Opposite Attraction (22 page)

"
How are you feeling lately? " He asked her as he set Tyler on the floor near a small pile of his toys.

"
Much better. Aside from the fact that I don 't sleep real well and my back is already starting to hurt. But I 'd take my size changing in lieu of getting sick every day. "

He helped Regan set the table and finish up dinner. He was happy to see only three settings on the table. There had been some fear that dinner at Regan 's would turn into an entire family affair with his brother and their parents. As this was the first time he 'd come out of hiding long enough to be near his family in nearly a month, he didn 't want to have to face them all in one night.

Zach joined them as Regan set a plate of fried chicken on the table. Curtis noticed his eyes. He was preoccupied with something, probably something to do with the phone call he 'd taken in his home office.

Curtis appreciated his brother-in-law. Though as a doctor he had to maintain a certain amount of patience, Zach Benson had more.

When Curtis tended to a patient they usually were under his care until they were well enough to go home or move to a1nother area of the hospital. His commitment to that person, though it be life or death, was usually a few days at most. But with Zach Benson, everything was set up to take years and years. A build didn 't just happen. There were plans, buys, investors, more plans, and then construction could take years itself. How he managed that everyday Curtis would never understand.

Regan sat Tyler in his high chair and took the seat next to her husband. She rested her hand on his, Curtis noticed as he helped himself to chicken.

"
Everything okay? " He heard her whisper as Tyler beat the table with a spoon.

"
It will be, " Zach said as quietly.

The dinner conversation was kept to Eduardo 's job with Zach, Arianna 's current role on Broadway, the invitation the next evening to see Clara play at her guitar recital, and Tyler 's play date at the park. Nothing had been mentioned about Simone and he wanted to find comfort in that, but he didn 't.

When they were finished eating Curtis began to gather plates. If nothing else, his mother had taught him to be a gracious guest, even in the home of his sister.

"
Curtis, let 's talk in my office, " Zach had finally said as if he hadn 't noticed him helping Regan clear the table.

He exchanged glances with his sister who only nodded and brushed him away with her hand.

Zach was already pacing the small office when Curtis walked in.

"
Shut the door, " he said and Curtis did so.

There was an uneasiness in the room. It wasn 't something Curtis had felt since his father had wanted to know how the gash on the car door happened. In hindsight, Curtis had hoped that was the last time he 'd have been so uncomfortable in the presence of another man.

Zach continued to pace the room.

"
What did you want to talk about? " Curtis finally broke the silence.

Zach turned toward him, scrubbing his hand over his face. "I received a phone call before dinner and now I 'm torn between my commitment to my family, my loyalty to my friend, and the benefits to my company. "

Curtis narrowed his eyes on Za1ch. "All that said I assume this is all about Pierpont Oil? "

Zach shrugged. "It 's all about Simone. "

Curtis decided that was worse, but at least it made sense as to why he was sitting there like a child about to get a beating.

Zach finally sat in the chair that faced Curtis. He clasped his hands together and looked up at him.

"
How did you know she was pregnant? When did she tell you? "

"
She didn 't. " Now Curtis was up on his feet pacing the room. "I walked in on her and Sam doing an ultrasound. "

"
And that 's it? Then what? "

"
Then what? Then I showed up at your office and she crashed the car. "

Zach sat back in his chair. "She didn 't tell you any of this before? "

"
No. " His temper was rising. "Listen, I know the princess is your dearest friend and I realize I have strained that relationship. I 'm sorry. "

"
My question to you is what are you going to do about it? "

Curtis felt his jaw tense and the heat under the collar of his shirt rose. "Me? Why is this my responsibility? "

"
Because it 's your baby. " Zach had stood and as Curtis turned they were now eye to eye.

"
Be logical for just one moment. " He took a step back. "If she came here to tell me she was having my baby why didn 't she just do that? Why play all these games? Why get a job? Why get an apartment? She 's pulling us both along, Zach. "

"
She wouldn 't do that. "

"
Really? She 's yet to be very straight forward with me about anything, except when she told me I was just one of many men she 'd had on that yacht. "

For the first time since Curtis had met Zach he actually feared him when he turned to the office door and released the curtain that would shield the glass on the French door, effectively blocking out the world. When Zach turned back1 toward him there was a fire in his eyes and Curtis was sure one of them were going to walk out of that room with a black eye. Worse yet, he was sure it was going to be him.

"
I 've been around enough to see you work your way with the ladies. I 've seen you string out Cynthia for years. "

Curtis held his hands up in defense. "Now wait, that 's our agreement. "

"
No matter your agreement, at what point in your adult life have you gone to bed with someone with intentions of waking up with them for the rest of your life? "

Curtis opened his mouth to speak only to close it again without an answer.

