Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
EMMA
“ W hat about you two?” Zoey asked, cutting into her salmon. “Any plans for after the baby comes? Will you stay in LA, Emma?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. I had no idea how to answer.
“We haven’t really talked about it,” Charlie said. “But I hope Emma will stay. LA’s grown on her, right, Em?”
I glanced at him sharply, searching his face for any hint of deeper meaning. Did he really want me to stay?
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, it’s... different from New York, but I’m starting to see the appeal.”
The appeal being Charlie.
“Oh, you have to stay!” Celina clapped her hands together excitedly. “There’s so much to explore in LA. Have you had a chance to do any sightseeing yet?”
I shook my head, my hand unconsciously resting on my belly. “Not really. Between the morning sickness and doctor’s appointments, I haven’t ventured out much.”
“Well, we’ll have to change that,” Zoey said. “You mentioned earlier that you love romantic comedies, right? We should totally take you on a studio tour! It’s fascinating to see where all the movie magic happens.”
Charlie perked up at this. “That’s a great idea. Emma’s been cooped up in the house for too long. A tour could be fun.”
“And we could do lunch at that cute little café on Melrose afterwards.” Celina pulled out her phone and started typing away. “You know, the one where they filmed that scene from La La Land ? I’ll check when they have availability.”
“Oh, speaking of movies,” Jesse said, gesturing around the table with his fork, “did you hear about the premiere at the Chinese Theatre next month? It’s supposed to be the event of the season.”
Zoey’s eyes lit up. “I’ve already started looking for the perfect dress. Emma, you should come with us! I know the most amazing stylist who could hook you up with a gorgeous maternity gown.”
“Oh, while I remember.” A mischievous look overtook Jesse’s face. “How’s Saturday for your trial run?”
Charlie’s eyes widened, and he shook his head almost imperceptibly. But Jesse either didn’t notice or chose to ignore the warning.
“I have a work thing and Zoey is desperate to join me.”
“Please say yes.” Zoey leaned forward, a desperate manic glint in her eyes. “He’s going to an event with all of the Hemsworth brothers. You can’t make me miss that, Charlie.”
“What trial run?” I asked, curiosity piqued despite my growing unease.
Jesse grinned at Charlie. “You didn’t tell her?”
Charlie glared at Jesse and his amusement only deepened.
“I told Charlie you two could babysit our triplets for a night. You know, get some hands-on experience before your little one arrives.”
My brows shot up. “That’s…”
Words failed me. The thought of one child scared me. How the fuck were they handling three?
“Intense,” Charlie answered for me. I glanced at him and he rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. “I wasn’t sure you’d be up for it. Jesse’s kids can be a bit of a handful.”
“Oh, come on.” Jesse laughed. “They’re not that bad. They’re just... energetic.”
Zoey snorted. “Honey, don’t undersell it. We bred delinquents.”
“No we didn’t.”
She stared at him, absolutely deadpan. “So they didn’t redecorate our living room with permanent markers last night while I made dinner?”
“It was abstract art. Very avant-garde. We could sell it for millions.”
“It was vandalism,” Zoey said, her tone exasperated. “And you just encouraged the little monsters.”
As Jesse launched into a spirited defence of his children’s artistic talents, my mind whirled. Why hadn’t Charlie told me? Did he not want me to meet his friends’ kids? Or did he not trust me to handle it?
“I think it’s a great idea,” I said, surprising even myself. “We should definitely take you up on that offer, Jesse.”
Charlie’s head snapped towards me, his eyes wide. “Are you sure? I mean, triplets are a lot to handle, especially when you’re...”
“Pregnant?” I finished for him, a hint of challenge in my voice. “I’m pregnant, Charlie, not incapacitated. Besides, it’ll be good practice, right?”
An awkward silence fell over the table. I could sense Charlie’s discomfort, but a part of me relished it. Let him squirm a little. Maybe it would prompt him to actually talk to me about these things instead of making decisions on my behalf.
“Well, that’s settled then!” Jesse clapped his hands together, oblivious to the tension.
“So, Emma,” Zoey said, her voice cutting through my spiralling thoughts. “Have you and Charlie started thinking about names yet?”
