When I see Charlotte’s name flashing on my screen, I know it can’t be good. She’s been Dad’s PA and right hand for so long she might as well be family.
I don’t want to have this conversation in front of Della, so I step out of my room as I answer.
“Can you talk,” she says hurriedly, not giving me time to greet her.
“You’re not interrupting anything. What’s up?”
“You need to catch the first flight back home. It’s your Dad.”
Ice cold fear washes over me. I shove a hand through my hair as my heart starts to race with dread.
“What about Dad? What happened?”
“Come home!” she screams. “He’s had another heart attack. They say it’s bad. You need to come right now.”
It feels as if my life is shattering around me.
“Just stay calm. I’ll leave right now,” I say automatically.
As I cut the call Rhett comes up the stairs. He looks pissed off until he sees my face.
“What happened? Della just ran out of here upset about something. Did you have another fight?”
I shake my head, not understanding what he’s saying.
“Dad had a heart attack,” I say as I’m being sucked under by the delayed shock.
“Fuck. Is he okay?”
Rhett takes hold of my shoulder and I force the words out. “We have to go home. It’s bad.”
“Pack your shit. I’ll get rid of everyone and book our flights.”
I turn to walk back into my room, but Rhett pulls me back and gives me a hug.
“He’s a fighter.”
I nod as apprehension flood me. It feels as if the night is closing on me and I won’t get to see the sun shine again.
“I can’t lose him,” I say more to myself than to anyone else.
CHAPTER 9
DELLA
(Nine months later.)
It feels as if the pain is going to tear right through me. The medication they gave me aren’t helping at all.
“Please,” I groan through another contraction. “Give me anything to take the pain away.”
“Just breathe,” Sue says as she wipes the beading sweat from my forehead. The nurse said the doctor will be here soon. He’ll give you something.”
“I want something now,” I cry miserably. How the hell did my mother do this twice?
The nurse comes back into the room. Sue glares at her, concern etched between the lines on her face. “Will the doctor be here before the baby comes?”
“This is normal, ma’am. The doctor will be here in time,” she assures us, but it’s not what I want to hear.
“Nothing about this is normal,” She shrieks. “She doesn’t pop out a baby every other day. This is a very overwhelming moment for the child, and painful. Go fetch the doctor now.”
The nurse quickly leaves promising she’ll get the doctor.
“Thank you,” I groan. I hold Sue’s hand tighter as the next contraction starts.
She smiles motherly at me, wiping my face with a cool cloth.
We’ve been through hell in the last nine months. We almost lost Sue to pneumonia. I took over running the diner while she was recovering and the last month, she’s been taking care of me.
Shortly after I got home, I started to get sick. Soon after that, we found out I was pregnant. I had to give up on my dream of moving to Raleigh.
I got something else in return though – a family. We might not have much, but Sue has made sure that we will always have enough. With her and Jamie’s help, we’ve converted my room into a nursery for the baby.
The nurse returns with the anesthesiologist. “Just a few more seconds and the pain will be gone.”
I nod as I breathe through the intense pain pulsing in my abdomen.
He works behind me as he inserts something into my spine, and after a few minutes, I feel much better. I’m a little nauseous but at least the pain is only a dull ache now.
We have to wait another two hours before the nurse returns with Dr. Lee. He looks tired which isn’t very comforting.
“Della, when I tell you to, I want you to push,” he says.
I nod again, just wanting this all to be over with.
“Push,” he instructs.
After long minutes of pushing, I slump back against the bed. I can’t do this. It’s too hard.
I start to cry but then Sue squeezes my hand. “Honey, you can do this. You’re so strong. Bring this baby into the world.” She keeps rubbing my hand, her eyes shining with tears.
I’ve never seen Sue so emotional in my life.
“The baby is crowning, “Dr. Lee says. “Push hard, Della.”
I cry silently as I push with everything I have. When a cry fills the room, I start to sob. It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.
“It’s a girl,” Dr. Lee says.
When I look at Sue, tears are streaming down her face. There’s an astonished smile on her face as she looks at the baby.
“Are you ready, Mom,” The nurse says and my eyes dart to the bundle in her arms.
She lays her down in my arms, and I drink in the little red face. She has a mop of dark hair, just like Carter.
“Do you have a name?” the nurse asks.
I shake my head, not sure if there is a name out there to do her justice.
“Daniele,” I whisper. “After Mom.”
Sue smiles proudly. “It’s a good name, strong, too.”
“We’ll complete the birth certificate for you. Who should we list under the father?”
I almost blurt out no one, but that would not be fair to Daniele.
“Carter Hayes.”
***
CARTER
(Three years after the birth of Daniele.)
I walk down the main road to meet up with the rest of the gang for lunch.
Finally, I got some time off from my busy schedule. The last four years have been a fucking nightmare. After Dad passed away, I had to step in and fill his shoes. There was so much to learn and I would’ve caved under all the pressure if it weren’t for the guys. They kept my head above water.
