Chapter 28 Beatrice
BEATRICE
“Hmm…” Sienna mumbles the moment I step into the salon. “I think you and I need to have a little chat,” she says before she starts waving at the man who just dropped me off.
He wanted to come in, but I managed to convince him not to.
Sienna might be fully aware of the turn my life has taken, but I’m yet to confess to the others, and suddenly being escorted to work by the hockey player they know I hooked up with will get them talking.
I’m going to need to confess soon. We’re going to need to start making plans for when I’m not here. I’m probably going to need to hire someone to take over my clients, along with a million and one other things. Honestly, it’s all too exhausting to think about right now.
“Nothing to talk about,” I mutter as I march past her, hitching my purse up higher on my shoulder, my finger wrapped around my half-eaten burrito. It was incredible, but way too much for me to stomach this early, even if I was ravenous.
“Pfft, nothing to talk about my ass,” she shouts, her footsteps racing behind me. She doesn’t say anything more until the door to the staff room has closed behind us. “He picked you up and dropped you off this morning. Did you spend the night with him?”
Sienna’s eyes are alight with excitement.
“No, I didn’t.” She deflates like a balloon.
“But—”
“There is no buts, Si. He took me for dinner last night,” I explain as I lower my ass to the couch. “He took me home and…” My words trail off as regret trickles through me.
“And what? Oh my god. Please tell me you let him in,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows. Apparently she doesn’t mean inside my apartment.
“No, I didn’t.” I drop my head into my hands and groan.
“What? What did you do?”
“I fucked up,” I mumble into my palms.
“How?”
I take a deep breath and confess what I did last night.
“So he was sitting in his car waiting to pick you up this morning outside the wrong building?” Sienna laughs.
“It’s not funny,” I complain.
“It kinda is,” Sienna argues.
“He was pissed.”
“Well, yeah. I bet most women do whatever they can to get him into their place to try to get their claws into him. And there you are, trying to keep him away.”
“That wasn’t…I wasn’t trying to keep him away. I just…I didn’t want him to judge me.”
“He already knows you’re not after his money,” Sienna assures me.
“Does he? One look at the area I’m living in, and he might have a different opinion.”
“Did he?”
“Did he what?”
“Have a different opinion of you because of where you live?”
“Um…”
“You need to stop worrying about what he might see and just allow him to get to know you. Your apartment doesn’t define who you are as a person, just like his reputation doesn’t define him.”
I know she’s right. But it doesn’t stop me from feeling like I’m not good enough, especially when he lives the life he does. I don’t want him to think I need him. I don’t need anyone. And I certainly don’t want his money.
“Bea?” Sienna urges as she joins me on the couch. “What is it?”
“He wants us to fake date as a publicity stunt.”
Sienna’s chin drops as she stares at me in disbelief.
“Are you serious?” she finally asks.
“Yeah. He mentioned it this morning. Apparently, they’re threatening to trade him if he doesn’t clean himself up. So Hailee suggested that we…” My words trail off. Sienna doesn’t need me to spell it out; she’s not an idiot.
“Wow. Okay,” she says, sinking back into the cushions. “What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know,” I confess, honestly. “That it’s crazy.”
“Yeah, it is. But…isn’t it kinda what you wanted?”
“I wanted him to be a part of this,” I say, gesturing to my stomach. “I want my child to have both parents in his life. I don’t ever remember saying I wanted to pretend that we’re a couple to fix his reputation.”
“But if you don’t, he could get traded, and then he won’t be in your life at all. He already travels for nine months of the year. He’s hardly going to be here even if he plays for the Vipers with his schedule.”
“Yeah,” I agree, my heart aching with the thought of him constantly being away. Not for me, of course—for our baby.
“And don’t forget the benefits,” she adds, wiggling her brows.
“There won’t be any benefits,” I assure her. “That’s complicating it all.”
“Or it’ll make it worthwhile. I know I’ve never been pregnant, but everything I’ve ever read says that you get horny as hell with all the extra hormones surging around your body.
A man that fine could really come in useful.
And it’s not like he won’t be up for it.
If you’re faking this relationship, I’m assuming he won’t be getting his needs met elsewhere.
And you know that man has needs.” Her eyebrows start dancing again.
“I’m not just going to lie back and let him fuck me silly all summer just so he can look good in the media and still get his kicks.”
“Why the hell not? It sounds like the kind of summer dreams are made of.”
“It sounds like a one-track road to pain and heartache.”
“Or it could be the beginning of something amazing.”
I groan. “You’ve been reading too many romance novels.”
“What? A girl’s got to do something to keep the hope alive. I fully believe that there is a book boyfriend out there for all of us. He’s just waiting for the right moment to make himself known and sweep us off our feet.”
