Colliding With You

by Kelli McCracken

  Before she could get lost in the memories of their lovemaking, the lighting on the screen changed, and a new webpage popped up. She scanned her medical profile, looking for the section for test results. A link on the sidebar took her to the right spot. Dozens of dates populated the screen, the most recent of them on the top.

  As her finger hovered over the link, she said a silent prayer, hoping that whatever the results showed, everything would work out. If Jesse were crazy enough about her to ask her to move in, would he be just as thrilled to become a father?

  Tapping the screen once more, the website changed again. Cori read over the paragraphs of text, looking for the answer she was dying to know. By the time she was halfway through, she found what she was looking for . . . And her heart dropped.

  “Positive,” she whispered.

  The reality of what it meant hit her. She held her breath, trying to wrap her brain around what she’d just read. No matter how many times she studied the sentence, it didn’t change. The truth stared her in the face.

  She was pregnant with Jesse’s baby.

  There was no need to keep checking for her period each time she went to the bathroom. Guess part of her was expecting this. The first day she missed it caused her anxiety to kick in. The second day, she was on edge. By the time she made it to the doctor earlier, she was a week late.

  At least now she had a definite answer. Still, it wasn’t easy to accept the truth. She was going to be a mother. It was something she always wanted to be, just not this soon. Life wasn’t working out the way she’d planned. Everything was a mess.

  While she knew she’d be able to graduate, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to finish her dance course. How could she jump and twist and twirl around with a child growing inside her? That didn’t include the infamous morning sickness she’d most likely get. Cassie had a severe case of it.

  What would her sister think of her pregnancy? Would she be understanding and accepting? Would she be supportive if things didn’t work out with Jesse?

  Yeah, Jesse . . . He was the greatest hurdle to overcome. His reaction to the news would be the deciding factor on a lot of things. If he accepted it, things would stay the same for the most part. She may not be opening a studio right away, but at least she could find a job teaching. It wasn’t the dream she worked hard to achieve, but this wasn’t about her anymore. This was about her son or daughter.

  She lowered her hand to her abdomen and cupped it. If Jesse didn’t accept the baby, things would be much more difficult. The thought alone had her stomach twisting.

  I’m crazy about you, Cori. You’re the reason I bought this house.

  Would the man who said those words to her actually disown his own child? She didn’t think so, but then, Jesse’s life was about to change. There was still the fact that Southern Scandal had made it onto the top charts. More stations would be playing their song, which meant more people would hear them, love them, and become fans. Their success would come, but at a price.

  Did he really want to deal with a child in the middle of it? Cori already worried he’d get tired of her once he became famous. It was one of the many reasons she prayed she wasn’t pregnant. It wasn’t fair to bring a baby into this situation. Children deserved to be loved and wanted by both parents.

  At least it would feel the love of one for sure. Regardless if Jesse were happy or not, Cori would take care of their child. She would give their baby more love and affection than it could handle. It would know without a doubt that it had been wanted.

  Jesse flinched behind her. The sudden movement had her shutting off her phone and sliding it underneath her pillow. She hoped she hadn’t woke him. She suspected she was right when he flexed his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

  When the warmth of his body enveloped her, she let it soothe her senses and help her relax. Once she did, he stopped moving. He kept her in a tight embrace, but his deep breaths had returned.

  As she enjoyed the feel of his arms and the warmth of his naked body, she thought about their time together. It all started with her sister’s wedding rehearsal. Then his screw-up with her dad led him to not only chase off her client in Miami but to also offer her a job. That job brought them closer, made her see a different side of him, and fall for the guy he was. She couldn’t be wrong about someone she knew since she was a kid. Jesse wouldn’t abandon her or their baby.

  Come tomorrow morning, she would tell him the news.

  Chapter 23

  It wasn’t the birds chirping outside the window that woke Cori from a deep sleep. It was Jesse’s phone. By the sound of his ringtone, it was his personal line, not the one he used for band business. She was about to turn over and tell him to answer it when she noticed he wasn’t behind her. The heat of his body was gone.

