Fall For Me: A Danvers Novel by Sydney Landon
“I’m not buying a house or marrying you! Have you lost your mind? This isn’t the Dark Ages where you have to marry the little woman because you knocked her up. Nick, I’m perfectly capable of handling this by myself. You can see the baby anytime you like.”
She had Nick’s full attention now as he slapped the newspaper on the table. “Why even bother telling me, Beth? It seems like you have everything all figured out.” Standing up, Nick bent over until they were face-to-face. “Well, you know what, princess? I’m not going anywhere. You aren’t pushing me away from my child. Maybe I’m not who you envisioned in this role, but I’m who you’ve got and you better learn to deal with it.”
With one final glare at her, Nick stalked off. Beth heard the front door slam and she slumped back against her chair. What just happened? He wants to get married? Could he still be drunk this morning? Boy, was he pissed off. What had he expected her to say? Sure, every girl dreams of such a romantic proposal. Hey, little woman, let’s get hitched this weekend. I want you barefoot and pregnant and in my home by nightfall. Ohhh, stop, Nick, you smooth-talking sex god, I can’t take any more! Okay, so the sex god part is accurate. But down, girl. Don’t get distracted by the countless orgasms he has given you. Focus on the big picture. He is not forever-after material. There is nothing there but heartache.
Nick was sadly mistaken if he thought he was pushing her into marrying him. With a glint in her eyes, she picked up her cell phone and checked her missed calls. She had twenty-nine. A few were from Suzy and Ella, but the rest were from men who actually were marriage material, at least their profiles said they were. She had signed up with a dating service before she met Nick and recently reactivated her profile—now seemed like a good time to put some distance between herself and Nick. She needed to show Nick that, although she was carrying his child, she was still an independent person who made her own decisions. He had better call a halt on purchasing a new house or a minivan because she wasn’t marrying him. She was moving on with her life.
She ruthlessly shushed the voice in her head that asked, “What in the hell are you thinking? Pregnant women shouldn’t be making dates for every night this week.” She needed to focus on the future.
* * *
When Nick roared into the parking lot at Danvers a short time later, he spotted his brother leaning against his car waiting for him. He wanted to keep driving. He really didn’t want to hear the lecture that Gray was no doubt about to unleash on him. He parked and jumped out of his car. Might as well get it over with. At least Gray wasn’t as likely to kick him in the balls as Suzy.
“Hey, bro, what’s up?”
Gray studied him as if debating whether to say something or not. Finally, he asked, “Anything you want to talk about?”
With a resigned sigh, Nick said, “Just go ahead and spit it out. I know that everyone probably already heard that Beth’s pregnant.”
“Yeah. Suzy told me in a pretty colorful way.” Gray laughed.
Clapping Gray on the shoulder, Nick said, “Sorry about that, man. I bet that was rough. I’m sure she plans to rip me a new one before the day is over.”
“She was pissed, but she realizes that you aren’t completely to blame. I think having to deal with the mental image of you and Beth on our kitchen counter was much harder for her than finding out that her sister was pregnant.”
“Shit, how much did Beth tell you guys? Women really do share everything, don’t they?”
Gray laughed at Nick’s obvious embarrassment. It wasn’t often that his confident brother looked uncomfortable where a woman was concerned. “Oddly enough, she was just trying to defend you. She basically said that you tried to resist, but she was determined to override you.” As if realizing what he had said, Gray added, “Maybe override wasn’t a good word to use.”
Nick chuckled at Gray’s poor choice of words. Then, taking pity on him, he decided to change the subject. “I told Beth this morning that we were going to get married and find a house. That seemed to really piss her off.”
Grinning, Gray said, “Well, if you said it just like that I can’t imagine why she wasn’t jumping for joy. I’m constantly wondering why people think you are the smooth talker in the family.”
“What the hell is this, Pick on Nick Day? What should I have said, man? It’s not as if she was going to believe a big declaration of undying love. I care about her too much to lie to her. I don’t think either one of us saw this coming, but now that it has we need to make some plans.”
Gray studied him quietly for a few minutes before asking, “You do understand that you are going to be a father, right? I was expecting a different reaction from you this morning. Maybe more pacing, profanity, and less calm acceptance. You’ve realized that marriage means monogamy?”
“Yes, smart-ass, I do. Despite your high opinion of me, I can actually be faithful to one woman. I have never screwed around while I’ve been involved with someone and, believe me, the opportunity has presented itself more than once.”
“Being faithful for a few months is a lot different from a lifetime.” Gray held up a hand to silence his protests. “I’m just saying that you can be a father to this baby without getting married. I don’t want to see you and Beth trapped in a marriage that makes you both miserable. I know that you care about her, but make sure you are doing this for the right reasons. I almost messed up my whole life with this very thing, so I know what I’m talking about. I dodged a bullet, but if Beth is pregnant, then I damn well know that you are the father without question because Beth isn’t Reva.”
