A Baby for the Billionaire(35)

"That's true but it doesn't mean-"

"I think it's better that I not be here," she said, her voice growing  firmer. "Excuse me. I need to get a few things from my room before I  go."

She turned to leave before her feet rooted her to the ground. Glancing  over her shoulder she saw the worried look in Veronica's eyes. "They are  wonderful," she said, feeling as though she was watching the scene play  out at a distance. "Both of them. If you get the opportunity to love  them, then treasure it. You'll never find anyone like Walker or Hunter  ever again."

Veronica nodded solemnly. "I swear to you I won't mess up again. I will protect my family with everything I have in me."

"Good." This time when she started walking she didn't stop. Not when  tears gathered in her eyes, not when she dragged her suitcase from her  closet and started throwing all her belongings into it. It took  practically no time to pack up her life at Walker's. Further proof of  how temporary a fixture she'd been.

Dumping her armful of toiletries into the suitcase she looked around the  suite. That was everything. All her clothes, books, and necessities.  The room was sterile once more, ready for its next occupant.

Opening the closet to double-check she hadn't missed anything, her eyes  landed on the shoebox filled with her emergency overnight items. Inside  her chest her heart twisted in pain. Reaching down, she took the box  with ginger fingers. She'd liked having a tiny mark on his home. A  little piece of it that had been hers.

She ran her palm over the lid. Its time had passed. Just as hers had. Just as she'd always known it would.

Closing the closet, she pushed the shoebox into her suitcase. This  wasn't her home anymore, and despite Veronica's promises, she knew her  friendship was over. She didn't have it in her to pretend they could  ever salvage what they'd had. She couldn't picture herself having brunch  with Walker and Veronica. Seeing him look at the other woman the way  she'd always wanted him to look at her.

No, better to make a clean break.

Leaving her suitcase at the door, she pulled a pad of paper from her  nightstand and sat on the bed. If this was the end of everything, she  wanted one last chance to say goodbye to the man she loved.         

     



 

Before she walked out of his life forever.





Chapter Twenty-One


A curious lightness filled him when Walker stepped across the threshold  into his home. Everything was finally falling into place. Work had been  so hectic he'd barely had a chance to check on Hunter, but the day was  done. Now he could focus on what mattered.

Clara.

Tossing his keys on the table, he strode through his condo determined to check on his son first before going after his friend.

But what he found in the baby's room stopped him. It wasn't a tousled brunette head leaning over Hunter but a blonde one.

"Welcome home," Veronica said as she straightened. "He's sleeping soundly. I couldn't stop watching him. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," he said, moving to her side. "I've done that often enough. I'm in no place to judge."

She smiled before turning back to the baby. "I can't believe we created  him," she said. "When I found out I was pregnant I was horrified, but  look at this little boy. He's the best of us both."

"Yes." His voice was soft with sincerity. "Yes, he is. I don't want to think of what my life would be like without him."

"Me, neither," she whispered. "We'll make this work, won't we? Neither of us can lose him."

"We'll make it work," he promised, staring down at the sleeping baby for a long moment. "But we should talk."

"Yes," she agreed with obvious regret. "Yes, we should let him rest."  Her hand hovered over the child as if she wanted to stroke his cheek,  but she withdrew and led the way from his room.

Back in the living room, Walker ran a hand through his hair. He'd wanted  to talk to Clara, but maybe this was a conversation he needed to have  first. Then he could go to her with all the facts about how Veronica  would fit into their lives.

God, what if she didn't want to have anything to do with Hunter's  mother? He'd never seen Clara hurt a fly, but there was a child she  loved involved now. He had no doubt she could be a fierce protector when  it came to those she considered hers.

Veronica sat on the couch and patted the space beside her. "I know a lot  has happened in a very short amount of time," she began.

"How was your day with the baby?"

A slow smile curved her lips. "Wonderful. As good as I've been imagining  since I left him. Thank you for taking such good care of him when I  couldn't."

"It was overwhelming. I would have been a wreck, too, without Clara."

"Yes." She looked away. "Clara."

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

She chewed her expertly lined lip for a moment before confessing, "She came over today."

"Is she here?" He started rising to his feet when a hand on his arm stopped him.

"We had a chat this afternoon," she said. "But she's not here any longer."

The words sounded far more final than he was prepared for. "What happened?"

"Nothing bad. We had a very civilized conversation, one woman to another."

"And?"

Veronica twisted her hands together. "And she left with a suitcase."

Walker was off the couch in a heartbeat, tearing his way across the  room. He practically flew to Clara's guest room and wrenched the door  open.

Only to see it was back to its immaculate state. No clothes tossed over  far-too-expensive chairs. No bobby pins scattered across the vanity.  Nothing to suggest Clara had ever lived in this room except for a letter  lying on the white pillows.

"I didn't read it," Veronica said from behind him.

"Why would she go?"

"Why would she stay?"

He turned to see his former lover waiting uncertainly in the doorway. "I  know I messed up," she started. "I will spend the rest of my life  making that up to you. But you must remember how it was with us before I  left. We had chemistry. A real connection. And now we're bound in a way  far more permanent than any relationship could ever tie us. Clara knew  that. She saw the chance we had and she stepped out of the way."

"What chance?"

Veronica took a deep breath. "To be a family. A real one. Think about it. Hunter could be raised by his mom and dad. Together."

"You're not his mom."

"But I am." She moved forward, closing the distance between them. "I  always will be. And I could be more, to you. If you'd give me another  chance. I'd like to try again. Really I would."

"What?"

"I know we can't just pick up where we left off. All I ask is that you  think about it. Clara left because she was putting Hunter first. Don't  let her sacrifice be in vain." She nodded to the letter. "I'll be  waiting downstairs when you're ready to talk more."         

     



 

Cupping his face, she pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek before gliding from the room.

He stared after her, feeling like he was missing vital pieces of the  puzzle. A lifetime with Veronica? Objectively, he knew it made sense on  paper. They'd always dealt well with each other, and Hunter's life would  be far more normal if they could make a real go of it together.

But that logic was cool and impersonal. Exactly the sort of reason he'd  once been so good at. Now, however, there was nothing cold or calculated  about his future.

Not if he had Clara.

Grabbing the letter from the bed, he scanned the contents, his heart squeezing with every word.

Walker,

By now you've realized I'm gone. I'm sorry I couldn't do this in person,  but I thought it might be easier on both of us to say goodbye this way.  You don't need to reply. You don't need to call. We can let everything  end in this room. Rather fitting since this is the place I most  associate with our beginning.

Ten years ago, I never would have predicted where we would end up or  what you would come to mean to me. This time with Hunter, and with you,  will be a memory I treasure forever. You've woken me up, the two of you.  My life will be better for this experience. Eventually. I don't want  you to think I'm leaving in anger as a woman scorned. I understand.  Really, I do. You don't need me anymore and that's okay. All I want, all  I've ever wanted, was for you and Hunter to be happy. Veronica is the  key to that. She's Hunter's mom and she can be so much more for you if  you'll let her. Be the family you've always wanted. This is your chance.  I would never want to hold you back from it.

Since I never got the chance to tell you in person, just once I wanted  to say it, even if only on paper. I love you. Completely. If I loved you  any less, I wouldn't be able to do this. But I must do what is right  for all of us, and that's leaving.

Goodbye, Walker Beckett. It was a wild, wonderful ride and I wouldn't trade a single moment of it. Be happy.

Love always,