Be Here Now: A Cedar Creek Novel (29 page)

I printed off a copy and tacked it to the board before I switched the computer off and left the office, locking the door behind me.

When I turned into the bar, I saw Mark talking to a pretty blonde. He was leaning on his elbows on the counter and flirting his face off. I shook my head and smiled. Mark loved all women and never hesitated to make that obvious. They never admitted to it, but I knew that he and Chris had a little competition going about who could bag women the fastest. It was disgusting, but I couldn’t help but be amused at how they all threw themselves at the two men even though they knew the score. This one though didn’t seem to be interested in Mark’s advances at all. She looked bored and annoyed as she sat on the stool in front of him and tapped her manicured fingernails against the wood of the bar. I couldn’t say why but I instantly disliked her. It could be the way she was made up with her blond hair curled to perfection and her face smothered in make-up, or maybe it was the snarky and uppity expression she had on her face. Whatever it was, she seemed like an arrogant bitch.

I looked away from her and scanned the room, trying to figure out who it was that needed to see me. It was still early, especially for a Sunday, but there were a few people already milling about, chatting over a bottle of beer. Nobody seemed to be waiting for me though.

“Hey Mark, who was it you said wanted to see me?” I turned my eyes back to him and saw that the blonde was now looking at me. She was studying me from top to bottom with a sneer on her face.

What the hell was her problem?

I ignored her and fixed my eyes on Mark. He tilted his head and jerked his chin in the direction of the blonde, indicating it was she who was waiting for me. “This beautiful and charming young lady asked to speak to you.” I raised my eyebrows in disbelief, not only at Mark calling her charming and a lady when anyone with eyes could see that she was anything but, but also in confusion as to why she would want to talk to me. I didn’t think she was looking for a job and even if she were, I would never consider hiring her. She had
bitch
written all over her and would undoubtedly cause more trouble than she was worth.

I walked behind the bar to stand beside Mark and faced her. She was still looking at me with that sneer on her face, but there was also a small smug smile tugging at the corners of her lips that I did not like.

“What can I do for you?” I asked as politely as I could, which wasn’t very polite at all.

“I don’t get it,” she murmured as if talking to herself while she looked me up and down once more.

“You don’t get what?” I really didn’t like her and the way she eyed me. She met my eyes. They were filled with hatred and bitterness. I flinched involuntarily.

“I’m not really here for you. I’m here for Jason.”

I stiffened at her mention of Jason. Did he know her? Had he been with her? The way she eyed me certainly made it seem like he had. She was still studying me as if she was scoping out her competition.

“If you need to speak to Jason, then why did you ask for me? Why come here?”

She shrugged her bony shoulders. “I was curious.”

“Curious about what?” I prompted when she just kept looking at me down her nose without saying more. I could imagine what she was curious about, but for some twisted reason, I wanted to hear her say it.

“Curious as to why he left L.A. in such a rush. I have to say, I’m disappointed. How he can go from someone like me to someone like you in less than two weeks is beyond me.”

My heart dropped and my stomach twisted. Her words confirmed it. Jason had been with this woman and the way she made it sound, it had been for more than just a one-night stand. She talked and behaved like the scorned ex-girlfriend who wouldn’t go down without a fight. I took a deep breath through my nose and told myself to calm down, to tamp down the jealousy that was slicing through my body like a hot vice. Jason had said that none of the women he had been with meant anything to him; that he had been in love with me this whole time. I was the only one who had ever been his girlfriend, the only one he had ever spent the night with and woken up with. And I believed him.

I lifted my chin and gave her a dismissive look. “Well, you can leave now that your curiosity is satisfied. Jason isn’t here.” I said through clenched teeth. I wanted this woman gone. I knew she was no threat to me. Still, knowing Jason had had sex with other women was one thing, but seeing one of them face to face and having to talk to her was another. It hurt like a bitch and was shredding me on the inside, but there was no way I was going to let her see my inner turmoil. So I locked my face into what I hoped was an impassive expression and held her eyes.

