A New Year's Surprise (5 page)

On light feet, Kat entered the star-lit room. Catherine had had pilot lights installed which looked like the constellation. In the middle of the room, tucked under a soft blanket in her yellow and white cradle, was her daughter. Despite Kat’s fear of her suffocating, her baby usually slept on her belly, with her bottom in the air as she usually pulled her knees upward. Because she couldn’t help it, Kat gently scooped the clueless infant out, blanket and all, and sat down in the feeding chair with her.

She was transported to the first time she’d seen Sophia. It had been both traumatic and heart-warming. After sixteen and a half hours of hard labor, Sophia had entered the world, red-faced and screaming as she ensnared the hearts of all gathered. Each first had been memorable, and probably caught on camera or video by Damien.

A little smile curved Kat’s lips as she remembered the expensive, high definition camera Damien had purchased with the sole intention of recording every second of his daughter’s life. He’d been keeping his goal too. Kat could still remember the bright flashes that usually irritated her eyes or the clicking sounds happening at least once a day when Damien was home. He was such a dedicated father.

The first time he’d changed a diaper, Damien had wrinkled his nose and his eyes had watered, but he’d bared it and even smiled in triumph after. The first time the baby had vomited on a new shirt, he’d been more concerned over Sophia’s upset stomach than anything else. The first time she’d peed on him and laughed, he had laughed as well.

And Sophia loved her Daddy. If she was awake when he came home, and she heard his voice, she grew excited and instantly tried to get to him. If the room was carpeted, Kat usually placed the baby on the ground and watched in fascination as her short, fat legs took her to her father in a crawl or bottom shuffle.

Kat’s smile faded as her thoughts went back to the situation with Damien. What if her taking time became something permanent? Her daughter would be raised in a broken home. Kat didn’t like the thought at all, especially as she wasn’t even sure if she’d made the right decision in leaving.

Sophia moved, mewling softly as she fussed to get comfortable. Kat stood, rocking her gently, and placed her into the cradle. As she did so, her eyes caught sight of an animal decorated glow in the dark clock on the wall.

12:15.

“Happy New Years, baby,” she murmured softly, bending to press a kiss to Sophia’s smooth forehead. The smell of baby shampoo tickled her nostrils and Kat smiled.

Moments later, she left the room, walked down the stairs, and headed straight for the room now serving as coat check. She’d just buttoned her coat and was slipping on her gloves when Princess, who’d obviously come from the ladies’ room, spotted her.

Her friend walked over, a smile curving her cherry-red lips as she gave Kat a once over, as she demanded, “You weren’t about to leave me at this boring party, right?”

***

Somewhere along wanting to kill his friend for interfering in something that was none of his damn business, Damien had come to the realization that Gavin was right. This was ridiculous on both his and Kat’s parts. Looking at the situation from Kat’s point of view, he could begin to understand why she’d left.

She’d just had a baby and he hadn’t touched her since. To make it worse, he wasn’t exactly acting like the most trustworthy person at the moment. After setting up his surprise, he’d just wanted it to be perfect, to do one reveal instead of dampening it by telling her what he was doing. Perhaps, that hadn’t been the wisest thing.

“We’re here.”

Out of his window, the Harrisons’ sprawling, white Colonial estate stared back at him. In front of the high black gates were two men, both dressed in thick black coats, burgundy scarves, and gloves. In their hands were two separate lists, no doubt of guests who’d RSVP’d for the event and those who could show up even without reserving.

Unbuckling his seatbelt, Damien turned to Gavin. “Are you coming in?”

A half-smile lifted Gavin’s lips as he shook his head. “I doubt Catherine Harrison ever wants to see me her in home again.” Turning off the purring engine, Gavin nestled into the driver’s seat. “Go get your wife.”

Unsure what friction Gavin had with Catherine, and having more important things to worry about, Damien left the car and approached the unfriendly-looking security team.

***

Kat had planned on slipping out with both Zaire and Princess in tow, but her mother had spied her. Before she could leave, she’d had to say goodbye to a few long-time family friends, and when Catherine didn’t seem ready to release her at any time soon, it was Kat’s harsh and irritated whisper that she was going home to her husband that had finally allowed her to get to the door.

She pulled it open and drew back at the person standing there, hand poised to ring the bell. Both Princess and Zaire ran into her back, sending her pitching forward on unsteady heels into her husband’s arms.

“Kat!” Zaire cried, and Kat felt a hand grip the back of her jacket.

“Oh my God! Kat, I’m so sorry—oh...” Princess’s voice trailed off as she realized who’d caught her friend.

