Imposter

by J. J. Bella

  “Thanks.”

  Something caught the corner of his eye and he looked more closely at it. In the next room, there was a small pile of items, still in their packaging. That didn’t concern him except that the items were all baby related. Clothing, bibs, a stroller.

  “Do you know someone who’s having a baby?” he asked.

  Her eyes widened and she looked to the pile of things that he was looking at. “Oh, umm, yes, I do. I hope that’s okay, I just—”

  “Spend the money on anything you like. I don’t care about that, it’s just…”

  He inspected her more closely, looking especially at her stomach. As he did, she stiffened and leaned forward slightly.

  “Amelia. Are you pregnant?”

  She twisted her fingers together and wouldn’t look at him.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “Tell me the truth.”

  “I am,” she whispered.

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “Oh.”

  “I’m sorry. If you want me to leave, I understand, I—”

  “What? No. Why would you think that?”

  When she finally looked up at him, she had tears in her eyes. “I guess because the baby’s father… he didn’t want me or the baby. I thought no one would.”

  “He didn’t want you or the baby?”

  She shook her head. The anger burned in his chest. Who was this asshole that had treated her so badly?

  “When I told him, he wanted me to get an abortion. I couldn’t go through with it, so he kicked me out. That’s when he burned my things. I just had those few bags, and with a baby coming, that’s why the interview was so important. I didn’t know what I was going to do. And that’s also why, like I was telling you the other day, I didn’t press charges. I wanted to stay on good terms with him so he could pay child support and be part of the baby’s life.”

  “No, no.” Sebastian’s hands clenched into fists. “Anyone who would do something that awful doesn’t deserve to be part of his child’s life. I’m glad you got away from him. And I’m more glad than ever that I saw you on the side of the road and stopped to help you. I can’t imagine what might have become of you if I hadn’t.”

  Her words came out choppy and tears ran down her face. “I wouldn’t have had a job or money. I would have had to stay at the shelter for months, then tried to get another job, even though I wouldn’t have a car. It would’ve been terrible.”

  He stepped forward and let his heart take over. He pulled her into his arms and held her while she cried.

  Amelia

  The warmth of Sebastian’s arms was so comforting she could melt. She’d been so afraid to tell him. So afraid he’d want no part of her and would fire her and kick her out like Jay had. But now he was holding her close, rubbing her back while she cried. She couldn’t have dreamed of a better response.

  His reaction made her want him more than ever. She knew what he’d said about relationships, and she knew he likely was hesitant about committing. But, if they went slow, maybe he would. Maybe his feelings for her were strong enough that he would decide to settle down and have a family. It might be a long shot, but everything he did said she was on the right track.

  “You’re so sweet, Sebastian. I don’t think I could ever repay you.”

  “Hey, okay.” He put his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “You’ve thanked me many times and painted me a gorgeous painting. And you should know, I’m very picky about my art. You don’t have to keep thanking me. I’m glad I could do it. I’m so glad I saw you and was able to take care of you. It burns me up to think of what that jerk did to you, how he left you stranded like that while carrying his baby. But you’re out of that life now. You’ll never have to go back to living in shelters. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

  She stared into his eyes. His expression was full of kindness and sympathy. It seemed like he was waiting for her to be okay with this. Maybe he was waiting for her to make the first move. He was a high-powered CEO. He probably liked it when the woman made the first move.

  She’d never done anything like this before, but she pushed up on her tip toes to reach him, and pressed her lips to his mouth. For just a moment, the feel of his soft lips on hers was heaven.

  Then, he stepped back, a shocked look on his face. “What are you doing?”

  “I thought—”

  “No, no.” He shook his head. “I can’t do this. I told you I don’t do relationships. I can’t be involved. I can’t have all these feelings getting in the way. No, Amelia. I’m sorry you misunderstood. I can’t do this. I can’t be the father of your baby!”

  She took a step back, shocked. “I didn’t mean that, I just thought—”

  “Well, no. Is that why you’re here? You told me all this, got me to give you money so that you could get a father for your baby?”

  Her throat was so tight she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. What was happening? What was he saying? Her head spun with her fast breathing. “Sebastian. Everything you said, it—”

  He shook his head again, moving close to the door. “You’re just taking advantage of me. Was this your plan the whole time, this damsel in distress act?”

  “What? No!” She felt near hysteria. “How can you say that? I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t ask you to do this!” Tears streamed down her face and she broke into sobs. “How could you say that!”

  She ran up the stairs and into the bedroom, pausing to lock the door behind her. She slid to the floor, sobbing into her hands. This was just like Jay. Were all men like this? Confusing and mean, even when they seemed the opposite at first? Was she doomed to be alone forever or stuck in a horrible relationship? Were those her only two options?

  After hours of crying and trying to make sense of it all, there was only one thing she knew for sure. She had to leave. Now.

