by Donna Alward
What was the alternative?
They arrived back at the hotel and he got out and opened Tori’s door before she had a chance to. She smiled up at him and his stomach twisted again, this time not out of pain but out of confusion. In some ways Tori was a stranger. They’d spent a few weeks having some fun, and now a few days talking. But in other ways, she was more than that. His feelings were complicated by desire and concern and, he realized, a bit of fear.
Because he liked her, dammit. And wanted her. And the baby they’d made would join them together forever.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, putting her hand on his arm, concern etching her face. “You’re frowning.”
“Just thinking,” he replied, but consciously relaxed his features. “I should probably go up and put my thoughts together for Branson, and give him a call.”
“Right. I keep forgetting today was work for you.” She smiled, then looped her arm through his as they walked toward the lobby doors. “It was fun for me.”
He tried to ignore how good her arm felt around his, her body pressed close to his side. “It was for me, too. Not every day is like this, though.”
“Do you think your friend will put in an offer?”
“Perhaps.”
“Why Nova Scotia, instead of somewhere else? I mean, there’s Cape Cod. Or the Maine coast. What about the Hamptons? Don’t all the richest people live in the Hamptons?”
She was so sweet and artless. She was looking up at him with a playful smile and he fought the urge to simply turn her into his arms and kiss her lips. “I think there’s a family connection somehow,” he replied, swallowing against the urge to make a move. And that was all he’d say about Branson’s connection to Nova Scotia. The rest would require explaining about events of recent months, and he valued Bran’s privacy too much.
They stepped into the lobby, straight into warmth and hospitality and holiday cheer. A new addition—a ten-foot Christmas tree—was front and center, with sparkling white lights and blue plaid ribbon wrapped around its evergreen fullness. Clear, silver and blue ornaments shone from the tiny lights. “The Nova Scotia tartan,” he murmured, nodding at the tree. “The ribbon. Whose idea?”
“Every year a different department gets to decorate the tree. This year it was housekeeping.” She let go of his arm and walked to the tree, then plucked off an ornament and shook her head. “Oh, look at these,” she said, holding it out in her hand.
He took it from her palm and turned it over in his fingers. The ball was white but transparent, and in silver paint was the word Dream.
There were others, they discovered. Some said Rest. Others Relax and Indulge. “I bet Miriam made these,” Tori murmured, hanging one back on the tree. “She’s amazing.”
His mother would die before having handmade ornaments on her tree, and yet here he was in a luxury hotel and it was celebrated, not discouraged. The ornaments were as nice as any he’d seen, simple but elegant. At the top of each one was a perfect bow made from the same tartan pattern.
“You have some talented staff.” He ran his fingertips over the sharp needles of the tree. “And you let them thrive.”
“Everyone brings talents to the table. What kind of place would we be if we didn’t take their ideas into account? Some of them are very, very good.”
“You’re incredible,” he murmured, standing way too close to her. As if they suddenly realized it, he took a step back and Tori shifted away. But then the distance gave him a chance to see what was above her head. A large sprig of fresh mistletoe hung from the archway, and Tori was directly beneath it.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he stepped up to her and put his hand on the nape of her neck.
Alarmed eyes met with his. “What are you doing?” she whispered.
And then he pointed up, to the mistletoe above their heads. And when she looked back at him again, the confusion was gone and her face reflected back to him what he was feeling. Longing and fear together.
He leaned forward and touched his lips to hers, softly, testing. She was stiff, as if holding her breath, but the moment he paused and slid his fingers an inch through her hair, she relaxed and her lips opened a little. Just a bit, but enough that their mouths fitted together with a sweetness that shook him to the soles of his feet.
This woman. This moment. Carrying his child.
His head said he should not be kissing her. But to his heart it felt...right.
He didn’t let the kiss linger too long; he slid his fingers over the curve of her neck and moved away, a few inches at a time, marveling at the quick beat of his heart from such an innocent bit of contact. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips pink and plump, open as if in surprise.
“I couldn’t let perfectly good mistletoe go to waste,” he murmured, and he ran his tongue over his bottom lip. It was a mistake, because the taste of her lingered there. He’d be a liar if he said he didn’t want more.
“Then I think we should just say Merry Christmas and good-night,” she replied, taking a shaky breath.
“It’s not even dinnertime yet.”
“Then...goodbye, then. I mean... Damn. I said then twice. I just mean...”
Her stammer was adorable, and told him she was just as affected as he was.
“I’ll see you later. Then.” He added the last word and smiled, and before he could change his mind, walked to the stairs that would take him to his suite.
What she did for the rest of the evening was none of his business. None at all.
