“Then what happens? When would you have to be out here to start?”
She gave me a funny look, and then she laughed. “I can stay in New York. I’d be able to telecommute.”
“Oh?” I liked the sound of that.
“I think I’m high on the list because of my dad’s connections. They’d like to expand to New York, so they can use me for that. I’m alright with that.”
I reached out and took her hand. “I’m sure you’re high on the list because of your talent. Niall wanted to kick my ass for not offering you a job.”
She squeezed my hand. “I know why you didn’t and I’m not sure I’d have taken it, although I do like our early morning and late afternoon meetings.”
My dick heard that and perked up.
“It’s important to me that I achieve things on my own. My dad keeps telling me not to worry about money, but it’s important to me that I can take care of myself and the baby.”
“What about me?”
“I’ll take care of you too.”
I barked out a laugh. “I was thinking of you letting me take care of you, but now that you mention it, I probably need taken care of more.” Especially if I was ousted from my company.
“We’ll do it together.” Her blue eyes shone at me with love, but also in uncertainty. I think I understood it because I felt it too. We were together, but what did that mean?
I knew what I wanted it to mean, but until I got things straight with Henry, I had to wait.
“Will you move in with me?” Just because I wasn’t going to propose right now, didn’t mean I wasn’t going to do everything in my power to keep her close. “Or we can get another place. A house if you want.”
Her smile was so bright, I felt like a superhero. “I like your place. It’s near the park.”
“It’s only two bedrooms. Do you need an office?”
She nodded.
“I guess you could use the second room until the baby comes. Or, I’ll find out if one of the three bedrooms will be opening up. Or maybe four.”
“Four?” Her eyes widened.
I smiled sheepishly. “In case we want more than one child.”
Her eyes welled with tears and she slipped out of her chair and came to sit on my lap. “You make me so happy, Sebastian. I didn’t know I could be this happy.”
“I didn’t know either, baby.”
Leah’s second interview on Monday went well. I’d stayed with her, calling in to the office to let them know I was out-of-town today. No doubt, Niall would tell everyone about my call to him early Saturday morning and the word would get out about my relationship with Leah. It was for that reason I knew I had to see Henry that night when we flew home after Leah’s interview. It would be late, but it had to be done.
“Maybe you should let me do it,” Leah said as we rode the elevator up to her father’s place.
I shook my head. “I owe it to him to tell him.”
She nodded. “Use those big ass balls.”
I kissed her head. “Yes. It’s time I earned them.”
“Leah, Sebastian… what are you doing here?” Henry was in his robe, although he didn’t look like we’d woken him up. I wondered if his friend Karen was there. Perhaps I should have waited until tomorrow, but I couldn’t risk him hearing this from anyone else.
“Hi dad. Sorry it’s late. We just got back.”
“We?”
“I’m going to get Sebastian a drink. Scotch?”
I nodded. I hoped she brought the whole bottle.
“What’s going on?” Henry looked at me as Leah went to the bar.
“Can we sit and talk, Henry?” Jesus, I was nervous. I knew I had Leah’s love, but her father was important to her, and I didn’t want to put her in a position that would make her have to choose between us.
“Sure. Everything alright?”
“Yes. Everything is… really good.”
Leah handed me a drink and then sat on the arm of the chair I took a seat in. I appreciated that she was offering support.
“So, what’s up?” Henry looked from Leah back to me.
“The thing is Henry… I love Leah.” There. I said it.
“I know that.”
I frowned and looked to Leah. “I think he thinks you mean like a brother or something,” she murmured.
I cleared my throat. “What I mean is that I’m in love with her.”
I watched Henry’s face as understanding slid through it. It was followed by a glare. “She’s the woman you were having sex in your office with?”
Christ. I didn’t know people knew about that. I didn’t want to respond because it made my time with her seem sordid.
He bolted up. “The baby… you’re the father?” His voice was low, but there was a deadly menace to it.
“Yes.”
“Get out!” His finger pointed to the door.
“Dad—”
“This isn’t about you Leah.”
“Yeah, it is.” She stood.
“Henry—”
“You’re my friend, for Christ’s sake. My best friend is sleeping with my daughter. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’m in love with her.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“You’re practically old enough to be her father.”
“Dad, the age difference is about the same as you and Karen.”
Henry turned on Leah. “Karen isn’t my best friend’s daughter.” He whirled back to me. “Get out of my house. Out of my life and my daughter’s life.”
I shook my head, working to keep my cool. “I know you feel betrayed Henry.”
“You fucked my daughter!”
“Dad!”
“I’ll leave, Henry, but I won’t stay away from Leah or our child. I love them.”
“You don’t know love. All you know is dirty nasty sex. I can’t believe you sullied my daughter with your perversion.”
“Knock it off Dad.” Leah stepped in front of her father. “I love him. He’s the father of your grandchild.”
“I want him out, Leah.”
I lifted my arms in surrender. “I’ll go.” As I reached the door, Leah caught up with me.
