Not disturbed by my words, Vincent takes his seat again, leaning back in his chair and smiling. "Is that so?""This is serious, Vincent. The least you could do is pretend to be shocked or upset or worried about what I am going to say.""I agree. Give me everything you've got." His dumb smirk kicks up a notch.Ugh, why is he so sexy when he's cocky and why does he constantly leave me feeling like a small child when I'm in his presence? I'm not an adolescent having a temper tantrum. I'm a legitimately pissed-off woman. This is what I get for trying to date a man who runs a billion-dollar company and could negotiate a better price for water in the desert.I stand next to the chair Rachel just vacated but refuse to sit and share the space she had her butt on. "I read your email."His smile grows. He knows exactly why I'm here. "Did you find it informative?""Vincent," I say leaning over his desk, trying to get into his space and intimidate him. As expected, it doesn't work. His
At promptly 3:50 p.m. the same afternoon Vincent opens the car door in front of Lansing Pediatrics and OBGYN Center.I follow him out and stop right outside the door before Davis can close it, leaving me without an escape.As if he senses what I'm planning, he smiles and pats me on the back. "Good luck, Miss Marshal." He gives me a quick wink and I promise to yell at him about calling me Mackenzie later.Vincent, probably concerned we're late even though are still ten minutes early, holds my hand as we walk up the steps to the office. "It'll be fine."I want to trust his words, but I'm still worried. What if everything is not okay? Now that the baby is real, what if there isn't a baby in me? What if something has happened? I gently place a hand on my stomach that isn't showing any signs of pregnancy. What if they don't find a heartbeat?Vincent walks right up to the check-in window, his back held straight ever sure of himself even as I'm crumbling apart beside him. He checks
Thirty minutes later as we're walking out of the doctor's office Vincent repeats his earlier statement, clutching my hand and guiding me on the steps as if I'm having trouble walking."We're really having a baby?" he asks, showing the first sign of his raging emotions over the situation emotion. "Me? I'm going to be a dad.""Are you sure about this?" I ask, picking up on his apprehension. This is the first time Vincent has shown any doubt since we walked into the doctor's office. He was so sure of everything and asked the doctor a million questions while I sat beside him completely stunned.He stops at the side the town car as Davis opens the back door, waiting for us to get in to the vehicle. "I've never been surer of anything in my life," he says placing a soft kiss against my lips.I wait until we're in the car and Davis is walking around the front before I ask my question. "Then why did you run?"He gives me a look that I can't quite put my finger on as Davis gets in and
"Are you nervous?" Vincent asks as I pace the living room with the phone held in front of me, the screen still black.I stop my circle to frown at him. "Yes, obviously."How much money does this man make? He can't figure out calling my parents and telling them I'm pregnant and getting married is the most terrifying thing I've done. Shit, I have to tell them I'm dating Vincent first. I'd rather sky dive with a semi-working parachute than make this call.My stomach is tight and I clutch the phone hard, the soft plastic case rolling in my hand.He leaves his space by the kitchen island to invade my bubble in the living room. "Do you want me to talk to them?" Vincent reaches for the phone, but I pull it back and out of his reach.Hell no. I haven't forgotten how he told his mother. We can't shout it out to mine in the same fashion. She needs a delicate approach. Time to smooth it over before I drop the bomb on her."No, I'm going to do it," I say, still holding the phone away f
"Mom!"There's a pointed silence for only a second, but it's filled with so many unsaid words from years past. "We just talked yesterday, Kens. I'm sorry, sweetie, but your copy assistant job in marketing is not that exciting."Ouch. "I'm not a copy assistant, Mom. I said I make copies sometimes.""Well regardless, I'm sure you didn't call me to wow me with your adventures to the printer, so tell me what's happened."Okay, this is it. I have to tell her now. She's primed for it.Deep breath."You're right. I called because I have big news." I'll start at the bottom of the list and work my way higher. "Vincent and I are dating."My mother gasps. "That's fantastic news. I'm so glad you two finally figured it out. We've been waiting."My mouth falls open. "What?""Oh, Mackenzie, don't be daft. We all saw it. That man is smitten with you."I press the phone to my ear harder so Vincent doesn't hear her. I'll never live it down. From the way the smug smirk on his face gro
On Thursday evening I pull up a pair of Vincent's boxers—my new favorite items to sleep in—and watch him as I crawl into bed, slipping underneath the covers."I'm proud of you," I say tucking the covers around me as Vincent eyes me curiously while he stands next to his dresser.With his sexy steps that draw me into his web, he prowls across the room and stops beside the bed. "Oh really? I'm glad we're both aware of how wonderful I am, but why this particular time?"I laugh. It's such a Vincent reply."You've known about the baby for three full days now and you haven't sent a company email telling everyone." I'm only half joking with him. It has been a valid concern of mine the last few days. Every time I opened my email, I clenched my teeth as I read over the subject lines.Vincent laughs, crawling into bed beside me and getting into my space. He definitely isn't one of those guys who stays on his side of the mattress. We'd told both of our parents about the baby and he was s
A steady beat of rain hits the large glass windows and my gaze strays away from my cubicle. The dark sky heralds the coming cold snowy days of Michigan's winter. It's only the end of September. We won't have any proper snow until December or later, but the flurries can appear at any point from here on out. By Halloween we'll be knee deep in dead leaves, freezing temperatures, and a rainy winter mix.Once the beautiful part of fall ends and the dredges of winter begin, I always curse my misfortune of living in Michigan. Every year at this time, my dream of moving to Florida is revisited. Today as I watch the rain lazily slide down the windows after hitting with such force the thought of my beach escape doesn't come.I would leave too much—Vincent, this job, and the future that's available to us. Florida no longer holds the appeal she has for the most of my life the last ten years. A Michigan winter didn't seem so depressive when I'll have Vincent by my side as we power to through it
"Okay." I catch a glimpse outside to see the rain growing steadier. I would never expect Ashley to do anything to hurt me, but I made a promise to Vincent I wouldn't leave the building unless I had him by my side or Davis. At least until he's able to hire me a bodyguard. If I expect him to keep his promises, I suppose I need to keep mine. But I don't know how I could explain that to Ashley, or if I even want to expend the energy.The time in my life when I share everything with this woman has ended. Now we've come out on the other side, but our friendship will never be the same if we ever have one again. I'm not ready for that now, but the thought of never speaking to her again also hurts."Kens," Ashley says, letting her body fall to the closest chair. "I don't even know how to say I'm sorry. I did a horrible thing to you, and the worst part was that I pretended to be your friend. We were friends. I was just a crappy one. I know you will never forgive me because I would never forg