Patrick

Chapter 9

“I need you to slow down,” Patrick told her grimly. She was staying on at the company because she had done such a good job during Marion’s absence that they were running the large PR department together, and Carrie found that she actually loved it! It also helped that she was accepted not because of her last name but because she was actually doing a very good job and she and Marion got along well together. It was February, and they had so many social activities to attend that it was starting to get crazy!

“I have slowed down.” She secured diamond knobs in her lobes and caught his blue gaze in the mirror. Her due date was early March, but she felt great and did not see the need to stop working just yet. “Marion and the rest of the guys are actually doing most of the work. I kind of feel like a fraud.”

“You were on your feet for most of yesterday, Carrie, and you even went with Marion to meet with some clients,” he told her grimly as he shrugged into his steel grey jacket.

“How did you-” She started to ask him and then shook her head. “You are the big shot boss so nothing gets past you. Did your spies tell you what I had for lunch?”

“Lobster quiche and a salad with a milkshake,” he told her mildly, almost grinning at the look on her beautiful face.

She turned around on the stool and stared at him. “Do I get to do anything without you being privy to it?” she demanded.

“No,” he told her bluntly as he came over to run the brush through his jet black hair. “And if you don’t slow down, I am going to fire Marion.”

She stood up slowly, her eyes simmering with temper at his highhandedness. “You are bluffing.”

“Try me,” he told her softly. He turned and placed his hands on her protruding belly. “You are carrying my son and I am going to do everything to make sure that you take it easy. You have two weeks to tie up what you need to and stay home to get ready for the birth.”

“Do I have a say in all of this?”

“No.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard on the lips. “None whatsoever.”

*****

Linda stood in the room designated to be the nursery. She had watched from the window of her bedroom as her son and daughter-in-law left for the day and had smiled fondly as Patrick took Carrie’s hand to lead her out to the car. He had forbidden her to drive herself and had insisted on her going in with him and coming home with one of the drivers when he had meetings that ran over late. He was in love with her, she mused as she saw the expression on his face. Even from so far away, she saw how tender his movements were towards her, and she was certain that it was not because she was carrying his son.

The room was large and faced the side of mansion looking over idyllic trees and rising hills. It had been decorated by ‘Nursery Decorators,’ a team of highly professional people who did nurseries for the rich and famous, and they had outdone themselves. They had polished the crib that had been used for Patrick when he was a baby to a high sheen, and it stood proudly in the center of the room. They had used throw rugs instead of carpet and white shelves lined one side of the wall where there were already stuffed toys and little knick knacks placed on them.

There was a cot on one side with fluffy pillows if one wanted to sit with the child until he was sleeping. The changing table was antique and had been found in a store several states away. There was a beautiful mural on the wall depicting several animals drinking from a serene stream with birds nesting in a huge tree. It was a beautiful room fit for the baby of a very rich family, and Linda was going to make sure he had a stable home.

She was startled as she heard a noise in the doorway and turned thinking it was one of the maids. It was almost noon and she suspected they were coming to ask her what she wanted for lunch, but she was thinking of dining out for a change. But it was her husband. She had seen him leave this morning and had no idea why he was back.

“William,” she said coolly. She had let him back inside their suite, but things had been cool between them.

“I knew I would find you in here,” he told her softly, coming towards her to go and stand next to the crib. “I remember when we acquired this and how excited you were, so much so that you wanted us to set it up the same night.”

“And you told me to leave it until the next day.” She moved away from him.

He looked up at her. He was still in his suit jacket and looked smartly handsome. “We were happy then.”

“Were we?” she asked him coolly. “Why are you home?”

“I had a meeting near here and decided to come and talk to you for a bit.”

“What about?”

“I need us to start over, Lin,” he told her softly, surprising her by using the name he had for her at the start of the relationship.

“I thought we were already doing that.”

“No.” He came and stood in front of her. “We are barely on speaking terms and you are tolerating me.” He placed his hands on her arms, and she stiffened.

“Did you love her?” she asked, looking up at him.

He thought about lying to her and decided against it. “Yes.” His hands tightened on her arms as he felt her pulling away. “She made me feel young and needed, and I fell in love with that.” His look was brooding as he looked down at his beautiful wife. “I still feel that way, but I love you and want this to work for us.”