A Special Summer (Love Conquers All) (11 page)

Standing up Nick muttered a curse under his breath. Everything he just mulled over in his mind was useless, a waste of brainpower if the child wasn’t his. Snatching dishes off the table he snapped, “What?” He could tell Summer was about to say something.

Summer’s voice trembled in nervousness. “I just wanted to know if you wanted or needed any help.” Her small hands worried the cloth napkin, twisting it as she waited for his reply.

Nick pinched the bridge of his nose then gritted out between clenched teeth, “Knock yourself out.”

The dishes rattled as he sat them back down on the table with a thud as he stormed out the room. It was a wonder every dish hadn’t shattered.

Relieved to be alone, Summer took extra precautions not to break anything as she loaded the dishwasher. Nick had unnerved her with his foul mood and hard glare. She was literally trembling from head to toe. She could not shake the feeling that he was about to detonate at any moment. The storm was slowly brewing within him. He carried it in his silent demeanor, the way he stabbed at his food, and the hard gazes he threw her way. Summer’s thin shoulders slouched at the thought of a confrontation with Nick.

♥♥♥

After she loaded the dishwasher and wiped down the table, she moseyed into the den. Flopping down on the end of the sofa, she picked up an edition of Black Enterprise. This was not her idea of leisure reading, but it would do. Page after page were boring articles on how to start this business, how to start that business, first year projected revenue.
Blah, Blah, Blah.
Summer would give anything to have her latest edition of
Essence,
even a nursing journal would do. Covering a yawn she stretched then reached for the remote on the end table and turned the television on. She had not heard Nick enter the room.

“Summer we need to talk.” His voice was tight, eyes narrowed into slits.

Jumping, placing a hand over her pounding heart. “Nick, you scared me. I didn’t hear you come in.”

Removing the remote from Summer’s hand, he turned off the television and sat on the coffee table facing her.

Summer was glued to the sofa from the penetrating stare he used to pin her down.

After storming into his office a magnitude of questions came rushing through his brain.
When did she get pregnant? When did she find out? Was she ever going to tell me about the baby?
The most nauseating question he needed answered was, “Does she have a man and is he planning on raising the baby?” Clenching his jaw at the notion, he started firing into Summer with his inquiry.

“When did you become pregnant?”

Huh?
“May…I think.” Of course she knew when she’d become pregnant; her body functioned like clockwork, right on time. In fact when she missed her period she knew the exact night it happened.

Irritated by her answer he ran his hand over his face in frustration. “Woman what do you mean, ‘you think’? Either it was May or it wasn’t,” he hissed.

This is it; his dark side was coming out again, the one that showed up weeks ago at her home. Her mind and heart raced as she prayed for the right words to say to keep him from exploding. Fidgeting with her hands in her lap her voice quivered, “It was May I’m sure.”

“You go from thinking to being sure. How is that?” His tone reeked annoyance.

Breathing deeply, trying to steady her voice, “Because I had my last period the beginning of May.

This was too much pressure being in his domain with nowhere to go for cover.
I should have stayed home and just suffered the consequences.

Last May they were an item, which meant the baby was his. That is if she wasn’t sleeping with anyone else. Filing the information in the back of his mind, he decided not to hold a full inquisition. Nick muttered a curse as he watched Summer eyes begin to fill with tears. He leaned his elbows on his knees, bringing him so close she could smell the wine he had earlier for dinner.

“Are you involved with anyone?”

Summer shot up off the sofa as if she’d been struck by lightning, her voice came out in a high-pitched squeal. “No! Nick!” Involved with whom? Didn’t he know she’d been crying her

eyes out over him for the last eight months? She never even thought about another man. Didn’t he know he was the only man she wanted? The man she loved with all her heart and still loved

despite the fact he treated her like crap.

Nick didn’t know what came over him as he charged to his feet and challenged Summer’s stance. Summer gasped in disbelief, “Niiick!”, as she felt herself being lifted off the floor staring directly into dark cold eyes.

Nick ignored her answer. Through clenched teeth, he gritted out, “Are you seeing anyone and are you planning on having him raise my baby?” He hadn’t meant to say
my baby
. “No.”

“No what!” he barked at her.

In spite of being suspended in air by Nick’s firm hold, Summer struggled to pull back from his grip as she told him between sobs, “No, I’m not seeing anyone.”

She’s lying.
“Then who were you talking to earlier on the phone?” Nick knew he had no right, no business to ask her such a question, after all they weren’t together.

“Ava. I…I wanted to let her know I was okay.” Summer said still trying to get loose from his grip.

It wasn’t that he was hurting her; she just wanted to put some distance between them before things escalated any further. Summer could not count the times she worked in the emergency room and women came in battered because an argument had gotten out of control.

Nick had never been violent in the past with her. She didn’t think he would hurt her, but he was rapidly becoming out of control. She’d seen warning signs all evening that’s why she attempted to stay clear of him. What if he did hurt her, or worse the baby? Sudden panic set in.

Staring at him through red, swollen, puffy eyes, Summer pleaded, her voice barely a trembling whisper, “Nick, you’re scaring me, please put me down.”

Damn, what the hell am I doing?
Nick snapped back to reality as Summer made an effort to free herself by pleading with him. Her facial expression was contorted in a fusion of shock, hurt, and fear.

