Courage in the Kiss (27 page)

Two Weeks Later

“Welcome.” The maître ‘d smiled, as he greeted her at the door.

“Hi. I believe the table is booked under Williams,” Hadley explained, as Maxx had insisted on treating her. He’d called ahead and told the owner to have their best table reserved, and to charge everything to his account. It was so typical of this new personality of his, to spoil her.

“Ah, Miss Young?” he asked.

“That’s right.”

“Wonderful. If you’ll just follow me,” he asked, lifting three menus from his table, before turning and making his way through the room.

The ambiance of the restaurant was pleasant and kind of romantic, but the effect was ruined by Maxx’s absence. If he’d been there, it would have been a great romantic dinner, maybe even a double date. But, as it was, Maxx had to nip into the nearest office to deal with a crisis and hadn’t wanted her to be alone.

“Here you are,” the maître ‘d said as he pulled the chair out for her. “Mr Williams mentioned that you were pregnant. This is the no smoking area, and we have tried to place you as far from the kitchen as possible so that the smells will not bother you,” he explained, much to her surprise.

“Really, I’m fine. This is perfect,” Hadley promised, planning to wring Maxx’s neck when she got home. There was being a proud dad and over-protective fiancé, but then there was this.

He’d been so insistent on her not being alone that her plans of cleaning the art room slash nursery had been ruined.

Emerson was the one who pulled him into the office, so he wasn’t at home either, and Micah and Rowan had already planned to take the girls to a movie marathon. The boys had offered to push their plans back, but they were due back at school in just a week or two, so Hadley told them to enjoy themselves and made plans of her own.

Even Jay and Ronnie had been reluctant to go out to a real restaurant with her, especially when Maxx chose this place and they realised how romantic it was. But, they couldn’t hide forever, so she’d agreed to act like a client and not be too touchy-feely with them.

It was only phase one of Hadley’s plan to get them to open up about their relationship. She understood the risks, that people in the law firm would think Ronnie was being given preferential treatment and that it would look unprofessional, but their relationship was more important. They’d been together for nearly a year and had moved in together, but they lived their lives in secret.

“Madam.” A waiter approached and bowed his head, as he stood by her table. “May I get you a drink?” he asked with a hint of hesitation.

When Hadley followed his gaze, she found the maître d’ watching them closely. That was when she decided throttling Maxx was too kind. She’d murder him for putting her in this position. “I’ll have an orange and lemonade. But you can take a ten percent tip, if you add a vodka tonic to the bill,” she bargained.

The waiter blanched and hesitated, while writing down her order. “Um...I’m to order the tonic, but you don’t want it?” he clarified.

“Exactly. And you can tell your maître d’ to stop hovering,” she asked, deciding to settle the issue now. She wouldn’t have anyone treating her like glass. “I’m pregnant, but I’m not breakable and I don’t need a babysitter. If he complains, tell him I’m leaving if anyone other than you bothers me,” she explained.

The waiter smiled and nodded. “I’ll do that, madam. If you’re waiting on guests, would you like some bread or anything to pick at?” he wondered, with a much happier, relaxed tone that said he’d love to tell the maître d’ off for something.

“Nope, I’m good. Thanks.”

“Then I’ll get your drinks,” he said, discreetly backing away and returning to the bar.

After ten minutes of peace and a refreshing drink, Hadley was feeling better. She’d watched the maître ‘d’s face as the waiter relayed her message, and sensed more than a little relief. She could only imagine the things Maxx had threatened them with if they didn’t take good care of her. But she wasn’t going to let him dictate to her.

Being pregnant would not become a prison sentence.

“Hadley!”

She turned and waved as she saw Ronnie entering and making his way across. It was good to see them together and, although Jay had his briefcase, when he stopped to tell the maître ‘d who they were, Ronnie made a silent protest. He grabbed his hand and dragged him across to the table, while his boss took on the most adorable look of shock.

“Ronnie, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jay asked in a hiss of disapproval as they reached the table.

“Oh, cool it, Jay,” he replied with a grin. “This place is dead at this time in the day, and no one cares or knows who we are or who we’re screwing,” he explained, laughing it off.

Hadley had no choice but to join him, chuckling to herself as Jay’s face turned bright red. But, she was happy to notice, he managed a smile when Ronnie kissed his cheek and whispered to him.

“I’m sorry. Maybe I should have warned you, but you were dawdling and I wanted to see the baby,” he cooed in that charming, sweet voice of his.