“We’ve discussed a few options,” I said, pushing a stray piece of asparagus around my plate. “But we haven’t made a final decision yet.”
“Oh, I remember that phase,” Celina said, her fork paused halfway to her mouth. “Lukas and I must have gone through a hundred names before we settled on ours.”
Celina’s fork clinked against her plate as she set it down, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “We had a whole system, didn’t we, Lucky? Spreadsheets, pro-con lists, even a bracket tournament.”
Lukas groaned, rubbing his temple. “Don’t remind me. I still have nightmares about that bracket.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Celina nudged him playfully. “We ended up with the perfect name for our little Maximilian.”
Jesse sniggered. “That poor kid.”
Celina’s eyes narrowed, her relaxed demeanour shifting to defensive in an instant. “And what exactly is wrong with Maximilian?”
“Nothing, if you’re naming a 19th-century Bavarian prince.” Jesse shook his head.
Lukas straightened in his chair. “It’s a strong name with a rich history. It means ‘greatest’ in Latin.”
“Yeah, greatest target on the playground,” Jesse muttered under his breath.
Zoey elbowed her husband sharply. “Be nice,” she hissed.
I glanced at Charlie, unsure how to navigate this sudden tension. He just shook his head, an amused smile tugging at his lips.
“I think it’s a lovely name,” I said, trying to smooth things over.
Celina beamed at me. “Thank you, Emma. At least someone here has good taste.”
“Oh come on.” Jesse held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying, don’t call him anything but Max in front of other kids.”
“That might have crossed our minds before we named him.” Lukas threw a sheepish glance at Jesse.
The tension around the table dissipated, replaced by chuckles and eye rolls.
“So you went to all that trouble,” Charlie said, amusement colouring his tone, “just to end up calling him by a nickname?”
Celina shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. “It gives him options. He can be Maximilian for formal occasions, Max for everyday use. It’s versatile.”
“Plus,” Lukas added, grinning, “it drives my mother crazy when we use the nickname. She insists on using his full name every single time.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Sounds like you’ve got all your bases covered.”
“Do you at least have some frontrunners?” Zoey asked.
Jesse snorted, nearly choking on his drink. “Oh, come on. Don’t play coy with us, Charlie-boy. I know for a fact you’ve been considering my suggestions.”
“Man, I appreciate the effort, but we’re not using your ridiculous names.”
“My names are not ridiculous.”
My brows shot up. “Oh yes, how could I forget. Rocket and Hashtag sound like very serious names.” I shook my head as everyone else sniggered. “Thanks for that.”
“I’ll have you know that Rocket is a perfectly acceptable name for a future Hollywood mogul.”
“Hold up.” A line formed between Lukas’s brows. “Why does Jesse get name privileges and I don’t? I thought we were all friends here.”
“Trust me,” Charlie said, rolling his eyes, “you’re not missing out on much. Unless you think Hashtag is a viable option for our child’s future.”
Lukas leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Hashtag Delacroix has a certain ring to it.”
Charlie groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t encourage him.”
“What?” Jesse spread his hands innocently. “I’m just trying to help you stay ahead of the curve. In a few years, everyone will be naming their kids after social media trends.”
“Over my dead body,” I muttered, stabbing a piece of asparagus with perhaps a bit more force than necessary.
Zoey caught my eye and winked. “Don’t worry, Emma. We’ll make sure these idiots don’t corrupt your baby-naming process.”
“Speaking of babies,” Celina piped up, her eyes sparkling with interest, “have you started thinking about the nursery yet? I know it’s still early, but time flies when you’re preparing for a little one.”
I froze, my fork hovering midair. The nursery. Another thing we hadn’t started. Another reminder of how unprepared we were, how fragile this whole situation felt. Of course, Charlie had ideas, but we hadn’t gotten any further and really, did I want us to? It would be yet another thing he had to pay for because my savings were quickly dwindling.
“We’ve been... a bit preoccupied,” Charlie answered smoothly, saving me from fumbling for a response. “But we’ll get to it soon, right, Em?”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Of course. We’ve just been taking things one step at a time.”
