Heather said nothing. At first, I was worried that I’d failed, that I’d said my piece and put my heart out on the line only for her to reject me. It was within her rights, of course, and this realization only made the wait more agonizing.
But then Heather’s expression became less severe. Her features softened, and her eyes took on the sheen of tears. More silence hung in the air, and then she finally spoke.
“Do you…do you mean all that?”
“I do,” I said. “There’s more truth to those words than anything I’ve ever said in my life. And all I want is the chance to prove to you how much I mean each and every last one of them.”
At last, her tears broke. But they weren’t sad tears—they were tears of relief, tears of happiness.
I stood up and stretched out my arms.
“I don’t know what the future holds for us,” I said. “But I know I want you and Faye and the baby to be at my side for it.”
Heather stood up and slowly stepped toward me.
“And…that’s what I want, too.”
She stepped into my arms, and I brought her into an embrace. She pressed her face against my chest, letting the tears flow. And I held her close and tight through it all.
After a time, I spoke.
“You know,” I said. “I was thinking about how much I liked having you and Faye at my place for these last few months. What would you say to making it a permanent arrangement?”
She took her face from my chest and quickly wiped her eyes.
“I think I’d like that,” she said.
A giggle sounded from the other room.
“She’s up!” I said.
Heather smiled. “And I think that means Faye’s a fan of the idea, too.”
She held up a finger and rushed from the room. Moments later she returned with Faye, the baby’s eyes lighting up as she saw me.
“Hey, precious!” I said, leaning in and covering her with tickles. “I’ve missed you.”
“Want to hold her?” Heather asked.
“You bet.”
She handed Faye over, and I took her close. A wave of pure happiness ran through me.
“I think this means we’re a family now,” I said.
“I think you’re right,” Heather said. “Life doesn’t feel complete without you, Justin. You make our life better.” She sighed. “I love you so much.”
We kissed, Faye’s happy laughter marking her approval.
Chapter 30
Justin
Six Months Later
The alarm on my nightstand went off and I, as usual, shot my hand over to silence it before Heather woke up. Once the phone was turned off, I glanced over to see if she was still sleeping. Sure enough, she was.
I watched her for a moment, taking in her still, peaceful face and the gentle rise and fall of her chest. She looked like an angel, and even after all the months that had passed since we made our relationship official, I still couldn’t believe she was mine.
And I was hers.
As much as I wanted to stay in bed with her, it was a work day so I had to get going.
First stop was Faye’s room. I stood at the entrance of her nursery, which with its pale pink walls and charming décor, looked fit for a baby like Faye. She sensed that I was near, and I hurried over to the crib.
She was already moving around, crawling around on the mat for a bit before hoisting herself up to her feet and using the side of the crib for support. Her blue eyes sparkled. A big, adorable smile was on her face.
“Da-da!” she said, reaching out to me.
“Morning, princess!” I said, stepping over to the crib and picking her up.
Faye was still in that middle period in speaking between baby babbling and actual words. “Da-da” was one she’d picked up a few months ago, and I never tired of hearing it.
I changed her and fed her and got her ready for the day. Seeing Faye first was one of the best parts of my morning, and I savored every moment of taking care of her.
Once she was good to go, I brought her into the kitchen and set her in her high chair at the kitchen bar.
“What do you say we make some breakfast for mommy?” I asked.
Faye babbled happily.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said. “How about some French toast? Maybe a little heavy first thing in the morning, but pretty darn tasty.”
More happy babbling.
“Then let’s do it.”
I assembled all the ingredients and set to work. Before too long, I had the batter made. Next, I soaked the toast and plopped several pieces onto a skillet that sizzled with butter. Coffee percolated, the delicious smells flowing through the penthouse.
I couldn’t believe how happy I’d been over the last few months. Sure, there had been a bit of doubt in me that I might not be up to the job of being a dad. But I gave it my all, doing my best to live up to the promise I’d made to Heather. And, if I did say so myself, I thought I was doing a pretty good job.
More than that, my entire perspective on life had changed. Now it wasn’t only some kind of game to play to earn more money and success, but something to share with others I loved.
Sure, I was nervous as hell about the baby to come. But being a dad to Faye had done a lot to make me feel like I was ready. I’d changed enough diapers and calmed enough tears that I didn’t feel like I’d be going into my next adventure totally blind.
“Morning,” came a sleepy voice from the living room.
Heather, dressed in a white silk robe, her strawberry-blond hair draped beautifully over her shoulders, waddled toward the kitchen.
She gave me a kiss, then Faye, before plopping down onto one of the barstools at the kitchen bar.
“You know,” I said. “I’m still down with getting you a little golf cart or something you can drive around the penthouse.”
She shot me a playful scowl. “Cute,” she said.
“Or maybe some kind of lever-and-pulley system,” I suggested. “That way you don’t even have to do anything.”
I flashed her a smile as she good-naturedly shook her head.
