The Billionaire's Baby (Key to My Heart Book 3) (4 page)

A few hours later, I sat in my empty bakery, staring blankly at a cup of coffee and mulling endlessly over the words Karina had spoken.

George couldn't have children.

It wasn't George's baby inside Alissa. Coupled with Sebastian's strange response, I absolutely could not shake the chance that it was their love child inside her. It'd explain Sebastian's response and his isolation lately, even more so than normal.

Maybe it was the redhead he'd wanted to be with all along, and for some reason they just could not be together. So he'd taken someone else as his wife just for the sake of his business. Me. Just a proxy to stand on a pedestal, that's all. Perhaps that was all George was to Alissa as well. He was clearly not surprised by the baby announcement, and he would know better than anyone that it couldn't possibly be his own child.

I took a big gulp sip of the coffee, wincing at the heat.

What I wouldn't give to be able to drink some wine right now. This decaf stuff was not strong enough for times like this.

"Careful," A deep, genial voice spoke from behind me, "You're going to burn your tongue."

I jumped up in shock, whirling around and almost throwing the coffee cup at the intruder.

Lewis Carson stood before me, tall, blond, and beautiful. HIs green eyes were as soft as ever.

"I thought no one would be here today." I murmured with a heaving sigh, "I just needed a place to think."

"I understand." He responded, "I can give you space if you need."

"No." I replied quickly, before my lips could catch up with my brain, "No... Stay."

Hesitantly, he smiled, walking to the coffee machine to pour himself some Joe.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, relieved for a moment to be able to have some conversation that didn't revolve around babies or marriages or secret double lives.

"I come here every day. Even when we're closed. When I don't, it's kind of like missing an old friend or something." He shook his head, almost reticent, "I know how ridiculous that sounds."

"Not at all." I sighed, sinking down in my chair a bit as I stretched my legs out in front of me, "That's the same way I feel. When I need some alone time, this is the first place that springs to mind."

"Tell me about it." He chuckled.

Quietly, he settled down beside me, sipping at his coffee.

For a while I just stared off towards the window, watching what clouds I could see slowly sail by.

This quiet between Lewis and I was peaceful, calm.

It was strange to think he all but claimed he was going to steal me away from my husband. We hadn't spoken once about that conversation since. I found out I was pregnant that same day, after all, and I could tell Lewis was doing his best to keep his opinion to himself.

For all I knew, Lewis no longer even thought of me as attainable or attractive any more.

I turned to him, struggling to come up with some sort of conversation, only to find him already looking at me from over the edge of his favorite purple dotted mug.

The sun from the windows illuminated his sandy lashes. They were surprisingly long, sending shadows down the strong bones of his cheeks.

"You know, I haven't forgotten." He said slowly, clearing his throat as he set down his mug, "I want to make that known, here and now. I haven't forgotten."

"Forgotten what?" I whispered, though I already knew to what he spoke of. Lewis was a mind reader, or was my expression just that obvious?

He stared at me, emerald orbs sizzling. I could feel the electricity from where I sat, though he did not touch me.

"My words, they were all true. Every single thing I've ever said to you, I've meant, and I will mean for the rest of my life." His voice was so strong, each syllable deliberate.

"You don't know me." I managed to say, heart beating like a drum against my ribs, "I'm pregnant with Sebastian's child!"

Surely he couldn't still be interested in me?

"You think I care about that?" He laughed, sipping his coffee, "All that I care about is your happiness. You're not happy with him, even Karina knows it. She's mentioned it to Harry."

"That's not her business." I whispered harshly, anger flaring from somewhere inside of me, "That’s not your business either."

"It's not." He acknowledged, shaking his head, "But I care about you, I care about your feelings. That’s not something I can just idly sit by and ignore."

Silently, I stared down into the cup of decaf coffee in my hands, watching as it swirled in slow motion.

"What do you want from me?" I finally managed to ask, shoulders sagging heavily, dragged down by the weight of the conversation, "I can't give you anything. I'm married."

"Give me a date." He responded, leaning forward across the table, "One date."

"I can't go out anywhere, what if someone sees and mentions it to Sebastian?" I replied, staring at him in disbelief.

