The Billionaire's Baby Arrangement Page 6

  “You see,” Nick said with a grin. “You’re clever and feisty and pretty. Listen, I may have had a reputation back then—”

  “Similar to the one you have now,” she butted in.

  “R-right. But I didn’t want to lump you in with the other girls I dated.”

  “You never dated me. Are you going to tell me that’s because I was so special?”

  “I was afraid of you.”

  “What?” Brooke sat back in her seat, thunderstruck. Nothing he said was sinking in, but this, this was too ridiculous to even consider. “Big, bad Brooke.”

  “Sweet, special, smart Brooke,” he said.

  Her anger rose. His compliments meant nothing to her. “Stop! Just stop, Nick,” she rushed out. “Why don’t you just admit the truth! I didn’t measure up to the other girls in your string. You got me naked and decided you could do better. Isn’t that what really happened? I was inexperienced and I don’t know, maybe I wasn’t doing the right things and you—”

  “Let me get this straight,” he said, between clenched teeth. “You’re angry because we didn’t screw like rabbits all night long? Here I was trying to be noble, to do the right thing, and you’re upset because I didn’t take your virginity?”

  “I cared about you,” she said, raising her voice. “I wanted it to be with you.”

  “And I didn’t want to use you. Damn it, the one time I do the right thing I get kicked in the ass. Listen, Brooke. I wasn’t sticking around. At that time, my life, my future was baseball. I was leaving the next week for the minor leagues. And yeah, you scared me, because of all the girls I’d been with you were the one girl who could tie me down. The one girl I’d miss when I took off. It wouldn’t have worked. I didn’t want to hurt you. I never meant to.”

  “But you did,” she said quietly. “You devastated me, Nick. I never heard from you again. Ever.”

  I was deeply in love with you.

  She opened up to him, finally confessing what she’d held back all these years, “Just think of all the worst things you think about yourself, your secret innermost thoughts that nag at you day after day, that you’re nothing, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not wealthy enough, not anything and to have those very thoughts confirmed by the one person in the world who can change your opinion. You leaving me there that night confirmed the worst about myself.”

  Nick came around the coffee table to sit beside her. From the dim lights, she could see into his eyes, the sorrow there and the apology. He didn’t try to touch her, but those eyes penetrating hers were like the tightest embrace. “I’m sorry. I thought I did the right thing for you. I’ve never been one to hold back when I wanted something, but what I did that night, it was for you. I wanted you, Brooke. But it wouldn’t have been fair to you.”

  Brooke had clung to her perceptions about Nick for so long it was hard to let them go. She wanted to believe him and release the bitter feelings that had only dragged her down these past years. She wanted to be done with it. She had a future to look forward to now with Leah. Finally she resigned herself to accept Nick’s claim as the truth as he saw it. “Okay, Nick.”

  It still didn’t make up for the months of anguish she’d experienced or for the heartache of loving someone like Nick, but she realized it was finally time to move on.

  “Okay?” Nick said. “We’ve cleared the air?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  And they sat in silence for a long while, just absorbing the conversation.

  “I think I’m well enough to leave tomorrow,” Brooke said finally. “I’ve got a new life waiting for me.” She rose from the sofa. “I should go.”

  Nick nodded, but his response left room for doubt. “We’ll see.”

  Brooke dressed Leah in a blue-and-white-polka-dotted short set with a ruffled collar and bloomers. She combed her hair and hummed the Sesame Street song, laughing as Leah’s stubborn curls popped right back up the minute she put the brush down. The morning seemed filled with promise. She’d had a lot to absorb from her encounter with Nick last night and she’d slept on it, waking this morning with a better attitude and ready to put the past behind her.

  “It’s gonna be a good day, baby girl,” she said, lifting Leah up and twirling her around. A wave of light-headedness hit her and Brooke stopped and let it pass, clutching her child tight. “Your mommy is pushing her luck,” she whispered.

  Nurse Jacobs entered the room, dressed and ready to take over. “Time to take your vitals,” she said to Brooke.

