A Stormy Spring

by MacKenzie, C. C.

  ‘But how do you relax?’

  ‘I’m a film buff. Especially Astaire and Kelly.’

  ‘Was he good to you?’

  She didn’t attempt not to understand he referred to Rick.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Did you love him?’

  She shut her eyes waiting for an agony that surprisingly didn’t come. Yes, she felt the bone deep sadness and loss and supposed she always would, but the ache was bearable for some reason.

  She opened her eyes and told him the truth. ‘With all my heart.’

  Lucas pulled her close, rested his cheek on the top of her head and shut his eyes.

  How was he supposed to compete with a dead man?

  Shame slapped him hard. What a selfish, self-centred bastard he was to think about himself when the girl had been to hell and back. No wonder she’d had a nightmare last night. And he now understood why she hadn’t used the morning after pill. She’d rolled the dice and been given not just one life to nurture but two.

  He murmured into her hair, ‘Then he was a very lucky man, querida.’

  The car slowed and he looked out the window to get his bearings. ‘Do you want me to come with you?’

  Becca shook her head. She looked much too fragile to go head to head with her partner and break the bad news. It was obvious to him she was worried.

  ‘No.’ Beautiful eyes held his. ‘I don’t know how long I’ll be. I have things to collect.’

  He dismissed her concerns with a flick of a hand.

  ‘We can always have your things picked up. We don’t need to do everything today, querida. We have plenty of time.’

  Again she studied her hands, fiddled with her rings.

  ‘Actually, we don’t.’ Those big eyes met his. The look in them had anxiety tickle the base of his spine. ‘I’m leaving London, Lucas. I’m going to France to visit my mother, probably until the babies are born. I need the support.’

  For a moment Lucas thought he’d misheard. In his head he was already thinking along the lines of happy families. She didn’t love him. It was far too soon. His feelings were complex but they were heading down the road to love. They were incredibly compatible sexually and the possibility remained that they could work well together as husband and wife. His father certainly would insist upon the children being legitimate and raised as Del Garda. Lucas was determined to be a part of his children’s lives.

  However, now was not the time to talk of such things. Becca was looking at him as if he was a bomb about to explode. The words of the doctor rang in his ears - no stress, no strain.

  He studied her white face and chained his mounting alarm, struggling to keep his tone easy and relaxed.

  ‘And my support will not be enough?’

  Blue eyes, wide with shock and anxiety, searched his.

  ‘I can’t expect you to drop everything, your life, to accommodate me.’

  Actually, baby, I have every intention of dropping everything to have you in my life, he wanted to say.

  Instead he told her, ‘We need to take this one step at a time, querida. Certainly, you are going nowhere until the doctor says you are well enough to travel.’

  ‘My next appointment is in ten days.’

  ‘Si, so until then, you stay with me. We have done everything the wrong way round. We can get to know each other. I promise not to put you under any pressure. What do you say?’

  He held his breath, feeling as if his entire future was poised on the point of a needle. A variety of emotions crossed her expressive face. Anxiety, fear and finally a courageous acceptance that squeezed his chest.

  ‘Okay.’

  He opened the door and helped her out. She was trembling and his heart broke for everything she’d gone through. God, she had the heart of a lion to even consider dealing with her partner by herself. So fucking brave to continue to work hard, to be successful after everything life had thrown at her. And now he’d come into her life and thrown her yet another curve.

  Through narrowed eyes he watched her approach the door to the studio, take a breath, square her narrow shoulders and enter the building.

  Taking out his cell phone Lucas started to make arrangements.

  He’d give her twenty minutes and then he was going in there after her.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ‘What the hell do you mean you’re going to France?’

  Dressed in black sweatpants and hoodie, Justin stood with his arms folded, feet wide apart and glared at her.

  ‘Sit down,’ Becca pleaded.

  That movie-star handsome face flushed now with temper and frustration became even redder.

