Because this is forever, p.7
Because This Is Forever, page 7
With this knowledge obvious to them now, Nate wouldn’t risk the company’s reputation or losing one of their top clients. In order to win back their clients trust, Nate had to get rid of the problem. That afternoon, he did exactly that.
“McArthur, you can’t do this,” Stephen said, leaning forward in his seat. “I just closed on my new house and I just bought my wife a new car.”
Nate stared at the older man. His obviously expensive suit said he’d been enjoying the financial perks his recent promotion allotted.
“Stephen, your mistake is about to cost us the Bakersfield account. You of all people should know how important that account is to the company. That’s not something we’re prepared to take lightly.”
Stephen ran his hand through his thinning gray hair in agitation. “It’s not my fault. I’ve been giving Tracy more responsibility and—”
“Stop,” Nate interrupted, disgusted with the man. He had done his checking before he’d called Stephen into his office and based on his discovery, the fault had been completely his. Yet instead of owning his mistake, the bastard was trying to pass off the blame. “I’m giving you a chance to put in your resignation and walk away from this with some dignity.”
Stephen glared at him, his thick brows furrowing deeply. “Do you have a family, McArthur? Do you understand what you’re doing is not only going to affect me but my girls too?”
Nate fixed him with a level stare as Stephen threw him a disgusted glare.
“Of course you don’t,” he continued. “I can see in your eyes you don’t give a damn that I have a wife and three girls who depend on me!”
Nate continued staring at him, his temper and impatience mounting but he didn’t let it show. “This is your doing, Stephen. Not mine,” Nate said coolly. “If you refuse to put in your resignation, so be it. Either way, you’re no longer employed at McArthur, Murphy and Company. ”
A short while later, an angry and disgruntled Stephen was escorted out of the building.
Nate hated this part of the job but it couldn’t be avoided. He spent the last five years working at the helm of the company, first as Director and now as CEO. His father had eventually retired and it was now Nate’s responsibility to see to the growth and prosperity of the company. He had implemented a few changes, which had resulted in a few department shakeups, layoffs, new hires and a growing client list. MMC was proving to be formidable in the industry and Nate couldn’t afford any weak links in his chain.
Now that Stephen Rhodes was gone, he could concentrate on repairing his business relationship with their unhappy client.
But not tonight. Tonight, he would be concentrating on repairing another kind of relationship.
Nate picked up his cellphone. He wondered if she had already made it into the city. It was now after five on a Friday and the office was deserted with everyone taking advantage of the new summer hours. He wasn’t working on anything pressing and didn’t look forward to going to his own quiet condo.
He found Mia’s number and hit the send button, listening intently to the ringing. Maybe if she was already here, he could take her out to dinner. The polite thing for him to do would be to let her get settled in, maybe suggest they meet for lunch tomorrow. Nate rejected the thought. He didn’t know what had brought her back to Chicago, but he’d waited five years and wouldn’t wait another night.
“Yes? Hello?”
Nate started at the young, high-pitched voice that came through the line. For a second, he thought he had dialed the wrong number.
“Hello,” Nate replied hesitantly. “Who is this?”
“Mommy said I shouldn’t talk to strangers,” the little boy said casually, seemingly unconcerned by the fact that he was indeed talking to a stranger.
For a moment, Nate was baffled. Mia had a kid? He couldn’t help the stab of jealousy that pierced him at the thought of her bearing another man’s child.
“What’s your mom’s name?”
“Mommy.”
Nate stifled a groan then laughed. “Okay…what’s your name?”
“Mikey.”
“Nice to meet you, Mikey,” Nate said lightly. “Is there a grown-up I can talk to?” At the brief silence, Nate imagined the little boy was shaking his head.
“I’m not ’posed to talk to strangers.”
Nate’s lip quirked. He didn’t want to point out to Mikey he was doing exactly what he wasn’t supposed to. “Yes, buddy, you’re right. You shouldn’t talk to strangers. Now can you pass the phone to your mom?”
“Nope.”
Nate jerked his head back, surprised by the casually spoken refusal. “Why not?”
Mikey’s voice became a hushed, earnest whisper. “Because Mommy’s having her bath, and I’m not ’posed to play on the phone.”
For some reason, Nate felt the need to ease his little worries. “You’re not playing. We’re just chatting.”
“I’m not ’posed to do that either.”
“Why not?”
“I dunno. Mommy said I’m ’posed to just sit still and watch TV but I hate it here. It smells like dirt.”
Nate didn’t know how to respond to that—or what to make of this unusual conversation. He wasn’t used to dealing with kids or talking to them. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had been around one.
“Please don’t tell Mommy,” Mikey whispered.
“All right,” Nate assured him. “But when your mom gets finished with her bath, tell her I called. Okay? Can you remember that?”
“Yes, I’m good at remembering.”
“Excellent. I’ll talk to you later, Mikey.”
“Okay, bye!”
When Nate hung up the phone, he realized he hadn’t given the boy his name. It didn’t matter. Mia would probably see his number and know it was him calling. But the fantasy of having a private dinner together came to a bitter halt, along with his hopes of anything else happening tonight. Not that he had set any expectations but he couldn’t help thinking up a few ways they could have ended the night. One being with her at his place. Yet that fantasy certainly wasn’t going to happen now—not with a kid around.