Would my husband even care? I highly doubted it.

"Then we'll do it right here." He said with a grin, "We'll make cookies and drink hot chocolate. Nothing touchy feely. I can behave myself."

I'm not going to lie, for a second, I almost agreed to it.

It would be fun, there was no way around that. Every moment spent with Lewis was careless and relaxed. That was just the aura the handsome blond emitted. He was like a giant star of friendliness, he could walk into a room and be best friends with everyone. People revolved around him, basking in his warmth.

Looking into his tender eyes made it even more difficult to decline.

"I can't." I said quietly, smile slowly fading from my face, "You know I can't."

"But you want to." Lewis said back, walking his empty coffee cup back to the kitchen as he delicately set it down.

Then he turned back to face me, leaning against the counter, "You want to.” He repeated with a lopsided grin, “And that's enough for me."

I swallowed, unable to even shake my head to deny him that.

I did want to go on that date with him. I did want to pretend that life was as simple as that.

Perhaps, had I met Lewis before Sebastian, everything would have been different.

But it wasn't different, I reminded myself stonily.

This was my life. I was married to Sebastian and pregnant with his child. The time for silliness and dating frivolously was over. It simply didn't matter how I felt about the handsome blond before me, and it didn’t matter how Lewis felt about me either.

Whether or not I was happy in my marriage, I was still married. Even if that meant nothing to Sebastian, it meant something to me.

"I'll go ahead." He said, watching as the pensive tenseness spread over my face, "You obviously have a lot on your mind. But I'm only a phone call away, Macy." He said softly, "I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Lewis." I responded quietly, sighing as he walked out the back door.

Once I was sure he was gone, I dropped my head in my hands, staring into the darkened crook of my shoulder.

Did I really want to go on a date with Lewis? The butterflies that fluttered anxiously inside of me made that a firm 'yes.' But was it because I liked Lewis and enjoyed his company, or because I was just so damn lonely these days?

Something had to give.

With a sigh, I grabbed my own coffee cup, rinsing it in the kitchen sink.

Harry didn't put up with messiness in his kitchen. He'd be irked to death if Lewis and I just left our dirty cups lying around for him to clean.

And if he was peeved, Karina was peeved, and that just meant a bad time for me.

I smirked, shaking my head slightly.

What a pair they made. I wondered if they even saw it themselves yet. Everyone around them could see how happy they made one another...

What did everyone around Sebastian and I think, or even Lewis and I? Was the resolution of this complicated situation so clear to everyone around me but still blind to me?

It wouldn't have shocked me in the slightest if that was the case. Hindsight is 20/20 after all.

I set our mugs on the drying rack, leaving the bakery behind me.

Usually, when I left the shop after a long day's thoughtful pondering, everything seemed so much more clear and so much more obvious.

Today, however, things seemed even more muddled.

When I finally got back to the mansion, everything was quiet once more.

"Karina?" I called, peering into the empty dining room.

"Oh, she's been gone for an hour or so Mrs. Davis." Tricia spoke from the kitchen as she slowly walked around the corner to look at me.

"Oh, is that so?" I hummed, picking up some dishes for the chef and walking them towards the kitchen doors.

The woman hurriedly took them from me, glancing around as though Karina would spring out of nowhere. My mother in law probably had cameras set up, I didn't blame Tricia for erring on the cautious side.

"Yes, she went to send your husband some packages." She continued, "She should be back by supper."

"Oh really?" I asked, frowning, "What kind of packages?"

Tricia blinked her almond eyes at me, frowning. She clearly thought the Mrs. of the house should be more in the know. We shared that inkling, more than the chef realized.

"Well, ma’am, he needed some important items." Tricia said slowly, "Since he won't be back from London for five months."

Five months.

Five whole freaking months.

That was basically the rest of my pregnancy. He was abandoning me through the most painful and pivotal part of this?

What the hell?

I would be huge by the time he got back.

Tricia, uncomfortable with the blank look on my shocked face, slid back into the kitchen noiselessly.

This time, Sebastian had left no sweet note. He'd left no word at all.