  ‘No, I won’t sit down.’ He paced. His feet vibrating the sprung floor with every furious step. ‘I apologised for last night, didn’t I?’

  ‘It’s not about that. Justin, sit down!’

  She rarely raised her voice and his lips thinned as he threw himself into a chair. His behaviour reminded her forcibly of a four-year old.

  Becca sat at a scuffed wooden table with a couple of mismatched skinny chairs. She was so terribly tired and her head ached as she stared at the man who had hurt her so badly. All those things he’d said to her, was he right? Had she buried herself alive?

  His eyes met hers and she stiffened her spine.

  ‘I’m pregnant.’

  She realised it was a good job Justin was sitting because anger hissed out of him like a deflated balloon.

  Face white, his jaw went slack and he stared at her for an endless moment.

  ‘But ... How ... Who?’

  Her vision swam and she took a deep breath.

  ‘Seven weeks ago, when you were in the States, I met a man in the Blue Lagoon. I had a one-night-stand.’

  Justin’s brown eyes widened but still looked dazed.

  He shook his head.

  ‘No frigging way. What the hell happened?’ His eyes snapped into focus and he leaned forward. ‘Was your drink spiked?’

  ‘No, nothing like that.’ She licked her lips and blew out a breath. ‘It sounds such a cliché.’

  ‘A cliché’s a cliché for a reason. Hit me.’

  Pressing her fingers into her eyelids, she blurted, ‘Our eyes met across the room.’ Relief that he hadn’t snorted or made a cute comment gave her courage. ‘We danced, and one thing led to another.’

  She rose and went to the cool-box and dug out two bottles of water deciding not to elaborate about her other night spent in Lucas’s arms.

  Becca handed a bottle to Justin and continued,

  ‘I’ve never felt anything like it. The connection between us was... I spent the night with him in his hotel suite.’

  She sat, cracked open the bottle top and took a sip.

  ‘Is it serious?’

  The hurt and disappointment in his voice made her wince.

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t know what it is.’

  Justin frowned. ‘Does he know?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Who is he?’

  Her mouth went bone dry. ‘Lucas Del Garda.’

  His jaw hit the floor. ‘Bloody hell, Becca. I thought he was with the Wicked Witch of the West?’

  Becca smiled for the first time. ‘Apparently not.’ A horrible thought occurred to her. ‘Justin, you mustn’t say a word about this. Promise me.’

  He shook his head, but she didn’t like the gleam in his eye.

  He caught her glare. ‘Seriously, I promise.’

  ‘As soon as I can travel, I’m going home to France. I’ve been told to rest.’

  She explained about her visit to the doctor.

  His eyes, serious now, held hers as he nodded.

  They rose and she met him in a tight hug.

  Justin held her face between his hands and kissed her forehead.

  ‘We’ll make it work. Your mother has the studio.’

  Becca nodded. ‘How are we going to manage it?’

  He raised an eyebrow and sent her an evil grin. ‘I know you don’t believe this but te
chnology is your friend. I know a man who can. He’ll set you up with a flat screen, a few cameras, an online system and we’re away.’

  She stared at him with horror. Technology, as he well knew, was not her friend.

  ‘Really? But won’t it be expensive?’

  He shrugged. ‘We’re in the black. We’ve been paid the first instalment from Burt Lindstrom’s film. Anyway, we can account for it under investments.’

  A weight lifted from her heart. She’d prepared herself for Justin to break-up the partnership. ‘I suppose this means I’ll be landed with the paperwork?’

  ‘Honey, I always say work to your strengths.’ He hugged her. ‘Look after yourself and my godson.’

  Justin was being terribly understanding about all this, and for the first time Becca felt a sliver of excitement. The babies felt real and for some reason she didn’t want to jinx this pregnancy by telling him she was having twins.

  She narrowed her eyes. ‘How do you know it’ll be a boy?’

