“Ahem, well everything looks good,” Louise murmurs cautiously, “let’s listen to the heartbeat.”
Suddenly there’s a whooshing sound as a thousand beats sing in my ears. “Wow, it’s so fast, is that normal?” I question, distracted from my earlier concern.
Louise smiles. “Perfectly normal, everything is normal,” she states, emphasizing the word normal. Clearly, she thinks I’m crazy for saying the baby looks like an alien. In my defense, I haven’t seen a sonogram up close before and well, the baby looks like a fricking alien.
“Thank you,” I whisper at her. I turn to look at Kato who’s gazing at my face like his world begins and ends with me. “I love you,” I tell him.
Leaning down he kisses me softly. “Come on, let’s go home.”
Home. The word reverberates and my whole body hums with happiness.
After we leave the doctors and Kato drives us back home, I ask if we can make a detour to the bakery. The sale of both the house and the bakery is now complete and so it’s sitting there empty, awaiting my input.
“Do you want to go inside?” Kato asks.
I shake my head, “No, not yet.”
“What are you afraid of?”
I look from the bakery to Kato as he takes my hand in his.
“It needs some work to get it where I want it to be.”
He nods, “Okay, so let’s get a contractor on it asap.”
“I… it’s…” I heave out a sigh. “I need to budget.”
“You absolutely do not,” he retorts immediately.
“Kato,” I moan, “I’ve already taken your money for a house which essentially hasn’t changed since you moved in. I’m not going to take more money off you to fix the bakery.”
“Hey.” Kato pulls me onto his lap, which luckily, because I only have a small bump, is still possible. I rest my knees either side of his body and look at him. His eyes roam across my face. “Do you know how much money I’m worth?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“Of course you don’t, because you don’t care.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and touches his lips against mine. It’s a barely there kiss, but it still calms the weird anxiousness I feel in the pit of my stomach. “You want to do all those things we talked about? Marry me? Have babies, chickens… a goat?” He smiles.
“And ducks,” I add.
He shrugs, “Of course, why would we not get ducks as well.” Kato’s indulging me now, but he doesn’t seem put out by that. “You want all that with me?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Then you have to be prepared to share everything with me, including my money.”
I frown, not sure how exactly to answer that.
“I’ll never create a pre-nup. My belief is if you do that, you’re dooming your marriage to fail, and I’ll be marrying you because you are my world,” he whispers tantalizingly close to my mouth.
I swallow down an argument and think about what he’s said. If it were the other way around, I would want to share my wealth with him. I guess it makes complete sense, it’s just not something I’m used to.
“I don’t even know where you live,” I say, a worry bead of mine that I’ve held onto for a while.
“I live with you.”
I shake my head, “No, you’ve bought my house and moved in with me. We’ve been together for months now and not once did you take me to your house. You said it was a dive.”
He nods, “You’re right. I lied about where I lived. The truth is I have a three-bedroom penthouse apartment overlooking the ocean.” I gasp, but before I can say anything he continues, “Even with all the luxuries, I’ve never felt more at home than I do at your house-”
“Our house,” I correct with a small smile.
He smiles back at me and kisses the hinge of my jaw. “I didn’t want to take you there because although it’s beautiful, it’s not a home and it’s definitely not where I want to be. But I swear, after work today, we’ll go to my place and I’ll show you everything.”
I nod, “I was worried you were keeping something from me, or maybe you were embarrassed of me. I mean, I know I have no filter.”
“I only have you, gorgeous. There’s no other family out there, just you and this baby. You’re already my world,” he tells me, “and I love your lack of filter. I love you exactly as you are. I would never be embarrassed of you and I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like that.” His gaze sears me and my stomach dips at his sincerity. “So, Nola, I’ll ask you again, please let our money help you with the bakery.”
“It’s not our money, not yet,” I remind him.
“We could change that now. Say the word and I’ll whisk us both away tomorrow. We can get married before the week’s out.”
I smile down at him, loving the idea, but also knowing it’s not realistic.
“How about, I wait until you ask me to marry you,” I tease.
He groans, but smiles back at me. “You promise?”
“I promise,” I breathe against his mouth.
He crashes his lips to mine and kisses me slowly, both of us savoring every second.
“Now, let’s go check out what you want to get done with this place and I can call Mr. Clark and get him on it.”
I sit back. “Mr. Clark?” I say with a shake of my head.
“Mr. Clark manages my finances, amongst any other business I might have. He oversees all my investments and stuff so I never lose money. I don’t want to own a company or create anything other than tranquil outdoor spaces and beautiful babies,” he says touching my stomach. “But if I need something, say a design, or to plan and implement a new bakery, or maybe to buy a house,” he smirks, “Mr. Clark would be the first person I’d call.”
I sit eyeing him for a moment, taking in everything he just said.
“How much are you worth?” I whisper, slightly scared to know the truth.
“A little over one hundred million dollars.”
“Fuck,” I breathe.
Kato smiles at me, showing off his damn dimple.
