Catia (Starkis Family #6)

by Cheryl Douglas

  They pulled their little pink-and-purple suitcases on wheels as they followed me to the door, chatting excitedly about the new baby. I only hoped they would be as excited about meeting my new baby.

  “Here we go,” I said, welcoming them into the foyer. “Have you girls stayed here before?”

  They nodded, making me realize how close Chase and my family had become. I knew my brother, sister, and brother-in-law counted him among their closest friends, but my parents had only mentioned him in passing, so I’d had no idea he’d been their houseguest.

  “Good.” I forced a smile as I wondered how my parents would react when I told them Chase and I were expecting a baby. They were traditional and believed marriage should always come first, so as much as they liked Chase, I was sure my father wouldn’t be pleased we’d put the cart before the horse, so to speak. “Then you know the lay of the land already.”

  “Whas dat mean?” Emily asked.

  “Just means you already know where everything is,” I said over my shoulder. I walked them up the stairs to two bedrooms at the end of the hall that were separated by an adjoining bathroom. “You’ll be staying here, if that’s okay?”

  Elsie nodded, her blond curls bouncing. “We stayed here afore.”

  “Great.” I walked Emily into her room and promised the girls I’d be right back. I had a surprise I couldn’t wait to share with them. “You get settled in, and I’ll be right back to help you.”

  I fired off a quick text to let Chase know that we’d arrived safely and I’d call him tonight, then I took my suitcase out of my car. I’d packed light since I was paranoid about heavy lifting. I knew I was being silly, but I wasn’t taking any chances with this precious baby. Now that I’d had some time to get used to the idea, I was excited about being pregnant and the changes I could look forward to over the next few months. If only I could work up the courage to tell Chase. Maybe after spending some time with the girls this weekend, I’d feel more confident that we were finally on solid ground.

  After taking my suitcase upstairs and leaving it in the room across the hall from theirs, I unpacked the books I’d brought for them.

  I walked into Emily’s room, holding up the pink paper gift bag. “I have something for you two.”

  The girls were sitting on Emily’s bed, and they looked up in unison, their blue eyes wide when they looked from me to the bag in my hands. “What is it?”

  “See for yourself,” I said, extending the bag with a smile.

  They dug in, squealing with excitement when they saw all the books about raising puppies.

  “That one,” I said, when they picked up the thicker one, “gives an overview of all the different dog breeds. I thought maybe we could go through it together this weekend. Unless you know what kind of puppy you want or maybe you want to visit a shelter and rescue a puppy instead?”

  Elsie shook her head. “We got Boxer from our neighbor. He was moving and couldn’t take him along.”

  I didn’t know a lot about dogs, but I knew that personality type and temperament varied from breed to breed, so Chase and the girls would have to choose carefully. Since I’d helped get the ball rolling, I figured the least I could do was help them find a good fit for their family. And since I hoped it would be our dog, I wanted to weigh in on the decision.

  “Will you read this to us?” Elsie asked, holding up one of the half dozen age-appropriate books I’d bought.

  I knew they were just learning how to read and Chase had been encouraging them to try on their own, so I said, “Why don’t you girls look through those on your own for a while? I’m going to unpack and call my sister.”

  “Is she bringing Venia now?” Emily asked. They struggled with Lovenia, so I’d suggested we shorten it to Venia. “We wanna see her!”

  “I know you do,” I said, laughing. “I’ll ask her to bring the baby over soon, okay?”

  I backed out of the room when the girls returned to their books. After unpacking the few things I’d brought, I headed downstairs to prepare a quick snack for myself and the girls. I’d been really tired over the past few weeks, especially without the caffeine that had been a part of my life since I started cramming for exams back in high school. As my hand drifted to my flat stomach, I knew it was a small price to pay to deliver a healthy baby. I pulled the bottle of prenatal vitamins from my pocket, took one with water, and stashed the bottle in the back of a cupboard behind a blender my mother rarely used.

