I’d spent the rest of the weekend worried sick over Daphne. True to her word, Fiona had texted me updates, but they consisted of menial information like “all is well” and “no need to worry,” or my least favorite, “she’s going to be just fine”.

No offense to Fee, but I’d rather hear that from a doctor. Her zero years of medical training didn’t provide me with confidence in her opinion.

Monday morning finally rolled around, and I found myself awake long before my alarm clock sounded. I rushed through my morning routine and made my way to the office, only stopping long enough to grab myself and Daphne a coffee from the Starbucks on the corner. Once in our building, I took the elevator to her floor, her friends be damned. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

Luckily when I reached their office Daphne was already there, blessedly alone. “Thank god,” I said on a relieved breath at the sight of her. She spun around in her chair, surprised to see me.

“Caleb. You’re here early.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” I replied, moving into the office. “I’ve been worried out of my mind, and you haven’t bothered to return any of my texts all weekend.” I pointed an accusatory finger in her direction. At least she had the good grace to look apologetic.

“Sorry. I slept a lot. But everything is fine. Just a bug. It should pass…” She got a strange look on her face that I couldn’t read and finished on a mutter, “…eventually.”

“Well here.” I handed her the coffee. “I got this for you. Hope your stomach can handle it.”

She took the cup and set it on her desk. “Oh, um… thank you.”

I gave her a curious look. “Aren’t you going to drink it? I thought you couldn’t function before coffee.”

“Oh, yeah! Totally,” she chirped a little too brightly. “I’m just… I’m letting it cool, is all.”

Something was definitely up with her, but I couldn’t figure out what.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Her smile didn’t come near her eyes. “Yep. Completely fine. Promise. I just have to get prepared for this morning’s show, so….” She looked from me to the door and back again, her meaning crystal clear. She wanted me gone. What the ever-loving fuck?

“Okay. Yeah. Well, I’ll just….” Christ, what was happening to me? I was getting the brush-off from a woman, and it was driving me fucking crazy. I threw my thumb over my shoulder and started backing away. “I’ve got a lot of work too. Better get to it.”

“Okay, bye,” she blurted, spinning around in her chair, giving me her back. It was obvious she was trying to rush me out even faster. I didn’t think my pride could survive another hit, so I turned and headed back to the elevators, taking one to my floor.

I didn’t know what the hell was going on with her. One second she burned hot, and the next she was so cold I got fucking frostbite. I needed answers. And if she wasn’t going to give them to me, then I’d find someone who would.

And who better to grill on all things Daphne King than someone who’d practically grown up beside her.

I stormed into Dominic’s office, ready to demand some inside information on what made that damn woman tick. He was sitting at his desk with a sickening smile on his face as he pecked away at his keyboard.

“Why the hell do you look so happy?” I grumbled, envious that his morning was evidently going better than mine.

He cocked an eyebrow and smirked. “I think the better question is why do you look so fucking miserable?”

Collapsing into one of the chairs in front of his desk, I ran my hands through my hair and admitted, “It’s Daphne, man. That chick’s got my shit all twisted up.”

The asshole didn’t bother to hide his laughter as he leaned back in his chair. “Still immune to your limited charms?”

I tried my best not to resort to violence, especially in the workplace, but the dude was pushing it. “Fuck off,” I grumbled. “And yes. What the fuck’s that all about?” I paused, realizing that my confession might make him start to question whether or not something was going on between us. The last thing I needed was for Dominic to get suspicious. It would just give Daphne another thing to hold over my head. I quickly backpedaled, amending my words to make it seem like I was just in it for the chase.

“I can’t remember the last time I had to chase a piece of tail like this. I’m losing my goddamn mind. I mean, I get the whole thrill of a challenge thing, but this is ridiculous.”

Dominic gave me a pitying look that I wanted to smack right off his face. “Look, man, let me give you some advice. I’ve known those girls for a long time. Daph’s not the kind of woman who gets off on the chase. This isn’t a game for her, that’s not what this is about.”

“Then what is it?” Desperation poured from my words as I rested my elbows on my knees, because this was so much more than just a chase. Not that I could admit that out loud. I didn’t have a goddamn clue what it was between the two of us, but I could no longer deny the fact that it was more than just a simple fling. “Help me out, ’cause I can’t wrap my head around this.”

