Chapter 41 Emotionally Smothering
EMOTIONALLY SMOTHERING
The following month, Natalie knew it was time to make her pregnancy known at work. At least to Hunter.
Sophie was flying in tomorrow via helicopter that Arik had arranged and staying for several days.
She was looking forward to spending time with the woman who was so close to Arik.
“He’s waiting for you,” Lori said.
“Thanks.” She popped her head in and saw her boss sitting in a chair off to the side. Not behind his desk and making this so formal.
She’d called the meeting, not him.
She shut the door and joined him in the chair across.
“If you tell me you’re leaving I’ll give you another promotion.”
He’d have no idea how it felt for her to hear those words.
To feel appreciated. That the effort, the work, and the long hours she poured into her job were recognized.
“I’m not leaving,” she said. “Or not for long.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Hunter nodded his head a few times, processed what she’d said then finally asked, “Can I say congratulations? The way you’re wringing your hands says you either think I’m an asshole or Arik might be one?”
She laughed. She needed that.
He was only half right.
Arik was getting close to being what Hunter said.
If he didn’t cut her some slack and back off on wanting answers, she was going to tell him she needed some space, but didn’t want to hurt his feelings either.
She got it. He was excited. She was too.
She was a planner and he wasn’t.
In his mind, he thought he was helping.
He wasn’t.
“Neither of you is that. Congratulations are great. I’m due mid to late January. The slow time of the year.”
Hunter waved his hand dismissing her concern. “We’ll get it covered. Are you going to return after the baby is born? Which is your choice and I’d never hold it against you, but I understand, considering what I know of Arik, there is no need for it.”
“I’ll be back.”
“I won’t hold you to that if you change your mind or want to cut back hours. Not that I want you to go, but I had to deal with this with Kayla.”
Hunter met his wife when she was hired to work the front desk. The funny part, Kayla ended up pregnant too.
At least she wasn’t the only one in the family that had a little oops. There were others too.
“Sometimes I think he wants me to return fast. He’s all about being a stay-at-home dad. I’m feeling a little inferior with it.”
“There isn’t anything wrong with him doing that,” Hunter said. “I can’t say I don’t enjoy my time with the boys, but Kayla handles it better.”
“Every time Arik is around Luca he has to be fought to let someone else have him.”
“You should see how your face just lit up talking like that. Sounds as if things are good even if they are fast.”
“Good enough,” she said.
“Been there too. You’re feeling okay?”
“Feeling great. No signs of anything changing that I can see or feel.”
Which was another fear in her mind, but her appointment last week showed everything going as planned.
“We have time yet to get things squared away, and if I know you, you’ll be on top of it. Just keep me informed or let me know where I can help.”
“I will. And I’ll let you get back to work.”
“Don’t overdo it,” Hunter said. “If I think you are, I’ll make you take time off.”
“I won’t. It’s the busy season and I’ll pay attention to how I feel. I promise.”
She left and returned to the ground level. She was one step into her office when her phone rang on her desk.
She snatched it up. “This is Natalie.”
“Sorry to bother you, Natalie. Arik is at the front desk looking for you. He wanted to go to your office, but I told him he couldn’t.”
“I’ll be right up.”
She didn’t know what this could be about. It wasn’t like him to stop in unannounced.
Between the texts and calls constantly asking her if she was okay, or if they’d have dinner, when she was coming over, she was losing her patience.
She didn’t think he’d be this emotionally smothering.
Would it stop or get worse if they lived together?
She put a polite smile on her face and walked to the front. There he was, with flowers in his hand and a box of chocolates.
It was hard to be mad when he did those things.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He moved closer, gave her a kiss on the cheek, handed over his goodies and stood back. “I was thinking of you.”
“It makes me think you’re guilty of something instead.”
“Not really. Kind of. A change of plans. My grandmother is under the weather. She doesn’t want to fly here because, you know, doesn’t want to get us sick.”
There were too many eyes on them. “Why don’t we go to my office? Has she been to the doctor?”
“I think she’s going later but only because I was on her case to do it.”
“Good. At that age, you never know what could turn into something worse.”
“Don’t say that to her,” he said, the mock fear on his face.
She bumped her shoulder into his as they stepped into her office. “I won’t. But you didn’t have to come down here to give me this and say that. You could have told me tonight.”