“My stomach is so freaking big,” she said, placing her hands on her round belly. “I feel like I’m about to give birth to a litter.”
“Or the biggest baby in the city,” I said, flipping the toast.
“Or that,” she said. “Mind getting me some coffee? I think I’m all walked out for the next few minutes.”
“You got it.”
I poured us each a cup as the toast finished.
“Two more weeks,” she said, patting her belly.
“That’s right,” I said. “Then we can start on number three.”
Heather’s eyes went wide. “Oh man, don’t even joke about that,” she said, shaking her head.
“Not feeling up for a brood?” I asked with a smile.
“No, it’s not that,” she said. “More like suggesting getting pregnant again is the last thing a woman who’s about to pop wants to hear.”
Then one of her eyebrows raised in curiosity.
“Why?” she asked. “What’re you thinking?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Faye’s been incredible, and I’m feeling ready for him. Or her. If all goes well…”
She smiled, apparently pleased with my answer.
“Let’s talk about that when my stomach doesn’t look like a beach ball.”
“Consider the subject tabled,” I said.
“Now,” she said. “Let me at that French toast.”
I piled a plate high for her and, after covering her French toast with butter and syrup, she dug in.
“So good,” she said. “I’d almost rather sit around and eat all day.”
“You can definitely do that,” I said. “I’m not even sure why you’re still going to work.”
“I might be going on maternity leave soon,” she said, “but I can still be useful for a few more weeks. Besides, I’ve got so many friends there that I’d miss them.”
If it were up to me, Heather would be taking it easy until the baby was here. But she was stubborn, and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t one of the things I loved about her.
“Okay!” she said, taking the last bite of her toast. “Better start getting ready.”
“Same plan,” I said. “You get ready and head out, and I’ll get Faye to daycare downstairs.”
“Sounds good,” she said. “I appreciate you.”
Heather then hoisted herself out of her seat and gave me a kiss before waddling back off to the bedroom.
“Okay, kiddo,” I said to Faye. “You ready to see all your friends at daycare?”
Faye clapped happily.
Heather was soon dressed and ready, and with a kiss, she was out the door.
“See you tonight,” she said. “Love you!”
“Love you too,” I said. We’d long passed the point when saying our “I love yous” had become habit now, but never failed to fill me with joy.
Once Heather was gone, I cleaned up and brought Faye to the bedroom as I got dressed. Once I was in my suit, I stepped over to the secret compartment behind my tie rack and pulled it open.
Inside, along with my passport and other important documents, was a small black box. I opened it up and glanced at the treasure inside, a smile on my face.
I wanted to give it to her now, to make it all official. But I knew that waiting until the baby was here and we’d all had some time to decompress would be the best call. Still, I couldn’t wait to ask Heather to marry me. I was as giddy as a kid counting down until Christmas.
But for now, I needed to worry about work.
My driver awaited me outside, and after a quick drive to my offices, I stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked up at the sleek, steel and glass tower that was my headquarters. Part of me still had a hard time believing that this was all mine, but the better part of me loved it and knew I’d busted my ass to get where I was.
And soon I was going to be a family man. It was almost too good to be true.
A big smile on my face, I headed into the building. My staff greeted me as I arrived, and I took the elevator up to the top floor, where one of my assistants, Ann, was already waiting for me.
“Good morning, Mr. Donovan,” she said, stepping up to my side as I made my way to my office.
“Morning, Ann,” I said back.
“You have a busy day ahead, as I’m sure you know. And there’s an extra meeting to squeeze in, believe it or not.”
I shook my head. “Another one?”
I opened the door to my enormous, modern office, the view looking out over the Financial District.
“It’s your friend Andrew,” Ann said. “He told me that he could wait, but the sooner he talked to you the better.”
“Sure,” I said. “I’ll let him know I’m free.”
Ann went through the rest of the appointments I had on the docket for the day. Now that I was here in the office, I was ready to work, ready to push my company and all my employees just a little bit further.
After all, I wasn’t only working for me. I had Heather and Faye and the baby to worry about.
I texted Andrew and set up the meeting for eleven. After that, I went through the first few appointments. I did my best to stay focused, but I found myself wondering what Andrew wanted to talk about.
The call came in at eleven on the dot, and I put it on the main TV in my office. With a press of a button, Andrew’s smiling, tanned face appeared on the screen.
“There’s the guy!” he said.
“Morning, Andrew,” I said, leaning back in my chair and weaving my hands behind my head. “What’s up?”
“First of all,” he said. “Thanks for getting me in, buddy. I know you’re busy as hell over there.”
“No worries.”
Then his face turned serious.
“It’s the show,” he said.
“What about it?” I asked. Baby in the Penthouse had been a smash hit. Ratings were amazing, and it had been the talk of the entertainment industry for months after it had aired.
“Well, you know what we’d been talking about for season two, right?” he asked. “New playboy, new baby, new girl.”
