Bennett (On the Line Book 2) (8 page)

“I’ve had something come up,” I admitted. “And yeah, it has been on my mind.”

“Have you talked to anyone about it?”

My single note of laughter held no amusement. “Not exactly.”

“Anything you say to me in confidence stays that way,” he said. “If you need a sounding board, I’m here.”

I glanced at the door to double-check it was closed before speaking in a low tone. “I, uh . . . yeah, this does need to stay between us, but . . . I’m gonna be a father.”

“Oh.” Orion’s brows shot up in surprise. “Well, congratulations.”

“Thanks, man.”

“But I take it this is a surprise?”

I nodded solemnly. “To me and the mother of my kid. We only . . . got together the one time.”

“Is it the thought of fatherhood that has you concerned, or something else?”

“All of it. Kids are expensive and I don’t make much money. And the circumstances . . . let’s just say, it’s not ideal.”

“Is she not a woman you could ever see yourself in a relationship with?”

I couldn’t hold back a smile. “I think it’s the other way around. She’s no fan of mine.”

“She was for at least one night.”

“Yeah, and I left my number the next day, really hoping she’d call. But I didn’t hear from her until two months later with the pregnancy news.”

Now Orion was the one smiling. “I find this kind of hard to believe. You’re a damned good-looking guy.”

“You hitting on me, Coach?”

He tossed a pen across his desk at me, and I ducked out of the way. “Not a chance, Morse. Seriously, you’re a good guy. You’re not cocky, not an asshole. You like this woman?”

“Yeah, I do. Most of the time, anyway. She’s sexy and smart. But she’s got a mind of her own.”

Orion gave me an amused look. “And that’s a bad thing?”

“The chemistry is there, but she lets me know at every turn that she doesn’t need me. Frustrates the hell out of me.”

“So show her why she
does
need you.”

I shook my head and leveled a serious look at him. “You know what Liam’s like? Flies off the handle, sometimes irrational? She’s a lot like that.”

“But you and Liam are like brothers. You guys get along great.”

I couldn’t help laughing. “Yeah, not for long. In the most spectacularly awful coincidence of my life, totally unknown to me that night, it turns out that I’m having a kid with Liam’s younger sister.”

“Oh, shit.” Orion’s eyes widened with shock.

“Yeah. Guess I kind of do have the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

He cleared his throat and regained his composure. “And he doesn’t know?”

“Well, my balls are still attached, so no.”

A few seconds of silence passed before Orion leaned his elbows on his desk and spoke again.

“A baby will change your life, Bennett, but it’ll be for the better. And Liam will get over it.”

I decided to tell him about the worry that was pressing down on me night and day.

“I wonder if maybe this is a sign,” I said. “That it’s time for me to move on and get a job that pays more. That way I can be home to help Charlotte instead of traveling all the damn time.”

“Don’t feed me that line of shit, Bennett.” Orion leaned across the desk and glared at me. “How many years have you worked your ass off to get to the first line here?”

“A lot. But we don’t all make it to the big league.”

“If you don’t make it, it’s your own damned fault. Bear down, man. This should light a fire under your ass to play harder than ever. You want to make more money? Do it. You’ve got the talent.”

My throat tightened with emotion. “Thanks, Coach. I appreciate that.”

“I mean it. You want something bad? Go after it.”

I nodded solemnly.

“And Bennett?”

“Yeah, Coach?”

“I’m not just talking about the big league.”

I dropped the bar I’d just deadlifted to the floor of the weight room and stepped back, breathing heavily. Orion’s words from an hour ago were still running through my head.

He was right. I had to dig deep and go after what I wanted. What did that mean in terms of Charlotte and me?

I’d had a hell of a time getting her off my mind after our one night together. Her confidence in bed was really fucking hot. We’d clashed a bit at dinner, sure, but if I was being completely honest with myself, her headstrong nature was kind of a turn-on. The fortitude I’d seen in her impressed me.

It wasn’t so much that I was pissed off at her; I was pissed off that she didn’t want to see me. And I could admit I’d overstepped a boundary by drilling her about her ex-boyfriend that night.

I’d have to be the bigger person. I grabbed a towel I’d left on a bench and wiped the sweat from my hands and face. I was done lifting, but I wanted to reach out to Charlotte before getting lunch.

I typed out a text on my phone.

Me: Hey, Charlotte. Just wanted to say I’m sorry things went badly at dinner that night. Can we try again?

The little circles that meant she was writing back appeared on my screen, and I stared at it as I waited.

Charlotte: Thanks for the non-apology, but I’m busy. See you at the doctor’s appt.

She was made to annoy me, I decided as I wrote another message.

Me: I said I’m sorry, how is that a non-apology?

Charlotte: You said you were sorry things went badly, which implies it was a mutual thing.

Me: Could you be any more of an attorney? Are we in court right now?

