by Toni Aleo
“I know but why am I cleaning out my bank account?” Fallon asked confused.
“Because you and I both know that dad is gonna cut you off, and you’re gonna need that money to survive on.”
Oh yeah, Fallon thought. Thank God Audrey thought of that because if she hadn’t, Fallon would have been screwed.
“You need to apply Vanderbilt, like today. Make sure you get in before you call dad.”
“Audrey, I can’t go to school and raise a baby!” Fallon said in distress. She was already freaking out about having to come back home a failure, and now Audrey wanted her to go back to school too?
“You have to Fallon, or he will disown you, or worse. Please, just believe me. I’ll help you,” Audrey pleaded. Fallon sat for a moment, tears gushing down her cheeks as she tried to figure out how she could have let this happen.
How was she going to ask her sister to help her raise her baby? Audrey needed to have a life too. This was her and Lucas’ problem, there was no reason to bring Audrey into it. She needed Lucas’ help, but how was she gonna tell him?
“Whose baby is it?” Audrey asked.
“You don’t know him,” Fallon answered.
“Okay, have you told him?”
“No, we aren’t together.”
“Why?” Audrey asked.
“Cause he’s a cheating bastard.”
“Okay then, are you going to tell him?”
Fallon sat for a moment. Was she gonna tell Lucas? She couldn’t even look him in the eyes, never less talk to him. How was she gonna tell him they were having a baby?
She wasn’t.
“No, I’m not.”
Fallon didn’t even realize she had started crying until tears fell on Aiden’s head. He looked up and made a face just as Audrey said, “Why are you crying?”
“I’m not, something got in my eye,” Fallon said playing it off as she wiped her eyes. “Now come on Aiden, let’s get to bed.”
“Alright mommy,” Aiden said as he skipped up the stairs, giving Audrey a kiss before heading into the house. Fallon grabbed her things and started up the stairs but was stopped by Audrey when she grabbed her free hand.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” Fallon said again as she put on a fake smile for her sister and started back into the house.
Fallon laid her things on her brown suede couch and headed up the stairs to Aiden’s room. With every step she took, a picture of Audrey, Aiden and Fallon smiled back at her. She had made sure to take a picture with Audrey when she was nine months pregnant, the three of them when Aiden was born, and then of the three of them ever since, for the last six years.
It had always been just her and Audrey with Aiden against the world. She couldn’t thank her sister enough for the sacrifices she made for them, and Fallon could honestly say she couldn’t have done it without Audrey. When everything happened, and Fallon made the call home to tell her parents about the little baby that was growing in her belly, her father, William, freaked. He told her to get an abortion and of course, Fallon said no. He then threatened to take everything, but Fallon had already taken all the money so she was good.
After packing up everything in California and getting on a long plane ride home, Fallon came home to the apartment Audrey had already gotten for them. Fallon started at Vanderbilt and it was actually easier than she thought it was gonna be, but that was all thanks to Audrey. She did everything to make sure Fallon was taken care of. Sometimes Fallon wondered which one of them was the oldest, because Audrey sure did act like she was. Not so much anymore, but back then she was running things while Fallon was a basket case. Not only was she pregnant but she was also trying to mend a broken heart.
Hard feat for a pregnant woman.
It was three months before William found out about Fallon living with Audrey, and he again flipped out, saying Fallon was dead to the family and that if Audrey didn’t kick Fallon out she would be dead to him too. Audrey argued that Fallon was still in school, working hard to support herself — which was true — but William wouldn’t even talk to Fallon to find that out, Audrey had to tell him. He left that afternoon in a huff and didn’t talk to either one of them until the day Aiden was born.
Fallon shook her head as she reached her baby boy’s bright blue door. It seemed like a lifetime ago when everything happened, but in reality only seven short years. William still didn’t talk to Fallon much, but he did trust her enough to be the senior chief public relations manager, and he did love Aiden something crazy, so really how much more could Fallon ask for?
