by Holly Rayner
Jeff nodded, all business again. “I’ll be ready,” he assured Zach.
Zach walked away toward the soups station, his mind racing.
Was Jeff’s idea really a good one? He couldn’t be sure. The Rhea he had known in college was not the kind of girl who would have been impressed by gestures of wealth. He remembered well how she had gone out of her way to avoid doing anything to show her family’s money, even going so far as to disguise it by dressing in plain clothes and buying secondhand books for her classes.
He would never have thought, on his own, of trying to impress her with a big fancy display like the one Jeff had suggested. But he knew, also, that he couldn’t afford to leave any idea untried. Not if he wanted to get Rhea back—and he did, very much.
I’ll do what I have to.
Already, ideas were coming to him, ways in which he might try to impress her on their date. He couldn’t wait to get home tonight and start planning.
Chapter 11
Rhea
“You’re late!” Kaylie grabbed Rhea by the hand and pulled her into her apartment. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming!”
The truth was that Rhea had seriously debated not coming to tonight’s party. Even the idea of spending the evening around a lot of people and trying to put on a happy face felt positively exhausting. She had been tempted to stay home, watch bad television, and fall asleep on the couch.
But it was New Year’s Eve. And she had promised Kaylie that she would do this party.
She allowed her friend to take her coat, and Kaylie squealed gratifyingly over the silver sequined dress Rhea had purchased for the occasion.
“This is gorgeous!”
“Thanks.” Rhea managed a smile. “You look great too.”
“The party’s out on the deck,” Kaylie said. “A bunch of people are in the hot tub. If you want to get in, you can borrow one of my swimsuits.”
Rhea nodded her thanks, knowing that she wouldn’t be taking her friend up on that offer. It was generous, but she didn’t want the forced intimacy that went hand in hand with sharing a hot tub with a group of casual acquaintances and strangers. She wanted to keep her distance tonight.
She and Kaylie had created the guest list for the party together, so there were no real surprises when she went inside. It was mostly people from work, along with a few college friends who had stayed local and kept in touch over the years.
To be honest, Rhea found the assortment of people kind of sad. None of them were very close friends with each other. This was a group of people that had come together tonight because they had nowhere better to be and no one better to be with.
And this is the party that’s supposed to cheer me up.
She made her way into the kitchen. Spencer, Kaylie’s boyfriend, was mixing drinks at the counter.
“Hey, boss,” he said.
“We’re not at the office, Spencer,” she said. “It’s just Rhea.”
“Right,” he said, blushing.
It wasn’t the first time this issue had come up. Rhea knew that Spencer felt a bit uncomfortable with her in social settings. Kaylie had assured her that he would adjust to the fact that his girlfriend’s best friend just happened to be his boss. As far as Rhea was concerned, that adjustment couldn’t happen quickly enough.
“What are you making?” she asked him, surveying the bottles on the counter.
“Ravaging Pirates,” he said.
“What are Ravaging Pirates?”
“It’s a drink I just invented for tonight,” he said. He hesitated. “Do you want one?”
“I’m all good,” Rhea said, vague memories of college parties at which people had ‘invented’ drinks by pouring everything they had into a single punch bowl stirring in her mind. “You keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll make myself something.”
Spencer nodded. “The cups are over there, and there’s ice in the freezer,” he said. “Liquor’s on the counter, and there are mixers in the fridge. Help yourself to whatever you want.”
“Thanks.”
Rhea rummaged in the refrigerator for a moment and found a can of ginger beer. She filled a plastic cup with ice and went to the counter to survey the available liquors. After a bit of searching, she found a bottle of her favorite rum, unscrewed the cap, and began to pour it over the ice.
“Hey, Kaylie!” Spencer yelled.
Rhea’s stomach lurched. At first she thought it was connected to Spencer’s yell—that his calling out for Kaylie had triggered some kind of nervous response. But that didn’t make sense. Why would she be nervous about seeing her friend?
Her stomach turned again, and this time she was able to identify the cause—the smell of the rum. It was suddenly overpowering.
She quickly cracked open the soda and poured it into the cup, hoping it would mute the alcohol scent, but as she poured, it seemed as though the smell of the rum was only rising to meet her. Suddenly she realized she was on the verge of throwing up. She couldn’t stand here and inhale these noxious fumes for another moment.
She pushed the cup toward the sink. It spilled over. Spencer stared at her.
“What’s up?” he asked. “Are you okay? Why’d you dump it out?”
She couldn’t speak. She turned and hurried away from him, out onto the balcony, hoping the fresh air would make her feel a bit steadier.
Outside, as Kaylie had told her, several people had piled into the hot tub. Some were in swimsuits, while others had gone in in their clothes. Rhea passed them by, though she heard someone call out her name, and went right to the balcony railing. She leaned over and drew a deep breath of fresh, cool night air.
Better.
Her dizziness began to clear. Slowly, the rolling in her stomach began to fade away, and she approached a feeling of normalcy.
