CHAPTER 13
Ryan
For two months, I waited impatiently for the ultrasound. The appointment was coming, but time moved slowly. I went to every appointment before that, even though Brea told me they were standard and I didn’t need to worry.
I had promised her I would be there for every step of this pregnancy, and I intended to keep my word. I wanted to prove that to her every day. I stayed with her a lot during that time. We spent nights together, making love and talking about our baby as Brea’s belly grew. Her stomach rounded over time and her breasts were heavy and full, making her look sexier than ever.
I brought her all the food she wanted and would go to her at the drop of a hat. Nothing was more important than her. I knew my time at the bank was getting to be less and less since I wasn’t going to take it over. I wanted to be here for the pregnancy and then I could go back to work. I would figure this out so my child could become a proper heir to the company.
The morning of the appointment, I took Brea out to breakfast. She’d been craving pancakes a lot and I knew a great place to go. I wanted to have some time with her before the ultrasound.
I knew my father was going to be there, and it could either go really well or really badly depending on what this baby was. I was at the point that I didn’t care and just wanted a healthy child, but Dad wanted a boy and nothing else.
Brea sipped fresh orange juice and ate her thin pancakes covered with fresh strawberries while talking excitedly about the baby. Brea knew in her heart that it was a girl, and I trusted her instincts. She’d been carrying the baby for twenty weeks after all. Brea felt every shift and ache and knew the baby in a way I couldn’t yet.
I spent a lot of time talking to the baby through her stomach, playing music and reading books at night when we were finished making love. I wanted my child to know my voice. Our time together was great time, but we were both nervous about today.
I had kept Brea away from my parents and acted as the middleman between them. I spoke to Dad and bit my tongue when he spoke poorly about Brea and her life choices. He talked about the baby like it was business and nothing more. I knew fighting wasn’t going to do any good. I needed to keep things as calm as possible before I got the inheritance. That would set me free and I would never have to worry about his judgment ever again.
I could start over. Brea and I would have the baby and I could focus on my life. I was certain my parents wouldn’t want to have a lot to do with the baby until I could throw it into the family business. We stalled as breakfast ended and Brea sipped her juice slowly.
She’d already had the required liquids for the ultrasound, and I saw the discomfort in her eyes as she finally stood. “I have to pee,” Brea grumbled as she walked ahead of me to the car, fussing with her long T-shirt and leggings. I led her to the car and helped her inside, kissing her cheek before I walked around to the other side. I drove us to the hospital, and we both saw my father waiting at the entrance of the building, looking around impatiently.
“Does he have to be here?” Brea whispered. I sighed. It was part of the deal, and while I’d prefer it to be just the two of us, I had agreed to Dad’s presence. We got out of the car and walked toward him. He only had eyes for Brea.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good,” she replied with a grimace. “Let’s go in.”
“She drank a ton of water for this. Brea is a bit grumpy,” I explained to Dad even though he must have understood. He had been there for Mom during her pregnancy, hadn’t he?
I checked us in and joined her in the corner where my father sat looking at his phone. Brea looked uncomfortable as she stared at the floor, waiting for her name to be called. We stood as we heard it, and I took Brea’s hand and walked to the door. She led the way, and I watched as they weighed her, much to her dismay.
Dad watched everything with a shrewd gaze and walked behind me to the room where we would find out the gender. The technician told Brea to lift her shirt and lower her pants, revealing her stomach. Brea shifted as gel was spread over her skin, and the technician smiled at her.
“Ready?” The woman went over the measurements and size, telling us that the due date was still January twenty-seventh and that everything looked good so far. I watched in awe as the baby moved around and gripped Brea’s hand, nearly forgetting that my father was even there. “Want to know what you’re having?” the blonde asked. We both nodded. She moved the wand over the torso and slowed as the baby turned around again.
“See that?” Brea leaned in closer and stared as she held tightly to my hand. “You are going to have a sweet baby girl.”
“God damn it! You can’t even do that right, can you?” Dad roared from the corner, making us all jump. “This is bullshit. A girl can’t run the company. You’d better think about trying for a son before you see a penny.” He turned and left as the technician watched him with narrowed eyes. She looked back at us in shock.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as I leaned in to kiss Brea’s hair. I stood and walked out of the building, searching for Dad before I ran over to him. “What the hell was that?” I demanded as he turned to me with rage in his eyes.
“A girl won’t do what you need. They don’t know how to run a business, Ryan. Your inheritance is on hold again. Try for a damn boy.” Dad turned, and I reached out to grab his arm.
“You’re getting a granddaughter. You should be happy because she’s a blessing, Dad. She can be whatever she wants to be! Women do amazing things in business.” I looked back at the building, imagining what Brea must be feeling. “That was such an asshole move. Do you know how much we’ve been looking forward to today? God, I knew you’d fuck it up somehow.”