“Hi.”

Confused, Kat repeated his greeting, “Hi.”

Damien looked tired. His usually vivid blue eyes were bleary and red-tinged but he was smiling down at her. She found a small smile as well.

“Happy New Year,” he continued, his voice low enough that she knew he meant them only for her ears.

Nodding, Kat repeated his words for a second time. How was he here? Had he come for her?

Before she could ask the question, his lips brushed hers, once, twice. When she only stared at him from heavy-lidded eyes, Damien lowered his head once more, capturing her lips in a sweet, but passionate, kiss.

“Um...yea...don’t mind us...
not even here
...” Kat barely heard Princess’s voice over the blood-rush in her ears. She slid her arms around Damien’s neck and kissed him back. In this moment, nothing else mattered but them. Not the past couple of hours, not her insecurities, his secrets, or anything else. Kat just let herself feel, and what she felt was love. It had never left, and she was glad her husband had come for her.  

“Hey, Gavin!” Princess rushed to the car as fast as her six-inch heels would take her. Gavin found a genuine smile as she approached, stepping from the car to envelop her in a warm hug.

“Hey, beautiful.”

He hadn’t seen Princess, beyond last night’s misunderstanding, in many months. Between him being on business in Europe and Princess being one of Zaire’s close friends, Gavin had used his location to avoid the gorgeous Latina. The last conversation he’d had with her had been via Facebook and that had been early last year.

“You’re still a huge flirt, I see,” Princess tittered, blushing as he only lifted a brow, leaned against the car, and smiled down at her. “Stop giving me that look unless you want to be introduced to some kinkier stuff for the new year.”

Waggling his brows, he teased, “Like what?”

“Top or bottom, honey?”

He laughed easily, and was about to respond, when he saw
her
approaching.  Laughter died and he smirked.

“Z,” he said without rancor. It had been years after all, and he’d dealt with many people he disliked in his business dealings. He would just have to treat her similarly. 

“Gavin,” Zaire bit out, which almost made him smile.

She’d never been able to blanket her emotions, and that usually got her into more trouble than she was worth. Despite that, she was still one of the most beautiful women he’d laid eyes on. Gavin had somewhat childishly hoped she’d lose some of her beauty in the time he hadn’t seen her. She hadn’t. In fact, Zaire White seemed even more beautiful. Her face had lost most of the softness that made her seem so innocent and, instead, had become femininely angular. Her eyes, a soft, chameleon gray, were still incredibly captivating up close. He briefly wondered if she still hated them, before dismissing the thought. He no longer cared.

“Surprised to find you here.” He turned to Princess, who was staring between the two of them as if expecting the fireworks to erupt at any moment. Gavin smirked. “Both of you.”

“We only came to support Kat,” Princess murmured, turning to look back to the estate. “I wouldn’t be caught dead at one of Catherine’s parties otherwise.”

Gavin smiled. Catherine Harrison might be wealthy, but she had some of the most boring soirees he’d ever graced. Even his grandmother and her knitting club had more interesting things to do at their get-togethers. It had been particularly because he’d been bored, that Catherine had caught him and Zaire using their bodies for adult entertainment at one of her Christmas parties.

The thought sobered him and his voice was a touch bitter as he addressed the woman on his mind. “Have any interesting stories from this party?”

Rolling her eyes and flicking a stray braid behind her ear, Zaire snarled, “None I’d care to share with you.”

Clicking his tongue, Gavin gave her a frosty smile. “Last I remembered, you weren’t so picky about who you shared things with.”

Eyes widening at his parting shot, Zaire had taken a threatening step forward when Princess stepped in front of her.

“So, where are those two love-birds anyway?” Princess’s voice was unusually high, the voice of someone trying to diffuse a potentially bad situation.

Deciding Zaire wasn’t worth it, especially not on the first day of the New Year when he was supposed to be casting out the old and welcoming the new, he addressed Princess, “Did you drive?”

“Oh, honey, no.” Princess shook her dark head like he’d made a faux-pas. “I  put that liquor away for the New Year and I’m not trying to be the idiot who drinks and drives, gets pulled over and felt up by an unattractive cop, and spends the day in the slammer. “She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. “No thank you.”

He grinned. “Of course not. The cop should at least be attractive if you’re going to be pulled over for doing something wrong.”

Giving him a saucy wink, Princess nodded. “Exactly.”

***

“I’m sorry,” Damien murmured against Kat’s lips.