Her trust fund would be great.
Fallon pushed the door open and Aiden stood in the middle of his bright blue room with his army men in hand. “Mommy, Captain Timber is gonna kill everyone!”
“Yay!” Fallon gushed as she walked around the room, picking up as Captain Timber killed everyone. Aiden was so full of life, so busy. Sometimes he reminded Fallon of Lucas so much that it just blew her mind. How could he be just like his father when he had never met Lucas? It made no sense, but his face was Lucas all over. It probably had everything to do with the fact that Aiden looked nothing like Fallon and everything like Lucas.
Fallon looked over at her active little guy and smiled. He was taller than most kids his age, with shaggy brown hair that came into the exact same gray eyes of his father’s. His little nose was probably the only thing he got from Fallon because his lips were his dad’s. Aiden was a little stocky but not fat, more like thick. The kid could wrestle Fallon to the ground and have her screaming mercy in two seconds flat, just like his dad. Lucas had loved to wrestle, in and out of bed.
The kid was his daddy 10 times over.
And Fallon was the worst person ever for not telling either of them.
“Mommy, why are you staring at me like that?”
Fallon blinked twice before she smiled sweetly at him. “Cause duh! I’ve missed you all day! Come here and give me some kisses!”
Aiden grinned widely and ran to her, wrapping his small arms around her. Oh, Fallon had fucked up, and she had a feeling that things weren’t going to work themselves out. She was gonna have to face Lucas Brooks and tell him the truth, and then she was gonna have to tell Aiden.
Fallon just didn’t know how she was going to do that.
*****************************************
“I just got done checking your e-mail. You have practice tomorrow morning at six, a meeting with Mrs. Adler at two, and then interviews at three and on.”
Lucas looked over at Levi from the chair he sat in, a mouth full of food and nodded.
“Good, I’ll go with you to everything, just in case.”
“Sounds good,” Lucas said with a nod after swallowing his food.
“Um, I refuse to do that research for you.”
Lucas shrugged his shoulders. “Fine, I’ll get someone else to do it.”
“Why? Just let it go dude,” Levi said aggravated. Lucas knew that Levi hated that he still cared for Fallon and wanted to know what she was up to, but Levi didn’t understand. Lucas had never loved a woman the way he loved Fallon. She was everything to him, and after just one night of stupidity, he lost her. Fallon wouldn’t deal with a cheater, she was stronger than that. Levi had said that if she really loved him, she would have worked it out with him, not leave, but Fallon had made it pretty clear many times that she wouldn’t deal with being cheated on. Who could blame her?
“I did her wrong, she’s my one regret,” Lucas said before taking another bite of food.
“I just think it’s a waste of time.”
Lucas shrugged his shoulders again. “Then don’t worry about it. I’ll make some calls.”
A file appeared in front of Lucas’ plate and he looked up at Levi. “Fallon Parker is the senior chief public relations manager for Rocky Top Wines. She has taken the company from the bottom to the top-selling wine in the U.S. Rocky Top Wines and the Assassins are partners,” Levi said with a look of disdain.
&nbs
p; “No shit, really?”
“Yeah, they have their own restaurant in the arena, supply all the wine to all the parties, and even have VIP seating to go with their own level of seating. Fallon has made a name for herself.”
“Is she married?”
Levi rolled his eyes. “Not that I read. Everything says she single.”
Lucas bit his lip. “I won’t know until I talk to her, or see her hand. She’s very secretive about her personal life. Remember how she wouldn’t even hold my hand in public.”
“Yeah, weirdo. More of a reason to cut her loose.”
“Shut up, she wasn’t weird. She was just private. It was nice. Most girls want to flaunt me to everyone.”
“I guess,” Levi said as he took a piece of the chicken that was on Lucas’ plate. “She’s throwing a huge party for the anniversary of some old wine.”
“Get me tickets.”
