Oh, hell. He couldn’t do it. His honesty would shatter her weak defence. He did not want to hurt her. “I want to marry you, Carina.” But the lie weighed him down. He shifted his gaze, his eyes dropping to the floor.
“Sure, you do.” Carina scoffed, backing away. “But I don’t. The wedding’s off.” She whirled around, the clicking of her heels creating a physical and emotional distance between them. He watched her go, declining to pursue her. The relief that came did not last long. The guilt and regret that took its place was a lot more permanent.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Have you lost your mind?”
Carina faced Mateo’s anger with a tilted chin and a defiant stare. “No, daddy. I’m as sane as can be.”
“Oh, no you’re not. A sane woman would not break an engagement to the father of her child for no reason.”
“I think it’s reason enough that he doesn’t want to marry me. He doesn’t want to be with me.” The truth cut her to the core. For months she ignored the telltale signs, but it was no use denying it anymore.
Why was she even surprised? After all, her father had forced his hand. He did not have a choice but to agree. It was his obligation to Mateo that kept him going and she’d done the right thing to put him out of his misery.
Not for the first time, she wished she hadn’t fallen for him. The constant heartache and sleepless nights would not exist. She would have been free, possibly in love and in a healthy relationship with a man who wanted her.
But then again, her baby girl would not exist…
She rubbed her rounded stomach with a smile. At least she’d gotten a gift from the whole affair; Eliana, named in her mother’s memory. She could not wait to meet her bundle of joy.
“Are you listening?”
Mateo’s voice cut through her musing and she blew a breath before looking at him again. “The engagement’s off, dad. That’s it. Dylan and I will co-parent as best as we can, but we’re not getting back together.”
“Oh, but you will. Call Dylan, right now,” he thundered. “Tell him you made a mistake, or else—”
“No, daddy.” Her voice rose, firm and strong, letting him know she meant business. “You’re not bullying me anymore. For the last time, I’m not a child! This is my baby, my life, and I choose to live it this way—alone! Just get on board or stay out of my life.”
A year ago, she would have never dared speak to her father this way. But that Carina was long gone; in her place was a woman who had enough confidence to stand up to her domineering father. It was about time.
“Do you think you can do this without me?” he asked.
“I know I can. Just watch me.” She spun and stormed away from him. Tears stung her eyes. She loved her dad, but if having a peace of mind and control meant walking away, then she would. Just like she did with Dylan. She didn’t need a man for happiness. Not a lover or her father. She would raise her daughter on her own if it came to it.
“Carina, wait,” Mateo called.
She paused at the door, her hand on the doorknob. “What?”
“Look at me.”
Sighing, she turned to face him.
“You’re my only child, and I want the best for you. I know I’ve been a bit overprotective—”
“A bit?” She cocked her head with a wry glare.
“Yes, a bit,” he replied. “I was trying to shield you from the pains of this world. But hearing you now make me realize I don’t need to. You’re doing fine on your own.”
“Oh, daddy.” Overwhelmed by his response, she wiped the tears that spilled. “Thank you for saying that. It means more than you know.”
Mateo’s arms opened wide and she went to him, enveloping in his comforting embrace. “I’m sorry, baby girl,” he said. “I think my interference may have ruined something that could have been good.”
Carina pulled from his arms. “What do you mean?”
“You and Dylan. I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping you apart. Dylan’s a decent man, but I couldn’t see how good he was for you—how much he means to you. I wanted you to marry the man I had chosen and that wasn’t fair. Then I made it worse by forcing a wedding that none of you were ready for. Maybe if I hadn’t been so hard headed, you would have found your way to each other.”
Carina shook her head. “No, we wouldn’t. Dylan doesn’t want to be with me. What he wanted was a temporary affair, nothing else.” Again, disappointment lashed her. She pushed the feeling away. “But it doesn’t matter; not anymore. I’m ready to wipe this slate clean and move on.”
“Are you?” Mateo asked with a look of concern.
Carina took a breath, knowing her father could read her like a book. “I have to be, daddy. There’s no other choice.”
Somehow, she had to get over Dylan. Her sanity was at stake.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Earth to Dylan.”
“I’m still here, Dana.” Lie. His mind was way across town and on the mother of his unborn child. More often than before, his thoughts were filled with her; the first in the morning and the last at night. There was nothing he could do to keep her image at bay.
Not that he wanted to. The memories were all he had left.
Over and over he cursed himself for how he handled their engagement. He should have been honest from the beginning, that he wanted to wait a while longer. But he’d been a coward, allowing his need for Mateo’s approval to get in the way. And it cost him the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
He knew that now. Carina was the one; there was no denying it. The truth was, he’d known it for a long time, but the barrier between them delayed his acknowledgement. No other woman made him feel the way she did, and he doubted any ever would. She’d gotten under his skin. He was very much in love with her.
Longing and regret filled him. He wished he could go back to the day she broke their engagement, to tell her his true feelings, to fight for her to stay. Instead, he’d allowed her to walk away and out of his life.
