Declan walked out onto the balcony and leant his forearms on the railing, beer in hand. The sounds of the party came to him through the open French doors and he would return to it soon, he just needed some air and a moment of solitude. The party inside was a ‘meet-and-greet’ for Hunter and Bailey’s bridal party. The wedding was only a month away now and he was happy for them both, but still, he needed a moment.

He was going to be a fucking father.

He’d known for a few days now. He and Brandi had decided not to tell anyone yet, not until they were through the first trimester - whatever the fuck that meant. He’d always known that he would be a father eventually but he’d never expected it to happen so… organically. It had been drummed into him that his own mother would choose who the mother of his children would be. Just like she did with her stupid dogs. He didn’t know what traits she was trying to breed in - or out - of the next generation, he’d just accepted the fact that it wouldn’t be his choice.

Now all that had changed.

The responsibility of it all was just hitting him now. Not that he regretted it. He didn’t regret a single minute of his time with Brandi and he was excited to see where their future might lead, it was just… Fuck. He was going to be a father. Soon. In like eight months there would be a tiny little helpless human who relied on him.

He and Brandi had gone to see the doctor and they’d heard the heartbeat. It was fucking incredible to know that a life was growing inside her. Two parts of them and joined to create a completely new person. It fucking blew his mind. Sure, he knew how it all worked, but it had only ever been theoretical, something he’d studied in school for the sake of an exam. Now he had a front row seat and it was equal parts exciting and terrifying.

“Hey.”

Declan looked over his shoulder to see Mason walking towards him.

“Hey,” he replied and then turned back to the view of the city that he hadn’t really noticed before.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Just needed some air.”

“Brooks tells me that the Alpha Pi Tau company is up and ready when you are. We can start transferring The Mayfield Group to it as soon as you want to.”

Declan stood and turned to face his best friend. “We may not need to,” he said.

Mason raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh?”

“Fuck,” he swore softly. Brandi hadn’t wanted to tell anyone, but he needed to share the news with someone. “Brandi’s pregnant,” he said. “We’re pregnant.”

Mason’s eyes widened at the news. “Holy shit,” he breathed.

Declan couldn’t stop the grin that broke over his face. “It’s fucking amazing,” he said. “You have no idea just how stupidly happy I am. Brandi has agreed to marry me but we’re not telling anyone until after Bailey and Hunter’s wedding. Brandi doesn’t want to steal Bailey’s limelight and apparently you don’t tell people you’re pregnant until after the first trimester.” Declan shrugged. “I needed to tell someone. The news has been burning a hole in my gut all night.”

“Wow,” Mason said, “I don’t know what to say.”

Declan clapped him on the shoulder. “You say congratulations.”

“Congratulations,” Mason said. “And you’re happy about this?”

Declan’s smile tuned soft as he remembered Brandi lying in his bed naked this morning. She’d looked so beautiful, her skin glowing in the early morning sun. She had been so sick with morning sickness that he worried about her, but this morning she had looked so peaceful and his heart had swelled with the sight. She hadn’t officially moved in with him, but it wouldn’t be long until he convinced her to. He was eager to begin building their little family.

“Yeah,” he breathed, “I really am. I love her and I already love the little baby bean she is carrying.”

Mason was quiet as they stood side by side looking out over the balcony.

“Good,” he finally said, “I’m glad. She’s good for you.”

Declan grinned. “I know.”

After a moment, Mason spoke again. “So how does this affect the agreement you have with your mother and father?”

Declan’s grin widened. “Can’t you see? This is the perfect solution. I couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Brandi is having my baby, a Mayfield baby. There is no way my mother will allow an illegitimate child in the family line. She won’t have any choice but to let me marry Brandi and that makes the clause null and void. I get to keep my company without jumping through any of her hoops. This pregnancy solves everything for me.”

“Are you sure your mother will accept it quietly?” Mason asked cautiously.

“Of course not,” Declan said. “She will demand a paternity test before she agrees to anything but I’m not worried.”

“And Brandi will be okay with that?”

“I don’t think any woman would be okay with that, but she will do it because there is no chance that this baby isn’t mine.”

“You seem really… happy,” Mason said with surprise. “I never expected you to be the type to take impending fatherhood so calmly.”

Declan chuckled. “I look calm on the outside,” he said, “but I am shitting bricks. Seriously. A baby! God. Can you imagine me as a father?”

