Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  “I’m sorry, Chelsea. I know I’ve kind of put you on the spot here. This seemed like a good idea when I got on the plane. I’ll go back to the airport and see if I can get on an earlier flight.”

  “No,” I insisted quickly. “I appreciate you coming to check on me. I don’t have to spend the night here, but they’re starting my niece on a new medication this afternoon. I want to stay and make sure everything goes okay.”

  “No problem. I’ll amuse myself with the local sights. Just text me when you’re ready to leave and I’ll head back this way,” he offered.

  “That’ll be great,” I replied, relieved that he didn’t expect me to introduce him to my family. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  I let Colton give me a soft kiss on the lips and then made my way back upstairs.

  ***

  “Chelsea, are you okay? What did you get at the gift shop?” Stacey asked as I stepped back into her suite. Oliver was stretched out on the recliner next to her bed, so I took a seat on the broad sofa.

  “I got one of those single packs of Excedrin,” I lied, kneading my neck with one hand. “I have a horrible headache.” I wasn’t ready to tell them about Colton, so I needed an excuse to leave the hospital.

  “You must be exhausted,” Stacey said, her voice full of empathy. “Ollie said you were here until one this morning. And you were back by six-thirty. Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”

  “You could go to our place, sis,” Oliver offered through a yawn. “It’s closer.”

  “I’ll go home tonight, but I don’t want to leave until Emma gets her medicine,” I insisted.

  Stacey’s eyes were fading, but Oliver was determined to stay awake. He pulled the footrest into his chair and rose to his feet.

  “I’m going to go see Emma. If you’re set on staying, at least stretch out and take a nap. I think you could both use one.” He tilted his head towards Stacey, who’d already started snoring.

  “I’ll try,” I promised, hoping my smile wasn’t as weak as it felt.

  Oliver passed me the television remote and winked at me. “If you turn it on, keep the volume low,” he warned. “Stacey’s only sleeping thirty to forty-five minutes at a time, so it’s important we don’t wake her.”

  “No problem,” I said, imitating his whisper. He left the room and I closed my eyes.

  I felt bad about lying to Stacey and Oliver, but I didn’t know how to explain Colton. I’d been flattered by his attention at the conference, but when I saw him in the hospital lobby, he seemed so out of place in my life.

  It’s too soon for me to be in the kind of a relationship where the man flies across the country to see me. And I told him that. I told him over dinner that I wanted to get to know him, but I’m not ready for anything serious.

  I tried to process Colton’s arrival in the city and at some point, I drifted off to sleep. Oliver woke me three hours later with a broad smile on his face.

  “She had the medicine an hour ago and she’s doing just fine,” he announced.

  “What?” I asked, sitting straight up on the couch. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “You looked so peaceful,” Stacey answered. “And I honestly wasn’t worried about the medicine. How’s your head?”

  “About the same,” I said, reaching for my neck again.

  “Go see Emma and then go home,” she insisted. “I have a feeling we’re all going to be here for a while. I don’t want you to get burnt out in the first week.”

  I stood, gathering my things. “You’ll call if anything happens, or if you need anything?” I asked, my voice dripping with guilt.

  “I promise,” Ollie agreed. “We’ll see you in the morning, sis.”

  I hugged them both and then stepped out into the hallway. There was one person who had to be told about Colton’s arrival, and I hoped she’d have some advice for me on how to handle it. I pulled out my phone and hit Piper’s speed dial.

  “Hey Chels, are you still at the hospital? I’m just on my way up there.”

  “Actually, I’m about to check in on the baby and then leave. You’re never going to believe what happened this afternoon.”

  “What? Are Emma and Stacey okay?” she asked, her words rushed and panicked.

  “They’re fine,” I quickly assured her. “I, however, am a bit thrown. Colton showed up at the hospital today.”

  “You’re kidding me?” she gasped. “He flew all the way out here? What about the conference?”

  “He’s flying back in the morning for Dr. Harris’s lecture. This is weird, right? I mean we spent a few hours together. We kissed once. And then he showed up here assuming he could crash with us in the middle of my family crisis.”