Do you care about me enough to want a family?
Those words echoed in Nate’s head, coming flittering from a past he had worked hard to forget. Memories of what he could remember from that night flashed in fragments in his mind. Though it had nearly killed him to walk out on her that night, he had refused to be forced into something he hadn’t been ready for. Ultimately that had been the end of something he had never found again.
What if I got pregnant?
A sudden cold chill ran down his spine as another memory echoed in his head. He remembered her solemn yet determined eyes, the way she had wrapped her arms around her middle as if she was protecting…
Nate bolted to his feet with a vicious curse, sending his executive chair crashing to the ground. It couldn’t be! Mia wouldn’t do that to him. She wouldn’t keep something like this from him. She wouldn’t.
Yet the pieces started to fit and things started to become clear. She had tried to wrench a long-term commitment from him and when he refused she had ended them. Suddenly Nate knew, with every fiber in his being, the little boy he had just spoken to moments ago was his son.
A flood of emotions began hurtling through him. Disbelief and rage battled for the lead, as shock tailed closely behind, followed by bitter resentment. Why, he thought savagely. Why wouldn’t she tell me this?
Nate’s fists clenched and unclenched. It took him a moment but he managed to rein in his anger. Once he could think rationally, he rushed out of the office. He wasn’t going to wait any longer. Five years? He had waited long enough.
* * * *
“Mikey, honey, who are you talking to?” Mia stepped out of the bathroom and glanced over at her son sitting on the double bed. She could have sworn she’d heard muffled voices coming from the room. At first she had thought it was the television but she’d recognized her son’s voice.
Mikey rushed to hide his hand behind his back and looked down. Mia walked over to the bed.
“Give it to me,” she demanded, holding out her hand.
Mikey handed her the cell phone, still avoiding her gaze. She grabbed the phone from his small hand.
“Mikey, look at me. What did I tell you about playing with my phone?”
“That it’s not a toy,” he mumbled quietly.
“And?”
“And it’s for emergencies only.” He stared up at her earnestly before adding, “But it was an emergency, Mommy. I was bored to death!”
Mia sighed. “Where are your toys?”
Mikey shrugged his little shoulders. She went to their bags lying open on the second double bed and realized she’d left the small bag of toys in the car. Well, she wouldn’t bother with it now.
It had been a long, exhausting drive to Chicago, which included the stop she’d made so they could eat and stretch their legs. Once they had made it into the city, Mikey had become moody from the long drive and Mia had just wanted to collapse. The hard, springy hotel bed, however, had not been inviting. Actually nothing in the drafty motel room had been welcoming. She managed to overlook the dingy walls and furniture while she sanitized the small hotel room and bathroom as best she could.
With a bath and light snack, her son had lost his tantrum and she had finally been able to indulge in a nice long shower.
The thought of calling Nate had crossed her mind and had been tempting, but she wasn’t prepared to face him tonight. She would do it tomorrow when she’d gotten some sleep and her nerves had settled some.
Mia replayed the scenario in her head for the umpteenth time and still couldn’t think of a way to approach him. She couldn’t just blurt out—“Hi Nate, this is Mikey. Your four-year-old son. And, by the way, we need money.”
Mia scoffed and shook her head. Then again, maybe I should call him right now and get it over with.
As if on cue, her cell phone rang. It was Nate.
Yet instead of the cool, light-heartedness she had received last night, he was curt and abrupt. “What room are you in?”
Mia frowned. “What?”
“I’m at the motel,” he said, a hard edge in his voice.
Mia’s stomach dropped. Panic seized her and she stood frozen in the middle of the room. She was not prepared for this, but she had no doubt that he would bang on every door until he found her.
“What room are you staying in?”
“Room 238,” she finally whispered.
“I’m coming up.”
He ended the call before she had a chance to say anything else.
“Mommy, I almost forgot,” Mikey said, jarring her out of her trance. “A man called for you.”
Mia turned to her son who was now using the hotel pens and notepad to draw with.
“What man?” Deep down, though, Mia knew. Nate’s sudden presence couldn’t be a coincidence.
Mikey shrugged as a hard knock came at the motel door. They both stared toward the direction of the sound. Mia walked to the door, each step as heavy as the beating of her heart.
“Who is it?” She felt like a fool for asking. She knew who stood behind that door.
“It’s me.” Nate’s muffled voice held an edge that immediately had her draw her back up. She opened the door and was unnerved by her reaction to him.
Nate had always been handsome but now that didn’t seem adequate to describe him. His hard jaw and sensual lips were set in stern, stubborn lines and his rich, dark brown hair was cut stylishly. His tall, once lean, frame was broader than she remembered and was covered in dark slacks, a silk button-down shirt, and dark blazer.
She didn’t miss the way his dark, deep-set eyes ran down the length of her. Her face flushed at the heated once-over. The man standing before her, filling the doorway appeared untouchable. No, he was too striking for mere handsomeness.