Mason shook his head with a smile. “No,” he said, “you’re barely a grown up. I pity poor Brandi trying to raise both you and a newborn.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Declan said but there was no heat in his voice. He was happy and he wasn’t going to let anyone steal his joy. He was going to marry the only woman he had ever loved and they were going to have a baby together. He couldn’t imagine anything more perfect.

Brandi walked back to the party from the bathroom. So much for morning sickness only happening in the morning. She felt a little like death warmed over and she really wanted to go home. She was so tired all the time and coupled with barely being able to keep any food down, she was just done. She needed to sleep for like a week and then she might begin to feel human again.

“Brandi.”

Brandi stopped and took a breath before turning to face Harper. They had been avoiding each other since the day Brandi had blown up at her in the bridal shop. She had managed to apologise to Bailey for her meltdown but hadn’t quite known how to approach Harper.

“Harper,” Brandi said with a small, tight smile.

Harper sighed and looked away for a moment. “Look,” she said, turning back to Brandi, “I wanted to apologise.”

Brandi’s eyebrows popped up in surprise. “You want to apologise to me?”

Harper nodded. “I was wrong. Those things you said the other week? You were right. I have been unfair to you and that’s all on me. I didn’t take the time to get to know you. I don’t know if you know much about Brooks’ previous wife, Heather?” Brandi shook her head and Harper sighed again. “I used to work for Heather as Piper’s nanny. No one knew that Piper was actually Brooks’ daughter until a little over a year ago. When Heather found out she sent us to Brooks and took off. Just when Piper and I had settled into Brooks’ life, Heather came back and made my life hell. I know it’s not fair of me to project onto you, but seeing you brought up all those feelings of inadequacy and resentment that I felt because of Heather and that was unfair to you. So, I am sorry and I’m hoping we can start over.”

Brandi smiled and had to swallow back the tears. That was another thing that was turning her world upside down, all the mood swings. She fucking cried at telephone commercials now. Not that she had been a cold fish before, but now every emotion seemed to be heightened.

“I’d like that,” she managed to say.

Harper’s shoulders relaxed and Brandi saw what she thought had to be the first genuine smile Harper had ever given her.

“Thank you,” she said.

They walked back into the party together and Brandi looked around for Declan. As much as it made her happy to have made up with Harper, the fact was she was still exhausted and wanted to go home.

“Have you seen Declan?” she asked Harper.

“I think he went out on the balcony,” Harper replied.

“Thanks,” Brandi said, heading towards the open French doors. She stopped when she heard voices.

“So how does this affect the agreement you have with your mother and father?” That sounded like Mason’s voice. She turned to walk away when she heard Declan speak and she stopped.

“Can’t you see? This is the perfect solution. I couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Brandi is having my baby, a Mayfield baby. There is no way my mother will allow an illegitimate child in the family line. She won’t have any choice but to let me marry Brandi and that makes the clause null and void. I get to keep my company without jumping through any of her hoops. This pregnancy solves everything for me.”

Brandi went cold. She didn’t understand the context of what they were talking about, but one thing was perfectly clear. Declan wasn’t marrying her because he loved her. He was marrying her to get out of some stupid agreement he had with his parents. She was nothing more than a convenient escape clause. The truth of it ripped through her violently and she had to lean against a chair to stop herself from collapsing into a heap on the floor. She had thought Declan was different from all the other men she’d dated. She thought he saw her as a person, not just as some hot piece of arse or a convenient piece of arm candy. She had actually thought he loved her.

She had been a fool.

With sure, steady steps, Brandi walked towards the exit. She couldn’t stay here. She couldn’t marry Declan. She would take care of this baby on her own.

“Brandi?”

Brandi stopped and turned towards Bailey. “Bailey.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not feeling well. I’m just going to get a cab home.”

“What about Declan?”

Brandi forced a smile to her lips. “Just let him know I had to leave. He was in a discussion with Mason and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Bailey stepped closer and laid a hand on Brandi’s arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Just tired,” Brandi said.

“Okay,” Bailey said, “if you’re sure?”

Brandi brushed a kiss on Bailey’s cheek. “I am. I’ll see you in a couple of days at the dress fitting.”

She waved over her shoulder as she escaped from the restaurant. There was a line of cabs waiting and she slid into one and gave the driver Declan’s address. She would gather the few things she had left there and then head home to pack a bag. She couldn’t face Declan right now, or ever again. Right now she just needed to get away. Get away from him and the hurtful words she’d overheard.

