A Pregnancy, a Party & a Proposal

by Teresa Carpenter

  “So it is him.” Ray released her, his intent clear.

  She grabbed his arm before he took two steps. “If you interrupt them I’m leaving.”

  He froze. “You said you’d behave.”

  “How I behave won’t matter if I’m gone.”

  Taking her hand, he drew her to the edge of the dance floor. “I just want to talk to him. I’ll only be a minute.” He turned toward his quarry.

  “I won’t stop until I’m back in Hollywood,” she warned him.

  He pivoted in his Italian leather shoes to face her. “You wouldn’t?”

  She crossed her arms and pinned him with a glare.

  “That’s just mean.”

  “You have no idea.” Her fingers bit into the fabric of his jacket as she pulled him further away from the dancing. “This is your grandmother’s birthday party. I’m not going to let you embarrass her in front of her friends.”

  “You mean her man friend.” He scowled.

  “Him most of all.” Aware of the hard muscle under her fingers, she dropped her hand.

  Turmoil roiled inside him. She felt the surge of emotion as much as she saw it storm across his features.

  “Just because I sense a connection it doesn’t mean anything will come of it. It’s up to them to act on it. Or not. But if you interfere you’d better believe I will be on the next plane out of here.”

  For just a second panic flared in his blue eyes. “You wouldn’t really leave me alone with these people?”

  She blinked at him, totally unprepared for his reaction even though it confirmed her earlier revelation. The flash of vulnerability exposed how difficult this trip was for him.

  She took his hand. “Ray, these people are your family, your friends. They all care about you.”

  His face shuttered. “They like to claim they know me.” He glanced around. “But none of them really does. They care because I’m famous and because of Mamó.”

  “They could hate you for the same reasons, but they don’t.”

  She debated for a moment about her next move. Her confession might freak him out more than reassure him. She straightened her shoulders and went for it.

  “Listen, the same vibe that allows me to see a connection between a couple also lets me pick up on high-level emotions. And the overall feeling in this room is positive—to the point it overwhelms everything else.”

  He stared at her for a moment, then cupped her cheek and drew her to him for a brief kiss.

  “What you’re feeling is for Mamó,” he said.

  “Yes,” she agreed. “But I haven’t noticed any malice or envy around you. And I think I would.” She laid her head on his chest, felt the steady beat of his heart. “Just because they don’t know all your secrets it doesn’t mean they don’t care.”

  And, oh, how she wished the sentiment didn’t strike so close to home.

  “Ray...Lauren.” Kyla joined them. “Look who I have. This is Lulu, my goddaughter—isn’t she beautiful?”

  Lauren pulled back, but Ray kept his arm around her waist. She focused on the baby in Kyla’s arms.

  She held a tiny little girl with dark button eyes, pink bow lips, and short dark curls. Lulu couldn’t be more than five months old and she melted Lauren’s heart.

  Her throat closed up at the thought she’d soon hold a baby of her own.

  “Oh, my goodness. She’s so sweet.” She itched to hold the baby, but Ray beat her to it.

  “She’s a heartbreaker.” He plucked the infant from his cousin. “Aren’t you, my beauty?” He held her with confidence and ease, his comfort in handling the child obvious.

  Lulu grinned, her bow mouth a perfect O, flashing toothless gums and innocent joy.

  “Ah...”

  Lauren and Kyla echoed each other, which caused them to laugh.

  “She likes you.” Lauren ran her finger over the petal-soft skin of the baby’s hand. Lulu promptly wrapped her fingers around Lauren’s digit.

  Kyla snorted. “All women love him. Not even a five-month-old is immune to his charm.” She held up a camera. “Her mama wants a picture.” She stood back and clicked a shot of Lauren, Ray, and Lulu. “Thanks.”

  “What about Mama?” Ray asked. “We should get one with her, too.”

  Kyla beamed. “She would totally love that. I told her you’d go for it— Oh, my lord, no! Those little stinkers are going for the cake. Be right back.” She took off at a trot, a fierce glint in her eyes.

