towards the back of the hotel. I’m panting. My chest is heaving up and down as I make the short walk to the back. As soon as I’m in the shed, I put the shovel down and lean against the wall. I rub my face in my hands and sigh. Surely she was lying? She couldn’t be telling the truth? Jess told me that people here like to talk, that they tortured her after she got pregnant. She said they treated her like an outsider until she lost the baby. That’s who Mary is. It just doesn’t sound like something Jess would do. It doesn’t fit with the story she told me by the river. But then again… how did she get into a top college after all that? It sounds almost plausible, if I didn’t know Jess. I don’t know Jess. I don’t know her at all! I met her two weeks ago! Who am I to tell which story is the truth! She could be playing me, or just using me for sex while she’s here. She’s only called me once since she got back to New York, which was three days ago already! My breath is heaving now, and my mind is reeling. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what the truth is. I don’t know who Jess is, or why the thought of her sleeping around with anyone to get what she wants bothers me as much as it does. I don’t even know if it’s true! I take a deep breath and shake my head. I need to find out the truth. If I’m going to go all the way to New York to visit her, I want to know that she’s the type of girl that’s worth trusting. Chapter 35 – Jess
“Jess, you’re like, the social media stalker queen. How did you not realise who he was??â€� Rosie is shaking her head in disbelief. “His face was all over the news for months!â€� “I’m the social media stalker queen, I don’t watch the news!! Two different things,â€� I protest. “Plus, I showed you pictures and you didn’t recognise him either.â€� “True,â€� she concedes. She purses her lips and keeps bouncing her little boy on her knee. “Here, hold him, I need to go pee.â€� Before I know what’s happening, Rosie thrusts her baby into my arms and stands up, brushing off her thighs. “Wait, aah,â€� I say, juggling the little human in my hands. Jack flops back and forth, arms flailing around and giggles as I sit him upright. My heart is thumping and I stare at Rosie, wide-eyed. “Relax. Just don’t drop him,â€� Rosie says with a laugh. “Oh, yeah, ok, sure. Just don’t drop him,â€� I shoot back at her as she laughs and walks away. The door to the bathroom closes and I can almost hear Rosie sighing with relief. This baby has been tied to her hip ever since he was born, I can only imagine the relief of being alone for even a couple minutes. I turn Jack to look at me, holding his chubby little body between my hands. He looks at me curiously, chewing on his fingers. His bright blue eyes are staring at me intently. “What are you looking at,â€� I say under my breath. “Don’t tell me you’re judging me as well. I swear I didn’t know who he was!â€� Jack giggles and takes his hand out of his mouth, flinging spit towards me as he points his finger at me. He falls forward, laughing the whole way as he collides with my stomach. I lean back on the sofa and hold him against me. He kneads my stomach and chest as he giggles, and finally head-butts me in the boob. I laugh. “Already all about the boobs, are you, Jack? Must be instinct.â€� Something stirs inside me as Jack giggles again and reaches up towards my face. His tiny fingers brush my mouth and I kiss them gently. I hold his little arm in my hand and give his fingers another kiss. “He likes you,â€� Rosie says as she walks back in. I jump and start moving towards her. “No, no, you hold him. It’s nice to have a break.â€� I sit back and Jack settles back into me. “I can’t believe how soft his skin is,â€� I breathe. “I know. All these creams and serums and every day I’m reminded of what my skin used to be,â€� Rosie says wistfully. “It’s so not fair.â€� I laugh and shake my head. The baby shuffles against me and I feel that same tightening of my core. I stroke his back, up and down his spine and he settles down against me. Within seconds, he’s asleep. Rosie whistles. “We should keep you around more often,â€� she says with a laugh. “I never get him to bed that easily.â€� “I’m afraid to move,â€� I say in a whisper. Rosie laughs. “Don’t be. You’re really good with him, you know. You sure you don’t want kids?â€� “Definitely not,â€� I say, but there’s no force behind my words. I look at Jack and brush his thin hair off his forehead. Suddenly my ‘definitely not’ feels more like a ‘maybe’. What if I had a baby of my own? I glance up at Rosie and catch her looking at Jack as if he’s the most precious thing in the world. He is, to her. Her eyes flick up to mine and she smiles. “Best thing that ever happened to me,â€� she says. “But don’t you go and get pregnant like I did. I got lucky.â€� “You definitely got lucky. Lucas was head over heels in love with you from the first day. And here I am, perma-single. And if I’m not perma-single, I’m pursuing literal criminals.â€� Rosie laughs. “He was acquitted, wasn’t he? Or the charges were dropped?â€� “Yeah, but then he goes and buys a run-down hotel in my hometown to try to flip it? Come on.â€� Rosie sighs and shakes her head. “It’s such a shame. I haven’t seen that spark in your eye – maybe ever. The way you were talking about him reminded me of Harper and Zach, way back in the day.â€� Jack starts snoring gently and wriggles as he sleeps. I chuckle and stroke his back. My hand covers almost his entire body and I lean down to kiss the top of his head. Do I want this? I shake my head and sigh. Even if I do want this, it’s not like it’s an option right now. “Just going to have to start back at square one. New York has what, like eight and a half million people? So at least four million dudes? Surely ONE of them is ok? Is that too much to ask?â€� Rosie smiles sadly. “You’ll find someone. Don’t worry, Jess.â€� “I’m not worried. I’ve always been happy being single! Fuck, I mean I am happy being single,â€� I say. I look down at Jack. “Sorry for swearing.â€� I look back at Rosie who chuckles as I keep talking. “I think being with Owen back in my hometown just made me see a different side of relationships. Like, I could see the good side of it. And you and Harper and my friend Sam are all getting married and having babies and what am I doing?â€� I sigh and Rosie comes to sit next to me. She puts her arm around me and leans her head against mine. “Chin up, Jess. You should ask him about it. Don’t just cut him out. Learn from my mistakes with Lucas. Just talk to him and see what he says. If the love is there, it’s worth fighting for.â€� “Love,â€� I say with a snort. “Is that what this is? Doesn’t feel like love.â€� Rosie just grins at me and shrugs. Just then, Jack wakes up and starts wailing. Rosie makes motherly noises and grabs him, bouncing him over her shoulder. I stand up. “I’ll leave you to it. Thanks Rosie.â€� “Anytime,â€� she says with a smile. I lean over and kiss her on the cheek, and then kiss Jack as he screams his head off. I wave goodbye as she turns towards Jack’s bedroom. I can still hear the sound of his crying as I close the door behind me and head out towards the street. No, I don’t want that. It looks exhausting and tireless. I definitely don’t want that. But as I walk away I can still smell Jack’s fresh baby scent on me, and I can still feel his impossibly soft skin under my fingers. I think of the way Rosie was looking at him with complete adoration in her eyes, and I can’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have a kid of my own. Chapter 36 – Owen
Knocked Up... Again!: A Secret Baby Second Chance Romance Page 10