Beach Reads Boxed Set

by Marie Force

  “Don’t you?”

  “As exciting as this conversation has been, I’m afraid I’ll have to catch you later.” He turned away and started back up the Jetway. “My bed is beckoning.”

  “You love her, huh?”

  Cole stopped but didn’t turn back. “Yeah, something like that.”

  “I’m sorry for what I said. I was out of line.”

  “Don’t sweat it, man. See you later.” Cole walked through the terminal thinking that Jake was a good guy who’d always been great to work with. Cole wouldn’t hold Jake’s comments against him, but it had pissed him off to hear Olivia dismissed as nothing special. Although, after the way he’d lived the last few years, he shouldn’t be surprised that his friends were beginning to notice the rather significant changes he’d begun to make lately.

  On the shuttle to the parking lot, he checked his watch. He wanted to call Olivia, but it was after one in the morning her time. Since she was at Jenny’s, he was afraid he’d wake up the baby if he called this late. Rather than risk Jenny’s wrath, he decided to wait to call in the morning.

  It was just as well. Between what had happened earlier with her and his conversation with Jake, Cole was in a foul mood. But he really wanted to talk to her, to say goodnight, to hear her voice. So he sent her a text message that said, “Call me if U R still up.”

  He sank into the soft leather seat of his new black Mustang GT and sat there for a minute hoping she would call before he fired up the car and made quick time of the ride home. Driving as fast as he dared, he beat his personal best by two full minutes—a satisfying end to an otherwise crappy day. Well, other than that one amazing kiss with Olivia. That had been worth getting up for.

  How he wished she was waiting for him at home.

  He pulled into the complex and parked in front of his townhouse. Glancing up, he noticed a light on in the living room. “What the hell?” he muttered on his way up the stairs.

  “Cole! Wait!” Tucker called from his front door.

  “Who’s in there?” Cole asked, gesturing to his own door as his cell phone rang. No doubt Olivia was calling, but he couldn’t take it until he dealt with whatever was going on in his house.

  Tucker bounded down his stairs and up Cole’s. “I was gonna call the cops when I saw her, but I didn’t know if you’d want me to.”

  Cole’s entire body went rigid. “Saw who?”

  Pained, Tucker looked away. “Who do you think?”

  “She’s in my house?”

  “I didn’t know what to do.”

  Cole charged up the remaining stairs and unlocked the door to find Natasha in all her naked glory stretched out on his sofa with a red rose positioned between her ample breasts.

  “Thought you’d never get home, lover,” she purred.

  “Tucker,” Cole said through gritted teeth, “make that call.”

  Olivia let the phone ring until his voice-mail message picked up. Then she tried again, but he still didn’t answer. “That’s weird,” she said, reading the text message again. He had sent it half an hour earlier when she was in the shower. Wide awake and frustrated by his failure to answer the phone, she took her cell with her and went downstairs to get some water. She was surprised to find Jenny in the kitchen.

  “What are you doing up?” Jenny asked.

  “Cole sent a text asking me to call him, but he’s not answering his phone.”

  “He probably went to bed.”

  “Yeah, I guess. What’s your story? Can’t sleep?”

  “Not feeling too good.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Nauseous.”

  Olivia eyed her cousin with interest. “The last time you were nauseous in the middle of the night—”

  Jenny held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.” Jenny burst into tears, startling Olivia.

  “Hey! What’s wrong?” Olivia wrapped her arms around Jenny’s shaking shoulders.

  “I cannot be pregnant again already. I can’t.”

  “Is that wishful thinking? Or something else?”

  “Liv, I can barely handle Billy. How in the world will I deal with two in diapers? We were going to wait until Billy was three.”

  “I thought you were on the pill.”

  Jenny shook her head. “I’m still breastfeeding Billy, so I didn’t want to start back on it until after that was done. So much for breastfeeding as birth control.”

  “You’re a great mom, Jen. You’ll be just fine with two.”

  “I wish I could be as optimistic.”

  “What does Will say?”

  “I haven’t told him yet. I just took the test today. It didn’t even have the decency to take ten seconds to pop positive.”

  Olivia was unsuccessful in suppressing a giggle.

  “Your amusement is ironic since you might be in the same boat.”

  “Thanks for reminding me,” Olivia said, sobering.

  “You gonna tell me what happened today? You hardly said a word when you got home tonight.”

  “I screwed up. Again.” She told Jenny about the incident in the Capital lounge. “He was so mad.”

  “I can’t say I blame him. Why is your first impulse to think poorly of him when he’s done right by you since the first instant you met him—when, I might add, he was out cold after taking on a guy who was hassling you?”

  “I can’t seem to help it. This whole thing is straight out of a fairy tale, you know? I just keep waiting for the clock to strike midnight and my coach to turn into a pumpkin. I don’t want to be that way, but that’s me.”

  “It’s your mother’s fault,” Jenny said bitterly. “She’s made you into a total pessimist. That’s going to poison this thing with Cole if you don’t get it under control.”

  “It already has. Twice now I’ve really hurt him by doubting his sincerity.”

