Pieces of Me (9 page)

He needed to touch her so he caressed her cheek “Is that what you’ve done? Have you moved on?”

Nicole briefly closed her eyes. She whispered “Davis, what are you doing here? The last time we spoke you’d made the decision to see if things could work out between you and Anne. Has that changed?” There was hope in her voice.

Now it was Davis who couldn’t look her in the eye. “I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t really had much time for my personal life. I still need to get some things sorted out.”

Nicole looked incredulous. In a pained voice, “Why are you here?”

Davis ran his hands through his hair. He was so uncomfortable. He’d never really let anyone peek inside of him the way he had with Nicole. His feelings were so raw and confusing “I feel somewhat responsible for the crash, for what happened on the island between us, and for you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay and if there was anything you needed.”

Nicole wasn’t sure she could take much more of this. She was doing her best to keep the tears at bay “Davis, the crash wasn’t your fault and our being together was probably more about two people needing to feel connected and alive. I’m not a priest so I can’t give you absolution but there is really no need for you to feel responsible for me.” The room started to spin. Nicole thought, oh god…please not now and not in front of him. If Davis hadn’t been standing so close, he wouldn’t have been able to catch her when she fainted.

When Nicole came to she was laying on the sofa in her office. Davis was kneeling down by her side.

“She needs a doctor Dana!”

Dana had a cool cloth and a glass of water in her hand. “I’m sure she just probably overheated.” She gave the cloth to Davis and he put it over Nicole’s head.

Nicole understood Davis’s panic was probably due to memories of his baby sister. Her heart ached for him. She cleared her throat. “I’m fine. Dana can I please have some water.” Dana handed her the glass and a knowing look passed between them. The look didn’t go unnoticed by Davis.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“Dana, can I talk to Davis privately please?”

“Of course.” Dana gave her friend’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze before quietly leaving the room.

Nicole sat up and tried to put her feet on the floor. Then she patted the spot next to her for Davis to sit down.

“Nicole, I’d like to know what’s going on.”

“I don’t really know how to tell you this so I’m just going to say it. I’m pregnant.”

Davis sat there for a moment stunned “Why didn’t your tell me? Or, were you going to tell me?”

“Davis, I just found out yesterday. I know that you have a right to know but honestly I haven’t gotten past the ‘you’re pregnant part’.”

Davis stood up and walked towards the door as if he were going to walk through it. He turned around and looked directly into her eyes “We need to get married.” He was so focused as if he’d just solved a riddle.

Now it was Nicole’s turn to be shocked. “People don’t get married because they’re pregnant anymore Davis. We’ll figure out a way to co-parent this child.”

“I told you on the island that family is the most important thing in the world and that I keep my promises. I will never let a child of mine grow up with a part-time father.”

Davis had never looked more serious. Maybe she could reason with him. “Davis you never made any promises to me. So…”

Davis cut her off “The promise is to my unborn child. I will be a full-time father. It would be ideal if he or she had both her parents but….”

Nicole jumped off the sofa, “Davis Chatham are you threatening me? Are you saying you’d take my child away from me if I don’t marry you? You can’t be serious?”

“I’m dead serious. I’m going back to the States for business at the end of the week. We can get married then; or not. The decisions yours but I’ll need to know by tonight.”

“You ruthless bastard, how could you?”

“You knew I was a ruthless bastard when you let me make love to you.” Davis opened the door to leave “Tonight, I need an answer tonight Nicole.” Then, he walked out the door.

There was no decision to make. He hadn’t left her with any options. He had so much money and power. How could she fight him? How was it possible to love and hate someone at the same time?

Dana came back into the room “How’d it go? I didn’t get to see him leave.”

“He’s threatening to take my child away from me if I don’t marry him. I can’t believe it. You couldn’t make this stuff up even in a bad romance novel.”

“Maybe, this isn’t all bad. You are in love with him.”

“Dana a marriage to Davis would be the worst kind of prison. I love him but he doesn’t love me. I would die a little every day.”

“Are you sure he doesn’t love you? I mean he came here today just to see you.”

“I’m positive. He’s still in love with Anne. He came here today to ease his conscience or probably something close to it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

Chapter 13

Davis was in his bedroom standing in front of the mirror trying to get his tie right. His hands were shaking so badly that he almost decided not to wear one. He couldn’t remember being this nervous when he married Anne. He really needed to close that chapter of his life. He’d made his choice. Plus, Nicole deserved to be the only woman on his mind on their wedding day. The knock on his door shook him from his thoughts.

“Are you decent? If not, I’m coming in anyway.” Jane walked into the room. For a second Davis had to remember that it was Jane and not his mother. She was the spitting image of her. He looked as different as night and day from Jane. He looked more like their dad. He was darker with jet black hair and Jane was fairer with beautiful blond hair. The only physical trait they had in common were their emerald green eyes. They got those from their dad.

