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  “You can wait outside.” I pointed towards the door.

  The nurse let out a tiny laugh.

  “Boyfriend?” she asked as she helped me take off my pants.

  “One-night stand.” I smiled.

  “Ah. I see. He didn’t harm you, did he?”

  “No. I tripped walking into his apartment building.”

  “He’s really hot.”

  “Yeah. It’s about the only thing he has going for him.”

  She let out a laugh as she helped me lay down in the bed and put an ice pack over my foot.

  “I think I love you.” She grinned. “The doctor will be right in. Hang tight.” She gave my hand a squeeze.

  Chapter 7

  Jenna

  Lucas walked back into the room and took a seat in the only chair next to the bed.

  “You don’t have to stay. You can go and get to work on your project.”

  “Just stop. I’m staying.”

  “This is your fault, you know,” I said.

  “My fault? How is this my fault?”

  “If you wouldn’t have said the things you did, I wouldn’t have left and then I wouldn’t have tripped running after your dumb ass trying to get my suitcase back.”

  “No. No way are you blaming this on me. You’re the one who came to my penthouse out of nowhere and told me you’re pregnant. No phone call, no warning, nothing. How the fuck did you expect me to react?”

  “I knew you’d be in shock, but I didn’t expect you to accuse me of sleeping with other guys right after you and saying the baby is yours to get money out of you. That isn’t why I told you, Lucas.”

  “I’m not discussing this now.”

  “Hello there. I’m Doctor Reynolds, the OB/GYN on call.” He walked over and held out his hand. “You must be Jenna.”

  “Hi, Doctor Reynolds.”

  “And you are?” He turned to Lucas.

  “A friend.”

  “Huh. As if,” I said, and he shot me a dirty look.

  “So, you’re about seven weeks pregnant and you took a fall.” He looked down at my ankle. “Ouch. That definitely looks broken. But I’ll send in the orthopedic doctor after we take a look at the baby. Because you’re only seven weeks, we have to perform a transvaginal ultrasound. Have you ever had one done before?”

  “No,” I spoke with fear.

  “It’s no big deal. I’ll have the nurse bring in the machine and we’ll get started.”

  The nurse that helped me earlier rolled in the machine and got it set up.

  “I’m just going to lower the bed so you’re lying flat,” Dr. Reynolds spoke. “Bend your knee with your good foot and leave the other one flat. We don’t want you putting any weight on that foot.”

  He took the scope, inserted it into my vagina and looked at the monitor.

  “Okay. Let’s see what’s going on.”

  I swallowed hard at the uncomfortable feeling, so I just put all my focus on the monitor.

  “See this little peanut right here?” He pointed to the monitor. That’s your baby and everything looks perfect.”

  Tears filled my eyes as I stared at the screen. I didn’t know what Lucas was doing because I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.

  “The baby is fine, Jenna. So now we need to address that foot. Dr. Kensington is on call. I will go talk to him and he’ll be right in. In the meantime, I’ll have X-ray come down and get you.”

  “Can I have X-ray’s if I’m pregnant?”

  “Because it’s your foot, the baby will not be exposed.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Reynolds.”

  “You’re welcome. Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest.”

  As soon as the doctor and nurse walked out of the room, Lucas looked at me.

  “I’m sorry, Jenna.”

  “I’m not discussing this now, Lucas. So you can just sit there and be quiet.”

  After I had the X-rays and saw Dr. Kensington, he confirmed my foot was broken and immediately put me in a fiberglass cast.

  “You are not to put any type of pressure on that foot at all. You can either use crutches or a scooter. We’ll send you home with a pair of crutches and if you feel more comfortable using the scooter, you can pick one up at the pharmacy.”

  “How long will I have to be in this cast?” I asked.

  “A minimum of six weeks.”

  “Great.” I sighed.

  After I signed the discharge papers, I was free to leave.

  “You’re staying at my penthouse,” Lucas said as he helped me from the bed and into the wheelchair.”

  “It’ll just be for a couple nights until I can get some things figured out.”

  “We’ll discuss that tomorrow.”

  When we arrived back at his penthouse, he took me directly to the guestroom where he put my luggage.

  “I put you in the room closest to mine in case you need something. Change into your pajamas and climb in bed. I’ll bring the bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of water.”

  “Please do not tell me what to do. But thank you for getting me Tylenol and water.”

  He let out a sigh as he left the room, and I unzipped my suitcase and dug through it until I found my nightshirt. I couldn’t believe I’d broken my foot and had to stay in this stupid cast for at least six weeks. The doctor said because I was pregnant, my body would heal at a quicker rate. Shortly after I climbed into bed, Lucas walked in with a bottle of water and some Tylenol.

  “Do you want to take a pain pill? The doctor said it’s okay.”

  “No. I’m not taking anything but Tylenol. I’d rather be in pain than risk something happening to the baby.”

  “Okay. I’m actually going to head to bed myself. It’s been a long day and night and I’m tired.”

  “I’m sorry I took you away from your project.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll work on it tomorrow. Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning. If you need anything at all, just holler. I’m right down the hall.”

