A Film Star, A Baby, And A Proposal

by CC MacKenzie

  Her eyes went to Matt and she read the fear and worry in his blue eyes, but he winked at her. "We need scissors and string."

  "In the bottom drawer of the dresser," Nico said, looking terribly pale.

  Eve found them and flew back to Matt who was focused on what was happening with the mother. "Okay, I can see the head, Bronte. It's got black hair."

  Bronte cried out and Nico held her hands and Eve saw his mouth move in silent prayer.

  "Little panting breaths, Bronte," Matt said, absolutely focused even as Bronte screamed in a way that made her big husband close his eyes tight and just hang on to her hands. "That's it and just let your body do its thing. Okay. The head's here."

  Eve pressed her fingers to her mouth as she witnessed the miracle of life. Bronte's baby slid gently into the world. For a breathless moment the baby was floppy and blue and then it took a big breath as a wave of pink washed over its tiny body and let out a strong wail. Matt dried the baby before wrapping it in a clean towel of thick cotton and handing it to a sobbing Bronte whose body was shivering in reaction.

  Tears were pouring down Nico Ferranti's pale face as he pressed his cheek to his wife's blonde head. "What is it?"

  Bronte opened the towel to check and started to laugh and cry all at the same time.

  "A girl. Omigod, look at her Nico, she's perfect."

  The sound of footsteps running up the stairs had Matt stand and he swayed at little with the adrenalin rush.

  Christ, he'd never been so terrified in his entire life.

  The door burst opened and two paramedics and a doctor entered.

  "I see we missed all the excitement, Bronte," said paramedic Susan Bradshaw dressed in a pea green romper suit.

  Under the watchful eye of the doctor, Nico cut the cord.

  The baby was five pounds four ounces. She had ten fingers and ten toes, jet black hair and a very healthy pair of lungs.

  After an hour the decision was made to leave mother and baby where they were with a nurse in attendance until the following day.

  The baby had rooted to Bronte's breast sucking on the nipple like a pro.

  Watching mother and child brought a hot lump to Eve's throat.

  Matt threw his arm around her shoulder and let her have her little cry.

  Nico wrapped his arms around both of them his dark eyes filled to the brim with emotion.

  "Grazie, grazie. I will never be able to thank you enough, both of you, for what you did for us this night. Never."

  Rosie walked in carrying a beautiful toddler. A little girl with platinum blonde hair and big dark eyes. She was whispering in her ear, "Mummy's had the baby. You must be very quiet."

  And Alexander entered holding a little boy who had curls as dark as Nico with huge green eyes. As soon as he saw him his arms reached for his daddy. Nico took his son to meet his brand new baby sister.

  After inspecting his new niece Alexander wandered over to Matt and Eve.

  "Hey, the man of the hour," he said and punched Matt on the shoulder. "I bet you could do with a stiff drink."

  Matt grinned. "I wouldn't say no to a whisky."

  Eve touched his arm. "Shouldn't we be getting back and leaving them to enjoy the moment?"

  "Roads are blocked," Alexander told them. "There's plenty of room here. Rosie's been making sure the beds are warm."

  Matt gave her a hot kiss on the mouth. "Seems we're staying the night."

  "You are la mia famiglia," said Nico from his position in the big bed cuddling his son. "That means you are my family. My home is your home."

  "Dontcha think he sounds like Don Corleone?" said Matt as they left Nico and Bronte and their children and all trooped down the stairs.

  Alexander led the way into a huge kitchen and living space made of oak and glass.

  "Sit. He does sound like the Godfather at times." He poured two fingers of the golden water of life and handed a glass to Matt. "Cheers."

  Rosie was in the process of making hot chocolate.

  And when she handed Eve a steaming cup, she gave her a wide grin.

  "Cheers. I hope to God my child doesn't create a drama when it enters the world."

  They clinked cups.

  "Me too," said Eve.

  Rosie took a careful sip, brown eyes studying Eve over the rim of her mug. "So, how did you and Matt meet?"