  “Yes, Chelsea, it’s weird,” she assured me. “But Colton’s a nice guy, right?”

  “I think so.”

  “And you’re attracted to him…?” she pressed.

  “Yes.”

  “Then I don’t see what the problem is. He’s a spontaneous guy who’s obviously taken with you. Spend some time with him and see where things go.”

  “I don’t know, Pipes. Something about the way he showed up… it seems kind of aggressive,” I countered.

  “Of course it does, Chelsea,” she said, as if I was overlooking the obvious. I could picture her rolling her eyes. “Every time something emotional happened, Drake pulled away from you. Colton is reacting the complete opposite. If you ask me, it’s a grand improvement.”

  I furrowed my brow and considered her words. “You may have a point,” I finally relented.

  “Thank you. Now, I was going to meet Seth at his opening after I stop at the hospital. We were going to stay at his place tonight. Is that okay with you? Or would you be more comfortable if I were home?”

  “You stay with Seth,” I insisted. “And tell him I’m sorry I missed his opening.”

  “I will. Call me if you need me, Chelsea.”

  “I will.”

  I ended the call and sent Colton a text asking him to meet me at the hospital in half an hour. Then, I headed off to the NICU for the already too familiar routine of getting examined and gowned up to see my niece.

  ***

  “This is a charming little place,” Colton said as I pushed open the door to my apartment. I flipped on the lights and he sat the pizza box down on the coffee table.

  “Thanks,” I replied. I took the six-pack from his hands and he pulled two bottles free. I carried the rest into the kitchen and stuck them in the refrigerator.

  “Do you have a USB port on your television?” he called from the living room. “I have a recording of my lecture saved to a thumb drive.”

  “Sorry,” I said, stepping back into the living room. I gestured toward my ten-year-old TV. “We’re not exactly state-of-the-art around here.”

  “It’s not a problem,” he assured me. “We can watch it on my laptop.”

  Awesome. Because you only recited it to me a dozen times on the subway.

  The more time I spent with Colton, the more I realized my initial impression of him had been wrong. He was attractive and smart, but he was also one of the most self-absorbed people I’d ever met in my life.

  “Why don’t we watch a movie?” I suggested.

  Colton’s shoulders sank and he took on the expression of a child who’d just unwrapped a toy and had it immediately taken away.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve been running full blast on very little sleep,” I explained. “I’d rather save your lecture for later, when I can fully concentrate and appreciate it.”

  “Of course,” he said, his face softening. He popped off the bottle cap and took a swig of beer. “Since you’ve had such a rough few days, you pick the movie.”

  I grabbed the remote and pulled up my DVR screen. “I recorded To Kill a Mockingbird a few days ago. How does that sound?”

  “Perfect,” he agreed. He pulled a cheesy slice of pizza from the box and shoved it into his mouth while I started the movie. We watched in silence, Colton
draping an arm around me once we’d both finished eating. Around the time Scout found chewing gum in the hole of the Radley tree, Colton dropped his hand to my breast, cupping it ever so slightly. I pulled away from him and folded my arms across my chest.

  “What’s wrong, Chelsea?” he asked with a slight air of annoyance.

  “Why did you come here, Colton?” I countered.

  “What do you mean? I told you, I wanted to make sure you were okay. I knew you’d be dealing with all of this alone and I thought you might appreciate a friendly face,” he explained again.

  “I appreciate your concern. But I’m not dealing with anything alone,” I argued, thinking of Piper, Stacey, and Oliver.

  “You know what I mean, Chelsea. I know you’re fresh off a breakup.” He put an arm around my waist and tried to pull me close. His touch made my skin crawl and I wiggled away from him. I stood up and put my hands on my hips.

  “You also know I’m not ready for anything serious. I thought I was pretty clear about that. Look Colton, I like you. But you’re moving way to fast.”