  “I appreciate it, Lucas. Good night.”

  “Good night, Jenna.”

  Chapter 8

  Lucas

  I went to my bedroom and stripped out of my clothes. After putting on a pair of pajama bottoms, I poured myself a scotch and climbed into bed. It had been one hell of a night and nothing could have prepared me for it. I couldn’t believe Jenna was pregnant with my child. Kids were never supposed to be part of my future. My entire world was crumbling before me. The project, the baby, and Jenna breaking her foot and having to stay with me. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take before I lost it. Everything was at stake with this project and that had to be my only concern right now.

  I had thought about Jenna over the past weeks since our night together. I thought about calling her on more than one occasion but figured it was best if we left it at a one-night stand. Seeing her again after all these weeks reiterated how beautiful she was, and the memories of our night together hit me like a ton of bricks. But that was all they were: memories. When the doctor did the ultrasound, I couldn’t see anything, and nothing changed for me. I didn’t want to be a father. I liked my life the way it was and nothing or no one was going to change that. I’d make sure both of them were taken care of financially, but that was all I could do. I wasn’t ready, nor did I want to be a father. Perhaps I was selfish, but I couldn’t help the way I felt. My work was more important and that was how it would always be.

  The next morning, I climbed out of bed at six a.m. and walked to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. I had already planned on working from home all day so I wouldn’t be interrupted, but now that Jenna was here, I was sure that wasn’t going to be possible. When I walked into the kitchen, I glanced out at the terrace where I saw her sitting on the chaise lounge. After making a cup of coffee, I stepped out onto the terrace.

  “Good morning. Why are you sitting out here so early? I thought the heights terrified you.”

  “Morning. They do, but I wanted to watch the
sunrise.”

  “How did you sleep?” I asked as I sat down in the chair across from her.

  “Not good. I was pretty much up all night in pain.”

  “The pain pill would have helped,” I said as I brought the cup up to my lips.

  “I know, but it’s a sacrifice I’m making for my baby.”

  “What about your job? Did you tell your boss what happened and that you won’t be coming in for a while?”

  “I am currently unemployed.”

  “What? Why?”

  “The two guys I worked for really didn’t have a clue. When the investor pulled out, they were forced to close their doors. So, between losing my job and being kicked out of my apartment because I refused to buy it, you can see I’m kind of in a pickle. I never would have come here, Lucas, if I wasn’t pregnant. But it’s not just about me anymore. I only need a few days to get things figured out. After that, I’ll be out of here.”

  “And where are you going to go with a broken foot?”

  “I’ll figure it out.”

  “What about your parents?”

  “What about them?” She cocked her head.

  “I’m sure they would help you out.”

  “Ha.” She let out a light laugh. “They’ve pretty much disowned me.”

  “Why would they do that?”

  “It’s a long story and one I really don’t want to get into.” She picked up her phone and glanced at it. “I need to get inside. I’m not feeling well and it’s about that time.”

  She grabbed her crutches and got up from the chaise lounge.

  “It’s about what time?”

  “For the morning sickness to kick in. Just go about your day and forget I’m even here. I can take care of myself.”

  I got up and opened the door for her as she hobbled inside.

  “I’m actually working from home today, and I can’t be disturbed. I have some serious work to do.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t bother you,” she said as she went into the half bath and shut the door.

  I couldn’t bear to hear her vomiting, so I went to the kitchen and made another cup of coffee. As I leaned over the island with my cup between my hands, I thought about how she said her parents disowned her. What the hell did she do for them to disown their daughter? And what the hell did I get myself into? I really needed to be more careful who I chose to sleep with.

  She hobbled back into the kitchen and asked me to grab her a bottle of water.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “I will be in a few hours. I’m going to lay back down.”

  “Sure. Okay. I was thinking about bringing in a home nurse to help you.”

  “I broke my foot, Lucas. I don’t need a home nurse and I can take care of myself,” she said as I followed her to the bedroom holding the bottle of water.

  “I just think it would be easier.”

  “On you?” She stared at me.

  I wasn’t going to lie to her.

  “Yeah. I don’t have time to—”

  “Deal with me?”

  “That’s not what I was going to say, Jenna. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

  “I’m really tired, Lucas,” she said as she climbed back in bed.

  “Get some rest. I’m going to take a shower and then go into my office to start working.”

  A few hours had passed, and I was getting nowhere. I stared at the large whiteboard hanging on the wall and rubbed the back of my neck. My phone rang and it was my father calling. Shit. I didn’t need this right now.

  “Hey, Dad.” I put him on speaker.

  “Lucas, have you made any progress yet?”

  “I’m trying, Dad. I’ve been working non-stop and so has my team,” I spoke as I headed to the kitchen for something to eat.

  “One week is all we have left. One week, Lucas!”

  “Don’t you think I know that! I’ve been busting my ass on this.”

  “We cannot lose that account. Do you understand me? So you better work harder!” he shouted. “There will be severe consequences for you if we lose it. You promised me it could be done. You promised.”

  “I know, Dad.”

