“Yes, please.” Indi wrapped her hands around the warm mug and took a sip of the tea. She wiggled her toes. “Where’s Adam?”
“He went for a run. Wanted to give us some privacy.”
“That was sweet of him.”
Chelsea smiled and the love she felt for her husband illuminated her face. “It was. But he’d tell you sticking to his usual routine helps the body counteract the effects of jet lag.”
Yup. Indi could hear him saying that exact statement.
“How far along are you?” Chelsea asked.
“Coming up on sixteen weeks.”
“That’s the second trimester right? Shouldn’t the morning sickness be gone by now?”
“My nausea is a diva. It comes and goes whenever it wants. It cares nothing for labels like morning, afternoon, or evening. But you’re right, it should’ve settled down by now. Mike’s mom said when she was pregnant with him, she was sick the entire pregnancy.”
“Oh really? ‘Mike’s mom said’?”
“Shut up!” Indi laughed.
“What?” Chelsea asked, all wide-eyed innocence. She held up two bottles of nail polish. “Which one?”
Indi pointed to the pretty tangerine color in Chelsea’s right hand. “Anyway, it makes total sense. Even in the womb, Mike had to control things. He’s such a pain in the ass.”
“A pain in the ass you love.”
Indi shook her head, but she didn’t dare respond, not wanting to cry again. She pressed a fist to her mouth.
“Am I wrong?” Chelsea asked. “Because if you don’t love him, this situation becomes exponentially easier.”
She fought to control her emotions.
“No, I do.” Had been halfway to falling in love with him during their first weekend together. “More than I know what to do with or how to handle.”
“So what’s the problem?”
She exhaled loudly. “He was right; I’m afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“I was four years old when my mother left me. She didn’t give me away when I was baby because she was scared or overwhelmed. I wasn’t taken from her because of bad behavior. She kept me for four years and suddenly she decided she didn’t want me anymore.” The acidic sting of tears burned Indi’s eyes and Chelsea’s image wavered in front of her. “What could’ve been so wrong with me that my own mother would reject me?”
“Oh, Indi.”
Chelsea set the polish down and gathered her close as Indi succumbed to the sobs wracking her body. She cried for the little girl she’d been, for the years she’d been afraid, and all of the time she’d blamed herself. She even cried for her mother. When she was done, she sagged back against the lounger.
“Until this moment,” Chelsea began, “it never occurred to me how much you and Adam have in common.”
“Say what now?” Indi tilted her head to the side and eyed the other woman. Seriously? She had something in common with the intense genius Chelsea had married?
“It’s true. His mother left him when he was younger, too. He still had his fathers and sister but, for years, he blamed himself. Thought it was his fault. It wasn’t his, just like it isn’t yours.”
“You don’t know your mother didn’t love you. Maybe she had a good reason for leaving you. Maybe she thought it was the best decision for you.”
Indi looked down and fiddled with a clean cotton ball. “I never told you this, but I’ve been waiting for you to leave, too.”
Chelsea’s eyes widened. “What?”
“You’re married to Adam now and his family became your family. Soon you’ll be having your own children—”
“Not that soon,” Chelsea inserted, rapping her knuckles on the back of the teak patio lounger.
“—and I thought I was going to lose you, too. It’s the reason I’ve traveled so much. You know, houseguest, fish, and yada yada yada . . .”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“Because I felt petty and selfish. I thought I’d eventually get over it, but everything that’s happened forced me to face it.”
“You’re my sister. I know you. I see you. I love you. Nothing and no one will ever change that, and I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it.”
Maybe the tears had shaken something loose in her, maybe it was the experience of being pregnant or spending time with Mike’s family, but this time, when Chelsea said the words, Indi focused on the certainty shining in Chelsea’s brown eyes and . . . accepted the truth of them.
“I love you, too.”
“Now, what are you going to do about the baby?” Chelsea asked, placing a hand against the gentle swell of Indi’s belly.
A smile teased one corner of Indi’s mouth. “You mean Nugget?”
Chelsea sat up straight and wrinkled her nose. “I refuse to call my unborn niece or nephew Nugget.”
“You’re making some pretty big assumptions there, Aunt Chels.”
Like Indi being involved in Nugget’s life or, she swallowed past the boulder that materialized in her throat, actually keeping and raising him herself.
“It’s possible. But I have faith in you, India Shaw. You’ll do what’s right for you and the baby. It’ll work out. Whatever you decide, Adam and I are here for you. We can help.”
“Thank you. What won’t be an option is keeping the baby from Mike. Since the beginning he’s made it clear that he would be willing to raise Nugget, even when I was convinced that I couldn’t. He’ll be a great father.”
Chelsea hesitated. “And apart from the baby? Do you think there’s a chance for the two of you?”
He hadn’t called or texted or tried to get in contact with her since she left Barton Point the night before last. “I screwed things up so much. That’s the second time I walked out on him. He’ll never forgive me.”
She wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to speak to her again.
“Of course he’ll forgive you, but it’s only been a day and a half. Give it some time.” Chelsea reached down and grabbed something off the tray. She held up a bottle of sunrise/sunset nail polish and shook it. “Although I’ll need more time than that to get over the fact that you and Mike had sex the weekend of our wedding. It was those damn tequila shots, wasn’t it? How was he? Wait—” She made fake retching sounds. “I think I threw up a little in my mouth.”
Indi wrinkled her nose and placed a hand against her protruding lower belly. “You’ll wish you hadn’t done that when my real nausea sympathizes with your fake nausea and I vomit all over your pretty outdoor furniture.”
They both laughed.
Indi stroked her chin. “And as for Mike, as good as he is—and he’s spectacular—I gotta say, he’s no Jeremy,” she said, referring to the top-of-the-line spa quality showerhead in Chelsea’s LA apartment.
“You are so gross,” Chelsea said. “I’m going in the house.”
“What? What did I say? Chelsea? What about my pedicure?”
INDI PUSHED THE call button for the elevator and checked her reflection in the large mirror on the opposite wall.
“It’s going to be down there?” she asked.
It would take her another week before she’d ceased being shocked at the first glimpse of her reflection. When she’d taken her braids down, she’d liked the resulting shoulder-length corkscrew curls, so she’d decided to keep that style. For now.
And at seventeen weeks, in her comfy yoga pants and a tank top, her belly was slightly rounded when she examined her profile.
“Yes,” Chelsea insisted, her voice coming through the speakerphone. “Stanley said it was waiting.”
Stanley. The doorman who’d had her arrested.
It had been a week since she’d returned from Barton Point and whenever she felt a moment of sadness descending, one of her favorite things to do wa
s to recall the look on Stanley the doorman’s face when she’d walked through the lobby with Adam and Chelsea. The first thing they’d done was add Indi’s name to the list of approved entrants into Penthouse A.
Indi had told the couple that part of the doorman’s reasoning for not granting her access to their penthouse was his belief that Indi had lied when she’d said she was Chelsea’s sister because he’d overheard Chelsea telling Adam she didn’t have any siblings.
“I remember that day. That’s not what I said,” Chelsea snapped. “We were coming through the front door and Adam asked if, other than Indi, I had any siblings I’d never mentioned. I said no. And from that statement, he presumes to know me?”
Adam frowned. “So he likes to gather his information from eavesdropping?”
You do not want to anger the wife of a genius. When Adam came through the lobby the following day, he’d called Chelsea on his cell to get her “opinion” on his idea to purchase the Hermitage at Avalon and completely computerize the concierge services.
“Let him worry about the possibility of unemployment,” Adam had said, once he’d gotten home.
It wasn’t a lie—Adam didn’t abide lying—because he’d seriously considered the investment, before discarding it as an overreaction to the situation. And he’d only been slightly discomfited by Indi’s hug and kiss of thanks on his cheek. It appeared the number of people she could count on to have her back was growing.
“What’re you expecting?” Indi asked Chelsea now. “It’s not too big, is it? Maybe Adam should’ve waited to have this delivered until you guys got back.”
She’d finally convinced Chelsea and Adam that she’d be fine here by herself while they went to spend the last few days of their time off in San Mateo. She appreciated their care and consideration but she was grateful for the time alone. Plus, she’d planned to start looking for her own place soon. She’d texted Jill earlier this morning and made a date to check out a few of the available units in the other woman’s building. Indi couldn’t live at the Hermitage at Avalon. It’d take more than a few ceramic penises to afford a place in this building.
Chelsea laughed. “Too funny. You’ll know it when you see it and I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to handle it.”
She poked out her bottom lip and shrugged. “Okay.”
“Call me later.”
“I will. I promise. Now don’t worry about me. Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon.”
Indi ended the call and the elevator touched down on the lobby floor. She pulled at a couple of curls while she waited for the doors to open. Maybe she’d get the tips dyed red? Ooh, maybe a navy blue? Could she use hair dye while she was pregnant?
The doors opened and she strolled out to the concierge desk and froze.
Mike stood there waiting.
Her stomach shifted.
He’s here, Nugget. It’s really him.
She took in his appearance. He wore a pair of slim-fit pressed khakis and a forest-green V-neck pullover that stretched across his broad chest and hugged his trim waist, an outfit she knew he considered casual. He was so gorgeous, he made her mouth water.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came for you.” His blue eyes were fevered. “Did you really think I’d let you go that easily?”
Yeah, she actually had.
He made an encompassing motion around his head. “You changed your hair again. Curls. You look so beautiful. And you’re showing more. How are you feeling?”
“Better. My energy is up. But I’m still nauseous.”
“My mom said she was nauseous with me the entire pregnancy.”
She smiled and ducked her head. “Yeah, I know.”
