Wrestling Desire 2 (A Contemporary Romance)
Page 7
He leaned forward and rested his elbows against his knees. “Do you want this baby?”
“I can’t believe you’re asking that.”
“I have to ask it, Emma. It wasn’t planned and whether you like it or not, this baby is going to complicate both your lives. I just want to make sure it’s really wanted.”
Wide eyed she stared at him. “It’s part of me. It’s part of Holt. No matter how surprised I might be, how could I not want it?”
Derek nodded and turned his attention to Holt. “And how about you? How do you feel about this situation?”
Holt reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’ll admit to being shocked when she told me, but there isn’t a second that goes by that I don’t want this baby. In fact, if you don’t believe me, let me prove it to you all.” He slid off the couch onto his knees in front of her. “Sweetheart, you know I love you and I’d do anything for you, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then will you marry me?”
“Oh, give me a fucking break,” Bryan grumbled. He pushed off the chair grabbed his jacket. “This is absolute bullshit and I refuse to entertain anymore of it.” Without looking back he yanked open the door and stormed out.
Bryan’s reaction hurt, but she couldn’t manage to focus on him with Holt’s proposal hanging over her head. Her eyes went wide and she ripped her hand out of Holt’s. “You’re crazy.”
“Crazy in love with you,” he replied.
She pushed up from the couch and walked over to look out the big bay window. Why did he have to complicate things further by wanting to get married? “I love you, Holt. You know that, but I can’t marry you right now.”
“Why?” The look of hurt that crossed his face sent a wave of guilt crashing over her. The last thing she’d ever want to do was bring him pain.
“I don’t want you marrying me just because I’m pregnant.”
“That’s not the reason.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and began to rub. “I would have married you anyway.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “I believe you, but others may not. As soon as people find out I’m pregnant and that we’re getting married they’ll think you were forced into it. I can’t live with that.”
“Then let’s go to Vegas right now and get married. We can announce a month from now that you’re pregnant and nobody would know the difference.”
Sadness filtered through her. He was trying so hard to do the right thing that he couldn’t see the damage marrying her right now would cause to his career. “I love you, Holt, but I won’t marry you right now.”
With a sigh he let go of her and she felt a sudden coldness at the loss of him. “Would you please talk some sense into your sister?”
“Emma,” Derek started, but before he could continue she turned to face him and shook her head.
“Don’t waste your breath, Derek. I’ve made up my mind. I won’t let Holt risk damaging his reputation with the fans just to make an honest woman out of me.”
“I don’t understand,” Derek argued. “What’s the big difference between now and later?”
“It won’t look as bad after the baby is born. If I’m getting along fine on my own raising the child and we decide to get married then we’re doing it because we want to, not because it’s the ‘right thing’.” She used her fingers to air quote the words.
“I don’t care what the fans or anyone thinks,” Holt argued.
“But I do.” She placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him. “Ask me again after the baby is born and I promise I’ll say yes, but I just can’t right now.”
“Well,” Derek sighed. “Whatever you two decide just know you have my blessing.”
Emma spun around to face him. “We do?”
Derek’s face slid into a grin. “We all know I’ve never really liked Holt, but he loves you and he makes you happy.” He reached for her and pulled Emma into a hug. “Ultimately that’s all that really matters.”
Relief swamped her. She’d been worried about Derek’s reaction and for him to accept this situation, even support her, meant so much. As quickly as joy arrived it left again as her mind moved on to her other brother. He’d been so angry lately. As if everything bad happening to him was somehow her fault. She wasn’t sure what hurt more, his abandonment or knowing she couldn’t do anything to help him. “What about Bryan?”
Derek dropped a soft kiss on the top of her head. “He’s just in a bad place right now. He’ll eventually come around.”
As much as it hurt her, she knew Derek was right. Bryan needed to find his own path and fight his own demons. Neither she nor Derek could do anything more for him. More importantly she needed to focus on her life with Holt and the challenges they’d face together. Having half of her family behind her was better than no family at all.
Wrestling Desire 3
Excerpt
Over the next thirty minutes Emma sat by and watched as Holt and Garrett worked out their moves and coordinated with the camera men. She took her direction on where to stand when she came to the ring and then they were ready. As No Holds Barred went live her nerves grew. After three months of working the story for everything they could get, it all came down to tonight. She wasn’t an actress by any means and had struggled to keep in character. All she needed to do was pull off tonight and she could return to where she was most comfortable, behind the scenes. At least until Gene came up with something else to drag her into.
Twenty minutes later she stood with Jill and watched the monitor as Holt put on his show. Garrett took the cue and made his way toward the ring and Emma’s stomach began to roll. They were professionals and would carry her if she screwed up. Still, she didn’t want any mistakes on her shoulders.
“Get ready,” Jill ordered and Emma moved to the entrance. She watched her friend and Jill gave a nod. Emma emerged to the roar of the crowd and ran toward the ring. Focused on the match in front of her she headed for the back side of the ring where they’d told her to stand and climbed up the steps.
“Holt stop this,” she yelled and did her best to look distraught. “Holt, please listen to me.”
Ignoring her he continued his battle with Garrett who landed against the ropes just inches from Emma. Holt charged at Garrett who ducked out of the way, but Garrett was too close to Emma and Holt couldn’t stop his forward motion in time. He ran into the ropes, knocking Emma off balance. She let loose a scream as she tried to keep her balance and failed. Falling, her head connected with the aluminum steps and a resounding thud echoed through her skull as she toppled to the ground on her back.
Pain bloomed through her head and blackness filled her field of vision as she rolled onto her side and went still.
* * *
“Emma!” Horror streaked through Holt’s system at the sight before him and he quickly slid from the ring. “Baby?” He knelt down and stroked a gentle hand along her temple while fear slowly began to take over. They all knew of the dangers when being in or around the ring, which is why so much of what they did was scripted. Still accidents were bound to happen. Knowing that fact did little to assuage his guilt. He’d knocked her off the ring and put both her and their baby in jeopardy.
Garrett quickly joined him. “How bad is she?”
Holt shook his head. “I don’t know. She took a pretty good crack to the head on the steps.”
Garrett stood, raised his crossed arms over his head and yelled to any staff members who might be listening. “We need medics now.” Then he turned to face the ref. “Joe, call the match because neither of us are getting back in the ring.”
The clang of the bell immediately followed his order and Emma moaned in response. “Easy, baby,” Holt soothed and glanced up at Garrett. “Where in the hell are the medics or Doctor Andrews?”
“I don’t know?” Garrett shook his head. “They weren’t expecting anything to happen. Somebody probably had to go track them down.”
She needed help now and Holt wasn’t goin
g to leave her lying on the ground in front of the crowd. “I’m not waiting any longer.” Careful not to injure her further, he scooped her into his arms and with Garrett leading the way raced toward the back.
He’d just reached the entry way when Doctor Andrew’s appeared. “What happened?”
“It was an accident, Doc. I knocked her off balance and she fell backwards into the steps.”
Doctor Andrew quickly looked around and pointed to a door nearby. “Medical is on the other side of the building. Let’s take her into the catering hall.”
Garrett held the door open as Holt carried her inside. The hall was filled with his co-workers who’d come to participate in the storyline celebrating Holt’s birthday. Caught off guard by their early entrance many turned to see what was going on.
A low murmur rippled through the group and Holt headed for an empty couch in a localized sitting area. He laid Emma down and moved above her head so he was still close but out of Doctor Andrews’s way.
The camera’s long forgotten, silence filled the air as the doctor set about examining Emma. Holt barely remembered to breathe as he waited. If he’d hurt Emma or the baby he’d never forgive himself.
* * *
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