The Very Rich Man (The Very Manly Series Book 3) Read online

  “I’m good, thanks, Dare.” She smiled at Chloe. “He kept the mimosas flowing. One more and I’d be very unprofessional.”

  “You? Never.” He went to her with a glass of ice water. “Here, sip on this so the pilots don’t have to drag you onboard like cavemen.” Darian narrowed his eyes at Chloe. “Speaking of them, we caught up with your friend, Rob, earlier this morning as we were leaving.”

  “He stopped by to say hi and ask about lunch.”

  “Of course. It’s Valentine’s Day. Who else would he spend it with but you?” He sat at his desk. “I’m assuming you want to take lunch now?”

  She took a wavering breath. She did, but not for the reasons he imagined. “I wouldn’t mind getting out for thirty minutes or so.”

  Sabrina giggled. “Is that all?” As if realizing this wasn’t the place, she turned pink. “Sorry,” she said before taking a drink of water. “Ignore me, please.”

  Chloe gave her a smile, faking a sincerity she didn’t feel. “You’re fine. So, if you don’t mind?”

  “Go, sure. I’m taking our guest to the airport and I’ll be back by four thirty. We can go over what I’ve missed today.”

  “Certainly.” She hurried out, grabbing her purse on the way.

  She passed Marjorie without a word and was grateful for their lack of friendship and the small talk that would necessitate. Chloe walked to a corner store several blocks away. The place wasn’t familiar to her and it took longer than she expected to find a pregnancy test kit, female supplies, a bag of chips, candy bar, and a soda. If she hurried, there would be time for a quick test before hurrying back to work.

  Putting everything into her purse, she went into the sandwich shop. Their bathroom was free so she slunk in and locked the door. Her hand shook as she read the instructions. In a little while, the results came back positive. Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. This couldn’t be real. Chloe took the second test and got the same results.

  She was running out of time, so buried her trash in the middle of the waste bin. She washed her hands, patted her face, and hurried out. The food smelled good and nauseating at the same time. She sniffed back tears, determined to cry her heart out tonight at home.

  By the time she got back to the office, Marjorie’s desk had several vases of flowers on it. Chloe walked past to her own desk. Nothing waited for her there except the usual work. She sat, stunned by the positives on both tests.

  Darian left his office and stood next to her. “You missed your boyfriend. He came up to get Sabbie and take her home.”

  She turned, giving him a glare. Sabbie? Really? Chloe was not in the mood for this. “That’s too bad. He’s a good friend. Sabrina seems like a great person, too. Such a shame you couldn’t go back with your girlfriend.”

  He laughed. “I knew it! You’re jealous.”

  Insanely, especially now. She lifted her chin and gave him her best rude waiter glare. “Me? I don’t think so.”

  Darian crossed his arms, still grinning. “You are.”

  “And you sound like a child. Boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever.”

  “You’re right, and I apologize. It’s all the love stuff in the air.”

  “I know.” She nodded toward the front reception. “Her desk out there looks like a florist barfed.”

  “It does. All the places I took Sabrina were cooing over us like we were a couple. She’s an employee, nothing more.”

  Chloe bit her tongue to keep from asking about the woman’s flavor in the bedroom. She was probably not vanilla. Instead, she smiled. “When did you want to go over what you missed?”

  “Now is good.” He tilted his head toward her brown paper bag. “Wait, is that your lunch or this afternoon’s snack?”

  “It’ll wait.” She stood, taking her tablet. “Let’s get started so we’re out before nine tonight.”

  “Fine, bring your food, too. You’re not talking the whole time.”

  She gave him a smirk, but did as he suggested. As soon as she settled in, they began to work. Chloe struggled to concentrate on the tasks instead of him. Every time she stared into his eyes, she couldn’t help but wonder if their child would have the same color.

  The afternoon wore on and her need to throw up over the pregnancy eased. The tests had to be old. She’d not checked the expiration date. There’d been stress, a new job, this relationship of sorts, seeing Rob as a friend, Marjorie. Any one of those could cause a hormone problem. She took a deep breath and relaxed. All in her mind, had to be.