Nick felt his anger dissipate. He knew this was hitting a nerve with Gray and that he had his best interests at heart. He was just tired of first Beth and then Gray automatically counting him out. Why did everyone assume he would cut and run as soon as he found out? Was it a crime to have a long dating history? He had a demanding job that he excelled at and no one ever had to worry about him letting any of his business responsibilities slide. He never had to be told anything twice. He took the ball and ran with it every day. Granted, a baby was a hell of a lot more important than a job, but why did they automatically assume that he couldn’t handle it? One thing was for certain: He would show them that there was more to Nick Merimon than just a good roll in the sack. But the first person he needed to prove that to was Beth.
Chapter Seven
When Beth walked off the elevator, Ella was standing right there, as if waiting for her. The two had met when Beth had started working at Danvers, and the changes in Ella since their first meeting were nothing short of amazing. Ella had been raised by strict religious parents and had been sheltered her whole life. She had looked and dressed like someone at least twenty years older than she actually was.
Since Beth had spent most of her life hiding behind her overweight appearance, she could recognize a cry for help when she saw it. She knew that Ella desperately wanted to fit in and that she didn’t have a clue as to how to do it. Beth might have problems with her own self-esteem, but she had no such qualms about helping Ella find her inner goddess. And, boy, had they ever!
The woman who stood in front of her now bore little resemblance to the awkward person of just months ago. Ella practically radiated happiness. She was still nervous and shy when someone out of her small circle of friends spoke to her, but she had come such a long way. Ella’s former mousy brown hair was now a chestnut color and hung down her back in a long, shimmering curtain. Her blue eyes captured one’s attention immediately and her adorable dimples made people try even harder to make her smile. She was small and petite, and Beth simply loved her to pieces.
The elevator chimed before they could move away and Declan Stone stepped out. She saw Ella’s face light up as if she were a child sitting on Santa’s lap for the first time. For some reason, Ella was nervous around every man of her acquaintance except Declan. Like herself, Beth thought that Ella needed to get out there more, but she didn’t think Declan was the ticket.
The man was hotter than Myrtle
The only person who seemed to thaw the ice surrounding Declan was the woman standing beside her, and Beth was both impressed and terrified for her friend. Ella tended to stammer a lot when men spoke to her, but with Declan, everything was effortless for her. Beth caught a glimmer of a smile on Declan’s surprisingly lush lips when his gaze rested on Ella.
“Good morning, Declan,” Ella enthused.
“Morning, Ella. I . . . hope everything worked out okay with your grandmother’s procedure.”
My god, this is priceless. He likes her. The Iceman actually likes Ella. Oh, shit, no! He will eat her for lunch and spit her out. She needs a man with training wheels to get her feet wet, not a man who started life as a Corvette.
“She did great, Declan, thank you for asking.”
Clearing his throat and obviously uncomfortable to be having this conversation in front of Beth, Declan turned his gaze and finally acknowledged her presence. She got the more formal, “Good morning, Beth.”
“Good morning, Declan. Ella, I’m going to go check in with Suzy. How about lunch today?”
Ella smiled and agreed immediately. When Beth turned the corner, she saw Ella and Declan still standing in the same spot. Ella seemed to buzz around him like a brightly colored firefly and Declan seemed helpless to look away. Why are you worrying so much about Ella and Declan? It seems like you have more than enough problems of your own to keep you busy for a while. Ella’s a big girl and there is no way Declan would get seriously involved with her. She is way too innocent for him.
* * *
When she walked into her sister’s office, Suzy was ramming papers in her red leather bag and cursing under her breath. Sparing Beth a quick glance when she closed the door, Suzy said, “I have to be across town in twenty minutes and I can’t find my damn phone.”
Beth smiled as she walked to the credenza behind Suzy’s desk and unplugged her sister’s iPhone. “I think you plugged it in here to charge.”
“Why can’t they make a phone that doesn’t have to be charged? What’s wrong with a twelve-month Duracell?” Suzy grumbled. “I’ll be gone until after lunch. I’m going to check out the new conference facility for next month. Can you check with the suppliers and see where we are on our orders?”
“Yep, I have it on my list for this morning. You’d better get going. Traffic will be terrible at this time.”
As Suzy started for the door, she turned and asked, “Did you tell him?”
“Yes, Mother, I did so you can stop worrying. He wants to get married and buy a house immediately. I told him no.”
Suzy shook her head, clearly trying to process this latest development. “He wants to get married? Are you sure we’re talking about the same Nick here? Oh, hell, don’t say anything else. I’m going to be late and I’m terrified you will start talking about sex and I’m not strong enough for that this morning. We’ll talk when I get back.” Suzy slammed out the door and then almost immediately flung it back open. In a low but menacing whisper she said, “You’d better not have sex in my office . . . ever!”
Beth chuckled as she walked to her own office. She hoped Suzy’s warning didn’t extend to her office because if it did, she had already violated that one. Maybe after-hours sex didn’t count.
