He inquired softly, “Are you excited about tomorrow?”
Against my pillow, I grinned. “Yes. I’m as eager as I can be to see the doctor. It will be nice to confirm that everything is in order.”
He took a long breath while burying his face in my hair. “My father showing up like that was strange.”
Keeping things from him made me uncomfortable, but I wasn’t sure how he would respond if he found out how much I had told Jefferson.
“Willow?”
“Hmmm?”
“What were you and my father discussing before I arrived?”
I rolled over and positioned my arm over his waist while facing him. “Well, I’m very sure Rosemary sent me the letter under the guise of anonymity.”
His fingers tightened against my back and his nostrils flared with anger. It would have been sexy if he was not upset about his bitchy ex. “Why do you think so?”
I extended my palm to his forehead to smooth away the wrinkles. “Slow down. Before I continue, I want you to know that I believe this may have ultimately turned out for the best.”
He appeared even more perplexed, so I quickly carried on. “Your father came because Rosemary informed him that I was using you. That I married you for your money.”
He took a few long breaths, and the stress left him. “Did he argue with you? What did he say?” He was nearly growing when he spoke.
Yikes. He was so angry.
I held onto him in an effort to calm him down while he attempted to sit up.
“Please calm down, Nicholas. It did start out that way, but I think I made him understand a few things about who the real bad guy is.”
Nicholas swallowed. “What exactly did you tell him?”
“I told him nothing Rosemary ever said or did would change the fact that I loved you and you loved me. I informed him that she was deliberately lying to him in addition to being malicious. I waited for his response while biting my lip. ” I didn’t offer him any details when I told him that she was terrible to you. You have the choice,” I added after a while.
“What? Why would you do that?” He turned around and slid away from me before lying on his back.
I stopped him in his tracks and raised myself so I could see his face.
“Nicolas, the time has come. It’s time to put a stop to your issues with your father. He is your father and I can see he cares about you. The two of you are too stubborn to come around on your own.”
I huffed when he wouldn’t look at me and I climbed on top of him. I straddled him so that he couldn’t ignore me. “I am pregnant with your child.”
That caught his attention and made him look right at me.
“And I want as much of our family as possible to be with our child. Do you not believe that he or she will merit a grandfather? I don’t want you or my child to be lonely like I was. Please give it a go for me. For your child?”
His expression softened before he grew gruff again. “He only smiled at me tonight because he felt bad for me.”
I shook my head and moaned. Why were men so difficult to get through to? “He smiled because he is your father. He is aware that making assumptions about you prior to having all the information was incorrect. I think he is apologetic.”
He laughed. “In my opinion, you give him far too much credit. He has never approved of my decisions and has always held the view that I was the black sheep of the family. I don’t see his stance changing magically, even if he does think Rosemary and I broke up because she was a bitch.”
I kissed him while leaning down. “Why do you assume he was never satisfied with your decisions?”
“He wasn’t. He urged me to pursue a scholarly field of study and eventually become an academician. He detested the route I went on. He believes that I appeal to the lowest common denominator and that the entertainment industry is superficial.”
I was at a loss for words. Nicholas clearly wasn’t prepared to consider the prospect that his father might not have been acting maliciously. Simply put, I was going to have to wait for them to meet in the middle while exercising patience with both of them.
I was also too worn out to continue fighting. “Are you upset with me?” I asked.
He slid his hand up my thigh. “I am not mad. But I wish you wouldn’t tell people things I told you in confidence.”
My gut twisted, and I started crying. He believed I had betrayed him. As if a switch had been flipped, I threw myself on top of him, gave him a strong hug, and sobbed into his neck because I felt dreadful.
“I am so sorry. I didn’t know what else to do.” I was unable to stop crying.
He rubbed soothing circles on my back. “Shh. I am the one who should be sorry. I didn’t intend it that way. There is nothing wrong with what you did.”
I sobbed, “Yes, I did. I shouldn’t have revealed your personal information to him. I simply want your father and you to get along.”
I was a weeping mess.
“Baby, relax.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “It’s alright. I swear.”
He told me how much he loved me and how sorry he was for upsetting me as I sniffed against his skin. I didn’t know how I got myself so riled up, but my exhaustion eventually won out and I fell asleep on top of him .
The next morning, when Nicholas and I sat together in the back of the car, I was anxious about the doctor’s appointment. I held Nicholas’ hand firmly.