She's Captured my Love (Captured #4)

by Karen Frances

  Wait a minute!

  “Is it mine?” I ask.

  “Of course it’s yours. What do you take me for? Regardless of what you think of me, I don’t and haven’t been sleeping around.” She still doesn’t look at me. Why do I still think she’s lying to me?

  “So what does this mean?” I ask her.

  “I want to try again.”

  “A few days ago you couldn’t wait to leave me, so what’s with the change? Lover boy not wanting to bring up another man’s child?”

  “Ethan, there is no one else.”

  “I don’t believe you.” How can I believe a woman who has been lying to me for weeks?

  “It’s the truth; we need to find a way to work through this for the sake of our baby.”

  “If the baby is mine, I will do right by both of you.”

  “Ethan, I need you.” She is now crying. I don’t do crying women. I stand and walk around the table and wrap my arms around her. Comforting her, supporting her.

  “We will find a way to work through this,” I tell her.

  I must be a fool.

  CHRISTMAS DAY FOURTEEN MONTHS LATER

  Sophie

  “Hello, everyone.” A deep Scottish voice calls through the apartment, from the front door. I look at Alex and raise my eyebrows, questioning him.

  “That will be Ethan and Lucy,” he tells me. Of course it will be Libby’s brother, their parents are already here busy in the kitchen with my mom. “Don’t look so worried, you will get on with him and you will love Lucy.” My brothers face lights up as he speaks of Lucy. He seems very fond of the youngest member of the Stewart family. Alex hasn’t hidden the fact that he wants children, even very early into his relationship with Libby he made his point very clear. Libby, on the other hand, I think will take some convincing of this. She is very career focused. She’s not ready to be a stay-at-home mom, and I would be surprised, even when the time comes for kids, if she would do that.

  “Where is everyone?” the deep voice asks.

  I turn my attention to the voice. Wow! Yes, I’ve seen pictures of Ethan, from Libby when she was in New York, but they really didn’t do the man any justice. He stands just in the doorway with a car seat in his hands, smiling. He’s dressed in dark jeans and I can just see the hint of white underneath his jacket, that isn’t fully zipped up. He’s probably about the same height as Alex, six-foot-two, and his hair is the same dark brown colour as his sister’s.

  “Here, let me take her,” Alex says to him. “She’s getting so big; you soon won’t be able to carry her in this.”

  “I know,” Ethan replies. I watch, mesmerised, as he takes off his jacket.

  My heart skips out of the room, leaving me struggling to breathe. God, they’re both going to notice my reaction.

  Ethan Stewart has grabbed my attention and I don’t know what to do. He’s stunning, all male perfection.

  I sit still on the couch, trying to pull my gaze away from him, but I can’t. Trying to adjust my focus on anything else, except him. I notice the tattoos just showing under his t-shirt on his arms, they’re really eye catching. The detail and time that would’ve gone into that. I do love a good tattoo; I don’t have any myself. Maybe one day I will be tempted. There’s just something sexy about a man with a tattoo. It has to be said, Ethan is pretty sexy as my eyes travel down the rest of his body. I need to get these thoughts out my mind. He’s a fricken widower, for Christ’s sake. It’s what, only six months or so since he lost his wife?

  “Ethan, this is my sister, Sophie,” Alex says.

  “Sophie, this is Ethan and this little one is Lucy.” His voice changes and the smile on his face grows wider. Yes, my brother will be a great dad, eventually.

  “Hi,” is all I can manage. This is so not like me. I’m not usually this bashful around guys.

  “Hey, Sophie it’s good to finally meet you. Libby speaks very highly of you,” he says looking directly at me with a smile. His deep brown eyes give nothing away, but I do feel something between us; a connection, a spark. My breathing quickens. I close my eyes briefly, needing to sort myself out. I hear a soft chuckle. Opening my eyes, I find Ethan still staring. I turn my attention to Alex, who has been too busy with Lucy taking her from her seat, to notice whatever it was between Ethan and I. And there was something between us, a moment.