  “Don’t do it again, Liv. It’s not his fault that your mother’s a miserable old bitch. Don’t let her ruin this for you. She’s not worth it.”

  “No, she isn’t. I want so badly to let go of all the fear and the worries.”

  “Then do it. My gut’s telling me he’s worth it.”

  “Mine, too. He says the most amazing things to me. Today he said he looks at me and he’s useless.”

  “Wow,” Jenny sighed. “That’s so romantic.”

  Right in that moment, Olivia made a decision. “What the hell am I doing? He loves me. I love him. Maybe it won’t end. Maybe it’ll last forever. I’m just going to go with it.”

  “I’m sure he’d appreciate that.”

  “Yes, he would. Are you going to be all right?”

  Jenny shrugged. “What choice do I have?” she asked glumly. “I guess we also need to get busy looking for a bigger house if we’re going to have another baby.”

  “Aren’t there twins in Will’s family?” Olivia teased.

  Jenny’s horrified face sent Olivia into another fit of laughter.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Olivia tried several times to reach Cole the next morning, but his phone went straight to voicemail each time. She read his text message from the night before yet again. “No, I’m not imagining things,” she muttered. “He asked me to call him, and then he disappeared.”

  “Talking to yourself, Liv?”

  Olivia turned around to find Jenny leaning against the door frame holding two coffee mugs. She handed one of them to Olivia.

  “Thanks. I just can’t figure out where he is. I know he’s off today, but he’s not answering his phone.”

  “Maybe he’s sleeping, like you would be if you were off.”

  “Probably,” Olivia said, savoring her first sip of coffee. “I thought you gave up caffeine when you’re pregnant.”

  “One last day,” Jenny said with a sigh. “So what are you up to this weekend?”

  “Except for working Saturday during the day, not a thing. What about you?”

  Jenny sat on Olivia’s bed. “I’m trying to f
igure out a way to break the news to Will. Any suggestions?”

  Olivia sat next to her. “Why don’t you take him out for a nice dinner, ply him with many drinks, and then spring it on him. Quick and dirty.”

  After pondering that for a moment, Jenny said, “I like it. I’d already decided that significant amounts of liquor would be necessary to take the edge off.”

  “I’ll watch Billy.”

  “Are you sure? I can ask my parents.”

  “I’d love to spend the evening with my favorite little man.”

  “Thanks.”

  Olivia’s phone rang, and she pounced. “Hello?”

  “Olivia, this is Leslie Chambers from the Studio Art Department at AU.”

  “Oh,” Olivia cast a glance at Jenny, who put both their mugs on the bedside table. “Dr. Chambers. How are you?”

  “Well, to be honest, I’m stumped.”

  Olivia’s stomach dropped with disappointment. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

  “What the hell are you doing in business school?”

  “Oh, um, well…”

  Dr. Chambers laughed. “Olivia, your portfolio is very, very impressive. There’s a maturity and a depth to your work that really spoke to me.”

  “Oh. It spoke to you?”

  “Loud and clear. Have you completed your transfer paperwork?”

  Olivia’s tongue was tied in knots. “I, ah, turned it in to the registrar’s office last week.”

  “Good, because we’re very pleased to welcome you into the program as of January. Congratulations.”

  “Oh.” Tears blinded her as she tried to absorb the enormity, the sheer magnitude of the moment.

  “Olivia? Are you all right?”

  “Um, yes. I’m just overwhelmed.”

  “You have a rare talent. I’m looking forward to seeing where it’ll take you.”

  “Thank you,” Olivia said, astounded. “Thank you so much.”

  “You’ll get an official acceptance letter, and I’ll be in touch.”

  Olivia thanked her, ended the call, and looked over at Jenny.

  “What? What’d she say?”

  Shell-shocked, Olivia said, “I got in.”

  “In?”

  “To art school.”

  Jenny shrieked and launched herself into Olivia’s arms. The two of them were screaming and hugging on the bed when Will appeared at the door holding Billy.

  “Just when I think you two can’t get any weirder, you top yourselves.”

  “Liv got accepted to art school!”

  “Oh, my God!” Will said. “Really?”

  Olivia nodded, and Jenny let out another whoop of joy.

  “That’s awesome, Liv,” Will said. “Congratulations.”

  “What’re you doing here anyway?” Jenny asked her husband.

  “Spilled coffee on my shirt so I came home to change and discovered that you two fools had disturbed his nap.” He tickled Billy’s feet.

  Jenny reached for the giggling baby. “I’m sorry, buddy, but Livvie and I were celebrating.”

  “And you and I have a hot date on Saturday night,” Olivia said to the baby.

  “My son doesn’t date yet,” Will informed her.

  Jenny tugged on Will’s tie to bring him down for a kiss. “No, but you do. Seven o’clock on Saturday. Don’t be late.”

  Will looked from Jenny to Olivia and then back to his wife. “What are you two up to?”

  “Nothing,” Jenny said innocently. “Date night. Got a problem with that?”

  Still looking suspicious, Will said, “I guess not, but something’s up. My radar’s getting a huge reading here.”

  “Don’t you have a job to get to?” Jenny asked.

