by Katie Dowe
Yanique nodded as she took her seat. Although it was Sunday the place was swarming with people and she recognized some small town celebrities and a news reporter who she frequently saw on television.
“You must be wondering what this is all about,” Leanne said quietly as the waiter went away.
“I suspect that your brother told you we are having sex and you are curious to see the woman he is having sexual relations with,” Yanique said coolly as she sipped her water.
Leanne stared at her for a moment and then laughed softly. “My brother has his hands full.” She leaned back in the chair and smiled. “For the first time in his life my brother has no idea what to do. He asked me to talk to you to get a woman’s perspective on the situation. He wants to marry you and knowing Brandon he is not going to take no for an answer.”
“Too bad because I am not marrying him.” She was agitated and it showed in the restless movement of her hands. “I don’t need anyone feeling sorry for me.”
“You think he wants to marry you out of pity?” Leanne asked her incredulously. “You don’t know him very well, do you?”
“I don’t know him at all,” Yanique said bluntly. “I have a child on the way and I have to think about that aspect of it. I cannot afford the luxury of giving in to my baser needs just because-” She broke off abruptly.
“He told me about Wayne.”
“He should not have. It is my problem.”
“And he wants to share that problem with you.” Leanne stopped as they were served their order. “Look, Yanique, the man cares about you a great deal. I know you want to do it by yourself but wouldn’t you rather someone be there for you?”
“I cannot ask him to do that.” She tasted the meal and ate it with appreciation at the taste of it.
“You are not asking him to, darling. He wants to be your knight in shining armor. My brother has never been in that light. I am afraid he is not going to give up.”
*****
She dreaded the time when he would get back. He had not called her and she found herself hoping that he would. After having lunch with his sister she had come home and buried herself in the painting of the room. She had gone to the mall and had browsed the baby section losing herself in the tiny apparels and toys. She had gone all out and bought too many tiny clothes in pink, yellow, and white! Now she was painting the room. She had gotten someone to come and pick up the bed and the rest of her friend’s furniture. The room was empty and she had felt a sense of guilt at first and then had shaken it off and had gotten to work. She was halfway through when the paint fumes made her feel dizzy. She had to stop and sit on the floor for the feeling to pass. She reflected on the conversation she had had with his sister. She had kept looking at the woman had felt close to him as they talked which of course was ridiculous.
“Oh, Shelly, what am I going to do?” she moaned dejectedly.
“You know what to do.” She heard the voice as plain as if her friend was in the room. “This totally hot and rich dude has the hots for you and you are hesitating? Are you kidding me, girl?”
“Okay now I am losing my mind,” she muttered. “It must be the fumes.” She looked around at the room that was identical in size to hers and remembered nights of sitting or lying on the bed, talking and laughing with her friend. “You would be here now telling me to get on with my life and stop moping.” Yanique bit her lip and felt the tears. “I am not only crying because of you, honey. It is also hormones.” She eased herself up and decided to abandon the painting until later on.
He called her that night.
“Hey,” his deep voice sounded in her ear and she almost moaned as she felt the stirrings of desire. She missed him!
“Hi.”
“How are you?”
“I am well. Why did you ask your sister to talk to me?”
“I want her to get to know you and I also want reinforcement. I want us to announce our engagement when I get back. I want us married before the baby is born.”
“Brandon, you need to stop.”
“I can’t,” he admitted ruefully. “And I have stopped trying. I would like to adopt the child and give her my name.”
“She already has a name. Yasmin Oleander Smith.”
“I like the name. But I want to add Reynolds to hers and to yours. Please don’t make me beg, Yanique. I need this and so do you. Get some sleep and I will see you tomorrow.”
He hung up before she could say anything else and left her with the frustrated feeling that he had won.
*****
Yanique jumped every time she heard the doors open in the office she shared with Gabrielle and by the time it was lunch time she was a wreck! Damn him, she thought furiously as she made her way to the printer room to consult with them about the cover of the magazine that was due out next month.
Her phone rang just as she was about to leave the room and she took it out thinking it was him.
“Please don’t hang up,” the voice sounded anxious.
“Who is this?” she asked as she went into one of the empty offices.
“It’s Wayne.”
“What do you want?”
“I cannot afford to lose the Reynolds’ account and I am asking you to talk to him.”
“What makes you think my talking to him is going to change his mind?”
“He says you are the most important person in his life. He asked me to sign over my parental rights and I have done so but I am still afraid-”
“Hold up! What did you say?”
“He did not tell you? He asked me to relinquish my rights as the kid’s father and I have drawn it up-”
“Both of you went ahead and discussed this without me being in on it?” Her voice had risen slightly and she slammed the door to avoid being heard by someone passing.
“Will you speak to him for me?”
“Go to hell!” she said coldly and hung up on him. She only stopped herself from screaming out her frustration at the two of them. How dare they make decisions around her and her child! His arrogance knew no bounds. She started to dial his number and stopped. This was not something she could speak to him with over the phone. She was going to let him know once and for all!
