Deceived 6 - Ultimate Deception (5 page)

“I never said I played fair.” I stretched out my arm so that I could brush my fingers along the side of his face. “Hold me.”

He edged closer. He wanted to take me in his arms, I could see it written all over his face, but he was terrified that he’d hurt me or Victoria. I didn’t say anything and I didn’t try to move. I knew if I pushed, he’d get up and sleep on the floor, saying I wouldn’t be able to rest comfortably with him there. I smiled as his body brushed against mine. With gentle ease, Patrick maneuvered himself so that he could get one arm around my shoulders and rest the other one just below the bulk of my baby bump, which by now was far from being a bump. I gave a contented sigh.

“I missed this,” he confessed as his hand made small circles on my stomach.

“Me, too,” I said. My eyelids were suddenly heavy. I hadn’t been sure how easy it would be to fall asleep in a strange house, but with Patrick next to me now, it wouldn’t be a problem at all.

“I love you,” Patrick whispered as he brushed his lips against mine. Then he leaned down and kissed my stomach, too. “And you, too, little girl.” Then he laid back against the softness of the same mattress I was feeling.

“Me, too,” I repeated, my voice thick with exhaustion. I snuggled closer to him, adjusting my protruding stomach so it wouldn’t get squished. I tried lying on my side, but I had to readjust when I felt the familiar pinch. I put my head against his chest, knowing this position probably wouldn’t last all night, but I didn’t care. At least, for a while I would block out the annoying pregnancy pain and tonight, instead of that stupid beeping, I’d have my husband’s steady pulse lulling me to sleep. I smiled as I slipped under, listening to one of my most favorite sounds in the world.

Chapter 5

Patrick

One week, I thought, as I prepared Chloe’s dinner tray. In one week, Victoria was due and, if Chloe hadn’t gone into labor before then, we’d head back to the hospital where the doctors would induce labor. The closer we got to the due date, the safer it was for both of the girls I loved. We’d been at Nina’s for just a few days and, while it still didn’t feel like home, I could see how much more relaxed Chloe was here than she had been at the hospital. I reminded myself to make sure we sent Nina a thank you gift when this was all over.

I could see from the pink in her cheeks that Chloe was feeling better and she had said that the few times she’d gotten headaches, they’d been better and shorter each time. She was still sleeping a lot, but the doctor had told me to expect that. Sleep was the body’s time to repair itself and hers was working overtime to compensate for Victoria. As long as Chloe stayed hydrated and fed, and we could feel Victoria moving, Chloe should sleep as much as her body wanted her to.

I looked down at the tray and made sure I had everything. Nina had been great about getting Chloe the foods she wanted, so tonight’s menu was tomato soup, a grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese, some diced peaches and a couple chocolate chip cookies. Except there was one thing missing. Normally, Chloe’s favorite way to make a grilled cheese sandwich included a combination of pepper jack and American cheeses. It was Chloe’s invention and it added a little kick to the common grilled cheese, but now that she was in the last stages of pregnancy, spicy foods just gave her heartburn so I left it out. I took one last glance around the kitchen before grabbing spoons for the peaches. The dirty frying pan was still on the stovetop and there were grease splatters everywhere. Man, what a mess I’d made from such a simple meal. I took one last look at the tray, noting the dark edges on one of the sandwiches. I would eat that one. There was enough food on the tray for two since Chloe insisted we eat at least one meal together, just like back home.

“That looks delicious,” Nina announced as she entered the kitchen.

Just like clockwork, every time I was getting Chloe’s meals ready, Nina had either been in the kitchen waiting for me or showed up after a few minutes. I brushed it off as a sign that she missed my wife’s company, because she’d chat with me until the food was ready, then follow me to Chloe’s room. She wouldn’t come in, insisting that she not intrude on our family meal time, but I could tell she wanted to linger. It made me realize I’d been too harsh when I suggested that Chloe was spending too much time with Nina and neglecting Elyse. She lived in this big, fantastic house, and yet it didn’t seem like Nina had many friends.

I glanced up and tried not to show my surprise. Usually, she was wearing a sharp designer outfit, like she’d either just gotten in or was just getting ready to go out. Not tonight, though. Tonight she was wearing yoga pants and a tank top that clung to her every curve. I wondered if she had a personal trainer coming to the house or if she went out to a gym.