  Brooke complied, having her blood pressure and temperature taken. When the nurse finished her exam, she gave her a reassuring smile. “You look well-rested.”

  “I’m feeling much better today.”

  “You got dizzy just a second ago.”

  Brooke didn’t think she’d seen that. “Stupid of me to spin Leah around. I won’t do that again. We’re going down for breakfast.”

  “Okay, I’ll hold Leah on the way downstairs.”

  “Actually, I’d like to hold her.”

  Nurse Jacobs narrowed her eyes and debated until Brooke added, “You’ll be right by my side. We’ll go down together.”

  Once it was all settled, they headed to the kitchen. They heard cupboards being opened and slammed shut and curses being muttered by Nick in hushed tones. The odor of burnt toast filled the air. Brooke walked in with Leah in her arms, took one look at the kitchen in disarray with greasy frying pans on the stovetop, blackened bread in the toaster and Nick, dressed in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt that hugged his male frame, looking frustrated and out of sorts.

  Brooke immediately grinned. “I didn’t feel the tornado this morning. Did you, Leah?”

  The baby looked at her quizzically.

  Nick cast Brooke a quick glance. “Carlotta’s got the morning off, not that she cooks anyway, but at least she can boil water and make toast. Looks like I can do neither.”

  Brooke took in the state-of-the-art appliances and fully functional workstation. “It’s a great kitchen. You don’t have a cook?”

  “Not since my father passed away. The cook retired and we’ve managed without her up until now. Tony’s gone and Joe spends his time at the office or with his fiancée. Which leaves me. I’ve been fending for myself, not very well I might add, interviewing a little, but no one’s worked out.” He picked up the phone. “I’ll call for delivery. What would you ladies like for breakfast?”

  Brooke shook her head. “Jeez, that bump on my head didn’t obliterate my cooking skills. I’ll fix breakfast. It’s the least I can do. I make a mean omelet. Let me at this kitchen and I’ll have breakfast on the table in half an hour.” Nick put the phone down slowly and Brooke took over. “Here, hold Leah a minute while I raid your refrigerator.”

  She put Leah in Nick’s arms and her daughter snuggled in looking comfortable, while Nick looked anything but. He tried to hand her off to Nurse Jacobs and the wily nurse stepped back and shook her head. “Brooke is my patient.” She winked at Brooke. Nick sat down at the kitchen table with a twist of his lips and Leah latched onto his shirt.

  Brooke opened his double stainless steel refrigerator and began taking out ingredients. “It’s well stocked, which is good news.” She immersed herself in her task, enjoying the process. She quickly whipped together three of the lightest, fluffiest omelets she’d ever made, pan-fried potatoes and a fresh fruit salad. Coffee brewed in the pot and while she cooked, Nurse Jacobs set the table.

  “How’s Leah doing over there?” Brooke asked. She’d been keeping an eye on the two of them.

  “Is she always this fidgety?” Nick asked as Leah tried to crawl her way up his chest. She pulled at his shirt and brought her little hand up to swipe at his chin. He set her back down onto his lap. “I think I liked her better when she was sleeping.”

  Brooke smiled. “She’s an absolute angel…when she’s sleeping. Okay, all set. I’ll dish it up. I hope you like lots of veggies and avocado.”

  There was still tension between
them, but she wouldn’t have to deal with it too much longer because Brooke was leaving today. She was eager and excited at the prospect of starting her own business.

  She served the meal and silence ensued. With Leah on her lap, she dug into the omelet and tasted. Not bad. Then she glanced at Nick’s plate to find he’d gobbled up the omelet already and was working on the potatoes. “Want another?” she asked.

  “In a heartbeat. Finish yours first. I’ll work on what’s left on my plate.”

  A few minutes later, Brooke started cooking Nick’s second omelet and Nurse Jacobs took Leah outside for a little stroll.

  Nick leaned over the black granite counter, elbows folded, watching her put the bell peppers, onions, bits of ham and grated cheese onto the egg mix and top it off with avocado. “So we’re good, about last night. No hard feelings?”