  A second later, he was moving about the room. She didn’t budge when she heard him grab his phone off the nightstand and answer it. He kept his voice to a whisper, apparently because he thought she was still asleep.

  “Hey, Allen. What’s up?”

  Footsteps signaled his movement again. When she heard the bedroom door creak, his voice faded to a low sound she struggled to make out. She didn’t like eavesdropping on his calls. Had he not walked out the door, she would have told him she was awake. Instead, she lay there, suffering from the knot in her stomach. Today was the day. As soon as he was off the phone and they had breakfast, she would tell him the news about her pregnancy.

  As hard as she tried to ignore Jesse’s conversation, she couldn’t help but overhear her name.

  “Yeah, she’s here. Why?”

  Her curiosity got the best of her. Why would Allen want to know if she were there? Had Jesse told him his plan to ask her to move in?

  “No, dude, she’s asleep. We were up late. I’m in the hallway . . . Yeah. You’re real cute. Now tell me what’s up.”

  The longer he talked, the more she could hear the frustration in his voice. Whatever Allen was saying to him made him irritated. Perhaps Allen was giving him shit about moving her in so soon. They’d only been involved since December. Now it was the beginning of February. If anyone was shocked at how quickly it happened, it was Cori.

  “Whoa, what did you just say?”

  Listening as close as she could, she ignored the way the knot in her stomach was growing. Was she having morning sickness already or were her nerves affecting her because of Jesse’s conversation? Both seemed plausible.

  “You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Jesse grumbled the words then sighed loudly. “How did you find out . . . ? Who else is involved?”

  Cori’s mind was in overdrive. She assumed they were talking about her. Now she wasn’t sure. Whoever it was, it sounded as if they had a secret, one that had been revealed. The only secret she had was—

  “Hell no. I don’t care what she says. She might be pregnant, but I’m not the father.”

  Heat engulfed Cori. Her face burned with embarrassment as much as it did from the confusion. There was no way he could know she was pregnant. The only person who knew of the possibility was Mariah, and that’s because she’d taken Cori to her doctor’s appointment yesterday morning.

  Her best friend still didn’t know she’d gotten her results. After texting her last night to let her know she was staying over with Jesse, her friend didn’t even bring up the subject. Maybe she assumed Cori was staying the night because her results were negative, or her results were positive and she told Jesse the truth. That’s precisely what Mariah wanted her to do.

  “Dude, she can make claims all day. I swear on my life, that kid isn’t mine . . . Yeah, well, tell me about. She’s trying to fuck up my life. It isn’t going to work . . . Seriously? Bro, that’s not cool. I don’t have time for this shit . . . Yeah, I’ll put it off until this evening. I gotta go take care of something . . . Okay, we’ll talk then. Later, man.”

  The reality of what she heard shook Cori to her core. If Jesse didn’t know she was pregnant, it could only mean one thing. He’d g
otten someone else pregnant.

  She was too shocked to speak and too angry to cry when he came back in the room. All she could do was close her eyes. He couldn’t know that she heard everything he said or the fact that he’d just found out he was a father.

  As if the thought of being a young mother wasn’t hard enough, now she had this to face. She’d just found the courage to do the right thing and tell him about the baby. How could she after what she just learned? Another child was involved. That alone would affect their relationship. She couldn’t make him feel responsible for two children.

  After hearing him deny his responsibility, she knew she couldn’t talk to him about their child. It was all the proof she needed to realize her fear was legit. Jesse didn’t want to be a father.

  He moved about the room again, but she didn’t bother to see what he was doing. A few minutes later, she heard paper tearing and what sounded like a pen moving across a sheet of paper.

  The bed jostled as if he’d put something on it. His footsteps sounded again. This time, when he walked out the door, Cori heard him descending the steps. The front door opened and closed. She questioned whether he’d left, but once she heard a car door shut and the engine rev to life, she knew he was leaving.