She composed herself enough to leave the room and go back to the office.
“My dear, I have been looking for you. Mr. Reynolds called and was asking for you,” Gabrielle said with a smile. “Congratulations, my dear. I had no idea that you were getting married!”
Chapter 8
She did something she never normally do. She went home early. She told Gabrielle that she was not feeling well and went home. She also turned her phone off. How dare he go behind her back and asked Wayne to do that! And to tell Gabrielle that they were getting married! She fumed and paced the small length of her living room until she was dizzy! It was almost four p.m. when she heard the knock on her door. She contemplated not answering but she knew he would stay there until she did.
“You have gone too far!” she told him heatedly as she yanked the door open.
“I know.” His blue eyes took in her flashing eyes and the mutinous expression on her exquisite face. “I am not going to apologize-”
“Do you think that telling Gabrielle that we are getting married is going to make me marry you?” She stood there with her hands on her hips and faced him down. “And you told Wayne to sign away his parental privileges?”
“He called you? I told him not to.”
Yanique stared at him incredulously and then without a word she stormed off into the kitchen. He stood where she had left him for a moment and smiled to himself as he heard the cupboard doors banging. He had called to ask Gabrielle how she was doing and the words had just come out.
He stood in the doorway and watched as she made tea. “Is it safe for me to come in?” he asked her softly.
She ignored him and continued making her herbal tea. She was feeling a little queasy and suspected it had everything to do with stress. He came inside and sat on a chair.
“I want to take care of you and the baby, Yanique, and you are being stubborn about it.”
She looked at him then and then burst out laughing! “I am being stubborn?”
“I am used to getting what I want.”
“And right now what you want is me. Do you really want to father another man’s child, Brandon? The baby will be black because I am black and so is the father. What are you going to say to people when they ask? You are a very wealthy and important man and there are going to be speculations. What are you going to say?”
“Nothing,” he told her grimly. “It’s nobody’s business anyway.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I am wrapped up in wanting you.” He abandoned his seat and came around to her. Yanique tried to move away but he captured her and pulled her into his arms while he took a seat on the stool. “I have never felt this way before,” he told her softly as he used his hands to frame her face. Tendrils of hair were brushing against her cheeks and he brushed them back. “I need you.”
“You are going to wake up one morning and regret marrying a woman carrying another man’s child,” she whispered as she stared at him.
“No,” he insisted. “I am positive about that. If you want, it can just be a quiet ceremony with your mother and mine and my sister.”
“Brandon, you are not thinking straight!” she said in agitation as she stood there in the circle of his arms. How she wanted it to be true! This absolutely powerful and handsome man wanting to be with her! “I am not in your league and on top of that I am pregnant! I am sure your mother is going to have something to say about this and not to mention the press!”
He tipped her chin up. “I own the press,” he reminded her. “You are making excuses and I am not going to stop until I wear you down. I figured we could wait a year or two before we try for another child to give Yasmin a chance to grow a little first.”
She trembled at that and swayed towards him.
“Say yes,” he whispered as he bent his head to hers.
“Brandon,” she moaned, her lips parting. He took her lips with his in a kiss that had her sagging against him and clinging to his pin striped jacket, her nails clutching the soft expensive material. She was starting to buy into the idea that this could actually work! What he made her feel was something that she wanted to believe in so badly, but oh God! She was so afraid!
He lifted his head and looked down at her, his blue eyes darkened. “Say yes.”
She leaned into him and closed her eyes and then nodded.
“I need you to say the words, Yanique.” His voice was amused as he stroked her back.
“Yes,” she whispered. “If you change your mind-”
“Not going to happen.” He lifted her into his arms and took her into the bedroom where he placed her on the bed. He took off his clothes swiftly and joined her. “How about June?”
“That’s two months away.”
“I will hire a wedding planner.” He brushed back her hair. “You won’t have to do anything.”
*****
“Print and media mogul Brandon Reynolds to marry Yanique Smith, an editorial assistant at one of his publishing houses! Brandon Reynolds is the owner and CEO of Reynolds Publishing, a fast growing publishing house that has businesses all over the world not to mention the owner of television stations that have very high ratings in the states. Brandon Reynolds has been paired with women such as Mia Greene, an international model who has been the face of bestselling magazines for years, and actress Lindsey Fearon. This woman has to be super special for him to be tying the knot. Not to mention her being pregnant with a child that is not his as rumor would have it! The two will be getting married in a ‘small’ ceremony at the Lakeside chapel on June 29th with the ceremony scheduled to be held at the newest Ryan Sullivan hotel which opened in April.”