  The woman was incorrigible. She had to give Rosie her due, she'd been absolutely calm in a crisis by taking control of the twins and keeping plenty of cups of tea flowing for the unexpected guests.

  Eve wasn't sure she wanted to exchange confidences, but the ice had been well and truly broken by the birth of the baby and Rosie was looking at her with big eyes filled with a mischief that made her laugh.

  "He was filming an advertisement for a luxury car company in Japan and I was booked as his car date in the ad. We had dinner and the rest is history."

  "He's crazy about you," Rosie said watching Matt and Alexander chatting on the couch.

  When she didn't receive a response, Rosie stood.

  "Let me show you the twin's bedroom. It's awesome."

  She led the way through the house and up the stairs.

  Eve gasped as she entered a child's paradise. One bed was in the shape of Cinderella's coach and another was in the shape of a rocket. "Isn't this fabulous? I love the wall mural." And Eve knew she would give anything for her child to have such a loving family and stable home.

  Feeling terribly tired, Eve sank to the edge of the step leading to Cinderella's coach.

  "Are you okay?" Rosie sat beside her.

  "My life is a mess," Eve admitted and picked up a well-loved ragdoll from Sophia's bed, smoothed its bright red dress.

  Rosie gave her a shoulder nudge. "I'm a good listener."

  "This pregnancy was unplanned. Matt only found out yesterday."

  "He seems to be taking it pretty well."

  "He is. Matt's a wonderful man..."

  "I hear a but..."

  "Look at him, Rosie. He's sex on legs. Women adore him. You can't keep your eyes off him."

  Rosie had the grace to blush. "Actually most of that was to wind up Alexander. Sorry if it bugged you."

  "I suppose I'll need to get used to it," Eve admitted. Then she frowned. "Why do you call Matt, Dick?"

  Rosie gave her wide eyes. "Didn't he tell you?" At Eve's head shake, she sighed. "Honestly, men. He's staying at the Hall under the name of Dick Champion." None the wiser, Eve simply stared and had Rosie grin before she continued, "Because he rises in the morning. Boom boom."

  "That's just typical of his puerile little brain."

  "I thought it was funny," Rosie muttered under her breath.

  Eve grinned at the girl's downcast face and decided that actually she liked Rosie Ludlow a lot.

  After an endless moment, she took a breath trying to unmuddle her mind. "He wants to marry me because I'm pregnant."

  "And you said?"

  "No."

  Rosie's dark eyes went like saucers. "You don't love him?"

  "It's because I love him that I can't do it. He says he loves me but..." She took a shaky breath. "He walked away from me once before. He wants to marry me because he wants to do the right thing."

  "Are you sure about that?"

  "Certain. It took me six weeks to track him down. He ignored my messages and my calls."

  Rosie sighed. "It sounds to me as if he wants a chance to put it right."

  "I can't trust him." And right there was the nub of the matter.

  "Maybe you should both take it one step at a time and not rush into anything. I know the tabloids are stupid at times, but Alexander's always said Matt's one of the good guys."

  "Alexander absolutely adores you." Eve didn't attempt to hide the longing from her voice. Was it so very bad of her to want the unconditional love she saw between Nico and Bronte and Rosie and Alexander?

  "The way we got together was full of drama and angst," admitted Rosie. "Whoever said love is easy is a big fa
t liar."

  "Too true," Eve agreed, her eyes found Rosie's and she read a sympathy and understanding that had her open her heart. "The thing is I don't want to be in love with a film-star. The odds against a relationship working in that industry are too low. I'd need to be insane to even consider it."

  Now Rosie's brows met. "Are you in love with the actor or the man?"

  "What's the difference?"

  "Plenty. Nico knows Matt the man and Nico Ferranti's friends are good and kind and supportive. Let's look at it another way. How much does he mean to you?"

  Eve shut her eyes. "Everything."

  "So if you walk away and he meets someone else it's going to hurt. Why not give it a chance? You never know, it might last."

  "He wants me to go to New Zealand with him."

  "Then I can safely say he adores you."

