“I’m fine. I don’t think it’s the food. I hardly ate anything,” she said, turning the other way.
Please, don’t look at those lips, she told herself. Just please don’t look at those lips.
“You don’t like it?” Hunter asked, nudging her chin to face him, and they locked their eyes together. Then her eyes had a mind of their own as they inadvertently drifted to Hunter’s lips.
“It’s nice, but I just can’t eat it,” Clarice said, forcing herself to look at his chest instead.
“Your stomach is playing up?” Hunter asked innocently, tilting up her chin so he could look at those dilated pupils again. “I’ll take you to the hospital. You might have the flu or something.”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just go back—”
And then she hunched over the toilet again as another strong urge came welling up to her throat, making her vomit once more.
“Clarice, God.” Hunter started rubbing her back again.
After the sudden urge died down, she stood and rested against the wall, but her body was just so weak that she slumped against Hunter instead.
Clarice, oh my God. Hunter’s heart pounded, crying out for the woman in his arms. He wanted to continue to hold her like this forever, to feel this warmth transmitting to his own body. What was wrong with him? How come she felt so perfect in his arms? He couldn’t understand what was going on.
“Clarice?” His voice shook a little. “You’re clearly not well. I’m taking you to the hospital now. Let’s go.”
“Hunter, what do you think you’re doing?” Clarice asked hoarsely, pulling back from him, but she was just so tired, so out of energy that she let him carry her all the way to his car. But Anton, Fern, and Caroline intercepted them before Hunter could complete his mission.
“What’s going on?” Anton asked, turning to Clarice. “Are you all right? You don’t look well. I should take you to the hospital.”
“Fern will come too,” Fern offered. “It’s good if Junior Silverton has someone else to look after her while he drives.”
“It’s fine. I’ve already decided to take her,” Hunter said, tugging Clarice’s head close to his chest again. “And didn’t you say you have another meeting after lunch?”
Shit, Anton swore to himself. He’d totally forgotten about that other meeting. “Then you take good care of Clarice,” Anton demanded. “I’ll call you later.”
Anton watched his cousin leave with Clarice and Fern in tow. After the car disappeared from his sight, he quietly went back to his office to prepare for his meeting.
Caroline watched the entire exchange with fists clenched by her sides. This cannot be, she thought. She must get rid of this girl. No one else would get Hunter.
CHAPTER 24
“Please pick me up. I’m at Auckland Hospital.” Clarice left a message on Max’s cell phone from the pay phone, then went back to her seat in the waiting area. She closed her eyes, feeling so exhausted.
She felt so sick. She didn’t know her nerves could get this bad.
“Clarice,” a soft voice whispered in her ear. Anton, it sounded like Anton that night they were together.
Clarice opened her eyes, then immediately shut them again. She felt her heart hammering within her chest and her breathing became labored. It was Hunter. He was so close to her that she could feel his warm breath. Suddenly, a hot rush of lust hit her like a ton of bricks, smacking her right in the face.
“You haven’t gone home yet?” she asked, turning away to stop this yearning. She opened her eyes again and stared at the grey linoleum.
“Are you okay? I bought you some juice. I thought the sugar might help,” Hunter said, eyeing Clarice, wondering why she was so intent on staring at the linoleum.
“Do you have a straw?” she asked quietly.
“No. Why do you need a straw?” Hunter had enough of Clarice looking at the linoleum. Did she find that grey floor more interesting than his handsome face? He nudged her chin around to face him.
“I don’t want to drink anything acidic that can cause my teeth to rot. I want a straw.” Clarice closed her eyes again.
“You, Avocado, and your oral health,” he said. Then she felt his presence disappear again.
Thank heavens! She could now rest in peace. She didn’t know whether she could handle looking at Hunter any longer. The more he stayed with her, the more she was reminded of Anton that night. It just wasn’t right. And then there was Anton. He acted like he didn’t know her at all. Which she admitted hurt her a little. She really must talk to him and get it straight, out in the open.