“You know, you could order fully prepared meals,” she said, leaning back against the counter. “Store them in the refrigerator and take them out for each meal. It’d be a lot easier than making them separately.”

I picked up a handful of napkins. “It gives me something to do,” I said. “Besides, I like being able to make something special for Chloe. We sometimes get so busy back home that we don’t really get a lot of home-cooked meals.”

“Well, that’s just the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” She pushed herself off the counter, walked over to where I was standing and looked me straight in the eyes. “Chloe’s lucky to have a man like you.”

I narrowed my eyes and picked up the tray. “I’m the lucky one, Nina,” I said in a cool voice as I walked out of the kitchen. It might’ve sounded like some line, but I meant it.

Chloe was sleeping when I entered the room but I knew she needed to eat, so I set down the tray and leaned over her. I pressed my lips against her forehead, in part because I wanted to, but also because I was checking for a fever. She hadn’t been sick or anything, but after what had happened, I wasn’t taking any chances. I’d even considered buying a stethoscope so I could monitor her and the baby’s hearts. Since that would’ve meant leaving the house, I’d decided against it.

“Chloe, sweetie, wake up.” I kept my voice soft. The naps she’d been taking during the day hadn’t been very deep, so there was no need to be loud. “It’s dinner time.”

She shifted and stretched as her eyes opened. She smiled as soon as she saw me and my heart constricted. I wondered how many days it would take before I’d stop reliving the horror of seeing Chloe’s crumpled body at the bottom of the stairs and how close I’d come to...

“Dinner?” Her voice was still sleepy.

I smiled at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. We’d washed it last night and we both laughed when I’d attempted to braid it for her. At the end of the whole ordeal, Chloe just pulled it back with a hair tie and said I’d have a few more years to practice before Victoria’s hair got long enough for braids. I helped her sit up more and stacked up the pillows behind her until she was upright.

“Tomato soup and grilled cheese?” Her entire face lit up and I caught a glimpse of what she must’ve looked like as a kid—home sick and getting treated to her favorite meal.

I settled the tray between us on the bed, careful to hold it with my knees so that it stayed steady. We ate in silence, but I was watching her, making sure she wasn’t just nibbling.

“Eat all of that sandwich. You need to keep your strength up,” I warned.

“I can’t eat all of it at once. My poor stomach is smashed up into my esophagus.”

I paused from my bite of food and frowned at her.

She sighed. “Okay, okay, I’ll eat it. Just in stages.”

I smiled and continued eating. I liked that she was being feisty with me. It made me feel like things were almost normal, so I wasn’t worried. Well, not as worried as I could’ve been.

“Did you talk to Ryan today?” Chloe asked as she started to break her cookie into pieces.

I nodded. “He said to give you a kiss from him and that he and Liam are discussing how they can make Victoria their flower girl.”

She laughed. “They don’t know much about babies. Victoria will be too little. Aren’t they planning a spring wedding?”

I shrugged. “You know Ryan. He’ll probably figure out some way to put her in a stroller of flowers and incorporate that into the ceremony.”

“I’m so happy for him,” she said.

A sniffle caught my attention and I looked up in time to see her wiping her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“We should be up there helping him plan and doing test runs to the hospital.” She put down her half-eaten cookie. “Instead, we’re down here, far from most of our friends, and it’s all my fault.”

I moved the tray out of the way so I could sit closer. I cupped the side of her face. “Baby, no, it’s not your fault.”

“I managed to fall down a flight of stairs, Patrick. That’s beyond klutzy, even for me.” Her bottom lip trembled. “Or at least it was before I got so huge.”

I leaned forward and kissed the tears on her cheeks, then rested my forehead against hers. “Listen to me, love. You’re gorgeous and I love you. What happened was an accident. A damn accident, but not something you could’ve prevented. It happens to a lot of pregnant women. The weight of the baby sticking out like that…I read about it in your book.” My last remark finally brought a smile to her face. “And I know you’re missing home, but we’re together. And we’ll be home soon.”

“I can’t wait to go home. It’s not because Nina’s house isn’t gorgeous. I mean, look at that view out my window. You can see the water and the yacht. Did you ask the doctor about how soon we can fly?” she asked.