Declan walked back into the party feeling better, more grounded. Talking to Mason had helped. Just saying the words out loud had helped. Now all he wanted to do was get Brandi and head home and make love to her. He wanted to ravish her body and lavish his love on her. Love that had grown exponentially as he’d acknowledged it. It was then that he realised that he hadn’t even told her he loved her. Something that he had every intention of doing the moment he saw her even if they were surrounded by all his friends.

“Hey Abby,” he said as she walked up to him and Mason. He liked the way she slid under Mason’s arm and raised up to kiss his cheek. It was those easy and natural displays of affection that he was looking forward to sharing with Brandi.

“Hey Declan,” she replied.

“Have you seen Brandi?”

Her brow furrowed. “I think she left.”

“Pardon?”

Abby looked up at Mason before replying. “I saw her talking to Bailey and then she walked outside.”

Declan didn’t reply, he was moving before he could stop to think about it. He strode across the restaurant to Bailey.

“Where’s Brandi?” he asked, his voice rougher than he’d intended but he was too worried to care.

“She left,” Bailey said looking at him with concern. “Is everything all right?”

“Why did she leave? Is she okay?”

“She said she wasn’t feeling well. She heard you talking to Mason and didn’t want to interrupt you.”

“Fuck.” What had she heard?

“What’s going on?” Bailey was sounding stressed now. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. It’s fine. I’m going to go. I need to talk to her.”

He didn’t wait for a reply as he headed for the exit. He fidgeted impatiently as he waited for the valet to get his car. Finally he was speeding through downtown headed home. Halfway there he realised that she probably hadn’t gone to his house. If she had overheard him telling Mason about the pregnancy and what it would mean for his company then there was no way she was going to go to his house. He changed destinations and headed to her apartment.

The elevator seemed to take forever for it to take him to her floor. He strode down the carpeted hallway and banged on her door.

“Brandi! Let me in. We need to talk.”

There was no answer from inside. He leant his head against the door and tried to see if he could hear any movement from inside. There was no light coming from under the door and there was no sound inside. Had he jumped to conclusions? Maybe she hadn’t heard anything incriminating. Maybe she had just been tired and hadn’t wanted to interrupt him. With hope burning inside him, he headed back down to his car and took off for home, praying that she had simply been too tired to wait for him and had gone home. To his home. To the home that he had one day planned for them to raise their family in. Please God let her be there. Let her be tucked up in his bed with all that golden hair spread out over the pillows.

The house was dark when he pulled in the driveway. He parked and bounded up the stairs, unlocking the door and crossing the threshold. He could smell her perfume. It lingered in the foyer and it was one of the things he looked forward to whenever he stepped into his house. He breathed it in and walked quietly but determinedly up the stairs to their bedroom. He held his breath as he pushed the door open and looked into the room.

Empty.

Brandi wasn’t here.

He walked into the room and sat down on the bed. The little touches of her were missing too. The hand cream that she kept by the side of the bed. The five million bobby pins that she piled up next to the lamp and the elastic bands that she used to keep her hair in that sleek pony tail. They were all gone. In their place was a note. He picked it up, dread a heavy lump in his gut. He opened the note and the engagement ring he had given Brandi to give credence to their fake engagement, fell into his palm.

There were no words on the paper. There was a pen mark when she might have tried to start writing something and then decided against it. What did that mean? She couldn’t simply walk out of his life with no explanation. He was in love with her, didn’t she know that? He didn’t even get a chance to tell her, let alone explain, what she might have overheard. And she was carrying his baby.

He stood and paced, his fist crushing the diamond solitaire in his palm. The pain felt good. He needed it to keep him grounded. Where would she go? He had to find her, he had to explain, to apologise, to make it right.

He pulled out his phone and dialled. He paced as he heard the ringing on the other end and then it went to voicemail.

“Fuck!” he yelled and threw his phone across the room.

He stalked across the room and retrieved his phone. He took a deep breath and then banged it a couple of times against his head. How had he gotten into this mess? Simple. It was all his mother’s fault and her twisted idea of what it meant to be a family. If she hadn’t interfered then he and Brandi would have been free to explore a relationship with each other without the added pressure of the clause.

He hit Brandi’s number again and it went straight to voicemail this time.

“Brandi,” he breathed heavily into the phone. “Please call me. Let me explain.” He didn’t know what else to say. “Please.” He finished and disconnected the call.

What a fucking mess. If he didn’t find her soon and talk to her he was going to go insane.