  “Why don’t we take a break for a few minutes? I could use a stretch.”

  “Me too.” She got to her feet, unsteady from sitting so long.

  “Sorry, I wasn’t watching the time. I think my foot’s asleep.”

  She returned his smile and led the way to the outer office. “Maybe we need to set a timer. It’s been two hours.”

  “Seemed longer, huh?”

  “Maybe.” She saw the rose bouquet on her desk. “Wow! What a surprise!” Chloe glanced at him for clues. His face appeared oddly neutral. She reached for the card with a slight smile. Love from Rob. She counted a dozen roses, too much for the few dates they’d had. “How nice.”

  Marjorie walked up to them. “Someone has a secret. So? Spill it.”

  Chloe looked from the pilot’s signature to her. “You mean who are they from? You’ve met him. He’s a pilot for Mr. Lawrence’s plane.”

  “Oo, nice. He must like you to splurge for these, especially today.” She smelled Chloe’s flowers. “Tomorrow would have been cheaper.”

  “He’s not financially savvy,” added Darian.

  Chloe smiled at him. He’d let a little jealousy slip into his tone yet again. If the air between them was better, she’d tease him. When Marjorie coughed, she had to admit the woman being here kept her quiet, too. “I’ll make a note to get him a session or two from a money consultant for his birthday.” She yawned all of a sudden, covering her mouth just in time. “Goodness! Where did that come from?”

  The phone at reception rang and Marjorie went to answer it. Darian peered into Chloe’s eyes. “You have dark circles and have been off center all day today. Are you doing ok?”

  “I’m fine,” she lied. “I’ll get something to drink and perk up for the rest of the day.”

  “Good to hear. Do what you have to.” He went back to his office.

  His abruptness didn’t surprise her. She took the chance to run downstairs to vending and grab another soft drink. When upstairs again, Chloe found him at his desk and frowning at his computer. “Something up?”

  “Nothing major. I’m wondering when will be a good day for you to take off of work.”

  She eased down into the seat across from him. “For how long? Is this random, or did you want my help in deciding?”

  He smiled at her. “I’ll need your help, of course. I’m thinking sometime next week, say Tuesday or Wednesday. Mondays and Fridays would be better, but, it’s not possible.”

  “Is there a specific reason for this vacation or is it a belated Valentine’s Day present?” She caught his glance at the drawer where he kept the Tiffany’s package. Was it still there, even after Sabrina’s departure?

  “Sure, yeah, a Valentine’s Day present. You’ve been a trouper, plus you’ve started looking tired all the time.” He shrugged. “In an odd, glowy sort of way.”

  Right, she thought. Nice save, buddy. She ignored her irritation and planned ahead. She could call tomorrow morning and get an appointment at her usual doctor. While it meant driving to Wyoming as soon as she left work, she didn’t mind. The sooner she knew for sure, the better to plan ahead for a new life. She swallowed the rising bile. “I’d like Friday the week after, if that’s good with you.”

  “Sounds good.” He scanned his calendar for a moment. “Perfect. My schedule is full, but you can catch up on Monday, Saturday if you check email.”

  “Perfect. Thank you.” She tapped on her tablet. “Now, what did you decide on Ted’s second bid
for the Murphy units?”

  Chloe read the latest bestseller on her phone while waiting. The device rang, the tone bouncing off of the sterile walls. She looked at the caller id and clicked ignore. Like the times before, she added the number to Darian under the contacts list each time he used a new one to reach her. She never had to hear his voice again.

  She resumed reading, happy the paper covered table bed was comfy. So far, this office visit had been the same as any other routine physical. She rolled her eyes. Except for the urine sample. That was new and fun. She sighed and went back to her novel. A few minutes later, she heard a few taps on the door and looked up. “Come in.”

  “Good afternoon, Chloe.”

  She grinned at him. He’d been her go to doctor for several years now. The drive back home was worth the effort. “Hello, Dr. Mitchell.”

