The Price of Love (A Price Novel Book 1) (25 page)

We went to the pool house and put our stuff down. Looking around, I noticed the pool house was bigger than my mother’s house. Slayde had lived there when he was a teenager. “I was always so jealous that your parents let you live out here. I thought they were so cool.”

He laughed. “They just got tired of listening to Taylor and me fight, so they gave us our own space. She was too young to get to move her room across the backyard. She was also extremely pissed that she didn’t get to move out here when I left.”

When we went back into the house, I heard Lexi call out, “In here.” We joined her in the dining room, where she had just finished setting the table. I noticed there were four plates, so I guessed Taylor and her friend would not be joining us. On the table were two baked chickens, some steamed vegetables, and fingerling potatoes. “Would you like some wine, Arden?” Lexi asked.

“Yes, please.”

She poured Slayde and me each a glass of white wine and sat down.

“Where’s Dad?” Slayde asked, sitting too.

“He should be home any minute. He called and said he was running a little late, but that was a little while ago.” Slayde didn’t say anything, but he did roll his eyes. I could tell Lexi was intentionally ignoring him. She looked at me. “How were finals?”

“Brutal as usual, but I’m sure I did fine. I’m just so glad they’re over. They always take ten years off of my life,” I sighed.

“Well, have you gotten the house all together?” I wasn’t sure if she was talking to Slayde or both of us. I hadn’t asked Slayde what he had told her. He didn’t look up, but he nodded. “I will have to come up and visit. Maybe we can go to lunch or something when Slayde is working. If you have time, Arden.”

“That sounds great. I can always make time for that.” I saw Slayde was smiling. I knew it meant a lot to him that Lexi and I got along so well.

Just then, Slayde’s dad walked into the dining room with a bottle of wine. “Sorry I’m late.” He bent over and kissed Lexi and patted Slayde on the shoulder. “Hey, Arden, good to see you again.” He smiled. I said hi back and could feel myself blushing. I had forgotten how good-looking he was; I could see why Lexi couldn’t stay away from him, no matter how much of an ass he was. Slayde looked a lot like his dad, but his dad had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. They were very distracting, and I had to make a conscious effort not to stare.

“We were just talking about Slayde and Arden’s new house.” Lexi filled her husband in on the details.

“That’s got to be better than living out of a hotel. Maybe your mom and I can come visit after the holidays,” Zac said. Slayde shot a strange look at his mom but kept eating. I didn’t think I understood his relationship with his dad. Maybe he was just ultrasensitive, making a bigger deal of things than they really were, but I wasn’t sure.

I helped Lexi clear the dishes and clean the kitchen. I kept expecting someone to say, “Someone else will do that,” and I was a bit relieved that she actually cleaned her own kitchen. We drank more wine and talked as we cleaned. I always enjoyed her company, and I only wished I could say that about my own mother.

After we finished in the kitchen, we rejoined Slayde and his dad in the living room. They seemed to be getting along. Maybe Slayde’s dad wasn’t so bad, other than being gone a lot.

After about an hour, we went to the pool house to get ready for bed. “I feel a little lightheaded. I guess it was the wine on top of the hangover from last night,” I complained.

He sat down by me on the bed and rubbed my head. “I’m sure you’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.”

But I didn’t. I actually felt worse, much worse. When I woke up, I thought I was going to be sick.
This is not fair!
I didn’t want to spend my winter break with the flu.

“Do you think we should stay home?” Slayde asked.

“Your parents would be so upset. I’m feeling a little better.” He kissed my forehead and gave me a hug. I so loved it when he did that.

“You don’t think you’re pregnant, do you?”

“Oh, hell no. Don’t even say anything like that.” I pushed away from him.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that would ruin my life,” I said sternly. I realized what I had said as soon as I said it. I could see the hurt in his eyes.

“I didn’t realize having a child with me would ruin your life. I guess that’s why you can’t see yourself married to me.” He walked out of the pool house and slammed the door. I felt horrible, and then I threw up.

After I got myself together, I went into the house, but Slayde wasn’t there. I heard Lexi yelling from her bedroom, “Arden, is that you? Slayde ran to get breakfast.”