And when would they call her up? She was so tired. She just wanted to go to sleep.
Just then Fern returned from getting her coffee, which made Clarice want to gag even more.
“Fern is sorry. Fern didn’t mean to make Clarice sick again. Fern will throw this away.” Fern apologized and threw her cup of coffee into the trash bin.
All Clarice could do was shake her head.
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me,” Clarice replied weakly. “I’m sorry about your coffee too.”
“It’s nothing.” Fern smiled to reassure her new friend. “Fern can always get another one later.” Then she looked around the waiting room. “Where is Hunter?”
“I don’t know,” Clarice answered, closing her eyes again. “He just disappeared.”
“Hunter seems to be quite attached to you, is he not?” Fern asked, still smiling.
Clarice didn’t know how to answer. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Fern.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Fern shoved aside the subject.
She had a niggling suspicion that Hunter must like Clarice. Hunter had never acted like this before. He’d never cared for any woman as much. Clarice was the first. She really hoped Clarice might be the one to tame his wild ways. And if it did happen, she would offer her friend her full support.
“The doctor should call your name soon,” Fern said instead. “Fern is very glad to meet you, Clarice. Fern believes we can be great friends from now on.”
“Mmmm.” Clarice nodded her head in agreement. Being with Fern had a calming effect on her, just like being with Whitney and Elise. Just then, her name was called and she went in, smiling a bit to reassure Fern she would be fine.
After a series of tests, which included the urine test and blood pressure, she was escorted back into the doctor’s office. She really couldn’t wait any longer for the diagnosis.
The flamboyant doctor that greeted her had a grin from ear to ear.
“I just love my job when I have news like this,” he said, practically bouncing in his chair. “My name is Dr. Flint, by the way.”
Clarice couldn’t understand. Surely being sick wasn’t something to be so happy about.
But strangely, he giggled. “Oh, I don’t even know how to say this.” He waved his hands in front of his face to cool his already red cheeks. “I’m so excited and giddy inside. This is my first day here. I don’t even know how to respond to the news.”
“Maybe you should just calm down before telling me, Dr. Flint.” Clarice offered her advice, speaking in a soothing voice just like she would with her patients when they were anxious or excited about their dental treatment. “Just take deep, slow breaths and then tell me.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Dr. Flint said, calming down a bit, but then he got all flustered again and started flapping his arms about when he thought of the news. “Oh, I can’t help it. I want to tell you straight out, but I don’t know where to begin,” Dr. Flint said, slumping back in his chair in defeat.
“You could start from the beginning,” Clarice offered. “Start with my test results.”
Clarice admitted she was ready to bolt out the door at any moment if Dr. Flint were to carry on with his weird behavior. She felt more like she was the doctor and he her patient.
“Okay, here goes,” Dr. Flint said after taking a few deep breaths to relax. “Congratulations, Ms. Mas
on, you’re going to be—”
And then the door just had to open, interrupting Dr. Flint’s speech, revealing Hunter looking around the room like a little lost lamb searching for its mother. When his eyes landed on Clarice, he smiled and came to her side.
“There you are. When I came back from getting your straw, you were gone.”
“I was in taking tests,” Clarice said, embarrassed. “What are you doing here anyway? You should be outside waiting,” she whispered.
Dr. Flint was about to diagnose her condition. She didn’t want Hunter hanging around while he explained her condition. This information was strictly confidential.
Hunter thought Clarice was having one of her mental moments again, so he ignored her outburst and turned to the… very colorful doctor.
He’d never seen a doctor dressed like a clown before. What was with the bright polka-dot bowtie and the yellow-and-green striped shirt and bright-orange glasses? The doctor looked more suited for a circus than a hospital.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. I was just worried about her. Is she all right?” Hunter asked.
