Precious Lace(24)

I cut through the Public Garden and enjoyed the cool breeze and the shimmering burnt orange leaves. I saw kids, dogs, and happy moms chatting with coffees as they pushed strollers. Whatever Carter had to say to me I knew I was willing to do this on my own. I wasn't willing to let the beautiful opportunity of raising a child slip through my hands—an opportunity I never thought was mine to dream.

I exited the Garden and passed the La Perla store. A sad smile crossed my face. This was undoubtedly where Carter had gone to replace all the panties he'd torn off my body in moments of passion. I hoped those days weren't over for us. My heart ached at the thought of a future without him in it. I held my tummy as I walked until The Hancock came into view. My memory drifted back to the day a few months ago when I’d seen Nikki stepping out of this very building from this same corner. I shook the memory from my mind because we now had much more important things to discuss.

I entered the building and the security guard waved me on with a smile. I rode the elevator to the 60th floor and braced myself the entire way, not wanting to lose my lunch from the quick ascent.

The doors opened and I turned the corner, nearly running head first into Madeleine Snow. My breathing caught in my throat before I steeled my backbone and narrowed my eyes at her. The last words we'd had that night at the gala hadn't been pleasant ones. This woman had been the cause for much of my heartache the past few months.

"Well, I see you got what you wanted." She cast an accusing eye to my stomach. "Such a desperate grab to catch a billionaire don't you think? Getting knocked up is so low class." She lifted her chin and swirled past me into the elevator, her heavy perfume, the same I’d found in Carter's office bathroom, left in her wake. The scent made my stomach churn.

I clenched my teeth in anger. Did Carter want me to see her here? Was this his way of ending it with me? What a low blow. He knew what a bone of contention she was for me.

I stood for a few breathless moments with my fists clenched in anger before turning back to the elevators and punching the button to leave Carter's office and The Hancock.

Clearly Madeleine knew about the pregnancy, and she'd only heard it from one person. Why would he tell her after everything we'd been through? He had to have known that that would cut me to the core. Did he want me to run into her? He had been the one to text asking me to stop by. My brain swirled with all of the possibilities as the elevator whirred down to the main floor. The doors opened and I exited the lobby and out the doors on Clarendon. I turned toward Beacon Street and then thought better of it. I wasn’t ready to go there. I turned in the opposite direction and headed for Chandler Street and my old apartment.





A while later I awoke to jingling keys and heels on the wooden floor. I remembered that I'd come to Cate's apartment and let myself in with my key. Cate hadn't been home so I'd curled into the fetal position on the couch and fell into a restless sleep.

I glanced at my phone on the coffee table and found that I’d been asleep for a few hours. There were also nearly a dozen missed calls from Carter.

"Hey honey, what's up?" Cate came to me with a concerned look on her face.

I rolled my eyes in response. "What isn't up?" I gave her a sad smile.

"So I assume you told Carter?"

"Yes, he didn't take it well to say the least. I didn't say much beyond we were going to have a baby and he clammed up and starting tossing shots down his throat. I haven't seen him since." That wasn’t entirely true; my brain flitted back to the memory of Carter's beautiful form cutting through the water in the pool this morning. My heart ached with love for him.

"Then he texted earlier and asked me to stop by his office. I thought he wanted to talk, make amends or something, so I went and ran into Madeleine coming out of his office. She had a few choice words for me. He told her about the pregnancy. She said I was a gold digger who got knocked up on purpose. For all I know maybe Carter thinks the same thing," I shrugged sadly.

"Eva, you know he doesn't."

"No, Cate, I don't know anything. He's blocked me out again."

"So why are you sleeping on my couch?" She arched an eyebrow at me.

"I dunno. I just didn't want to go back to his place."

"Technically it's your place now too, you know."

"It doesn't feel like that. It feels like I’ve been inserted into his life only for his convenience."

"I’m sorry." She rubbed my shoulder. "You can stay here as long as you want. I won't even make you sleep on the couch." She winked at me.

"Thanks. I miss when it was just the two of us and life was simple."