Caroline smiled back at him and leaned up to kiss him .
“Likewise,” She responded .
Chapter 7
T he two decided to skip dinner, Conner didn't really want to face his mother after all that went down. But he had to admit to himself that she had been right, he still loved Caroline. That night, after another round of sex, he held her sleeping form in his arms and tried to come up with a way to keep her there beside him before finally falling asleep together .
When Conner woke up, the next morning, to a ringing. He moaned and reached for his phone, but it wasn't his phone ringing. With a huff, he stood up and searched around the room until he found it in the pocket of Caroline's discarded jeans. Her phone was going off with an incoming call from Adalene, her sister if Conner remembered correctly .
He felt it was wrong to go through Caroline’s phone, but figured he would just tell Adalene that Caroline would call her back .
He answered the phone, “Hello ?”
"Mama?" A little girl's voice echoed from the other end, and Conner's blood ran cold .
“Um no I think she’s in the shower, is there an adult near you that I could speak to ?”
He heard the phone being passed to someone else, “Hello ?”
"Adalene? What the hell is going on?" he demanded under his breath .
"Oh…hello. Is my sister around?" she asked .
"She's occupied right now, but tell me the truth, was that Caroline's child ?"
Adalene didn't answer but he knew she was still on the line .
"How old is she?" he persisted .
He heard Adalene sigh, "Yes, it is her child and she's three ."
"Is she mine?" he asked straight out .
Nothing but silence answered him and that told him all he needed to know. Without saying goodbye, he hung up and waited for Caroline to exit the bathroom .
A few minutes later she exited the bathroom with damp hair and wearing a blue blue sundress .
“Good morning,” She said cheerfully .
Conner didn’t answer and it was then that Caroline noticed her phone in his hands .
"Why do you have my phone?" She asked nervously .
"Your daughter called," he said coldly .
Caroline looked down at her hands, "I was going to tell you ."
"When? After we fucked?" he uttered .
Caroline winced at the harsh words but didn't reply .
"She's about three years old now, right?" he said .
She could hear the dismay and anger in the tone of his voice, and she deserved it every bit, she nodded once and averted her eyes. Too ashamed to look at him. She should have told him before... before he seduced her back into his bed .
"Cat got your tongue? So I have a daughter that you chose not to tell me about ?"
Caroline looked up at him. Attempting to stop herself from crying was a failure as tears ran freely down over her cheeks .
"What was I supposed to do? By the time I found out, you were already back here ."
"What you were supposed to do was pick up a phone and call, Oh hey Conner, by the way, I'm having your baby!" he mimicked .
Caroline glared at him, "I was scared to tell you, I thought that you wouldn't want to see me after I left ."
"So you kept my daughter away from me ?"
"It wasn't like that ."
"Then what was it like? Because I would really like to know ."
Caroline took a shaky breath, "I'm not proud of what I have done. When I left…you have to know that it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I loved you so much, Conner ."
Conner didn't respond to the words, but that didn't stop his gut from twisting .
"I thought it would be easier if I just left before you did. I knew that time was running out for us and it would have been harder and harder to say goodbye. I cried every night and every day, and then... a month after you were gone, I found out that I was pregnant with Lizette ."
Conner processed this information before he finally took in a shaky breath .
"How could you have been so selfish Caroline ?"
She wiped her tears, "I can't change what I have done, but at the time, I was scared and completely alone. And considering what happened between us, I was scared that you would take my child away from me ."
"That's the biggest load of crap!" he started
Caroline was growing angry too now, and she stepped forward, "You know nothing! You rich kids come to Paris, all looking for a good time. Do you have any idea how many girls fall pregnant and then 9 months later they are fighting a stupid custody battle? No, you don't. So..." she started towards him and poked her finger in his chest, "Don't you dare judge me !"
"You didn't stop to think about how this would affect me? Or her for that matter?" Conner snapped .
Caroline took a breath, "This is just going to go around in circles. You're angry and I'm going to leave you to it," she moved past him and then stopped, "Know that I don't intend to keep her from you if you decide you want to be part of her life ."
Caroline grabbed her clothes from the floor and turned to leave. When the door closed and Conner was alone, he finally allowed his knees to give out as he sat back on the bed. He took a deep breath and prayed that the trembling would leave his hands .
Last night, he would have done anything to make Caroline stay; but now, he couldn’t wait for her to leave. He couldn’t help the rueful chuckle that came out of the irony of the situation .
He wondered if god was having a good laugh .
* * *
O ne month later.
C onner was in the back shed, changing the oil on his bike when Rachel walked in .
“Why are you still here?” She snapped .
“I live here,” Conner said a little confused .
“No, why are you here and not taking a one-way flight to Paris ?”