He'd just left me.

The days crawled into weeks, weeks into months.

By the time the fifth month mark was slowly approaching, Sebastian Davis's gorgeous blue eyes were the last thing on my mind.

I was a bit over 8 months by now, all swollen ankles and aching back. Sleeping was almost impossible.

Fortunately enough the rest of the pregnancy had progressed smoothly. Karina went to most of the appointments with me, though Lewis had been my taxi more than a handful of times.

Being around the blond manager of the bakery was easier than I thought it would be, I'll be honest. He knew what to say to make me laugh, he knew how to calm down my anxiety.

I felt, sometimes, that he knew me better than anyone.

I couldn't help but to compare him to Sebastian. Why couldn't Sebastian be the one making me laugh, or to feel the baby kick for the first time?

Why wasn't Sebastian here with us?

True to my word, I'd declined knowing what the gender was. It drove Karina up the wall, but she was still convinced there was a little boy in there, especially when he really got to kicking against my ribs.

"Sebastian did the same thing." She said with a knowing and firm nod, "Little boys are always more violent in there."

I, on the other hand, wasn't as convinced.

I had dreams about meeting the little one so frequently now.

Harry listened patiently while I told him, as he iced blue and pink little cupcakes. Those were his favorite colors lately, as he fantasized about teaching the baby how to cook.

Of course I would let him be the teacher, I wouldn't have been any use.

It was so strange to think that it was almost time. Karina and I had explored the hospital suite, though it was more of a hotel and spa than a maternity ward.

My mother in law had certainly spared no expense. I was too tired and ready to meet the baby to try to persuade her to spend less.

We all sat together today in the bakery, my legs propped up in front of me as I massaged the sides of my massive belly.

It felt as though I were getting huger and huger every day. A plate of chocolate chip cookies sat balanced on the curve of my bump, though I would call it more of a mountain.

As the baby kicked, the plate swayed back and forth.

"He wants some cookies!" Lewis chuckled, sitting beside me with his ledger as he flipped through the pages, "Are you feeding that boy?"

"You think it's a boy too?" I sighed, frowning at the plate.

"I gotta keep Karina off my back." He murmured to me with a playful wink, scribbling down the week’s numbers.

I could hear Karina giggling form the kitchen, where Harry was apparently teaching her how to cut out decorative pie crusts.

Lately, her laughter had been becoming more and more frequent, a sparkle in her dark eyes. Yet, still, if you asked her, she declined that anything was happening between herself and the old chef Harry Bircham.

I'd noticed, though, that he'd kept his hair much more clean shaven, and his ever spirited eyes were even more so.

They both lit up when they saw each other, like firecrackers in the middle of summer.

Lewis and I pretended as though things hadn't changed between us, though they had.

I felt my heart skip when he smiled at me. When we sat close, as we did now, I wanted to reach out and touch him, tracing the line of the sweet dimple in his cheek.

He laughed so readily, spoke so easily, and I hardly felt married anymore. It was as though Sebastian would rather work in London than be here with me. Or was I just desperately trying to explain away my attraction to another man while already married?

Would anything with Sebastian change when the baby came? Would I be able to depend on him at all?

He provided me and the baby with money and a roof over our heads, that was for sure, but I needed more than that, it became more and more clear to me every day. I wanted more than that, and I wanted more than that for my child.

"I want you to stay after Karina and Harry leave tonight." He said suddenly, not looking up from his books, his face remaining unchanged.

Surprised, I tilted my head, staring at the handsome blond curiously, "What?" I asked.

"Tonight. Stay with me for a little while, I have something to show you." He responded, going quiet as Karina once again entered the main room of the bakery.

Flour clung to her cheek and the sleeve of her burgundy pantsuit.

"I'll have you know that I'm a master pastry chef now." She said coyly, sinking down into a chair beside me as I beamed at her. She snatched one of the cookies, nibbling the crisp edge.

"Oh really?" I teased, "I Suppose we'll have to let Harry go then."

"Nonsense." She quipped quickly, frowning at me as though I'd ruined her fun.

