He was straight to the point. I liked that. Before we’d met, I’d have said the latter, but while the sex was mind-blowing, having dinner together, laughing at one another’s crazy stories, and finding out what we had in common did more to form a connection than any orgasm.
Without wasting any more time going over the pros and cons, I went with my heart. I want to spend time with you. Not just in bed, but in a restaurant, at the movies, in a museum or wherever. I hoped that was enough to convince him. Of what, though? Shit, life was complicated.
Jason replied, That could work.
He sounded more confident than I was, but I couldn’t see his face. We can meet up when I get back but is it okay if I call you tomorrow?
I look forward to it, he answered. But I have to warn you. If it’s after nine, I might be naked! Does that work for you?
76
Jason
Kill me now. Why had I thought it a good idea to try the new Thai place? Why? I’d already been sick twice, and it looked like round three was about to come around the corner. Food poisoning ends quickly, I tried to reassure myself, but I ignored my own advice.
Sadly, I was working. There were too many orders to stay home. It didn’t help that I was tired on top of everything. That was my fault too. I enjoyed spending my nights talking to Rex and hearing about his day and telling him about mine. The first few times had been not awkward, but not completely at ease either, but as the weeks passed things grew to this comfortable state—except my cock, which usually spent the entire conversation at attention. But at the end of the day, late nights mixed with bad Thai resulted in my current misery.
Keith was great and all but with wedding season around the corner, between alterations and a few custom suits, we were swamped—which was great, but I still wanted to be home hugging my own toilet rather than heaving the contents of my stomach into the one at the back of the shop. And Keith would probably be listening in.
“You look like shit.” Leave it to Keith to sugarcoat things. “No offense or anything.”
“Did you finish up the order that’s being picked up in an hour?” I ignored his comment. There was no point. All I could do was agree with him.
“I did. I even fixed the length on the suit for their kid like they asked.”
They’d given us one day’s notice. Not that I minded. Hearing how their little one was growing like a weed made me smile. It wasn’t like they wanted an entire new order.
“Excellent.” I knew he’d get it done, but it was still a relief to hear.
“Seriously, boss. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just tried that new Thai place. Spoiler alert: I shouldn’t have done so.” Even if the fish cakes had been exactly what I’d been craving at the time.
“If you say so.” Keith tapped his lips and raised one brow.
I didn’t even want to know what that meant. We went back to work finishing up some hems for a wedding party that needed to be completed in a couple of days. I didn’t like cutting things this close, but the shop had been getting busier, so busy I was thinking about hiring someone part-time. The only obstacle was the amount of training it would take to get them on par with the quality people now expected from my shop. I just didn’t have the time. Nor will you if you don’t hire someone.
The bell rang and in came Harry and his family to retrieve their clothes.
“Welcome back.” I stepped out from behind my work table. “We have your suits ready.” Keith had already begun to gather them up.
“Harry, can you square up while I take the clothes out to the car?” Richard asked, setting the double stroller alongside his husband, the two children sound asleep.
“Will do, love.” He leaned over and the two of them kissed.
“Let me just get your order form.” I grabbed a binder, the one my accountant told me more than once should be a computer spreadsheet instead.
I set it on the counter and found their page. “Here we—” I stopped halfway through, afraid I was going to toss all my cookies right then and there. I did not. “Sorry, here we go. This is your balance due.” I circled the number.
Harry handed me his card. “I remember those days when Richard was going through the same thing.” He chuckled.
“What days?” I asked, taking his card and swiping it.
“Those first weeks of pregnancy. Don’t worry, it will get easier and it's so worth it.” He beamed at me and then looked down at his two little kids as I freaked the fuck out.
Pregnancy hadn’t even crossed my mind, but the timing and his words had me wanting to run out of the store and grab a stick to pee on. Fuck.
“If you can sign here, please.” I slapped on my Mr. Customer Service face and ignored the herd of elephants stampeding toward me. I was pregnant or maybe pregnant, or easily influenced by the comments of my customers, but whatever the case, I needed to figure it out and stat.
The bell jangled. Thank fuck.
“Everything’s in the car.” Richard came up alongside his husband as Keith held the door open. “Everything ready on this end?”
“It is.” Harry grabbed the stroller handle and gave it a small push. “Thanks so much for the gorgeous suits and congratulations.” The two of them walked out as I stood there stunned.
“You should really go home, boss. I can handle today.”
I didn’t even pretend to argue, instead hightailing it out of there and straight to the pharmacy where I bought five tests—you know, just in case one or four were faulty. I even grabbed a huge lemonade from the cooler on my way to the register so I could be sure I had the necessary supply when I got home. I wasn’t good at peeing right on cue, especially when I was nervous.
The lemonade worked a little too well, and I barely got the package for the first test open in time. The directions said to check it in five minutes. Who in their right mind could walk away from a pregnancy test? Instead, I stared at it as one line, then two showed up.
Pregnant.
I was pregnant.
Not married or engaged or in a serious relationship. Nope. Not even really dating, and there I was pregnant. I wanted this—I wanted this so badly I could taste it, but not now, not like this.
