“Yeah.”
“I think Max fell the day he left that letter under your door.”
“I don’t know, but I can’t worry about him anymore. If he wanted to stay and be with me, he would have.”
He looked down at his coffee cup. “Do you know what you’re having?”
I smiled. “I’m having a girl.”
“Ah. She’ll be just as beautiful as her mother. I better go. I don’t want to be late picking up Mr. and Mrs. Delaney and then have them not hire me again.”
“Thanks for the ride and the chat, Darren.” I gave him a hug.
“Take care of yourself and that baby girl of yours. You have my number. Call me if you need anything at all.”
“I will.”
Chapter 23
Two Weeks Later…
The couple that bought the bedroom furniture from my other room were at my door bright and early to pick it up. They were newlyweds and looking for a used bedroom set for their spare room. The husband didn’t really want it because he said it was for his mother-in-law when she came to visit. If they didn’t have another bed, then she wouldn’t stay with them. His wife politely told him that he’d be sleeping on the couch. I couldn’t help but laugh. After they left, I stood in the middle of the empty room and looked around. The furniture was on back order and would be delivered within the week. This was the perfect time to get the walls painted. I decided to paint the wall with the window and the wall to the right a gray color that was called “Knitting Needles,” and the opposite wall where the crib would sit a custom mix of two pinks: Cradle Pink and Almost Pink. I purchased the most adorable pink damask curtains that hung to the floor, matching the damask pattern on the bumper pads for the crib. I spent the whole day Saturday painting the ceiling, which killed my back, and the three walls. The ceiling was finished. Tomorrow, I’d put the second coat of paint on the walls. So far, it looked great and I was more than pleased. I didn’t tell the girls that I was starting the nursery because this was a project I wanted to do on my own. Maybe tomorrow, I’d give them a call.
****
After eating breakfast, I sent a text message to Molly, asking her to stop by. Aubrey had plans for the day with Glenn, and Kara was going to New Jersey to meet Billy’s parents. Molly texted me back, saying that she’d be over after work because she was doing hair for a wedding party. I changed into my jean overalls and my short-sleeve white shirt. I threw my hair up into a high ponytail and began putting the second coat of paint on the gray walls. After a couple of hours, all three walls were finished. I stood back and smiled as the sun filtered in through the blinds, brightening the room that was fit for a princess. There was a knock at the door and I looked at my phone. Molly must have gotten off early. I ran to the door in excitement for her to see what I’d done so far.
“I can’t wait for you to see—” I started to say as I quickly opened the door.
I froze. My heart started pounding out of my chest and I felt sick to my stomach when I saw Max standing there. He looked at me and then at my belly. His eyes narrowed and he couldn’t speak.
“Max, what are you doing here?” A tear was starting to form.
“I— I came to see you.”
It was like time had stood still and the Earth had stopped spinning. Shit. Shit. Shit. He was nervous. I’d never seen him like this before.
“Come in,” I said hesitantly.
“No. It’s okay. I can see you’re busy. I’m going to go.” In that instant, I saw him break. He turned and started walking down the hallway.
Oh no, he doesn’t. He’s not walking away this time. “Max. The baby is yours. You’re going to be a father,” I blurted out in the open hallway.
He stopped dead in his tracks and waited a few moments before turning around. He slowly walked back to my door and stepped inside. The most awkward and scariest moment of my life was now happening.
“I thought you were Molly.”
“Sorry to drop by unannounced, but you hadn’t answered my text message, and I figured you wouldn’t answer my calls either.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t have.” I turned and walked to the kitchen and washed my hands under the warm water.
“Were you painting?” he asked as I had my back turned to him.
The emotions that were running through me were almost unbearable. I felt like it was getting harder to breathe.
“Yeah. I was painting the nursery.” I took in a deep, long breath. I needed to remain calm for the baby’s sake. I dried my hands on the towel, waiting for the question I knew was coming.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
And there it was. The question I had been waiting for.
“You were already gone.” My voice quivered.
He took a seat at the table and placed his face in his hands. “You could have called.” He slammed his fists down on the table and I flinched.
“And you could have told me goodbye in person. Not in the form of a fucking letter! You coward!” I screamed.
He ran his hand through his hair and lightly shook his head. “You can’t be yelling like that or getting upset. It’s not good for the baby. Please, Emma. Please come and sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit down! Who the hell do you think you are, coming back here to see me? I’ve moved on from you, Max. I got my shit together after you left and I’m doing what’s right for my baby.”
“OUR baby!” he spoke in anger.
“My baby! This is my baby!” I yelled as I walked over to him with a pointed finger. “I’m the one who’s been sick every day and exhausted, barely making it through my classes. The one who’s done all the shopping and planning and crying while trying to figure out how the hell I was going to raise a baby on my own while you were sitting in your plush luxury office in FUCKING Chicago!”
He got up and lightly took hold of my arm. “Emma, please.”