“I’m going with you.”
I held her arms. “Maybe you should stay. I don’t want to get in between you and your father.”
“My future is with you and our baby; I can’t abandon that.”
My heart felt so fucking full that she was choosing me. “I love you so much Leah. I don’t deserve you.”
“No, you don’t!” Her father bellowed from the hall.
“You do, Sebastian. Someday I’ll make you see.”
I kissed her forehead because I didn’t want to upset Henry any further by kissing her lips. “I want you to come with me, but I think maybe you should stay. Talk to him.”
“I’m afraid to let you leave.”
“You can trust that I’ll never let you go. You’re my future. My happiness.”
“I’m calling security.”
“Dad knock it off,” Leah yelled at him. Then she turned to me. “It will be okay, Sebastian.”
I nodded and then walked out the door. I stood in the hallway wondering if I was making the right choice. Maybe I should take her with me. Or maybe I should stand my ground. But in the end, I left. I’d betrayed my friend, and it appeared that relationship was forever broken. I could only hope that the rift wouldn’t put extra strain on Leah.
29
Leah
“I can’t believe you, dad.”
“Me?” His face was red with rage. “I can’t believe you let that man touch you, Leah.”
“Why?” I’d expected some anger, but this was beyond what I would have ever thought.
“Why? Are you kidding me? He’s too old for you—”
“Does Karen’s father think the same about you?”
“Don’t bring Karen into this, Leah.” His tone reminded me of when I was a kid getting in trouble.
“Why is
it okay for you find love with a younger woman and not Sebastian?”
“What Sebastian has to offer isn’t love, Leah, and if you think so you’re doomed to heartache.”
I stared at the man I thought I knew so well. “So all those times you said you wished Sebastian would get over the loss of his wife and love again, you didn’t mean that.”
“Leah—”
“No wonder he doesn’t feel worthy. His own best friend doesn’t think he deserves to be loved.”
“Don’t turn this on me.” He stalked to the bar and poured himself a drink. “I knew he engaged in reckless behavior, but I’d have never guessed he would seduce my own daughter.”
“He didn’t. I seduced him.”
My father glared at me. “Why, Leah? Jesus, there are plenty of other men out there.”
“I love him.”
“You don’t know love.”
Tears began to well in my eyes. “I’m your daughter, but I’m not a child. I know you’re hurt and feel betrayed. I think Sebastian feared that more than his board, but—”
“You can bet the board will be dealing with this.”
My anguish flashed into anger. “Don’t dad. Don’t you dare try to take his company away from him.”
“He brought it on himself. I warned him.”
“I’m not a legal risk to the company, dad. If you do this…”
“What Leah? You’re going to choose that vulgar bastard over your father?”
“You’re forgetting that I’m having his baby. He’s going to be in my life.”
“So, you are choosing him?”
I shook my head. “No, you’re making the choice, dad. I want you both in my life. But I have a baby to think about. It comes first. Sebastian loves me and our baby.”
He gulped down his glass and poured another. “He’ll let you down Leah. He’ll get what he wants from you and then toss you aside for another intern.”
“If you believe that, then you don’t really know him.” I decided I was wasting my time. I turned to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“To Sebastian’s.”
“Leah. You’re making a mistake.”
“No dad, you are.” I rushed out the door and toward the elevator.
“Leah.” Sebastian’s voice came from up the hall near my apartment entrance.
“Sebastian? You’re still here.”
“I didn’t want to leave in case you needed me. I’ve been waiting outside your place.” He came to stand in front of me, his dark eyes studying my face. “Being with me is hurting you.”
I shook my head. “Don’t Sebastian. This is on him. I’ll be really pissed if you start buying into his bullshit.”
“I betrayed him.”
“Yeah, well he’s betrayed you too. For all his praise of you, he apparently didn’t really believe it.”
“He’s not wrong about me. I do peddle in sex.”
“So what? People have been having sex since the beginning of time.”
“I hate this, Leah. I don’t want to come between you.”
I pressed a hand to Sebastian’s cheek. “You’re not coming between me and my dad, Sebastian. He’s made his choice. It’s on him.”
He nodded, but I could see that he wished he could do something to fix the situation. “Let me take you home.” He guided me toward my apartment.
“I thought we’d be going to your place.” An unsettled feeling began to take root. Was Sebastian having second thoughts?
“We’ve had a long day, and you need your rest.”
He wasn’t wrong about that. “Will you stay with me?”
“Yes.”
We went to my place. As I unlocked the door, I realized Sebastian has never been to my place.
He looked round the small apartment. “Cozy.”
“It works for me.” I led him to the bedroom. “Fortunately, I have a queen bed. I think we’ll fit.”
He smiled. “We’ll make do.”
“I’m just going to wash up.”
He nodded.
I went into the bathroom and stared in the mirror. In a sudden and unexpected flash, my emotions overwhelmed me and I started to cry.
“Leah?” Sebastian’s voice came from the other side of the door. “You alright?”