  “How have you been? Your mom said you’d moved to Denver? What’s up there we don’t have here?”

  “Bigger city, more job opportunities.” Her chin quivered. “That’s all,” she managed to say before bursting into tears. “Nothing else, really.”

  He gave her a hug, patting her back. “There there, I know. It’s where your baby’s father lives, I assume.”

  “It is,” she replied, taking the wad of tissues from him. “So it’s true? I really am?”

  “You are, the test was positive.” He let go of her to check her ears with the little poky thing. “I’m betting this is a surprise as well.” When she nodded, he said, “If you’d been in for your yearly check up, I might have written you a prescription for birth control.”

  “I know, and sorry.”

  As he placed the stethoscope against her back, he said, “Breathe in deep for me a few times.”

  She did as he said, adding, “I kept putting it off.”

  “Everyone does.” He began testing her reflexes, tapping her knee, behind an elbow, on her shoulder. The doctor grinned when she laughed. “Funny how that tickles.”

  “It is.”

  “So tell me, are you going to be a single mother?”

  The question irritated her. She’d never planned on having a child on her own. “I’m not afraid of hard work. My mom was single for a long time, but managed to keep us clothed and fed.”

  “She’s a great person and did a great job with you.” He turned to her. “Since you’re going through this on your own, it’s important to take notes or keep reminders around.”

  “I’d planned to do that.”

  “Good. Did you want me to refer you to an OB/GYN here or in Denver?”

  “I’m not sure.” She needed to make a solid decision soon, for the baby’s sake. Her mom could help, Chloe had friends here. It made sense to come back to Wyoming. “My lease isn’t up for a couple of months.”

  He typed a little while on the computer before saying, “All right. I’ll make a note to check back with you later. In the meantime, I’ll have you go get lab work. The usual checks with a few baby bonuses thrown in for baseline measures.” He stood, closing the laptop and opening the door. “Come on across the hallway and let’s get your lab work started.”

  The following Monday, Chloe walked out of the elevator. Unhappy at seeing Marjorie already there, she mustered up a smile and greeted to the other woman. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning.” She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you looked pregnant.”

  Chloe almost skidded to a halt at the statement. She glanced at Darian’s door to see him standing there. Unable to keep the panic from her face, she all but dove for her own seat. “Don’t start gossip, Marjorie.” Her hands shook while she unlocked her desk and began her usual morning routine. Feeling his touch on her shoulder, she trembled.

  “Is it true?”

  She turned to look at him. “My personal life is not open for discussion.”

  Chapter 7

  Shock hit him first, as if he’d touched his tongue to a live wire. Everything in her demeanor yelled she was pregnant. His heart imploded like an old building. They’d used protection. The baby had to be someone else’s, Rob’s most likely. Who else would have sent a bouquet to her yesterday? He grit his teeth and smiled at her. “I can respect that. When you’re ready to talk, that’s fine, too.”

  His brain couldn’t keep going after this, so he turned and hurried to his office. He closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. Away from the scrutiny of her eyes, he could think clearly. He sat and buried his head in his hands. She’d never looked so guilty before now. His hard thudded heavy in his chest. He’d had his chance with Chloe. Could have claimed her as his own but pissed it all away.

  He wanted to throw his glass paperweight through a window. The damage might ease some of his rage. The hurt? No cure for that. He tapped his fingers on the desk, wondering when she and Rob…He felt sick. It had to have been soon after New York.

  Darian stood and went to stare at the Rockies, absorb their calming influence on him. He’d told her that night wasn’t a big deal. He hadn’t lied. He didn’t want it to mean anything permanent. He had plans for his life, his company, and nothing included Chloe and her obviously fertile body. Her beautiful, responsive, and irresistible body. Not helping, he told himself.

  So. He fucked up big time. There were other women in the world. Sabrina was sweet and sex in a business suit. Marjorie? He shuddered. No, not her. If Rob made Chloe happy, he was happy. Maybe not now, but he’d learn to be. The woman wasn’t the only fish in the sea. He’d be fine without her.