  She wasn’t going to be accused of taking advantage of him, of trying to trick him into a relationship so she had a father for her baby. She had hoped something would happen with him, sure. Had even dreamed that maybe one day, he would be the father of her children, but that had never been her plan. She had never really believed it would happen anyway. And now she knew for sure. This life was not for her.

  Sebastian

  Sebastian tossed and turned all night, replaying the whole event over and over. He kept seeing her face, shocked and upset, horrified maybe, at what he’d said. And the things he’d said to her were horrible things. She should be appalled at him. He was appalled at himself.

  The worst part was, he didn’t mean what he’d said. No, he’d never done relationships before, that was true. Not in the usual sense. But, he was starting to have feelings for her, and he was considering a real relationship for the first time. He’d hadn’t made up his mind, but even considering it was a huge step for him.

  Okay, so the baby thing had shaken him up. It came from out of nowhere and it wasn’t something on his mind at all. He wanted kids. Some day. Maybe his some day was getting closer now that he was in his late 30s. The more he thought about it, the stupider he felt. He was getting older. If he was going to have a family, he needed to be doing it soon. He didn’t have ten years to wait anymore.

  And having a family meant finding someone he could marry. Not just have an arrangement with, but actually love and be with. And the whole thing terrified him. This is why he’d never settled before. How could he promise someone that he’d be reliable, that he’d be there and not fail her? He didn’t think he had it in him. And that’s why Amelia seemed different. She made him feel like he could. Like he was a good man, and could do good things.

  When he woke, he was raw with fatigue and emotion. He got dressed and headed right for the guest house. He had to talk to her right away.

  He knocked on the door and waited. And waited. The car was there. But then he realized her car, her original beater that he’d been planning to sell for parts, was gone. His heart lurched and he reached in his pocket for the keys. He unlocked the door.r />
  “Amelia?” In case she was there, he didn’t want to startle her by just coming in.

  He went into the hall and called to her as he walked through the house. The baby items were gone. The painting supplies were gone. He went upstairs and found the bedroom empty, the bed made. She had gone.

  He sat on the bed for a moment, thinking. Well, she’d be at the office. He still knew where to find her. Why hadn’t he gotten her a cell phone or paid to turn hers back on? That was a stupid move. He should have made a way that he could get in contact with her.

  No, idiot. Because you didn’t want this, remember? He shook his head and went to get ready to go into the office.

  When he got there, he called down to Jacob. “Could you send Miss Foley to my office, please?”

  “I’m sorry sir, she called out sick today.”

  “She did? Did she happen to say where she was?”

  “No. I assume at home.”

  “Thank you.”

  He put the phone down and took to pacing his office. Where had she gone? Where could she be? He needed someone to track her down. His next call was to Craig. He explained what had happened and told his assistant to have someone find her, follow her, and contact him immediately when she was found.

  “Craig,” he said giving him a stark look. “Interrupt me no matter who I’m with, how important the meeting is, or what I’m doing.”

  “Will do.”

  “And I mean, if I’m in the bathroom, don’t wait. Knock and tell me you found her.”

  He nodded. “I will.”

  He trusted Craig and knew he’d get the best private investigators on this. But they could only do so much. If someone didn’t leave a trail, if they didn’t want to be found, it could be hard to find them. He didn’t have a lot of info on her. He was already tracking her expense account, but it hadn’t been used. Her file gave him the basics on her, but unless she went some place obvious, like her mothers, she would be hard to trace.

  She didn’t have credit cards or a checking account. She must not have had the money to get either, so she’d have cash. Probably not much of it, either, since she hadn’t been paid yet. Someone was already on route to her mother’s house, but it was several hours away.

  Working that day was difficult. His mind wandered and he called Craig several times to see if there was an update. There wasn’t, of course. Craig would have called him when there was something to tell.

  Craig came to his office later in the day. “I have an update, but it’s small.”

  Sebastian blew out a breath. “Where is she?”

  “We don’t know yet.”

  His clenched his jaw. “Then what’s the update?”

  “I have someone watching her mother’s house. But, I don’t think her mother lives there any longer. Her name is still on the lease, but we haven’t seen her and there’s a young man living there. Amelia doesn’t have any siblings, but we suspect he may be a relative.”

  “And Amelia hasn’t been there?”

  “No.”

  “Her car? No one has found it?”

  “Not yet. I have several people working on this. We’ll find her.”

  “Thanks, Craig.”

  “I understand how important she is to you.” He turned to leave, but stopped with his hand on the door. “Are you still going through with your plans for tonight?”

  He thought to his calendar for the day. “What plans?”

  “It’s Friday. Your birthday? You had planned an evening out. Would you like me to cancel for you?”

  He grabbed his phone and checked the date. His head had been so messed up, he thought it was Thursday. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, that’s fine. I’ll be there.” He could use a few stiff drinks anyhow.

  Later that evening, sitting at dinner with his family and a few friends, Sebastian stared into his fourth drink of the night. Craig had said he knew how important Amelia was to him. Why had it taken Sebastian so long to figure it out?

