Unexpected Baby

by Ford, Mia

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Zoe

  “You look so much happier,” Jessica observes with a smile. “And this apartment suits you well.”

  “Thank you for organizing the moving company in New York, that was amazing of you. And also, thank you for taking a bit more time off work to hang out at my new place. You have made it feel more like home.”

  “Well, I have a good eye for interior design, what can I say?” she laughs. “But you are welcome.”

  I glance around, really feeling like I’m at home as I stare at mine and Maddie’s new home. Living here on our own first is definitely the right thing to do. Me and Wesley need to take it slowly, to really get reacquainted first, even if we are in love, so I feel great about this step. Plus, I do love this house.

  “Mommy, the garden here is amazing!” Maddie screams as she runs back inside. “I love the flowers.”

  She never had a garden in New York, and she never would have done. There are no gardens, you have to go to Central Park for that kind of thing, so I’m glad to give her something she desires so much.

  “I love the garden too.” Jessica sulks playfully. “I think that I might have to come and live here as well.”

  “I would love that!” I declare. “But I don’t think your boyfriend would be too keen. Plus, you aren’t going to get the sort of work here that you have in New York. No celebrity parties.”

  “Alex Smith is a celebrity.” She shrugs and laughs. “A rock star, so I could hang out with him.”

  “Yes, that’s true. But that’s just one person and I don’t think he’s big on partying.”

  “Hmm, true. So, I guess I will have to go home but visit lots instead.”

  I pull her in for a hug and nod against her. “Please, come here as often as you like. I have loved having you here. Honestly, I would still be a big confused mess if you hadn’t sorted me out.”

  “Well, that is my job, isn’t it? That’s what best friends do. Let’s just hope that you don’t ever need to return the favor. I don’t want to end up in the same messy situation that you have found yourself in.”

  “There is no way that would happen! You are far smarter than me, Jessica.”

  But even as I say that, I feel much more switched on in myself. I feel like I’m finally making the smart decisions, not just the ones driven by my emotions. I’m taking control of my life and doing what I have always wanted to do. I just didn’t realize that this was everything that I wanted and more. That Father’s Day drama felt a bit like the end of the world at the time it happened has actually turned in to a blessing. If it wasn’t for Maddie wanting to meet her father, then we might never have come on this incredible journey.

  Ring, ring… Ring, ring… Ring, ring…

  I spin quickly to grab my cell phone. My assumption is that it’s going to be Wesley to check up on the move, so it’s a shock to see Brad’s name on the screen. I wonder if this might be another sleep over.

  “Hello?” I answer nervously and curiously. For some reason, my pulse races like crazy.

  “Hi, Zoe, how are you?” he replies with so much warmth it’s easier to relax. “Is the move going well?”

  “It’s just about done actually so yes, it’s been good. Thank you for checking up on me. How are you?”

  As he replies, I’m filled with a sense of warmth and happiness. I am slowly learning that this is what the Smith family are like. Once you are accepted in to their folds, they really do embrace you and you become one of them. Brad has no reason to contact me to check that I’m okay, but he is. And I just know this isn’t because Wesley has asked him to. He cares about me and Maddie. We are a part of his world now. The Smith world is a surprisingly wonderful place to be and I kinda love it. I guess this is what a big family is like.

  “So, since you have been busy all night, I was wondering if you guys would like to come to dinner tonight? You, Maddie, and your friend Jessica as well. We will all be here, and I’ll get Wesley to come after work.”

  “All of you?” I glance at Jessica who has heard enough of the conversation to be nodding enthusiastically. “Er, yes, sure. That would be awesome. Thank you very much, Brad.”

  “Great. We will see you at six then. Does that work for you?”

  “That works. See you then. Thank you for the invite. We’re looking forward to it already.”

  “No worries. This is a family meal and you’re part of the family.”

  Those words warm my whole body because I know how much he means them. I really am included; I don’t even feel like I’m on the out skirts. For the first time in my life I really do fit in. It’s amazing, I love it.

  “No wonder Maddie likes the big family,” Jessica says as soon as I hang up the phone. “They sound great. I have heard a lot about them but I’m looking forward to meeting them all. I’m starting to warm to Wesley a little bit, but it will be good to know the rest of them. I want to be sure that I’m leaving you in good hands.”

  I nod along, wondering how it will go. Surprisingly I’m not too nervous. I’m sure that it will all go well. I already know that Maddie will have the best time, and I’m sure that Jessica will too. This will be it, the night of finally bringing the two best parts of my life completely together, and I’m excited.

  * * *

  I watch Jessica watching everyone else, and I can see the smile on her face. She gets it, she understands why this is perfect for me and Maddie. We don’t even need to talk for her to just see it. This big caring family is lovely. And since she has been embraced by everyone just as much as I have, she feels it as well.

  “This is great,” she finally whispers to me. “I can see you here. Really living here. Everyone is amazing. The only issue is where the hell is Wesley? Don’t you think it’s weird that he hasn’t turned up yet?”