Chapter Twenty
NOLA
“Oh my God! Did you know one in two thousand babies are born with teeth… Teeth, Kato, teeth! What if it bites me inside, or when it’s on the way out of my vagina!” I shout, pointing between my legs. “I can tell you one thing,” I state, waving a finger, “if it has teeth then breastfeeding is out of the fucking question.” I shiver.
He stops digging up the soil in the garden and turns to face me, his brows furrowed as he shields his eyes from the sun. From my place on the sun lounger, which is currently in the shade thanks to our new umbrella, I wave my magazine in the air. He tilts his head waiting for me to explain, but instead my eyes track his bare chest and the glisten from his sweat. Since I passed the three months mark of being pregnant, I’ve become insatiable. Kato always made me want to drop to my knees in multiple ways before I was pregnant, now I feel like I’m not happy unless I’m having an orgasm.
Kato smirks at me, his dimple pops out as he watches me, and even though my bump isn’t huge, it’s still a struggle to get out of the lounger. I walk toward him, trying to pull off sexy, aware I probably look anything but sexy right now.
The moment I reach him, his playlist, which was on shuffle, starts a new track and a beautiful slow song fills the world around us.
“Dance with me,” he commands. Just like he’s done before, but this time as I close my eyes, emotion crawls up my throat and for the first time in my life, I make a wish. I ask that no matter what happens in my life, I never forget this moment.
I open my eyes and look into his. “What song is this?” I whisper, barely able to speak over my own emotion.
It’s Always and Forever, by Heatwave. It’s beautiful isn’t it?” he asks, leaning back slightly to look at me as we sway together.
I nod, aware he can see the emotion in my eyes.
We dance together like we’ve been doing it forever and I can image us in fifty years, still dan
cing, still hearing beautiful words and music and still loving each other a little more every day.
The music ends and when the next song comes on, it’s much faster and clearly a dance track. I start laughing.
“What? We can still dance to this,” he whispers, his chin dimple teasing me.
We stop moving and stare at one another, nothing passing between us except our warm breaths. I can feel my heart, and moisture pools in my eyes again.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” I murmur, “but I’ll be grateful for your love every day, until I take my last breath.”
He stares at me. It’s soul searching and I feel naked and vulnerable, but with him, I welcome it. For the first time in my life, I’m all in.
“I’ll love you forever and I’ll spend every single day of my life trying to be the man you need,” he whispers, swiping my hair away from my face and cupping my cheek. “You are everything to me, Nola. Absolutely everything.”
“Kiss me,” I breathe.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replies. His lips capture mine tenderly, and I feel his love as it fills me. Suddenly, Kato leans away from me. Still holding my cheek, he stares down at me for a moment. “Erm, what did you mean about the baby having teeth thing?”
I burst out laughing.
“Should you really be doing this at the moment?” Aubrey questions, looking from my growing bump to the chaos surrounding us.
“I’m pregnant, Aubrey, not an invalid. Besides, what am I actually doing, other than directing people and eating cakes?” I question, looking at the tray of baked goods sitting on the table between us.
Time feels like it’s moving quicker than ever now. The first few months of my pregnancy have flown by and next week I’ll officially be five months along. Sometimes it seems weird, but it also feels like this is the way my life has always been, and I’m embracing my bump. At the same time everything feels new and really scary and on occasion I need to stop, take a breath and process that this is my actual life.
Kato and I have fallen into a comfortable place. Our home really is ours now. Not only does it feel like that, but he’s had it placed in both our names. I’m loving being pregnant, way more than I thought I would and although the fear is still real, most of the time the excitement takes over.
The best part of my life is that each day I fall a little more in love with Kato.
The bakery is coming along nicely and there isn’t much to complete now, before we’re ready to open. The construction workers will finish the kitchen today, the sign fitters are coming next week, and after that, we’ll be opening. Every time I think about it, I let out a little squeak. Blanche hates my squeaking, so I usually end up with a hiss and a swipe. Since Kato has moved in, she’s claimed him as her own, furry little whore.
All that’s left for me to do is bring my own flair of décor to the place, arrange for my equipment to be delivered, and finally put up that dang bell on the door.
I smile to myself, the warm feeling in the pit of my stomach - which has been an almost constant over the last six months - ripples, making me acknowledge how blessed by life I am now. I have been from the moment Kato came into it.
“Ms. Lewis, we’re done now, so we’ll be leaving. You have my number, if you have any issues give me a call and I’ll pop back next week,” the head of the kitchen fitting team, Carl, tells me. Kato organized everything, with me leading on what I wanted. Having someone supporting me and actually being able to help my dreams come true is amazing. I don’t deserve him, I know I don’t.
“Thanks, Carl, if I have any issues I’ll call.”
He nods and walks away. After a few moments, I hear all the men leave out of the back door.
“Are you going to look?” Aubrey questions.
I shake my head. “Not just yet.”
“What’s up?” she asks, somehow sensing my mood.
“I’m scared,” I admit.
“What do you mean?” she murmurs, leaning forward and placing her hand on my shoulder, offering comfort.
