Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
EMMA
I flopped onto the bed in my room and stared up at the ceiling, a giddy smile plastered across my face. Charlie had just left for work wearing an almost identical blissful expression.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand, startling me out of my reverie. Lila’s name flashed on the screen. I picked up, trying to school my voice into something resembling normal.
“Hey, Lee. What’s up?”
“Hey,” she said, dragging out the word with clear hesitation. “I’ve got some bad news.” Her voice crackled through the speaker, the background noise suggesting she was in the middle of event preparations. “The Tanner wedding just dropped us. They’re postponing indefinitely due to family issues.”
“Oh.” I tried to muster up the appropriate level of concern. But I couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off my face or inject the right amount of disappointment into my voice. “That’s too bad.” I paused, a fleeting moment of worry breaking through my blissful haze. “Wait, do you think it’s really family reasons? Or is it because of... you know, my situation? The fact that I can’t be there to run the show myself?”
Lila sighed. “Honestly? I’m not sure. They didn’t say anything specific, but you know how people talk in this industry. Your absence has been noticed.”
I chewed my lip, a pang of guilt cutting through my happiness. “Maybe I should call them, explain the situation better?—”
“No, don’t do that. I’ll handle it. You focus on taking care of yourself and the baby. Speaking of which, why do you sound so chipper? This is kind of a big deal, and you’re practically giggling over there.”
I bit my lip, torn between addressing the work issue and sharing my news. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just... in a good mood today.”
“A good mood?” Lila’s tone was incredulous. “You just lost a major client, and you sound like you’ve won the lottery. What happened?”
I sighed, knowing I couldn’t keep it from her even if I wanted to. “Charlie and I... we kind of came to an arrangement.”
“What kind of arrangement are we talking about here?”
My cheeks burned. “The kind where we stop pretending we’re not attracted to each other and do something about it.”
“Emma Sullivan!” Lila squealed, causing me to pull the phone away from my ear. “You little minx! I want details. Now.”
I laughed. “Calm down. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not that big of a deal?” She scoffed. “This is huge! Wait a minute, why aren’t we FaceTiming right now? I need to see your face for this conversation.”
“Um, because you called me, remember? You’re supposed to be working.”
“Screw work,” Lila said dismissively. “This is major news. I’m calling you right back on FaceTime, and you better answer.”
The line went dead, and seconds later, my phone lit up with her video call. I swiped to answer, and her face filled the screen, flushed with excitement.
“Okay, spill.” Her eyes sparkled. “I want every single detail. How did this happen? When? And why didn’t you call me the second it did?”
I couldn’t help but grin at her enthusiasm. “It’s literally been two weeks, and we were kind of busy afterwards,” I said, my voice going weirdly squeaky as I tried to communicate my meaning with a raised brow.
No way would I be uttering the words when I had no idea if someone would overhear us.
Her eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ as understanding dawned. “Emma Sullivan! You naughty minx!” She leaned closer to the screen, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “So, how was it? Did he rock your world? Again? Because girl, if he didn’t, I’ll fly out there myself and give him a piece of my mind.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I buried my face in my hands, peeking through my fingers at the screen. “Lila! I’m not giving you a play-by-play of my sex life.”
“Oh, please. I’m your best friend. I’ve earned the right to ask about your sex life, especially when it involves a hot Hollywood agent who’s knocked you up.” Then she pouted. “I didn’t even get the details after the first time.”
I groaned, flopping back onto the pillows. “Fine. If you must know, it was incredible.” My mind drifted back to the previous night, a shiver running down my spine. “The best I’ve ever had.”
Lila sniggered. “Good thing you seem to be stuck with him then.”
I covered my face, my cheeks burning with mortification. “Please don’t say that to him when you meet him. This is just casual, remember?”
“Right, ‘casual’,” Lila said, air quotes evident in her tone. “Tell me how it happened. Last time we talked, you were still convinced he saw you as nothing more than a baby incubator.”
“I know.” I sighed, sitting up and propping myself with pillows. “I was so wrong. We had this moment at the maternity store, and then?—”
“Hold up.” Her expression tightened as her tone sharpened. “Please tell me you didn’t christen a changing room.”
“Of course not!” I gasped, feeling my cheeks heat up. “We talked, okay? He told me how attracted he’s been to me this whole time.”
“Aw, Em. That’s so sweet. But wait…” She sobered slightly. “Wasn’t there a reason you didn’t want this to begin with? What changed?”
I bit my lip, thinking back on the past few months.
“Lee, I’ve been so blind,” I breathed, running a hand through my hair. “He’s been amazing this whole time, and I just... I couldn’t see it.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s everything,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “The flowers he’d leave in my room ‘just because.’ The pregnancy pillow he researched for hours to find the perfect one. He didn’t just hire a nutritionist; he learned to cook all these special pregnancy-friendly meals. He’d leave little notes with my prenatal vitamins, reminding me I was doing great.”