Sienna’s words float around my head as I welcome my first client of the day for her facial. But while I can see several positives with pretending to start something up with Everett, I can’t ignore the massive red flags.
Being able to cast my emotions aside for a one-night stand is one thing. But keeping them at bay while pregnant and in a fake relationship…is that going to be possible? Even with keeping sex out of it, my hormones are at an all-time high.
I fully understand how this arrangement could help Everett, and in turn, help me.
It would keep him with the Vipers, and that’s the best chance our baby is going to have in terms of having a father.
If he gets traded to another team, well, he’ll be nothing but a paycheck.
Not that I want his money. But from the little bit I’ve got to know about Everett, I don’t doubt that he’ll take care of his responsibilities.
But there’s another way this arrangement could potentially help me. I don’t want to admit it, and I really don’t want to dive back into my past, but if I’m going to do this for Everett, then surely, he’ll be willing to take the next step and allow me to claim what’s rightfully mine.
My head is spinning as the clock ticks around to lunchtime. My half-eaten burrito has been forgotten, and my stomach is growling so loudly I had to apologize to my client. I’m sure it was the last thing she was expecting during what was meant to be a relaxing full-body massage.
The thought of warming up my leftover breakfast makes my mouth water. I knew there was a reason I couldn’t finish it all this morning.
I say goodbye to my client, regrettably with a little more enthusiasm than I welcomed her with, seeing as I’m about to get food. But before I get a chance to spin away from the reception desk and race toward my awaiting burrito, Lessy stops me.
“This is for you.”
I scan the desk for a parcel but come up empty.
But then, she hands me a bag.
“What’s this?” I ask, brows pulled together.
She looks equally as confused as she murmurs, “Your lunch.”
My heart jumps into my throat.
I didn’t order any lunch. But one person’s face quickly pops into my head.
“Oh, right. Yeah. Sorry. Long morning,” I ramble while she continues to stare at me as if I’ve sprouted an extra head.
I reach for the bag and bring it to my chest. I have no idea what’s inside, but it smells incredible.
My stomach growls obnoxiously loud as I race toward the staff room with my goodies clutched to me like treasure.
I might have been excited about my leftover burrito, but this has just blown it out of the water.
“What’s that?” Sienna asks as I burst into the room.
“Lunch.”
She watches me with curious eyes as I unpack it all.
“You could have said you were ordering in. I just had noodles,” she complains.
“I didn’t.”
“But you’ve—” I look up just in time for realization to hit. “He didn’t,” she gasps.
“I’m pretty sure he did,” I confirm.
I search the bag for a note or something to tell me I’m right, but there isn’t anything. Just dish after dish of food.
“How much does he think you eat?” Sienna asks.
I shrug, gazing down at all of it.
There’s grilled chicken with potatoes and veggies, a quinoa salad, two bread rolls, and best of all… a slice of gooey chocolate brownie.
“I guess this is a normal-sized lunch for a hockey player,” I mumble, remembering how much he ate last night.
“It’s crazy,” she breathes.
“Grab a fork. There’s enough to share.”
She shakes her head.
“Come on,” I beg. “I’m never going to eat all this alone.”
“I’ve got a client. What’s left, you can have later. It’ll save you cooking.”
Or spending money on food…
Unable to argue, I stab a baby potato with my fork and lift it to my mouth. I’m about to pop it in when Sienna speaks again.
“Taking you for dinner, buying you coffee, and bringing you to work. Lunch delivery. I’m pretty sure you’re already dating this guy, Bea. Maybe you should message him and show your appreciation.”
“You shouldn’t be encouraging this. I’m going to get my heart broken.”
“Or maybe you won’t,” she supplies before she flees the room, leaving nothing but silence and racing thoughts in her wake.
My stomach churns, but it’s not enough to stop me from finally eating the potato. I need food, and I need it now.
“Owmygod,” I mumble as the fluffy potato explodes in my mouth with a fusion of garlic, herbs, and butteriness.
I quickly go for another before pulling out my cell.
The second I wake it up, I find the note I was searching for in the bag.
Baby Daddy: I hope you enjoy your lunch. Be a good girl and eat it all up.
“Holy shit,” I gasp, squeezing my eyes—and my thighs—closed as the memory of him breathing that in my ear all those weeks ago hits me like an eighteen-wheeler.
Bea: Thank you. It’s delicious.
My message is read immediately, and I can’t help but wonder if he was waiting for me.
Baby Daddy: You’re welcome. I hope you’re resting.
Unable to stop myself, I lean over, open my camera, and send him a picture of my feet off the ground.
Baby Daddy: Whoa, and I didn’t even ask for a sexy picture…
A laugh bursts out of me. My swollen, throbbing feet are anything but sexy right now, but I appreciate his humor all the same.
Bea: Wouldn’t want you missing me.