Stole Sam Collins’s heart.
Callie didn’t know how loaded that sentence was. With each passing hour with Sam, Riley was hoping that was indeed what she’d done but then she wasn’t completely sure of her own feelings.
Would I be hesitating if there weren’t photographers on the sidewalk? Is his fame an issue?
If Sam were her friendly neighborhood dentist or accountant the situation would be much simpler. They’d be left alone to figure out their relationship and their feelings, but now she had no such luck. They were going to have to do it within sight of the American public. Riley was by nature a private, quiet person so this wasn’t going to be easy but for the baby’s sake she was going to have to strengthen her spine and do it.
Don’t give those photographers any power over your life. Screw ’em.
The drive to the posh offices of the best obstetrician in New York City didn’t take long. Honestly, they could have walked it but then the paparazzi would have trailed behind them and that would have been a disaster.
The lovely brick building on the Upper East Side screamed money along with the plush waiting room that was nicer than any doctor’s office Riley had ever been in. In fact, it looked more like someone’s living room than it did a place of business. She signed in at the front desk and the smiling receptionist handed her a clipboard and a stack of papers to fill out. She hadn’t even finished when they were calling her name to see the doctor.
A moment of panic ran through Riley as her gaze darted for the dozenth time to the door.
“Sam isn’t here.”
Callie held up her phone. “He’s on his way and he’ll meet you back there. It’s okay to go on.”
She hadn’t thought she might have to do this alone. She hated going to the doctor in general and this was a new one she’d never met. Presumably Sam hadn’t either so at least they would have been in the same boat.
The nurses, however, appeared determined to make her as comfortable as possible. Riley had to do the usual things like pee in a cup, have her blood pressure taken, and oh joy, stand on the scale for her weight. She’d read in the pregnancy book that all of this would be done every time she came to the doctor.
“I have a feeling that in a few months I’m not going to enjoy stepping on the scale,” Riley observed as the friendly nurse named Diane wrote down the number displayed on the digital readout. It was about right, give or take a few pounds. Riley hadn’t worried much about her weight until now when it was out of her control.
“You don’t have to look if you don’t want to,” Diane replied with a smile. “You can close your eyes. Some women do and if the doctor doesn’t mention their weight then they know they’re fine.”
Riley wouldn’t be able to stand not knowing.
“I’m not that bothered by it.”
Not much anyway.
“That’s the spirit. Now let’s get you ready to see Dr. Kate.”
Getting ready to see Dr. Kate involved taking off all of her clothes and putting on a cotton gown that opened in the front. To be fair, it was one of the nicer hospital gowns that Riley had ever worn. Her own gynecologist used paper gowns that were disposable and quite drafty, so this was a step up.
Diane handed Riley a remote control and pointed to the large screen television on the wall.
“Dr. Kate shouldn’t be long but you’re welcome to watch while you wait.”
There was no way she was calmly watching daytime television while she waited. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest and so loudly she could barely hear anything around her. This was it. She was pregnant and the doctor was going to confirm that today. She might even get to hear the heartbeat.
Or was it too early?
Quickly shedding her clothes before the doctor came in, she shrugged into the gown, tying the lone tie at the neck, leaving her boobs and butt hanging out of the skimpy frock. Luckily the exam room wasn’t over air conditioned. She hopped up onto the table and waited, her thoughts scattered.
The baby. Sam. The paparazzi. A possible marriage. That would mean a wedding. And then there was the whole did she love him? She was definitely falling in that direction and it scared her. She hadn’t had the best of luck with men but then Sam wasn’t like anyone else she’d ever dated. Did he love her? Even a little? Was he feeling the same fear that was holding her back? She couldn’t blame him if he was. Caution had ruled most of her life except for that one night she’d thrown it to the wind and slept with Sam.
That hadn’t turned out too badly. She was happy about the baby, although the timing was less than ideal. But she wasn’t going to complain about a gift just because she didn’t care for the wrapping paper and bow.
A knock at the door jerked her back to the present and she tugged the gown more closely around her body before calling out, “Yes?”
“It’s me, Riley. Sam.”
Relief flooded her body and she blew out a slow breath. She wasn’t going to have to do this all alone. Sam would be there holding her hand the whole way.
This partnership stuff was pretty cool.
“Come in and join the party.”
Sam stepped into the room wearing an unhappy expression. “Sorry I’m late. I had to speak with Callie before I came back here. She told me what happened this morning. I’m going to have Bobby try and put out the message that you’re off-limits.”
“Will that work?”
“Doubtful but I’m going to try. That shouldn’t have happened this morning and I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
It wasn’t his fault. He was famous and this was a byproduct of that.
“It wasn’t that bad. No big deal.” Even as she was saying it she realized it was the truth. The whole thing had lasted about a minute and then it was over. “Who is Lucinda, by the way?”
His cheeks flushed and he rolled his eyes. “A woman I dated for about five minutes right before I met you. I haven’t seen her since then. God, I really am sorry. Did they ask about her?”