“If the kitchen is done, then it becomes real.” I look around the front of the shop. The walls are all freshly painted in a soft blue, the woodwork and ceiling has been refreshed and is now a crisp white. The new light granite counter sparkles and the glass showcase for displaying the cakes shines showing off its newness. Behind the counter, on the back shelf, are multiple woven baskets, ready to hold various types of bread and rolls. It’s everything I ever imagined when I thought about my dream. And therein lies the problem.
“What if I fail?” I whisper.
“Oh honey, you’re the most fearless person I know. You don’t filter your words or your love, you’re loyal to a fault,” she raises a brow and I know she’s referring to Bryony, “and you always put others first, that’s why you still look after that dang cat.”
“What can I say? If I don’t feed her, she might kill me in my sleep.”
Aubrey stands, “True. Come on, let’s go look at this kitchen.”
Still slightly hesitant, I stand and follow her. As I push through the swinging door separating the front of house from the kitchen I stop, causing Aubrey to bang into me and the door to swing into her, shuffling us both forward.
“Thanks for that, I was only thinking the other day it had been too long since I’d had a door slam into my butt,” she deadpans.
I ignore her – kind of – while I stare at the new kitchen, which is making me salivate with happiness and need. Shiny workspaces are everywhere, two fridges, countertops in abundance, the stone floor gleams and the walls have new tiles. It’s clinical, industrial and a complete contrast to the front of the shop, but it’s exactly what I always imagined it would be.
“Wow,” Aubrey breathes the word out.
I spin around, trying to take in every single inch. “I know, right?”
“I think-”
Aubrey’s words are cut off when an almighty crash sounds from the other room. We both rush back through the doors. Aubrey’s in front of me and when I hear her gasp, I know it’s not good. The shattered glass of the front window is what I spot first and when she steps to one side, I see the rock on the floor.
“It has something taped around it,” Aubrey whispers, her voice shaky.
I nod. “Call the cops please,” I ask as I move toward the rock.
“No! Don’t touch it, fingerprints,” she states, wiggling her fingers in my face, she’s so close I jerk my head back.
Then I smile at her, I can’t help it and I think if it weren’t for Aubrey being here, I might have broken down. “Okay, I’ll call the cops, can you go get me a coffee?” I ask, knowing there’s a Starbucks drive through a couple of miles up the road.
“You cannot have coffee!” she states, her hands on her hips.
I roll my eyes. “Get me decaf,” I reply.
She gasps again, then whispers, “Well, that’s sacrilege.”
I walk around to the back of Aubrey and grab her shoulders, navigating her away from the broken glass and to the front door. “Go,” I order, practically pushing her outside.
When I’m sure she’s gone, I sit at one of my new tables and take my phone out of my pocket. My hands shake and I take a deep breath in and let it out slowly, as I feel my heart hammering against my chest. Then, I call the cops and hope this isn’t a sign of more to come.
It only takes fifteen minutes for the police to arrive. Initially they don’t seem concerned with the incident, saying it’s probably kids, but then they take the note from the rock and read it. Suddenly, they’re much more serious and asking me a bunch of questions. That’s when Aubrey returns.
“What does the note say?” she asks cop one. I didn’t even catch their names my brain is so fried.
He looks between the two of us. “I need to move this along now. Can you get someone to secure the premises, Ms. Lewis?” I nod. “Okay, we’ll be in touch,” he tells me, before motioning to cop two. I watch as they both shuffle out of the front door.
; Aubrey turns to me, “What did the note say, Nola?” It’s a demand more than a question.
I walk over to the table and sit myself down, my hands are still shaking as I swallow down the fear in my throat. Aubrey places a coffee in front of me and I take a gulp, thanking everything that is holy that it’s fully loaded coffee, as right now I need it.
“Nola,” she prompts.
“It said tick tock, tick tock, Nola. Your precious world is about to come crashing down.”
“What?” Aubrey shrieks. “Who the hell would send that?”
I shrug.
“Lance? Or your fucking sister?” she states, spitting the words from her mouth.
“Who knows? The police are looking into it though.”
“Have you called Kato yet?” she asks.
I shake my head and drop my head into my hands. I groan, “I don’t know what to say. I don’t want him to worry, or be annoyed.”
“Hey,” she grabs my arm and shakes me until I raise my head and look at her, “why would he be annoyed?”
Gesturing around the bakery I reply, “He’s put his own money into this place and now, before it’s even open, the window needs replacing.”
“You think he’s really gonna give a shit about that? No, Nola. Stop being a dick. You know he’s going to be worried about you. Call the man now, or I will,” she threatens.
I roll my eyes, but I also know she’s right. In truth I’m not worried about him blaming me, or being annoyed about the window, but I am freaked the hell out. With Lance seemingly following me, my sister threatening me and now the window, I’m scared… really scared and I know Kato will want to protect me, but I don’t want anything happening to him. The note said my world is about to come crashing down, what if Kato is the first person they hurt?
Nope.
I can’t risk it.
I can’t risk him.
Not when I love him more than I love myself.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cocky Delight: A Hero Club Novel Page 15