  Thankfully, the housekeeper had been in to stock the fridge and cupboards before we got here, so we would have more than enough food to get us through the weekend. After I took a tray of cheese, crackers, bottled water, and sliced apples up to the girls, I headed back to the kitchen to call my sister. I was as excited to see Lovenia as Emily and Elsie were—maybe more so. Kara had been texting and emailing me pictures all week, but it wasn’t the same as holding Lovenia and inhaling her sweet smell as I convinced myself her gassy face meant she was smiling at me.

  “Hey, sis,” I said when Kara answered. “How’s that beautiful niece of mine?”

  I heard the smile in Kara’s voice when she said, “I just got her down for her nap.”

  “And how’s the little mama?”

  With a contented sigh, Kara said, “Honestly? Exhausted. But also happier than I’ve ever been. Having a baby changes you, Cat. You have no idea until you see that little person for the first time that it’s even possible to love someone that much.”

  I smiled as I boosted myself up onto a stool at the breakfast bar. “I can’t wait to experience that for myself.”

  “Does that mean you’ve told Chase about the baby?” Kara asked excitedly. “How did he react?”

  “I haven’t told him yet,” I said, trying to ignore the pang of guilt that always accompanied those words. “But I will soon.”

  “When?”

  “Soon.” Trying to change the subject, I said, “Hey, why didn’t you tell me Chase had stayed here with the girls?”

  “Every time I tried to talk to you about Chase, you shut me down!”

  “Point taken,” I muttered. “Okay, tell me now. How close are Chase and the folks? I guess I should know that before I spring my news on them.”

  “You can’t tell Mom and Dad about the baby before you tell Chase. That wouldn’t be fair.”

  “I know. You’re right.” Though I could have used my mother’s wisdom for once. Having survived triplets, she would be an invaluable resource for me. “I’ll tell Chase first.”

  “Speaking of Mom and Dad,” Kara said, “they just called to let me know they were on their way.”

  “They are?” I asked, trying to curb my panic. I’d thought I’d have a few more hours to prepare myself for their onslaught of questions about the nature of my relationship with Chase. “Their plane landed?”

  “Yup. In fact, they should be there any minute.”

  I peeked out the window when I heard the crush of gravel beneath tires. “You’re right. They’re here.”

  “Great. I’ll bring the baby over just as soon as she wakes up.”

  “Where’s Dustin?”

  “He went into the office for a few hours. He’s barely left my side since Lovenia came home, and I insisted he go in and check on things.” She laughed. “I love that man, but he was making me crazy with his hovering.”

  “You know how much he loves you.” What I wouldn’t have given for the kind of security my sister had found. Things were still so uncertain with Chase, and I wanted to know, without a doubt, that things would work out for us.

  “I know. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  I sniffled, laughing and crying at the same time.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Kara asked, obviously picking up on my mood change.

  “Yeah, I’m just happy for you.”

  “Crazy pregnancy hormones, huh?”

  I smiled as I wiped away a stray tear. “Have I told you how happy I am to be g
oing through this with you?”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I know. Hey, before I let you go, Chelsea and Darius invited us all over to their place for brunch tomorrow.”

  “Great, we’ll be there.” When I heard the front door open, I said, “Gotta go greet Mom and Dad. I’ll see you soon.”

  “’Kay, bye.”

  I hung up and walked into the foyer, opening my arms to my parents. “There you are. I’ve missed you guys.” When I’d been living in Chicago, working for them, I saw them at least once a week. Now that I was living in New York, it would be more like once a month, and I was surprised by how much I missed them.

  “We’ve missed you too,” my mother said, holding my hands as she held me at arm’s length.

  Her brows furrowed, and I felt uneasy. I’d never been able to hide anything from my parents. Was I crazy to think I could keep my pregnancy a secret from them all weekend? Especially with the fatigue, occasional bouts of morning sickness, lack of caffeine and alcohol… God, my mother would put the pieces together in no time.

