I jerked my head back. I didn’t know what had gotten into Preston. First, completely forgetting to pick up Sophia yesterday. The fact that he was totally unreachable. And now this?
Maybe I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did. Despite the fact that we’d spent a lot of time together the past few months, I wondered if I’d allowed my judgment to be clouded by lust. My desire to feel accepted and loved overriding reason.
Cal stood. “What are you waiting for Alexis? Fire him!”
I glanced between the two of them, trying to figure out how we’d gotten here. And why my nanny slash boyfriend had punched my ex-husband. When had my life turned into a complete circus?
“Can you give us a minute?” I asked Preston. He nodded, moving toward the door, and I hated seeing the wounded look on his face.
“I want him gone,” Cal said again as soon as the door was closed.
I sighed. “Be reasonable, Cal. Sophia adores him. This will crush her.”
He glanced between the door and me, his eyes wide. “He…he punched me.” He jabbed a finger at his chest. “At our daughter’s birthday party. In front of a backyard full of guests. He’s damn lucky we’re not calling the cops.”
I rounded my desk, going to stand before him. “And why did he punch you?”
“Does it matter? He hit me in front of our daughter.”
That was true, but still… Something didn’t add up. Regardless, I had to think of Sophia. And the fear always lurked in the back of my mind that Cal would use something like this as ammunition to amend our custody agreement. I didn’t think he’d actually go through with it, but it was enough of a threat nevertheless.
“I don’t want more drama. I don’t want that for Sophia.” Or Preston.
“Then you need to fire him. Fire him, and I won’t press charges.”
Fire him? Press charges? I brought a shaky hand to my forehead, attempting to smooth back my hair. Cal watched my movements with concern, replacing my hand with his own.
“I just want what’s best for Sophia.” His tone rang with sincerity. As I looked at him with dried blood on his shirt, I knew he wasn’t going to relent.
Shit.
“I’d like to talk to him alone.”
Cal shook his head. “You think I want to leave you alone with that…that monster, after what he did to me?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Cal was being more dramatic than Sophia, and that was saying something.
“Cal.” I placed a hand on his bicep. “I can handle this. I will handle this—alone.”
“Fine,” he huffed. “But I’ll be waiting just outside in case you need me.”
I nodded, opening the door to find Preston leaning against the wall with a bag of ice on his hand.
“Preston.” I inclined my head.
Cal brushed past him on his way out, and Preston bared his teeth. I braced myself for another confrontation, but Cal straightened and jutted out his chin before stepping aside.
Preston followed me inside the office, and I shut the door.
“You’re firing me, aren’t you?” he asked before I could even say the words.
I nodded.
He raked a hand through his hair. “Shit. I’m sorry, Alexis. I—”
“Look,” I cut him off, needing to get this over with before I completely broke down. “I don’t like this any more than you do. Luckily, Cal agreed not to press charges or report you to the agency,” I sighed, already dreading what I’d tell Sophia. “Provided you leave immediately.”
“So, that’s it? You’re just going to take his side?” he asked.
Did I want to fire Preston? No.
But it felt like my hands were tied.
I wanted to love him, to trust him, but he’d completely undermined that with his actions. First, forgetting to pick up Sophia. And now, starting a fight with Cal at her birthday party.
I gave a little shrug. “Things were never going to work out between us. We’re at different points in our lives. We want different things.”
“I can see you’ve already made up your mind, so there’s no use trying to convince you otherwise.”
His words struck me. And even though my heart was breaking and tears threatened to fall, I lifted my chin and put on a brave front. What could I say? I was afraid if I opened my mouth, the sobs I was desperately trying to hold back would come pouring out.
He gripped the arms of the chair, standing. “Though I guess I should’ve seen this coming.” His denim eyes were flat when he looked at me. It felt as if he was seeing through me. “You always had one foot out the door. You were always looking for reasons why we couldn’t be together. And now you got your wish.”
He marched toward the door, and I envied his confident, fluid strides. How could he be so strong when I was crumbling? He paused for a moment with his back still to me, hand poised over the knob. Time seemed to stop; my heart seemed to stop.
But then he opened the door and walked through it without looking back.
Oh god. My stomach hardened, a bout of nausea threatening to overtake me.
Juliana peeked her head in a moment later. “It’s time for cake.” She frowned. “You okay?”
I wanted to scream, to cry, to crumple to the floor, but I had a house full of guests and a birthday girl I couldn’t disappoint. So, I straightened, steeling myself to make the most convincing sale of my life—that I was happy and everything was just fine.
“Of course.” I forced myself to smile as I headed out to the backyard.
“Happy birthday to you,” I sang, joining in with everyone else, trying to put my heart into it.
I had no idea how I was going to break the news to Sophia. Or even what I was going to do without Preston. Fortunately, I’d planned to take some time off from work to enjoy the last days of her summer vacation, and Gabriela would be coming back soon. But…still.
When one of the waiters sliced into the cake, the sickly sweet smell of the icing was overpowering. Bile rose in my throat, and I held a hand to my mouth, hoping I wouldn’t be sick.
“I’ll, um—” I forced a smile. “I’ll be back.”