“Apparently, your boss will give them to you tomorrow,” Levi said with a pointed look. “You have to impress Mrs. Adler, Lucas, she’s huge right now. People LOVE her.”
“You know I impress females easily.”
“Yeah normal ones. This chick is intense from what I hear. She makes her uncle look like a puppy.”
Okay, that was nerve-racking because Bryan Fisher was a beast from what Lucas had been told, but he had been told that Elli Adler was a sweetie pie. What the hell did Levi know?
“I don’t get it. She’s supposed to be real nice.”
“Oh she is, that is until you fuck with her team. She knows what she wants and she thinks she’s got it with you. Don’t let her down.”
“I won’t.”
“I know you won’t, but if you get caught up in the whole Fallon thing, you’ll start fucking up,” Levi added as he took another piece of chicken.
“I will not!” Lucas said, smacking his hand against the marble island. “I played great when I was with Fallon.”
“Yeah and then when you guys broke up, you went to shit.”
“Cause I was depressed,” Lucas said. “It was hard.”
“And what if that happens again?”
“I would never cheat on Fallon again if I ever got a second chance with her, and damn do you have any faith in me?”
Levi smiled. “You’re my best friend Lucas. I don’t want you to mess up anymore. You’ve done well for the past couple years. When Fallon left, shit was bad. I won’t stay this time.”
Lucas put his hand on Levi’s shoulder. “It won’t happen again.”
Levi nodded as Lucas’ phone started ringing. He pulled it out and saw his mom’s picture smiling up at him. “Hey Mom.”
“Hello sweetie, how are you?”
“Good, moved in, getting comfortable,” Lucas said as Levi left the room with a wave. Levi worried too much, but Lucas loved him like a brother and would always appreciate what he did for him. As Lucas sat listening to his mom talk about how great it was to have him so close, all he could think about was Fallon.
Lucas would never forget the morning after the first time they met. She was so beautiful, so sweet, so young. He knew after one night that she was the one for him.
Lucas came out the bathroom to see his night mate sitting up in the bed, her head laid on her bended knees with her arms around her legs. She looked worried, but still she was so beautiful. Her hair fell in a curtain around her back and arms, her tan brown skin was so soft-looking and he knew it was. It was magic when his skin touched hers, another reason he knew she was the one for him.
No woman ever made him break out in goose bumps, but Fallon did.
“Why the long face?” he asked as he walked slowly across the room. Lucas crawled into the large bed with her, wrapping his arms around her so that she was basically in his lap. “You are thinking too hard.”
“I feel like a slut. I never go home with a guy after one night.”
He smiled against her shoulder, kissing it as she settled in against him. It was so easy between them, like they were meant to be. It was weird. How did he know after just one look that she was the one for him? He felt like he could trust her with his life and she would never hurt him. “Don’t, I know you are not. That’s all that matters.”
“I can’t believe it though. All you did was buy me a drink, and my tongue was down your throat. I wasn’t even drunk!”
Lucas laughed against her neck, moving her hair off it so he had full range of her neck. “When you know, you know.”
“But I don’t know. I bet when I leave this bed, this house, I’ll never see you again.”
Lucas couldn’t even form words. How could she think that? He was so engrossed in her; he had stayed up all night talking to her, finding out about her family’s business, about her goals and aspirations. How she wanted kids but was scared to be a mother. They had made love, didn’t she feel what he felt? He felt like he knew everything about her, and still felt like he didn’t know enough. He couldn’t even fathom her leaving either. He felt like he needed her to breathe.
Lucas had the whole summer off, so did she, so why did she have to leave?
“Don’t leave then,” he whispered against her skin.
Nothing was said for a moment, only their breathing filled the room with sound. He felt her heart beating uncontrollably and he prayed that she didn’t run out the room screaming he was a freak ‘cause for some reason he felt like one.
When the hell did he get diarrhea of the mouth?