“Right,” I said, wondering where this was going.
“But here’s the thing—the more focus testing we did, the more we found out that the audience doesn’t want anyone new. They want you and Heather and Faye back.”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“Serious as it gets,” he said. “And it’s not like Heather’s pregnancy has been a secret. I’ve been talking with Mr. Cohen, and he’s thinking we can bring you back for season two. Two seasons, two babies—it’s perfect.”
I ran my hand through my hair as I thought the matter over.
“I don’t know, Andrew,” I said. “We’ve got so much going on these days. I don’t know if we can fit a reality show on top of it.”
“I get it, I get it,” he said. “But with how much the first season boosted the sales of your baby line, I figured you’d at least like to hear about it.”
He was right. The Petit Bébé range had been flying off the shelves. The plan had worked perfectly.
“Anyway,” he said. “I’m just, you know, planting the seed. And if it grows, it grows, right?”
I smirked. Crazy as it seemed, it actually sounded kind of fun. But I’d have to run it by Heather, of course. After the baby came.
“I’ll think about it,” I said.
Andrew clapped his hands together and grinned. “That’s all I wanted to hear,” he said. “Oh, and one more thing…”
My phone buzzed in my pocket as he spoke. It was a text from Heather.
“One sec,” I said, holding up my finger to Andrew.
“Sure, buddy.”
With eager eyes, I read the text.
Justin, this is Heather’s mom. We’re on our way to the hospital now. The baby’s coming!
I nearly dropped my phone.
The baby was coming. I was about to meet my new son or daughter.
And I couldn’t wait.
“Gotta go!” I said, shooting up out of my seat.
“Whoa, you okay over there?”
“Baby! Now!” I shot out as I grabbed my things.
“Holy crap!” he said. “Get on out of here, bud. Go meet that kid!”
I said my goodbyes and rushed out of the office, leaving surprised coworkers in my wake.
Soon I was down to my car and behind the wheel. My heart pounded in my chest. I couldn’t believe that it was happening, that the baby was coming so soon.
It was happening. It was really happening.
I pulled out of the garage and out onto the street and was immediately greeted with bumper-to-bumper traffic.
A droplet of sweat formed at my brow.
All I could think about was whether or not I was going to make it in time.
Chapter 31
Heather
A spasm of pain cracked through me as I lay in the back seat of my dad’s car.
“Oh my God!” I shouted out, grabbing as hard as I could on to the seats.
“Is it happening?” asked Mom from the front passenger’s seat. “Is the baby almost here?”
“Of course, it’s almost here,” Dad said. “What do you think she’s carrying on about back there?”
“Don’t be snippy,” she said, giving my dad a soft swat on the shoulder.
“Guys,” I said as the most recent wave of pain died down. “I’m going to need you both to please, please, please calm down.”
“Sorry, sweetie,” said Mom. “I just hate to see you like this.”
Dad pulled a hard right, taking us down the road toward the hospital.
“We’re almost there,” he said. “I can see it.”
Relief hit me like a cool wave. But I was still in shock at being in labor.
We were supposed to have time. Justin and I had it all planned out. We had chosen the perfect private clinic—a qu
iet, calm, upscale place near the penthouse, not some overcrowded hospital.
But all of those plans looked to be going out the window because this baby was coming now, and it didn’t care that I wasn’t anywhere near the village.
“Almost there,” said Dad as he pulled closer and closer to the hospital, the immense white building now so near.
“Pull in!” shouted Mom.
Dad slowly turned into the parking lot and came to a stop in front of the emergency room doors.
“A baby’s coming,” shouted Mom. “Need some help!”
Her call caught the attention of a few nearby staff members, and they quickly came to the car with a wheelchair. Dad got out of the car, opened my door, and helped me out.
“Did you hear anything from Justin?” I asked as my parents formed up on my sides and the staff wheeled me toward the entrance.
“He’s stuck in traffic,” Mom said gently. “Said he’s going to get here as fast as possible.”
A tinge of panic spread out through me. What if he couldn’t make it here in time? What if he missed the birth of our baby?
I couldn’t think about that now, though—there was nothing I could do about it either way. Right now, I needed to focus on the baby.
Another contraction hit, the pain so intense I could barely see straight.
“Ahhh!” I yelled out as the staff pushed me down the fluorescent-lit hallways of the emergency room.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the white-clad figure of a doctor. I turned my head to see that the doctor was a trim, white-haired woman who looked to be around sixty.
“Hi,” she said. “What’s your name?”
“H-Heather,” I said, the pain from the contraction fading slightly.
“I’m Dr. Hart,” she said as we continued on. “And I’m going to make sure this baby gets delivered safe and sound, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, sweat streaming down my face.
The staff wheeled me into a birthing suite and helped me up on the table.
“Justin,” I said in a weak voice. “Where’s Justin?”
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