I wanted to blame it on baby hormones, but I knew it was more than that. I opened the door and rushed to Sebastian, wanting to feel his strength around me. “I’ve never seen my father like that before.”
He let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. I… I knew he’d be surprised, maybe upset, but that… he was so…” I couldn’t find the right word.
“Give him time, Leah. Come on.” He helped me undress until I was just in my bra and underwear. “Do you have a nightgown or something?”
I grabbed a t-shirt from a folded pile on my dresser. “It’s not Sensual Delights, but it’s comfortable.”
He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’d look beautiful in a potato sack.”
He tucked me into bed and then disrobed down to his briefs. He climbed into bed and pulled me to him, tucking my head on his shoulder. “Get some sleep, Leah.”
I realized this was the first time I’d ever been in a bed with Sebastian and not had sex with him. I snuggled closer, glad that he’d let me into his heart. Even so, a part of me wondered if he was regretting it.
I woke the next morning to an empty bed. Sebastian left a note that he needed to get to the office, but he didn’t want to wake me.
This week was my final week of school. I had one final today, and other one Thursday, along with a meeting to defend my thesis. On Saturday was my graduation and my father had been planning a party. I wondered if that was still on.
Not wanting to think about that now, I showered, dressed, and had some tea with toast as my stomach was unsettled. Then I studied for my exam that afternoon.
Midmorning, I got a call from Sebastian.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. Just studying.”
“Listen Leah, I’ve got to go back to Paris for a few days.”
“Oh.” I had to finish school and graduate, so now wasn’t a good time for me.
“I’m leaving now, and will be back late Thursday.” He was going by himself. I started to have that feeling like he was pulling away from me.
“Okay.”
“Leah? You sure you’re alright?”
“Yes. I just have a lot going on. Will you be at my graduation Saturday?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” There was a pause. “This might be a good time for you and your dad to reconnect.”
“Until he accepts us, we’re always going to have a problem.” The tears welled in my eyes again.
“What if that never happens, Leah? I can’t live with the idea that I’ve come between you two.”
“It’s his fault.”
“Someday you might resent me for it.”
The sadness began to turn to anger. “What are you thinking Sebastian? You going to end it again? What about the baby?”
“I’ll always be there for you and the baby.”
“But not with us? Is that what you’re saying?”
He sighed.
“What about what you said in LA? That you wanted to fight for what you wanted. Now I’m not worth it?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I just think until your father comes around, we need to slow things down.”
I wanted to scream. “You think I’m a child, just like him.”
“No.” I could hear the edge in his tone.
“You both think I’m too young to know my own heart or mind. That you guys can dictate the choices in my life.”
“I’m not telling you what to do, Leah. I’m just trying to minimize the damage to your relationship with him.”
“By backing away from me? What about what I want, Sebastian? Do I get a choice in this?”
I heard a noise in the backgro
und, and Sebastian saying, “I’ll be right there.” Then his voice came back on the phone. “I’m sorry, Leah. I need to get to my plane.”
I shook my head. I wanted to scream into the phone asking him about all the promises he’d made. “Have fun in Paris.”
“I lo-“
I hung up the phone. Immediately, I marched over to my father’s apartment, but he wasn’t in.
“I guess it’s just you and me, baby.” I returned to my place and did the best I could to put them both out of my mind and focus on finishing my studies.
I took my test that afternoon and felt good about it. I spent the rest of the day at a café studying for my Thursday exam and prepping for my thesis defense.
Feeling exhausted physically and emotionally, I turned my phone off and went to bed early.
On Wednesday, I woke to a text and voicemail from Sebastian. While I was happy he was thinking of me, I couldn’t help but feel he was just going through the motions. I believed him when he said he’d be here for me and the baby, but I was pretty sure that meant financially. I wasn’t so sure he meant emotionally. At least where I was concerned. I wanted to sympathize with the guilt he must be feeling at betraying my father, but it was hard. Both of them were being complete assholes.
On Thursday, I took my exam in the morning and defended my thesis in the afternoon. I didn’t feel completely on my game, but I thought I did well enough to pass. When I left campus, I should have felt elated. I’d just completed all the requirements to earn my MBA. On Saturday, I’d graduate, and be ready to take on the business world. But mostly I felt tired and stressed.
I went home and took a long bath to sooth my body and soul. It didn’t work. I had an early dinner and began to search for other jobs in case the one in L.A. didn’t work out.
As I was getting ready to go to bed, my phone rang. I expected it to be Sebastian, but it was Karen.
“Hi Leah.”
“Karen.” I wondered if my father put her up to calling me. He’d likely think a woman’s influence would make a difference. While she and I had gotten along, I didn’t feel close enough to her to discuss my personal problems.
“Listen, I’m pretty sure I’m poking my head where it doesn’t belong, but your father is having a really hard time being estranged from you.”
Beautiful Mistakes: Contemporary Romance Boxset Books 1-4 Page 36