Fortunately, Sophia had a lot to distract her—the cake, her friends, the presents to open. I dashed up the stairs to my bathroom, ignoring the curious stares of the other parents. I didn’t realize Lauren was following me until she entered the bathroom a few moments later.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine.” I gripped the counter for support.
“You don’t look fine.” She held a hand to my forehead. “Seriously, you look like you’re going to be sick.”
I sank down on the toilet lid and fanned myself with my hand, but it did nothing. It felt like I was boiling alive.
“Did you get sweat gland injections?” I joked, needing a distraction. “I mean, here I am sweating like a pig, and you look…cool as a cucumber.”
“Nah. I decided it wasn’t worth it. But I also don’t have two men duking it out over me at my kid’s birthday party. Want to talk about that?”
I shook my head, finding it difficult to swallow even as I forced myself to stand. “I need to get back out there. I’m sure the rumors are already spreading like wildfire.”
She grabbed a magazine and started fanning me. “You need to take a minute. Sit. Do you want some water or something? You look flushed.”
I couldn’t believe I was missing Sophia’s birthday party. I could only hope she was having too much fun with her friends to notice.
“I’ll get you some water. Don’t go anywhere.”
I barked out a laugh. Like that was going to happen. Any time I even considered standing, I was overwhelmed with dizziness. What the hell was wrong with me?
Lauren returned, but she wasn’t alone. She gave me an apologetic smile as Cal followed her into the bathroom.
I stood, and spots swam before my eyes. “Get him out of here.”
I needed to lie down, and I took a few steps toward the bed before
Cal wrapped his arm around me. “Whoa.”
Lauren’s face was marred with concern. “Alexis, you need to go to the doctor.”
“I’m fine.” I waved a hand through the air.
“You know,” Cal interrupted. “The last time I saw you like this, you were…”
“I was what?” I bit out as he helped me over to the bed. I slumped down on the edge, wishing I could lie down and go to sleep.
He glanced at Lauren, then back at me. “You were pregnant.”
My eyes went wide. “I’m…” I couldn’t breathe. “I can’t be. There’s no way. It’s just…exhaustion.”
Right?
Though, now that I thought about it, I was late for my period. Still, that didn’t necessarily mean anything. At least, I hoped it didn’t mean anything.
“Calm down,” Lauren said, taking my hand in hers. “I’m sure you’re right. I mean, you’ve been working like crazy lately.”
“This can’t be happening. I can’t be pregnant. I’m on the pill. And…and he only has one ball, for crying out loud,” I blurted.
“What are you talking about?” Lauren asked at the same time Cal said, “Well then, he’s clearly less of a man.”
I swung to face him, my entire body vibrating with rage. “He had testicular cancer, you jackass.”
Lauren gasped. “Preston had testicular cancer?”
“Wait…” Cal furrowed his brows. “Surely you don’t mean…?” He glanced back toward the door as if someone would appear. “Preston, as in the manny? The manny is your baby daddy?”
I covered my face with my hands, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me whole. It was all too much—the fight, Preston leaving, the fact that I might be pregnant.
“It’s time for you to go.” Lauren’s tone was sharp and left no room for negotiation. I heard shuffling as she ushered him toward the door. “Go keep an eye on Sophia. We’ll be down shortly.”
A minute later, I heard the door latch shut, and then I felt her hand on my back. “Hey.” Her voice was calm, soft. “It’s going to be okay. You know that, right?”
I shook my head, finally removing my hands from my face to grab a tissue. “How?” I asked. “How on earth is any of this going to be okay?”
“First, you need to find out if you’re even pregnant. Then, we’ll figure it out from there.”
I stood from the bed, swaying a little as I went over to the mirror to check my makeup. I smoothed a hand over my pool cover-up, my eyes lingering on my currently flat stomach. Would it look the same in a few months, or would it be swollen with Preston’s child?
Oh god. What had I done?
“Mommy?” Sophia asked, peeking her head in the door. “Are you okay?”
I forced a smile. “Of course. My tummy was just bothering me.”
“Do you need some medicine?” she asked, suddenly concerned.
“No, baby. I’m fine. Let’s get back to the party. What did I miss?” I gripped the banister for support as she led me down the stairs.
“I opened my presents. I got a new mermaid doll, some glitter paints, and come see the awesome float Preston got me.” Sophia dragged me toward the sliding glass doors to the backyard.
She pointed at the pool, even though you couldn’t miss the gigantic pink shell float shimmering in the sun. Kids were climbing all over it, jockeying for the top position. No matter where I went, Preston was there. And now I might be carrying a reminder of him for the rest of my life.
Somehow, I made it through the rest of the party, which was relatively uneventful. At least, if you ignored the hushed whispers and the curious looks. Which I tried my best to. No one said anything to my face, but I knew they were all talking about me behind my back. And I shuddered to think of the gossip if I was, in fact, pregnant with Preston’s child.
Finally, everyone left. The house was mostly back to normal, and Sophia was admiring all her new presents when my phone rang. Gabriela’s name flashed across the screen, and a wave of relief washed over me. Thank god she’d be coming back soon.