“I won’t see you until Friday night. And... I decided to go to Baltimore instead since the flight was booked. I know there is no shot of you taking the time and going with me.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t. Not with Fourth of July two days away. There is too much going on.”
“Stop,” he said, putting his hand on her arm. “I’m not asking, just making a statement. I’m going to tell my parents about the baby and check in on my grandmother just in case she’s not telling me how sick she really is. I don’t think she’d lie, but it doesn’t hurt to see her.”
She found that super sweet he was so concerned to check on Sophie.
But it didn’t stop the surprising news he was telling his parents about the baby.
“How come you’re telling your parents? You said you were going to wait as long as possible.”
“Because there is no reason not to and it’s not something I want to do over the phone. After I tell them, I’m going to take a flight to Seattle.”
“Okay.”
“You’re okay with it?”
“Arik. Please don’t take this the wrong way. But go. Just go. I need some space.”
He stepped back as if she’d burned him. Maybe she should have chosen her words more carefully. Or it could be that was a change in her body she hadn’t fully recognized. Less patience for her hovering baby daddy.
“What does that mean?”
She shut her door. “It means you’re driving me nuts. I’m trying not to get into it with you here. Or even at home. I’ve got a job, you’ve got one too. You seem busy, but you’re... smothering. Not really clingy, but bordering on overbearing. Is this how it’s going to be?”
“Why haven’t you said anything?”
“I am. Now. I can’t take it. I don’t know why you’re doing it.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “I didn’t know I was. Or maybe I did.”
“You know exactly what you’re doing,” she accused. “You’re trying to get me to see how committed you are. I know it. But the more you do this, the more I need the time away, not more with you. So please, go and know I love you, I really do. When you come back we can talk some more.”
“Now I can’t go at all,” he said. “Jesus. I feel like shit.”
Her shoulders dropped. This was why she didn’t say what was on her mind. “I don’t want you to feel that way, but I have to be honest. It doesn’t mean I love you any less.”
And she didn’t want to risk his constant need for connection pushing her to where she felt the urge to run.
“I get it. I guess. I can be a lot.”
“I didn’t used to think it, but now, it’s hard not to. I wonder how much worse you’d be if you didn’t have that consulting gig going on.”
“It’s not as much work as I thought and since I’ve got time at night when you aren’t around, and the time difference.”
“Say no more,” she said. “Something else we need to work on. Give me a kiss. Go visit your grandmother and have fun. I mean it.”
“There will be no fun visiting my parents.”
She didn’t know if she should offer to go with him like he’d done when she told her parents. Should she make the time?
She’d wanted to do it alone.
But this all started with him needing the emotional support girlfriend.
He could control it this time around. He was choosing to go there when he’d said he wasn’t going to. Or go this early.
It was on him and he was going to have to do it alone if it was in the next few days.
Right now, if she went with him and saw his parents’ reaction, with the way she was feeling over his overprotective actions...it wouldn’t be good for either of them.
“Pull up your big boy panties. You know you can do it.”
He laughed. “That’s rude. I like it, but still rude.”
She winced. “Sorry. I’m busy. Give me a kiss. I’ll talk to you tonight, I promise.”
“How about—”
“There is an event later and I’ve got to work. I can’t come to dinner.”
“Sorry, I forgot.”
Short of giving him her schedule, which she refused to do as it felt too much like reporting to her father, she was going to have to keep reminding him of things.
Maybe when they were under the same roof it’d be different, but she was nowhere close to that. Not even talking about it.
Her place was out of the question and she didn’t care for the house he was renting. They could figure out the rest together. Like a couple should do.
She leaned in for a kiss. “I’m going to enjoy my flowers and my chocolate.”
“You said you were craving chocolate. I get points for listening to you, right?”
“You absolutely do. I wish you’d listen to the rest, but I appreciate the chocolate.” She gave him one big smile and a quick peck to ease the topic of their conversation. “Go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Can I have one more kiss without you thinking I’m needy? One for the road. I won’t be back until Tuesday night.”
She hadn’t even asked how long he’d be gone. She should have done that at least. That was on her being so preoccupied.
She gave him a much longer and more sensual kiss. Not because he asked, but because she wanted it too.
“And I bet you have a great time with Don again. You said you got along with him before. It was good to plan that trip after your parents and take your mind off of that.”
“You’re not the only one who can plan.”