Charlotte: What is it that you want from me?

Me: Just to spend some time with you. See what’s between us, maybe.

Charlotte: I need a boyfriend right now like I need a third boob.

Me: A third boob would be kinda hot.

Charlotte: I have court in ten minutes. I’ll see you Friday.

Me: See you then, sunshine.

I tossed my phone to the bench and glared at it. So much for being the bigger person.

Charlotte

I
held my coat around my waist as I walked through the door to the waiting room of my obstetrician’s office. Buttoning my coat was getting a little tricky these days as my waistline started to expand.

As I scanned faces looking for Bennett, movement caught my eye nearby. He’d stood up from his chair to wait for me. Well, crap. Of course he had to go and be a gentleman and make me feel even worse about how I’d treated him the other day.

“Hi,” I said, approaching him.

“Hey.” He smiled. “How are you?”

“Good. Haven’t thrown up for three days so, I’m great, actually.”

“That’s good. I’ve been thinking about you.”

Thinking what?
I wanted to ask, but there was a very pregnant woman openly eavesdropping on our conversation. She was staring at me and waiting.

“Um, I need to go check in,” I said to Bennett.

He nodded and sat down. After checking in, I slid off my coat and joined him.

“So how have you been?” I asked.

“Fine.”

I wanted to say something to lighten the mood, but what? I’d pushed Bennett away with my harshness, and though I told myself that was for the best, I still felt bad about it.

There had to be a way I could be decent to him but still clearly uninterested. I’d gotten myself here by giving in to the pull of those warm brown eyes and I couldn’t do it again. It was important to stay focused on the baby, work, and ways I could get rid of James before the baby was born. He was driving me crazy lately.

A nurse opened the door and called my name. Bennett stood when I did, but he looked at me instead of moving.

“Do you want me to wait out here?” he asked.

“Um, no. You can come in if you want.”

“You sure you don’t mind?”

“No. Come on.”

He followed me to the scale, where he looked away sheepishly as I stepped on. Once we were in the exam room waiting for the doctor, our uncomfortable silence returned.

“Liam asked me to help him kick my own ass,” he said, breaking the ice.

I smiled and furrowed my brow. “I hope you said no.”

He shrugged. “Well, he doesn’t know it’s me. He said he’s planning to kick the ass of whoever got his sister pregnant.”

“Oh, no.” I buried my face in my hands and laughed. “He asked you to help? That’s . . .”

“Yeah. He giving you a hard time about things?”

“No. I’ve been working a lot, so we haven’t talked. And you guys have had a busy schedule.”

Bennett nodded and the silence returned. I hated how awkward things were between us now. Why was I such a bitch sometimes?

Finally, the doctor walked in. He was a graying, grandfather type, and he smiled at Bennett.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Lansing.” He shook Bennett’s hand. “You’re the father of the baby?”

“Yes, sir.”

The pride in his tone was so sweet that I wanted to jump down from the table, hug him, and apologize. But the doctor started in with questions about how I was feeling, and the moment passed.

“All right, let’s have a listen for the baby’s heartbeat,” he said.

My hand instinctively went to my belly. “Really?”

“Really. Just lie back and slide your shirt up a bit.”

Bennett came to stand next to me, and I looked up at his face as the doctor rubbed my belly with a Doppler wand. He was so handsome, his expression earnest and hopeful.

A steady swooshing sound made me turn to Dr. Lansing.

“Is that it?” I whispered.

“Yes. And it sounds good.”

Warm happiness flooded me. It hadn’t felt as real as it did in this moment, hearing the sound of my growing baby’s heart. When I turned to Bennett, his eyes were glistening with a layer of unshed tears.

I reached for his hand and took it. “Bennett, I’m sorry about the other day.”

He squeezed my hand and bent down so our faces were close. “Thanks for the non-apology.” When he grinned, my heart fluttered and I couldn’t help smiling back.

“Okay. Take two,” I said. “I’m sorry for being bitchy the other day. I was having a really bad day, but I was wrong to take it out on you.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry about the way I acted at dinner that night.”

“That’s our baby,” I said, still listening to the rhythmic pounding.

He cupped my cheek with his free hand. “That’s our baby,” he said softly.

“I’m excited.”

“Me too.”

The doctor withdrew the wand, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. All I could see right now was Bennett, his gaze intense as his thumb stroked over my cheekbone.

“Can I touch?” he asked, nearly whispering.

“Yes.”

He slid his large palm from my cheek and put it on my belly, his expression lighting up with happiness. I felt an immediate, deep connection with him. He had the same innate love for this baby as I did. And no one else in the world would ever feel this connection to a child who wasn’t even fully formed yet.

“Let’s have dinner,” I said.

His eyes met mine and he smiled. I kept my hold on his hand, not wanting to let go and lose this feeling.