  Brooke met his gaze, waiting for the hurt, anger and bitterness to emerge. When it didn’t appear, her heart lifted. She and Nick came from different worlds. They were never destined to be together and maybe…just maybe she might believe that he had spared her that night. Yet her initial thoughts from her high school days hadn’t changed. He was way out of her league. If she were looking for a man, he wouldn’t be last on her list—he wouldn’t be on it at all. He wasn’t a man to stick around. Nick was a player and Brooke had already played the game and lost. And while that might be okay for her, it wasn’t all right for Leah. Her daughter’s needs always had to come first.

  “No hard feelings. But we have to talk about something else. Have you heard back from your mechanic?”

  “I have.”

  “And? What’s the bad news?”

  He frowned. “Your car might live.”

  “That’s not bad news! That’s great.”

  She flipped the omelet over and lifted it with a spatula then grabbed Nick’s plate from the table. “I was hoping it wasn’t totaled.” She loaded the omelet onto the dish and set it in front of him.

  He took his fork and began eating. “How do you do it? This is better than the last one and that one was pretty damn good.”

  “I’m amazing. I can make an omelet.”

  Nick scoffed. “You’re a good cook, Brooke. Admit it.”

  “I do okay. So how much is it gonna cost for the repairs?”

  “It’s taken care of.”

  She blinked and stood completely still. “No, Nick. It’s not. Both of our cars were damaged. I owe somebody, something. I plan to pay. Do you have an estimate?”

  “I do.”

  “Well, where is it? Show it to me,” she ordered.

  Nick scratched his head and stared at her. She glared back and held her ground. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two pieces of paper from Napa Auto Body Works. Unfolding the papers, he laid them onto the counter and turned them her way.

  “Thirteen thousand dollars for your car! You can practically buy a new car for that!” Of course she’d had to collide into Nick and the most expensive car on the planet.

  “My insurance will cover most of it.”

  Relieved about that, Brooke peered at her estimate. “Forty-eight hundred dollars.” She breathed a heavy sigh. That would cut heavily into the money she had saved to start her business, not to mention fixing up the place. The broken interior door would have to wait, and so would the painters and new linens she’d need for the beds. And fixing the bathrooms. Still, she couldn’t make any repairs without her car. She needed wheels. “When can I have my car back?”

  “Maybe you should get another car. Randy said it was borderline. He could fix your car but it’s almost not worth it.”

  “I can’t do that. I can’t afford a newer car.”

  Annoyed that Nick would think it just that easy for her to buy a car, she turned away, working out her frustration by scrubbing the frying pan in the sink.

  A long minute stretched out in silence.

  “Brooke, turn around.” Nick was sure bossy this morning. She turned. “Listen, I have a proposition for you. I’ve got a 2006 Lexus just sitting in the garage waiting to be driven. The insurance is paid up on it for the rest of the year. It’s yours if you want it.”

  She laughed at the thought, shaking her head. “Yeah, you’ll just give me a car.”

  “Not give. You’ll work it off.”

  “Work it off?” Her smile faded instantly. She closed her eyes to small slits. “I feel the need to slap you coming on.”

  “Cooking,” he explained.

  “Cooking?”

  “You need a car. I need a cook. Correct that, I desperately need a cook. Carlotta’s been a pain about who she’ll let into the house. The last cook I tried to hire had Carlotta threatening to quit, but she’ll jump for joy at having you here.”

  She immediately began shaking her head. “No, it wouldn’t work. I’ve got a job. I’m going to be spending all my time at my aunt’s place. My place now.”

  “You said yourself, it’s in bad shape. You can stay here while you work on your place.” The idea seemed to take hold, snowballing as Nick became more adamant. “I’d only need you for breakfast and dinner. You’d have all day to work at the house.”

  “I’m not staying here.”

  “You shouldn’t have made me that omelet, Brooke. My stomach’s involved now. You need the car. I’m tired of eating restaurant food. It’ll work out for both of us. Think about it.”

