Nara

In confronting Brodie about his plans to take off for San Francisco, I’d gotten myself an invite. Well, I guess the invite had been part of his plan all along. But still.

He was crazy to think I’d just up and move. I barely freaking knew him, for one. And yet, he somehow knew I’d say yes. That took a supreme amount of arrogance on his part. But since I’d met him at that silly fundraising auction things had been…taking an interesting turn.

After weeks of flying back and forth across the country to wear me down, Brodie had convinced me to agree to visit the city with him. Just visit. And so far, it was fabulous.

From our hotel room in the Fairmont on Nob Hill, the foghorns blared low and loud. It was no wonder they could be heard clear across the city. In the week since we’d been in San Francisco, it seemed like they never stopped. And I loved them more than I could say.

Then there was the clanging of the cable cars. From our hotel, we had a perfect view of the California Street line when it passed by laden with tourists and the occasional commuter. It was a charmingly quaint reminder of a brilliant, modern city’s past.

I’d taken to getting up at five thirty every morning so I could be on the same schedule as my team back in New York. Working remotely had gone pretty well so far. In fact, it hadn’t even seemed like I was remote. Everything was pretty much the same except that I dialed into meetings I used to hold in person. After things had calmed down from Joi’s wedding, she dove into running the office, and things there were perking along with better efficiency than I’d ever managed.

The top venture capital firm in the country had decided to back Mommy Knows. It was such a rush to realize such heavy hitters believed in our work. And the mommies were loving us and their new method for baby hygiene. Mimi had thought of that tag line—baby hygiene.

My phone rang, the screen reading Mom.

“Hey, Mom.” She was still tweaked I’d not come back for my reunion. I suspected no one else had really noticed. Well, except for Becca.

“Sweetie. How is everything in sunny California?”

“Great, Mom. Except it’s really not sunny in San Francisco. It’s mostly foggy.”

“Oh, you are so funny. Everyone knows it’s sunny in California. Are you just trying to keep me away?”

I held the phone away so she couldn’t hear me sigh. “Mom, you know Brodie and I would love for you to visit.”

“Well, I don’t want to impose. How long do you plan to be there?”

That was a good question.

“Not sure yet, Mom. You want to come next week?”

“Well, are you sure that’s okay with Brodie?” She didn’t care whether it was okay with me.

“Yes, Mom.”

* * *

Brodie’s new Hotel Vertigo West, in the city’s up-and-coming Tenderloin district, had come together at lightning speed. I guess that’s how things went when you had the budget you needed and knew what you were doing. In fact, a giant opening party was scheduled for later that evening. He’d been working so much I’d hardly seen him, but what I had seen had impressed the hell out of me. The man really knew how to take care of business, having gotten the place up and running in no time. He still kept an eye on the New York property after he’d successfully jettisoned his hostile business partners.

My Skype rang, and I answered a video call from Joi. If it was possible, she’d grown even more beautiful since she’d gotten married.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey. You look great. I love your hair,” I told her.

“Really? Supposedly, this long bob is all the rage right now. They’re calling it a lob.”

She fingered it as if she still wasn’t quite sure she’d done the right thing with a big chop.

“Anyway,” she continued, “I’m calling because some official-looking papers just arrived for you. Want me to open them?”

“Yes, please. I’m still waiting on that stuff from Simon.”

She tore open a large envelope in view of my screen and sorted through a couple sheets. “Wow. Congrats. Looks like you are finally officially divorced.”

Oh. My. God.

I’d been waiting so long to hear those words. I was through. Through with my fake marriage and through with that little peckerhead, Simon. He’d oddly gone dark after my last message from him. A couple weeks later I’d found out he’d been deported, his INS fraud having been “anonymously” reported. I didn’t know who ratted him out, and I didn’t want to. But I had my suspicions.

“Wow. It’s finally done,” I said.

Joi nodded and shook at finger at me through my computer screen. “No more fake marriages.”

I laughed. “Absolutely. One fake marriage almost did me in.”

“Okay, girl, I’ll FedEx this stuff to you today.”

“Thanks. Love ya.”

* * *

Brodie came over to kiss me good bye just before eight a.m., the time he usually went to work. I was in my corner of our hotel suite, working away.

“I’ll see you later to pick you up for tonight’s party?” he asked.

“Yeah, babe. I think it will be a good one.” Supposedly everyone who was anyone in San Francisco would be there, and I was looking forward to meeting some new people. Additionally, we’d hired an incredibly inventive caterer. I couldn’t wait to pig out.

“What are you going to wear?” Brodie asked.

I had hoped he’d ask that. “Not sure yet. Why?”

He shrugged. “I was hoping you’d wear that slinky white number I got you awhile back.”

“Oh, that,” I said.

“What’s wrong with that one? You were drop dead gorgeous in it.”

“Thank you. I did feel pretty good in it. But it doesn’t fit anymore.”

“What? What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well, it fits, just not that well.”

“Are you serious? Well, that’s a bummer.” He walked up behind me and started in with one of his amazing shoulder massages.

“Yeah. I mean, it’s kind of a bummer. But it’s to be expected.”

“Why? All the good California food we’ve been eating?” he asked.

“Well, part of it is the food.”

“The great wine, too, huh?” He patted his incredibly flat stomach. “I think I need to cut back a little, myself.”

“No, you’re fine. It’s me we have to watch out for.”

The color drained from his face. “Is something wrong?” He crouched before me and took my hands.

“Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all. But I think I’ll need to go shopping for new clothes soon.”

“Well, I think you are more beautiful than ever. California looks good on you, my Miss Happy.” He stood and kissed the top of my head, returning to his closet to finish dressing.

“How do you think a baby would look on me?” My heart pounded.

He stopped what he was doing and whipped around. “What? Huh?”

“Well, there’s a reason my clothes don’t fit, and that I’ll have to go shopping soon.”

His head tilted. Poor guy looked so confused.

I couldn’t mess with him any longer. “I’m pregnant. We’re gonna have a baby,” I said, rubbing the tiny swell in my belly that he hadn’t noticed.

Please let him be okay with the news.

His eyes bugged, and his mouth dropped open. My master of the universe was speechless.

All because of a little baby.

Tears sprang to his eyes. He ran over and crouched before me again, taking my hands in his shaking ones. “Please tell me you’re serious,” he begged. “Please.”

“I take it you want a little Nara or Brodie, then?” I asked. Now, I was choking up.

“Holy fucking shit, yes,” he shouted. “And when all that fake marriage stuff is behind you, you might want to consider marrying me.” He threw his head back and laughed the happiest laugh I’d ever heard.

“I’ll think about it...” I teased.

He pulled me out of my chair and spun me around. “God, I love you Nara Kincaid. Will you marry me?”

“I think I will. But first, I’ll want to check your citizenship status. No more green card weddings for me.”