Chapter 6
Chapter Six
R aven’s eyes snapped open, and her gaze immediately landed on the coffered ceiling. Lying on her back, she took in the quietness of the dimly lit room, then lifted her head, and glanced around the space. She was at the B & B—not in Vegas. Not in Zion’s hotel room. Not laying in his strong arms.
It was a dream. A dream of one of the best nights of her life with the most incredible man she’d ever spent time with.
Crap . Her heart sank as disappointment settled over her.
She flipped onto her stomach and growled quietly into the pillow, careful not to wake the babies from their nap. If only she could fall back to sleep and pick up where the dream left off.
She couldn’t. Not just because it was midafternoon, and the babies would soon awake from their nap. But also because what would be the point? Falling back to sleep and into the dream would only sexually frustrate her. That’s how it was each time she thought of her explosive night with Zion, and the multiple rounds of incredible sex they’d shared.
It was a good thing her time with him had been memorable because she hadn’t had sex since then. Pleasuring herself with her battery-operated boyfriend didn’t count. There was nothing like human contact, especially with a man like Zion. When it came to hooking up with anyone else, he had ruined her in more ways than one.
Oh, the irony .
She sighed, but it turned into a frustrated growl as she rolled onto her side and thought about the irony of her current situation. She was dreaming about the man who had knocked her up, the only man she still wanted physically. The man who happened to be the father of her children but who was struggling to believe the latter.
Raven snorted. How is this my life? So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. There were moments she still couldn’t believe fate played a role in her and Zion being in the same place at the same time. She just hoped he’d soon embrace the fact that he was Drew and NayNay’s daddy.
At least he might be coming around. Before he left the B & B last night, they agreed to meet at the lab this morning where the paternity test would take place. But instead of meeting there, Zion had shown up at the B & B and drove her and the kids there.
Raven wasn’t sure what had changed overnight, but she was eternally grateful. This morning, he had been like a different person. Actually, he seemed more like the man she’d met in Vegas. Sweet. Attentive. Charming. She marveled at how he’d jumped right in to help get the kids’ car seats in his truck. From the moment they left the bed and breakfast until they returned, he and she had worked together to take care of the babies.
Maybe he had come to terms that they were his kids but wasn’t ready to admit it out loud.
Time. In time, he’ll get the confirmation he wanted.
Raven’s cell phone vibrated on the bedside table, and she hurried and grabbed it, wanting to silence it before the kids woke up. She had a fleeting thought that maybe it was Zion calling, but just as fast, she squashed that idea. Yes, they had exchanged telephone numbers, but he had no reason to call her. At least not for a few days when the test results came back. Still, she wouldn’t mind hearing his deep, sexy voice.
A quick glance at the phone screen, and Raven smiled.
“Hey, girl,” she said to her best friend. She and Teresa had known each other for over ten years, and Raven wasn’t sure what she would’ve done without her over the past year.
“Hey to you too. I thought you were going to call me back last night,” Teresa said. There was traffic noise in the background, and it sounded like her friend was walking. Based on the time, it would be her lunch break.
“I know. Sorry about that. After I called to let you know we’d made it here, it took a little while to get situated.”
“I bet it did. I can’t believe you decided to drive to Chicago, by yourself, with two infants. God bless you because I can barely handle taking my two rug rats to the grocery store.”
Raven smiled. Teresa had a four-year-old and a six-year-old, and they were a rambunctious pair. Sweet, but still busy getting into any and everything. The good thing was, Teresa didn’t have to raise them alone. She and her husband worked full time and shared all the responsibilities with the household and the kids.
That’s what Raven wanted—a loving partner to walk through life with. Her mind flitted to Zion, but she quickly shot thoughts of him down. She knew what the test results would reveal, but she had no idea what the future held as far as he was concerned.
“So how is the bed and breakfast? Is it everything the website claimed it to be?”
“Ha! Girrrl… ” Raven couldn’t help but chuckle.
She’d been surprised and so grateful when Teresa had gifted her the seven-night stay in the bed & breakfast. The original plan had been for Raven to spend her birthday there for some rest and relaxation. As well as visit her aunt and cousin who lived in Chicago.
But then Raven found out she was pregnant, and her world flipped upside down with the shock of it. She had still planned to visit Chicago for her birthday, but morning sickness that lasted all day, every day for weeks had changed her mind. After that, life had her pushing back the trip and embracing the fact that she was going to be a mom.
Thankfully, there wasn’t an expiration date on the gift certificate. Now, knowing what she knew, Raven would be forever in her friend’s debt. Raven’s adoptive mother, Gladys, used to say everything happened in God’s timing. Raven believed that until her adoptive parents, the only parents she’d ever known, were killed in a car accident when she was fifteen.