  “Oops.” Ray’s gaze followed his cousin’s retreat. “Wouldn’t want to be one of those boys.”

  “No.”

  Lauren couldn’t take her eyes off Ray. Watching him with the little girl had charmed her more than she would have believed. He was so natural with the child. Actually, it surprised her. She would have expected just the opposite.

  “You’re very good with her.”

  “I’m into kids,” he confessed. “I’m godfather to my assistant’s one-year-old boy. I love when he brings him to the house. We play catch.”

  “Catch with a one-year-old?”

  “Okay, you got me.” He grinned. “We play chase the ball. But it’s fun.”

  Lulu waved her arms and yammered a mouthful of noises. Ray bounced her in his arms.

  “Don’t worry, sweetness, we haven’t forgotten you. Do you want to hold her?”

  Lauren nodded and he passed the child to her. She gathered the tiny girl into her arms. How light she felt, yet warm and cuddly. “Well, hello, Lulu.”

  She received a big grin just like Ray had got. The precious moment lifted her spirits. She held a miracle in her arms. And soon she’d hold her own miracle.

  Lulu waved her plump arms and latched onto Lauren’s hoop earring. “Oh. Ouch!”

  “I’ve got it.” Ray gently held Lulu’s arm and worked her fingers free of the gold hoop. His eyes were laughing as he looked down at Lauren. “For someone so small, she’s got a good grip.”

  “She’s perfect.” Lauren bounced her gently. “But we really should find her mother and return her.”

  “Just one dance first.” Ray wrapped his arms around her waist, swung the three of them onto the dance floor, and set up a mellow sway.

  “You really need to learn to wait for an answer,” she chided him. But her reprimand lacked heat. “I think she’s tired. Her eyes are closing.”

  “Oh, yeah, she’ll be out soon.” His unreadable gaze lingered on her and the child. “You look good with a baby in your arms.”

  “Hmm?” She stalled, her mind flashing to his child in her womb.

  It took all her concentration not to miss a step. She’d envisioned a life with just her child and her—based on his single jet-set lifestyle she’d figured he wouldn’t want a child in his life. Certainly not disrupting his home. Seeing him with Lulu had put those notions into question.

  “You looked pretty good yourself. Surprised me, really.”

  “They’re just little people.”

  Not really...

  “So, you plan to have a few kids of your own someday?” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

  His body tensed and he didn’t respond right away, his gaze focused over her left shoulder. “Maybe,” he finally allowed. “Never say never, right?”

  Breath rushed back into her lungs. What kind of non-answer was that?

  “I want kids,” she shared, watching for a reaction. “At least two...maybe three.”

  He zeroed in on her, heat flaring in his pale eyes, moving over her face and then over the child in her arms. Her body reacted to him, warming under his regard. He lowered his head and she angled hers, anticipating a kiss.

  “She’s asleep,” he whispered.

  “Asleep?”

  Lauren blinked. In the space
of those two seconds her mind had shut off and her body had taken over. It took a moment for her brain synapses to start firing again.

  “The baby. Oh, right.”

  “We should get her back to her mother.”

  “Yes. You definitely owe her a picture for taking her child hostage.”

  “I’m putting the blame for that right where it belongs.” He directed her through the other dancers with a hand at the small of her back. “Squarely on Kyla’s shoulders.”

  Lauren shook her head. “Is anything ever your fault?”

  “Rarely.”

  “Ha!” Of course not. “Why do you say that?”

  “Mostly because I don’t play the blame game. It’s not constructive. I plan and I fix. I provide good directions, and when something goes wrong I come up with a new plan. It’s pretty close to the way I’ve seen you run your events company.”

  It was exactly the way she and Tori ran By Arrangement.

  “I’m always excited when an event comes together without a hitch. But I confess it’s exhilarating when we pull off an event that’s been problematic.”