She remembered she was supposed to be looking for a package for Chelsea. She whirled around to face the concierge desk. “Where’s Stanley?”
“Who?”
“The doorman.”
Mike jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I sent him on a break. Wait, is he the one who had you arrested?”
She nodded and exhaled. “That would be him.”
He actually growled. “I’m going to kick his ass.”
“You can’t kick anyone’s ass in those pants.”
“Watch me.”
He punched the air a couple of times, executed a couple of moves.
She laughed. “You’d do that for me?”
His entire body seemed to take a deep breath and relax. He moved closer to her. “I’ll always take care of you.”
“I don’t need you to.”
“I know. But taking care of you isn’t a way to control you, and it doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re capable of taking care of yourself. It just means I care about you and I want you to be safe.” He paused. “Because I love you.”
It wasn’t long ago those words filled her with fear. Now, she reveled in them.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?”
He closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands. “I love you, India Shaw.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you, too.”
“Finally!”
He lowered his head and when their lips touched it felt as if she’d finally found out where she belonged. Her heart pounded and her pulse raced, her soul soared.
When they parted, he swept a thumb over her mouth before leaning in for another kiss. “God, I love that lip,” he said, taking the object of his affection between his teeth and tugging on it gently, before laving it with his tongue.
“I’m not perfect, Indi. I’m going to make mistakes. But I need you to have faith in me. Believe that when I say I love you, I mean it. I’m never going to walk away from you.”
“I believe you.”
“This is about us. We can talk about Nugget later, figure out the baby situation—”
“I think I have. I mean, I’m still terrified, but I want to raise him. I can’t give him away.”
“Thank God.” He hugged her tightly, buried his face in her neck. “You’re not just doing this for me, are you?”
“No. I’d already made this decision. And I want you to know, I never would’ve kept you from him. No matter what happened between us.”
“I know.” He picked her up and swung her around. “You’re going to be a great mom.”
She frantically tapped his shoulder. “Are you trying to ruin this moment? Put me down.”
He laughed. “Sorry, I forgot.” When he put her down, he pulled her back into his arms, as if he couldn’t bear to not touch her somehow. “You’re naturally giving and loving. You’ll give Nugget everything you always wanted but never received. And between us, my family, Adam and Chelsea, our friends, that baby will never lack for love.”
“Thank you.”
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Isn’t that how we got in this mess in the first place?”
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Is sex all you think about? I propose we take some time to get to know one another.”
“What did you have a mind?”
“I’m so glad you asked.” He pulled out his phone and began flipping through pictures. “How about New York, Barcelona, Athens, Cairo, Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Auckland, and then back here? A three-month trip around the world. And we’ll return in time for your last trimester. You may not get the chance to travel for a while and this way I get to share it with you. I don’t want to change you, I just want to share your life.”
Happiness radiated from her heart, through her chest to fill every pore of her being. She loved this incredible man and he actually loved her in return. It was possible that they could get as close as two people could be and he’d still love her.
“I guess there are perks to loving a man whose company made twenty-six billion dolla
rs last quarter.”
“I thought you were going to stop bringing that up?”
“Hmmm,” she murmured, noncommittally. “It’s a good thing the criminal charges have been dismissed, so I can travel.”
The day after they’d returned from Barton Point, Sully, acting on behalf of Chelsea and Adam, and Viv Sutton had gone to the DA with notarized statements confirming Indi’s story that she had their permission to be in their residence and none of their belongings had been missing. Without any evidence to the contrary, the DA had no choice but to dismiss the charges.
“I know. I called Adam first thing Monday morning to remind him to take care of it.”
“You did?”
“I planned this elaborate vacation. It’d be no fun if I had to go alone.” He smiled. “This isn’t a marriage proposal, but it doesn’t mean I’m not sure. It’s the exact opposite. I love you and I want to be with you forever. But I have faith enough to wait. You want us to take our time. I understand that and I’ll wait as long as you need.”
She hugged him and wasn’t surprised to experience the same feelings she’d had the moment she’d awakened in his arms back in Barton Point: safe, protected, loved.
“Just so I’m clear: are you the package I’m supposed to get?”
“Do you have to be so crude about it? Yes.” He laughed. “I love you. I swear, I’ve never worked harder for anything in my entire life.”
“Really? Then it pains me to tell you it wasn’t necessary.”
He leaned his upper body away from her and stared down into her face, grooves carved on either side of his mouth. “It wasn’t?”
Oh no. That wouldn’t do.
She took her fingers and smoothed away the tension until his face was warm, open, and loving again, sneaking one more kiss for good measure. Then she braced herself against his hold and crossed her hands over his heart. “Nope. I was yours from the moment I stepped off the elevator and saw you standing there.”
And two months later, on a small isolated beach in a quiet part of Thailand, surrounded by their family and close friends, Indi made her faith official.
THE END
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