Her mom and dad had just returned from a business trip, and on their way home from the airport, they’d been involved in a five-car pile-up. Another driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and had killed six people in the process and injured three more. Raven had been devastated.
After that, she had lost faith in God. But after last night, maybe things were turning around because she was starting to think God was all up in the mix of her showing up in Chicago now. Divine intervention at its best. Yesterday had been one surprise, or maybe miracle, after another.
“Hello? You still there?” Teresa said, and Raven shook herself out of her thoughts.
“Oh, sorry, but yes, the Greystone is gorgeous,” she said, describing the home that had seven-bedroom suites and numerous other designated spaces. It really was a beautiful building, and from the moment she walked in, it felt like home. “The people who own and operate the place, especially Mrs. Priestly, are wonderful. They welcomed me as if they’d known me forever, and they loved on Zanaya and Andrew the same way. OH , and did I mention the owners are my babies’ grandparents?”
Raven grinned and braced herself for when that would sink in with her friend. At first, there was silence on the other end except for people talking in the background. Then, when Teresa still didn’t say anything, Raven glanced at the cell phone, wondering if she’d lost the connection.
“Hold up. Wait. What?” Teresa screeched, then apologized to someone around her before she lowered her voice. “Raven, what the heck are you talking about? Are you sure you’re alright? Because I thought you said the people who owned the B & B are NayNay and Drew’s grandparents. I know your parents are no longer with us, and you don’t…”
Her friend’s words trailed off, and Raven could almost hear her piecing it all together in her mind. Even when Raven replayed the day before over and over in her head, it felt like a dream. An unbelievable fantasy that seemed impossible.
“Surely you’re not saying…” Teresa cut in, bringing Raven back into the present. Her friend huffed out a breath. “I’m not even sure how to get my question together because there’s no way you’ve found the grandparents when you don’t even know the kids’ father’s name.”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” Raven said, careful to keep her voice down. The building seemed well built since she barely heard anyone in the next room or in the hallway, but she didn’t want others to hear the conversation.
She filled her friend in on everything that happened the day before and stopped each time her friend screeched in shock. Hearing herself repeat the encounter with Zion, Raven had to chuckle. If she hadn’t experienced the face-to-face herself, she wouldn’t believe it either.
Teresa had been in Las Vegas with her when Raven first met Zion. Raven had never been much of a traveler, but when Teresa suggested the weekend trip, she had jumped at the opportunity.
“I—I…” Teresa stuttered, then started laughing, and Raven joined in.
“I know. It’s crazy,” Raven finished for her. “I’m still reeling.”
“Oh, my God! Wow! Hmm, Mr. Deep-Sexy-Voice’s first name is Zion, not Andrew. I had wondered if he’d given you his real name. I just wished you two could’ve exchanged more information that night. Then maybe you could’ve connected with him sooner, and that ex of yours really would be history.”
“As far as I’m concerned, Maximus is history,” Raven said of her ex-boyfriend who happened to own the company Teresa worked for. “I told him the last time I saw him that I wanted nothing to do with him.”
“Yeah, but you’ve been saying that for almost a year and a half. For a while, I thought he had finally gotten the message, but then he was back.”
Yeah, Raven thought the same thing. Maximus Osbourne was a rich, entitled, narcissistic jerk who she hated she’d ever gotten involved with. Like Teresa, Raven had worked at Maximus’s company, and after years of being there, she and he started dating. It had been a world-wind affair until she really got to know him. The more she knew about him, the less she liked. Not only had she broken things off with him, but she had also left the company to start her own business.
Right now, the only thing she liked about Maximus was his grandfather, who she lovingly referred to as G-Pop. Shortly after she and Maximus started dating, he had introduced her to him. Christopher Osborne might’ve been over twice her age, but an immediate friendship had bloomed. For an old dude, he was charming, funny, and she and G-Pop had bonded over tacos and all the things they didn’t like about Maximus.
Raven smiled at the thought. She should call him. The last time they talked had been after he’d gotten out of the hospital after some intestinal issues. She really needed to check on him.
“Let’s get back to Zion,” Teresa said. “Days after we left Vegas, you were still talking about him. I seem to remember you saying if you ever ran into him again, that you would marry him and live happily ever after.”
Raven snorted. “Clearly, I was still on a high from our incredible night together.”
“It was more than that. You said you guys connected, and I’ll admit, I thought so too. Before I left the two of you in the bar, y’all were talking like you’d known each other forever. It still blows my mind that during all that talking, you guys managed to stay clear of personal information.”