Now that she’d gotten to know him better, Hadley knew that Emerson had been right on the money for setting them up. If Ronnie hadn’t been gay, she would have had so much fun with him that he very possibly could have made her forget all about Maxx. But she was happy that alternative world didn’t exist.

Ronnie and Jay were everything she’d wanted for her and Maxx, but would now never have. The love they displayed for each other, even in a simple look, was more than she’d ever had from Maxx. But she couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t his fault.

“Sit down, both of you,” she insisted with laughter.

Ronnie winked at her discreetly, as he took his seat, apparently taking her advice about opening up their relationship to a wider audience. It was the one sore point between the love birds, because Jay insisted on professionalism, while Ronnie was a typical romantic.

“I’ll admit,” Hadley began, as Jay sat across from her, while Ronnie set between them, on her right, “this was absolutely my plan. To have you two open up a little. I mean, Jay, you’re the boss. No one can do anything about you being together, and, honestly, I don’t think anyone will care,” she promised, since there were a few facts they both had to face.

Jay shook his head and got as far as “But,” before she cut in.

“Besides, I’m pretty sure everyone already knows,” she admitted, with an apology. She knew he wouldn’t like that, but it was time for him to see that Ronnie deserved an open relationship. And so did Jay.

“They can’t,” Jay protested, turning to Ronnie as though for confirmation.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly be surprised,” Ronnie agreed, looking happy at the thought of it being true. “You’re the hottest man in the entire building, and I’m very clearly the only one in your league,” he joked, with a wink and a grin.

Hadley laughed, loving his sense of humour and his willingness to accept life as it was, rather than pining away for what could never be. She wished she could be more like him.

“You wish,” Jay scoffed, though the smile gave away his amusement.

“Well, never mind that.” Ronnie smirked and passed it off, knowing that he’d won that argument, as usual. He wasn’t a lawyer for nothing; he had a talent for making his case and always convincing others of his point.

Hadley loved that about him and how he convinced people with facts and humour, rather than any underhanded tactics.

“How is the baby?” Ronnie asked, folding his hands on the table.

Pushing her seat back, she gave him a smile and held her hand out. Like a giddy schoolboy, he accepted her invitation and placed his hand on hers, so that she could let him feel her baby bump.

She’d been growing more and more self-conscious as the days passed, since it felt like she was ballooning, though everyone said they couldn’t see it.

When Ronnie pressed his hand to her stomach, the warmth seeped through the thin summer dress she’d worn for the occasion. “Is he kicking yet?” he asked, curiously.

“Not yet,” Hadley confessed, with sadness. She couldn’t wait for that special event and the others that would follow; the first tooth, first cry, first knee scrape, the first day at school, and every day in between. “The doctor says it will be another six or eight weeks before that starts.”

“You look really happy, Hadley,” Jay mentioned, as the waiter made his way across. He had his notepad with him again and she couldn’t help but smile at him.

“I am. I’m really excited about what’s in store,” she said, beaming to herself as the boys gave their drink orders.

“I’ll come back in a few minutes, for your meal order,” the waiter promised with a nod in her direction.

As soon as he was gone, Ronnie removed his hand from her stomach and gestured to the briefcase by Jay’s seat. “We got this for the little one. I know you said not to get anything, but it was perfect and we couldn’t pass it up,” he explained in argument.

Hadley had made it clear to everyone that she didn’t want them to get too excited. Her doctor had reminded her that the dangers to a pregnancy diminished after the twelfth week, but she hadn’t gotten that far yet. She was only at ten weeks, and the very thought of something being wrong terrified her.

Yet, everyone kept telling her that most pregnancies were hazard free and proceeded quite normally.

Hadley pushed aside her concerns and accepted the small, wrapped parcel. The paper was a cute baby tartan that was equal parts blue and pink. It was so adorable that she almost wondered if they had the pattern for the furnishings.

Then she opened it and found a pair of baby booties, with the same pattern, inside. “Oh, Ronnie...Jay,” she gasped, looking up at them both. “These are gorgeous.”

Before she could contain herself, she started to cry. These were the most perfect gift and she just knew that Maxx, and the baby, would love them.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” Ronnie said with a chuckle. He extracted a napkin from the table and dabbed at her cheeks, while struggling not to laugh. “You’ve got a heck of a long time before the kid comes along. You can’t be crying at every gift,” he teased, calming her a little.

She grasped his hand and held on tight, grateful to have them both with her during the pregnancy. She couldn’t have asked for better friends.

Lunch with Jay and Ronnie flew by in happy companionship. Then Hadley returned home, by taxi, and caught up on some reading.

