Trusting Fate (5 page)

I hung up the phone and scratched my head. Why is there no father's name? Did she do that on purpose or does she not know the father
’
s name? If that is the case, then all of this makes even more sense. She didn
’
t recognize me at all, so maybe I really am this boy
’
s father. The thought made me both uneasy and excited. To share a child with this woman who I have been obsessing over for years was exciting and scary at the same time. But how do I go about asking her about any of this? I called Gabby into my office to see if she wanted to go to dinner with me tonight, her and Theo.

“
Mr. Greene, are you sure? I mean, he is 2 and a half years old, very hyper and a total boy. I don
’
t take him to many places to eat unless that place comes with a play area,
”
she smiled.

“
Well, we can go wherever you want. Honestly, just because I am the boss here doesn
’
t mean I always do everything so high and mighty. I like to be normal too. I have been to a fast food joint or two in my time,
”
I said with a wink.

“
Sure, I would love to go. I actually think maybe Theo should sit this one out. He is quite the charmer that
’
s for sure, but he is very busy. I wouldn
’
t want to scare you off or anything,
”
she said, turning her face from mine.

“
Well lucky for you, I don
’
t scare easily,
”
I said, grinning from ear to ear. She looked flushed. I am happy that I can get that sort of reaction out of her. I like knowing that I make her feel a little nervous.

Chapter 7

Gabby

I would be lying if I said that I was not nervous about tonight. I had conned Tay into coming over and watching Theo while I went out with Jace. I told her that it was a business dinner and that it was important I go since it was with my boss. She knows I am totally full of it. I cannot lie to anyone, including myself. I heard my front door open when I was in my bedroom getting ready. Theo was in his room playing with his action figures. The only thing my son loved more than action figures was ice cream, and since I won
’
t let him have it for every meal, he resorts to playing with his action figures for the most part. I knew it was Tay barging on in to my house, like she owned the place.

“
Hello, hey Gabby?" she said as she walked down the hallway to my bedroom.

“
I
’
m in here Tay,
”
I yelled.

“
Well look at you, new dress, and new shoes, and oh let me see, new lip gloss. If I didn
’
t know better I would say you were going on a date, not a business meeting. Come on Gab, spill,
”
she said.

“
No, this is most definitely a business meeting, but I feel comfortable when I dress nice. That is all it is, Tay,
”
I lied.

Taylor smiled and left me to my thoughts, mumbling something like,
“
Uh-huh business meeting. What a lucky son of a bitch who gets to meet with you.
”

The girl is so exasperating, but I love her. She may be seeing something here that I don
’
t. A part of me is hesitant to start anything, if this is anything, with Jace. But for now, I will stick with what I feel in my gut
…
which is excitement and confusion. I can start there.

I checked my reflection one last time, grabbed my clutch, and head for the kitchen, where Theo was begging Tay for chocolate pancakes for dinner.

“
Pwease, Tay Tay, it's good for me.
”
I giggled as he begged her. Taylor just looked in my direction for approval.

“
It
’
s fine, Tay. He is a really good eater; just throw some carrots next to his pancake and he will eat it up,
”
I said with a grin.

I walked out to my car and noticed a limo driving up. Surely he is lost. He pulled up alongside me and rolled down the window.

“
Miss Thomas, I presume?
”
he said.

“
Yes, that
’
s me,
”
I said nervously.

“
My name is Frank. I am here to pick you up and bring you to meet Mr. Greene.
”

Son of a biscuit. He thinks he is really smooth, doesn
’
t he?

“
Miss Thomas, we are pressed for time; Mr. Greene does not like to be kept waiting. He is a very impatient man,
”
Frank said sternly. That he is. I frowned and when Frank opened my car door I climbed in, totally giving Mr. Greene a piece of my mind in my head. I am just not the kind of girl who needs to be wined and dined. Not one bit. Jace is very tempting and very generous. Why is this so hard? How is it that this man is interested in me? I mean, it
’
s not like he couldn
’
t have any woman on the planet. I also wondered why he was even here. Why run a company owned by your family? From the sounds of the women who talk in the office, he could have had any job
…
surely he has siblings that could have taken this spot for him
…
I am so getting off track here. It does not matter why he is here. What matters is my new boss wants to be more than in charge of me at work. I can see in his eyes he wants to be in charge of me in the bedroom too. I have seen that look before and I know it well. I know how to play all these games and it
’
s in my past. I have Theo now to think about, I do not need my old habits and old life coming back to haunt me.

Once the car came to a stop, I recognized the building. It was a private club just outside of the New Orleans line. The hair quickly and alertly stood up on the back of my neck.
Have I been here before?
Of course I wouldn
’
t know because I used to be such a drunken slut. It just looked very familiar to me.

Frank came around the back and opened my door.
“
Miss Thomas, Mr. Greene is waiting for you inside at the bar,
”
he said with a smile.

“
Thank you Frank, do you think I should be alarmed at all?
”
I asked quietly.