  She didn’t’ want to think about it. She didn’t, but his offer was too good not to at least give it some thought. “How long before I earned the car?”

  “For as long as you need to get your place up and running. A couple of months?”

  “That’s very generous of you, but I can’t—”

  “Your car doesn’t have air bags,” he pointed out none too gently. “You’d be foolish to fix that car.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, reminded of what might have happened. The accident could have been far worse.

  “Think of Leah,” he added without missing a beat.

  She was thinking of Leah, constantly. And harrowing thoughts of that accident struck her with fear. She’d actually lost consciousness when they’d collided. What if she hadn’t run into someone she’d known? What would have happened to Leah then? She didn’t want to take Nick’s offer. But Leah’s safety came first. She remembered what the flight attendants always said in their little welcome aboard speech about putting an oxygen mask on yourself first, before putting one on for your child. The bottom line, in order to care for your child, you must take care of yourself.

  Brooke craved independence and wanted to be indebted to no one. Living under Nick Carlino’s roof wouldn’t be an option if she were thinking only about herself. But of course, Nick had the upper hand and was on the right side of the argument. Small wonder—he negotiated for Carlino Wines, and knew when to finesse and when to land the crushing blow. This time, he’d used Leah as his weapon and Brooke was defeated.

  “That’s low, Nick. You know I always have Leah’s welfare at heart. What’s in it for you?”

  “I’m selfish enough to want to eat good meals. And keep the housekeeper from walking out. Do we have a deal?”

  Brooke’s mouth turned down as she accepted. “Hand over the keys and tell me what you want for dinner.”

  The dimples of doom came out when he smiled and Brooke didn’t find them attractive at all.

  Not even a little bit.

  “You’re joking, right? You’ve got Brooke Hamilton living with you now? I thought it was only temporary.” Joe glanced at Tony as they sat at their monthly meeting at the Carlino offices in downtown Napa. His two brothers shook their heads in disapproval. “You’re good, little brother,” Joe said, “but I didn’t know how good. You met her what, twenty-four hours ago?”

  Normally, Nick didn’t let his brothers get to him, but right now he wasn’t in the mood for their wisecracking. He spoke through tight lips. “It was two days ago. And more like she met with the front end of my Ferrari. She’s working for me, to pay
off her debt.” Hell, he made her sound like an indentured servant. With a brisk wave of the hand, he added, “It’s complicated.”

  Tony’s laughter filled the air. “Complicated as in a honey blonde with pretty blue eyes.”

  “You liked her back in high school,” Joe said. “You know what they say about the one that got away.”

  “She’s got a baby,” Nick said in his defense. “Or are you forgetting about the kid?”

  “You think that’s gonna stop you?” Tony looked skeptical.

  “Hell yeah.” Nick wasn’t father material. He’d learned from the master. He had enough of his old man in him to know he wouldn’t make a good daddy. The blood ties ran thick. He never planned on having children, thus saving some poor child his ruthless tendencies.

  “We think not,” Tony said glibly, leaning back in his chair and stretching out. He darted a glance at Joe.

  “Then, you think wrong,” Nick said, ready to change the subject.

  After Candy Rae’s deception, Nick had lost faith in the opposite sex. Not that he didn’t love women, but he wouldn’t be foolish enough to place his trust in a female again. He’d lost out on his dream because of Candy Rae’s lies and his father’s self-serving manipulations. He’d been crushed and trampled on like the precious grapes that his father had loved so much. For that, he hated what he did for a living, feeling his father had won. Nick spent most of his time in Europe, away from the place that caused him such heartache. He’d made enough smart financial investments to break loose of his father’s ties forever and was about to do so, but then Santo up and died. Nick came home because his brothers needed him. He was here because of them even though they were a pain in his rear end. Nick liked things simple and getting too involved with Brooke and her bundle of trouble would only complicate his life.

  “Want to put money on it?” Tony said, baiting him.

  “Damn right,” Nick said. “A betting man always likes to take money from suckers. Name your price.”