48. Lily
Lily
M y father huffed and puffed Gage was playing me for a fool, when in reality, he was being himself––the puppet master.
When Gage’s stomach growled, I asked Gérard to serve dinner. I still have so much to tell him. Best to do it on a full stomach.
I couldn’t even manage a bite of the chicken, but I ate two bowls of tomato soup with bread and cheese.
Gage was curious as to why I wasn’t eating the chicken.
I said I wanted to keep it light. When he asked why I wasn’t drinking the white wine, I told him with the heat, I preferred Perrier.
Luckily, he didn’t push.
I finish my apricot purée, and Gage scrapes the bottom of his crème br?lée bowl.
Do I rip off the Band-Aid now or do I wait?
“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours? From that serious expression on your face, it’s as if you’re trying to solve the world’s most complicated equation. ”
Damn him for seeing right through me.
I drop my spoon on the saucer.
I sigh.
Here goes nothing.
“Those video clips broke me.” My voice trembles.
He reaches out for my hand. “Hey, that’s behind us.”
I nod. “But I didn’t know the truth when I got some big news when I was in Paris.”
He frowns.
You can do this.
I tell him about my bouts of vomiting and the fact I thought it was related to food poisoning. I also tell him about passing out in the streets of Paris and my visit to the hospital.
His eyes are the size of saucers. “Did the doctor find out what was wrong with you?” I don’t have a chance to answer.
He keeps talking. “If not, we need to find another doctor. Can Gérard refer us to anyone? Surely, a former French president would have access to the top physicians in the country. If the French can’t figure out what’s wrong with you, I’ll fly in a doctor from the US?—”
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
His brows knit together. “Why did you pass out if there isn’t anything wrong with you?”
I pull my trembling lower lip between my teeth. “Um… Err… Well…” Butterflies flutter in my belly
“Tell me.” His tone is bordering on annoyance.
You’re delaying the inevitable. “I’m… pregnant.”
Gage’s gorgeous face freezes.
For a few seconds that stretch into an eternity, he stares at me.
“Even before the test, the doctor suspected that was the reason I was so sick,” I say. “The test confirmed it.”
He extends a hand. “ Come here.”
I flinch.
I’m not sure what I expected him to say, but that wasn’t on the list.
He pushes his chair back. “Come here, I said.”
I stand up.
He picks me up like I’m a ragdoll and drops me on his lap.
“You’re pregnant…”
I expect him to elaborate, but the silence between us stretches.
I put an end to my misery. “We used protection, but protection isn’t foolproof. I’m sure fatherhood wasn’t part of your life goals for this year—and perhaps not for the next decade—so I understand if you don’t want?—”
He places two fingers against my lips, silencing me. “You’re trembling and you’re rambling.”
“I am.”
He considers me.
My heart races.
With each passing second, I grow more and more nervous. I can’t read him at all. It’s a good thing I’m ready to raise this baby on my own.
“I’m tempted to get on the next flight out to New York so I can track down Giuseppe—who prefers to be called John—and rearrange his face for thinking he had a chance with the woman who’s carrying my child.
” His green eyes go dark as his words settle overme.
“And the asshole tried to touch you?” He growls. He actually growls.
I’m speechless.
“You’re fucking mine, Lily.”
I’m astonished by his declaration.
“I told you that at the airport before you left LA. I meant every word.” A muscle flexes along his jawline. “ I hate that your father manipulated you and opened the door to fucking Giuseppe.”
“Even when I thought you loved another woman, I shut Giuseppe down.”
“Good,” he says with a firm nod. “Speaking of the shit stirrer, I gather your father doesn’t know?”
“Not yet. Like I said, I’m avoiding him.”
He nods a few times.
He’s eerily calm.
“You’re not upset or mad?” Or running for the hills?
“I’m in shock. And you’re right, fatherhood wasn’t part of the list of milestones for this year. However, I’m not mad or upset.”
“You’re not?”
“I’m not.”
A weight lifts off my shoulders. “I was afraid you might think I was trying to trap you. And after hearing what happened to your sister…”
“Once you came to LA to attend film school, I planned on convincing you to move in with me instead of renting out a place.”
My eyes bulge out of my skull. “Huh?”
His mouth hitches up in a sexy smile.
It kicks the breath right out of my lungs.
He’s so darn handsome.
“I own a renovated one-story mid-century-modern-style mansion, so there’s plenty of room. Bonus, you’ll be neighbors with Mikki since the Konigs own their own renovated mansion on the same street.”
As if he needed to sweeten the pot.
He caresses up and down my arm. “Are you going to give me an answer?”
“Gosh, are you sure you want me to move in with you? ”
“I told you. I broke my rules for you.” His eyes bore into mine. Under the light, his green irises have flecks of gold inthem. “While I was waiting for my flight to Corsica, I did a search to learn how to say ‘I missed you’ in French.”
“Tu m’as manqué.”
“Even with some practice, I would’ve butchered that sentence.”
I laugh.
“What I discovered is that the word for word translation from French to English is ‘you were missing from me’… that’s how I felt when you walked away from me at LAX. You were missing from me, and you hadn’t even left LA.”
My heart might break its way through mychest.
“This baby”—he places a large hand over my tummy—“moved things up for us.”
“Oh.”
“It would take me a while to transfer the headquarters to New York, but it could be done. Truth be told, I love living in LA and I want to be a part of this baby’s life. It’s going to be challenging when we’re at opposite ends of the country.”
“It would be.”
“Even if I fly you back and forth, at some point, you won’t be able to fly. You have a family in LA. You might not be linked to our friends by blood, but they’ll show you the respect you deserve.”
I love how he said our friends.
“I want you close to me so I can watch your belly grow with our child. I don’t want to do this over video calls. The City of Angels can be your fresh start––a new beginning for the three of us.”
His words touch my soul.
For the first time in three days, I shed tears of joy.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry, angel,” he says wiping away my tears.
“I love you so much––”
I close my eyes, clamping my hands over my mouth.
Why did I go and ruin things?
I blame the surge of emotions for making me say things I should’ve kept to myself.
Gage places two fingers underneath my chin, forcing my attention to him. “What was that?”
I open my eyes. “Don’t mind me. Pregnancy hormones, and all.”
He narrows his eyes at me.
“I’m being silly. We haven’t known each other long enough––”
“I love you, too, Lily.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“I love you.”
“You… love me?” My voice cracks.
“With all my heart.”
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
“When Fisher called me to let me know you were missing, I almost went ballistic,” he says. “My gut was screaming at me. I knew you were in Paris. It was the only place you’d come to. When I couldn’t get a hold of you or Nadine, I was ready to incinerate the City of Lights to find you.”
I place my hand over my heart. “You would’ve done that for me?”
“Without hesitation.” He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.
“I didn’t share my feelings when I dropped you off at LAX because we hadn’t known each other for long, and I thought I was half crazy.
As I was playing nurse to my sister, it became clear, I had to tell you I loved you.
Since we talked about me stopping by New York after my business trip, I planned on telling you then.
I didn’t want to tell you something that important over text, the phone, or a video call.
I wanted to tell you the words in person, staring into your beautiful blue eyes. ”
“I love you so much, Gage.”
“You’re it for me, Lily. I fucking love you.”
I don’t have time to soak in his beautiful declaration before he crushes my lips in a ravenous kiss, so hot, it could incinerate all of LA.
I moan.
The man I love is here, claiming me.