“May I come in?”
His low whisper held all the seductive qualities she remembered. She slightly shook her head, breaking the hypnotic spell she found herself under and steeling herself against the cosmic effect he still had on her and, this time, she had to make sure her heart was protected from him.
Without a word, Mia stepped back to let him in. The motel room wasn’t spacious and with his presence, it appeared even less so.
Nate stopped in the middle of the room and stared down at their son, who was also looking up at him with newfound curiosity.
Mia didn’t know what to say to break the heavy silence as father and son stared at each other, but the tension was killing her.
“Mikey, baby, come say hi.”
He scrambled off the bed and walked toward them. Mikey wasn’t normally shy but for some reason, he wasn’t exhibiting his usual brazenness. When he stood directly in front of Nate, he held out his small hand. “Hi mister,” he murmured.
Mia’s heart broke a little at the awkward situation she had placed them in. This is my fault. A son should know his father but because of her selfishness, her son was now greeting his father like a stranger.
With a gentle smile, Nate crouched down and took the small hand offered to him. “Hi Mikey. We spoke on the phone earlier. You remember?”
Mikey nodded.
Nate leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Mia couldn’t hear what he was saying but she picked up something about dirt. Whatever it was, it made her son scrunch his face and nod. “I told you,” Mikey said, giggling.
“Yes you did,” Nate agreed, his eyes softening as he regarded their son. “Why don’t you go finish drawing while I talk to your mom?”
Nate rose to his full height as Mikey ran back to the bed.
“How old is he?”
Mia didn’t look at him when she replied, “He turned four this January.”
Nate continued watching Mikey then said in a deceptively mild tone, “He’s mine, isn’t he.”
It was more a statement than a question. He turned to face her when she didn’t respond and she was taken aback by the rage and…hurt that simmered in his dark eyes. There was nothing she could say, nothing she could do, that would soothe those raw feelings.
She simply looked back at their son and nodded.
Chapter Seven
His son.
Nate’s heart twisted as he looked at the little boy whose small features were a unique blend of his and Mia’s. Mikey had her wide eyes and the McArthur stubborn chin, though it was soft with youth.
Nate had used the time during his drive here to get his shock and temper under control, but he was still reeling with the realization that he was a father. He turned his attention to Mia who stood beside him, carefully avoiding his gaze. She looked beautifully tragic with her hair pulled back in a loose bun at her nape, her large dark eyes eclipsing her smooth, angular face. Even in her simple gray skirt and white cami, his sexual attraction to her was unwavering. Motherhood had filled her out nicely.
Even now, with all her lies and secrets, he still wanted her.
Right now wasn’t the time to think about that, however. They needed to talk but first he needed to get them out of this shitty motel room.
“Get your things,” he said curtly.
“Why?”
He moved closer to her and said in a low voice so Mikey wouldn’t overhear. “I said, get your things. You two aren’t staying here tonight.”
Her eyes widened in surprise then she swiftly glanced away. “Look, I know there’s a lot for us to discuss but—”
“You’ve got that right,” he snapped. “And tonight we’re going to, just not in this shithole.” He read the protest in her eyes and stopped her before she could say anything else. His patience was already stretched thin. “Don’t argue with me right now,” he said through gritted teeth. “Just get your things.”
* * * *
An hour later, they finally made it to his high-rise apartment. Mia had forgotten how terrible the traffic was in Chicago, especially on a Friday night. She now carried a sleeping Mikey into the condo as Nate brought in their bags. When he turned on the lights, Mia was stunned by the luxury that greeted her. The high ceilings and rich, dark wood floors held beautifully decorated artwork with modern furniture that was as untouchable as the man. The abstract artwork decorating the white walls resembled something out of an art gallery but they complimented the stylish, elegant decor. Large windows at the far end of the spacious apartment overlooked the city and added to the condo’s grandeur. From the large windows, the sun painted the sky in a dark orange glow as dusk began to descend.
Mia had only been to his apartment once while they’d been dating but this was certainly new. Nate had been careful in keeping a casual, rather modest appearance around her. Now looking at him, there was nothing casual about the tall, composed man standing beside her.
Uncertainty ate at her as she realized, for the first time, how far outside her domain she was. How could she just come out and ask for money without looking like…an opportunist? She immediately quelled the feeling. It was too late to turn back. She came here for a purpose and would see it through.
Her sleeping son began to weigh heavily on her tired arms and Mia turned to Nate who had been silently watching her survey his apartment.
“Where can I put him?” she asked in a low voice.
Nate nodded behind her. “There’s a guest room in the back,” he said, also keeping his voice low. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
Mia followed him down the hall to the first door on the left. It was a small, simple bedroom with a single bed, nightstand, and dresser. Nate turned on the lamp and she gently placed Mikey on the bed. He didn’t stir once. She changed him into his pajamas and sat beside him on the bed, rubbing his back. Mikey was normally a heavy sleeper but today had been especially wearing for him with the drive and all. She, herself, was exhausted but still had a long night ahead of her. She tried to put it off by hiding out in here with her son but with the determined look on Nate’s face that wouldn’t happen.