  “We’re talking multi-millions of dollars. Figure it out, Lucas.” Click.

  I threw my phone across the island and when I looked up, I saw Jenna standing there.

  “What was that about?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Why are you in here?” I asked with irritation.

  “Russell is sending up the delivery guy who’s bringing my scooter.”

  “You ordered a scooter?”

  “Yeah. I figured it would be easier and I can’t stand these crutches.”

  The elevator dinged and when I walked over to it, a man stepped out and set the scooter down on the floor.

  “This is for Jenna Larson,” he said.

  “That’s me.” She smiled as she hobbled into the foyer. “Do you have any cash for a tip?” she whispered in my ear.

  Sighing, I reached in my pocket, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to him.

  “Thanks for bringing this over.”

  “Not a problem, man. Thank you.”

  “Look how cute it is,” she said as she handed me her crutches. “I got the one with the basket so I can put things in it that I can’t hold and scoot at the same time.

  “That was a good idea.” I smiled as she zoomed off across the floor. “That thing better not scratch up my floors.”

  “It won’t. By the way, can I place a grocery order for delivery? You have no food in this place, and I want to cook dinner tonight as a thank you for letting me stay here.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Jenna, but go ahead and get whatever you want. I’ll go get my credit card then I need to get back to work.”

  Chapter 9

  Jenna

  As I sat on the couch with my laptop and did some grocery shopping, I couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation between Lucas and his father. He was under a tremendous amount of stress, and I wondered what the hell was going on and what the problem was with the project he was working on.

  After the groceries were delivered and put away, I started dinner. Roasted chicken with twice baked potatoes and roasted vegetables. Lucas had been locked up in his office all day and I hadn’t seen him since I walked in on the phone conversation between him and his dad a few hours ago. Just as I put everything in the oven, my phone chimed with a text message from Bri. I hadn’t spoken to her in a couple of weeks, even though she wouldn’t stop blowing up my phone.

  “I went to your apartment to talk to you since you’ve been ignoring my calls and messages only to find out you don’t live there anymore. I can’t believe you stopped talking to me because I wouldn’t come over that night. Everything doesn’t revolve around you, Jenna. Carson told me to forget about you and that’s what I’m going to do. Thanks for being such a shitty friend.”

  I stared at her message in disbelief as anger washed over me. It took everything I had not to throw my phone across the kitchen. So instead, I took a plastic spatula from the utensil holder by the stove and threw it, hitting Lucas as he stepped into the kitchen.

  “Whoa. What the hell?”

  “Sorry. I didn’t expect you to walk in.”

  “Is something wrong, or do you just throw spatulas for the hell of it?”

  “It’s nothing.” I gripped the edge of the marble island.

  “Obviously, something is bothering you. I have a few minutes if you want to talk about it.”

  “It’s just my ex-friend, Bri.”

  “The girl you were with at the club? The one with the controlling boyfriend?”

  “Yes.”

  “What happened? Why are you calling her your ex-friend?”

  “When I found out I was pregnant, I really needed her. So I called and asked if she would come over and her douchebag boyfriend told her no because he wanted her to stay home and watch TV with him. So, she told me no. She knew I had been sick all week wi
th what I thought was the flu, and she knew I had lost my job and was being evicted. But she didn’t care. She let that controlling freak tell her what to do. It was just the final straw. I don’t need people like that in my life. Now she just sent me this text message.” I handed him my phone.

  “Wow.” He handed my phone back. “That wasn’t very nice, and I don’t blame you for being upset. But don’t let it get you down because you already have enough on your plate and the stress isn’t good for the baby, or for you.” He placed his hand on my shoulder.

  “I know.” I gave him a small smile. “I’m over it.”

  “Good. I have to get back to work. I can’t believe you’re cooking. You should be resting.”

  “Cooking keeps my mind off things. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

  “Okay.” He walked away.

  As I pulled the chicken from the oven, I heard the elevator ding, and it startled me. Scooting my way to the foyer, a man stepped out into the foyer.

  “Why, hello there.” His brows furrowed.

  “Hi.” I furrowed my brows back at him.

  “Is Lucas home?”

  “He’s in his office.”

  “I’m sorry. You are?” He extended his hand to me.

  “Jenna.”

  “Nice to meet you, Jenna. I’m Danny. What happened? he asked as he pointed to my cast.

  “I fell and broke my foot.”

  “Ouch. You look so familiar to me. Oh my God.” He pointed at me. “You’re the girl who sent that guy to his knees at my club a few weeks back.”

  “Yep. That was me.” I grinned. “I’m sorry.”

  “Please. Don’t apologize. I’m sure he deserved it. Anyway, I’m going to head to his office.”

  “Okay. Dinner’s almost ready. You’re welcome to join us.”

  “As much as I’d love to, I’m afraid I won’t have time. I just stopped by to check in on Lucas.”

  Lucas

  I heard my office door open, and when I turned around from staring at the whiteboard, I saw Danny.

  “Hey bro.” He walked over and gave me a hug.

  “Danny. Hey. What are you doing here?”