“But he’ll be back, won’t he?” I didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything for fear of either taking a lunge and bitch slap her or letting my hurt get the better of me and let the tears I could feel at the back of my eyes come out—and I would not give her that satisfaction. “He’ll be back soon enough. And I’ll be waiting right here.”

Oh, no.

She was
not
waiting here. And I wasn’t going to watch while she threw herself at my man, which I knew without a doubt was her intention. I wouldn’t be able to control myself.

“You want to talk to Jason, you can wait for him outside.”

She smiled that knowing little smug smile at me that I did not like and made my stomach clench in foreboding. “You’re not going to kick me out.” She sounded sure. Too sure.

“I’m not?” I asked sarcastically, my eyebrows raised.

“No.”

“And why is that?” I really didn’t want to know the answer to that but I wouldn’t give her the pleasure of backing down.

Her smile widened and I stiffened further. “Because if you do, I will find someone who will be more than happy to break the story of how the famous rock god Jason Sanders got me pregnant.”

My whole body locked in shock and hurt. My heart stopped beating and my stomach dropped. I couldn’t breathe. The word
pregnant
was repeating itself over and over in my head, ripping me apart. I stood, unable to move or say anything, and watched as she rummaged through her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. She laid it on the bar in front of me and I knew immediately what it was.

It was proof.

An ultrasound picture.

I couldn’t look at it, couldn’t look at the baby that was Jason’s but not mine.

I started swaying and had to put a hand out to catch the edge of the bar so I wouldn’t fall. Someone grabbed my arm and said my name, but I couldn’t place who it was. My mind was consumed with the knowledge that Jason was going to have a baby with someone else. The bar door opened and I immediately caught Jason’s eyes as he walked in. His were smiling but turned into worried and alarmed the instant he took me in. Before I could blink, he was behind the bar and I was in his arms.

“Loreley? Baby, what’s the matter?”

The arms that only a few hours ago had given me love and comfort and safety now felt constricting and suffocating, so I pushed him away and took a step back.

“What—” Jason asked, confused. I saw his blurry body step toward me as tears were running down my face.

“Well, well, well,” I heard the bitch taunt. I kept my eyes on Jason. I couldn’t look at the woman who was going to share her future with Jason, who was going to be bound to him for the rest of his life. I was going to lose him. As soon as he found out he was going to be a father, he would walk away from me to be with his child’s mother. He had lost out on Jesse. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Jason’s head whipped around to her and I saw recognition and horror hit his face.

Oh God. It was true. He knew her.

“What are you doing here?” He sounded angry. “I told you I wouldn’t talk to you unless my lawyer was present.”

What?

“Well, I couldn’t let you shack it up with your old flame while I carried your baby, now could I?” She sounded like Jason already knew she was pregnant.

“You fucking bitch!”

“You knew?” My voice sounded croaky and was little more than a whisper, but Jason heard me. His head whipped back to me, his eyes softening.

“Loreley, baby—”

“You already knew she was pregnant?” My voice was getting stronger, since with the realization that he had known and hadn’t told me came my anger.

“Yes, I knew, but—”

“You knew and you didn’t tell me?” He was coming towards me, his arms raised to hold me, but I backed up further.

“I…I can’t do this,” I said in a broken whisper before I turned to escape through the front door. He had known and had kept it a secret from me. All that talk yesterday about wanting to see me pregnant, about wanting to start a family with me, about me being the only woman he could ever imagine having a baby with was bullshit. He was already having a baby with another woman. Why he would say all that to me and why he would even come back at all I couldn’t fathom, but I couldn’t think about that now. I had to get away. I ran across the bar, trying and failing in the effort to block out the images of Jason holding and loving and adoring a baby that wasn’t mine. If they had a daughter, I knew he would adore her and do everything to keep his little princess happy, a princess who would look like the blonde, not like me. And if they had a son…I had to cover my mouth so I wouldn’t be overcome by loud and body racking sobs. A son would be the replacement for Jesse. Feeling like this might make me a bitch, but I didn’t care. It was too much to bear.