Conner rolled his eyes, not for the first time, regretting telling his older sister about Lizette. He hadn't talked to Caroline since that day and he was still trying to figure out what he was going to do about it. Ma wasn't talking to him at the moment; which was fine with him, after all, she had known all along about Caroline's secret. The rest of the family kept giving him hell over the whole situation .
“You know the answer to that .”
“So you’re just going to ignore the fact that you have a kid ?”
Conner didn’t respond .
“Coward.”
Conner met Rachel’s eye, “What ?”
“You heard me, I called you a coward. You would rather sit here and try to hide the fact you are now a father than go see your little girl .”
Conner closed his eyes and took a breath, “Let it go Rach .”
“No.”
“Rachel!”
“No! Why won’t you see her ?”
"Because I don't want to mess her up !"
She looked at her brother in surprise .
“What?”
“You heard me .”
“Why do you think that ?”
Conner snorted, "I'm not exactly father material. I would rather she grow up happy and well-adjusted ."
The two were quiet for a second until Conner felt a sting on his cheek .
He was shocked to find that Rachel had actually hit him .
“That was the sorriest excuse I have ever heard. You would be a great father and you know it. I’m tired of seeing you mope around here, you miss Caroline and you want to see your daughter. Damn it, Conner if you don’t go see her, I swear I will never forgive you .”
Rachel then turned around and stomped back into the house. It was more of a furious waddle than actual stomping given she was in her eighth month. Conner sighe
d and rubbed his cheek; Rachel really had some swing in that one. He considered ignoring her and the ache her words caused. Of course, he wanted to meet Lizette and, dammit he also missed Caroline .
He went back to his bike and finished working on it and then went back to the house to clean up. When he emerged from the house it was with his jacket, helmet, and a bag packed with some clothes. Soon he was speeding down the road towards the airport with a twist of uncertainty in his stomach .
* * *
P aris was just as he remembered it, picturesque and beautiful. He wandered the familiar streets until he found the door he was looking for. With a burst of courage, he knocked. He didn't know what to expect when the door opened; it certainly wasn't a little girl who could only be Lizette .
His daughter .
He gave a small smile, “Do you speak English ?”
The little girl nodded .
“Is your mother home ?”
She nodded again .
“Could you go get her ?”
The little girl turned around and ran back inside. A moment later, Caroline was at the door .
“Conner?” She closed the door before wrapping herself tighter in the shawl she was wearing over her dress, “I wasn’t expecting you .”
Conner ran his hand through his hair, "Believe me, I wasn't expecting me either," he said with a slight hint of a chuckle .
Caroline shrugged, "Would you like to come in ?"
“In a minute,” Conner held up his hand, “I’ve been working on this the whole flight over here and if I don’t say it now, I never will .”
Caroline studied him intently and waited for him to continue .
“I am still so incredibly angry that you didn’t tell me about Lizette earlier .”
Caroline tensed but stayed quiet .
“I don’t think I will ever not be angry about it…but I am still so in love with you that I would be a fool to let you slip away again .”
Caroline’s shocked expression made him smile .
“And if your offer is still on the table, I would like to be a father to my little girl .”
Caroline didn't answer and for a second, Conner thought he had said something wrong .
Suddenly Caroline jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. The connection between them was so powerful and charged with a passion that could easily light up the Eiffel tower .
When they finally parted Caroline's eyes were shimmering with fresh tears .
He looked at her and waited, and when she didn't budge he smiled awkwardly .
“Would you like to meet your daughter?” She asked reaching her hand out .
Conner smiled and grasped her hand not really knowing what to expect but excited by what was to come .
* * *
The End
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Fighting Chance
Amy
T he beat of the music resonates inside me like a frantic, racing heart. Or maybe it is just my frantic, racing heart .
Every move I make inside the club is an effort not to bump into someone taller than me. The first chance I get I begin screaming in Marcy’s ear. Not because I’m angry, but because that’s the only way she’s ever going to hear me in this place .
“Okay, can we go now !?”
“What?! We just got here !”
I consider begging for a moment, but her look of disappointment under the layers of Bare Minerals makes me stop. “Just kidding!” I fake my best fake laugh .
It wasn’t poor Marcy’s fault I was so outside the social norm; just because nightclubs made me miserable didn’t mean I had to ruin her fun. But I should’ve known better, she looks right through my fake. One of her long arms slips around me in a half-hug .
“I know you hate it, but I told Rob we were coming and… Oh! There he is !”
I don’t turn to look where she’s waving, instead I suddenly needed a drink… badly. I put all my focus on trying to get the bartender’s attention .
Rob.
Stupid Rob. Stupid, stupid, stupid handsome Rob. Marcy’s older brother. And the reason I could never fully relax at any sleepover at Marcy’s house all through my childhood. Always prepared for stupid Rob to walk in the room. Never wanting to be makeup-less, or disheveled, or stuffing my face in front of Rob was a constant worry. Stupid. Rob .