He counted his blessings. They had a baby on the way, one that would keep their bond alive and give him a foot in the door. Well, he hoped. Her frosty attitude towards him brought no encouragement. Still, he planned to bide his time and wait for Eliana’s arrival to make a move.
The thought of Carina with his baby girl growing inside sent waves of emotion running through him—yearning, fear and delight. Yearning for the woman who’d given him a gift he didn’t know he needed. Fear for the unknown and whether or not he would lose Carina for good. Delight, for in a short time, he would become a father. He was more than ready for the change, ready to start his new family.
His family… wow. It felt so right. Maybe, just maybe, he would find his way back to her. He had to.
But what about Mateo?
Since he and Carina’s breakup, the older man’s attitude towards him had taken an about-turn. No longer violent, Mateo seemed to accept that Dylan would become a permanent fixture in his life. But would his feelings change if Dylan pursued Carina once more?
Would Carina even give him the time of day? He surely did not deserve it.
So many questions, with only one way to find the answers. Not for the first time, his conscience prompted him. Just go to her. Throw caution to the wind. Tell her how you feel.
Nah… not now. Sometime in the future for sure.
“See, I knew you weren’t listening.” Dana’s voice cut into his thoughts and he looked up to see her pouting.
“Ok, fine. I wasn’t listening. What were you saying?”
“It doesn’t matter. Clearly, there’s something—or someone on your mind. Come on, spill.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Or her.”
Dylan sighed and closed his eyes.
“You’re in love with her.”
With his eyes still closed, Dylan nodded. No use denying it, especially to his sister who read him like a book.
“What are you going to do about it?�
�
“Nothing.” His future plan would remain a secret for now. At least until he made progress.
Dana snickered. “You’ve lost a screw, dude.”
“Maybe.” His phone beeped and he opened his eyes to check the screen. A notification flashed with a reminder for Carina’s antenatal appointment in the morning. Two more weeks to go before their bundle of joy’s arrival. Just the thought brought a lightened feeling. I can’t wait to meet her.
“You’re hopeless, and I’m wasting my time. I hope someone knocks some sense into you before she’s available again. Believe me, brother, it won’t be too long…”
He refused to think of Carina with another man. No. It was too much to bear.
Dana rose from the seat just as his extension rang and a knock came on the door. “Someone’s in high demand,” she said, as he reached for the handset.
“Emily?” The knock on the door came again.
“Mr. Morales is on his way in, Doc,” she replied. By then, Dana reached the door and opened it. Mateo gave her a warm smile as he entered, this time without his bulldogs in tow.
“Got it, Emily. Thanks.” He hung up and shot from the seat. “Is Carina ok?” he asked.
Mateo flipped his hand while scrunching his lips. “Eh…physically, yes. But we need to talk.”
“I’ll see you later, bro,” Dana said. “Mateo, good to see you again.”
“Likewise.” He waited for the door to close before taking a seat.
“What’s going on?” Luke asked, pulling his chair beneath him.
Mateo stared at him for a long moment before saying, “I promised Carina I wouldn’t interfere anymore, but for once, I think it’s necessary.”
“Ok…”
“I’ll just cut to the chase. Do you love my daughter?”
“Uh—” Dylan’s heart rate took an immediate incline. Was this a trap?
“It’s a yes or no, Dylan.”
He decided to take the risk. “Yes, I do.” Saying the words felt so right. Yes, he loved Carina. More than anything. But why did Mateo want to know?
Mateo gave a sigh when he asked. “Because she’s miserable without you,” he replied.
For an instant, Dylan did not breathe.
“Carina’s a proud woman, she would never admit her feelings for you. Not when she has no clue if you feel the same. But it’s been killing her, not being with you. She tries to hide it but I know her.
“I just want her to be happy. For a long time, I thought I had the keys to her happiness and I did everything wrong. I wanted things my way, to hell with what she needed. I see that now and I want to make it right, starting with you.”
Dylan released a gust of air. Did I hear right?
“I’m giving you my blessing, Dylan. You’re the one she wants, and I won’t stand in your way.”
Too overcome with emotion to reply, he stood and reached for Mateo’s hand. The minute the handshake ended, he reached for his car keys. There was no time to waste. He was ready to claim his love.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Carina tensed as a sudden contraction set in. With her hand gripping the arm of the sofa, she took deep breaths and waited for it to pass. This was the first round for the day, but it was among the many she endured for the week. Each time, she braced for more frequent reoccurrences, but none came.
Another false alarm. No surprise, there were two weeks to go, though her doctor warned that Eliana could arrive between now and then. Either way, she was ready for her appearance.
The feeling passed. She moved to the couch, propped her feet on the seat and reached for the remote. After scanning through the movie listing, she chose a romantic comedy. Before long, sleep crept in, and as she settled against the armrest, the doorbell rang. A moment passed as she contemplated whether or not she should ignore it. Most likely, it was a delivery for the main house and they’d gotten the locations mixed up, as usual.
