Chapter Twenty-Two

Sacha

Holy frickin' hell.

I had no idea who we were about to meet, but whoever it was had money. Plenty of money. The climb up the driveway had taken us about a quarter of a mile up a hill, on top of which stood a sprawling mansion. Fountains, statues, and topiary graced the front grounds. Then there was the house itself-a Mediterranean style three-level masterpiece. Glowing a rose-golden hue in the afternoon sun, with white-trimmed windows, which were adorned with boxes overflowing with plants. It was the very picture of a Tuscan tycoon's retreat.

"Who do you know that lives here? A client?"

Gib smirked and shook his head. "Nope. My parents live here."

"What?" I'd emerged from the car and stood staring at him, unable to stop my reaction. "Your parents live here?"

"That's what I said. Come meet them."

My legs wouldn't move. There was no way this could be true. My brain was trying to reconcile everything I knew about this man with what he was telling me, and it did not compute. "No."

He walked to where I was, next to my car. "Sacha, it's okay. They are going to love you, I promise."

His casual demeanor was pissing me off to no end. "You lied to me. You pretended to be some low-income handyman recluse, but your parents live here? The least you could have done is told me we were going to meet them. What the hell is going on with you?"

His cheeks grew red above his beard, but before he could answer the front door opened.

"Gib? Oh, Lord. Mamma is gonna have a fit." A young woman with short, bobbed hair the color of Gib's stepped onto the front step. She looked over her shoulder then back at us. "Too late."

He nodded up at her. "Thanks, Audrey," then turned to me. "My sister."

All I could do was arch a brow and wait to see what would happen next. I wanted to kick him for springing this on me. My back was aching fiercely now, and I needed to lie down, not get involved in someone's family drama.

Audrey moved aside as an older woman came out onto the step. She was dressed in a red Chanel-styled suit, and her blonde hair was piled up on her head in a neat bun. Her eyes widened when she saw me then narrowed, as she looked at her son.

"What's going on, Gibbie? You showing up out of the blue with a lady friend must mean God heard my prayers."

Gib took my hand, and I reluctantly let him pull me forward. I so wasn't dressed to meet his parents. It was one of those days when I felt fat, so I'd thrown on yoga pants and a long tee, topped with a thin sweater. Thankfully, it was one of those warm Georgia winter days, and I was wearing slip-ons, not gym shoes. My swollen ankles couldn't accommodate anything stylish at the moment, anyway.

"Mamma, this is Sacha Rowan. Sacha, my mother, Angela Colebank."

There was no way I was getting out of this, so I smiled and extended a hand. The woman shook it. Her delicate fingers were adorned by several clunky but gorgeous rings. Her demeanor was also cool, and I had the uncomfortable sensation of being sized up.

As soon as I was alone with Gib, I really was going to kick him.

"Well, come in then. We just got home from church and had lunch. But there's some leftover cake and pie."

It took a concentrated effort not to gape as we entered the grand house. The décor was a mix of traditional southern and Mediterranean that somehow blended. It was simple, yet elegant. I still couldn't reconcile the Gib I knew with the family that lived here.

Mrs. Colebank led the way to a huge sunroom at the back of the house, filled with white wicker furniture and soft yellow pillows. It overlooked a gigantic pool flanked by two built-in hot tubs. There was an arching stone bridge suspended over the pool for easy access. My breath caught in my throat at the view of the Atlanta skyline in the distance.

Angela's voice was warm, but her tone was pointed. "Please, sit. And tell us why you're here, Gibbie." She sat in one of the chairs and gestured to the table next to her, which was laden with an assortment of desserts. She nodded directly at me. "And help yourself, if you like. There's sweet tea in the pitcher."

So far, his mother hadn't had a fit, as Gib's sister had warned. She seemed pleasant enough, if a bit reserved. Which was understandable, with her son bringing home a strange woman. I smoothed the front of my shirt, aware that no one had noticed the slight baby bump. Yet.

I declined the tea and dessert, and sat back on a wicker bench next to Gib. I was as interested in his explanation as his mother was. "Yes, Gibbie, tell both of us why we're here."

He cleared his throat, and the ruddy color had returned to his cheeks. "Well, I wanted you to meet Sacha, and for her to meet you. I apologize to both of you for not planning this in advance, but it suddenly felt like the right thing to do. I've wasted so much time already."

His mother sat like a statue, except for the slight inclination of her head. My stomach fluttered as I realized he was about to tell her about the baby. Coupled with the ache in my lower back and belly, I thought I might throw up.

"They're in here," Audrey was saying to someone as she entered the room. Then a man appeared next to her, followed by an older man. They were all extremely good-looking people, and I had the crazy idea that maybe I was on some warped reality show.

"What's going on?"

The older man had asked, his face ruggedly handsome despite the frown. He must be Gib's father, as the other man was introduced as Audrey's husband, Richard. The older man extended a hand to me and introduced himself.

"John Colebank. The father of this young man here, who'd better start talking."

All eyes were on Gib, so he stood and pulled me up with him. He faced the group and held my hand tight.

"I was about to tell Mamma, but you all should know. I'm in love with this woman, and she's having our baby."

For a moment, there was no sound except the faint hum of the swimming pool motor and the gentle splashing sound of water in the nearby fountain. Then everyone talked at once.

"Baby? You've got to be-"

"So that's what you've been doing all this time."

"Just like you to disappear and then-"

I wanted to kick him and run out, but then I would miss his family putting him in his place. I'd come to feel something for him, maybe it was close to love. But for him to announce he was in love with me, without telling me first, was unacceptable. To announce the pregnancy without my consent made it worse.

All I could do was stand there while he argued with his family. They were all talking at once, and when I tried to pull my hand from his, he gripped it tighter.

This was ridiculous. It was as though I didn't exist. "Excuse me," I ventured. When they kept on blathering, discussing how the child would be raised and where he would live, I lost it. "I said excuse me!"

They all turned to stare in my direction, including Gib. They were stunned silent, so I took a deep breath and let go. "You can all stop arguing about this, because your son and brother has misjudged the situation. He may be the father of my child, but we are not in love. And I will have the final say on what happens to this baby."

I pulled my hand from Gib's grip and left the room.

~*~