Kaylie emerged through the balcony doors. “Rhea?” she said. “Spencer told me you just tore out of the kitchen like a bat out of hell. Are you okay? Was something wrong with your drink?”
“No, everything’s fine,” Rhea said. “Honestly, I just felt a little seasick for a moment. I’m fine now. I think I just needed some air.”
Kaylie nodded. “Well, I brought you a glass of water,” she said, holding it out.
“Thanks.” Rhea took the glass and sipped at it slowly. “I appreciate it.”
“Are you having fun?” Kaylie asked anxiously.
Rhea regarded her friend. Kaylie’s eyebrows were drawn together in concern. She was clearly worried about Rhea’s experience, and for the first time, Rhea really understood how much this party meant to her friend.
She’s seen me moping around the office for weeks, and this is her big opportunity to cheer me up. Of course she’s really invested in it.
“I’m having a great time,” Rhea assured her. “I’m really glad we did this.”
Kaylie’s face lit up. “Me too! And so many people made it out! I love bringing people I know together like this, don’t you?”
Actually, Rhea had always found it sort of awkward to bring separate groups of friends together. But that was a difference between Kaylie and herself. Kaylie was a social butterfly, capable of attracting all sorts of people to her and showing them a wonderful time. Rhea had always been more reserved.
She didn’t have my childhood. She never had to worry about figuring out how to fit in with people who weren’t as wealthy as she was.
It was a strange thing to know how privileged her own upbringing had been and to still recognize that something fundamental had been lacking. Rhea had never wanted for anything, materially. But her relationships had always been difficult.
And it’s still happening. Even now. Most women would never have had to face the kind of problem Zach and I went through. Most women’s fathers don’t own extremely profitable corporations that their boyfriends’ fathers might try to steal from. What a strange problem to have.
Without meaning to, she began thinking through the past month and a half, revisiting the highs and lows in he
r mind.
Those happy, carefree hours in bed with Zach, finally giving in to the temptation she had felt all the way back in college.
The decision to stop speaking to him.
The long, empty days and nights after she had cut ties with him, her bed empty, her home cold and quiet without his presence.
And then she froze.
Something else had been missing during that time. And she had been so heartbroken that she hadn’t even noticed it.
I’m late.
Kaylie had said it when Rhea had arrived. She hadn’t known how right she was.
“I’m late,” Rhea managed to say out loud.
Kaylie turned toward her. “What?”
“My period is late.”
Someone banged on the balcony door. “The ball is dropping!”
Kaylie stared at Rhea. “Are you sure?”
“Uh-huh,” Rhea confirmed. “Like, really late. Oh, God. That’s why I was feeling sick just now. I’m pregnant.”
The two women stared at each other. Inside, people were counting down from ten.
“You should go,” Rhea said numbly. “You have to kiss Spencer.”
“Are you joking? I’m not going anywhere.” Kaylie took Rhea’s hand and led her to a chair. “Tell me everything.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Rhea said.
“Is it that guy you were seeing?” Kaylie asked. “The one you’ve been all sad about? It has to be him, right?”
“It has to be,” Rhea agreed. “There hasn’t been anyone else.”
“So what are you going to do?” Kaylie asked. “Are you going to tell him?”
“I have to, right?” Rhea asked. “He should know.”
“You don’t have to do anything,” Kaylie said. “This is about you right now. What do you want to do? I’ve got your back no matter what. If you need a birthing coach, I’ve got you. If you need someone to drive you to the clinic, I’ve got you.”
Rhea shook her head. She had always thought that, if she were to find herself in this position, the choice would be hard. But now that she was here, it was easier than she could have imagined.
“I can’t give the baby up,” she said.
“Okay,” Kaylie said. “So you’re keeping it?”
“I… I guess I am.”
Kaylie was quiet for a moment, her hand still on Rhea’s.
“Wow. You’re going to be a mother,” she said at last.
Rhea nodded. The idea seemed strange, almost impossible to process. But Kaylie was right.
“That’s a lot bigger than kissing a guy for the new year,” Kaylie said. “That’s the biggest New Year’s resolution a person could possibly make. You’re starting a family.”
Rhea let out a strange little laugh.
“What’s funny?” Kaylie asked.
“Nothing,” Rhea said.
How could she possibly explain what she was really laughing at? Kaylie didn’t even know that Zach was the person Rhea had been seeing, nor did she know about the secret pact the two of them had made all those years ago to get together if they were both single when they were thirty-five.
And now here I am. Thirty-five, single, and about to have Zach Danes’ baby.
“I think I have to tell him,” she said.
“The father, you mean?” Kaylie asked.
Rhea nodded. “He does have a right to know,” she said. “Especially since I’ve decided I’m going to keep the baby. If my child was going to be born somewhere, I would want to know about it. I would want to have a choice in how I handled the situation.”
“I think that’s really thoughtful of you,” Kaylie said. “When are you going to tell him?”