“Gabriela, hi.” I grinned, putting her on FaceTime.
“Hola, Alexis. How are you?” Her accent was heavier after an extended visit home. She leaned closer to the screen, squinting. “You look tired. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. We just finished Sophia’s party.”
“Ay,” she sighed. “Yes. I was calling to wish her a happy birthday. Is she there?”
“That’s so sweet,” I said, genuinely touched by the gesture. “Soph,” I called. “Gabby’s on the phone.”
She ran over, excited to see Gabby. I listened to them chatter and catch up. But then Cal asked Sophia something, and she darted off again. Despite the fact that it was almost bedtime, she was wound up thanks to all the cake and excitement.
“I’m so looking forward to your return, to restoring some much-needed order to our lives,” I said to Gabby.
Her smile faded. “That’s actually part of the reason I called. Mi madre fell and broke her—how do you say, cadera?—hip.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.” She bowed her head, taking a deep breath. “But it means I need to stay to care for her. I’m sorry, Alexis. I know you were counting on me.”
The room spun. This couldn’t be happening. First Preston, and now this? But what could I say? Gabby had been so good to our family, and now she needed to take care of her own.
“I completely understand,” I said, trying to do some mental calculations on how long it would take to recover. “Take as much time as you need.”
“That’s the thing,” she said with a sad smile. “I don’t know when, or even if, I’ll be able to come back.”
My breath caught, and I teared up when she started to cry. “What are we going to do without you?” I asked.
She smiled through her tears. “Hija,” she said, referring to me as she always did—daughter. “You and Sophia will be just fine. I know it.”
I sniffled, wiping my tears as I nodded to reassure her. “You’re right, but that doesn’t mean we won’t miss you terribly. Promise you’ll visit when your mom is doing better?”
“I would love that. I’ll let you go enjoy the birthday girl,” she said.
“Goodbye, Gabriela,” I said, feeling a sense of permanence to it.
“Adios, Alexis.”
I sat there a moment, staring at nothing, really, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Hey,” Cal said. “You okay?”
I nodded, wiping away a few tears. “Gabby’s not coming back.”
“I’m sorry, babe.” I couldn’t even find it in me to care that he’d called me babe. I simply didn’t have the energy for anything more.
My eyes stung, and his nose was swollen. “Aren’t we a pair?” I joked.
He took a seat next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “We always did make a good team.”
I blew out a raspberry. “The only good thing we did together was Sophia.”
He gave me a squeeze. “She’s the best thing we did, and all the credit goes to you.” He turned me so I was facing him. “You’re a good mom, Alexis. I don’t tell you that enough.”
“You’re going to make me cry again.” I glanced toward the ceiling, trying to stem the flow of tears. It had been an emotional rollercoaster of a day.
He smoothed my tears away with his thumbs. “I love you. I never stopped loving you.”
I looked away, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze. There were so many memories wrapped up in those blue eyes—both good and bad.
“I can’t do this, Cal.” I swallowed.
“I know.” His tone was solemn. “I know I’ve already lost you. Hell, I lost you long ago. But I had to at least try.”
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?”
“I can’t miss any more of the tour,” he said, standing.
“Well, I really appreciate you coming for Sophia’s birthday. It meant the world to her.” I smiled to myself, thinking of j
ust how happy she’d been to see him. How proud she was to have him at her side when she blew out her candles.
And then it hit me—everyone was leaving. Preston, Gabriela, Cal. They were all gone. And I didn’t know how I was going to survive.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Thanks for coming in today,” Renata said when I arrived at the Hartwell Agency. “Please, take a seat.” She gestured to the chair across from her desk.
I had a feeling I knew what this was about, and I didn’t think it was a new position.
“Your placement with the Blacks ended early and unexpectedly. Would you care to explain?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Not really.”
What was there to say? I slept with my boss. I fell in love. I fucked up. She chose her ex. Not really the type of thing I wanted to share with the agency.
“Preston.” She leaned forward. “I’m really at a loss for what to do here. For the past year and a half, you’ve been an incredible asset to the Hartwell Agency. But now…” She huffed. “You assaulted a parent at a child’s birthday party, and someone posted a video of it online. I assume you’ve seen it?”
I nodded. There was no use disputing it. I couldn’t. The video titled, “The Manny Strikes Back,” had gotten hundreds of thousands of views. Fortunately, you couldn’t see my face in the video, but it was still damning.
“I apologize for my behavior. I’ve apologized to the parents, and I’m deeply sorry for how my actions reflect on the Hartwell Agency.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. “Thank you for saying that. Unfortunately, we’re still going to have to let you go.”
“I understand,” I said, and I did. It didn’t matter what Cal said—not that anyone knew the truth—I was the one who’d struck first. I’d punched him.
“Despite the incident, Ms. Black was generous enough to pay out the rest of your contract and then some.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want it.”
She frowned. “What do you mean, you don’t want it?”
“Exactly what I said. I don’t want it.” I stood. “Now, if we’re finished here, I have somewhere else I need to be.”
She stood as well, walking me to the door. “I believe you still have some belongings at the Black residence.”
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