  “Can I hold her?” I ask, trying to take the heat out of the air that now surrounds me.

  “Of course,” Ethan says.

  “Be careful,” Alex tells me. Anyone would think I’ve never held a baby before. I smile in amusement at my brother, and when I look at Ethan, he just smiles and shrugs his shoulders. So Alex is also possessive of this little one, not just Libby.

  I take Lucy in my arms, and instantly I know why everyone adores this little girl. She is perfect as she smiles cooing at me. My heart melts as I think about this little girl growing up without her mom. I know why Libby is so protective of her, and looking into this little girl’s eyes, I also know Alex never stood a chance of getting Libby to stay in New York with him. I wouldn’t want to leave her either if I were Libby.

  Family means everything to both Libby and Alex. I know how close Libby is to Ethan and I don’t think that’s just because they are twins. No, I think a lot has to do with this little one in my arms.

  Alex heads back into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Ethan and Lucy. I try not to look at him, because I’m sure he will be able to see straight through me. I’m scared he will know what I’m thinking, so I keep my eyes on Lucy, but I do feel his eyes firmly on me.

  I feel my cheeks flush.

  God, if I’m this flustered after a brief meeting with him, how am I going to be able to spend all night here in his company? Tonight could be interesting.

  Ethan sits down beside me. Watching me with his daughter, a small smile dancing on his lips. I’m sure the smile is for Lucy, although part of me wants to believe the smile is for me.

  THIS ISN’T HOW I IMAGINED my first Christmas with Lucy would be, but given the circumstances, it’s better than I had hoped it would ever be. I’ve spent the day surrounded by my family, family that I love. It’s been a perfect day from beginning to end.

  I stand alone by the fireplace, deep in thought watching my sister surrounded by her future in-laws. Seeing how happy she is tonight warms my heart. Yes, she might look a little tired from over-working, but the sparkle is back in her eyes that has been missing these last few weeks.

  She deserves to be happy.

  I did think when this day finally came, I would feel envious of Libby, maybe even a little jealous considering all I’ve lost.

  But as I stand here, the only feelings I have for her are love and happiness. No, I’m not jealous of my sister. She deserves Alex’s love and listening to his declaration of love for her and his marriage proposal tonight, I know they will both have their happy-ever-after. They were made for each other.

  Destined to be together.

  She catches me watching her and holds my gaze. “You okay?” she mouths. I nod with a reassuring smile; she still manages to frown. Will she ever stop worrying about me? “I’m fine. Love you.” I know I need to talk to her after my little slip of the tongue. I have managed to keep it to myself for all these months, so why did I say it? Why now? I didn’t mean to say what I did to her, and I could see her concern as soon as the words left my mouth.

  ‘No, Libby, to find it again would mean I had it in the first place. What Lindsay and I had was not the same. We were young and foolish.’

  But I did mean what I said, even though I shouldn’t have said it, especially tonight. Tonight is a celebration, after all, a double celebration now; our birthday and Libby’s engagement. What Lindsay and I had wasn’t love. If I think about it, I’m not sure we even had friendship between us those last few months before she died.

  Trust was all gone as well. That disappeared the minute I thought she was having an affair. It’s been watching the relationship between Libby and Alex grow
that has made me finally see sense. Sense that Stephen has been trying to talk into me for all these months since Lindsay’s death. It’s obvious to anyone, that those two belong together.

  Lindsay and I were separating when she found out she was pregnant. No, I shall rephrase that; she was leaving me. But the only people who knew that were her parents and Stephen. I needed someone to turn to, and with Stephen being my best friend, he was there when I needed him the most. Lindsay and I married too young, I know that now. She was my sister’s best friend, had been since they were about five years old. Christ, we were all friends, the four of us.

  We spent months, unknown to my family, trying to make our marriage work, but we had drifted so far apart before the accident. The thing was, neither of us loved the other in the way we should have. I believe if Lindsay was still alive we would have separated eventually. I’m not the type of person that could have stayed in a loveless marriage, and I’m certainly not the type to have an affair either. Although I can’t say the same for my late wife. I can’t confirm my suspicions about my wife’s fidelity with her not being here. She always denied it when questioned about it. Me? I don’t think I truly believed her answers.

