My One and Only: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Second Chance Romance

by Weston Parker

  “Nobody,” she replied. “He has pretty much gone to work and either gone home or come and hung out with us. He hadn’t even really been drinking until last night.”

  “Probably why he got so wasted so fast,” I replied. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t really even like Steve. He’s kind of a pompous ass.”

  “Why did you bring him then?” Megan took a sip of her wine and lifted an eyebrow.

  “To get to Jason,” I muttered, embarrassed at my own childish games.

  “You didn’t,” she gasped. “Well, you definitely got to him. A bottle worth of Woodford got to him.”

  “I know, did you see how he just tipped that glass and poured the drink all over him? I wanted to laugh so bad, so I masked it with outrage,” I admitted, chuckling. “I don’t think Steve bought it. He told me there was too much drama in my life.”

  “I thought it was kind of cute, to be honest,” Megan replied. “He used to be such an ass, but now, he’s like this sweet, puppy dog eyed, lost kid.”

  I shook my head, smiling, not knowing exactly how to take this new information. We changed the subject back to the wedding and spent the remainder of lunch going over more details of the event. I didn’t have a huge lunch hour. When Megan left Easton to go full time at Ryan’s company, our boss gave me all of her current cases. I was now the one working on the environmental issues all over the city. It was nice to get a promotion, but I sure did miss her wit and sass at work.

  When lunch was over, I hugged Megan and wrote down our dress shopping plans before grabbing a cab and heading back to the office. On the ride there I stared out the window at the trees whose leaves were beginning to change color with the approaching fall. It was my favorite time of year, and I couldn’t help but wish Jason was there to snuggle up with when the cold nights started to creep up on us. As I passed by the Walker building, I stared out at the people on the sidewalk, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jason, but he wasn’t anywhere around.

  Back at the office, I had files upon files piled up on my desk, screaming for me to get through them. Half of them just needed to be double checked and filed, while the other half were actually open water contamination data. My mind floated back and forth between the wedding, work, and Jason. I couldn’t concentrate to save my life. I decided that filing was the best thing to do to get me back into the swing of things, so I pulled the large pile from the desk and wheeled back and forth in my chair putting the manila folders in their respective alphabetical slots. As the wheels of the chair squeaked along the roughly carpeted floor my mind floated off to the bedroom where Jason and I had spent most of our time.

  He was incredibly sexy with his dark brown eyes and messy hair. He worked out on a regular basis, and I loved running my hands down his strong back, feeling his muscular arms wrapped around me. When we first hooked up, I think we both just thought of it as a hot, drunk sex night but by the next evening, I found myself holding my cell phone, wanting to call him. Apparently, he was thinking the same thing because before I could dial the number, he was at the front door. Sure, we started off the night rolling around in my bed, pissing off the neighbors with my loud moans and tapping head board, but afterward, we actually laid around talking about our lives, our jobs, and our family. It was that moment that I realized this guy had gotten to me bad and after hearing his “Whore” stories, I stopped taking his calls. The last thing I needed was to be hurt, and by my best friend’s new boyfriend’s best chum.

  I sighed and tried to shake Jason from my mind, throwing the last few files into the filing cabinet and pulling myself back up to the desk. I opened a new case and attempted to start reading but what Megan had told me at lunch was stuck in the forefront of my brain, not allowing any new information in until I faced it.

  What if he actually was changing his ways?

  If he hadn’t slept with anyone, or seen anyone since I stopped calling him maybe he really did want an actual relationship with me. Now I was not only scared to get hurt but more so I was beginning to fear being wrong about him and missing out on a possible amazing relationship. I put my head down on the desk and tapped it gently against the wood. I guess with us throwing our best friend’s wedding together; I’d have plenty of time to figure it all out.

  Chapter 3

  Jason

  All day long, Ryan and I were running around the office attending a thousand meetings. It was so crazy he didn’t even have time to sit down to lunch with Megan, so she called Jana, and they were meeting at some restaurant across town. Every time I heard her name I couldn’t help but hang my head in shame. I couldn’t believe that I had gotten that drunk and wasted $17’s worth of Woodford on some English douche’s shoes. The guy completely deserved what he had coming to him. Okay, maybe he didn’t deserve it but damn if it didn’t feel good until Jana came and blew fire down my throat.

  I sighed, leaning on my hand and watching the accounting manager, Cynthia, go over figures at the front of the room. Luckily since Ryan was the CEO of Walker and I was just his lackey, I didn’t have to remain focused and on point. Well, at least that was my take on it. Ryan might have a different view on things. The old Jason would have sat here admiring Cynthia’s long legs, and stereotypical accounting porn star looks, but this new pathetic Jason really had no interest. Instead, I kept running Jana’s gorgeous ass through my mind, even the part where sparks shot from her eyes in anger.