“I don’t know,” Rhea said. “I guess I’ll call him tomorrow and make arrangements to meet up in person. This doesn’t seem like the kind of news you tell someone over the phone.”
Kaylie nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked. “Even if it’s just providing moral support, I want to be there for you. I’ll go with you when you tell him, if you want me to.”
“No,” Rhea said. “Thank you, but I don’t want him to feel like he’s being ganged up on.”
And if Kaylie comes with me, I’ll have to let her know that Zach is the father.
Rhea wasn’t sure why she didn’t feel ready to share that news yet. After all, she wasn’t going to be able to keep it a secret forever. Eventually, people were going to find out that she had reunited with Zach.
Maybe it was just that she was feeling scared by the poor reception she had gotten when she’d told her brother about it. Though there was no reason for Kaylie to react the same way, Rhea felt safer keeping the news to herself for now. That way, nobody could say anything disappointing about it. Nobody could make her feel as though they didn’t approve, or that she was doing something wrong.
Life was complicated enough right now. The last thing she needed was to worry about other people’s disapproval.
And she didn’t want the news of her involvement with Zach, and Kaylie’s surprise about it, to overshadow the more important news of the impending baby. That should be the focus of their next meeting, not their relationship.
We don’t even have a relationship.
Was she going to get back together with him now? He had clearly been longing for that. And though Rhea had tried her best to deny it to herself, she had wanted it too. Now she had the perfect excuse to go running back into his arms.
No. Not without some kind of explanation. He owed her that.
She would tell him about the baby, because he had a right to know. But she was also going to tell him what Stephen had told her, about the crime his father had committed. She was going to find out what he knew about it, if he knew anything at all.
And if he did know, there’s not a chance I’m going to reunite with him. We’re over.
She sighed and got to her feet. The party was still raging around her, but Rhea felt desperately out of place. In a matter of minutes, her whole life had changed. Everything was different now, and she didn’t feel like the same woman who had walked into Kaylie’s apartment ready to forget about her troubles for a night.
“Where are you going?” Kaylie asked her.
“Home,” Rhea said. “This doesn’t feel like the place to be right now.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Kaylie asked. “I don’t mind blowing off this party. Spencer can handle things.”
Rhea smiled. “That’s really sweet,” she said. “I appreciate it. But no. Stay. I need time to myself to think about how I’m going to handle all this.”
Kaylie nodded. “Okay,” she said. “But you call me if you need anything, okay?”
“I will.” Rhea embraced her friend. “Thank you for being here. I really don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You’ll never have to find out,” Kaylie assured her. “Get home safely.”
Rhea had walked to Kaylie’s, but she was so lost in thought that she decided to take a cab home for fear that she might accidentally walk into traffic. As she rode along, listening to the sounds of merrymakers and fireworks, she stared at her phone screen.
It was blank.
Zach hadn’t called or texted her in over twenty-four hours.
Maybe he’s finally given up on me.
It was what she had wanted. But now, the thought filled her with despair.
Chapter 12
Zach
“Can I come over?”
It had been hours since Zach had received the text, and he still couldn’t seem to stop looking at it, making sure that it was real.
He had left work early and hurried back to his house to clean up. Fortunately, he usually kept a pretty tidy house, so there wasn’t that much to do, but in the past month he had been letting things slide. It was hard to stay focused on doing the vacuuming when you were suffering from a broken heart.
But now this.
She wanted to see him again.
She wanted to
speak to him again.
Whatever had happened between the two of them, she wanted to put it behind her.
Zach wondered whether he was finally going to get some answers to the questions that had been chasing one another around inside his mind for the past month. Was she going to tell him why she had stopped returning his calls, why she had completely ghosted him?
She can’t possibly expect that we’re just going to pick up right where we left off.
He had told her to come over at seven, and at six fifty-nine on the dot, the doorbell rang. Struggling to control his anxiety, Zach hurried to answer the door.
And there she was.
Rhea looked as beautiful as ever, and Zach wanted to fling his arms around her, but he restrained himself. He stood back and allowed her to come inside.
I’m not going to speak, he told himself firmly as she stepped over the threshold. I’m not going to say anything until she says something first.
He wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of hearing him beg for an explanation. Not after the way he had been treated. She was going to have to ask for whatever it was she had come here to get from him.
“Your house is amazing,” she said quietly, looking around. “It’s really beautiful.”
Zach couldn’t help himself. “Is that why you’re here?” he asked. “To talk about my house?”
Rhea shook her head. “No,” she said. “I guess I was just… making small talk.”
“So we’re back to small talk?” Zach asked. “After everything you and I have been through, now we’re going back to talking like people who hardly know each other?”
Rhea’s eyes filled with tears. “Zach, I don’t know what else to do here.”
“You didn’t have enough time to think about that while you were ignoring me for a solid month?”
The tears spilled over. Rhea buried her face in her hands.
Zach cursed himself. He hadn’t intended to let things go this way. He had been so determined to keep silent. But he had failed. Almost as soon as he had seen her, he had started giving her a hard time.