  “Fast doesn’t have to mean serious,” he said, a hint of a dare in his voice. “I mean, for God’s sake, Chelsea. I flew all the way out here. Surely that makes me worthy of some sort of affection.”

  His words were so absurd, I didn’t even get angry. I’d been surrounded by men like Colton for most of my adult life. He was prettier than the others, so it took me longer to recognize him. A short snort of laughter escaped me and I perched on the arm of the recliner.

  “Look, Colton. You know you’re attractive. I’m sure you have your pick of the undergrads. And I’m sure your bullshit works on them. But if you were under the impression that it was going to work on me, you were mistaken. I didn’t ask you to fly out here. You don’t get to hold it over my head and imply that I’m obligated to sleep with you because you showed up uninvited.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said, shifting his weight on the couch. “You can’t tell me that you don’t put that body of yours to good use.”

  He leaned forward and I stood up again. I moved to the door and held it open.

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you, Colton. I think it would be best if you leave.”

  His eyes examined me. From the top of my head, to my feet and back again. “I didn’t realize you were such a prude,” he said, stuffing his things back into his duffle bag.

  “And I didn’t realize you were the type of man who’d try to emotionally manipulate a woman into bed,” I countered without missing a beat. “I guess we’ll both have to find a way to deal with our disappointment. Get the fuck out of my apartment, Colton.”

  He stomped into the hallway without meeting my eye and I slammed the door behind him.

  CHAPTER 5

  e

  The next morning, I woke early and took a long, hot shower. I checked in at the hospital and learned that Stacey and Oliver had had a rough night. Emma spiked a fever at three a.m., spinning everyone into a panic. After hours of tests, exams, and anxiety, Dr. Lekberg was confident that Emma was infection free. He explained that preemies often had a difficult time regulating their body temperature and assured Stacey and Oliver that there was no cause for concern. The fever had broken within an hour, and everyone was finally calm enough to get some rest. I promised to stop by around noon and then stared blankly around my living room.

  What am I supposed to do with myself? I’m too restless to stay here. I need something to focus on.

  I threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, slipped my feet into sandals, and pulled my hair into a bun. I grabbed my purse from the coffee table and set off for the subway station.

  During my visits to the NICU, I’d noticed that most of the older babies had decorated incubators. I decided my niece shouldn’t be left out. I rode the train into the city and stopped at a small crafts store. I stocked up on stickers, glitter pens, construction paper, and decals before moving on to a toy store. The selection was overwhelming and I wandered the aisles for over an hour, wondering who my niece would grow up to be. I had no idea what to buy, so I grabbed a little of everything. As I slid my debit card at the register, my phone rang. I took my receipt from the cashier and answered the call as I slung the huge shopping bag over my shoulder.

  “Stacey? Oliver said you were sleeping. Is everything okay?” I asked, lumbering out to the sidewalk. I hailed a cab while she replied.

  “Everything’s fine. Oliver had to run back to the apartment. The building manager called. It seems the universe hadn’t thrown enough at us lately, so a pipe busted and flooded our master suite.”

  “Shit, Stace. You should have called me. I could have taken care of it for you.”

  “You know how Ollie is when it comes to stuff like this,” she reminded me. “He wanted to see the damage for himself. The insurance will cover it and I’m sure everything will be back to normal before I’m discharged.”

  “I hope so. I’m in Manhattan,” I told her as I pushed my bags across the slick leather seat of the taxi. “Feel like some company?”

  “Why do you think I called?” she asked with a laugh.

  “New York Presbyterian,” I instructed the driver. “I’ll see you in twenty minutes, Stace.”

  ***

  “Chelsea, what have you done?” Stacey gasped as I hauled my purchases into her hospital suite. Stacey’s bruises had deepened overnight, turning deep hues of purple and green. A yellow pallor tinted her skin, but she seemed to be in okay spirits, all things considered.

  “The other babies have decorations and toys on their incubators,” I explained, pulling art supplies out of the first bag. “I didn’t want Emma to feel left out. And I thought making stuff for her would keep us busy too. We can change out the artwork twice a day if we want. We can also rotate through these until she’s old enough to pick a favorite.”