CHAPTER SIX
SATURDAY AFTERNOON TEA had become a weekly ritual, as long as Tori’s mom wasn’t on shift at the hospital. This weekend was no different from any other, except that Tori was anxious about telling her mom that Jeremy was in town. While Shelley was supportive, she wasn’t a fan of how the pregnancy had happened, during a summer fling. Neither was Tori, to be honest. It would be different if it was an accident in an actual relationship based on love and not just...lust. But they had both agreed that since nothing could be changed, it was about looking to the future.
Now she was sitting in her mom’s living room, nibbling on a gingersnap as her mom brought in a teapot and a little jug of milk, no sugar. Neither of them liked it in their tea.
Tori poured a cup and handed it to her mom, then poured one for herself. She took a sip of the hot brew and felt her muscles relax. There was nothing like a cup of tea to settle her thoughts.
“You’re feeling okay?” Shelley said, looking over the rim of her mug with worried eyes. “You look a little pale. Is your iron low?”
“A little tired, maybe. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. But everything’s fine. I go for my ultrasound in a few days.”
“When?”
“Tuesday.”
“I’m on day shift. I can see if someone will switch if you want company.”
Her mom’s eyes lit up when she said it, and Tori got the idea she was looking for an invitation. But Tori wasn’t sure she wanted company. She almost thought she wanted to go alone and have some time with the baby. It didn’t really make sense; the baby wasn’t even born yet, and she was “alone” with him or her all the time. Maybe it was just because she was overwhelmed.
“That’s okay. I’ll get pictures and everything and show you, okay?”
“Okay. If that’s what you want.” Shelley smiled and reached for a cookie, but before she could take a bite, Tori blurted out the truth.
“Jeremy’s in town.”
Shelley dropped the cookie. It hit the coffee table and sugar sprinkled everywhere.
“The Jeremy? The father?”
She nodded and focused on her cup. “Yeah. He came on business and thought he’d look me up. And found me like this.” She pointed to her stomach.
Shelley sat back on the sofa. “Oh, honey. Well, at least now he knows.”
Tori looked
up at her mom and grimaced. “Yeah. That decision was taken out of my hands.”
“Maybe it’s for the best. I know it’s awkward, but I always thought he should know.”
“I know. And me too, really. I’m just...scared.”
“Scared that he’ll what? Leave you alone? Not be supportive?”
On the contrary. Tori took another fortifying drink of tea. The other day, looking at houses, that kiss... All it had done was remind Tori of how much she’d enjoyed being with Jeremy in the first place. Yes, their relationship had been mostly physical over the summer. But she’d liked him...a lot. While she hadn’t fostered any dreams of being whisked away to a fairy-tale ending, she had cherished their time together and had tucked the memories away as something very special. Her biggest fear was how to negotiate parenthood without letting her heart get involved. He was a good guy, underneath. He could have made things difficult for her, and instead he was taking his time, not making any demands. But for how long?
She was sure that at some point there was going to be a price to pay.
“You’re quiet, so I guess there’s more going on here than you want to talk to your mom about.” Shelley’s eyebrow lifted in a wry expression, but it wasn’t condemning. They were close, but Tori had never really shared all the details with her mom.
“He’s rich, Mom. Like lots-of-zeroes rich. And if he wanted to, he could make things really difficult.”
“Do you think he would?” Concern overtook Shelley’s face and her eyes darkened.
“I don’t want to think so. He’s nice. Caring, really. He hasn’t made any demands. We’re just...talking.”
“Talking is good.”
“He wants to be a part of the baby’s life.”
“That’s good, isn’t it? It shows he wants to step up. Be responsible.”
“It also means I’ll have to see him. And I wonder if he’ll change his mind about how much custody he wants. If he decides that, I can’t afford to challenge him. I’m scared, Mama.” Her lips quivered a little on the last word; she rarely called her mom “Mama.” “I love this baby already.”
“Oh, honey, of course you do.” Shelley moved over to the love seat where Tori sat. “You have to have faith, you know? You say he’s a good man. I’m sure, then, that you can work this out.”
“He is. We spent the day together on Thursday. It was fun. He said if we are going to co-parent, we need to be able to spend time together.”
“He’s not wrong.” Shelley looked at Tori a little more closely. “But is there more? I mean, there’s a reason why you got pregnant. Is that still a factor?”
“I don’t know.” She let the words out on a breath. “Yeah, I still find him attractive, and there’s still...something. At least for me. And I think for him, too. He...”
She halted. Swallowed against a lump in her throat. That kiss had been...something. More destructive to her defenses in its sweetness than any passionate overture might have been.
“He what, honey?”
“He kissed me under the lobby mistletoe.”
Shelley laughed lightly. “Sweetie, you could do worse than kissing a good-looking millionaire in the lobby.”
“Billionaire,” she corrected. “Jeremy Fisher is a billionaire, thanks to his trust fund, his business, and apparently a sister who is a genius with stocks.”
Shelley’s mouth fell open. “Well.”
“How do I prepare myself for this, Mom? I couldn’t care less about his money, but it does change things. We live in different countries and are from different worlds. And we’re having a kid together. It’s such a mess.”
