The Great Baby Caper (10 page)

She gritted her teeth as ahead,
the lights of a drugstore beckoned. She had to smile, for it was almost like a
portent. Bracing herself, she pulled into the parking lot.

***

“Oh, my God,” Courtney murmured.

She stood in the bathroom of her
downtown corporate quarters, staring at the pregnancy test strip. Both windows
had turned a pinkish color in record time. Tears filled her eyes and emotion
clutched at her belly. At least she knew the truth now.

But hadn’t she really known she
carried Mark’s baby for weeks now?

Before she could even consider the
implications, much less try to figure out what she felt, her cell rang. She
gasped, and a chill streaked down her spine. Could it be Mark? Did he realize
his seed grew inside her, in some weird kind of parental telepathy?

She frowned at the “Unknown
Caller” on her screen, and then, with a trembling finger, accepted the call.
“Hello?”

“Well, what’s the verdict?”

“Vanessa!” she cried. “How can you
be calling me?”

“From the plane, silly. And it’s
costing five dollars a minute or something. Now ’fess up. Are you expecting or
not?”

“Am I . . .?” Astounded, Courtney
demanded, “My God, how could you know?”

She heard Vanessa’s low chuckle.
“My dear, I’m old, but I haven’t forgotten what a good attack of nausea feels
like. Nor am I deaf. I heard you heaving in the bathroom at six a.m. this
morning. Then you seemed just fine at breakfast, and I, of course, was too
polite to comment. But ever since then I’ve been on pins and needles, waiting
for you to bring it up, and I can’t bear the suspense any longer. So tell me,
are you or aren’t you?”

“Vanessa!”

“Come on. I can’t afford the
suspense.”

“You’re exaggerating, as usual.”

“Tell me!”

Courtney sighed. “Vanessa, you’re
a mind reader. The truth is, I picked up a test on the way home—”

“Aha! I knew it!”

“—and the verdict is . . .” Taking
a deep, bracing breath, she said it for the first time to Vanessa, and, it
seemed, the world. “I am.”

“My gracious. Congratulations. How
do you feel about it?”

“I don’t know! I no sooner saw the
result than my cell rang.”

“Are you going to marry him now?”

Courtney groaned. “And follow the
same path you did with Floyd? I just don’t know.”

Vanessa’s tone grew solemn. “Think
about it seriously, dear. You can have it all. And congratulations again.”

“Thanks.”

“Must run now. They’ll be bringing
round champagne. I’ll have one for you and will give you a ring as soon as we
land.”

“Sure, Vanessa. Take care.”

Courtney hung up, not sure what to
feel. But once again, before she could really even consider this, she was
interrupted—this time by the doorbell.

“Damn it, what now?”

Rattled, she rushed over and flung
open the door. Her heart skipped a beat. Talk about weird parental telepathy!

Mark Billingham stood in her
doorway

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“Courtney, darling,” he said.

Courtney felt as if she’d just
seen a ghost. But there he was standing across from her, Mark Billingham in the
flesh. Having him so close to her, with her emotions still in chaos from the
newfound knowledge that she carried his child, knocked her totally off balance.
He looked so handsome in his sport shirt and khakis, and the expression on his
face was so forlorn. His face seemed more striking than she’d remembered, his
eyes more vibrant; but deep lines etched beneath his eyes attested that he
hadn’t slept well in weeks. Her throat tightened painfully as she realized she
had missed him terribly and longed to comfort him now.

Comfort him
? When he’d
helped to engineer her situation? She marshaled her courage.

“Mark, what are you doing here?”
she managed.

“Isn’t it obvious? And won’t you
let me come in for a moment?”

“How did you find me?” she
demanded.

“It wasn’t easy. You covered your
tracks well.”

“Yes, I did. And I repeat: How did
you find me?”

He glanced away uneasily.
“Vanessa,” he finally admitted.

“Vanessa? You
followed
my
friend?”

“I hired a private detective.”

“My God.” Courtney was stunned and
outraged. “I can’t believe your gall, Mark. I want you to leave, now.”

Even as she tried to shut the
door, he placed his foot between the panel and the jamb. “Courtney, please.
Just give me a few minutes of your time. I’ve come a very long way to see you.”

“Kindly remove your foot from my
door.”

He smiled, but didn’t budge.
“Courtney, I feel as if I’ve had my foot
in my mouth
almost from the
moment we met. Please, give me a chance to make amends.”

“Damn it, Mark, we’ve already been
all over this—”

“Ten minutes of your time,” he
argued doggedly. “You may as well say yes, Courtney, because I’m not leaving
until you agree.”

She hesitated, wavering.

“Please. Ten minutes.”

“Five,” she conceded at last.

“Very well. Five.” As she backed
away and held open the door, he moved inside, his eyes never leaving her as she
shut it. Then he quickly leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ve missed you,
darling.”

Courtney almost died inside then.
She hadn’t expected that kiss, so chaste yet somehow so sexy, nor the caress of
his voice, the way “darling” rolled off his tongue so sensuously, heating her
flesh like his erotic touch. And the well-remembered scent of him further fired
her blood, bringing to mind a dozen sensual memories. She backed away, her
resolve all but in tatters. “Mark—you said you wanted to talk.”