  “So, Sebastian,” his mother said. “You’re only two years away from the big four-oh now. Do you think I’ll get any grandbabies soon?”

  “You have grandchildren, Mother.”

  “Yes.” She sighed. “Thank God for your sister. But I’d like some little Sebastians as well. And I’d like to see you settled.”

  “I second that!” his sister said.

  “I third it!” his brother-in-law said.

  “There comes a point, son.” His father put his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “Where you have to realize you’re not going to live forever, and your money isn’t going to keep you warm at night.”

  “I know,” Sebastian said. “And I may have lost the first women I’ve ever considered having a future with.”

  His sister gasped.

  “Addison?” his mother asked.

  Sebastian had almost forgotten about the woman he currently had under contract as his “girlfriend.” He probably should have invited her tonight. He tried to keep in touch with his girlfriends at least once a week when he had one. It’d been a few weeks since he’d called or texted her, and it was in the contract that she shouldn’t contact him unless there was an emergency.

  “No,” Sebastian said. “This is… different.”

  Craig looked over at him and pressed his lips together. He didn’t say anything, but the look on his face said it all. Even his assistant had known he had feelings for Amelia. It was that obvious. So, why hadn’t he? Why wouldn’t he admit it?

  “But, I think I messed it up,” Sebastian said.

  “Well, you let us talk to her,” his sister said. “We’ll get her to come around.”

  “I hope you do get to talk to her someday.”

  When he got home that night, he lay on his huge, empty bed, the room spinning around him. In that moment, he made two decisions. The first was he needed to end his contract with Addison. Let her move on since he had no intention of needing her for public appearances any time soon. And the second. When he found Amelia, to make his feelings known, to get over whatever hang ups he had before, and to be the man she needed him to be. To be the father of her child, if that’s what she wanted.

  He fell asleep, picturing for the first time, himself and a wife and child, all together as a family.

  Amelia

  Amelia pulled into her mother’s driveway sometime after 3 a.m. She was exhausted. Worn out with emotion, with the long drive, and lack of sleep. Her eyes burned from crying. She didn’t want to wake her mother up, so she pulled a blanket from the bag of new baby items and covered herself, then reclined the seat as far as it would go and slept.

  She was awakened in the morning by her mother knocking on the car’s window. “Amelia? Honey?”

  She sat up and rubbed her sore eyes. She waved and climbed out of the car. “Hi Mom.”

  Her mother threw her arms around her in a tight hug. “What are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you anytime soon! It’s so good to see you.”

  “It’s been a long night.”

  “You look exhausted. Come on in and get a nice cup of tea.”

  She followed her mother inside and sat at the kitchen table, sipping hot tea. She caught her up on all that had been going on with her new job and especially with Sebastian.

  “I think maybe I should just come home after all,” Amelia said. “Maybe Sebastian was right about Jay. I thought staying close would let him be involved when the baby came, but I don’t think I want him to be. I don’t think he’s capable of being a father.”

  “Well, honey, you know you’re welcome here any time, for as long as you need. I’d love to have you and my grandchild live here with me. But you do whatever you think is best for you both. Maybe a bad father is better than no father at all?”

  Amelia knew she meant her own father. Amelia’s dad had left when she was little enough that she didn’t remember him. She’d had no father. Would it have been better if he had come in and out of her life, if he was unreliable and a mean jerk? Hard to
say, since not having a father was all she knew.

  “I don’t know, Mom.” She put her head in her hands and cried.

  “Why don’t you come and lay down for a little while?”

  “Okay.” She sniffled and wiped her nose. Her stomach ached with all that had happened. She should probably eat, but was afraid she’d throw it back up.

  She lay down on the sofa while her mother watched romance movies. She tried to fall asleep, but her emotions kept her up. Her mind whirred. What should she do? And then she’d think of Sebastian and how he’d been the last time she saw him. She would settle a little, almost fall asleep, then think of him again saying she was taking advantage of him, and start crying all over again.

  After a while, she finally gave up and sat up. “Maybe I should eat a little. I feel nauseous.”

  “I’ll get you something.” Her mother got up and went to the kitchen.

  Amelia went into the bathroom, and when she stood up, she saw blood. She screamed and her mother came running.

  Her mother took one look in the toilet and said, “Let’s get to the hospital.”

  Sebastian

  When Sebastian woke, he was shocked to see such bright light coming through his bedroom windows. He rolled over to look at the clock. It was almost noon. He never slept so late.

  He grabbed his phone, his heart racing for what might be there. But there were no messages or missed calls. Craig still hadn’t found anything? He sent him a text.

  “Any word?”

  “Nothing since what I told you yesterday. We haven’t been able to locate her mother’s house or her car.”

  Sebastian growled in frustration and threw down his phone. Then, he snatched it back up. “What’s the old address? Where you said someone else lives now?”

  Craig sent the address and Sebastian looked at his schedule for the day. He’d planned to work out and do some work, but that was about it. It would take over three hours to get to the address Amelia had used.