  I hefted the toy bag onto the foot of the bed. “I bought a regular brown teddy bear, because every child should have one,” I explained, pulling things out one by one. “And then we have a pink elephant, a blue owl, a tiara, a soccer ball… and books, lots and lots of books.”

  “You’re amazing,” Stacey said, brushing back tears. “It’s getting harder and harder to stay in this room knowing that my baby is down the hall. With this, I’ll at least feel like I’m doing something for her.”

  “You’re doing everything you can for her, Stace,” I said, giving her hand a soft squeeze. “Have you heard from Oliver? How bad is the apartment?” I asked, stacking the toys on the couch.

  “The master suite floors are definitely ruined, and so is all of our bedroom furniture. Drake sent a crew over to get started on the repairs right away.”

  Of course he did.

  “Has he been by?” I asked nervously.

  Stacey nodded. “He actually just left, right before I called you.”

  “I was with a man last night,” I blurted out, in desperate need to tell someone what had happened with Colton.

  “You were what?” she gasped. “Who? How did this happen? When did it happen? Why didn’t you tell me?” She slid to the left side of the mattress and patted the right. “Sit down and start from the beginning.”

  “His name is Colton Shaw. He’s a forensic librarian, and he’s an intern at The Library of Congress,” I explained. “We went to Santa Monica Pier Tuesday night. I had a good time and really enjoyed his company. But I’m not ready for another relationship and I told him that.”

  “So you met him at the conference and he works in D.C.?” she asked, her eyebrow peaked.

  I nodded.

  “But he was in the city last night?” she pressed.

  “He flew in. He said he was worried about me, after hearing about your accident.”

  “That seems a little aggressive,” she said with a scowl.

  “Thank you,” I exclaimed. “I thought the same thing. But then I talked to Piper and she got in my head. She said I was thrown off by Colton because I was used to Drake being
so withdrawn. She pointed out that they were exact opposites and I decided that was a good thing.”

  Stacey sighed. “I’m going to play devil’s advocate,” she warned. “I’ll preface this by saying that I completely understand why you left Drake and I agree that he doesn’t deserve any more chances. But as you move on, I don’t think you’re going to find happiness by looking for someone the complete opposite of Drake. He has so many good qualities, Chelsea. I’m not saying they outweigh the bad ones, but they’re there.”

  “I know,” I agreed with a frown. “I kept thinking of them last night while Colton was droning on and on about his stupid lecture. Drake wore his accomplishments like a fine cut suit. Colton feels the need to constantly shout them from the rooftops.”

  “Okay, let’s get back on track,” Stacey insisted. “He showed up and you thought it was aggressive, but Piper changed your mind. What happened next?”

  “He met me here when I left last night. I’m sorry I lied about the headache. I didn’t think this was the time or place to bother you guys with my personal problems.”

  “I understand,” she said with an impatient wave. “You met him here, then?”

  “We took the train into Jersey and picked up pizza and beer, both of which I paid for… which was fine, except that he seemed to just assume I’d pick up the tab. Then, we went back to my place and I turned on To Kill a Mockingbird. We ate and relaxed, and I actually started to feel comfortable. I thought maybe Piper was right. And then Colton cupped one of my boobs.”

  “He tried to grope you in the middle of To Kill a Mockingbird?” Stacey clutched a pillow to her abdomen as burst into laughter. “I wish I could have been a fly on the wall. What did you do?”

  “I moved away from him and reminded him I wasn’t ready for anything serious. I said that I liked him, but he was moving too fast. Then, he said that fast didn’t have to mean serious. He made a misogynistic comment about my body and then suggested that I owed him a roll in the hay for flying down to see me.”

  Stacey shook her head in disbelief. “He sounds like some of my exes. I hate that type. They’re the ones who give you backhanded compliments and act like they’re God’s gift to the world. And they typically don’t have anything solid behind their enormous egos.”