“OK.”

“Can you come up here and help me with something?” I sure hoped it wasn’t anything too strenuous, because I still wasn’t feeling myself, but I didn’t want Lexi to know.

Lexi and Zac’s bedroom was beautiful. I knew without a doubt they had hired someone to decorate it. They could have lived in there and never had to come out unless it was for food. There was a sitting area to read, a huge TV, and two computers on a desk across the room.

Lexi was standing on top of a ladder in her closet, which my dorm room would have fit inside. I had never seen so many clothes and shoes in someone’s personal closet. Everything was extremely organized and perfect. It was like a princess’s closet or something.

“I’m sorry to bother you. I should have made Zac or Slayde do this, but I didn’t realize how heavy the dang box was until it was too late.” She lowered a plastic box down to me and then got off the ladder.

“This is Zac’s snow crap. We probably have twenty snowsuits and jackets at the cabin, but he insists on dragging this out there every time we go. I’m leaving it there this trip. The man doesn’t need a subzero jacket in California. If hell freezes over and it snows here, then he can just go buy another one.” We both laughed.

I heard Slayde come back in and yell something to his mom, which I couldn’t make out; then he must have gone back to the pool house, because it was quiet downstairs.

“He’s probably looking for you,” she said. The way she said that made me wonder what he had told her. They were so close — it wouldn’t surprise me if he told her he thought I was pregnant. I decided to go talk to him.

Slayde was sitting on the bed when I walked back in the pool house. He looked like he had been crying. He didn’t let me speak. “You know, I’m really OK with knowing that I love you more. That’s fine. I can live with that, but it really hurts to know that you can’t see a future with me.”

I sat down beside him on the bed. “That’s not what I said. That may have been how it sounded, but that’s not how I feel.”

“Then tell me how you feel, and be 100 percent honest. I would rather know the truth than hope for a lie.” I had never seen him this upset before. He was completely cold. He stared me in the eyes, waiting for my response, but it was almost like looking at a stranger. I wondered if he were thinking the same thing about me.

I took a deep breath. “I love you, Slayde. I really do want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I am so scared to think … ” I had to stop talking for a minute to keep from crying. He waited patiently for me to finish. “I am scared to think that far ahead. What if it doesn’t work out, and I get my heart broken?”

“That’s a risk everybody takes when they open their heart to someone and fall in love. You aren’t the only person who is scared to get hurt. Don’t you think I’m just as scared you’re going break my heart?” He pushed my hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear so he could make eye contact with me, and I recognized him again.
Thank goodness!

“No, I never thought of that. You always seem so sure of yourself.”

“The only thing I’m sure of is that I love you and never want to live without you. I was fine and happy by myself until I ran into you in Paris. Ever since then, I’m a nervous wreck. I’m scared you’re going to decide you would rather” — he paused, like he was deciding if he should finish that thought or not — “that you would rather be with one of your snotty doctor buddies and forget about me.” Tears started spilling down his cheeks, and he looked away.

I wrapped my arms around him. “That is never going to happen, baby. I’m in love with you. When you’re gone, I’m a nervous wreck too. I’m just as concerned that you’re going to hit it off with one of those actresses and not come home.” Even though I’d mentioned it before, I still always feared that it would be a turnoff if he knew how insecure I was about his job, but now I thought maybe it put everything into perspective for both of us. Now we knew we were on the same page.

“So, you do really want to marry me, don’t you?” He was smiling at me again.

“Yes, Slayde, that would make me the happiest girl in the world.” I truly meant every word.

Maybe I had just eaten something that bothered my stomach, because by the time we were ready to go, I was back to my old self.

We made it to the cabin, situated on the side of a mountain, just before dark. One whole side of it was windows, so you could see the beautiful view. It was breathtaking. I hadn’t understood why Slayde’s family had bought a house here instead of renting one, since they only came twice a year, but now I did.

As we headed upstairs with our luggage, Lexi told Slayde, “Slayde, Mavis cooked, so hurry back downstairs before it gets cold.”

Mavis?
I decided against asking assuming she was some kind of servant, though it was obvious someone had recently been here. Supper had been prepared for us and was waiting. The fire was already lit, and the place was spotless and in perfect order.
No dust bunnies here,
I noticed in awe
.