“They did,” Riley confirmed. “But Callie warned me they’d try to get a reaction out of me. Spoiler alert. They didn’t. Seriously, you don’t have to apologize. I admit it was a new experience for me but for the most part if was fine. I can handle it.”
“They’re going to go crazy when they find out about the baby.”
“And then they’ll move on to the next story when they find out that we’re boring as hell. Well, at least I am.”
A sharp knock sounded and then a dark-haired woman stuck her head in. “Hi, I’m Dr. Kate. Are you ready?”
As ready as I’ll ever be. I’m going to be a mommy. And maybe a wife.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“So would you like to get a look at your baby?”
Riley’s fingers squeezed his own tightly and their gazes met. They were both eagerly nodding yes.
The doctor’s appointment had gone well with only a minor hiccup during the internal exam. Riley had nudged him so he was standing near her head and holding her hand, which was far better than his earlier position near her feet. Since they hadn’t been intimate in a while it felt a little strange to be a party to something so personal but it had been over quickly.
Dr. Kate had patiently answered all of their questions, even the stupid ones. He didn’t know which of his questions met that criteria but he was sure there were more than a few that did. The doctor, however, had her game face on and didn’t bat an eyelash when he asked about foods, exercise, and travel. When answering, she’d taken the opportunity to assure both of them that sex was perfectly fine and that Riley might experience a sharp rise in her libido in the second trimester. Neither of them had asked but it was good to know.
Lucky me. Hopefully.
Sam and Riley were moved into the ultrasound room and he settled into a chair next to the padded table, holding Riley’s hand. This was really happening. He was going to see his baby for the very first time. His chest had tightened painfully and he could barely draw a breath. He had t
o grip the arm of the chair with his free hand to keep it from visibly shaking.
Please let the baby be okay. Please let him be alright. I’ll do anything, give up anything. Just let him be healthy. That’s all I ask.
Tears pricked at Sam’s eyes and his stomach did flips in his belly as he waited for what seemed like days or years for the gray screen to flicker to life. This was the verdict that he’d been hoping and dreading.
Please, please, please.
Riley looked almost as tense as he felt. He was trying to be the strong man for her but inside it felt like he might crumble into a million tiny pieces. He was that vulnerable. This baby hadn’t even been born yet, didn’t have a name, and he hadn’t even seen it but already he loved it more than anything in the world. He’d do anything for it. He’d give up his own life for Riley and the baby, without question.
And he was helpless. Riley had to be the tough one and carry the child. All he could do is stand by her side. She was the hero and he was the sidekick.
Dr. Kate pointed to a round thing on the screen. “There he is. There’s your baby. Of course, it’s too early to know if it’s a boy or girl but that light there? That’s his heartbeat. Nice and strong.”
Strong. He kept repeating that word over and over again in his head because speaking was out of the question. He couldn’t even begin to try and form words. It was too overwhelming.
That was his baby. And he was strong.
“He’s healthy?” Riley asked, a huge smile blooming on her beautiful face. “He looks normal and everything?”
Even the doctor was grinning. “Looks good in there. We’ll take another look at your next appointment, of course. Should I print you a few pictures to show your family and friends?”
Riley answered for him, vigorously nodding yes. The doctor printed off the photos and handed them to Sam who couldn’t stop staring at the murky images. That light was his child’s heartbeat. That round thing was the head.
These blurry pictures were such a simple thing but their effect was profound. And the funny thing was, no one in the room but Sam seemed to recognize it. He’d been changed forever and the doctor and Riley were chatting as if nothing miraculous had happened. Couldn’t they see that he would never be the same person ever again? He wanted to look into a mirror and see if he’d physically changed as well.
For the first time in Sam’s life, he knew what it felt to be truly fucking terrified.
*
Sam had been strangely quiet during Riley’s ultrasound and no chattier on the way to the movie set. He didn’t seem as…excited about seeing the baby as she did. His smile and laughter seemed strained, almost forced as they’d chatted about the appointment. Had the reality of what he was getting himself into hit him when they’d seen their child?
He certainly had much to lose. He was a renowned bachelor and could basically have any woman he wanted. Getting married and having a family was going to cramp his style. No more jetting off to the south of France for champagne-soaked parties and beautiful French models. There would be midnight feedings, diapers, and crying. None of that was glamorous and it was a far cry from the life he’d led so far. She could only assume from his remote expression that he was rethinking it all.
She could, of course, simply ask him what he was thinking but she hated to be that woman…that female that asked, “What are you thinking?” It was so cliché and almost as bad as asking if her butt looked big when trying on jeans.
But then she remembered his face when the baby had first appeared on the screen. He’d appeared almost in awe, completely gobsmacked. Not that she wasn’t as well. They’d both been amazed and dumbstruck. Maybe he was simply processing those emotions. Men didn’t always do feelings like women did.
It was in that moment when she and Sam had seen the baby that she’d moved a mile closer to agreeing to marry him. This baby deserved the best they could give him or her. Was she being selfish by hesitating? He was a wonderful man and she’d have to look far and wide to find another half as good.
