Susan Mallery - Sweet Talk

“It is to me. I guess the odds of me being pregnant depend on where I am in my cycle.” She clapped her hands together. “But still, a baby. That would be totally cool. What a wonderful consequence.”

“Not for me,” he snapped. “I’m not interested in more children. I don’t do relationships, remember? If you think you’re going to trap me the way Shanna did, you’re in for a big disappointment.”

The happiness fled from her face. “Is that what you think of me?” she asked. “I’m not like that.”

“I don’t know you well enough to make that judgment.”

“I’m not interested in trapping you, or any man. I’m very comfortable being a single mother.”

“What do you know about raising a kid?”

“As much as you did when Amy was born. I’ll learn.”

She was so defiant, he thought, fighting frustration. Didn’t she understand what this could mean?

“With your travel schedule?”

“I’ll hire a nanny.”

Typical, he thought in disgust. “I’m not paying for that.”

“No one’s asking you to.” She glared at him. “I’m sorry you’re upset about this, Wyatt, but I refuse to be. I’ve always wanted children. Maybe this isn’t the way I would have chosen, but it’s still a miracle to me. I promise whatever happens, you won’t be inconvenienced, which is really what this is about. If I need help, I’ll hire it. Without asking for any money from you. I’m more than capable of paying for whatever I want.”

“If only,” he muttered.

She tilted her head. “You really don’t get it. I’m just some woman who plays the piano, right? This may surprise you, but I’m actually very good at what I do. Between concert dates and CD sales, last year I earned about two million dollars. It was a good year, but not my best. Money isn’t an issue for me. I’m sorry you’re upset about the chance that I might be pregnant, but I refuse to be.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Wyatt stood alone in the waiting room, wondering if he could have screwed things up worse than he had. If there was a wrong way and a disastrous way, he’d obviously gone down the latter.

He shouldn’t have attacked her like that. What were the odds she was pregnant? He’d been a first-class jerk and he knew it. He’d reacted because of what had happened with Shanna. But Claire wasn’t anything like his ex-wife.

She was also rich, he thought, not happy about the news. He considered himself a confident guy, who didn’t worry about impressing the women in his life. Yes, he had a successful business and money wasn’t an issue for him, but damn, had she really made two million last year?

“HOW DO YOU FEEL?” Claire asked.

Nicole managed a smile. “I’ve been better. I’m glad I’m going to have an orthopedic surgeon, instead of the one I had last time. Otherwise he would think I was doing this because I had a crush on him.”

Claire shifted to the front of the chair she’d pulled up beside her sister’s hospital bed. “Would that be such a bad thing? A doctor. Our parents would be so proud.”

Nicole started to laugh, then pressed a hand to her midsection. “No. Don’t be funny. It hurts.”

Claire didn’t want to hear that. “Are you sure you’re okay? Nothing was ripped open when you fell?”

Nicole smiled. “There’s a visual designed to make me happy. Nothing ripped open. I’m sore because I pulled on the healing skin. There was a little oozing but nothing serious.”

“I wish it had been me.”

Nicole’s smile broadened. “Me, too.”

They looked at each other. “I’m sorry,” Claire said.

“Don’t apologize. We both fought. We were both reacting. I shouldn’t have yelled at you about Jesse. You were right. She’s your sister, too. I should have at least mentioned putting her in jail before I did it. Even though I’m so mad at her.”

“I know you are and you should be. You were right about consequences. I didn’t think that through. When Jesse called, I just reacted.”

“I’m not sure I would have done any different,” Nicole said.

Claire hoped that was true. She didn’t want her sister going back into surgery with the two of them still fighting.

“It’s probably good that you’re around with all that’s happening with Jesse,” Nicole admitted. “Someone needs to be the voice of reason.”

“I’m far from that,” Claire said, “but I want to help.” She clutched her sister’s hand more tightly. “I’m sorry I said you were a victim. You’re not. You’ve done so much on your own, with no one to support you. I totally respect that.”

Nicole blinked several times. “I don’t mean to play the victim. It’s just lately it seems like there’s always a surprise waiting around the corner and it’s rarely good.”

That made Claire think of other surprises.