Maxx was due home in about two hours, when they would head out to her first scan at the hospital. She was looking forward to seeing her baby for the first time and hearing that tiny heartbeat.

“Hadley!” Maxx’s voice shouted through from the hallway, startling her from the steamy sex scene of her new book.

That had been another gift from Ronnie, passed over discreetly at the end of their meal, with a wink and a promise that it would be ‘illuminating’. As he was one of the only people to know she’d been a virgin until Maxx, she’d guessed at what that might mean. But the truth was much more revealing.

“I’m in the library!” she called back, leaning forward to nudge the foot stool under her feet. She hadn’t been using it, but she knew Maxx wouldn’t approve of her sitting curled up on an armchair. He’d insist she was ‘squashing’ the baby.

The door opened a minute later, showing off Maxx in one of his dashing business suits that always emphasised his incredible bone structure. His tie was perfect, until he reached up and tugged the knot further down.

“I’m glad that’s over,” he muttered as he made his way toward her. He stopped and raised an eyebrow at the foot stool, a slow smile forming on his lips. “You’re a terrible liar.” He chuckled to himself, as he lifted her feet off the stool and kicked it aside.

“Can’t blame me for trying,” Hadley grumbled. It was payback for all the over-protective guff he’d been filling people’s heads with. It was starting to spread and it was driving her nuts.

Maxx laughed, as though he didn’t care about her deception, then he tapped her arm. “Up you get, gorgeous,” he said, with that constant smile.

She stood and let him take her seat, already knowing what he wanted. It was the same thing he always wanted when they were alone – to get closer. And who was she to deny the man she loved of what he wanted?

Strong arms wrapped around her waist and Hadley slowly turned, as fingers splayed across her stomach. As she turned, Maxx repositioned his hands until he covered the expanse of her baby bump.

“We’re really lucky, you know,” he insisted, with a quiet voice and faraway look in his eyes. “To have each other, to have the baby...”

Hadley held his hands to her, knowing exactly what he meant. Maybe her love was unrequited, but they knew each other and had the kind of history that not many couples in their situation had. They’d known each other their entire lives and were finally able to get alone like civilised people, now that neither of them were keeping secrets.

“What was the emergency?” Hadley asked, wondering where this nostalgia came from. It crept up now and then, but seemed more pronounced today. “Your dad said it was urgent, but you weren’t out as long as you thought,” she noticed.

Maxx shrugged and gently eased her forward, until she took the initiative and slid onto his lap. She lay her head against his shoulder, as he held her tight and used his foot to drag the foot stool back into a comfortable position.

“There was no emergency,” he said, as he propped his feet up on the stool. “Dad tried to use his old computer and they thought someone was trying to hack in, because he tried four different combinations to guess my password. Security detained him and didn’t care that he was the owner. I had to vouch that he wasn’t trying to break in,” he explained in exasperation.

“Just another day at the office, then?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Maxx nodded and lay his head against hers. “How are you feeling about this afternoon? Have you decided if you want to know whether it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked, changing the subject.

“A little scared and really nervous,” Hadley confessed, resting against him as she enjoyed the moment of peace. “They say that up to twelve weeks is the dangerous time, and with not being able to feel the baby kicking, I’m scared that it’s going to be bad news.” She had this fear that it just wasn’t meant to be. Like the rest of her dreams, being pregnant wouldn’t be how she’d imagined it and she wouldn’t get the real, full fantasy that she’d always wanted.

A kiss dropped onto her temple and Maxx’s grip tightened fractionally. “I know. It’s all a little too good to be true,” he agreed, without trying to say that her fears were unfounded, the way Emerson did just a few days ago. “But I think we’ll be okay. We’ve been careful and you’ve been paying really close attention to things...we’ll be fine,” he promised.

Hadley didn’t admit that she sensed the same uncertainty in him that she felt in herself. All that mattered was knowing that they were in this together and Maxx would be there with her, during every moment of this pregnancy and the life of their baby. She’d never be alone with this.

“I trust you,” she whispered, knowing that would never change.

Stepping into the living room, while Maxx made coffee, Hadley smiled in shock as she discovered Conway standing beside the fireplace. She advanced into the room and returned the smile he showed her, as he turned.

“Gorgeous,” he said, looking her over. He walked over and lifted her off her feet, as they hugged.

“Conway, I’ve missed you,” she admitted with a lonely sigh. She hadn’t registered how alone she felt lately, until she saw him. “How did you get in?” she asked, resting her hands on his shoulders, as he set her back down.