“I did.” His gaze burned into her.
“But I just had to kiss you once, Courtney. It’s been so long and you look so
damned beautiful. When I remember touching you, holding you . . . well, I’ve
scarcely thought of anything else.”

Courtney was drowning in those
same memories herself, but managed to lift her chin and face him. “Please,
Mark, state your case. You don’t have much time.”

He drew a deep breath. “Very well.
Courtney, I’m here as a desperate man. You’ve turned my life upside down. Until
two months ago, I was just a typical chap, buried in my work, with no thought
of a personal life. Then I met you and something unexpected and magical
happened. I fell for you Courtney. Hard.”

His words tortured her already raw
emotions, for weren’t her own sentiments so similar to his own? Hadn’t meeting
Mark and spending the night with him rocked her world, as well?

“It was like the proverbial bolt
from the blue,” he went on.

“That’s very romantic,” she
quipped, if in trembling tones.

“Now everything’s changed. My life
is a disaster without you. I can’t concentrate on my work—my executive
assistant resigned thanks to my volatile temper, and I just botched up a deal
that was potentially worth millions—”

“Poor baby.”

He extended his hands in pleading.
“Courtney, give me another chance.”

Though it was very difficult, she
swung away from him. “Mark . . . I can’t, and you know the reasons why.”

“Are you really happy here,
working for that casino?”

She gasped, turning toward him
again. “My Lord, your detectives are thorough, aren’t they?”

“Are you happy?” he pressed.

Courtney blinked at sudden tears.
“That’s none of your business.”

His eyes teemed with emotion as
well, and he moved a step closer. “Because you’re miserable, aren’t you, just
like me? You can’t be content here all by yourself. I just can’t believe you’d
want to spend your life, your career, here in Detroit.”

“Well, it sure beats Denver at the moment.”

He edged even closer, until she
could feel his warmth. “Here’s a thought: Come with me to London, Courtney.
Married or not, it’s your choice. We’ll build a life together there, away from
all the pressures and issues that have drawn us apart here.”

Though his pain seemed genuine and
his proposal was tempting, she sadly shook her head. “Mark, it’s not that
simple. After what happened in New Orleans, I’m not sure I can ever trust you
again.”

“I don’t blame you, but—”

“And if I’m with you, I’ll never
be able to get far enough away from M. Billingham Bootle.”

He was silent, scowling.

“Well, can you deny it?”

He gave a sigh. “What can I say,
Courtney? He’s an old rascal, yes, but he’s still my grandfather and I love
him.”

“That’s just my point.” Her tone
softening, she flashed him a sad smile. “You’ve lost your parents, Mark. I
don’t want to rob you of the only real father you have left. And M. Billingham
and I will never see eye to eye—”

“That’s true, Courtney, but just
as they say in the marriage ceremony, a man reaches a point where he must
‘forsake all others’ and cling only to the woman he loves.”

Again Courtney was left fighting
tears. Was Mark hinting that he actually loved her? Was he truly as sincere as
he sounded? Could she risk believing him?

Did it make a difference? For
surely even love, that most powerful of all emotions, could not overcome all
the obstacles they faced. And his admission seemed additional proof that Mark
had “fallen” for her all too suddenly and impetuously.

She regarded him with keen regret.
“Mark, you may think you have feelings for me, but the truth is, we’re two
strangers who rushed headlong into a situation, and must now get over it. As
for M. Billingham, even if we moved to London as you suggest, we’d still have
to see him, Mark. I mean, wouldn’t we? Wouldn’t you end up hating me if I tried
to cut you off from him?”

He blanched. “Courtney, I could
never hate you.”

“Yes, you would, if I took you
from the only parent you have left.”

Expression troubled, he replied,
“We could see Grandfather strictly on a limited basis. Holidays, that sort of
thing. And later on, if there were children . . .”

Children
. Courtney hadn’t
expected that last mention. Warmth suffused her belly and shot up her face, and
she quickly turned away—but not before Mark had spotted her reaction and
responded with a look of shock and wonderment. She stood reeling, praying she
hadn’t given herself away, knowing all the while that she had.

She heard his voice, cracking with
emotion. “Courtney, my God . . .”

Courtney’s voice trembled badly.
“Mark, I think your five minutes are up.”

“To hell with my five minutes!”
She felt his hands on her shoulders, firmly turning her. “Courtney, are you . .
.?”

She gazed into his starkly
emotional face. “Am I what, Mark?”

He gave a groan. “One reason I had
to find you is that we didn’t . . . I mean on that night, we . . .”

“Didn’t use any precautions?” she
provided.

He swallowed hard. “Are you
pregnant, love?”

Heart hammering, she glanced away.

He caught her chin in his hand,
turning her to face him. “Tell me, please.”

Though it was tempting, she
couldn’t lie to him; she owed him that much. There had been too many lies
between them already. Eyes turbulent, she admitted, “Yes.”