"How are your ankles?" She continued, sparing them a glance, "They’re getting wider and wider every day." She sighed, shaking her head, "Mine never did such a thing."

Oh Karina, some things never change.

I laughed, shaking my head again and choosing to ignore her words. You pick your battles, after all, "I feel just fine."

"Good. You should be in bed, resting." My mother in law said as she fiddled her phone out of her pocket, "Sebastian is concerned you do too much."

The laughter left me, sourness spreading instead, "Why would he be concerned?" I muttered, "He doesn't bother to ever ask me how I'm doing."

I had heard Sebastian's voice three times in the five months he'd been gone, each time when Karina would hand me her phone.

"He asks about you constantly." She responded, voice going slightly soft, "You know he cares."

No, in fact, I did not know.

Harry entered the room, pulling Karina's attention back once more before the conversation got too heavy.

"It's getting late." The baker announced, "I'll be worried about you two ladies on the road." He grinned, wiping his hands on a towel.

"Oh hush, I'm a fantastic driver. Safest on the road." My mother in law shot back, frowning at him.

I glanced at Lewis, clearing my throat as I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.

"Actually, I'm going to stay for just a bit." I said slowly, "I want to check out some of the, uh, old recipes." I finally decided with a halfhearted shrug, "I'd like to be able to tell the baby about them."

Was that convincing, at all?

Karina blinked at me, as though she couldn't decide whether that was sweet or pathetic.

Harry on the other hand, happily responded, "What a nice idea, Macy." He glanced sideways at Karina, stepping towards her slightly, "I wouldn't want to worry about you making it home alone. Perhaps I should go with you?"

Karina's gaze slowly swiveled to the gray haired man, and I could have sworn I almost saw a blush on her tan face.

She chuckled, hesitantly, "Well. I suppose that would be acceptable." She finally said, allowing him to guide her towards the door.

"You get her home safe, now." Harry said, opening the door for Karina, pointing back at Lewis firmly.

"Don't you worry, Bircham." Lewis nodded, closing his book.

I waved goodbye, watching as the pair headed towards Karina's car.

Slowly, I turned back to Lewis, observing him as he carefully lay his books one on top of the other and turned back to me.

His hands folded in his lap, simply staring at me.

Uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze, I softly took the plate of cookies off my belly and set them on the table, lowering my feet to the ground.

"...what is it you wanted to show me?" I asked softly, suddenly afraid of what he had up his sleeve.

The butterflies swirled inside of me as he slowly climbed to his feet. He stood there beside my chair, his fingers brushing over my shoulder.

I swallowed the lump growing in my throat, wincing slightly as the baby, seeming to sense my anxiety, started doing somersaults inside of me.

"Are you alight?" Lewis asked quickly, kneeling down to eye level.

His hand slid against my own, squeezing my fingers.

"Yes, just fine. Baby is moving around a lot in there." I laughed uneasily, glad to have broken the stillness of the moment.

"Why did you decide to stay?" He asked softly, lips parting over white teeth.

Why had I stayed? I knew it would be trouble. I knew nothing innocent would happen here.

Was I desperate for affection? Was I in denial that Lewis Carson could still be attracted to me when I was huge with another man's baby? He'd already shown multiple times that he didn't care.

S0 why then, would a married woman put herself in this position?

I opened my mouth, shaking my head, as he reached up and put a single finger against my lips.

"I don't want to hear 'I don't know.'" He said softly, leaning closer against the edge of the chair.

His other hand traced the flesh of my shoulder, a tremor rolling down my back as I stared at him, wide eyed and silent.

"You know exactly why you stayed." He finally said, burning finger on my lips sliding around the back of my head as he leaned in closer.

His warm, perfect lips descended on my own, heat bursting in my belly.

I gasped against his mouth, chills rolling throughout me. His warmth was everywhere, like a blanket. My entire body was hot, like a waterfall rushing over me.

His taste infiltrated my mouth and his sweet scent in my nose.

He pulled back, green eyes wide and lips parted.

"I...that was amazing." He whispered, and I could all but see the fireworks exploding behind his eyes.

"My water just broke." I responded, gasping as I struggled to remain calm.