I walk into the only diner in this small town and spot the guys sitting at the biggest table in the back. I don’t know how the guys found this place but apparently they have great outdoor activities.
“Hey, guys, thanks for waiting for me,” I say as I take my seat.”
“Did the conference call go well?” Rhett asks. He passes me a menu and I start to look over the dishes.
“Yeah, Charlotte will handle things from here on out. So we better make the most of this week. There won’t be an opportunity like this for a long while after I get back to the office.”
“Sir, do you wanna eat?” a tiny voice asks next to me.
I look down and see a pretty girl with dark curls staring up at me. She’s got bright blue eyes.
“Daniele.” An older girl takes hold of the little girl’s hand and tries to pull her away from our table.
“No,” Daniele wines and she stomps her tiny feet on the floor. “I wanna help.”
“It’s okay,” I say.
“Daniele, come here,” another voice says and this time the little girl listens.
I watch her run to a woman. She crouches down to catch the little girl. When she looks up my heart stutters and a wave of pain hits hard. My pulse starts to race as the whole table grows quiet.
“Fuck.” I hear Rhett breathe in shock.
Slowly, I rise from the chair and I walk closer to her. My eyes dance between her and the little girl.
Finally, I manage to find my voice. “Della,” I breathe her name.
It’s been four years. She just vanished. After I buried Dad, I heard that she had left that same night. None of the girls or guys had her number. She broke what was left of my fucking heart. I lost my Dad and Della in one night.
“Carter,” she whispers. Her face is pale and it makes the blue of her eyes pop.
The teenage girl comes to
stand next to Della and I notice that they all three have the same color eyes.
“Are they your sisters?” I ask just to try and make some kind of conversation.
It’s fucked up that I know every inch of her body but I don’t really know anything about her.
“Um,” she takes a shaky breath and turns to the teenage girl. “Take Daniele to the back.”
She waits until they’re gone before she turns back to me. “Jamie is my sister. Daniele is my daughter.”
Fuck, she’s married. The thought shudders through me. Even after all these years I’ve had a flicker of hope that I’d run into to her again, and that we would get the chance we never had.
“Wow, when did you get married?” I ask, swallowing down the heavy disappointment.
She shakes her head. “I didn’t.” She even holds up her left hand for me to see. No ring.
I frown, not happy with the fact that someone got her pregnant before putting a ring on her finger.
“Where’s the father?”
Yeah, even after all these years, I’ll kick a guy’s ass if he hurts her.
She just shakes her head. “We’re busy with the lunch rush. Can we meet up later?”
I look around the place and see that it is packed with people. “You work here?”
It’s another surprise. Why would she work in a diner when she has a degree?
“Once a waitress, always a waitress,” she says.
I can see that she’s in a hurry, but I want to make sure we meet up later. “I’m staying at The Falls. Can we meet there?”
“Sure. I’ll come by after we close. It should be around ten.”
“Great.” I watch her walk away before I take my seat again.
CHAPTER 10
DELLA
I keep watching the time. It feels as if I’m on death row.
Sue passed away last year. She left us everything, but it hasn’t helped. At first, I kept breaking even at the end of every month, but things have slowly been getting worse.
At the rate things are going I’m not going to be able to keep this place up and running for much longer. I feel the familiar grip of panic wrap its claws around my heart. How am I going to provide for Danny and Jamie?
I also have Carter to worry about now. Once I’ve told him that Daniele is our daughter, he might try to take her from me. He has money and I don’t.
Fuck.
I rub my temples, trying to get rid of the headache hammering behind my eyes.
Why can’t something go my way for once? Why does life have to be so hard?
Jamie took Danny up to bed after the dinner rush. She said she would watch her while I go talk to Carter.
I lock up and slowly walk up the road. The town is always buzzing with life over the summer holidays but the rest of the year it’s dead. People love the outdoor activities we offer in Saluda. I was hoping the summer wave of visitors would help me save the diner, but it’s going to take a miracle for that to happen.
When I reach the hotel, Carter is staying at I stop to wipe my palms on my shorts.
I feel like crawling into the nearest hole and crying. I never thought I’d see him again. Out of all the holiday destinations, why did he come to this one?
As I step into the foyer, I’m surprised to see Carter sitting on one of the couches near reception. When he sees me, he stands up. His eyes lock on mine and I feel the wave of intensity all the way from across the room. The last four years have shaped him into a determined man. His shoulders are square and strong under the power of wealth that rests on them
Forcing myself to move forward, I meet him in the middle. I’d rather run and hide, but that’s not an option right now.
“I didn’t tell you which room was mine,” he says. “Let’s go up. We’ll have more privacy there.”
Following him, all I can think is that no one will be there to bear witness when he kills me.
We get in the elevator and I watch the numbers flick over as we go higher. Off course he’ll be on the top floor.