  ‘No idea.’ He placed a gentle hand on her abdomen, his hazel eyes stayed on hers. ‘Just a feeling.’

  A cough brought their attention to the tall, dark man studying them from the open doorway.

  Lucas knew the dull ache in the region of his heart was ridiculous.

  Justin pulled Becca close wrapping muscular arms around her waist, all the while staring at Lucas over her head with a direct challenge in his eyes. He had his hands on his children and the mother of his children. Even recognising the emotion as jealousy, Lucas had trouble controlling it.

  He didn’t like the way Becca’s expression faded when she’d looked at him either. It brought home to Lucas the reality of his situation.

  She’d thrown him yet another curve. When she’d cleared it with the doctor Becca planned to travel to her home in the South of France. Most women finding themselves in the situation of bearing Lucas Del Garda’s child would be very happy to move in with him. Becca appeared to have other ideas. The trouble was he had no idea what they were.

  Lucas realised he needed to step back, give her space. He needed to court her and woo her. While these thoughts raced through his mind he moved towards the couple watching him. He was the interloper in Becca’s world and he’d better remember it.

  Lucas held out his hand to Justin and kept a pleasant open expression on his face.

  ‘Lucas Del Garda. How do you do? I admire your work tremendously.’ Which was the honest truth and Justin appeared to recognise the sincerity.

  One arm still held Becca as Justin reluctantly shook his hand.

  Becca’s eyes bounced from one man to the other, anxiety clear in her blue gaze.

  ‘Justin Cope, I wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you.’ His voice was pure ice.

  Becca’s colour drained from her face and Lucas could have slugged him for upsetting her. That more than anything else made him boost his smile and show his teeth.

  He moved towards her, cupped the back of her neck, and caught the way she went stiff before he placed a chaste kiss on her cold cheek.

  He eyed Justin over her glossy head.

  ‘You are looking pale, querida. You were told to avoid unnecessary stress. It is not good for you.’

  Justin’s colour rose as he received the message loud and clear.

  Becca moved out of their reach. Her eyes threw daggers at each of them before she stalked into a small office and banged the door behind her.

  ‘Haven’t you heard of safe sex?’ Justin growled as he lounged in a chair and arrogantly spread his legs.

  Lucas gave Justin a cool, steady stare. In business the look worked well. An angry flush rose over Justin’s neck and Lucas realised it worked in this environment too.

  He removed an imaginary speck of dust from the sleeve of his bespoke suit before his eyes met Justin’s.

  ‘What is between Becca and I, is none of your business.’

  Justin launched himself out of the chair, slapped his hands on the table and leaned forward. ‘Hurt one hair on her head and ...’

  Before he could finish the sentence, Lucas interrupted,

  ‘The only person I have witnessed hurting Becca is you. Last night and just now.’ He pushed his hands into his trouser pockets and rocked back on his heels. His fierce smile didn’t reach his eyes and Justin swallowed. ‘There will not be a third time. I trust I make myself clear?’

  The man had the grace to look ashamed. Lucas had no intention of permitting anyone to upset the mother of his children, not even her business partner and supposed friend. He’d seen how trapped she’d appeared between them and he would not permit it to happen again.

  ‘Whether you like me or not is not the issue. The issue is to keep Becca healthy and happy.’

  An unpleasant light entered Justin’s eyes and Lucas braced himself.

  ‘You know nothing about her. You know nothing of what she’s been through or how emotionally vulnerable she is.’

  Recognising a possessive fury in the other man Lucas made sure he kept eye contact and his voice soft as he took a calculated gamble.

  ‘I know she had a nightmare and screamed in her sleep. I know she cried for Rick. I know you will enlighten me as to why that was.’

  Lucas knew he’d hit the target.

  The blood drained from Justin’s face as he slumped back into his chair.

  He shook his head and his eyes were clear now. The fury was replaced by a grudging respect and something that resembled fear.

  ‘It’s not for me to tell you anything about Becca.’

