Celebration's Baby

“You have his number, right?”

She nodded. “Well, I have a number for him. I haven’t talked to him in two months, since everything erupted. You know, it’s funny, the other day I almost deleted his number, but I didn’t.”

“Why not? Were you harboring hopes of a second chance?”

She made a disgusted tsking sound and gave his arm a little shove. “Hardly. I didn’t delete it because I got tied up with something else. I’ve been too busy at the paper since then to give him a second thought. I certainly haven’t been pining over him, Aiden.”

“Good to know,” he said.

“Why is that good to know?”

“Because I don’t want to see you get hurt again, B. I mean, you have to let him know about the child, but I don’t want you to harbor any expectations. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“He didn’t hurt me.”

He studied her for a minute, doing his best to read her, but she’d put the wall up. She was good at that, shutting out people and situations so that they didn’t get under her skin. This was only the second time he’d seen her cry. The other time was when she’d broken up with Duane. He would’ve held her then, too, but she’d blamed him for hiring the stripper that Duane had slept with two nights before their wedding. It took some time for their friendship to heal, but she’d finally acknowledged that if it hadn’t happened then, it would’ve likely been someone else. Better to find out before the wedding than after they’d been married for a few years.

Aiden hated that he’d played a part in anything that had hurt Bia. But he knew Duane didn’t love her the way she deserved to be loved. He had made his decision and he’d suffered the consequences.

“What do you think Hugh will say when I tell him?” she asked, her voice sounding unusually small.

That was a no-win question. The Hugh he knew was probably the last person who wanted a kid, especially with someone who couldn’t advance his career. Bia was salt of the earth, the tenacious girl-next-door type. A woman any normal guy would fall over himself to be with. She was smart, funny and loyal to those she cared about. And he’d realized too late that he’d loved her all his life.

“I think what’s more important is what you’re going to say. How you pose it to him sets the tone for his response.”

She opened her mouth but closed it again, sitting back against the banquette and sighing. “I don’t know what to say.” She threw up her hands and let them fall into her lap.

“Tell him the truth. Cut-and-dry.”

“Hi, Hugh. It’s Bia Anderson. Remember me? No? Well, I was your Celebration, Texas, tour guide. Yeah, right, that one. The one your people offered to pay to be quiet. Funny thing, I’m pregnant. Yeah, that’s right. You and I are going to be parents. Isn’t that great news? I’m sure that’s changed your mind about me—makes me so much more attractive, doesn’t it?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve got nothing, Aiden.”

He didn’t know what to say. Usually, Bia had no problem saying what was on her mind. That’s what made her a good reporter and had gotten her the top job at the paper. It was a rare circumstance that she was hesitant to make a call or speak her mind.

Of course Bia didn’t know what to say. She didn’t play contrived Hollywood games, which was one of the many things that Aiden loved about her. It was why this was so hard for her.

“Let’s think about this,” he said. “He’ll probably be shocked. Be prepared for that. He might need some time to digest things before he’s able to wrap his mind around it.”

Bia chewed her thumbnail.

“And there’s always Kristin. If he’s really in love with her, this is going to make things pretty rocky for them. If he told her the tour guide story, she’ll probably be pretty upset.”

Bia snorted. “Heaven forbid we upset Kristin Capistrano.”

Aiden held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just trying to help.”

“I know you are. I’m sorry.”

“There’s always the possibility that they’re not in love,” he offered. “At least not with each other. They’re filming a movie together in a few weeks. The relationship is good press. Just watch. But be prepared. He may want to keep things quiet about the baby until after the premiere. Don’t be surprised.”

Bia blanched. “That could be a year.”

Aiden touched her arm. It was warm and soft. Her skin broke out into goose flesh on contact. He tried not to read anything into that. Instead, he reminded himself that she was pregnant. With another man’s child. Somehow, that just made him feel more protective of her.

“But if he’s any sort of human being, he will man-up in due time.”

They sat quietly for a moment. The only sound in the kitchen was the hum of the refrigerator and the faint tick of the old-fashioned red enamel rooster clock that hung over the banquette.

“I know I’ve already told you this, but my dad did a great job raising me. Still, I always felt as if I were missing out because I didn’t have two parents. A kid deserves two parents.”

“You’re preaching to the choir,” Aiden said. “Your dad was more of a father to me than my own.”

Aiden’s dad had left the family when Aiden was nine years old. The age where every boy needs a father figure most. Aiden had spent more time at the Andersons’ house hanging out with Bia’s dad, Hank, than at his own. Hank had taught him how to throw a football, taken him fishing and taught him how to drive a car with a manual transmission.

“If Hugh wants to be part of the baby’s life—or even better, if he wants to make a life with us—I’d be willing to consider it.”

Aiden had to grit his teeth to keep from telling her not to count on it. Because Aiden knew if he said it, he’d be the bad guy. The jerk. No, he’d just keep quiet and let Hugh speak for himself. Maybe the guy would surprise everyone. Fat chance, but stranger things had happened.

“So, you’d be willing to make that sacrifice, huh? Living with the sexiest man alive? Wow, you’re such a martyr, Princess. Such a martyr.”

She rolled her eyes at him. Then she nestled into the crook between his arm and shoulder, that place where she fit so well.

“What’s next, after you call Hugh?”

“I have a doctor’s appointment Thursday.”

“What time?”

“Why?”

“I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to do that, Aiden.”

“I know, but I want to. I’ll be there for you, for moral support.

* * *

Cell phone in hand, Bia went into the bedroom and shut the door. Aiden was waiting in the kitchen. He’d said he understood that she needed to be alone when she made the call.

She wondered if he was standing guard, making sure she actually went through with it. She eyed the window, contemplating crawling out of it. But she knew that although she might be able to run away now, she’d never be able to escape the truth. She might as well make the call while Aiden was there. Besides, he would know if she chickened out. He had this uncanny way of reading her.

After what had happened with Maya yesterday, she wondered if she was too much of an open book or too transparent, but that had never been the case before. In fact, if anything, most people accused her of being too closed, too prickly. Maya’s correct guess that Bia was pregnant had been a fluke. That’s all there was to it. She would just need to make sure Maya didn’t say anything to anyone else. She would go talk to her again later that week.

But right now, first things first. She needed to make the call.

Her hand was shaking as she picked up the phone and pulled up Hugh’s number in her contacts. She wanted to laugh at the irony—how many women would pay to have Hugh Newman’s private number, to hear his voice over the line? But this was a call that she dreaded more than any she’d ever placed.