  The day continued to rush by with little to no time for me and Ryan to sit down and actually talk. He had texted me this morning that he wanted to talk to me about something but by the time I got to the office everything was in full swing. The new plant had just opened successfully, thanks to Megan, and there was more work than ever. With the usual new facility mishaps coupled with the possible strike of union workers on our hands, it was definitely not a time for relaxation at Walker.

  I didn’t even understand how you could have a threatened strike just a couple months after opening a facility, but Ryan said it was union wide not unique to Walker. Either way, I was just happy that he got to do all the talking during those meetings.

  When the clock hit three in the afternoon, I gave a little fist pump knowing we only had one more meeting left, and that was with Megan and the environmental team. Everything had been going so great on that side of things I couldn’t imagine it would last too long. As I walked toward the conference room, Cynthia grabbed me and pulled me into the lounge. I looked at her awkwardly and then behind her where at least ten of the other employees were standing, holding cake and gifts.

  “I appreciate the gesture but my birthday isn’t for another few months,” I said, looking longingly at the creamy white icing.

  “It’s not for you, dummy,” Cynthia said, slapping my hand away from the cake. “It’s for Megan and Ryan for their engagement.”

  “Ahhhh,” I said shaking my head. “What do you need me for?”

  “You are leading us in,” she whispered. “You are the one who approved the budget for this little party.”

  “I did what?” I looked at Cynthia sideways not knowing what she was talking about.

  “I might have slipped it in with this month’s advertising budget papers, but either way you signed it,” she hissed. “Now get moving, they are already in there.”

  Another engagement surprise. At least this one wouldn’t have any whiskey and Jana wasn’t likely to show up. As I walked into the conference room, Ryan and Megan looked at me strangely. From behind me, they heard a huge collective, “Surprise!!” followed by Cynthia walking in with the cake. While Megan was thoroughly entertained by this, I watched Ryan struggle to gain his composure, ready to go home and relax. The office shifted in and out of the room, bringing in gifts, balloons, and grabbing a piece of the cake.

  I was starving, so I pretty much ate a small village sized piece, glancing up at Cynthia who was glaring down at me. She was the reason I wasn’t currently sitting in the diner down the street swallowing a giant triple cheeseburger instead so she could keep h
er nasty looks to herself. Everyone was more than excited to take a break and celebrate the couple’s engagement, but you better believe when five o’clock rolled around they were leaving the balloons and heading for the elevator.

  While Ryan and Megan stood in the hall embraced, talking about their plans for the evening I waited around, knowing he wanted to talk to me. I picked up the abandoned plates and cups and cleaned up the boardroom a bit. I could tell they were talking about me when they both looked up and through the glass. I smiled and waved and watched as Megan kissed Ryan, softly and walked to the elevator.

  To say I was jealous of their relationship was an understatement and that confused the hell out of me. I was the guy that was never going to settle down. I loved the fast life and being in a relationship was something that was completely foreign to me. Girls did not sleep over, and it was very rare they got a callback. Now all I could think about was Jana, and it was driving me crazy.

  Ryan walked into the room and leaned against the doorway, the look of love disgustingly dripping from his face. I laughed as I pulled the balloons from the ceiling and tied them to the back of his chair at the long mahogany table. He sauntered into the room and plopped down in front of the cake, grabbing a fork and eating right from the box. I groaned at the thought of putting any more cake into my body and sat down across from him.

  “So what’s up, man? It has been a crazy day,” I said, yawning.

  “I know, this union crap is killing me. I just want to be on my way to the Bahamas for my honeymoon,” he chuckled.

  “I hear you dude,” I said leaning back, not really wanting to listen to what he stayed after to tell me. I felt like it was going to be a lecture.

  “So I have something to ask of you,” Ryan said, leaning forward.

  “What’s that? Oh, take the lovely Megan off your hands? Sure no problem,” I joked.

  “Yeah right, she’d destroy you,” Ryan said laughing. “No, I want you to be my Best Man in the wedding.”

  “Awe man, I’m speechless. Of course, I will,” I said, genuinely touched. I figured he would have grabbed one of his cousins or someone from the club. We are close, but I am kind of an idiot sometimes. “Is Jana going to be in the wedding?”

  “Yeah, she is the Maid of Honor,” he replied.

  “Oh, cool,” I said trying to play off my excitement. I didn’t want Ryan to know just how deep this attraction to that girl actually went. “So, what does that mean?”

  “I don’t know the ins and outs, that’s something you will have to get from Megan, but I do know it means you will be spending more time together. And that means you can’t be pulling any stupid shit like the other night. Though it was pretty hilarious, Jana is not going to stand for it,” Ryan said, shoveling cake into his mouth.

  “I know man,” I said leaning back and running my hand through my hair. “I’m sorry about that. I really just don’t know what was going through my mind.”

  “Woodford was going through your mind,” Ryan chuckled. “And I appreciate the apology, but I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” I sulked. “I’ll make sure to make things right.”