Yeah, that surprised Raven too. She knew random things about him. Like his favorite food was anything his mother cooked, but especially anything barbecued. She knew he had four sisters and a couple best friends who were like brothers to him. She even knew he had served in the military right out of high school. Yet, she didn’t know if he had integrity, or if he had a short fuse. Or even if he liked kids. Then again, seeing him with the twins earlier in the day answered that question. Not only did he like kids, but he was also good with Drew and NayNay.
In her heart, Raven knew he was a nice guy mainly because of how sweet his family had been to her. She hoped he didn’t prove her wrong.
“I hope Zion comes around and embraces his new role as daddy,” Teresa said. “If not, he’s going to miss out on two sweetie-pies, as well as their mother.”
Raven was shaking her head as if her friend could see her. “All I want is for him to claim his children and be in their lives. He and I are in the past,” she said, but if she was honest, she wished the two of them could pick up where they left off. “Besides, he’s too young for me and my life is a little chaotic right now.”
She shared his age with Teresa, as well as her discomfort of knowing she’d been with someone five years younger than her. She was a grown woman, and the last thing she needed in her life was a man-child. At thirty-years-old, he was probably still sowing his wild oats, as the saying went.
Of course, Teresa shot the comment down and proceeded to tell her that she was being judgy before really getting to know the guy. Which was true, but outside of co-parenting, Raven couldn’t envision a future with Zion. She had more pressing things to think about, like deciding if she was going to stay in Chicago. If she did, she needed to find a place to live and get the rest of her stuff shipped from Houston, and that’s what she told Teresa.
“Whatever you need, I’ll help. Though I’ll miss you like crazy, I’m glad you’re seriously thinking about relocating to Chicago. Your family is there, and your kids’ father is there. In my opinion, that’s the best reason of all to move.”
Raven agreed, which was why she was ninety-nine percent sure she was going to do it. As an administrative virtual assistant, she was her own boss, which gave her the flexibility to live anywhere. And based on what she’d seen of the Priestlys so far, she wanted her kids to grow up around them.
“Maximus’s ignorant ass is another reason you should make the move. He’s not going to back off until you’re no longer easy to get to.”
The man was wealthy. If he wanted to, he could get to her anywhere she went. She just hoped he’d meet someone else and forget all about her. Until then, she was going to stay far away from him. He was starting to get a little obsessed with her and the twins, and she wasn’t sure why. He could have any woman he wanted. So why was he insistent on them getting back together?
“I know you don’t think he’s a physical danger to you and the kids, but I don’t trust him.”
“I don’t trust him either, but he’s never given me reason to believe he’d ever hurt us. I’m just tired of him popping up at my place and acting as if we’re still a couple. If I didn’t know better, I’d think something was mentally wrong with him.”
Raven’s phone vibrated, signaling a text.
“Hold on a sec, Teresa,” she said, and checked her text messages, surprised to see one from Zion.
Zion : If I told you that very dependable babysitters are lined up, would you have dinner with me tonight at seven?
Raven’s mouth dropped open, and her heart banged against her rib cage. Surely, he wasn’t asking her out on a date. But rereading the message again, that’s exactly what it sounded like.
Excitement, curiosity, and a bit of nervousness warred within her as she put the phone back to her ear and whispered, “You’ll never believe who just asked me out to dinner.”
“If you say Maximus is there, I’m calling the police,” Teresa snapped.
“No, not him!” Raven whispered-shouted as one of the babies started to stir. “It’s—”
“Oh. My. God. Mr. Deep-Sexy-Voice , aka your babies’ daddy asked you to dinner? Like on a date?” Teresa said, her excitement spilling through the phone line. “You haven’t been on a date since…”
“ I know ! I can’t remember either, but I’m not sure if it’s a date. I didn’t say yes yet. Besides, it might not be a date. I might just be—”
“Nope. It’s a date!” Teresa screamed, and Raven laughed. “So go ahead and respond. Tell him, hell yes, you’ll go out with him! Anytime. Anywhere.”
Raven snorted, then laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm. “Clearly, you’ve forgotten that the last time I said yes to this man I ended up with two kids. So maybe I need to—”
“What you need to do is quit messing around and say yes !”
Raven stood and moved over to where NayNay was sleeping in a baby bed provided by the B & B, and Drew was in the portable bed that she’d brought with her. If… no, when she said yes to Zion’s invitation, it would be for the sole purpose of getting to know him better for her kids’ sake. Nothing else. No matter how much her body craved another taste of him.
After disconnecting her call with Teresa, she texted Zion back.
Raven: Yes, I’d love to have dinner with you.