  “I do,” I admit. “It is strange, but Brad said that he’s messaged him, and he should be on the way.”

  What I don’t get is that work should have finished ages ago. I was never at the office that late and I know that no one else is either. Even Andy, so what the hell is he doing? I feel like there is something going on and I don’t know what. That makes me nervous. I don’t know if I can handle any surprises.

  “Have you called him?” Jessica demands. “Because honestly, I think he should be here with you.”

  Before she changes her mind about Wesley all over again, I grab her hand. “You’re here with me. I’m fine.”

  “Oh, I know, and I know that you’d be happy here even if I wasn’t here because everyone is so nice, it would be good if he was here to just be by your side.” She shrugs. “I’m not judging though. Whatever. As long as you aren’t worried, then I’m not going to be either. I’ve decided to trust your judgement.”

  “Thank you.” I grin at my friend. “That means a lot to me.”

  Maddie grabs Jessica’s hand and pulls her off to show her something, leaving me alone with that thought. Jessica is right, I should call him. In the process of communicating better, I should talk to him. So, I turn my back on the crowd and I grab my cell phone to call him. After all, me and Wesley are together now. I should be the one to contact him and find out when he’s going to turn the hell up.

  But the phone rings all the way through to voice mail. He doesn’t pick up, which makes me even more nervous. I haven’t got a reason not to trust Wesley. I certainly don’t feel like this is five years ago and he’s going to get his head turned by Court and Hannah again, but there is something that’s making me panic.

  My heart is racing, sickness and bile swirls in my stomach, I’m trembling from my head to my toes. I’m scared that if he doesn’t turn up in a moment then I’m going to freak out and embarrass myself. I really don’t want to do that in front of the Smith family when they have been so nice to me.

  “Zoe!” At first, I think I might be imagining him because I’m so desperate to see him. “Zoe, where are you?”

  But as I turn back, I see a frantic Wesley racing towards me
. His eyes are sparkling, there is something going on behind his gaze, everything is dancing madly. I’m less panicked to have him here. When he’s looking at me like this, I’m even more scared. What if everything is about to come crashing down around us?

  “What’s going on?” I grab on to his arms, but that isn’t enough for him. He tugs me towards him and hugs me. “Wesley, what is happening here? I’m starting to panic.”

  “I quit my job!” He calls this out like it’s a celebration. “I’m finally done with that place.”

  “What?” I gasp pulling back. “What are you talking about? Why did you do that?”

  “Finally, after five years, it has come to a head. All the drama with Court and Hannah exploded and I told Andy that either they went, or I did. He was too much of a coward to do it, so I walked out. I walked right out without looking back, and it felt amazing. Absolutely incredible.”

  “But you love that job. I don’t understand. How could you just walk away?”

  “Because I have something better. Because I have the best idea in the world and I just know that you are going to love it too.” Wesley is wild. He doesn’t even seem to notice that all his family are looking at him like he has lost his mind. Even the children. “I’m going to start my own business. And I want you to do it with me.”

  “Huh?” I pant out after a brief pause. “A business? Are you serious?”

  “Why not?” He shrugs and grins. “We were the best ones in the office, so why not strike out on our own? I have been a manager and you could do that too easily. We’ll do it in a much better way than Andy. I mean, we have seen all of the mistakes and we can run it better. Plus, Brad runs a company so if we ever struggle, we can ask him to help us. I know that it’s a bit quick and we’re supposed to be slow, but…”

  “Yes,” I hear myself answering before I have had a chance to think about it. “Yes, that sounds amazing.”

  Working together will be different if we’re on the same team, if we’re the bosses, I’m sure of it. But I also know that Wesley can do it alone if I decide to walk away because it’s too much as well. Saying no and running away from things hasn’t exactly worked out for me in the past, so I’m trying saying yes.

  To celebrate, in front of absolutely everyone, Wesley grabs me and kisses me. I guess we aren’t going quite as slowly as we planned to, but actually that doesn’t matter. It’s going to last forever anyway, isn’t it?

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Wesley

  Six Months Later…

  “Where is Zoe?” our company receptionist, Meghan, asks me for what feels like the hundredth time. “She’s supposed to be helping me pick out bridesmaid dresses for my wedding and I haven’t seen her.”

  “You know that we’re supposed to be here for work, not wedding shopping?” I tease back. “This isn’t a freaking social club, you know? It’s an office, a place of business.”

  Meghan rolls her eyes at me. She knows that I don’t mind really. As long as the work gets done, I don’t mind what happens here. That’s because we have a friendly environment, which helps foster professionalism and comfort for the staff. The productivity levels are so much higher here than Andy ever had and that’s because we all get along and we want to do well. We are all aiming for the same goal and that’s success. A success that will benefit all of us when it comes our way. Because I run things in a way for all of us.

  Plus, Meghan and Zoe have an amazing friendship. One that I’m sure Zoe needs. Of course, she has all of my family and she has Jessica in New York as well, but Meghan is a genuine work friend. That isn’t something that she has ever had before. It took her a while to trust after Hannah, but finally that is all in the past. She has let go of all of her hang ups and now has a great friend. I couldn’t be happier for her. I feel like it’s the last piece of her life that she needed and now she has everything. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.