"
I don 't care what she 's done in the past. Simone Pierpont is not a vindictive brat. She might not be wise in the ways of the world beyond her front door, but she was trying. "

Curtis would have had to agree if Zach had given him a moment to chime in, but instead he continued his verbal assault.

"
If she says this baby is yours then I have no reason to doubt her. "

"
You talked to her? You actually talked to her and she said that? "

"
She was the phone call I took before dinner. "

"
And she said that the baby is mine? "

Zach nodded.

Curtis could feel the blood begin to drain from his face. Though the thought that the baby might be his had crossed his mind it had never seemed logical until Zach said it.

The image on the screen of the baby flashed in his mind. He 'd been drawn to it as if he 'd known the unborn, unseen baby.

Suddenly he felt the need to sit down, as if the weight of his body could no longer be supported by his legs. The change in Regan 's appearance had made him think of Simone immediately. If that was his baby, he was missing out on everything.

And to hell with it, if it wasn 't his baby -well it could be. The point in it all was he was in love with Simone. He 'd been in love with her since the moment they 'd danced at Carlos 's wedding. Nothing had changed, no matter how upset he was with her.

Not once in his life had he thought about settling down with anyone. Curtis Keller was a doctor and that was all. But there was more to him, and he knew that now. He wanted to love one woman for the rest of his life. To wake in Simone 's arms every morning and fall asleep in them as well was exactly what he wanted.

Pangs of guilt washed over him when he thought about her going through her pregnancy alone. That should be something they did together. He had to get to her.

He stood to tell Zach his plan. He had to get to Paris, but the realization hit him, what if she turned him away, again?

Did it matter?

"
She 's miserable, Curtis. " He walked toward him and rested his hand on Curtis 's shoulder. "She 'd rather be here and have you hate her, than to be there and miserable. "

Curtis looked at his brother-in-law and thought hard about what he was about to say. "I don 't hate her. I love her. "

"
I was banking on that. " He turned and picked up the phone on his desk. "I can 't believe Simone Pierpont wants to live in that dump of an apartment and work for the government, but she does. I 'll call Mary Ellen and get her a plane ticket. "

Curtis swallowed hard. "Someone should be there for her, don 't you think? Fly to Paris I mean. "

Zach smiled. "I think she 'd appreciate that. "

Simone 's decision had been made and the phone call placed. She was leaving Paris for good and this time she wasn 't going to let her father have a say with how she lived her life.

She 'd had a job and that had given her more pride than the name Pierpont ever had. Even though she might not have that job anymore. She 'd find another.

Standing in front of her father 's desk in his office, Simone still felt like a child. He looked her over, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"
You will be back. You do not have what it takes to be a common working woman. You and your baby will suffer. "

Simone stood with her arms 1to her side, her designer maternity dress showing off her growing stomach. "This is what I want. "

"
And you will pay greatly for it. "

"
I want my child to have both of his parents near him. That is important. "

He tapped his fingers against his arms. "I am disappointed in Zachary for letting you get involved with that doctor. This is a big mistake. "

"
Zachary had nothing to do with this. " How could he even think such a thing?

"
How long, Simone? How long before you are back on my phone begging me for my money again? "

Her heart squeezed painfully. "That is not what I have done. "

"
No? You think there is more to it? "

"
I wanted my family. "

His lips pursed as if he didn 't understand her need. That was usually how it went. He thought about his money and his empire long before he took his daughter into consideration.

Just as she took a breath to give her father a piece of her mind she could hear a commotion in the hallway. Her father stood from behind his desk.

"
Sir, you can 't go in there. " The housekeeper 's voice echoed down the hall.

Simone 's heart thumped in her chest. He 'd come. He 'd come for her. He 'd come for them.

"
Let me into the office. " His voice was muffled.

He did love her. He wanted them. She was ready to cry. Curtis Keller had come for her.

Simone 's hands shook and she clenched them as the door to the office opened. The housekeeper stepped inside.

"
I told him… "

A moment later he walked through the door. Simone sucked in a breath, let it out slow, and turned toward the door to see her savior 's face.

Her father stood from behind his desk. "Zachary Benson, I do not have time for childish games. "

"
Monsieur Pierpont, it 's not a game, " he said as he walked into the room, not even offering his hand for her father to shake. Zach looked at her. "Are you okay? "

She couldn 't speak, she could only nod.

Her father walked around the desk to face Zach. "She is always playing games. Now they have caught up to her. Look at her. I am disgraced. "

Zach did look at her, and he smiled. "She is beautiful. "

Her father chuckled. "You cannot always rescue her when she is mad at me. "

"
I always will. She is as close as I have to a sister. I will always protect her. "

"
And you think I am a threat to her? "