  But I do know without a shadow of a doubt and a few tests that Lucy is mine. That played on my mind throughout her pregnancy, but she was true to her word when she said that I was the father. I don’t know if anything did happen with her boss before she told me she was pregnant, but as far as I’m aware nothing happened between them after.

  Maybe that all played a part in how I dealt with Lindsay’s death. I’m not too proud to admit I had a complete breakdown. I still can’t believe I wasted all that time missing out on some of the most important weeks in my daughter’s life. If I could go back to her birth, it’s the one thing I would do differently.

  I would go back and cherish that time with Lucy.

  My eyes circle the room and I find my beautiful daughter. She is still in Sophie’s arms with Alex’s mother doting on her as well. My little girl is going to be spoiled by all those around her; I can see that tonight.

  That now leads me to Sophie. This is the first time we’ve met and every time I’ve looked at her . . . I can’t describe it. I would say my heart started to beat again when I first clapped eyes on her, earlier tonight. But that would be a lie, my heart started to beat again when my daughter was six weeks old. The day I decided to start living my life and stop wallowing in my own self-pity. The day I finally held my beautiful girl in my arms and cried like a baby. My heart had been torn in two with the events in my life; the car crash that claimed my wife’s life and the birth of my daughter.

  When I met Sophie earlier I did feel something deep within me that I’ve not felt in months.

  A connection? Maybe.

  A spark? Yes, I think it was.

  As I watch her with the most precious thing in my life, our eyes lock and a connection is made. Her brown eyes remain locked on mine for a few moments. She smiles at me and looks away shyly, her attention going back to Lucy. My heartbeat stopped for a split second before picking up its rhythm. Sophie looks so at ease with my girl, maybe that is what is drawing me to her.

  Sophie looks a little different from the pictures Libby had shown me, and it’s only now I see it. It’s her hair that’s different. In the pictures her hair is darker, almost the same colour as Alex’s, but now it’s lighter and longer. More blonde than brown. I have to admit she looks pretty hot.

  “Penny for them.” I turn to my sister’s voice. I have been too busy watching Sophie with Lucy that I hadn’t noticed Libby leaving Alex’s side. “Can we talk?”

  “No, I’ve already told you not tonight. I will tell you when I’m ready.” She looks a little disheartened with my answer. “How are you feeling? Are you sure you are up to a night clubbing tomorrow?” I ask her, quickly changing the subject.

  “I’m fine, and a night out is probably just what I’m needing after all the work I’ve been doing at the hotel lately. It’s time to spend some quality time with you all, letting my hair down and not giving anything else a second thought.” She smiles. “What about you? You’ve not had a night out clubbing since Lindsay . . .”

  “I’m ready for a night out. I’m not ready for a night on the pull yet. My focus is Lucy and only Lucy, you know that.”

  “Is that so?” she asks in a low voice.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Nothing, nothing at all.”

  “Spit it out, sis. If you have something to say, just say it.” She is itching to say something and I have a pretty good idea what about. I forget just how well we can read each other.

  “Don’t get angry with me,’ she says. Like I would ever get angry with her. “I’ve watched you tonight and I’m sure I’m not the only one to notice the looks between you and Sophie and the few conversations you’ve had.”

  And I was right.

  “Is there a point to this? I’ve spoken with your future sister-in-law and she seems really nice. Is there a law against me talking to her?”

  “No, of course there’s not. It’s just strange seeing you take an interest in a girl.”

  “Of course I’ll show an interest in Sophie, you’ve spoken very highly of her since you returned from New York. You and her seem to be close considering you’ve only known her a short time. I’m just showing an interest in my sister’s life.”

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it,” she tells me. I know what she means, but I’m not about to admit that she might be right. She is making me feel a little uncomfortable. I know she means well, but my sister can be a little . . . How shall I put it? Nosey! But she does mean well and I love her for it.