If their relationship kept on going this well, she was going to say yes.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Making a movie was truly a marvel of technology. Currently Sam was acting in front of a giant green screen that would later be changed into a computer-generated backdrop and the only reason Riley would know it wasn’t real was because she’d been on set today. He had listed several of her favorite movies and she’d been shocked to find out that some of the amazing action sequences were partially created by a machine.
“Impressive,” Riley remarked as they toured the set. There were so many people milling about, carrying heavy equipment or shouting at one another. That was something else she’d learned today. It took a heck of a lot of people to make a movie. “The lighting alone is amazing, and the kitchen set is so real and detailed all the way down to the coffeemaker on the counter.”
“It’s just for show. It doesn’t work. None of the appliances do, but they did wire the refrigerator so that the light comes on when we open the door.”
“I’m one of those movie watchers that would notice if it didn’t turn on.”
“Let’s head to my trailer,” Sam said, pointing off to the left. “It will be quieter there.”
Anyplace would be quieter than where they were standing. Sam had explained to her that they were doing construction on the sets and props in preparation for filming that day.
“Sam,” a woman’s voice called from behind them. “I’ve been looking for you. Did you get my texts?”
Riley turned and saw that the voice belonged to Ivy Parker, an up and coming actress in Hollywood. Riley had seen her in a romantic comedy where Ivy had played the lead’s best friend who was constantly trying to give advice, most of it bad. It had been a cute film and she’d enjoyed watching it, although Ivy certainly looked different today. In the rom-com, her looks had been played down, and she’d worn clothes that didn’t quite fit. Today, however, she looked like she’d stepped out of a fashion magazine. Every hair in place and her outfit – a little black dress – hugged every line of her slim figure.
“I had an appointment this morning, Ivy. What did you need?”
Ivy rushed forward but stopped short in front of them. Riley had a feeling if she hadn’t been standing there, Ivy might have given Sam a hug.
“I was hoping you could help me with the discovery scene this morning. I wasn’t sure how to play it. Sad or angry.” Ivy stuck out her lower lip and pouted. “You didn’t answer any of my texts. That’s not nice.”
“The appointment was important. I turned off my phone.”
Sam didn’t sound perturbed, more like he was talking to an indulged child. Riley was the one who was annoyed and she didn’t know why. Sam talked and texted lots of people and until this moment she hadn’t cared who. But something about the entitlement of this one woman bugged her. Like Sam was just waiting around to get Ivy Parker’s texts.
“I had to do the scene this morning all on my own.”
“I’m sure you did great.” Sam put his arm around Riley. “Riley, I’d like you to meet my co-star Ivy Parker. Ivy, this is Riley Bridges, my girlfriend.”
Ivy’s brows shot up but to her credit she didn’t verbalize her shock that the mousy kindergarten teacher had caught one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Riley couldn’t help the rush of satisfaction as the actress pressed her lips together as if to keep from saying something nasty or mean.
I’m becoming a terrible person. Just awful.
It wasn’t right to be happy that someone else was mad and Riley wasn’t proud of herself in the least. She needed to keep her head on straight and not become someone she didn’t like or respect.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Riley replied, extending her hand. She was going to be the bigger person here. “I’ve seen some of you work and enjoyed it very much.”
There was a moment that she thought Ivy was going to snub her but then the other woman shook her hand and murmured thank y
ou.
A shout from across the room had Sam sighing. “The director needs to talk to me for a minute. Just wait here and I’ll be right back, okay?”
Riley nodded, still watching Ivy from the corner of her eye. She didn’t trust this woman at all. “Sure, take your time. It’s fine.”
Sam strolled away, leaving her with Ivy. Oh joy.
“Are you an actress?”
Gone was the simpering sweet tone that Ivy had used with Sam. This one was petulant and demanding. This might get ugly.
“No, I’m a kindergarten teacher.”
Keep your answers short and to the point. Don’t let her get under your skin. And if she does, don’t let it show.
“A teacher?” Ivy’s mouth hung open in amazement. “How did a little teacher meet Sam Collins?”
A little teacher? Screw you.
“I work with his mother.”
Riley hadn’t thought her answer was all that funny but Ivy seemed to think it was hilarious, throwing back her head and laughing.
“So you were handpicked by Mommy. That explains a lot.”
There was so much Riley could say but she kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t easy. She was becoming rather fond of speaking her mind, but she just had a feeling that today was not the day to do it. Chad and Ivy were in far different leagues and didn’t play by the same set of rules.
“I hope you’re fine with sitting at home by yourself and waiting.” Ivy was smiling now, confident and happy. “Sam and I will be…working late every night. You know, co-stars so often fall in love with each other because there is a certain intimacy between the characters. There’s an undeniable chemistry that can become an overwhelming passion.”
Was this supposed to be a warning? Riley should let it go but she wasn’t that good of a person. Blame it on the pregnancy hormones but she’d had it with this young woman.
“I’ve seen that but sadly those relationships never seem to last,” Riley replied, her gaze swinging to Sam who was approaching them. “White hot and then fizzled out to nothing. I think at this point in his career, Sam knows better.”
Love in the Spotlight Page 17