Yanique put aside the paper and tapped her nails on the desk. As soon as she had agreed to marry him things had started moving at a rapid pace that she got breathless just thinking about it! It had been a week since she had agreed and he had started the ball rolling since. She had gone to dinner with his mother and sister and to her surprise his mother had embraced her as if she had known her for a long time! Then it had been dinner with her mother who had been a little intimidated at having him in her humble home. He had excused himself at one point to take a call on his cell phone and they had both heard him quietly giving orders in French. Yanique had only done high school French but she had heard enough to know that he was giving instructions on the cover of a magazine due to come out. He had taken several calls in the hour he had spent and it had been brought to her forcefully how very powerful and wealthy he was!
He had told her that she needed to stop working but she had insisted and he had not said anything further.
“My dear, you look a little pensive,” Gabrielle said as she bustled into the office. “You have visitors.”
Before she could ask who it was she saw Leesa Wellington and Monique Romano behind the woman.
She got to her feet quickly.
“Your fiancé said it was okay for us to come here.” Leesa Wellington was wearing a chic amber skirt suit with an expensive cashmere jacket over her arm. Her short blond hair suited her narrow face and discreet diamonds were at her lobes.
Monique had on a deceptively simple white dress that fitted her curves very well. “We wanted to officially meet you and discuss wardrobe and welcome you to the wives’ club.”
“I am not a wife yet,” she pointed out.
“Technicalities, darling,” Leesa said with a wave of her hand.
“Seeing as you are in an advanced state of pregnancy we were wondering how you feel about wearing lilac?” Monique asked her with a quiet smile.
“I guess,” she said vaguely.
“Let’s talk about the color scheme.”
*****
“Miss Smith, how does it feel to be marrying one of the most eligible bachelors in the country?” And the next question which threw her and had her fumbling for an answer. “Whose baby are you carrying?”
“That’s enough!” Brandon said tightly as he steered her inside the hotel where they were making their first appearance as a couple. It was an annual fundraising event and one where he was the main benefactor. He had told her about it and had also said he wanted her to be there with him. She had gone home to see clothes piled on her living room sofa with the Romano tags on them. She had chosen to wear a dark blue dress that flowed from her breasts to her knees. He had given her an emerald engagement ring and a matching necklace which she was wearing now.
“There are going to be questions like that,” she told him as she felt the depression surfacing. “Are you going to avoid them forever?”
“It’s none of their business!” he told her shortly as he led her inside.
“It is not too late to change your mind, Brandon.”
He stopped them and turned her to face him. “Is that what you think I want to do?”
She stared up at him and felt the familiar weakness invading her. He had taken her to his apartment where she had spent several nights there. She had seen the elegance and had been bowled over by it and when he had made love to her she did not want him to stop! If he told her it was over right now she would die! “I don’t know.”
“You are stuck with me,” he told her grimly. To her surprise and delight he bent and kissed her thoroughly causing her to lean into him weakly. He lifted his head and looked down into her exquisite face. “I hope that answers your question,” he told her softly.
He kept her at his side for the entire evening and she felt the warm glow as he included her in the conversation going on around them.
“So, Brandon, I understand that you are taking over the local news station that has been losing money since its inception ten years ago?” a banker by the name of Elliot said to him as they sat around a table having drinks. “I heard that the anchor is heading to greener pastures and accepting a position in Ne
w York. Are you sure it is something you really want to do?”
He glanced at Yanique for a moment and then responded. “It has potential,” he said briefly as he sipped his wine. “With the right people it could get back on its feet.”
“You could probably give it to your fiancée here to take over and turn it into something profitable.”
Yanique glanced at the man startled. “I am an editor and know nothing about the media.”
“It is not a far stretch, my dear,” he told her in a condescending manner.
“You are reaching, Elliot. Please leave it alone.” Brandon’s tone booked no argument and his look was enough to make the man stop talking.
*****
“Get it done!” His tone was quiet but deadly as he issued the instructions. It was almost ten at night and she had come home with him to his apartment but ever since they had gotten there he had been on the phone or on his laptop. She had bathed and changed and had gone into the ultra-modern kitchen to warm up the meal that his housekeeper had left for them. He had barely paid her any attention and she was trying not to take it personally. The wedding was two weeks away and after that she would be giving birth to her baby. It was getting a little too much. She sat in the kitchen and stared around the shiny chrome fittings and the glossy tiles on the walls. It was a very elegant and beautiful apartment and looked as impersonal as if he did not really stay here which he had told her that he traveled a lot. She was marrying a man she did not know and it seemed to be a pattern with her. She had gotten pregnant by a man she met at a function and now she was marrying a man who was virtually a stranger to her!
“Hey.” She jumped at the sound of his voice. She had been so deep in thought that she had not heard him come in. “You okay?” He went over to the cabinet and selected a bottle of wine.
“Is this how it is going to be?”
“What do you mean?” He poured himself a glass and swirled it around looking at the texture of it.
“You are going to be super busy all the time while I sit and wait until you have time for me?” She got to her feet and started dishing out the lobster salad. “I am having a baby, Brandon, and I have a feeling that apart from having the stability of your enormous amount of wealth, I am going to be bringing up this child by myself.”