  “Where are the girls?” my father asked. “When we found out they would be here, we bought them a little present.” He held up two identical gift bags with lavender swirls and sparkly tissue paper.

  “They’re upstairs looking at some books I bought for them.”

  “You go up and give them the gifts,” my mother said, curling her hand around my father’s forearm. “I want a few minutes with Catia.”

  “Sounds good.” My father dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I could use a shower too.”

  After consulting her watch, my mother said, “I’ll be starting dinner soon, so don’t be too long.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He winked at me. “She’s making lamb tonight with that rice-and-bean salad I love.”

  “Yummy,” I said, patting his shoulder with a smile before he walked up the stairs.

  “Come,” my mother said, linking her arm through mine as she led me into the kitchen. “We can have coffee and catch up.”

  Great, it was starting already. “Um, I think I’ll pass on the coffee. I’m trying to drink herbal tea in the afternoons instead.”

  She raised an eyebrow but didn’t question me. I sat at the breakfast bar and watched her prepare a coffee before handing me a basket filled with pods of various types of tea. After selecting camomile, I handed the pod to her, and she popped it in the dispenser.

  She turned to face me. “So I was thrilled when your sister told me you were bringing the girls this weekend, but I was a little surprised that Chase wouldn’t be here too. Where is he?”

  “He had a last-minute business trip. His mother broke her leg, so he couldn’t ask her to take the girls. I volunteered to bring them along. They’ve been dying to meet Lovenia, and I thought it would be fun for us, a bonding experience.”

  She nodded as she reached into the cupboard for sugar cubes before pulling a container of milk from the fridge. My mother set her coffee cup on the island, and the smell brought on an unexpected wave of nausea. Certain things had set me off lately, and ironically, one of the things I loved most was one of them.

  Trying to discreetly cover my mouth, I rushed into the powder room as my mother looked on, wide-eyed and confused. Thankfully, it was just a false alarm. I breathed through the nausea as I stared at my reflection, willing myself to relax. I washed my hands and returned with a weak smile.

  “Sorry about that, Mom. I was—” I noticed she’d poured her coffee down the drain and opened the window above the sink a crack. “Um…”

  “Was it the coffee?” Her gaze connected with mine. “I remember when I was pregnant, that scent would always trigger my morning sickness.”

  I swallowed, unable to look her in the eye. I couldn’t lie, but I couldn’t tell her the truth either. Kara was right. Chase deserved to know before I told anyone else.

  “Are you pregnant, Catia?”

  I inhaled deeply. “Yes,” I said quietly. “I just found out a few weeks ago.”

  “Does Chase know he’s going to be a father again?”

  “Why do you assume the baby is his?”

  My mother shook her head, looking disgusted. “You’ve loved that man since the first time you laid eyes on him, I think. I remember you telling me about him the first day you met. You tried to play it off, but I could tell there was something special about your connection.”

  “Really?” I sat on the stool, reaching for the cup of tea my mother had prepared for me. “I thought I’d done a pretty good job of hiding my feelings for him.”

  My mother smiled as she stroked my hair. “Oh, my beautiful girl. You can’t hide anything from your mama. Don’t you know that by now?”

  “I guess I should,” I said with a rueful smile.

  “Your father and I were sorry to see you leave Chicago and the family business, but we were thrilled you were coming back here to try to build a life with Chase. He’s a good man, a good father. He’ll be good to you and your baby. I have no doubt about that.”

  I couldn’t believe my mother was being so understanding. “Do you think Dad will be angry when he finds out?”

  My mother’s lips tipped up on one side. “I’m sure he’ll want to have a talk with Chase. Let’s put it that way.”

  “It wasn’t his fault. If it was anyone’s fault, it was mine. I was careless…” My cheeks flamed when I realized how close we were to talking about my sex life. “I mean, we thought we were being careful. I guess sometimes these things just happen, right?”