Once we set our things down, I followed Slayde into a huge dining room with big vaulted ceilings and beautiful exposed wood beams. It also overlooked the stunning mountains. I spent most of the meal staring out the window, watching the sun disappear behind the mountains.

After supper that night, we all decided to turn in early so we could get up to ski first thing. As soon as Slayde and I got into bed, I felt my whole body get cold. I knew I was going to throw up, and I jumped back up.

After I was finished being sick, Slayde walked into the bathroom with a pregnancy test in his hand. “Here, take it.” And he handed it to me.

“Where did you get that?”

“I got it this morning, when I went to get breakfast for Mom.” I couldn’t believe he had gone to a store and bought a pregnancy test. Most guys I knew wouldn’t even walk down the feminine hygiene aisle.

“I’m not pregnant, Slayde. I am not taking this.” I tried to hand it back to him.

“Well, if you’re not, we will know in less than three minutes.”

“I really don’t want to take that.” Only because I was afraid I was pregnant, and I would rather enjoy a few more days without knowing.

“I’ve never heard of a pregnancy test getting someone pregnant. If you are, then you are. This won’t change anything. Take the damn test.”

He was dead serious, and I knew he was right. “Can I get some privacy?” I pushed him out the door.

I read the directions on the back at least five times before I opened it. You’d think it would be pretty simple, but when your life could be changing forever, you want to know you did it right.

My hands were shaking so badly that I almost couldn’t open the foil package with the stick in it. Taking a long, deep breath, I bit the bullet. After I peed on the stick and put the cap back on, I set it on the back of the toilet so I couldn’t see it. I washed my hands and went back in the bedroom.

Slayde was lying on the bed, staring at me. He didn’t look nearly as nervous as I was, but I guess since it wouldn’t be his body incubating a living thing, why should he be? “Well?” he asked.

“I don’t think it’s been three minutes,” I said, and I lay down beside him.

After about thirty more seconds, Slayde got up and went in the bathroom. He was quiet for a second before he came out holding the test. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I was about to find out.

He looked me in the eyes and put his hands on my shoulders. My whole body was tingling. “You must just have the flu.” He laughed and showed me the negative pregnancy test.

I slapped him on his arm. “You ass. You scared the shit out of me.”

He was still laughing when we got in bed. “You should have seen the look on your face. I thought you were going to pass out.”

“It scared me, OK? What would you have done if it were positive?” I asked him.

“I would have had a kid, what else? Why? What would you have done?” He was looking me in the eyes, so I knew I wasn’t getting out of this one.

“I don’t really know. I’m just glad I don’t have to find out.”

“You mean … you may have gotten an abortion.” His voice was cold, and his eyes got narrow again.

“I didn’t say that, Slayde. Why are we arguing about this?”

“Whatever. Good night.” He turned his back to me. He had never done that. We had never gone to bed mad at each other. I had to do something to make things right between us. I snuggled up to him and started kissing his back. He ignored me at first, and then he said, “I’m really not in the mood.”

“That’s a first.”

“Sorry, I sure don’t want to do anything that could get you pregnant.” I thought he was finished, but he rolled over and said, “I really can’t believe that you would kill a baby that we made.”

Whoa!
“I never said that, Slayde. I gave you my honest answer, and that was that I don’t know what I would do.”

“But that means that was one of your options.”

“No, what it meant was that I can’t honestly say what I would do, because I am not in that situation. I can’t say that wouldn’t cross my mind, but I didn’t say I would ever do that either.”

“Are you saying you don’t believe it’s wrong? You don’t believe it’s murder?” he asked. I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation.

“I guess I believe it is wrong, and what’s in a woman is a living thing. I guess you could call that murder, if you wanted to. It’s a horrible thing, and no, I don’t think it’s right. But I don’t believe I would have the right to judge someone who did it. You never know what someone else feels if you aren’t in their shoes. If I were pregnant, and you were going to be a dad in nine — or really, ten — months, would you not sign any more movie deals for a while? Would you stay home and help me with the baby?” I was getting angry.