What the hell?Ella strides into the park, clutching a thin cardigan closely about her narrow shoulders.She’s wearing a loose housedress beneath the cardigan, which is better than the frumpy brown uniform required by the resort where she works, but not by much.Both items have yards of excess fabric which swaddle her curvy figure in an unflattering way.She’s pregnant, not homeless, and there’s no need to look like a wooly mammoth.
Yet Ella’s breathtakingly beautiful despite her ugly outfit.Even beneath the loose clothing, her figure is ripe and shapely, a tiny bump protruding beneath the material.Her golden hair seems incredibly lush and thick, and her peaches and cream complexion is so flawless that it gleams in the setting sun.Is it true that pregnant women glow?It seems like it, because the young woman is radiating fertility and womanhood.
Still, it’s chilly and I take off my jacket as she walks to the picnic table, stopping only to wrap it around her shoulders as she stands before me.
“There’s a bite in the air today,” I say in an abrupt voice.“Where’s your jacket?”
“I’m okay,” she murmurs, even as she pulls the garment closer about her shoulders, grateful for the residual warmth of my body heat.“I had to run out, so I forgot it.”
We sit at a picnic table as I shake my head again.Why the hell is a pregnant woman rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off?If anything, Ella should be cuddled up before a cozy fire, sipping at a mug of hot cocoa while her babydaddy gives her a foot massage.
But you’re the babydaddy, the voice in my head whispers.You’re the one who’s supposed to be seeing to her comfort and care.
Fuck, that’s right.The realization brings me back to earth with a thunk, and I glower at the curvy girl again.
“Why didn’t you contact me earlier?”I ask abruptly.“You should have reached out the moment you knew you were pregnant.”
The blonde shoots me an exasperated look.
“Ididtry to contact you, but your company seems determined to keep the riffraff away,” Ella says in a dry tone.“You didn’t exactly give me your cell, so I had to look you up online.”
“So you reached out to Rocket X,” I say in a slow voice.
“I did,” she agrees.“I sent emails to the general inbox, and then dialed the inquiry hotline.The customer service rep was perfectly nice and promised to pass my name along, but surprise, surprise, she didn’t.So I did it the old-fashioned away.I wrote you a letter, which you obviously got.”
I nod, fingering the tattered missive in my pocket.
“I did because my secretary had a feeling that it was something important.Otherwise, she would have tossed it, but something about it stood out.”
“I think it’s the fact that the letter’s handwritten,” Ella says in a dry voice.“I addressed it to you in pen, and stuck on a stamp the old-fashioned way.It’s about as unprofessional as you can get.”
I jerk my head sharply in a nod.
“Right.Well, I’m sorry you had so much trouble reaching me.It shouldn’t have been that way.”
Ella shrugs, looking unconcerned although there are two spots of color on her cheeks.
“No, it’s fine,” she says in an even tone.“I get it.You’re a powerful CEO who barely has two minutes to spare.Your staff is paid to keep random passerby at arm’s length, and in this case, I was definitely a random.They were only doing their job.”
“Yes, I guess so,” I grunt, although my soul feels unsettled knowing that this beautiful woman had to jump through hoops to contact me.Then, I reach into my pocket and hand her an ivory card.“That’s my contact information,” I say in a gruff tone.“My personal cell, my email, and even my home address.If I don’t answer, just leave a message, and I’ll call you back.”
The young blonde picks up the card and reads the inscription before setting it down again.
“But this address is for a hotel in New York City,” she says, her voice slow.“Are you sure you didn’t give me the wrong business card by accident?Maybe you have multiple versions.”
“I do,” I say in a matter of fact tone.“But no, the hotel is where I live when I’m in Manhattan.I travel a lot, and the Pierre in NYC offers apartments as well as traditional hotel rooms.So yes, I own a penthouse within the building, and utilize the hotel’s services because it’s convenient.It’s the best of both worlds.”
Ella nods and bites her lip, staring down at the card again.
“I see,” she murmurs.“Yes, that seems a bit fancy for Minnesota, but then again, what do I know about Manhattan?I’ve never been.”
This is the perfect segue.
“That’s what I want to talk to you about, actually,” I reply, my black brows raised.“I’d like you to quit your job, and to come live with me in New York City, Ella.You need to see the best doctors, and to have concierge care available to you.There’s no need for you to toil away at some shitty bed and breakfast when you’re carrying my child.If anything, you could be hurting the baby by spending countless hours on your feet.”
Ella’s cheeks color as her small hands grip into fists.
“I’ll have you know that I work because I’m establishing a future for me and my baby,” she says in a stilted voice.“Up until a few hours ago, we didn’t know if you’d make an appearance.If anything, maybe me and the baby are just nobodies that you were choosing to ignore.”