“What?” Nicole asked. “You’re thinking about something. I can tell.”

Claire didn’t know if this was the time. “It’s nothing.”

“I’m trying to keep my mind off my impending surgery. Please, tell me.”

“Okay.” Claire sighed. “I had a big fight with Wyatt. When I was gone the other night, I was with him.”

“I sort of figured that.”

“He’s not happy about the virgin thing.”

“Did you tell him before or after?”

“After.”

Nicole winced. “Did he freak?”

“Pretty much. I don’t know what the big deal is, but he was all having a hissy fit.”

Nicole laughed. “I’ve never seen him have a hissy fit. That would have been fun.”

“I guess. He seemed okay with it at the time. But since then he’s had more than second thoughts.” She paused, remembering what he’d said, what she’d never considered. That there was a chance she was pregnant.

“We didn’t use any birth control. Now he’s worried there might be a baby.”

Nicole’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, wow. He didn’t use a condom? Are you serious? Am I going to have a talk with him when I get out of here. It’s bad enough he slept with my sister, but to not use protection? That is totally unacceptable.”

Nicole was being protective. Who would have thought? Claire smiled. “For me, a baby would be a good thing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, but Wyatt isn’t. He’s pretty angry. He started talking about how he wasn’t going to take responsibility and that I couldn’t trap him into marriage.” She still hurt when she thought about it. As if she would ever do that.

“Guys get weird about that stuff. Especially one who has been burned before.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. The thing is, I’m really excited about the thought of being pregnant. I’ve always wanted children. We argued about how that would happen. It was a mess.”

“I’m sorry he was a butthead.”

“Me, too.”

Nicole squeezed her hand. “Do you really want to be pregnant?”

Claire grinned. “It would be a miracle and yes.”

“Then I hope it happens for you. Hey, I’ll be an aunt.”

Another connection, Claire thought. Another tie. She wanted her life to be interwoven with those she loved.

“If I am pregnant, I’m going to have to work on my emotional health. I want to be a good mother.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your emotional health.”

“You said I was useless,” Claire reminded her. “I’m not holding that against you. I didn’t know how to exist in the real world.”

“Right. You didn’t. But you came here anyway. You drove on the freeway to get to me. You learned how to cook and run a washing machine. You’re great at the bakery, you’re babysitting. You’ve done all this without any help in a matter of weeks. Claire, I think you’re the most emotionally strong person I know.”

Claire didn’t know what to say. Her chest tightened, but this feeling had nothing to do with panic and everything to do with the affection filling her.

Nicole continued with, “Even now, you’re taking care of me. No one takes care of me.”

“I’m so amazing you should worship me,” Claire said with a laugh that was a little too close to a sob. “I want to take care of you.”

“I know. You’re a good person. A great sister and…” Nicole shrugged. “Okay. Here it is. Brace yourself. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Claire told her, leaning close so they could hug. “I can’t believe you finally said it.”

“Me, either.”

“I PREFER THIS TILE PATTERN,” Alice Grinwell said firmly. “With the slate.”

Wyatt counted to ten. Mrs. Grinwell was building her third house with him in ten years. She’d also referred more than a dozen wealthy clients to him. Unfortunately she was one of those people who had more money than sense. In her mind, her life’s work was building and decorating beautiful houses. Her husband supported her activities.

Complicating what should have been a dream job was the fact that she changed her mind constantly. Every house took twice as long as it should have and cost three times as much. Not that Mrs. Grinwell cared.

“I want it to look like this,” she said pointing at the picture in the magazine showing the fireplace of a custom home up in Bellingham.

He had to admit the work was beautiful, but his tile guys had thrown up their hands, not sure how they would get the same look. Which meant he was going to have to hire the person who did it in the first place and pay for her to come down and work at Mrs. Grinwell’s place.

It wasn’t the cost-his client would cover that. It was the time and effort and the fact that he was still pissed at himself for how he’d handled things with Claire and angry with her for not recognizing the disaster that would follow her being pregnant.

“I’ll make it happen,” he said firmly. “I don’t know how long this will delay things, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I get the details worked out.”

Mrs. Grinwell smiled. “You’re always a pleasure to work with, Mr. Knight. I appreciate that.”