But when it rang again, she pushed from the couch with a soft curse and waddled to the front door. She opened it to Dylan’s tentative smile that killed the sharp greeting on her lips. The butterflies in her stomach appeared at once. She crossed her arms against her chest in a futile effort to suppress them. She hated her body’s response to him, hated that she still loved him despite his indifference towards her. Since the day at the hotel, his concern became limited to the welfare of their baby, nothing else. It was an encouraging trait, a strong sign that he would play his role as Eliana’s dad. But a part of her still wanted an inclusion in his life and she hated that. She did not want the constant yearning for him.
“Hey.”
“Hey, you,” he replied. “Can I come in?”
Without answering, she stepped aside and allowed him in. She returned to the couch just as another contraction came, sharper and stronger than before. Gasping, she clutched her belly as Dylan fell on his knees before her.
“Carina? What’s happening?”
A series of deep breathing followed before she answered. “Another contraction.”
“Another?” Dylan asked, shooting up with an alarmed look. “How far apart?”
“I don’t know,” she replied, wheezing. “About half an hour.” She relaxed against the couch as the pain subsided. “It’s too early to call.”
“Come on, put your feet up.” He raised her legs to the couch. “I’m going for water.” By the time he returned with the bottle of water, the pain had disappeared.
“I’m fine now,” she said, still taking deep breaths while reaching for the bottle. Lifting her legs, Dylan sat beside her on the couch then placed them on his lap and directed his attention to the TV screen.
“Dylan.”
He smiled at the frown on her face. “You want to know why I’m here.”
“Well—duh. You’re the last person I expected to see tonight.” Her curiosity had no bounds. She could think of a handful of reasons for his visit, but there was only one she wanted to be true. But she doubted he’d come to declare his love for her.
Letting him go was the hardest thing she’d ever done. Walking away that day, she’d harbored a hope that he would beg her to stay, that he would prove their engagement wasn’t the sham she thought it was. But he hadn’t said a word, not then, not later. He seemed relieved that she ended it.
They’d hardly spoken since then. She hadn’t seen much of him either, except for their visits to the doctor. So, yeah, his presence tonight was the last thing she would have predicted.
Dylan rubbed her legs while staring down at them. “There’s something I need to know.”
“About?”
He raised his eyes to hers. “You… and me. How you feel about me.”
“Why?” She didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but god, she wished it was what she thought.
His chest rose as he took a breath, so deep that his pecs pressed against his shirt. “Because I’m in love with you.”
Carina swore she heard angels sing overhead. Maybe it was partly because of her high hormone level, but the tears came in a rush that she could not control. To ease Dylan’s obvious alarm, she fanned her face and tried to smile.
“Please tell me those are tears of joy,” he said.
She nodded vigorously. “They are—oh!” Her face contorted as pain washed her features. She curled over, clutching her stomach.
“Carina, talk to me.” Dylan leaned over her and brushed the hair from her face. “What’s wrong?”
She looked up at him. “I think the baby’s coming!”
***
“Oh, my God, Dylan, she’s so perfect…” Carina drew her thumb across Eliana’s chubby cheek with a contended smile, and her heart lifted when the baby released a tiny yawn. It was still surreal, that she was someone’s mom. But the eight-pound bundle of joy in her arms confirmed it all.
“Yes, she is. Just like her mom.”
Carina raised her eyes to meet Dylan’s smile that matched her own. Twelve hours ago, who would have thought they’d be here now, in a hosp
ital room with their new daughter? Who would have guessed that Dylan would confess the words she’d longed to hear?
She certainly didn’t. But God, was she ever so grateful. Living with unrequited love for Dylan seemed like a prison sentence. Being without him but yet having him near… nah, she couldn’t survive that.
“Hey. What’s on your mind?”
“You… us.”
Dylan cupped her chin, and her stomach flipped at the emotion in his eyes. “I meant what I said earlier, Carina. I love you.”
“I know. And I love you too. For a while I thought it was alone, that you didn’t feel the same…”
He released a heavy breath with a head shake. “You have no idea how far you’ve been from the truth. Carina, I’ve loved you for years. There were times when I was this close to coming clean. But I’ve been a coward, and I almost lost you because of it.” He stroked the top of Eliana’s head, his expression softening. “Almost lost my family.”
“Well, you didn’t. I’m here. We’re here.”
“I won’t make that mistake again, I promise.” He eased onto the bed and she scooted over to give him room. He didn’t quite fit, and Carina giggled as he tried to fit his large body in the tiny space. Eventually, he locked his legs and snuggled up to her and Eliana.
“I’ll hold you to that, Dr. Cole. Especially when Mateo gets word we’re giving this a shot.”
“Mateo’s been way ahead of us, believe me.” He told her of his visit to the office. Carina’s mouth remained in fly-catching mode the entire time. Her dad gave his blessing? Now that was surreal! But it was the icing on the cake. And she needed it. Although Mateo appeared to have a change of heart, she still had reservations about his reaction to them getting together, and she would have to choose between her love and her dad. But to know he’d gone to see Dylan gave her peace of mind. Yes!
“I’m so ready for this, Callie. A lifetime with you and our daughter. Everything I need is right here.”
Doctor Love: A Medical Romance Series (Medical Heart Throb Series) Page 14