  My sister is the reason I’m where I’m today. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know where Lucy and I would be. Yes, I do; Lucy would be living with Libby and I wouldn’t have any sort of relationship with my daughter. She persevered with me, when anyone else would’ve walked away. Then she had to do the most selfless thing and walk away from Lucy.

  I know she will never admit it, but leaving me and Lucy to get on with things on our own broke my sister’s heart. She treated Lucy like her own daughter. Every little thing she did for Lucy was selfless. I owe my sister my life.

  “Do you not have other things or people to bother?” I ask her, with a smug grin.

  “Me? No, but I will take your hint and leave you. I also need to try and talk some sense into my husband-to-be.” She smiles warmly as her eyes go to the stunning diamond ring now gracing her finger.

  Alex has excellent taste, but then I knew that. He has, after all, chosen to spend his life with my sister.

  “About what?”

  “About the fact he wants a short engagement.”

  “He loves you and doesn’t want to wait; what’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing wrong with it. It’s kind of . . . Maybe not a talking point with my brother.” From the smile on her face, I’m glad she’s stopped talking. There are some things I just don’t need to know.

  I watch her walk away, straight back into Alex’s waiting arms, and my eyes go back to Sophie and Lucy. I feel as though I know Sophie from the way Libby has spoken about her, but I think my first impressions about her have changed somewhat. I had it in my head she was like Kirsty, outgoing, a bit of a flirt and loud. That about sums up Kirsty. I find myself grinning at my description of my sister’s closest friend.

  But seeing Sophie here tonight she seems quiet and shy, yet approachable. I have to admit, she’s beautiful and I know she is the same age as me. I shake my head at that thought. Not what should be going through my head.

  A soft crying has my eyes shifting slightly. It’s Lucy. She’s bound to be getting tired now, it’s been an eventful day. My poor girl hasn’t even had her afternoon nap, with being at Tom and Moria’s, Lindsay’s parents, this afternoon. She was spoiled at their house as well. It was good catching up with them. It still feels strange visiting them without Lindsay, but they always make me feel s
o welcome. Lindsay was an only child and her mother has struggled since her death. Moria tries hard not to interfere in how I bring up Lucy, and I do allow her to play an active part in her life.

  I walk toward Sophie, who is now sitting on the couch, trying to soothe my crying daughter. Mum is also walking toward them, but stops and smiles when she sees me heading in their direction.

  “Do you want me to take her?” I ask Sophie. She lifts her head only slightly, blushing, before turning her attention back to Lucy.

  “No, I’m fine. I think she’s just tired, am I correct?” she asks in her strong American accent, which I could listen to all day.

  “Yes, she is. It’s been a busy day for her and all the attention she has received has meant she didn’t get her afternoon nap.”

  “I could do with a sleep now myself, so I have an idea of how she feels,” she says with a cute smile before laughing a little uncomfortably.

  I don’t want Sophie to feel uncomfortable with me. Why do I care how she feels? I glance at my daughter, who is now happily cooing away in her arms. Her eyelids are heavy as she fights against the sleep that will surely overcome her at any time. Sophie rocks her gently and speaks to her softly. Almost the same way as I’ve watched Libby do a thousand times.

  But this is different. I’m not sure how, but it is.

  “I suppose jetlag is kicking in now?”

  “Yeah, just a little.” She lowers her voice as Lucy’s eyelids close. “But all the jetlag is worth it just to see those two so happy.” We both turn in the direction of Libby and Alex, and yes, it’s clear to see just how happy they both are. I feel myself frowning as I wonder if I’ll ever be that happy with anyone. Sadness sweeps through me as I think I could be on my own for the rest of my life.

  “Ethan, are you alright?” Sophie asks.

  “Yeah, of course.” I turn back to her and smile. “I should think about taking this little one home.”

  “Oh.” If I’m not mistaken, the look on Sophie’s face is one of disappointment.

  “Son, you want another beer?” Dad asks.