  Lucas smiled, a genuine one this time. ‘At last, we find common ground. I absolutely agree with you.’

  By the hatred in the other man’s eyes, Lucas knew he’d made an enemy and that was too bad. As long as Justin didn’t step over the line and upset Becca again, he wouldn’t concern himself with him.

  Justin’s hazel eyes narrowed as his jaw clenched.

  ‘You will never break our bond.’

  Lucas heard possession in the man’s tone and studied him very carefully.

  Justin was scared. Now why would that be?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Two weeks later, Becca sank onto the floor in her empty apartment and stared unseeing into space.

  Justin had been too quiet for her liking, something was up. She hoped it wasn’t another doomed love affair. But their relationship, their dynamic was changing. She had no idea how things were going to work out between them but the time had come for her to move on with her life.

  Although they’d lived under the same roof for two weeks Lucas had backed off. They hadn’t talked, not properly. She could hardly lay the blame for it at his door since she’d been the one to demand space.

  See-sawing emotions prickled her eyes and stung the back of her throat. He’d taken her out for quiet dinners to see how she was. He clearly intended to be a hands-on father and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Although she realised there wasn’t much she could do about it.

  His welcome and farewell pecks on the cheek kept her at a permanent state of heightened arousal. And that annoyed her too as did the loose hand-holding thing he did. He was always touching her; a knee as they sat, or fingertips on the small of her back as they were led to their table along with a gentle stroke of her hair as they chatted. But each night lying alone in a big empty bed she tossed and turned, her body burning for him.

  The man kept insane hours. He was gone by the time she rose and she knew he worked in his study until all hours. She could hear him speaking on the phone or tapping on his laptop. Nothing was too much for him. He’d loaned her John and the car. And made sure he attended her doctor appointments. Her blood-pressure still hadn’t stabilised and since she was being monitored she couldn’t travel. Lucas had insisted she remained with him.

  Her belongings were now in storage, except for some packing cases containing her most precious possessions which had been shipped to her family home in France. All that was left was the shell of a stop gap apartment
which had become a refuge. The shelves, table and chairs sat forlornly in the empty space. She really needed to put the apartment on the market. Then decided there was plenty of time for that in the dim and distant future.

  Originally a temporary arrangement, she’d bought the apartment because she couldn’t bear to return to the home she’d made with Rick. In her too vivid imagination his ghost haunted the rooms looking for her and their baby. She hadn’t been able to face it and did that make her a coward? The thought shamed her. Her eyes continued to brim and spill over with tears.

  When had she become a runner? A coward? She’d run from dealing with her home. She’d run from dealing with her grief by burying herself in work. And now she was planning to run from Lucas.

  The time had come to give the simmering attraction between them serious thought. He was too dangerous to her vulnerable heart. The bond between them had been instant and was growing with each passing day and it had absolutely nothing to do with his spectacular looks. She was used to attractive men. It was she knew, the sex and quietly domineering style. He challenged her in ways that made her feel truly alive again.

  But did she like him?

  The answer came with the memories of how he’d held her in his arms as she’d wept. How he’d supported her during visits to the gynaecologist and how he’d supported her with Justin. And how he’d welcomed her into his home. Yes, she did like him, perhaps too much?

  Lucas stirred emotions in her she didn’t want stirred she admitted now. He was too much. His looks, his smile, his kiss, the way he’d taken her body and her undeniably passionate response to him was all just too much.

  Her feelings for Rick she’d begun to realise with something like dismay had been too safe, too secure. Was her mother right after all? Had she settled by marrying Rick and by doing that had she short-changed Rick and herself?

  And then Justin’s accusations buzzed in her mind. Had she really become so focused on herself, on her own misery, to the exclusion of everything and everyone? Had she clung to grief like a lover? What would Rick think of her now? Would he be ashamed of her? Justin was right in one way. She needed to start living and breathing again.