Shit. I had but I hadn’t wanted to tell her.

“What did he say?”

I cursed the fact that she knew me so well. I couldn’t lie to her. “He said once you and the baby are discharged, we’ll be good for travel, but most airlines have a minimum age for babies who are flying. The youngest I could find was seven days.”

Chloe’s face fell. “A week?”

Her eyes blinked hard and her voice cracked a little. I could tell she was trying not to cry again.

“I love Nina for letting us stay here and it’s better than a hospital but, Patrick, I don’t want our baby’s first week to be in some stranger’s house. I want us to be at home.”

“I’ll talk to Nina, see what she can do about a private plane,” I said. I didn’t want to give her what was probably a false hope, but I hated the thought of her being upset anymore. Once Victoria was born, we’d deal with the travel issue.

“Thank you.” Chloe yawned and I could see her fighting sleep.

“Rest.” I stood.

“I hate sleeping,” she mumbled, her eyes already half-lidded.

I laughed softly. “Just think of it as storing up for all the sleep we won’t get when Victoria gets here.”

Chloe might have said something, but I couldn’t quite make it out as she was falling asleep even as she spoke. I leaned down and arranged her so that she wouldn’t end up with a crick in her neck, and then I picked up the tray and went back to the kitchen. I always cleaned up after our meals even though Nina had told me more than once to leave the dishes for her housekeeper. It didn’t surprise me that someone with as much money as Nina would have a housekeeper, but I hadn’t seen her come but once in the entire time since Chloe and I had arrived. I’d told her I wasn’t afraid to get my hands in some dirty dishwater once in a while and it was the least I could do to repay her kindness.

As I walked into the kitchen, there was Nina, as usual, waiting. “Sleeping Beauty out again?” Nina smiled at me as I set the tray on the counter next to the sink. She held a glass of wine in one hand. “I’m glad she feels comfortable enough here to be able to rest.”

“Me, too.” I put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and set it to run, then turned my attention to the pan in the sink.

“Here.” Nina was suddenly at my side, the full glass of wine offered in her outstretched hand. “You look like you could use it.”

I shook my head as I scrubbed the pan. “Thanks, but no.”

“Come on,” she said. “I’ll bet you haven’t had anything to help you unwind since...”

Her voice trailed off and I knew she was referring to her party, and it was true. That was the last time I’d had anything alcoholic to drink. Not because I didn’t think it’d be nice to have something to take the edge off, but because the timing was completely wrong.

I sighed and rinsed the pan. Nina was still standing next to me, with a pleasant smile on her face, and the wine glass hovering in the air, waiting for me. I dried off my hands and took it.

“Come on.” She tilted with her head for me to follow as she began to walk away.

“Chloe…” I started.

“Is sleeping,” Nina said. “Just come sit in the living room with me for a few minutes. Enjoy a glass of wine and let me pick your brain about a business proposition.”

It would be nice to talk about business with someone who wasn’t going to gloss over things and tell me I didn’t need to worry about anything. I trusted that Ryan and Elyse were taking care of the business in New York, but with Chloe sleeping so much, I was going a bit stir crazy. There was a television in the spare room, but there was only so much daytime TV I could take.

I pushed those thoughts aside as I followed Nina. The living room was tastefully expensive, but not overly opulent. A fire was crackling in the fireplace, offering the only light. Sitting in front of the couch was a coffee table, Nina’s wine glass and a half-f bottle sitting on it. Nina sat down and raised her glass to her lips, sipping it. I purposely moved to the other end of the couch, angling my body so that I could face her to talk, yet not be too close for comfort. I raised my glass in a salute and took a drink.

I was surprised. The wine was cheaper than I’d expected from someone with Nina’s tastes, but not bad. I took another drink and let the alcohol start to work its way through me. I closed my eyes, absorbing the sound of the fire, the warmth. This was exactly what I needed. I had been putting on a strong face, telling Chloe that everything was okay and that it was all going to be fine, but it was wearing on me and the truth was, I wouldn’t believe it until I was holding my daughter and had Chloe at my side. We’d had too many times where we’d thought we’d gotten through the worst of it just to have something else thrown our way.