I fell to the floor a sobbing mess and my phone started buzzing in my pocket.
It was Rex. Of course it was.
I couldn’t tell him like this—not over the phone and not with him on vacation. The news could wait for a few days. It wasn’t like anything would change in that time.
Are you home? Want to chat? I know it’s before nine, but I thought maybe I might catch you...naked ;)
He did. I was so naked and raw that if I said anything to him, he’d know something was up. So I did the only thing I could think to do—I lied.
At work and dressed. Sorry. It’s wedding season and my assistant needs some time off. I think I might have to move in here. Hope you're having a great day. Gotta go.
I read it back to myself and it sounded reasonable, the only lie being where I was. It was wedding season. Work was swamped. Keith did need tomorrow morning off for a dentist appointment.
I still felt like a horrible person.
I just didn’t know what else to do, so I did what came naturally and began to cry all over again.
77
Rex
I lay on a secluded beach with an umbrella that was shielding me from the mid-afternoon sun flapping in the wind above my head. I sipped a delicious tropical lime concoction and wiped the condensation from the tall glass on my board shorts. I peered at a group of tourists getting a surfing lesson to my right and families with young kids wearing big floppy hats and blobs of sunscreen on their noses splashing at the water’s edge.
I contemplated going back to my villa and taking a nap until the sun went down or going for another swim. I took another mouthful of my drink. Or I could just stay here. Forever.
My hotel on this tiny island was surrounded by rainforest, and I’d booked a private villa in the grounds. It had its own
pool and both an indoor and outdoor shower. I’d used the latter more than the one inside.
With a bamboo wall around it for privacy, pink and purple orchids peeking over the top, and dark green vines creeping between the slats, it was the perfect place to forget everything in the outside world.
But reality waited for me as my vacation was almost over. And while my body had been relaxing and rejuvenating, my mind constantly went to Jason. Thoughts tumbled around in my head as I pictured the omega naked, fully dressed, in bed, on the sofa, making dinner and and and…
I couldn’t get away from him. And it wasn’t his fault. But in fact the past few days we’d barely spoken or texted. He said his assistant needed time off and it was wedding season, the busiest time of the year for a tailor. I’d wanted to reply with, “There’s a season for weddings?” but kept my mouth shut. Note to self: research weddings and tailors.
Work came first. I understood that better than anyone. Neither he nor I had a husband or children, so we could devote our energy to our business. But being successful didn’t hand you a glass of wine when you walked in the door after a long day. And making a lot of money didn’t console you when you needed a hug.
Jason had said he couldn’t message or call this week. But one text from me couldn’t hurt. Would it? A pic of the beach might be nice and cheer up a guy cooped inside a shop. I pictured him and Keith measuring sweaty, unwashed bodies and had a new admiration for him and his staff.
After spending 15 minutes deciding on the best photo, I added Wish you were here and hit send. Hoping he’d respond after work, I trudged through the sand and stood under my outdoor shower, allowing the water to cool me down.
I’d been invited to a cocktail party this evening by a guy, Alan, I’d met in the hotel bar. He owned a construction company on the island, and we’d got to talking one night. I sort of got a vibe that he was interested in me, but I made sure to drop Jason’s name into the conversation.
I hated mixing work with pleasure and had hoped to video chat with Jason but decided to go to the party on a whim. I might make a few useful contacts. Besides, I could skip out early if it was a yawn.
But as I was getting dressed, my phone dinged. Nice photo. Won’t bore you with what I’ve been doing all day.
Bore me, I replied. Hope you’ve got your feet up and are enjoying a huge glass of wine.
He didn’t reply. Maybe he was getting dinner. I texted I’d like to see your face. Or at least hear your voice.
I’m beat and look like I’ve been run over by a steamroller.
I had a niggling feeling that Jason was giving me the brush-off. But I’d had days where I’d also been so exhausted I wanted to close the curtains and hide under the bed covers, so I ignored the alarm bells ringing in my head. Or tried to. Okay. I’ve been invited out this evening. Guy in construction.
Jason typed Have fun at your little tête-à-tête!!!!!!!
Wow! I narrowed my eyes and counted the exclamation points. Did I say something wrong? After chewing on a nail, I replied, It’s a cocktail party. A work thing.
Fine. Thought you were on vacation. I’m going to shower.
And that was it. No Goodbye or See you soon. I sat on the bed and reread our conversation. I should have worded that better. Sounded like I was going on a date. But he didn’t have to jump down my throat. But I should cut him some slack. He’d been working hard and the most difficult choice I had to make today was whether to wear blue or orange board shorts—I chose the orange.
That was the problem when you couldn’t see the person’s face or hear their voice. Tiny misunderstandings had a way of blowing up. Are we over before we officially begin? Or am I reading too much into it? I hoped not. Two more days and I’d be home.
I headed to the main hotel building and into a private room where waiters were circulating with hors d’oeuvres. I took a glass of champagne and wandered to a corner where I got a good view of the arrivals. Alan was working the room, greeting acquaintances and slapping people on the back while a photographer was snapping pics.