Shelley reached for her hand and squeezed it. “You get through it just like you get through anything else. One day at a time, making the best decisions you know how. And then you trust everything will work out.”
“You have a lot more faith than I do.”
“I don’t think so. Just keep an open mind. And if you do everything for the right reasons, chances are it’s gonna be fine in the end.” She let go of Tori’s hand. “Now, have another cookie and drink your tea. Do you want to stay for dinner?”
“Of course I do.”
“Good. Then I can send you home with potpie leftovers.”
* * *
Jeremy switched the phone to the other ear as he sat at the table in his suite, his laptop open in front of him. “So it’s down to the one on the river, or the one with the lighthouse, yeah?”
Branson’s voice came over the line loud and clear. “I trust you, Jer. You know what I need right now.”
His friend needed time and space. “I’m worried you’ll become a long-haired, shaggy-bearded hermit who yells at kids to get off his lawn.”
A rare, rusty laugh from Branson came over the line. “I don’t like beards.”
Which was true. But still, Jeremy worried. “You’re sure there’s no place closer to the city? Or south, somewhere warm?”
“No one knows me up there. No one will recognize me. I need that for a while. And when the house outlives its purpose, I’ll sell it again. No big.”
“Then the lighthouse one. It’s a better value, and to be honest, the location is spectacular enough it should move on resale within a reasonable time frame.”
“Put in an offer. I’ll pay the asking price. And a quick close.”
“You’re going to move north during the winter. Are you nuts?”
“I need to get out of here. The house is too full of ghosts.”
Which was fair enough.
“Hey, Bran? Can I unload something on you for a minute?”
There was a pause. “Yeah, of course. I owe you a ton in therapy minutes.”
They both chuckled a little. It wasn’t like they kept score.
“So, remember the girl I told you about? From last summer?”
“Yeah, the fling. You said you were going to look her up again. How’d you make out?”
“She’s pregnant.”
When he said it all the air rushed out of his lungs. It was almost like until this moment it wasn’t really official. He hadn’t told anyone until now. Because sometimes you needed your best buddy to give your head a whack.
“Nice work, Romeo. And she didn’t tell you?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Well, duh.” There was a pause. “So what now?”
“I don’t know. I won’t ignore my kid, you know? I can’t do that.”
“Of course not. And you’re a good catch, you know. The electric bill will always be paid on time.”
“I’m not sure she’s ready for New York. And I’d be bored here within a month.”
“So you split your time.”
“I guess.”
“Your mom know yet?”
“Hell, no.”
“Well, my one piece of advice is if you consider making a play for this girl, you be up front with what your family is like before it’s all settled. Don’t blindside her with it after you’ve brokered a deal.”
“Parenting isn’t like buying a house.”
Bran laughed again. “Good, I’m glad you came to that conclusion all on your own. Feel better?”
“Yes and no. But thank you. I’ll be in touch about the offer.”
“Just send me what I need to sign. I trust you.”
They ended the call and Jeremy rested his forehead on his hands for a few moments. Bran was right. He needed Tori to meet his family. And he wanted to meet her mom, too.
What an unholy mess.
He made another call and verbally made an offer on the property. Considering he was offering asking price, he was relatively sure that it would be a simple transaction. Once that was done, he ventured down to the business center to take care of the necessary paperwork. As he was sending it off, he realized this meant he no longer had to be at the Sandp
iper for more than a few more days. He could pack his things and head back to Manhattan. Get ready for Christmas.
It seemed odd and empty to think about now.
“So, did your friend decide on a house?”
He startled, jumping in his seat as her voice came from behind him.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I was just thinking.” He clicked his mouse and then looked up at her. She was glowing, dressed in black leggings and heels that accentuated her long legs, and a maternity top in a blue that matched the tartan on the Christmas tree. “You look good. Feeling well?”
“I slept a lot on the weekend and read a good book. It was heavenly.”
She’d slept and he’d been doing some business in Halifax. They hadn’t seen each other at all over the weekend. “I’m glad. And yes. Unless something falls through, it’s the house in Kingsburg.”
“The one with the lighthouse!” Her eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s great. It’s so impressive.” Then she looked at him thoughtfully. “It does mean that you’ll have a good friend in the area.”
He hadn’t actually considered that before. It was true. At least for a while, Bran would be here. She would be here, and their baby. He had ties to the South Shore without ever intending to.
“It also means I’ll be leaving to go back to New York in a few days.”
“I suppose it does.”
Did she look disappointed? He almost hoped so. Plus they hadn’t really come to any conclusions.
He wasn’t sure quite what to say when her face changed and her hand went to the swell of her belly. “Whoa.”
Alarm skittered through his veins as he shot up from the chair. “Are you all right? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “I think the baby just moved.”
He guided her to the chair. “Really? What did it feel like?”