“Here let me help you with that. You never could tie a decent bow tie.”

Davis dropped his hands and let Jane take over “Thanks. I bet you never thought you’d be coming to another one of my weddings.”

“Honestly, big brother…I didn’t. But, I’d always hoped you find someone who would love you to the moon. Did you…find her…I mean?”

“That kind of love doesn’t exist.”

“Really, is that why you’re so nervous that your hands are sweating? You’ve never been able to hide anything from me so don’t start now.”

“I’m nervous because I want to do the right thing. My marriage to Anne was supposed to be until death do us part. We all know how that ended. Who knows, if things had been different, maybe it could have still ended up that way. Did you know that Anne and I were recently considering a reconciliation?”

“Really, how recent is recent?”

“A couple weeks ago.”

“So, are you telling me you were just dating Anne a couple of weeks ago and you’re marrying Nicole this week? Big brother, you have your issues but being fickle was never one of them.”

Jane jokingly asked “What’s going on? Nicole’s not pregnant is she?”

Davis didn’t answer immediately before snapping at her. “Are you done?”

Jane’s hands stilled “She’s pregnant? You’re going to be a dad! Congratulations. You’re going to be a fantastic daddy. You’re already sacrificing for him or her. It’s an unnecessary sacrifice but a sacrifice non-the-less.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Do you love Nicole?”

Davis didn’t know how to answer that. He thought she was an amazing woman but he couldn’t exactly say what he felt for her was love. He desired her, enjoyed her company, and maybe even admired her but love?”

“Sometimes silence is very loud Davis. Why are you marrying her then if you’re not sure? I can honestly say you’ve never made rash decisions. Something about her must be different.”

“I don’t want to be a part time father. I want my child to have what we had.”

“There is a thing called co-parenting, Davis. Of course, it’s ideal to have both parents together like we had even if it was only for a short time. But, people don’t get married anymore because of a pregnancy. Children are very perceptive. They can sense when things aren’t quite right.”

“I owe it to Nicole and our child to at least try to be the best husband and father I can be.”

“How does Nicole feel about this? Is she ok with basically entering into a partnership?”

Davis snapped “It’s not a partnership Jane! It’s a marriage in every sense of the word. We’re compatible and we’ll make it work.”

“Don’t get defensive on me Davis. I’m just pointing out the obvious. If you don’t love her you shouldn’t marry her. If you love Anne you should be with Anne. It’s not that complicated. At the end of the day, I just want you to be happy.”

She admired her handy work then looked up into her brother’s eyes and cradled his face into her hands. She sighed deeply “Be happy Davis. That’s all mom and dad wanted for us to just be happy.”

Davis’s frustration immediately left his body and he touched his forehead to hers.

“You know...you look so much like dad. He would be so proud of you.”

“I was just thinking the same thing about you when you came through the door. For a moment, I thought you were mom.” Jane hugged him tightly. “I love you no matter what.”

He repeated it “No matter what.”

“Yes, no matter what.”

Jane was getting a little choked up and tried to lighten the mood “Now, you know my husband hates wearing what he calls ‘monkey suits’ and the twins only have so much time before they get restless. Not that I’m rushing you, but if you’re sure there’s going to be a wedding, then we’d better get a move on. We don’t want to be late.”

Jane hoped Nicole was everything that Dana told her because she was going to need to be very strong to win her brother’s heart.

*****

Chapter 14

Anne Mathews needed a drink. She paced back and forth in her bedroom as she read Davis’s wedding announcement in the paper. The ceremony was today. What the hell was taking the maid so long to draw her bath? Did she have to do everything herself? She yelled out “Lola, what’s taking so long? Hurry it up!” Anne didn’t care that it was early afternoon. She needed a good long soak. She couldn’t believe Davis was actually going to go through with marrying that woman! My god he didn’t even really know her. As a matter of fact, none of the people in their circle of friends had ever heard of her before the announcement. He was letting a traumatic event and probably good sex cloud his judgment. Men were so weak that way. How could he lead her on for weeks? She had half a mind to show up at the wedding and object.

Anne knew that Davis always kept a bevy of women at his beck and call but she also knew he wasn’t serious about any of them. Maybe she kept him hanging on a string for too long. What was he thinking? Was he trying to get back at her for that thing with Greg? That had to be it.

“Your bath is ready ma’am.”

“Good, now get me a drink and make it strong.”

She should have known something was wrong when he kept coming up with excuses not to sleep with her. But, he’d also told her he’d like to see where things could go between them. He’d told her there was a part of him that probably never stopped loving her. So, of course Anne was shocked when he came over last week not only to break things off but to tell her he was getting married to Nicole something. She had always been able to read Davis and twist him around her fingers but she truly didn’t see this one coming. He’d begged her for months before the divorce to reconcile. She almost felt sorry for him….almost. But, Anne knew at any time she could have him back and she kept that knowledge in her back pocket.