As he placed her down, Summer’s legs quaked as her feet touched the hardwood floor. Nick stepped back and closed his eyes vigorously rubbing his face with the palms of his hands. He prayed that when he opened them all of this would have been a bad dream.
Damn!
It wasn’t a dream. She was still visibly shaken, apparently traumatized. Nick reached out and took a small step forward, “Summer, I’m…”

His attempt to apologize was halted when she yanked away from his outstretched hand. For once that night Nick used the good sense God gave him and backed off.

As she watched his retreat she wondered,
Why is he treating me like this?

Summer stumbled a few steps to the sofa, laid down and curled up into a fetal position. Protectively she hugged her belly as tears effortlessly seeped out as she fought to calm down frayed nerves. Where was all this coming from? Why was he questioning the timing of her conception? Hadn’t he remembered that last week of May they spent together at his cabin in upstate New York? Did he forget that was the only time he asked her to trust him?

And what was this nonsense about her seeing someone? He should have known better. Summer had too much integrity to date one man while carrying another’s seed. Nick was the first man she really dated. Sure she went on dates in high school and in college. Those dates usually ended before anything could jump off when the guy discovered she was not about to drop her panties after a couple of dates. Even with Nick, she had waited months to consummate their relationship.

Laying in the dark, the aching in Summer’s heart was overwhelming. All she wanted to do was run off to some faraway place, have her baby and never see Nick again. Just when she believed nothing else he said or did could hurt her, he managed to prove her wrong. He actually entertained the idea she had slept with another man who he thought might possibly be the father of her baby. Summer was devastated. How could he think she would do such a thing to him? to them?

Summer groaned as she felt a faint twinge in her lower abdomen.
No not now.
What had been a horrible night was tumbling into a nightmare. The discomfort in her lower abdomen was a premature contraction rearing its ugly head. No doubt from the stressful day ending with the altercation with Nick.

Slowly rising up, going into the kitchen finding the largest glass, filling it with water, Summer begin to drink. Hydration and lying on her left side with her feet elevated should hopefully abort the threatening premature contractions.

After she forced three large glasses of water down, Summer dragged herself back to the den. Resuming her fetal position on the sofa, lying on her left side, the second her head hit the

sofa tears had begun to fall. Protectively she cradled her belly.
Why is this happening to me? What did I ever do but love him?
Summer yawned as her eyelids became heavy as she wrestled to keep them open. Too exhausted, both physically and mentally she succumbed to a state of slumber, praying when she opened her eyes she’d be home.

The hallway wall supported Nick’s two hundred twenty pounds as he leaned against it in the dark. Listening to Summer’s sobbing was stripping him bare, exposing feelings he never knew existed. The sight of her red, swollen eyes and tear streaked face sickened him. How had he let himself sink to such a level to treat her the way he had? Despite everything she didn’t deserve to be made to feel unsafe, especially with him. Nick had never admitted to loving Summer, however, he’d always made her feel safe in his presence when they were a couple.

Heavy legs carried Nick back to his office as he replayed the scene over again in his head. It’s no wonder she was frightened of him. He had literally lifted her off her feet like she was a ragdoll. Regret coursed through him at how he handled things, handled her.

I need to check on Summer, make sure she’s alright.

Nick took long strides as he hurried to the den. Not wanting to wake her, his steps became feather light. Gingerly he sat on the opposite end of the sofa.

Closing his eyes, leaning his head back on the sofa he thought about what Summer said. “
I had my last period the beginning of May.”

May
.
What happened in May?
Where was I in May?

Nick slowly rotated his head and allowed his gaze to fall on Summer’s fetal positioned form.
How could I forget?
He had asked her to trust him and she did. Deep within his soul there was a stirring he could not quite explain. It was true. He was going to be a father. But would he be up to the task? Was all of his anger a mask to cover up perceived inadequacies he held about himself?

♥♥♥

Summer was thrilled when Nick requested she spend a week with him at his cabin in upstate New York. After he finalized the Canada deal, he wanted to get away with Summer and decompress. Working fourteen, sometimes sixteen-hour days was starting to take its toll on their relationship. She never made a fuss about all their cancelled dates. Nor did she complain when he promised to show up at her place at eight-thirty and wouldn’t arrive until close to midnight because some crisis came up at the last minute demanding his attention.
HeHh

Always taking everything in stride she’d simply tell him, “I understand.” And understand she did. Summer’s father worked long hours to make his small business a success. There were many swim meets, school plays and softball games her father missed because an emergency had come up at work. Summer learned at an early age to hide her disappointment.

Nick offered no apologies. Summer was aware his work came first and everything else second, including her. Nick knew she would be disappointed by the slight change in her voice she tried, yet failed to conceal when their plans were altered. He appreciated that Summer was not the whiney, clingy, type that threw tantrums when he had to cancel on her at the last minute.

Whenever he showed up at her house late at night she would always have a surprise for him. Everything from sexy lingerie to wearing one of his dress shirts partially button exposing just enough skin making him want her the second he laid eyes on her. Once, she was so brazen, she answered the door wearing nothing but three-inch pumps and one of his silk ties tied in a bow around her neck as if she were a gift. That night they never made it to the bedroom.

Inviting Summer for a romantic getaway for an entire week of his undivided attention was something he felt she deserved. Never before had Nick felt the need to do anything remotely like this for any woman. However, for some inexplicable reason he wanted to do this one special thing for her.