  “Right. It’s more about the process than the end result.”

  “Exactly.”

  Listening to him made her realize how alike their careers were. He created movies and she created events. His were caught on tape and hers were more in the moment, but they both required careful direction and the ability to adjust. “That’s what I enjoy most about being an event coordinator—it’s an organic experience.”

  “You’ve discovered my secret. Now I’ll have to kill you.” He waved at Kyla, who stood beside a larger version of Lulu. “Or marry you.”

  “What—? Huh?” She clutched the baby so hard she woke up and squealed. “Shh, baby. I’m sorry.” She glared at Ray. “That wasn’t funny.”

  “Oh, but it was.” Laughter danced in his eyes. His lips softly touched hers. “Remind me not to propose again while you’re holding a baby.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “MMM. IT SMELLS wonderful in here.” Mamó strolled over to a lush chair in soft teal and sat. “I might have to take some of whatever that is home.” She indicated the seat next to her. “Come. Sit. Ray said he’d see us here at eleven. We’re a few minutes early.”

  Lauren took in the elegant reception area of the exclusive day spa. Ray had swept them away from Queens early that morning, treating them to breakfast at the Plaza before dashing off to a meeting with the mayor. The spa had been a short walk up Fifth Avenue in the thirty-four-degree weather. Mamó had called it pleasant.

  Pleasant? Wasn’t thirty-two freezing? Thank heavens for the red leather coat.

  “Good morning. Welcome to Nouveaux Vous.”

  A beautiful redhead appeared at the front desk. She wore a classic black dress that contrasted with her milky complexion. Her make-up was flawless, not a freckle in sight. Her serene expression fit perfectly with the elegant pale teal and cream decor.

  “Fern Donovan and Lauren Randall?”

  “Yes. We’re meeting my fiancé here.”

  How odd did that sound? Apparently they did have an appointment, though Lauren was surprised to hear her name. She and Ray were supposed to be going siting for a movie scheduled to start filming toward the end of the year. Finding out Ray had made an appointment for her was disappointing. She’d been jazzed at the prospect of seeing some of this famous city.

  “We have you both listed for a massage, facial, and glamor. Mr. Donovan arranged for you to have your sessions together. Rene and Kim are available when you’re ready. May I get you coffee or water while you wait?”

  Mamó shook her head.

  “No, thank you.” Lauren checked her phone. “No message from him. We’re going to wait for a few minutes,” she told the receptionist.

  Aware this was the moment she’d been dreading, Lauren settled next to Mamó in a lobby chair.

  Since learning of Mamó’s ability to tell when a woman was pregnant, Lauren had anxiously anticipated a confrontation with the older woman. Until now they’d been in company or on the move. She could put it off no longer.

  The other woman spoke first, patting Lauren’s hand on the armrest between them. “I want to thank you for your gifts. There was no need for you to bother—just having you here is such a joy to me. But the extra decor and having the gentlemen there to dance with was a treat beyond telling.”

  “I’m happy it added to your day,” Lauren responded honestly.

  “Oh, it made my year. My friends had such a grand time. No one will top this event for years.”

  “I’m glad you had a good time.” Lauren smiled at Mamó’s joy. Then she sobered. “You know, don’t you?” She didn’t look at Mamó but at the placid seascape on the far wall.

  Mamó didn’t respond right away. Then her hand covered Lauren’s and she squeezed. “It’s your news to share. I respect that.”

  “Ray doesn’t know,” Lauren said.

  “I’ve gathered that.” There was no judgment in Mamó’s voice, just curiosity.

  “It’s hard to see him as a father.”

  Or it had been before she’d watched him cradle little Lulu in his arms. The sight of the big, strong man confidently holding the precious infant had changed everything. Or it could change nothing. She needed time to re-evaluate.

  “He’s always been good with kids. I think that’s what hurt him most in the breakup.” Mamó’s hand shook and she pulled it back into her lap. She twined her fingers together until the knuckles showed white.