  “I don’t know where she is,” I finally tell Meghan. “She is supposed to have been here all morning.”

  I grab my cell phone and call her, properly wondering what has happened to her now that I’ve taken my attention away from business for the moment. She loves this place and is here as much as she can be. The only thing that would take her away from here is Maddie, but if there was something to worry about, I would know.

  “Hey, Zoe,” I say in to her voice mail. “Just calling in to check in where you are. No pressure or anything, just Meghan keeps asking when you’re coming to discuss bridesmaid dresses with her.”

  Meghan smirks and rolls her eyes at me before walking over to her desk to carry on with her job. Well, that combined with endless bridal magazines, but I suppose she will be distracted planning a wedding.

  “Anyway, just give me a call when you can and let me know that everything is alright. Love you.”

  A sense of worry overcomes me as I hang up the phone. I feel weird, like a dark cloud is hanging above me. I need to see Zoe now to be sure that she’s okay. Things have been incredible between us for the last six months, I’m no longer worried in that respect, but she has been complaining of not feeling one hundred percent recently. I really hope that she isn’t ill. I might rush home quickly to check on her. The office isn’t too far from our apartment. That’s why I picked this place when first searching for a base…

  “I’m here, I’m here…” All of a sudden, the door bursts open and my ray of sunshine bursts in. She has a giant grin on her face definitely hasn’t come from her throwing up all morning. “Sorry, it’s been a bit of a morning.”

  She grabs me and kisses me, making all the worry just ebb away. With her arms around me, everything feels right with the world. I lean in to her and allow myself to relax for just a moment.

  “I have some news.” She pulls back to stare at me, her eyes dancing with joy. “That’s why I’m late.”

  “You are making me nervous,” I laugh. “What is going on? What is this news?”

  She rustles around in her bag to pull something out. As she hands it to me, it takes me a couple of moments to realize what I’m looking at. Even as my brain clears, I still don’t process it instantly. The rationality is there but I can’t quite put all of the jigsaw pieces together. It’s a bit too overwhelming.

  “What the…?” I dart my eyes between her and my hand. “What am I looking at here?”

  “It’s a positive pregnancy test. Me and you are having another baby. Can you believe it?”

  A baby. A second chance. An opportunity to have a child and be there from the beginning. I can’t believe it. And this is coming at a time that is completely right for me. I can handle everything now; I am in a much more mature better place. I’m overwhelmed with a rush of happiness. This is the best thing to ever happen to me.

  “I’m going to be a father again,” I gasp. “Oh my God, we’re having another child.”

  I grab Zoe and hug her tight, soon feeling the arms of Meghan and our other employees around us too. What a difference to the last time we discovered that Zoe was pregnant. Life really has gone full circle and led us back to the absolute best place. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here with all of these people.

  Changing everything up and going for a clean slate was terrifying. I didn’t really know what was going to happen and how things would work out, but it’s all gone perfectly. I couldn’t be happier.

  “I love you so much.” I kiss her about a million times. “I love you not only for yourself but also because you’re the mother of my child… well, my children. Oh my God, children. I can’t believe it; this is so exciting.”

  “I love you too.” I can see the tears of joy in her eyes. “I’m so freaking happy.”

  There is a small box in my pocket. A box containing a precious piece of jewelry that I have been carrying around for a while now just waiting for the right moment. I wanted it to be perfect, and I was thinking of making some advice from my brothers, especially the ones who have gone for big gestures in this department, but there is som
ething about this moment that feels right. I wouldn’t have expected it, but it is.

  So, without further ado, I grab the box out of my pocket and fall to one knee in front of her. Someone behind me gasps, I think it’s Meghan, reminding me that there other people here, but actually that’s okay. These people are a positive step in our love story, so I’m happy for them to see.

  “Zoe Portwood, you really are a special person to me.” A moment ago, she was almost crying. Now the happy tears are in free flow. “When you first came in to my life, I didn’t like you, but that’s because I was so threatened by you. One, because you’re an absolutely amazing person. But also, because the feelings you made me feel were incredible. Overwhelming. I didn’t know what to do with them… until we fell in bed together.”

  Laughter titters around the room, but it’s all kind laughter. Everyone here knows our story and they all think that it’s surprisingly romantic, considering it started with a one night stand after a failed attempt at a wedding, and traveled in to gossip and running away. Me and Zoe don’t mind sharing that piece of us with them.

  I hope that as I say these words, she knows that she can trust me, because I would never leave her at the altar. I love her way too much for that. I could never treat her anything like she was treated in the past.

  “Then we ended up pregnant with our lovely little our daughter. Maddie. Of course, things weren’t straight forward from there, to say the least, but fate brought us back together. Because we are meant to be. After everything that we have been through, I wanted to make this a very precious moment for us to share, but I couldn’t work out when would be best. Little did I know that you would come to me with news of a new baby.”