  She covered my hand with hers, her smile warm. “A baby is always a blessing, sweetheart, even when it wasn’t planned. It’s a gift from God, isn’t it?”

  It had taken me a while to get over the shock, but I was finally seeing it that way. “I haven’t told Chase yet.”

  “You must tell him! Don’t wait any longer. If you do, he’ll be hurt and angry that you kept it from him.”

  “I know.” I sighed. “I’ve just been waiting for the right time. I got off to a rocky start with the girls, and I didn’t want to give them another reason to hate me.”

  “They’ll just have to get used to the idea now, won’t they?”

  “I guess so.” I sipped my tea. “But they’ve been through a lot with the divorce and custody battle. They’re still so young. I don’t want to do anything to add more drama to their lives, ya know?”

  “There’s nothing you can do to change what is, Catia. You’ve already made the mistake of denying your feelings for Chase and trying to take the easy way out once. Don’t make that mistake again.”

  ***

  I’d tucked the girls in, trying to quash the fear something had shifted between us. They’d been quiet during dinner, and even while visiting with Lovenia, they seemed distant, as though they’d have rather been somewhere else.

  “You got them settled?” Kara asked when I returned to the kitchen.

  Dustin and my Dad were in the family room watching a game on TV. Lovenia was asleep in her car seat, all changed, fed, and ready for bed.

  “Yeah, but they didn’t even want me to read them a story,” I said, sitting at the kitchen table with my mother and sister. “Did they seem off to you?”

  My mother and sister exchanged a look before Kara said, “They did seem a little quiet, but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”

  There was a knock on the door, and I asked, “We were expecting someone? Darius and Chelsea, maybe?”

  “Could be,” my mother said, “but I wasn’t expecting them to stop by tonight. When Darius called earlier, he said he’d see us in the morning.”

  “I’ll go see who it is,” I said and left the room.

  My stomach clenched when I saw Chase standing on the other side of the door. Something told me he wouldn’t be there unless something was very wrong, and his grim expression only confirmed it.

  “Hey, what are you doing here?” I asked.

  “We need to talk,” he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his lea
ther bomber jacket. “In private.”

  “Oh, okay.” I opened the door farther, inviting him inside. He hadn’t tried to kiss or hug me, which only reinforced my fear.

  “Who is it, honey?” my mother called from the kitchen.

  “It’s Chase.”

  “Oh, good,” my mother responded. “Come in here, Chase.”

  “Dammit, I can’t do this now,” he seethed, rubbing a hand over his face. Before I could respond, he headed into the kitchen, plastering on a smile. He kissed my mother and sister before admiring the little sleeping beauty. “I hope you don’t mind if I steal Cat away for a few minutes. We need to talk.”

  Obviously sensing the tension, Kara glanced at me. “No, why don’t you use Dad’s office? The guys are in the family room watching a game.”

  “Thanks, I’ll check in with them in a bit,” Chase said before grabbing my elbow and leading me out of the room. When we were sequestered in my father’s office with the door locked, he turned on me. “When were you going to tell me?”

  “Tell you what?” I asked, trying to swallow the dread filling my throat.

  “Oh, so you’re gonna play it like that, are you?” He swore softly before running a hand through his hair as he paced the spacious room. “You’re pregnant.”

  I sank back on the edge of the desk, folding my arms over my midsection. “How did you find out?”

  He glared at me. “The girls overheard you talking to your mother earlier. They called me, crying that they didn’t want another baby, that I was their daddy and they didn’t want to share me.”

  “Oh God,” I said, covering my mouth. “I was afraid they’d react that way.”

  “How the hell did this happen? We used protection.” His eyes narrowed before he said, “Except for that time in the hotel. You said we didn’t need it.”

  “We didn’t,” I said, looking at the floor. “Because I was already pregnant.”

  The look in his eyes said it all. Not only did he not want me anymore, he didn’t want the baby I was carrying.

  “I assumed it was because you were on the pill. How the hell could you do this?”