“Don’t. Don’t you touch me!” I jerked away from him and crossed my arms, walking over to the window and staring out at the Hudson River. This was my go-to place when I needed to think.
“I left that note because I couldn’t bear to look into your beautiful eyes and say goodbye. Do you think I enjoyed writing that letter? Do you think it made me happy? NO! I’ve been miserable in Chicago. I buried myself so deep into my work and company that I barely slept and when I did sleep, I dreamt of you. Every fucking night, Emma! You haunted my dreams. I tried to forget about you. I wanted to forget about you because the way I felt scared the fuck out of me.”
I wiped the tears that fell down my face, but I still wouldn’t turn around and look at him.
“I needed to get out of New York and away from my father. That was my plan all along. I didn’t plan on falling for you. I knew the first time I met you at the club in Miami, I was already head over heels. I tried not to fall in love with you. Why the hell do you think you didn’t see me every day? Why do you think I would let a week go by without seeing you? I was trying to stop my feelings, but it was too hard while we were both in New York. You were too close and I thought that maybe, just maybe moving to Chicago and not seeing you would help, but it didn’t. The night I sent you that text message, I had been drinking. It was the only way I could muster up the courage to do it. When you didn’t text me back, I was hurt but I understood because I knew I had hurt you by leaving the way I did. For fuck sakes, Emma. Will you turn around and look at me?”
I slowly turned around and stared at the wounded man across the room who possessed the same look I once had and maybe still had.
“I spent too many months trying to forget you. You have no idea how scared and alone I was,” I spewed.
“I’m sorry. Can we please, at least for tonight, just push all the anger away and talk? Just talk and catch up?” he spoke in a lowered voice. “I would do anything to change the past. I’m so sorry, Emma. You have to believe me.”
The truth was that I did believe him and being angry wasn’t helping the baby. “Fine. L
et’s talk then.”
“Can I see the nursery?”
“You know where it’s at.”
He walked in the room and flipped the light on the wall. “Pink? Does that mean we’re going to have a little girl?”
“Yep. I’d be really concerned if it was a boy if I were you.”
He let out a light chuckle. “A daughter. I can’t believe I’m going to have a daughter. I like how you painted these two walls gray. Did you do this all by yourself?”
“Yeah. The furniture is coming next week and I’ve already bought some things for the walls and I still have to hang the curtains.”
“When are you due?” He looked over at me.
“Eight weeks.”
“I’m sorry I have to ask this, but how did this happen?”
“Really, Max?”
“I don’t mean it like that. You were on the pill.”
“I know and there were days when I forgot, but I always doubled up the next day or two. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m not mad. I’m a little scared, but not mad.”
I walked to my room and took the ultrasound picture from my dresser and handed it to Max. “Meet your daughter. You can keep that. I have another one.”
He stared at her with such intensity and I could see the water creep up in his eyes. “She’s beautiful, Emma.”
I felt a kick and flinched, placing my hand on my belly.
“What’s wrong?” Max asked in a startled voice.
“She kicked. She likes to do that.”
“May I?” He held out his hand.
I nodded.
He placed the palm of his hand on my belly and held it there. His touch, which I had longed for and my body craved, sent my body into overdrive. She kicked again and Max felt it. A smile crossed his lips as he looked into my eyes.
“Oh my God. That is incredible.”
I brought my hand and placed it on his.
“Emma,” he whispered. “I—”
I pulled back. “Don’t, Max. I don’t think I can do this. You need to leave.”
“I don’t want to leave you again. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
I turned away because I couldn’t look in his eyes anymore. The sadness was overwhelming and I was confused.
“No, I don’t and I don’t want to know. These past five months have been unbearable, but every day that you weren’t here, I grew stronger. Not only for me, but for the baby. You just can’t walk back into my life and expect things to be the same. You hurt me on such a level that I don’t know if I could ever trust you again. The only thing we share is a child.”
“Were you ever going to tell me about her?”
“I don’t know. Maybe someday I was going to. But you have to understand that you left. You started a new life, a new company, and I wasn’t about to ruin that for you by telling you about her.”
“But I’m her father. I have a right to know that she exists!” he yelled.
“I wasn’t about to let you ruin her life like your father did yours.” I slowly closed my eyes. I spoke the words that would hurt him the most.
“That’s low, Emma. Even for you. If you want me to leave, then fine. I’ll leave. But this isn’t over.” He turned and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
I flinched as I stood in the middle of the nursery and sobbed. I heard the door open and Molly came walking into the nursery.
“Emma, I just saw Max in the lobby.” She wrapped her arms around me.
“He just thinks he can walk back into my life like nothing ever happened.”
Chapter 24
A week passed and I didn’t hear a word from Max. But then again, that was his usual style, so I wasn’t surprised. I finished up the last semester of school and ended it with a 3.8 GPA. The nursery was finished and the furniture was set to be delivered this afternoon. I couldn’t wait to get it all set up. I had purchased a chandelier from Pottery Barn Kids with sweeping scrolls, life-like candles, and sparkling crystals. The maintenance man from the building, Jim, put it up for me and replaced the existing ceiling light that was already there.