  “Make sure you do,” Ryan said standing up and grabbing his jacket. “Now that that is settled, I am going to go home and cuddle up to my beautiful future wife. I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”

  “Yes, sir,” I said, fake saluting him.

  I sat and watched as he made his way out of the door and toward the elevator. He was singing Justin Bieber’s Sorry at the top of his lungs, and I laughed to myself. I really did love that guy like a brother. He always knew how to tell me to pick my shit up without completely demolishing my ego. I guess that’s what you get when you’ve known someone for so long.

  I sighed and picked up my jacket and briefcase looking around at the disaster of a room. I actually felt bad for the janitor who would be here in an hour or so. As I walked through the office, I started whistling the song to myself. It’s never too late to say sorry. Well, I sure as hell hoped that was true.

  Chapter 4

  Jana

  These reviews are the pits. I have been slaving away since seven am, and I feel like I haven’t even made a dent. However, as much as I hate them they are vital to the companies we work with. If they don’t know how to fix their issues, they will not only harm the environment but face some staggering fines from the government. Some of them, like the one I was currently staring at, would be shut down immediately, so they needed these comprehensive review packets back ASAP.

  I paused for a second and looked down at my phone as it vibrated against the desk. It was Megan sending me pictures of the cake she finally chose. It was gorgeous just as I assumed it would be, though her girlie excitement over the wedding has definitely surprised me. Megan is ruthless and driven, not taking the time to really focus on what she calls the trivial things in life. I guess falling in love with Mr. Big Shot has definitely softened her quite a bit. I liked it though; it fit her well.

  The phone started ringing in the background, and I glanced up as the receptionist looked over in my direction. She looked slightly confused and put the caller on hold. I watched as she stood up from her desk and walked over, leaning in to whisper.

  “There is a Jason on the phone for you,” she said, with knowing eyes. Jason had been in here a few times picking me up for lunch, so he wasn’t a stranger in the office.

  “Ugh,” I cringed. “Tell him I’m in a meeting. Please?”

  “Sure,” she said chuckling.

  I watched intently as she went back to her desk and picked the phone back up to deliver the news. She laughed slightly at something he said and scribbled on a piece of paper. When she had hung up, she walked by my desk, dropping the paper in front of me that read, “He’s charming!” I smiled to myself thinking about how good he was with words, especially to the ladies. With a shaking head, I tried to go back to work, but my mind was stuck on Jason. Why would he be calling? After talking to Megan, I couldn’t get the feeling of hope from my chest. Maybe he really had changed, and maybe, just maybe, it was because of me. As I stared at my work, not lost in my own thoughts, I couldn’t help but feel guilty for not answering the phone. It was pretty crappy of me to screen his call; he wouldn’t have ever done that to me.

  I sighed and pushed the file to the side. There was no use in even pretending like I was going to be able to concentrate now. I glanced over at my phone about ten times before sighing and picking it up. There was no way I was going to have this conversation with the rude roaming ears in my office, so I logged out of my computer and walked to the company courtyard. It was almost cold outside, and I wrapped my sweater tightly around me as I walked outside. I looked at the phone for a second and then pressed his contact. I held it to my ear, nerves starting to bubble up inside.

  “Hey there,” Jason answered, seeming calm and collected.

  “Hey, sorry I couldn’t take your call, I was crazy busy at work,” I said, lying of course.

  “It’s cool, screening my calls, I get it,” he responded chuckling. “Actually, I won’t keep you long. I wanted to find out if you were busy tonight. I thought maybe we could get together over dinner and talk about our matrimonial duties.”

  “Our what?” A small panic spread through me.

  “You know, since you’re the Maid of Honor and I am the Best Man,” he explained.

  “Oh,” I said letting out a sigh. “Uh, I don’t know I’m pretty busy.”

  I knew it was nothing more than an excuse to hang out with me, but I wasn’t sure if I was flattered or put off. I did have to admit that the sound of his voice was familiar and comforting. I kicked at the rocks under my feet as he took a minute to think about what he wanted to say next. There was definitely a huge part of me that wanted him to fight me out of bailing.

  “Look, I acted like a complete idiot the other night,” he said, his voice turning serious.

  “You think?” I wasn’t m
ad, but I wasn’t going to let on that I actually thought it was cute.

  “I don’t know what came over me. I saw you, I’ve missed you, and then your boyfriend came over and started talking to me. I don’t know. I had too much to drink, but that isn’t an excuse,” he said, mumbling to himself. “The point is, I’m sorry.”

  “Well, first off, he definitely isn’t my boyfriend and two, thank you for your apology, it’s really mature of you. I appreciate it, honestly,” I said, deciding that continuing some charade of anger was pointless.

  “So, let me make it up to you while you explain to me what the hell it means to be a Best Man,” he said laughing. “I am completely lost, and I don’t want to screw this up, Ryan is like my brother.”

  “Well,” I replied. “I guess I’m going to have to eat anyway and we do actually have some things to go over. Okay. Fine. Pick me up at my apartment at six. And you’re buying.”