What Happened After Vegas? (Unexpected Love #2) (14 page)

"I
just wanted to talk to you. I miss you. The kids are really polite.
They are a great group."

"You're
worried about something, babe," he said. "What is it?"

She
stayed silent for a minute trying to decide if she should tell him or
just let it go. He had already had to get involved enough when it
came to Jake. She didn't want to upset his day. The only reason she
wanted to call was to hear his voice. It made her feel safer when she
was worried about something.

"I
can leave work and come to the school if you need me to," he
said.

"No,"
she snapped. "Don't do that. I just needed to hear your voice."

"What
happened?" he asked again. "I need you to tell me so I can
stop freaking out over here."

"I
don't want to mess up your day. I'll tell you, but I don't want you
to do anything. I can handle it. I just want to be honest with you,
and if I don't tell you, I'll feel like I'm doing something wrong. I
got a text a couple of hours ago but I just read it at lunch."

"From
who," he interrupted.

She
took a deep breath, and before she could answer he spoke.

"What
did it say?"

"It
said that he was sorry, he loved me, and he wanted to have a family
together."

"That
motherfucker," he snapped.

"I'm
sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have said anything. Shit! I
should have deleted it and forgotten about it. I'm so sorry, Cliff. I
hope I didn't ruin your day. Please, just let it go."

"You
have nothing to be sorry for, Rachel. You didn't do anything wrong.
He did. He knows that he's supposed to leave you alone. I'm not
taking any chances with you. You're my love. He's not getting
anywhere near you. Are you okay? I'm coming to the school."

"No,"
she said cutting him off. "I just felt nervous and sick to my
stomach when I read it. I don't think he'll do anything, but I can't
be sure after the last time. Do you think he knows I moved in with
you? Why else would he text out of nowhere? I'm okay. Don't leave
work. I've put you through enough. I'll go by the police station
after work. I just needed to hear your voice. It makes me feel safe."

"The
only way he would know that we live together would be if he violated
the order. We can't prove that, but the text sure does. I'll meet you
at four o'clock and go to the station with you. I'm glad you told me.
I would never want you to keep something from me so it wouldn't upset
my day. I will always protect you and keep you safe. He's going to
regret the way he's been to you. I love you. Are you sure you're
okay?"

"I'm
fine now, thank you. I'll see you at four. Thank you for everything,
Cliff. I seriously don't know what I ever did to deserve you. You're
my everything. I hope you know how much I love you, babe."

They
filed a report at the police station after work and went home. She
didn't respond to the text but kept it in case they needed it. The
officer told her they would be paying a visit to Jake and to let them
know if he contacted her again.

Rachel
took a bath as soon as they got home. Rose had dinner waiting for
them. When Rachel showed up for dinner in her bathrobe, Cliff had a
look of concern.

"You
okay?" he asked.

"Yes,"
she said. "I'm just feeling a little sick. I think it's just
from the stress of the day. I'll be fine after I eat."

After
dinner they relaxed in bed for the rest of the night. She noticed
Cliff had been working less in the evenings and decided to bring it
up.

"You
can work if you need to," she said.

"I'm
good right here," he answered.

"Please
don't put your company in jeopardy because of my problems. You've
been working less at night since I moved in."

"You
noticed that?" he asked.

She
nodded.

"I
have people to do most of the things I do myself. It's a control
thing. I'm worried they won't do it right. I've made some changes
lately and am handing over more of the things I was doing. I want to
be able to work much less than I was before. I just have to figure it
all out and make sure the firm is running smoothly. I want to spend
more time with you. I don't want to wake up one day with regrets. I
don't want to think of all of the things I should have been doing
when I was at the office. I could have lost you that day. I know it
wasn't like that, but we never know when we'll be gone. I used to
work just to pass time, but it's not like that anymore. You're the
one I want to spend my time with. I own the company. I shouldn't work
more than everyone there. I should be able to let the company run
itself. It has nothing to do with anything but the fact that I love
you and want to spend time with you."

They were in bed
when Rachel felt like she was going to be sick and ran for the
bathroom. Cliff was right behind her to make sure she was okay. It
didn't last long, but she was exhausted. They climbed back in bed,
and he held her as she fell asleep.

The
next few days were fine. Rachel was getting in the swing of being
back in the classroom and coming home to her man. She worked hard the
few hours her kids were at their special classes so she wouldn't have
to take as much work home.