  By the time she heard him pull out of the driveway, she sat up and looked over the bed. She saw a piece of paper lying underneath his phone, the one he used for business. As she pulled the paper closer, she read over the note he’d left her.

  Cori,

  Something came up and I have to change our plans this morning. I’m sorry. This is important. I left my other phone here. Will you please answer it if someone calls? Not sure how long I’ll be, so just take a message. Talk to you later.

  J

  She stared at the letter in disbelief. How could she be his assistant after what transpired? He’d probably fire her anyway, once he confronted her about the pregnancy. The best thing she could do was leave.

  Grabbing her phone from under her pillow, she scrolled through her texts, finding the one she’d sent Mariah the night before. Her hands shook as she tried to type out a message.

  Hey. Are you awake?

  Pressing the send button, she waited a moment to see if her best friend would answer. Right on cue, a reply came through.

  Yes. What’s up?

  I need you to come get me.

  It took Mariah longer to respond this time. Knowing her friend, she was probably in the bathroom or making a cup of coffee. Whichever the case, she finally replied.

  Aren’t you at Jesse’s?

  Yes, but . . . It’s too long of a story to tell you right now. Just get over here. I’ll explain everything after you arrive. Please hurry, Mariah.

  Be there soon.

  Cori placed her phone on the bed and glanced around the room. Her heart ached as she thought about her future. After last night, she thought she would be living in this beautiful home with Jesse. She couldn’t wait to get her things from the dorm today, just like he promised they would. Now he was off somewhere doing something more important. Maybe he went to see the other woman he’d gotten pregnant. She should have known this wouldn’t work out.

  This house would have been the perfect place to raise a child. Now she’d be doing it by herself, somewhere far away from Savannah. As soon as she graduated, she’d leave this place. Jesse would never have to worry about her again.

  Swiping the tears on her cheeks, she tossed back the covers and slid to the edge of the bed so she could stand. She found her clothes from the night before still lying on the floor where Jesse undressed her. As she put on her bra, she thought about everything that happened beyond that point. It made her chest heave with sobs.

  Working her pants up her legs, she fastened them before slipping on her shirt. She fought to keep from crying. It wasn’t an easy feat when everywhere she looked a memory popped into her mind. Last night had been too perfect.

  She slid on her shoes then made her way to the bathroom. Jesse shouldn’t have gone to the trouble of making sure she had a hairbrush, a toothbrush, or any of the other items he bought her. After today, she wouldn’t have any use for it. She would never be in this house again.

  The brush glided through her hair with ease. It didn’t take long to remove the tangles or twirl most of it up and secure it with a clip. A little deodorant, a quick brush of her teeth, and she was ready to go.

  All she needed now was for Mariah to get there.

  Making her way back to the bedroom, she found her purse near the nightstand and shoved her phone inside. She didn’t bother making the bed. She wasn’t Jesse’s servant, and after today, she’d no longer be his assistant either. He could take care of everything himself.

  Before she could make it two steps past the bed, his phone rang. She pivoted toward the sound and stared at the comforter. On the second ring, she debated on answering the call like Jesse had asked. She didn’t owe it to him, but the one thing he wouldn’t be able to say is that she let him down. Quite the opposite.

  Grabbing the phone, she tapped the screen and placed it to her ear. “You’ve reached Jesse Woods’s phone. This is Cori. How can I help you?”

  “This is Maggie Dubois. Where’s Jesse? I want to talk to him.”

  Great. The last thing Cori wanted was to deal with Jesse’s ex. She hadn’t forgotten the awful things Maggie said to her in Nashville. Jesse swore she was wrong about him, but after everything Cori heard him say, she wasn’t sure about anything.

  “I’m sorry, but Jesse isn’t here right now. Can I—”

  “Quit covering for him, bitch! I know he’s there.”