Marcy’s voice cut through the music behind me, “Hey! We came! It only took some force, but Amy is in your nightclub, can you believe it ?”
Okay, better turn around now. Don’t be weird .
Stupid.
There he stands, as handsome as ever. Okay, no, no he’s not. Somehow, he has gotten MORE gorgeous than the last time I saw him five years ago. Over six feet tall, green eyes and now sporting a full-on lumberjack beard that matches his dark brown hair. I immediately start tugging on my clothes and shuffling .
Back to high school in 2.3 seconds. Stupid .
I’m actually grateful when looks past me to the bartender. “Hey! There’s a lady here trying to get your attention .”
Ugh. Lady? Gross .
The eyes of the sweaty kid behind the counter widen with concern for his job, “Oh! Sorry miss – can I - “
“Do you still drink those…um…pink things, Aim?” Rob is looking at me, but I keep my focus on the moist and nervous kid, grateful someone seems more uncomfortable than I do at this moment .
“Vodka cherry sours. Yeah .”
Sweaty is intercepted handing me my pink drink, Rob takes it and casually informs him this one, and all the rest I’d like, would be on the house tab. Then he hands it over .
“Oh, thanks.” I immediately jab the straw into the side of my face and pretend I didn’t .
Stupid.
Rob
S he still has no idea how cute she is .
When Marcy mentioned she was finally coming to check out Club Avenue and would be bringing Aim, I half expected to just see Marce. I knew Aim well enough to know this wasn’t her kind of spot. But I was hoping she’d come .
I noticed Marcy getting distracted by whatever loser was hitting on her the past half hour, and since Amy refuses to look at me... well, screw it. I’m looking at her .
I really look .
It has been nearly five years since I stared at Amy while she tried not to stare at me. Since I was fifteen and she was thirteen I have wondered when someone was going to clue her in that she was cute. I always wondered why she never had a boyfriend, always waiting for Marcy to mention some guy Aim was seeing, waiting for her to show up at our place with her head held a little higher – knowing she was hot stuff .
As many times as I almost asked her out back then, I always stopped myself. As annoying as Marce could be sometimes, I still tried to be a good brother. I always reminded myself if things didn’t work out with me and Aim, that would be awkward forever. I didn’t want my sis to be stuck between us. So, I tried not to be overwhelmed by the feelings she kindled in me. I tried to ignore the urge to tell her how the way she looked and acted haunted me .
And I just I knew someone, sometime, would let her know how amazing she was. Watching her refuse to make eye contact and stabbing herself in the face with her straw… I realized… no one ever did .
Shit.
She has to be twenty-three by now and she still has no idea she’s cute. Wait, no – I’m wrong. Amy isn’t cute anymore. Not at all. At some point she became beautiful. Every curve of her is wrapped in a tight blue dress Marcy probably insisted she wear. There is no trace of product in her hair, it’s just long and soft and …
Shit.
I kick myself for not manning up years ago and being the one show her how hot she is .
Amy
“Y ou don’t mind, do you?”
Marcy stands there with… I didn’t catch his name over the music. Let’s just call him Adonis, shall we? One of the man
y Adonises in the club that night Marcy could have her pick of. Looks like number 194 was the winner .
“No hon, have fun .”
Knowing I really didn’t mind being abandoned, that meant I got to go home, she smiles her Crest White Strips commercial smile, “I’ll text you !”
“K!”
Then in a swirl of hair and glitter she’s off with Adonis on her arm. I jump for joy inside as I finish my pink drink and make for the exit .
“Going already ?”
One of the many bodies I am trying to duck and dodge is speaking to me .
I just wish it was anybody but the body of the one person I couldn’t stand to look at. Stup- oh you get the idea .
“Oh, um, yeah… Marcy – “
“Yeah, I know, but you don’t have to leave because she did, we can go upstairs where it isn’t so loud .”
“Oh, thanks, but um … “
He doesn’t let me finish my lame excuse, “Okay, see ya Aim .”
I finally look at him as he turns and goes. Despite being so tall with impossibly broad shoulders, he seems to glide through the mass of humanity with no problems at all. I wondered if his mixed martial arts training has made him so agile. I was lost in that thought when …
“Move!”
I almost fall forward from the shove behind me. Suddenly, it connects in my head that I’ve been standing still in the doorway of a crowded room .
Despite the rudeness with which I was moved, my first reaction is still to apologize to the woman pushing past me. Although she ignores my apologies, she does turn around to the other voice that calls out after her .
“What the fuck, bitch! I know you didn’t just push this chick .”
I turn to face some guy who saw the scene and now seems to be coming to my defense. The scent of his cologne gives me a sharp pain between my eyes and I really didn’t need his help. I hate confrontation and this…um, gentleman… was pulling me into a big one .
The Victoria Secret model who shoved me spins around. “What did you just call me ?”
His Christmas Baby: A Friends to Lovers Romance Page 30