* * *
When Ella tapped on her door at lunchtime, Beth was just hanging up the phone after another exhausting call from Nick. At this point, she would rather him freak out and run than stay in the methodical mode he was currently in. He seemed to have an accidental-pregnancy handbook from the 1960s and he was running through it step by step. Marry the little woman immediately. Buy a house immediately. Plan the next ten years of Junior’s life immediately. She felt weak and dizzy after the last call, and it had nothing to do with morning sickness and everything to do with Nick suffocating her. No matter how much she protested, he just kept going on as if he hadn’t heard her. Was it really so hard for him to imagine a woman not dying to marry him? Um, yeah, you probably are one of the few women alive who wouldn’t jump at the chance.
“Tough day?” Ella gave her a sympathetic smile as she perched on the corner of Beth’s desk.
Dropping her head onto her desk, Beth said, “You have no idea. The man is making me crazy. I just want a moment to breathe, but he is after me constantly. I haven’t even had a chance to come to terms with it myself and he is pushing me relentlessly.”
Ella patted her back consolingly while making murmurs of agreement. “Grab your purse and let’s walk around the corner for lunch. Getting out of here for a while will help.”
Beth gave her friend a grateful smile as she gathered her stuff. “That sounds great, but I’m warning you now. If we see Nick anywhere on the way out, be prepared to run for your life because I am not talking about the advantages of breast-feeding anymore today, I mean it!” She heard Ella’s groan of disbelief behind her as they walked to the elevator. “You only think I’m kidding. He’s already tried to talk me into natural childbirth, too. Someone needs to stop the man from doing any more Google searches about pregnancy.”
Chapter Eight
Nick opened Beth’s apartment door that evening with the key that she had given him a few months back. Since their schedules were often different, it had made sense to be able to come and go as needed. She also had a key to the penthouse where he was staying.
He laid his briefcase down on the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the dining area. He noticed the blinking light on her answering machine that indicated a message. In all of the months that he had been in her apartment, he had never seen a message light blinking on the machine. He knew it was none of his business and an invasion of her privacy, but he couldn’t seem to look away from the flashing light. Maybe it was something concerning the baby.
He managed to pull himself away from the machine without pushing the button to hear the message and walked to the bedroom to find Beth. She was curled up on top of the comforter on the bed sound asleep. She took his breath away. He didn’t know how long he stood in the door just watching her. She looked so young and so vulnerable in sleep. The need he felt to protect her since he had learned she was pregnant was suddenly overwhelming. She looked so small lying there that it was hard to believe their child was nestled inside her.
In between meetings and conference calls, he had spent his day reading everything he could on pregnancy. Truthfully, a lot of it had scared the shit out of him. He had so much sweat on his face at one point that his secretary had asked him if he was feeling okay. He had wanted to yell, “Hell, no, I’m not feeling okay. Beth is carrying a ticking bomb. A million things could happen to her or the baby. Oh, God, I’m having chest pains. Am I too young for a heart attack?” Instead, he had offered her reassurance that he was far from feeling ill and then called Beth for the tenth time to see how she was feeling.
Now, standing here and looking at the beautiful woman resting so peacefully, he once again felt his chest go tight. He knew she couldn’t hear him but he made the promise anyway. “I won’t let you down, Beth. I’ll be the best husband and father that I can possibly be. Just give me a chance to prove it. You will never want for anything. I’ll lay the world at your feet. Just believe in me, please.”
Nick quietly shut the door behind him and walked into the kitchen for a beer. The light on the answering machine was again calling to him. You really should check it. What if there is a family emergency? She would want to know immediately. You would be doing her a favor. Before he could talk himself out of it, he grabbed a pen and a notepad to write down the message and pushed the button.
“You have two new messages. First message today at four twenty p.m. Hey, Beth, it’s Seth. I w
Who in the hell was Seth and what was with the “Looking forward to seeing you again”? Had Beth been out with this guy recently? Nick felt something completely alien take control of him: jealousy. Maybe they hadn’t formally talked about making their relationship exclusive, but he had assumed they were on the same page. He didn’t date other women when he was involved with someone. Had Beth been dating? She was late coming home from time to time and she did mention going out to dinner with friends but at the time he thought she meant women friends.
Seth’s intimate tone on the message didn’t sound like that of a buddy. It sounded like a guy excited about seeing a woman. Well, she didn’t have any problem letting you know that she wanted you, did she? You may not be the only ticket in town, my friend.
* * *
Beth rolled over in bed surprised to see how dark the room was. A look at the clock showed that she had been asleep for almost two hours. Despite the nap, she still felt fatigued. The morning sickness was taking a toll on her body. With another quick stretch, she slid her legs off the side of the bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face and straighten her hair.
Looking much more presentable, she walked into the living room and stopped short at seeing Nick sitting on one of the barstools deep in thought. She took a deep breath and allowed herself the pleasure of just looking at him. God, the man was beautiful. She had the urge to rip his clothes off every time he was anywhere near her and now was no exception. Her body tightened with need as she slowly approached him.
As if sensing her, Nick’s head shot up. Beth stopped in her tracks at the look of confusion and sadness on his face. Something was obviously wrong. She reached out to take his hand and he moved his away. She dropped her hand back to her side and asked quietly, “What’s wrong?”