“Oh, you have the right to worry.” Dr. Flint grinned again, gesturing for Hunter to sit himself down beside Clarice before he announced her condition.
Clarice just stared at Hunter like she wanted to murder him. “No, Hunter,” she said. “Go back out now. Dr. Flint is about to diagnose my condition. I don’t want you here.”
“But I want to stay,” Hunter whined.
“No, go,” Clarice repeated.
“No. I’m staying.” Hunter remained in his spot.
“I—”
“Please, Ms. Mason.” Dr. Flint interrupted their bickering. “Let him stay. He’s needed here as much as you are.”
“Ah?” Clarice asked. “I don’t understand why he needs to stay.”
“All shall be explained soon,” Dr. Flint said, then turned to Hunter, gesturing for him to sit next to Clarice.
Hunter was only too happy to oblige.
“All comfortable?” the doctor asked.
“Yeah,” Hunter replied coolly.
Hunter wasn’t sure why the doctor was paying more attention to him than to Clarice, who was the patient. Maybe he was gay, hitting on him. He cringed at his own thought.
Dr. Flint just smiled at them both like he’d just won a million dollars. If only he and his partner were approved for adoption, he thought.
“I congratulate you both,” Dr. Flint said finally. “You are about to be proud parents!”
“Come again?” Hunter said. Proud parents? What’s this doctor talking about?
“In simple terms, Mr. Mason, your wife is pregnant.”
CHAPTER 25
Hunter was feeling hot and cold at the same time. He could feel his world spinning and tilting on its axis.
It can’t be. It just can’t be.
Clarice, the Avocado, was pregnant. Pregnant! But how… and with whom?
Hunter could feel Clarice’s hand gripping his arm. Oh no! She must have been just as surprised as he was. He turned to Clarice then, ready to comfort her, only to have Clarice hug him instead. Her embrace was very intimate as she hugged him tightly to her body, her head nestling against his shirt.
“Hunter.” Clarice pulled back with tears in her eyes. “Did you hear that?” she asked him softly. “I’m pregnant.” And then she smiled at him, and it made his heart jump. And he wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to embrace her again. He didn’t know where that feeling had come from, but he realized he wanted this woman. God help him, he wanted her. But before he could respond, she closed her eyes and collapsed on him.
“Jesus, Clarice,” Hunter yelled, which alerted the doctor, who came running around his desk to help assist Clarice too.
“Deary me,” Dr. Flint said, scratching his head. “Must be the excitement of having the little one. Don’t you worry, Mr. Mason. I’ll look after your wife. If you could just wait in the waiting room for now.” And before he knew what happened, Clarice was taken out off his hands and he was ushered out of the room, colliding with the many nurses that came scurrying in.
What the hell just happened? Hunter came stumbling out of the doctor’s office. Clarice was pregnant. And she was happy. And now she had fainted.
Hunter could feel a little stabbing pain in his heart. He couldn’t understand what it was. He was so confused and so numb. He just didn’t know how to react anymore. What was wrong with him? How come he felt this way? Who was the father? He wanted to just bash the bastard’s face.
All of a sudden, anger emerged within him and he swore loudly. He ran his hands through his hair roughly. What in the bloody devil was wrong with him? She already had someone. Why did it concern him so much? Shouldn’t he be thinking about his mysterious goddess? Why had he stopped searching for her and now focused all his energy on that avocado? For Christ sake, she was pregnant, so why was he still thinking about her? God, he needed to cool himself down. He needed to get some air.
Fern saw Hunter coming out of the doctor’s office, looking like he’d just seen a ghost.
“Hunter!” Fern came running over. “What’s wrong? What happened to Clarice?”
Hunter couldn’t respond. He didn’t know how to answer his friend’s question. He felt if he said the words, somehow his world would fall apart.
“Hunter!” Fern urged. “Did something happen to Clarice? Fern wants to know.”
“She just has low blood pressure.” Hunter lied. “She’s being looked after now.” God, he tried to suppress his emotions. It was so damn hard and so bloody painful.