  Lauren stilled. This must be the incident Ray had referenced. “The breakup?”

  “He must have told you? It’s the one time I truly regretted my talent. But I couldn’t let him say his vows without knowing the truth.”

  “No, of course not,” she soothed.

  Vows? Questions ricocheted through her head. She wanted to press Mamó for answers but refrained. The older woman was already distressed by the conversation. Better to calm her down before Ray arrived. She’d put the questions to him at a more appropriate time.

  Mamó’s unusual talent might have pushed up Lauren’s agenda to tell Ray, but it didn’t change her concerns over his emotional availability to his child. She needed to know about the past before she could make a decision about the future.

  “Honesty is important to Ray,” Lauren reassured her.

  “That’s what I told myself even though I knew he’d leave.” Mamó wrung her hands. “It was for the best. He’s an important man now.”

  “I have the feeling Ray would be important whatever he did.”

  “Probably.” Mamó nodded. “But he saw no future for himself here. I had to tell him.”

  “It was the right thing to do.”

  Curiosity was killing Lauren, but it wouldn’t be fair to pump Mamó. The story needed to come from Ray. Just as the news of their child needed to come from her.

  “I’m going to tell him.”

  “Of course, dear. I won’t say anything,” Mamó assured her. “Unless I’m asked, I’ve learned to keep what I know to myself. Well, most of the time.”

  The shop door opened and Ray walked in on a blast of “pleasant” air. His presence filled the space along with his broad shoulders. Lauren hopped up and he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. And then he bent to kiss Mamó’s powder-dusted cheek. For a man who prized his privacy so strongly he was demonstrative. She’d pretty much given up on the no touching rule. The man just couldn’t keep his hands, or his lips, to himself.

  And apparently she couldn’t keep to her side of the bed. She’d woken up wrapped around him again this morning. This time she’d got caught—literally—while she’d been trying to unfurl herself from him. He had turned over and met her nose to nose.

  She’d refused to admit to disapp
ointment when he had merely wished her good morning with a brief peck on the forehead before bounding from the bed to hit the bathroom first.

  Oddly, sleeping with him seemed to suit the baby, because her morning queasiness had all but disappeared.

  She’d always considered his bid for privacy to have stemmed from arrogance, but now she knew him better she thought it might be more a matter of self-defense. It was something to think about.

  “Listen, babe, there’s been a change of plans. The master of the Port Authority isn’t available tomorrow, so I’m meeting with him today and viewing the docks. That’s going to be a cold, dirty trek I’m sure you have no interest in. Instead I booked you matching spa treatments with Mamó. Is that okay?”

  Dirty docks or a facial? No-brainer. “Sure.”

  “Good.” He kissed her again, this time on the lips, a gesture of simple affection. Clearly his mind was elsewhere. “I’ll pick you up at three and we’ll go shopping.”

  “Shopping?” She was not letting him buy her another thing.

  “Yes, the mayor invited me to a black tie reception tonight. I told him I’d be escorting my two best ladies.”

  “Ray—” The protest had barely passed her lips when a well-attired man with black hair opened the door and nodded at Ray.

  “Sorry, Dynamite, I have to go. We’ll talk later.”

  And then he was gone and the redhead was back. Lauren sighed and shared a glance with Mamó, who shrugged.

  “He’s a busy man.”

  Yeah, right. But Lauren didn’t push it. “Shall we go get pampered?”

  “Yes—and we should buy some of that lovely-smelling lotion. I’m sure Ray would want us to have some.”

  A smile tugged at the corner of Lauren’s mouth because she had no doubt he would. “Yes, we really need some lotion.”

  * * *

  Four hours later Lauren followed Mamó from the spa feeling refreshed and revitalized. The massage and facial had worked all the toxins and tension from her body. The beauty regimen had pampered her in a whole new way, leaving her feeling beautiful and eager to show off her pretty new look.

  She really must schedule a spa day for her and Tori post-honeymoon.