I paused, overwhelmed by the flood of memories. “He even started learning to give me prenatal massages, Lila. And last week, I found him asleep on the couch, surrounded by baby books and a notepad full of questions for our next doctor’s appointment. He’s having the glass stair railing and bannister replaced with a child-proof-able one.”
“Oh, Em,” Lila said softly.
“I know.” I sighed, wonder and guilt consuming me. “And it’s not just the big things. It’s the little gestures too. He always makes sure my water bottle is full. He installed a handrail in the shower because he noticed I was getting unsteady.”
I shook my head, marvelling at my own obliviousness.
“How did I miss all of this?”
Lila shrugged, her smile sympathetic. “You’ve been going through a lot. Pregnancy isn’t easy, especially under these circumstances.”
“I know, but still. My mood swings, my insecurities... they’ve been clouding my judgement for months. I convinced myself he was just fulfilling his duty, that he couldn’t possibly care about me beyond the baby. But looking back now, it’s so clear. Every action, every gesture... they were all his choices to support me, not mindless obligation.”
“It sounds like he really cares about you.” She wiggled her brows at me, grinning suggestively. “Maybe more than just a friend with benefits.”
“Maybe... I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
“Complicated how? The man is clearly head over heels for you.”
“I don’t know about that. We’re having a baby together, but we barely know each other. I’m trying not to get ahead of myself.”
“Honey, I think you’re way past that point,” Lila said. “You’re living together, he’s taking care of you, you’re sleeping together... sounds like a relationship to me.”
“But we agreed to keep it casual. Friends with benefits, remember?”
Lila snorted. “Right, because that always works out so well. Especially when there’s a baby involved.” Lila’s expression softened. “I get that you’re scared. But we need to talk about the practical stuff too. What’s your plan after the baby comes? Are you thinking of staying in LA?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to stay here, right? I mean, Charlie’s here, and he’ll want to be involved with the baby…”
“Okay, so if you’re staying in LA, what about your business? Have you thought about setting up shop there?”
“A little. But it feels incredibly daunting right now. Starting over in a new city, building a client base from scratch…”
Her eyes lit up. “But think about it! LA is full of celebrities and rich people who throw lavish parties. It could be amazing for your business!”
I chewed my lip, considering. “Maybe... but I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“Well, doesn’t Charlie know like everyone in Hollywood? I’m sure he could introduce you to some potential clients.”
My stomach clenched at the suggestion. “He’s actually offered to do that already. But it feels weird. I don’t know if I want to mix business with our relationship, you know? It’s all so new, and I don’t want to make things any more complicated than they already are.”
“Honey, things are already complicated. You’re having a baby with the man and sharing his bed. I’d say that ship has sailed.”
I groaned, covering my face with my free hand. “I know, I know. But letting him hook me up with business contacts... it feels like using him.”
“Or you’d be letting him support you in your career, just like you’re supporting him by carrying his child. It’s called partnership.”
She had a point, but the thought of relying on Charlie’s connections made me uncomfortable. I’d built my business from the ground up in New York. The idea of starting over, of potentially being seen as Charlie’s pregnant fuck buddy rather than a successful businesswoman in my own right, terrified me.
“Stop overthinking this.” Lila rolled her eyes. “That man is the father of your child. He clearly cares about you. It’s not using him, it’s accepting support from someone who wants to see you succeed. If he’s offering to help, why wouldn’t you let him?”
I squirmed, uncomfortable with the idea. “I’ve always done everything on my own.”
“Okay, let’s break this down,” Lila said, her tone softening. “Forget about the business for a second. How do you feel about Charlie? Really feel?”
I took a deep breath, trying to sort through the jumble of emotions. “He’s amazing, Lila. Kind, thoughtful, supportive. And the way he looks at me sometimes... it makes me feel like I’m the only woman in the world.”
“Still sounds like more than just a friends-with-benefits situation to me.”
“I’ll think about it. But enough about me and my crisis. How’s everything going with you? How’s the wedding prep coming along?”
Her eyes widened comically. “Oh shit, the wedding! I completely forgot!” She glanced off-screen, presumably at the venue around her. “Everything’s fine. Well, as fine as it can be when the mother of the bride is insisting on neon pink table runners at the last minute.”
I winced in sympathy. “Ouch. Need any advice?”
“From the woman who just admitted she has no idea what she’s doing with her own life? I think I’ll pass,” Lila said, amusement softening the harsh words.
I stuck my tongue out at her. “Hey, I may be a mess personally, but I’m still a damn good wedding planner.”
“True. Okay, hit me with your wisdom, oh great one.”
We spent the next half hour strategising ways to tackle the table runner crisis, falling easily into our familiar professional rhythm. As we talked, a pang of nostalgia for my old life in New York hit me. But at the same time, a new excitement bubbled up inside me. Maybe starting fresh in LA wouldn’t be so bad after all.