  With a heavy heart Eve remembered her father. Could she bear coming face to face with the man who'd rejected his own child? A man who would be the grandfather to her baby? Then she realised that she'd permitted her feelings towards a man who was not worthy of the name to impact her feelings towards Matt. And that wasn't being fair to Matt, was it?

  "But..."

  "There's always the possibility," Rosie said. "Unlikely though it is, that his next two or three films are an epic fail. He could become a TV soap actor or one of those game show hosts on daytime TV."

  Eve couldn't help but laugh and knew that she shouldn't let the disappointment she felt in her father impact the feelings she had for a man who'd just shown her how brave he was by stepping forward to help to bring Bronte's baby into the world. And she knew with every beat of her heart that he'd never ever abandon her or their baby.

  "God, I feel such a fool."

  "You're pregnant. Madly in love. And terrified. Any one of which is enough to scramble a woman's brain cells. You've got all three. Cut yourself a break, Eve. Give him a chance."

  Matt and Alexander stared at the baby monitor in the kitchen.

  Matt looked like a man who'd had all his birthdays come at once.

  "Jesus Christ, she loves me," he said in a voice filled with shock and awe.

  "I take it this is news to you?"

  "Hell yeah, it's news. She never told me."

  "Then if you want my advice try to pretend you didn't hear that. Let her tell you in her own time."

  "I asked her to marry me and she said no."

  "Even more reason to forget you heard her."

  The hurt that had been a relentless ache in Matt's chest eased.

  He took a huge breath and let hurt go.

  Alexander was watching him carefully. "I don't want to rain on your parade, pal. But she still hasn't said yes."

  "She will," Matt said with determination. At Alexander's bland look he laughed, ran a shaky hand through his hair. Something like relief and joy filled his heart. However, he knew that Alexander was right. Listening into a very private conversation between Eve and Rosie fell into the same camp as him reading Eve's journal. And look how upset she'd been over that little slip. The love of his life would not be pleased to discover he'd heard every single word. Now he just needed to work out how to get Eve to confess her feelings for him.

  He caught Alexander's eye. "Can I just say that I love and adore your wife?"

  Alexander grinned and raised his glass. "She's something else isn't she?"

  Chapter Sixteen

  "We go out for dinner and end up delivering a baby."

  The following day Eve sank onto a couch in their suite, rested her weary head on the back and closed her eyes.

  "Can't say life's dull around here." Matt eyed her carefully, she hadn't slept well at The Dower House. He knew because he hadn't slept well himself. The adrenaline rush of helping Bronte bring her baby daughter into the world was still buzzing through his system. And Eve had become a little bit withdrawn this morning. Nothing he could put his finger on, but something had either upset her or scared her. "You look tired, love. Do you want to have a nap?"

  She opened her eyes and met his. "I was thinking more along the lines of a nice long bath and then a little bit of shopping. I wasn't planning on staying here for Christmas day. I haven't bought you anything."

  So she'd been worrying about buying him a gift?

  Relief made him grin like a fool. "You wanna buy me a present?"

  "What would you like?"

  "Surprise me."

  The streets of the market town of Ludlow were teeming with people.

  The majority of them carrying bulging shopping bags. Both sides of the quaint main street were lined with shops, all with their windows crowded with festive displays. Old Ludlow was one of the few towns in the country that had bucked the trend during the worse recession in living memory. And Eve loved it.

  "Right," she said turning to Matt who was holding her hand. "Enjoy your day, I can do this part alone."

  She tugged but he held her hand firm in his. "I'll go with you."

  The time had come, Eve decided, to make a stand.

  "No. Or it won't be a surprise on Christmas morning," she said discouragingly. "I won't be able to browse with you peering over my shoulder."

  "I promise I won't look," he told her as he began to weave through the crowds down Main Street, her hand firmly held in his.

  She swallowed a frustrated laugh and then decided to go with the flow. "I want to start in here," Eve said stopping at an upmarket store.

  By the time she was laden with an eclectic assortment of gifts for the guy who had everything, Matt looked like a man who'd been hit with a truck. So Eve made up her mind to stop at as many shops as she possibly could.