He looked at me in surprise.
“
Miss Thomas, he is many things, but unkind is not one of them. I fear to tell you more, but know this
…
I have overheard one too many conversations, and he is very interested in you and I know that he will not harm you,
”
he said, reassuringly.

I nodded my head and walked inside. Frank must have heard so many things driving Jace around all day. I wonder what that is like.

Walking in to the club, I stopped briefly, what a gorgeous place and what a ridiculous person I am. I glanced around the room and saw him leaning against the end of the bar, swirling his glass of what looked like bourbon. Yep, bourbon, I know my liquor. He didn
’
t strike me as a bourbon kind of guy
…
I would have guessed a Seven and Seven man. Believe me, I am really good at guessing what kind of drink a man would order.

I just stood at the door staring at him. He was truly an incredible creature. He was wearing a dark gray suit with a black shirt, first two buttons undone, and no tie. Why does this man make me so uncomfortable?
Get a grip, Gabby.
I took a deep breath and walked towards him. Here goes nothing.

Jace

I was sitting at the end of the bar trying to figure out how I could not only get as much info out of Gabby as I could, but also to find some way to ask her about Theo
’
s father without seeming so nosy and intrusive. I wonder if she was married to him, or if by some stroke of fate this boy could be mine. I never thought about having children, but immediate infatuation with Gabby changed all of that. I don't care if this boy is not mine. I just want to be with her, be around her, close enough to smell her every single day. I feel like I am insane with thoughts of her
…
losing her that night so long ago changed something in me. I mean, I can
’
t do casual hook ups anymore. The only hooking up I will be doing will be with Gabby, and that is if I can convince her to do it.

I turned my head to see her walking toward me and my heart stopped. When she is around it
’
s like time stops. I couldn't see anyone else in the place and I didn
’
t care to. She looked incredible and left me speechless. For her to go home with me all those years ago, but we were both different people then. I smiled and nodded at her.

“
Hello Mr. Greene, I...I mean Jace. How are you?
”
she smiled.

Her cheeks were flushed and she looked down at her shoes. Knowing that I make her nervous today is strange to me; I did not make her nervous the night we first met. She was fearless, and had this confidence about her that I had never seen before. What made her lose that? I often wondered about what changed her.

“
Hello Gabby, you look beautiful as always,
”
I said, giving her a small kiss on the cheek. I could feel my hand shake as I took hers.
Get it together Greene. You cannot afford to screw up with her.

I led her to a table in our private room and watched as she looked around nervously.

“
Gabby, is there something wrong?
”
I asked, curious.

She shot me a look like she was trying to figure out what to say.
“
I
’
m not sure really. I guess I feel like maybe I have been here before? I know that sounds silly, like why would that matter? But for me, it does. I have a past...no I
’
m not a serial killer if that
’
s what you are thinking,
”
she shot me a grin.
“
I just have a past and I feel like I have been here before, but I will probably never remember if I have or not,
”
she said, looking away.

“
Why do you think you would never remember it?
”
I asked curiously.

She looked like she was not comfortable answering that question.
Shit what do I do now? I don
’
t want to jeopardize my chances here.

“
I just used to do things that I have a hard time remembering, that
’
s all," she said. I left it at that.

We ate and talked about all sorts of things, like how she hates mushrooms and anything with tomatoes and how I love both of those in any food. Not really anything important, but listening to her talk about her life was exciting to me. I wanted to know it all.

“
So Gabby, tell me about Theo. He seems like a great kid,
”
I said.
Crap did I just ask about her son?
She didn
’
t seem mad.

“
He is great. He is so smart and I am not just saying that because he is my son. Enrolling him in preschool was such a great idea because it just made him shine. I used to be a totally different person and his birth came as a big shock to me, so shocking actually, considering that I don't have too many memories of the night he was conceived,
”
she said, looking very embarrassed.
“
Before you think anything negative of me, please let me explain. I was young and really stupid. I remember the early part of the night, but I do not remember how I got home, much less how I got pregnant. After that night I got really depressed and stopped going out for a few weeks, so I knew that it had to have happened that night. I am not even sure why I am telling you this, but I guess you seem easy to talk to,
”
she said, looking down at her hands twisting in her lap.

Could she really not know?
“
Gabby, please do not worry about what I think about you. Honestly, who hasn
’
t made bad choices when they were young? I mean, I am full of them. But like me, you grew up, and I would say that you are doing a hell of a lot better job at it than I am. I mean, I may seem all put together and successful, but this job fell into my lap. I wanted nothing to do with my family's company, then tragic circumstances took over and I had no choice but to take it. We all have demons we're wrestling with, but it's okay,
”
I said, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand. She looked up at me and smiled the most angelic smile I had ever seen. If I thought I was hooked on her all those years ago, I was dead wrong
…
Gabriella Thomas had sunk her teeth into me and was not about to let go, and I didn
’
t want her to.