As I was unwrapping some of the accessories I bought, there was a knock at the door. I looked out the peephole to see if it was the deliverymen. My heart started pounding when I saw Max standing there. I hesitantly opened the door and he came barging in without so much as a “hi.”
“I just wanted you to know that I’m moving my business from Chicago to New York so I can be near my daughter. I will be in her life, Emma. You cannot stop me from seeing her. You can hate me all you want, but I will be here for her. And regardless of what you think, I will not ruin her life. I will not make the same mistakes my parents did.”
As I stood there and listened to him and his raised voice, there was another knock on the door. I turned around and opened it.
“We have a furniture delivery for a Miss Emma Knight.”
“Yes. Come in. I’ll show you where it goes.”
Max placed his hands in his pockets and stood over by the window, looking out at the view while the two men brought in the furniture and placed it in the nursery. The first was a large cardboard box with the crib in it. The second was the double dresser with the hutch and the third was a glider and ottoman I had purchased in Valetti Silver.
“If you’ll sign here, we’ll be on our way.”
I signed the form and thanked the deliverymen. As soon as they left, Max turned around and looked at me.
“Do you have anything to say?”
“Okay. A little girl needs her daddy in her life. I didn’t have that and I don’t want that for my daughter. If you want to be involved, then we’ll have to make it work. You can be involved in her life but not in mine.”
A sharply distressed look swept across his face. “If that’s the way you want it, then fine.”
“Fine,” I said.
I walked into the nursery and looked at the cardboard box sitting against the wall. I sighed.
“Is that the crib in there?” Max asked.
“Yes. I sort of thought they would have delivered it built.”
Max walked over to it and asked for a pair of scissors.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m going to put this crib together so we need to get it out of the box.”
I busted out into laughter.
“What’s so funny? You don’t think I can do it?”
“Honestly, no. I don’t.”
He gave me a small smile. “It’s going to give me great pleasure to prove you wrong, Emma. Now please get me some scissors so I can open this up and get started.”
I shook my head and walked into the kitchen to fetch a pair of scissors from the drawer. I handed them to him and took a seat in the glider, putting my feet up on the ottoman.
“That’s a nice chair,” he commented.
“Thanks. I saw it and couldn’t resist.”
He laid the box down and opened it, taking out the directions and the overly huge plastic bag with a million screws and springs in it. I smirked. He pulled out the directions and began reading them over. His face tightened.
“It says we need a screwdriver, hammer, pliers, and a ratchet set. Do you have those things?”
“No.” I smiled.
“Well then, I guess we’re making a trip to the hardware store and buying them. Get your shoes on. I’ll call Darren and have him come pick us up.”
“Darren? He’s working for you again?” I asked as I got up from the glider.
“Yes. He’s working for me full-time again and I’ve given him a large raise.” He pulled his phone out and gave Darren a call. “He’ll be here in about ten minutes. I should bring these directions with us.”
This was going to be fun. Watching him trying to build the baby’s crib was something I’d have to record. “Have you ever built anything before?”
“No. But how hard can it be? The directions seem simple enough.”
“Oka
y. If you say so.” I smirked as I slipped on my shoes and we headed out the door.
When we walked out of the building, Darren was standing at the curb next to the Rolls Royce. I smiled and gave him a light hug.
“Drop us off at the closest hardware store. What’s that place called? Home Department or something?”
I laughed and Darren smiled at me from the rearview mirror.
“You mean Home Depot?” I lightly smacked his arm.
“I guess.”
We walked through Home Depot and I could tell that Max had no clue what he was doing or where he was going.
“See the large signs throughout the store? They tell you which department you’re in. And see the signs at the end of each aisle? They tell you what kind of items are down that aisle.”
“Ah, I didn’t notice those.”
I laughed again. Finally, after an hour in the store, we found the tools we needed and then had to stop in the drill section so Max could play with them. “I think I’ll buy one of these.”
“For what?”
“You never know when you’ll need one and they’re pretty cool.”
****
As I planted my tired self back in the ottoman, Max removed all the pieces to the crib and sat down in the middle of the cluttered floor. Watching him look over the directions and trying to figure out which piece was which was funny but also amazingly sweet.
“Do you need some help?” I asked.
“Would you like to help?”
“Sure. If you weren’t here, I would be doing it anyway.” I got up and sat down next to him on the floor and studied the diagram. About halfway through building it, he stopped and looked at me.
“I think this piece is on backwards.”
“I think you’re right. Listen, we’ve been doing this for three hours and I’m starving. This little one wants to eat.” I placed both hands on my belly.
“I’m starving too. How about some Thai food?”
“That sounds great.”
He got up and held out his hand to help me up from the floor. The minute I placed mine in his, an overwhelming feeling washed over me. He helped me up and we walked to the kitchen, where I took the menu from the side of the fridge. After deciding what we wanted, Max called in the order for delivery. I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sat down at the table.