  "Why don't you put these in the car," she said, determined to get rid of him, and thrust the bags into his arms. "No peeking."

  Blue eyes danced into hers. "They're all beautifully wrapped. The assistant wouldn't let me peek. I'm a big strong guy, I can carry more."

  Eve had to admit she'd had the best time. Matt made her laugh, an appealing quality in any man and while browsing through the stores she'd fallen a little bit more in love with him. Most men she knew detested shopping. For a man she'd nailed as a loner, he was great company. He'd done a fair bit of shopping himself and she wondered now what he'd bought for her. She suspected a super soft cashmere sweater she'd been admiring had found its way into his haul.

  "I hope you're not buying me clothes, Matt. I have a particular taste."

  He stopped dead in the middle of the street kissed her right on the mouth.

  "Not telling. Are you up for a coffee break or are you on a roll?"

  "A coffee break would be great."

  Taking her hand he pulled her into a nearby coffee house and settled her into a plump leather chair. After dumping their bags in another chair he went off in search of a waiter. Eve watched him chat to a server and point to her. When he joined her and stripped off his coat and hat he was careful to keep his back to the room.

  She grinned. "Do you seriously think anyone's going to recognise you with all that scruff on your face and the long hair?"

  "A person can't be too careful," he said and shifted the chair so it was next to hers and he could touch her. "Feeling okay?"

  "Matt," she said exasperated. "I'm pregnant not sick."

  "I know, but you've been very quiet since last night. It was all pretty dramatic. Has it made you scared?"

  She blinked, knowing full well she'd need to tell Matt about her father and why she was finding it hard if not impossible to go to New Zealand with him. And she knew he'd put up a fight. His face when he handed Bronte the baby last night had been full of wonder.

  Eve recognised the possessive glint in his eyes when he'd looked at her now. The baby she carried was very real to him and he desperately wanted to be a good father.

  For the first time something more powerful than panic about meeting her father overwhelmed her. Guilt. How was she going to reconcile keeping Matt from their child with wanting to do the right thing? Preventing him from
seeing their child for a whole year would be a bitter blow to a man who appeared to relish the idea of fatherhood.

  "I think every woman is nervous of giving birth," she said and then admitted, "I have a lot on my mind."

  Blue, blue eyes held hers and she read something that looked like understanding and compassion for her. And right there she knew she couldn't put off telling him how she felt. She opened her mouth to speak when the waiter arrived to take their order.

  Once their drinks were served, she tried again.

  "Matt, I haven't told you about my father."

  Blue eyes stayed on hers as he leaned forward and took her hand.

  "I'm sorry if it upsets you to talk about it, Eve. I don't want to see you sad."

  "He met my mother, they had a brief affair, she got pregnant, had me." His thumb kept rubbing the back of her hand. "She never really spoke about him except to say they'd never married. When I was seven he was supposed to come to collect me and take me to his home for a visit. But he cancelled. For hours I sat on the step with my suitcase just waiting and hoping that he'd come. I'll never forget that feeling of being tossed aside. And my mother refused to let him break my heart again. He had all sorts of excuses about his career, his big chance..." She tailed off.

  "What does he do?"

  Her eyes stayed glued to his.

  "He's an actor."

  Blink, blink.

  His brows rose. "Who?"

  She took a deep breath and her teeth worried her bottom lip.

  "Rupert Gillier."

  Whoa.

  Matt knew his jaw was on the floor.

  What. The. Fuck?

  Gillier was Eve's father? His unborn child's grandfather? A man who'd turned his back on his own daughter? Like a huge jigsaw puzzle everything fell into place for Matt. The no strings rule. The fact she didn't see Matt as father material. Holy God. She was bound to compare him to her father. He could see it in those gorgeous whisky coloured eyes. Regret. And he knew, he just knew that there was no way in hell she was coming to New Zealand with him. The thought of not seeing her belly grow large with their child of not holding his newborn baby in his arms had something break in Matt.

  He'd heard of heartache but never realised how much it physically hurt.