“You should have said so in the first place. Fern was so worried,” Fern said with ease, then went back to her seat with her magazine in hand and started reading again. But not before she took in the sight of her friend’s distraught face.
She knew it. Clarice must be someone important to Hunter. Otherwise, he wouldn’t look like he’d just been to hell and back. She must ask him how serious his feelings were towards Clarice. But now wasn’t the time. She promised herself she would dig into this drama later.
“When will Clarice be going back home?” she asked instead.
“I don’t know,” Hunter said numbly. “Why don’t you go? I’ll wait for her.”
“Are you sure?”
Hunter nodded, still in shock.
“Okay, you take care,” Fern said, looking at her friend. “You sure look pale too. Fern will take her leave now, then.”
When Fern left, Hunter slumped back in his chair and shuffled his hair. He really didn’t know what to do anymore. He really didn’t know how to act anymore. All he knew right now was he was mad, frustrated, afraid, hurt, and most of all shocked. All because of that news.
Clarice is pregnant.
Hunter glanced up, and out of the corner of his eyes, amongst the crowd rushing about the hallway, he could make out the person he was searching for. He jumped out of his chair immediately and raced towards that person but ended up getting caught in a stampede of people rushing towards the elevator instead.
There was definitely no denying it. This time when he caught that person, he was going to get this whole shebang straightened out.
As he fought closer through the cluster of people, his hand reached out and made contact with that shoulder. “Waiter boy!”
* * *
Max walked into the hospital foyer, rubbing his stomach. Why didn’t he eat anything before coming here to pick up Clarice? When she had left him that message on his cell phone that she was in the hospital, he was so scared that he couldn’t imagine keeping anything down. But why didn’t she just text him? Why use an unknown phone number.
Anyway, that wasn’t important right now. What was more concerning was Clarice’s health and safety. He just hoped she was okay, though, because he didn’t know what to do if she was sick. Hopefully, it was just some mild accident.
After receiving the news, he texted both Whitney and Elise. So far, he hadn’t received a reply.
/> As he was about to approach the reception desk, he felt someone touch his shoulder and call out, “Waiter boy!” By instinct, he glanced around and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Hunter, who he had thought was Anton, careening towards him at a very high speed. Not sure of what else to do at that instant, Max took off before Hunter could get a good grip of his hoodie.
“Hey, you! Stop!” Hunter called out, running after Max.
But Max didn’t stop. He knew he was in trouble. That Anton guy must have found out it was him. He had to escape. Clarice said she wanted his sperm, but she didn’t mention anything about wanting the guy, so Max just ran faster. But Hunter was taller and had longer legs, so after only a few seconds, Hunter caught up with Max and gripped his hoodie, halting the boy.
“Okay, I’m stopping. I’m stopping.” Max raised his hands in surrender.
Hunter relaxed his grip then, knowing he’d captured Max, but when Max felt the tension ease, he surprised Hunter again by running off at full speed.
“You rascal,” Hunter yelled when he realized he was fooled.
“Huh, like I’m gonna let you get me, big bro.” Max laughed, then sprinted off again.
“Get back here. We have to talk,” Hunter yelled.
“I’m not talking to you,” Max yelled back.
“You! Arrgghhh, waiter boy.”
Hunter hastened his pace, his legs eating up more distance, until he was so close to Max that he came slamming into the smaller boy, tackling him to the side of the footpath. Getting a good grip on his neck, Hunter pinned Max until he pleaded for him to let go.
“Fine, I promise I won’t run off again,” Max said while trying to catch his breath. And then his stomach had to release an embarrassing growl.
Max looked up at Hunter then, who was about to lecture him, when he raised his hands before Hunter started with the preaching.
“Please,” Max panted trying to catch his breath again. “If you want me to talk, you have to feed my stomach first.”
Baby Be Mine (Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book One) Page 22