“I was right behind Maxx when he got home, but he was kind of distracted by a big fight with his dad on the phone,” he confessed, holding her at arm’s length. “I figured he wouldn’t mind if I snuck in to surprise you. But then I heard you two talking and wanted to give you some time alone,” he explained.

He stared at her lovingly, as he pulled her hair over one shoulder and ran his fingers through it.

Hadley blushed and closed her eyes, as his fingers brushed against her skin. She never understood how he could do that; he always knew how she felt and refused to just come out with it. He always managed to find some way of making her feel better, of making her feel connected to the world again.

She’d missed him so much that it hurt. “Why did you bother coming back?” she asked, as she opened her eyes.

“How can you ask me that?” Conway tutted and ran his hands down her arms, as though afraid to reach out and touch the baby, like everyone else seemed to do. “I came back to reclaim my best friend spot. I hear there’s someone trying to weasel in on my turf?” he asked, mockingly.

“Very funny.” Hadley rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but smile. She had so much she wanted to say, but had no idea how to say it. “Where’s Abelie?” she wondered, just realising that he was alone.

Conway’s smile widened and he buried his hands in his pockets. “She’s at the hotel. She’s got a touch of jet lag, but I wanted to come straight here. You can meet her tomorrow,” he promised, as though aware of her curiosity over his fiancée.

Although Hadley had met Abelie once or twice, it had been in social environments where they’d never been able to have a minute alone to talk girl talk. “Fine. Well, she can come over for dinner tomorrow,” she decided.

Conway sighed, as someone coughed from behind him. When he looked over his shoulder, she sensed a tension in him that only appeared as Maxx walked into the room.

“Baby, we have an hour before we need to head out. Do you still want your coffee, before we go?” he asked in concern.

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll bring it through,” he offered. Then he nodded to Conway and left, not even surprised by his presence.

“What was that about?” Conway asked with a smirk. He backed over to the single armchair on the right side of the fire and sat down. “He called you ‘baby’? And he’s taking care of you?” he asked, as though shocked by the very idea.

Hadley laughed and sat on the sofa from instinct. She still remembered what Maxx said about being jealous of Conway and thinking he’d been her first. She wouldn’t antagonise him by making him feel excluded.

“He’s been very protective of both of us,” she confessed, adoring that quality in him. It was miles away from what she’d expected. “Sometimes over-protective, but he’s allowed a little leeway there, until we have the scan this afternoon.” Until the scan, everything was uncertain and all they knew was how she felt. Which, considering this was her first pregnancy, wasn’t much to go on.

“And you’ll come home and cook the dinner and clean the house,” Conway said, rolling his eyes as he rhymed off her old schedule.

“No,” Hadley disagreed with a smile. “I made a deal with Maxx. I’ll only do two hours of cleaning a day,
if
there’s something to be cleaned. The staff will take care of the rest, because he’s got time off work. We’re spending it together, getting the nursery ready,” she explained, a little thrill of excitement going through her as she thought about it.

Until Conway brought it up, she’d forgotten just how dedicated and amazing Maxx had been about the whole ‘baby’ issue.

“Hadley, are you alright?” Conway asked, leaning over his knees with concern written all over his face. “I mean, this isn’t exactly living the dream. And, I know you keep saying that Maxx has been great, but he doesn’t love you. Are you sure you want to go through with this?” he wondered, with that look that said he was just looking out for her.

Because of that, she chose not to get angry with him. She could easily find three things in that protest that could be offensive, but she wasn’t supposed to get stressed out, so she wouldn’t confront him about them at the moment.

“Yes.” Hadley nodded and tried to put into words how she felt. “I know he doesn’t love me.
He
knows he doesn’t love me, but it’s not about us anymore. It’s about the baby and what’s best for all of us. Maxx
wants
to be a father, and he wants our baby to have a real home,” she insisted, trying to remain calm and not argue.

“I want that, too. Just because we’re not equally in love with each other, doesn’t mean we can’t be together,” she explained, rubbing her hand over the baby bump to soothe her anger. “I gave him the choice, lots of times, to just walk away and be a father, without having me included in that package. But he’s old fashioned, I guess...and, to him, a family means both of us.”

The door opened and Maxx walked in before she could continue. He carefully carried three cups of coffee, to set down on the table by the sofa. He handed hers over first, then gave Conway his and took the seat beside her.

“Lots of milk; just how you wanted it,” he claimed, as he blew on his own coffee before taking a sip.

Hadley smiled and held it between her hands, letting it heat her up. Then Maxx put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head, as though he knew the swirling of her thoughts and the crazy pounding of her heart.

“Everything will be fine,” he whispered in reassurance.

Hadley desperately wanted to believe him.