  Fire coursed through Cori. She would not catch shit from this woman, no matter who she was. “Cuss me again and I will hang up this phone so fast—”

  “Shut the fuck up. I need to speak to Jesse. Put him on the phone. Now!”

  True to her word, she pressed the end call and tossed the phone onto the bed. It rang again a moment later, but instead of answering it, Cori picked it up and carried it to the closet. She shoved it into one of Jesse’s flannels and then closed the door. No way in hell was she dealing with that crazy woman today. If Maggie wanted Jesse, she could have him. He was still available, and though she couldn’t speak for the other woman he’d knocked up, after today, he wouldn’t have anything holding him back on her end.

  She and the baby would vanish from his life forever.

  Jesse shut the door to his car and walked up the driveway toward the Clarkes’ house. He hadn’t set foot on their property since the day he messed up Cori’s life. If Cassie hadn’t texted him first thing this morning insisting he come over, he wouldn’t be there now. It wasn’t just her request that had him dropping all his plans today. It was the fact that she and Cori’s father wanted to see him.

  As if the odd request hadn’t messed up his morning, so had the phone call he received from Allen. He wasn’t sure why his friend was so full of himself today or why he felt the need to fuck with him. But that was an issue he’d deal with later.

  Once he reached the front door, he was about to knock when it opened instead. Cassie stood before him, the worried expression on her face evident. One hand rested on her round belly, the other motioned him inside.

  “Thanks for coming. I’m sorry for waking you.”

  “It’s all right. I got here as fast I could. Where’s your dad?”

  Cassie tilted her head toward the back of the house. “He’s in the den with Theo. Come on back.”

  Jesse followed Cassie through the house until they reached the den. Mr. Clarke and Theo were sitting in chairs adjacent to each other talking about Southern Scandal’s hit song. The instant he saw Jesse, he stood.

  “My daughter swore you were an honorable guy who would accept my request. Thank you. I appreciate you lending me a moment of your time.”

  “It was an odd request, but I thought it was necessary I show up. I have a feeling it has something to do with your other daughter.”

  Mr. Clarke presse
d his mouth tighter and looked away. “I know you’ve been taking care of Cori. It’s commendable, but are you doing it for the right reasons? Does my daughter mean something to you?”

  Jesse’s jaw flinched. “You have no idea.”

  For someone who was so pissed off at his own flesh and blood to strip them of all financial support, Mr. Clarke didn’t have room to judge anyone. He had no clue what Jesse’s relationship with his daughter entailed.

  Mr. Clarke studied him for a brief period and then walked toward the window. He rubbed his face and stretched his neck, just small signs of the stress consuming him. There was something definitely off about his behavior.

  “Being without my children this Christmas was one of the hardest things I’ve been through. I didn’t like it. At the same time, it opened my eyes to my behavior. I know it’s hard for Cori to understand why I reacted the way I did, so I think it’s time to explain my reasoning.”

  Jesse sat in the chair beside the one Mr. Clarke had occupied when he arrived. “Why are you telling me? Cori should hear this from you.”

  He peered at Jesse over his shoulder. “Do you honestly think my daughter would come to see me?”

  No. She wouldn’t. There was no doubt in Jesse’s mind. Perhaps she would have if he’d called right after the argument. Instead, he’d waited months. All it did was convince Cori that he’d given up. She told Jesse as much a few days ago.

  His silence was enough of an answer for Mr. Clarke. The older man glanced at Cassie as she sat on the sofa and then turned back to the window. “My baby sister, Cordae, was Cori’s namesake. She was also a dancer. Cori reminds me of her, especially when she’s up on stage performing. They both have this light about them, like a halo, and they shine brighter than anyone else.”

  There was no disagreement on Jesse’s end. He would never forget the first time he saw Cori perform at the school talent show. He recognized that same light her father spoke of. It was the reason he wrote the song, the same one that was gaining them popularity. But why would Mr. Clarke want Cori to stop something that brought out her inner beauty?