I watched my father walk away from my words and my life. It didn’t matter to me that he might take it all away. I believed his threat was an empty one, given that I’d done what he wanted. It just wasn’t the image he was holding onto in his mind. What bothered me was how he had just tossed my family away in front of Brea.
I was used to him and had expected it. I’d protected her from him because of the way my dad was, and now I was pissed off that I’d allowed him in there at all. That wasn’t a moment she would ever have again. It wasn’t one I’d think back to without my father being a part of it. It was gone. He had ruined it. I took a few breaths before turning to go back inside.
I asked the woman at the desk to let me back in since there was no line. She told me to wait just a second until someone called me back, and I paced as I did. I focused on the fact that my baby was healthy and strode forward as my name was called. I made my way back to the room where I was greeted with a dirty look from the technician and a scared one from Brea. The technician was just telling her that everything looked great and the baby was growing right on schedule.
“Everything looks good?” I asked, and she nodded politely, giving me the feeling that she wanted to go off on me. It wasn’t necessary since I already regretted my dad being there. I stepped forward and took Brea’s hand as she shifted and looked at the technician.
“Where is the bathroom?”
“Just through that door,” the blonde told her with a sympathetic smile. “I’ll print off some pictures for you.” Brea waddled away and the girl pushed some buttons before she watched a long strip of paper start to print out. She tore them carefully and gave me a long look before handing them to me.
“You’re a lucky guy to have all of this. Take her home and fix it.” She waved her hand around as I nodded gratefully and stared at the images in my hands.
Fuck Dad. I was going to enjoy this. I waited for Brea to come out of the bathroom, which she did with a happy look on her face. She hugged me tightly.
“I’m getting my girl,” she whispered as I stroked her back.
“Let’s celebrate by getting some of that hot chocolate you like and picking something out for her,” I suggested. She tightened her arms around my neck.
“Perfect.” Brea pulled away and searched my face as I took her hand. “Did you get the pictures?” I nodded and handed them to her as we walked out. She was staring at them with a dreamy smile on her face, and I just kept walking with her.
“Is everything okay with him?”
“He left. I’m sorry for the way he acted, but he’ll come around.” I didn’t know what to say as we approached the car and I unlocked the door. I drove us to the mall after checking that she was up for it. I got her a drink at the cafe she loved. I had coffee and stared at her face as she gushed about the baby. I was checking for any pain my dad may have given her at one of the happiest moments of her life. She was putting on a brave face, but I knew she was upset.
“Can we just go home? I’m tired.” I looked at Brea with concern. “I need a nap. This was a big day.”
I nodded and walked to the car with her. I helped her inside and walked around to the driver’s seat. “Your place?” I asked, knowing Stacy was all moved out now.
“Yeah. I need my bed.” I drove her across town to Brooklyn and walked her to her door.
“Can I come in?” I asked, not wanting this day to end.
“Yes. I’d like that.” Brea walked inside and let her shoulders relax as she rubbed her stomach. I locked the door, and we went back to her bed where she slipped off her pants and crawled under the covers. I shed my jeans and shirt to do the same.
I had never enjoyed just sleeping with a woman before Brea. I pulled her against me as I silently admitted my growing feelings for her.
“Is he going to take away your money?” she asked as I reached over her belly to stroke it.
“He’ll come around, Brea.” I kept my voice positive as I spoke. “He’s wrong. Our daughter can do anything she wants to do, including run a bank. She’s going to be amazing.”
“But the money? You’re depending on that to start your business and…” She let her voice trail off before the fear could overwhelm her.
“I met his requirements. I don’t think he can just change his mind, and if he does, I’ll take care of us somehow.” I wanted her to relax and not be stressed out about this. She was carrying our baby. “I can take over the bank if I need to. I know what I’m doing.”
“You don’t want that. Did my getting pregnant ruin things for you?” Brea asked. Anger rushed through my veins, and I pulled her gently against me.
“No. You made my life better. I have things I never knew I wanted. I know how we started this arrangement, but things have changed.” I smiled. “I care more about this baby than I do anything else, including my inheritance.”
“I’m glad. I’d hate to have you resent us later,” Brea said in a sleepy voice. I felt her relax against me. Being pregnant and dealing with my crazy family had exhausted her. I swore I’d keep her focused on the baby so stress wouldn’t become a factor. Once she was asleep, I got up and cleaned her apartment.
I went grocery shopping for some of her favorite things to make her dinner later, including another bottle of sparkling cider. I wanted to make this day special since there was no doubt whatsoever that we were having a girl now.
Brea woke up a few hours later after a long, hard nap and found me in the kitchen. “What are you doing?” she asked as she sat down and rubbed her eyes.
“We’re celebrating,” I replied with a wide smile. I opened the cider and poured her a glass, sliding it over to her as she asked me where mine was. I got my own, and she grinned as she held up her glass.
“To our beautiful girl.”