My stomach grumbled, reminding me that cocktail nibbles weren’t very filling. Maybe I’d finish my drink and go get proper food. The awkward conversation with Jason had put me in a sour mood, but there was a little noodle stall outside the resort gates where I’d eaten a few times.
But as I swerved around a group of people who were getting progressively drunk, a hand on my arm had me pause. “Rex, you’re not leaving are you? The party’s just getting started.”
“Hey, Alan.” The omega’s flushed cheeks and the unmistakable odor of whiskey on his breath wafted over me. “I’ve had too much sun and thought I’d call it a night.” I really don’t want to be here.
“Let me introduce you to some friends of mine.” But as he put an arm over my shoulder and dragged me toward a group on the terrace, the photographer got in our way. “You make a great couple. Smile.”
Alan leaned toward me and whispered, “Don’t we?” His other hand grabbed my ass as he stuck his tongue in my ear
Fuck! I pulled away and wiped his saliva off with my arm.
78
Jason
Pregnant.
I was pregnant.
I mean, I knew that when the first, then second, then fifth test all revealed not one, but two lines, but each morning I awoke with the same realization. I was pregnant.
I’d already made an appointment with the doctor, who said there was no reason to see me until I was twelve weeks along and told me to go buy vitamins in the meantime. I’d already decided that I would hire on and train someone to assist Keith so that when my baby came I could take the downtime I needed. I’d already ordered every father-to-be book I could find.
What I hadn’t done was tell Rex, and I felt like shit about that. I just couldn’t justify telling him over the phone. I could hear it now; “Hey Rex, remember when we went back to your place and you left me alone to go on your trip? Yeah, you didn’t quite leave me alone.” That would go over well.
He’d probably assume I trapped him. That’s what rich people thought when their far-from-rich encounters got knocked up, right? Or was that just in the movies? Did it even matter?
At the end of the day we were both going to be fathers.
Which brought me full circle in my guilt cycle and feeling like dog doo for keeping the secret from him and basically ignoring him until he got back.
I climbed out of bed, not quite ready to start the day, but not wanting to lie awake in bed for another hour either. I’d been hardly sleeping even as exhausted as I was.
An hour later I was showered, dressed, and sitting at the table with some toast and tea. When had I turned into an old person? But the tea and toast were the one thing that settled my belly, so tea and toast it was.
I still had over an hour before I needed to leave for work, an hour before I needed to slap on my happy nothing-is-wrong face, an hour before I had to work through the haze of my exhaustion.
I took out my phone to check the weather, which led to checking the traffic report, which led to checking social media. Once there, I did what everyone knows you should never do, I looked up pregnancy groups. A half-hour into that, I was scared shitless over all the things that could go wrong with my pregnancy and forced myself away. Nothing good could come out of spending too much time there.
And that was when I decided one little look couldn’t hurt. I could just look up Rex and see pictures of his vacation or whatever. It would give me time with him, but not. What harm could it do?
Turned out there were multiple Rex Soames and it took me a bit to find his profile, which was locked up tight. With the exceptions of pictures he’d been tagged in on someone else’s profile.
There were so many of him at charity events. It seemed the alpha did some great work around the community. There weren’t many pics of his private life, and I got that. When you are wealthy, the last thing you want is people dissecting your social media. Like I was.
I sighed a
nd stopped looking, deciding to call it quits, when a new photo populated into my results. It was him, with another man.
Probably someone from work.
I clicked it because I apparently hated myself, and the picture filled the screen.
Not. A. Coworker. Or if it was, it wasn’t them working. The man was nuzzled into his neck as the photo was taken.
Me and my good friend Rex Soames. With two winky faces and the hashtag #ringsacoming
What the actual fuck? I slammed my phone down. So much for it being a work thing.
Sure, we were casual and fine...not fine, but it was what it was. But a fiancé? He had a fucking fiancé or a promise one anyways. Heck to the no on that one.
I could handle him saying he didn’t want more. I could. It would hurt, but I knew the score going in. But I couldn’t handle his lies. It was one thing to say I just want to do you. Another to do so when you had a significant other.
I picked up my phone and blocked his number. I wasn’t ready to talk to him. I wasn’t sure when I would be, but if he called now I was going to lose my shit on him, and while it was well-deserved, he was still the father of my baby.
Not that he knew that.
I’d messed up in life before...a lot. I messed up classes, business models, and gods knew I blundered in and out of more than one relationship. Never, never had I come close to the fuck-up that was my current situation.
I wiped my eyes, which were moistened by the tears beginning to fall. I needed to pull myself together. I had to work, to get my life in order, to prepare for this baby, and figure out how to deal with Rex.
They say all parents are superheroes. That better be true, because I had a little one who was going to need me to be more than the bumbling hot mess I currently was. Shit. I needed to save this baby from my own bad mistakes.
I could do this. I had no choice. He or she needed me. And I was going to step up.
Love at Blind Date Complete Series: Books 1-4 Page 28