I knew he came from a wealthy family before we had sex. Afterwards, I found out just how wealthy he was. When his dad died it was all over the news. Carter is now the CEO of the largest publishing house in America. I used to dream about working at Indie Ink Publishers. That’s why I studied Graphic Design. I would’ve gotten a good job in Raleigh and worked my way to New York.
Would’ve. It was just a pipe dream.
Carter opens the door and waits for me to walk into the suite before he follows. I hear the door click shut while my eyes take in all the wealth around me.
Just one of the paintings on the wall alone must cost more than everything I own.
“Can I pour you something to drink?” he asks as he makes his way over to the bar.
I shake my head and again wipe my hands on my shorts. “I’m sorry about your Dad,” I say. “I saw on the news that he passed.”
He just smiles at me, and then asks casually, “How have you been?”
I watch him pour amber liquid into a heavy looking crystal glass.
We’re from opposite worlds. I should’ve seen it back then, but I was too in love.
Now it’s all I see. Every difference between us forms a solid wall we’ll never be able to break down.
The thought that hurts most is knowing he can take Daniele from me, and there will be nothing I can do to stop him.
I don’t understand why he’s come here after all this time. I sent him letters after Daniele was born but he didn’t care back then.
“Why did you come here?” I finally ask. I can’t hide from what’s to come so I might as well face it head on.
***
CARTER
My hand freezes on the whiskey glass and my eyes snap up to meet hers.
I didn’t expect hostility. I didn’t expect anything but two friends catching up on old times.
“I’m here for a short vacation. The guys want to go down the white water rapids.”
She frowns and I see confusion flash over her face. She’s still breathtakingly beautiful and her eyes still have the power to knock me on my ass.
“You’re only here for vacation?” Her confusion quickly makes way for hurt.
Is she actually hurt that I’m not here for her? Up until a few hours ago I didn’t know where she was or what happened to her. Fuck, it’s not like she gave me a choice back then. She decided we were over before we even had a chance to start.
“I didn’t know you lived in Saluda.”
When anger starts to spark in her eyes, I step out from behind the bar.
“What’s with the aggressive behavior? You’re the one that snuck out of my room without so much as a thanks for the fuck.”
Her lips part and she inhales sharply. “Snuck out of your room?” she seethes, clearly pissed off.
This is quickly going from awkward to insane.
“Charlotte,” she spits the word at me.
I give her a look of warning. I won’t have her drag my PA into this.
“I left because of Charlotte. I stayed away because of your precious Charlotte. She made it pretty clear that a gold digger like me wouldn’t be getting a dollar from you.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I take a huge gulp of whiskey, needing to feel the burn down my throat.
“Don’t play dumb with me. Charlotte phoned and you couldn’t get away from me fast enough. You won the bet. You screwed me for four hundred dollars. After she was born I tried to contact you three times. Twice my letters came back return to sender. The third one Charlotte answered, warning me that she would destroy everything I held dear if I tried to contact you again. I backed off. I did as she asked. Now you’re here.” She gasps for breath between sentences before she goes on. “I don’t have much for her to destroy, so I’m begging you, please leave.”
I let her words sink in first, thinking them over. Nothing she’s saying is making any sense.
“You’ve been in contact with my PA?” I ask
to make sure we’re talking about the same Charlotte.
She nods and taking a step closer to me, her voice cracks when she says, “Please, Carter. I don’t want anything from you. Just let us be. I’m begging you.”
I frown down at her, not understanding a word she’s saying. Fuck, she might as well be speaking a different language.
“Why did you write to me? Why didn’t you come see me or try to phone me?”
She throws her hands in the air, a look of frustration clouding her features. “I couldn’t travel to New York with a newborn. Besides, I didn’t have that kind of money. My truck would never make the trip. Every time I tried to call you, they would tell me that you’re not accepting any calls. It’s hard to phone such a huge company and to demand they put me through to their CEO.”
“You just left, Della. Why did you try to contact me anyway?”
For a moment she just stares at me but then all the blood drains from her face. I move forward when it looks like she’s going to faint.
“You really don’t know,” she whispers hauntingly.
“Sit down,” I snap. Luckily she listens and she takes a seat on the couch. I sit down beside her and place the glass on the table.
“I don’t know what?” I ask, hoping that the next thing out of her mouth will actually make sense.
“Daniele,” she whispers.
“Your daughter? What does she have to do with …” It hits me like a lightning bolt.
I stand up and move away from her as shock ripples over me.
“Daniele Hayes,” she says as tears spill over her cheeks.
I have a child.
The shock is quickly joined by anger.
I have a beautiful little girl and she’s been kept from me.
CHAPTER 11
DELLA
“I have a child and you didn’t tell me?” he spits the words out like they taste bitter.
“What?” I hiss, not believing what I’m hearing right now. “Why didn’t I tell you? Are you being serious right now? Haven’t you heard a word I’ve been saying?”
Heartless (An Enemies To Lovers Novel Book 1) Page 7