  Before he could change his mind, Darian IMed her to his office. She walked in and his resolve wavered. Now that he knew, she seemed more beautiful. Softer, sweeter, and he wanted her in his arms. And on top of the desk, if he were honest with himself.

  “Do you want the door closed?”

  “Yes, please.” He stood and went to his bar. The coffee maker had a timer, the most inexpensive yet wonderful investment he’d ever made. “Did you want something to drink?”

  “No, I’m good.”

  He came back with his own cup and a glass of ice water for her in case she wanted it later. “No pressure.” He snuck a peek at her. She looked miserable, as if waiting for him to fire her. “It’s true? You’re pregnant?” At her nod, he added, “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, and I’m sorry. I didn’t plan this at all.”

  “From what I can tell, most people don’t.” He kept his tone light and it seemed to work on her. She took a drink, setting the glass down. “The baby is probably a blessing in disguise. Not everything in life needs to be planned to the tiniest detail.” He smiled when she looked up at him. It hurt him, but he managed to say, “I’m very happy for you. You’ll make a great mother.”

  Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks before she buried her face in her hands. Darian sat, stunned, for a moment. When she began sobbing, tissues came to mind. He only had toilet paper in his washroom. Would that hurt a pregnant woman? Not wanting to take chances, he went and grabbed a few paper towels from the bar. “Here, um, Chloe.” He’d almost called her sweetheart while handing her the napkins. “It’s not that bad. Happens to people every day. I’ll help you with whatever you need, I promise.”

  “You can’t mean that. All this has to be a surprise to you, too.”

  “I’ll admit this is a big surprise, but I meant it when I said I’d help. You’ll have all the maternity benefits LI offers. There’s a few more that being my assistant allows.” He counted them off on his fingers. “Working at home, you can keep the baby at the daycare here.” He couldn’t think of anything else babies needed, Darian closed his hand and cleared his throat. Now realizing his company could do more for parents, he went to his computer and typed up a quick reminder to look into it later.

  Chloe wiped her eyes. “Sorry about crying. My tears have a mind of their own. It’s scary.” She sniffed. “Thank you. I didn’t expect for you to be nice. It’s been a shocker for me, as I’m sure it is for y
ou.” She crumpled the napkin in one hand, not meeting his eyes. “I know most people would demand the support for the money, but I’d prefer nothing except your being a real father to the baby.”

  “Me?” He laughed at the idea, though the sports part of her having a boy might be fun. A good excuse to go to every Bronco’s game. “Why me when Rob’s the father?”

  The stricken look on her face told him everything and Rob’s rejection of her infuriated him. “Let me guess. You’ve told him and he threw you out. If he doesn’t do the right thing for this child, I’ll fire him.”

  “He’s not the father.”

  “Then, who is…?” Her expression said everything. Pregnant with what she thought was his child. Panic frozen him until the reassuring memory of protection came to mind. “No, that’s not possible. We were safe.”

  Her lower lip trembled before she said, “You’re the only man I’ve been with for a long while.”

  Darian couldn’t believe it. He’d been conned. All her charm and innocence had fooled him. His eyes narrowed as anger filled him over the deceit. “I don’t mean to be crude, but you have been seeing another guy lately. Are you sure the baby is mine?”

  Her chin lifted and she stood. “No. I’m not sure. In fact, the only thing I am sure of is the baby isn’t yours and never will be.”

  He grinned, not taking the bait he saw there. Accidents didn’t happen to him, not the baby sort. Did she really expect him to beg her to let him be the father? Reverse psychology was a joke. “That’s not what you implied a moment ago.”

  Chloe stared down at his desk, fists clenched. “I don’t have anything typed up, but would like to give my notice.” She looked up at him, her eyes cold. “I’d prefer it be immediate, but if you’ll take the time as a two week vacation, I’ll give two weeks’ notice.”

  Willing to play this game, he shrugged. “Whatever day you need to leave is fine. I won’t force you into anything.”

  “Thank you. In fact, I’d like to take the rest of the afternoon. I’ve been putting off some things and need to catch up.”