I ran for the door as fast as I could but I didn’t make it. Halfway across the room, I felt a hand grip my upper arm and turn me around. A second later, my back was pushed against the wall and Jason was less than an inch away from my face. His body was pushing against mine, trapping me.

“You promised me you wouldn’t run.” He sounded angry and disappointed.

“You lied to me, Jason,” I spit in his face. “You knew about her being pregnant and you didn’t tell me.”

Jason’s grip on me tightened and he gave me a small shake, “Yes, I knew and didn’t tell you because it’s of no consequence to us.”

My eyebrows shot up in shocked surprise. He couldn’t be serious. How could him having a child with another woman not affect us? “What? How can you say that? That’s your child you’re talking about. You already missed out on Jesse and—”

Another shake to shut me up. “It’s not true, Loreley. There is no child. Or if there is, it sure as hell isn’t mine.” I stilled as his words sunk in.

“She’s not pregnant? But she has proof. She has an ultrasound picture—”

“I don’t know about that. What I
do
know is that if she is, it isn’t mine.”

“How can you be sure?” He couldn’t be unless he had done a paternity test.

Jason sighed. “Because we checked into it. She came to me a few months ago, claiming she was pregnant and that it was mine. But when I started asking questions, she got all vague on me, so I dug a little deeper and found out that she has done shit like this before. Several times actually. To other musicians, movie stars, take your pick. And it’s always been lies to trap them into marrying her or milking them for money. She disappeared when I threatened her with a lawyer.”

Okay, that made me feel slightly better.

But there was still the issue of the ultrasound picture. She clearly had proof that she was pregnant this time and it could be Jason’s.

“She has a picture, Jason, an ultrasound picture. How do you know it’s not yours? You won’t know for sure unless you take a test—”

“I don’t need a test, baby. I’m sure.” He sounded it, but I kept pushing. “How?”

“Because I slept with her six months ago. Does she look six months pregnant to you?”

I looked over Jason’s shoulder to the bar where she was still sitting on her stool. Her eyes were on us and they were smug and full of glee. My eyes went down to her stomach. To her flat stomach. There was no bulge, no nothing. She wore a tight skirt, so it was easy to see that there was no way she was six months along. I looked back at Jason. His eyes had stayed on me and he was still pressing me against the wall as if he was afraid I would make another dash for it.

I shook my head. “No, she doesn’t look like she’s six months pregnant.”

“You believe me then?” I bit my bottom lip.

“You swear it’s been six months since you slept with her?” Jason nodded. His eyes were serious and sincere.

“Then I believe you,” I whispered.

“Good,” he whispered then softly kissed my forehead. I lowered my eyes and looked at his chest. I took a deep breath and tried to relax into his body. He pulled me close, but I couldn’t fully release the stiffness that had my body in its grip. How many more women would come and claim Jason had knocked them up? How many more women would try and take him away from me?

Jason tipped my chin up with his finger to catch my eyes. He studied me for a few seconds then stated firmly, “No.”

“No?” I questioned, doubt clear in my voice. I knew he knew what I was thinking.

“No, Loreley. Nobody else will try and claim me as the father of their child. I told you, I’ve always been careful. And I haven’t slept with anyone but you in months.” My eyebrows hit my hairline in surprise. Jason smiled a self-deprecating smile before he brushed his lips against mine. “I’ll explain later. Now, are we over this?”

I nodded. “I’m sorry. I thought…I couldn’t stand the thought of—”

“I know, baby. Neither could I. I get it.”

I pressed my lips against his. He accepted my apology and kissed me back fiercely, his arms going around me and pulling me closer, which finally made me relax and accept the comforting warmth and strength of his body. When he ended the kiss, he gave me one last assessing look before he took my hand and led me back to the bar where the bitch was still sitting on her stool, now staring daggers at me. I held her eyes and narrowed mine.

“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer. And prepare, bitch. I’ll be making some phone calls. I’m sure I’m not the only one who would love a little revenge and shut your shit down permanently.” The bitch’s eyes turned panicky when Jason delivered that warning in a scathing voice. The guy standing beside her chuckled. I looked at him. He was huge and scary looking. His eyes were on Jason.