Face lighting with joy, he
clutched her close. “Oh, darling, that’s wonderful news.”

“Is it?” His arms were so warm and
comforting, and Courtney was tempted just to let him hold her, let him carry
her burdens. But her conflicted emotions and hurt feelings prompted her to
challenge him. “Tell me, was getting me pregnant part of your plan, too?”

He flinched as if she’d slapped
him. “Courtney, how can you even think that?”

“Well, I didn’t see any big
interest in family planning on your part that night.”

He gave her a chiding glance.
“Darling, we were both pretty tipsy.”

“Be honest with me, Mark. Did you
want to get me pregnant?”

He smiled. “Courtney, I never
intended to get you pregnant. That’s the God’s truth, I swear. But do I mind
that you’re carrying my child? No, not in the least, darling.”

Cheeks hot from his frank words,
she accused, “You intended to seduce me.”

He drew a teasing finger down her
throat, and he spoke very huskily. “Courtney, how could I ever look at you and
not want to seduce you?”

Feeling too aroused by his
provocative touch, she backed away, catching a sharp little breath.

He sighed. “But I didn’t sleep with
you for any nefarious purpose, as you seem to think. Anyway, we’re forgetting
what’s most important here.”

“And what is that?”

“Our child, darling.” He pulled
her into his arms again, then drew back and eyed her with a touching
wistfulness. “How do you feel about being pregnant?”

Again she felt tempted to lose
herself in him, but knew better. The price she’d have to pay would be too
great. “I—I really don’t know,” she admitted honestly. “I just now found out. I
only took the test a few minutes ago. And before I could even think about what
I felt, my cell rang. It was Vanessa calling from the plane. Then as soon as we
hung up, you arrived. So I still don’t know how to react, what to feel.”

“You aren’t thinking of—of doing
something?” His voice was very tight.

She immediately shook her head.
“No, Mark. If I were considering ‘doing’ something, I’m sure I would have taken
the test right away, instead of waiting two months.”

Pleasure and pride lit his eyes.
In a tender, awed voice he asked, “Then you want my baby?”

That question hit Courtney like a
fist to the gut, driving home emotionally, for the first time, that it truly
was
Mark’s
baby growing inside her. They were inexorably linked now for
the rest of their lives. “Yes, I want this baby.”

“Thank God.” He breathed a
relieved sigh and tucked her head under his chin. “I’m so glad I’m here,
because it would kill me to think that you would consider going through this
without me.”

She pulled free. “What does that
mean?”

He appeared confused. “Well, the
baby is half mine. We’ll marry at once, of course.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Mark,
what century were you born in?”

He scowled fiercely. “I may be
from another country, Courtney, but I can’t believe values here are that
different. A baby needs two parents.”

“You can be a parent without
marrying me.”

“Not a very effective one. And
what about the child?”

“What do you mean?”

“What about when he or she is
older? Won’t our child be angry at you, knowing you had a chance to marry its
father and refused to out of pride alone?”

“Pride alone? Mark, that’s
unfair.”

“Is it?” He drew closer. “Then why
won’t you give us a chance?”

“Mark, I think I’ve explained all
that. I can’t trust you after what happened in New Orleans, nor be with you
because of your grandfather.”

“And you don’t think your being
pregnant changes things?”

“Of course it changes things.”

“Then you’ll marry me?”

She waved a hand in exasperation.
“Mark, we’re going around in circles on this. You say marry you, just like
that, when our situation is much more complicated.”

He sighed. “At least consider it
seriously. Look, I’ve an idea.”

She rolled her eyes. “Mark, I
think you’ve already had too many.”

“Hear me out. I’ve been thinking
about it ever since I arrived in Michigan. Courtney, one of my favorite
teenaged memories is of when my family came to the States on holiday, and my
parents took me and my sisters to spend a week at Mackinac Island. We boated,
fished, hiked, and generally had a wonderful time.”

“Why are you bringing that up
now?”

“Because I’m asking you to go
there with me.”

“What?”

His voice was intense with
pleading. “We need some time alone, just you and me, to sort this out. Mackinac Island is one of the most romantic and isolated spots on the planet. Let’s get in
the car and drive there tonight, just the two of us. I think we can take care
of your doubts in short order.”

Courtney was amazed and
suspicious. “You mean with sex.”

“Courtney, it’s not just sex and
you know it. I want to give us time, and the right setting to recapture the
magic, the genuine affection between us.” His eyes gleamed passionately. “You
know it’s there, Courtney, and if you were honest you’d admit it. We found it
together in New Orleans, and it’s still sizzling in the air between us
tonight.”

She held up a hand, more in a struggle
to keep her own emotions at bay than to restrain him. “Mark, please.”

“All these other issues are just a
bunch of nonsense. I want them out of the way. I want it to be just you and
me—and our baby.”

With an expression of keen regret,
she shook her head. “But it can’t be that simple, Mark. There’s too much
standing between us. Why can’t you understand that?” She glanced at her watch.
“Look, it’s way past time for you to go.”