The Last Husband (Forever Love #2)(35)
Author: J.S. Cooper

My heart pounded as I thought about dinner with Angelique. I had to make sure that she had no idea about my relationship with Lucky. All though Braydon may have told her something, he probably thought that it was just about sex with Lucky, and Angelique wouldn’t mind that. She knew what the deal was—what the deal used to be with me. My biggest worry now was Lucky. I felt my stomach dip in fear and worry. My biggest fear was her finding out about Angelique and the dinner. I wasn’t sure how she would react to finding out about the evening I had planned, and I couldn’t risk her not accepting it. She had made some jealous comments about Angelique already, and I knew that it was a sore spot. I took a deep breath and rubbed my brow. I jumped out of bed and walked down the stairs. I couldn’t stay in the bed and just lay there, knowing that I was living a lie.

I walked into the backyard and sat on one of the recliners, and looked up at the sky. The sun was about to rise, and it was quiet. I loved the stillness of early morning. The only sounds I could hear were the birds chirping and the sounds of a few cars passing by. I laid back and thought about everything that was going on. I had to change. This was going to be the last time that I lied to Lucky. She deserved better than this. Our relationship deserved better. Our baby (oh God, I hoped there was a baby), deserved better.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to Lucky standing in front of me, crying her eyes out. My heart froze as I thought to myself, She knows. She knows about the dinner with Angelique and she’s breaking up with me.

“What’s wrong?” My voice was brusque. I was going to deny it. It hadn’t happened, yet. She couldn’t prove anything.

“I got my period,” she cried and looked into my eyes with sadness.

“Okay.” I looked at her for a moment, wondering if she had lost it. Why was she crying just because she had her period?

“I woke up and I had my period,” she cried.

I gave her a smile. “It’s okay. I don’t mind if you ruined the sheets.”

“I got my period!” she exclaimed louder, and then it hit me.

She got her period.

“You can cancel the doctor’s appointment.”

I felt my heart lurch at the words, but I pulled her into my arms to comfort her. “It’s okay,” I whispered. I kissed her hair, and then all over her face. “It’s okay, Lucky. Maybe right now wasn’t the right time to have a baby.”

“I wanted to have a baby,” she cried into my shoulders. “I wanted us to have a baby.”

“And we still can. You just have more time to finish school and do all those other things you wanted to do.”

I tried not to think about her going back to school and meeting all those other guys, guys without issues, guys who didn’t hold back certain information. She’d leave me. She’d meet a better guy, a man whose mother hadn’t left him, a guy who wasn’t f**ked up.

“Are you okay?” This time it was her turn to ask me the question. I guessed that she heard the dejection in my voice.

“Yes, yes.” I nodded and held her close. I didn’t want to let go of her. I didn’t want to be without her warmth and love. Lucky was healing my broken heart, piece by piece, and I was scared that it would shatter into a million pieces if she ever decided to leave me for good. “Don’t leave me, Lucky.”

“Leave you?” She frowned. “Why would I leave you?”

“There’s nothing holding you here, now.”

“Is that why you wanted me to be pregnant?” She sat back. “Because you thought I’d leave you if I wasn’t?”

“No,” my voice was firm and I stood up. “Let’s go inside.” I was done talking about emotions. I needed my head to be in the right place.

“Okay.” She followed me into the house. “Oh, I can’t believe I forgot to tell you, but Leeza is coming to Los Angeles.”

“Okay.”

“Today.” Her voice was low and she wiped her eyes.

“Today?” That was all I needed, her busybody friend in my business.

“Is that okay?”

“It’s fine. I can’t cancel my meeting tonight, I’m afraid, but I’m sure Leo won’t mind if she joins you both for dinner.”

“Yeah, maybe they’ll even hit it off.” She grinned, her mood lightening as we walked up the stairs.

“Unlikely. Leo is picky.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, nothing.” I looked at her upset eyes and brought her in close to me. “I’m sure they’ll get on like a house on fire.” I stroked her hair and kissed her cheek, suddenly happy that Leeza was going to be there.

I knew that Leo went for girls like Lucky – girls who were spunky and beautiful, with hearts of gold. He was like me, in that any girl was okay for a night in the sack, but for the long-term, he wanted a gem. And Lucky was the most sparkling gem out there. I trusted him and I trusted her, but I didn’t want to put anything to chance. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if her friend Leeza was there, even if I didn’t trust her one iota.

“Yeah,” she sniffled. “Don’t worry, I don’t want her rushing into a relationship with Leo after being with Evan.”

“She dated Evan?” I frowned. “I thought they just knew each other.”

“Well, they knew each other intimately, I guess.”

“She gets around fast, doesn’t she?”

“Hey.” Lucky pinched me in the arm.

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Uh huh.” She pushed away from me and walked into her room. “I’m getting in the shower.”

“In there?” I looked at her with a heavy heart. Was she mad at me again?

“Yeah, I’d rather bathe in here today.” She nodded and blushed. “It’s a girl thing.”

“Oh okay.” Understanding dawned in me and I grinned. “Sure thing.”

I walked back into my bedroom and inspiration hit me. I grabbed a pen and paper and started writing, furiously. I grinned to myself as I read the words of the poem I had written for her. I had an idea and I wanted to make sure that everything was going to be perfect. I picked up the phone to call a friend, and went into the shower about 15 minutes later, a much happier man.

“One day people shall talk of this day, my love. One day birds shall sing of my joy, my love.” I sang to myself as I changed and I paused as I heard my phone ringing. I answered it, immediately, and my heart stilled as I spoke.