Fallon slowly turned in his lap, a small grin on her face as she position her legs on either side of his hips. Her glorious core was only inches from his growing shaft. He felt like he was home when he was inside her. She was so tight, so sweet. God, he didn’t want her to leave.
“What do you mean?”
Lucas gave her a small smile as he looked up into her eyes. “I mean, don’t leave. You have the summer off, I do too. We can spend some time here, I’m going to Cabo in two weeks, and I can get you a ticket. I gotta go see my mom too. She would love you. Basically I’m saying, don’t leave,” he rambled. She made him nervous, but in a good way. Fallon raised an eyebrow as she looked at him skeptically; he bit his lip before giving her another shy smile. “You don’t have to worry about anything, I’ll pay for everything and all you’ll have to do is be with me. I don’t want you to leave Fallon.”
“I can pay for myself,” she said as she traced his abs with her fingernail.
“Okay, whatever. Just don’t leave,” he said, and he hated that he was basically begging her. She didn’t seem too excited about the idea of spending the summer with him, but she didn’t seem against it either.
When she looked up with a small sexy grin on her lips, his breath caught.
Damn she was beautiful.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
Lucas’ face broke into a huge grin before he leaned over kissing her deeply; when they parted he smiled against her lips. “Get ready for the summer of your life, baby girl.”
Fallon giggled, before she placed another kiss on his bottom lip, “Or maybe you should get ready.”
Oh yeah, Fallon was the one for him.
Lucas sat with a full grin on his face as his mom ran her mouth. That summer was the best of his life, and it still blew his mind that two years later, to the day almost, was the day she left.
He wondered if she looked the same. She had blocked him from Facebook, so he couldn’t see her profile pictures, and since it was hard for him to navigate the web, he kind of just waited until Levi brought it to his attention. The file that Levi had left sat in front of Lucas, and he moved his plate to open it. The first thing he saw was Fallon’s bright caramel eyes looking up at him.
She wore some tight black jeans and a bright pink shirt that hung off her shoulder. Her hair was long, coming down her shoulders and over her small breasts. She was wider in the middle, and his mouth watered at the sight of her curves. She was wearing more make up than he ever remembered her wearing, and her eyes didn
’t have that deer-in-headlights look to them anymore — more like hurt. She looked sad but she had a big wide smile on her face. She was faking it, and only he would be able to tell that.
Lucas had known Fallon inside and out. He loved her with everything inside him and still couldn’t believe she was gone. What was she doing? Was she married? Had kids? Did she think of him? Did she still love him? So many questions that he didn’t have answers to.
But he would soon enough.
With a smile on his lips Lucas closed the file, and for once he was excited about the upcoming months.
When Fallon came downstairs, Audrey sat at the kitchen table in front of her computer, typing away. She smiled up at Fallon as she passed and went to the fridge to get a glass of water. Fallon went to the table and sat down beside Audrey, waiting for her to get done before saying anything.
“You ready to tell me why you started crying outside?” Audrey asked without missing a beat as she typed her little heart out.
“Yeah,” Fallon answered as she ran her finger around the rim of her cup. “Aiden’s dad is in town.”
When Fallon looked up, Audrey was looking at her with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide.
“Say what?”
Fallon nodded her head. “I found out tonight at the party. He’s the new forward for the Nashville Assassins.”
“He plays hockey?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh my God Fallon, you’ve been struggling with putting Aiden through private school, and all the other things you do that bust your bank, and his dad is a pro hockey player?”
“I didn’t want him in Aiden’s life, Audrey.”
“Are you kidding me? You could at least suck him dry for his money!”
“That’s wrong. I would much rather do it on my own than ask anything of him,” Fallon said with a sad smile.
“Well he’s gonna be in it now. He’s gonna see you, you know he will. What are you going to say? ‘Oh hey! By the way, I have a kid, and guess what, he’s yours!’”
Fallon shot Audrey a dirty look before looking down at her glass. “I don’t know Audrey, I’m hoping I don’t see him.”