“Oh, you have to let me help!” Celina said, immediately reaching for her phone. “I know the most amazing interior designer who specialises in nurseries. She did Max’s room, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I’ll send Charlie her number right now.”
“That’s... very kind of you.”
A nursery designer? What happened to a simple crib and a changing table?
“And don’t forget the baby shower,” Zoey said. “We should start planning that soon. I’m thinking a Gatsby-themed extravaganza. What do you say, Emma?”
“That sounds... interesting,” I said, trying to keep the uncertainty out of my voice. “But maybe something a bit more low-key?”
Zoey’s face fell for a moment before she brightened again. “Of course! We can do whatever you’re comfortable with. Maybe a nice brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel? Or a spa day at Shutters on the Beach?”
“Hey, speaking of celebrations.” Charlie jumped in, steering the conversation in a different direction. “Didn’t you guys just get back from the Maldives? How was it?”
Jesse’s eyes lit up. “Oh man, it was incredible. Crystal clear water, white sand beaches, and the most amazing seafood you’ve ever tasted.”
“The sunsets were to die for,” Zoey added, a dreamy look in her eyes. “We’re already planning our next trip.”
As they launched into a detailed account of their tropical getaway, I found myself drifting. My hand unconsciously moved to my belly, using our baby’s gentle kicks to ground myself. I studied Charlie from the corner of my eye, taking in his rapt expression.
Did he resent me for tying him down? For keeping him from jetting off to exotic locales on a whim?
The waiter appeared, clearing away our dinner plates with practised efficiency. The clink of silverware against china punctuated the conversation, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts in my head.
“Would anyone care for dessert?” the waiter asked, his voice pulling me back to the present.
A chorus of enthusiastic agreement went around the table and the waiter handed out dessert menus. While everyone deliberated, Charlie’s attention shifted to me and his brow creased in concern.
“You okay, Em?” he asked, his voice low, for my ears only. “You’ve been quiet.”
I plastered on a smile, hoping it didn’t look as forced as it felt. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired, I guess.”
He nodded, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. “Let’s skip dessert and head out now.”
“No, no, I’m okay, really.”
The last thing I wanted to do was add pulling him away from his friends early to my list of reasons he might one day resent me.
Everyone ordered and the waiter left us to collect our desserts.
“You know, I still can’t believe it sometimes.” Lukas leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “I never thought I’d see the day when Charlie Delacroix would be a dad,” he said, his voice tinged with amusement. “He always said he never wanted kids.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. The chatter around the table faded to a dull roar as I struggled to process what I’d just heard. Charlie... never wanted kids? But then why...?
I turned to look at Charlie, hoping to see denial or at least discomfort on his face. Instead, he wore a look of resigned amusement, as if Lukas had just revealed an embarrassing childhood story rather than dropped a bombshell on our relationship.
“Things change.” Charlie shrugged, reaching for his glass of wine. “Another round of drinks, anyone?”
Charlie never wanted kids? How had I not known this? And if he’d never wanted children, what did that mean for us, for our relationship afterwards?
And ‘things change’? What kind of bullshit response was that?
I forced myself to smile and nod as the conversation picked up again, but I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Every casual touch, every shared laugh now seemed tainted by this new knowledge.
Their conversations floated around me, going in one ear and out the other.
Charlie never wanted kids.
The phrase echoed in my mind, a relentless drumbeat of doubt.
At some point the waiter returned with an array of decadent desserts, setting them down with a flourish. The sweet aroma of chocolate and caramel wafted through the air, doing nothing for my mood.
Had I trapped him in a life he never wanted? Was I dooming us to the same fate as his parents — resentment, obligation, a loveless marriage held together by duty and a child?
Not that I’d marry him. At least not now.
I glanced around the table, taking in the easy camaraderie, the shared experiences, the casual mentions of exclusive events and luxury vacations. This was Charlie’s world.
And where did I fit? A pregnant wedding planner from New York, thrust into a life I’d never imagined, with a man who might not even want me here.
The baby kicked, a sharp reminder of the life growing inside me. A life that tied Charlie and me together, for better or worse. But was that enough? Could we build a real relationship, a family, on such a shaky foundation?