The look on his face told me he knew more than he was willing to admit. “It’s not my story to give. But I will tell you this, that girl’s been burned in a bad way. She’s not putting up a challenge for you. And when I say that, what I mean is it’s never going to happen. You have a reputation known to the whole country and most of the world. She’s not going to get near you with a ten-foot pole.”

I fell back into the chair. For the first time in my life, I loathed the fact that I’d done what I could to live up to the media’s opinion of me. It had started as a way to stick it to my old man, and just became second nature. Now it was coming back to bite me in the ass. And I fucking hated it. “Jesus, dude. Way to break it to a person gently.”

Dom held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, just trying to be honest. I think you should cut your losses and move on to the next one. Daphne King is in a whole other league.”

If only the jackass knew the truth. He might believe she was out of my league, but I’d had the woman panting for it once. I could make her want me again.

I stood from the chair, a sense of determination heating my blood. I was going to entice the hell out of that woman if it was the last fucking thing I did. “Yeah, well we’ll just see about that.”

* * *

Daphne

It had been just over a week since I found out I was knocked up with Caleb McMannus’s offspring, and so much had gone down that I’d barely had time to process just how significantly my life was going to change.

First, by sheer coincidence Sophia had been trapped into doing a radio contest where she’d end up picking one of five men at the end to take as her date to Lola’s wedding.

I felt a little bad for the role I played in cornering her into that one. But on the bright side, it kept me and my kidney bean–sized secret out of the spotlight for a little while longer.

Second, Lola was in full-on bridal mode. We’d spent the entire afternoon at a chic bridal boutique. The plus side on that one was that we managed to find Lola’s gown and we picked out beautiful bridesmaid dresses that looked amazing and had the added benefit of hiding what would be a four-month-pregnant belly by the time the wedding day rolled around.

I had to find the silver lining wherever I could, seeing as I was a woman in her early thirties who got pregnant out of wedlock by her steady booty call. I was a walking, talking cliché.

The downside of the day was when Lola, Sophia, and Fiona had decided we’d hit up one of my favorite Mexican restaurants when we were finished. They had the best margaritas, and there I was, with child, unable to imbibe.

God bless Fiona, though. When Lo and Soph weren’t looking, she’d sneak sips of my margarita so it looked like I was drinking along with everyone else. Unfortunately, that meant she’d been doubling up, drinking hers and mine, so I was pretty sure she’d be on the floor by the end of the night.

Sophia eventually stood and announced that she was calling it a night. I breathed a sigh of relief, more than ready to get home since my little bean was making it to where I was exhausted twenty-four hours a day.

However, Lola had other plans. “But it’s only nine,” she whined. “And it’s Saturday.” Shut it, you cow! I screamed in my head. Then the bitch smiled a shit-eating grin and pointed in the direction of the door. “Oh look! The guys just walked in. Now you have to stay, Soph!”

Sure enough, Grayson was walking into the restaurant, but it wasn’t him, or Deacon, or Dominic that I had eyes for. Oh no, I only had eyes for my baby daddy. And damn it, he looked just as sexy as always. I groaned and lifted my margarita glass, momentarily forgetting my current state.

The salty sweetness of the drink hit my closed lips just before Fiona pinched my leg under the table. I flinched at the sharp pain and my temporary lapse in sanity and set the glass back down, grateful none of the alcohol had actually made it into my mouth.

I didn’t want to be that woman. I might have only been pregnant for a minute, but the instant I accepted Mommyhood the only thing that mattered to me was my baby’s welfare.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” Sophia mumbled, then took off like a bat out of hell. I watched with fascination as Dominic stopped by the table only long enough to mutter something to the waitress before taking off after Sophia.

I wondered what was going on there when the chair next to me scraped across the floor, pulling me from my musings.

“Hey there, sweetheart.”

I made the mistake of turning and looking directly into Caleb’s eyes, seeing that they held a desire so potent it was more intoxicating than any liquor.

Sweet baby Christ on a cracker.

I was in serious trouble.