That
Friday night, Rachel brought home some stuff to get a craft ready for
the following Monday. She was sitting on the living room floor with
stuff spread all over the place when Cliff walked in from work.
Something seemed off with him. There was no color in his face. Rachel
jumped from the floor and ran over to greet him.

"Are
you okay? You look rough. Did I give you whatever I had the other
day?" she asked.

She
grabbed his laptop bag from his shoulder and put it on the chair
closest to the door. Then she slid his suit jacket from his shoulders
and loosened his tie.

"Come
sit down, babe," she said. "I'll get you a glass of water."

She
held his arm while he walked through her mess and sat down on the
couch. Then she took off for the kitchen. When she got back to him
with a glass of water, he still hadn't said a word.

"Sit
with me," he said.

Rachel
sat down next to him, set the water on the table, and took his hand
in hers. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Cliff,
babe," she said. "Are you feeling okay?"

He
shook his head no, took a deep breath, sat back up, and pinched the
bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger.

"I
have to tell you something," he said. "This is not easy for
me to say."

Rachel
pulled back a little.

"I
just moved in," she started.

"It's
nothing like that, baby. I love you more than you will ever know.
It's about Jake."

"What
did he do?" she asked.

"It's
not about you. It has to do with my sister. She called me in tears
while I was driving home."

"Oh
no," she said. "What happened."

Rachel
rubbed his back as she waited for him to continue.

"I
don't know how to say it."

"Just
say it," she said. " I don't think anything would surprise
me."

He
turned and took her hands in his.

"She's
pregnant, Rachel."

Rachel
gasped for air. She felt like her lungs were closing in on her. Did
he really say what she thought, she wondered? Her stomach started to
turn and she took off up the stairs for the bathroom with Cliff on
her heels. After a few minutes, she stood back up and brushed her
teeth.

"My
nerves are getting to me," she said. "She's really
pregnant."

He
pulled her into his arms.

"Yes,"
he said. "She's putting me in a very shitty position."

"Does
he know?" she asked.

Cliff
held her as they walked to the sit on the edge of the bed.

"She
said she told him last Sunday," he said.

"The
day before he sent me the text about having a family with me,"
she said.

"She
said that he told her he wanted nothing to do with the situation. He
told her to figure it out herself."

"Are
you fucking kidding me?" she yelled and took off for the
bathroom again. "I think I need to eat something."

They
ate the food Rose had prepared for them and talked. It was Friday
night and they were at home talking about his sister and her ex's
baby. What a mess.

"Do
you want to go out and get your mind off of it?" she asked,
feeling bad they were home.

"No,"
he said. "I just want to hold you."

They
moved into the living room and cuddled together on the couch.

"I
can't believe he would just walk away from his own baby," she
said. "I can't believe he would send me a text like that after
walking away."

"I'm
in a bad spot," Cliff said. "I don't know what to do. He's
an ass. I feel like I have to help her. I also feel like if I help
her I'm going against you. I don't know how to explain it. I didn't
want to tell you. I know what happened between the two of you."

"Don't
feel like that, babe. You need to think about your family. That has
to separated from what happened to me. I thought they hadn't seen
each other since I told you in Vegas?"

"They
haven't," he said. "She said something because she's
starting to show. She was afraid to tell him after the whole getting
fired thing. He turned her down completely and told her to stop
calling him. I have to help her. She's my sister. Please understand.
I don't expect you to be there or have anything to do with her. I
just need to know you're okay with me helping her. I can't let the
baby suffer because of yet another one of his mistakes."

Cliff
held her tight. She felt like he was afraid to let go. How could he
think after everything he had been through with her that she would
turn away from him? There was no way she was giving him up because of
Jake.

"I
would never expect you to turn her or the baby away. She's your
family," she said, as she looked up at him. "I'm okay with
you helping her. It's not really my business. It's your family and
your money."

"It's
our money," he said. "I told her about us. She knows we
live together."

"That
must have been an interesting conversation. All that on the drive
home from work."

She
rubbed his arm and snuggled into his chest.

"She
said she didn't know the two of you were together. He told her you
were separated. After you walked in on them, he told her you were
jealous because he wasn't with you anymore and you weren't supposed
to be in the house. She sounded shocked when I told her the two of
you were together at the time. She had no idea that he had been to
jail for being in your apartment. I want her to go after him in
court. He needs to take care of his child."

"I
agree. I don't want a baby to suffer because of him," she said.
"Has she been to the doctor?"

"She
went once," he said. "I freaked out about it. She should
have gone several times already I think. She doesn't have insurance
anymore. It ended when I fired her."