  With his hand on Jenny’s chin, he tilted her face up. “You underestimate me at your peril.”

  “I’m oddly turned on right now,” Jenny said with an animated growl.

  “And that,” Olivia said to Billy as she scooped him up, “is our cue to get the heck out of here.”

  “Don’t bother,” Will said with one last pointed look for his wife. “I’m going, but this isn’t over.”

  “Have a nice day, dear,” Jenny called after him.

  They waited until they heard the front door close before they collapsed on the bed in another fit of laughter.

  When noon came and went without a call from Cole, Olivia decided to try a different tactic, one that made her feel like the kind of clingy, needy girlfriend she swore she’d never be. She called Chicago information to see if he had a home number listed and was disappointed that he didn’t. Refusing to call his cell phone again, she went about her day trying not to think about why he wasn’t calling her.

  She had forgotten all about her decision the night before to relax and go with it and had to admit she was mad at him. This was exactly the kind of grief she didn’t want in her life. His message from the night before followed by twelve hours of silence made her question everything. He said he didn’t want her doing that, but if that was the case, then why didn’t he call? It had also crossed her mind that he could be hurt or sick, which scared her more than she cared to admit.

  By the time he finally called at two, she had gone past scared and was well on her way to furious. “Hey,” she said, trying to sound casual and unaffected.

  “Hey, hon. I’m so sorry I missed your calls. I had some shit to deal with when I got home last night, and by the time I was free, it was too late to call you. I was up really late so I slept in today.”

  “What kind of shit?”

  He sighed. “Would you believe me if I told you that you really don’t want to know?”

  “Actually no, I wouldn’t.”

  After a long pause, he said, “You’re pissed.”

  Her stomach ached. “Yeah, kind of.”

  “Liv, I’m sorry. I really am.”

  “I don’t like the feeling there’s something going on that I don’t know about. You tell me I can trust you, and then I can’t reach you when you’re the one who asked me to call. What am I supposed to make of that?”

  “You can trust me, Olivia. I swear it.”

  “I want to.”

  “Liv…”

  “Why did you send that message last night?”

  “Because I was missing you and wanted to say good night.”

  Almost against her will, the ice around her heart began to thaw. “I would’ve liked that.”

  “Can we pretend it’s last night and try again? Please?”

  She was tempted to let him charm his way out of it because she hated being mad with him, but this was too important to let him off that easily.

  “Feeling edgy and uncertain about the man I love is not a fun way to spend a day, Cole, especially after a sleepless night.”

  “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

  Wanting desperately to believe him and to get things back on track, she took a deep breath. “Something kind of big happened today.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I got into art school. Officially.”

  “Liv! Oh, my God, that’s great! I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Such amazing news.”

  “I just… I really wanted to tell you.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish I could take you out to celebrate tonight.”

  “Next week.”

  “Yes, we’re going to celebrate this. So, um, I hate to say it, but Tuesday night’s a bust. I couldn’t get anyone to swap with me.”

  Olivia swallowed her disappointment. “That’s okay. I need to get my homework and everything done before our trip next weekend. Where are we going anyway?”

  “I’m not telling, and you can’t trick me by sliding that in there.”

  “If you were here, I’d be able to get it out of you.”

  He laughed. “You think so, huh?”

  “I know so.”

  “Do you still love me after I made you feel sick all day?”

  He sounded s
o sweet and so genuinely concerned that she decided to forgive him. “I guess so,” she teased.

  “That wasn’t very convincing.”

  “Is all your so-called ‘shit’ dealt with now?”

  “I really hope so.”

  “And you haven’t been off with your wife or your other girlfriend for the last twelve hours?”

  “There’s only you, Liv.”

  “Then I still love you.”

  “Good,” he said, relieved. “Because I love you. A whole lot.”

  “Call me later?”

  “I will.”

  And he did. He called that night and the again the next night while she was baby-sitting Billy.

  “Hey,” she said, breathless from carrying the baby.

  “What are you doing?” Cole asked.

  “Well, at the moment, I’m soaking wet from attempting to give Billy a bath. I’m not even sure he got wet. He’s a madman.”

  Billy squealed with delight and pulled her hair.

  “He’s definitely large and in charge tonight.” Olivia put the baby down on his play mat on the floor. Exhausted, she sat on the sofa and put her feet up. “He’s killing me.”

  Cole laughed.

  “I don’t know how Jenny makes it look so easy.”

  “Lots of practice, I suspect.”

  “She’s out telling Will there’s going to be another one, which I gather is a bit of a surprise.”

  “Ouch.”

  “No kidding—two babies, fifteen months apart. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.”

  “Speaking of babies… Any developments on our front?”

  “Not yet. Jenny says the odds are in our favor, though.”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Why do you sound so bummed?” she asked.

  “I’ve never really given much thought to having kids, but now that it’s possible, well, it doesn’t freak me out as much as it probably should.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “So you’re saying you kind of hope you’re pregnant?”

  “I guess maybe I am,” Olivia confessed. “I know it would throw my whole life—and yours—into such an uproar, but then I look at Billy, and the possibility of having one who looks like you…”

  “Or you,” he said softly.