Seeing her, already in her coat and ready to leave, had confirmed that he’d done the right thing by coming here. He was taking his wife home where he’d make up for the months they hadn’t touched each other by showing Kat how much he still wanted her.

“No.” Kat shook her head, her lips brushing his tenderly. She closed her eyes and sighed. “I-I walked out on you. I’m sorry, Damien. I was emotional and I didn’t know what to think. I just don’t like secrets. I can’t shake the thought that it might be something bad that you’re not telling me...”

“Baby, I promise you...” He paused to lift her hand over his pounding heart. “…it’s a good secret.”

A frown marred her brow, and she murmured, “I want to believe you.”

“I love you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Believe me. Trust me. I love my family too much to ruin what we have for a few minutes of fucking.”

Her eyes flicked open at his bluntness, but she found a small smile. “Maybe it was more than just a few minutes.”

Damien didn’t share her amusement. Releasing her hand, he gripped her shoulders and held her gaze. “Kat, you promised me forever, and I want it.”

She nodded and locked her eyes onto his. “I want that too.”

“Good.” He relaxed slightly and turned to the closed door. “Is Sophia asleep?”

When Kat nodded, he kissed her forehead and gently moved her from the door. He quickly rang the doorbell.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting my daughter.”

“Damien, it’s late.”

Cupping her cheek, he kissed her but spoke in a firm voice, “I’m taking you both home, Kat. I’d like to spend the New Year with my family.”

***

Gavin would have preferred to take Princess to wherever she was going, but at the last minute, she’d found a party minutes from Catherine’s home and decided to continue her celebrating there. Since Damien and Kat were taking the baby home, they’d decided to get a cab. Although Zaire could have gone with them, Gavin had decided to take one for the team to give Damien some time alone with his family.

“Where am I taking you?”

It was the first question he’d asked since they’d begun their journey into the city. More than likely, most of the streets were blocked off so it would take even longer to drop her off where she was going. Just his luck.  

She rattled off an address and Gavin frowned. “Isn’t that next to the projects?”

“Seriously,” Zaire huffed, shuffling in her seat and sending her flower-musk toilette to tickle his nose. He’d forgotten the brand but it was the same she’d worn years ago and one of the few scents that seemed to get better the sweatier a person got. “Just because it’s a predominantly black, inner-city neighborhood doesn’t mean it’s the projects.”

“No, but when it’s constantly on the news for drugs and shootings, that usually does.”

“What do you know about Brooklyn news or neighborhoods?” she snapped, sucking her teeth. “You’re rich. Grew up in Boston, trust fund baby, probably had your ass wiped by paper sprinkled with gold dust. You probably think all of Brooklyn is one huge ghetto.”

“Not all,” he threw back, stealing a quick glance at her. She looked just as she sounded: furious. He decided to push her farther. “Park Slope’s decent.”

Gavin knew there were other good parts of Brooklyn. He’d gone to university in New York and had been to Brooklyn enough times to know that, but he wanted to needle Zaire the same way she was needling him. There were only two women who could get under his skin. His mother was the first and Zaire, although he seriously wished it weren’t so, the second.

“Still a fucking asshole,” she murmured under her breath.

Although he had a scathing response, particularly making use of the word ‘bitch,’ Gavin curbed it and settled for, “It’s not nice to curse the people doing you favors.”

“Why don’t you drop me off at the nearest subway?”

“I’d love to.” Gavin was serious. He didn’t need this shit. Not right now. He just wanted to go to any decent party, find a sexy chick with nice tits and a decent ass, screw her until sun-up, and pass out. He was damn tired and it wasn’t just from today. He’d been to too many countries on business in the past year and he wanted to begin the new year in repose. He’d already done his good deed for the year. This was just extra.

“Okay then.” Zaire turned to him. “Next subway, let me out.”

“Can’t.” 
Sadly.
“Kat asked me to see you into your building and because she asked, I’m going to do exactly that.”

“Because you and Kat are
such
good friends.” The jab stung like a mosquito bite. Before he could respond, she griped, “Okay then. Change of plans. Drop me off at Bar X, or as close as you can get to it. It’s on 23
^rd
and 1
^st
Ave.”

“I know where it is.” It had been their bar of choice in college. On a good night, it was wild, raunchy, and sweaty. It was more club than bar, and catered to the barely legal and been-legal but should know better crowds. “It’s already one thirty, I don’t think—.”

“I didn’t ask you to think. I asked you to drop me there or let me off at the nearest subway. Choice is yours.”

Bitch.

Gavin didn’t know why he particularly cared. She was an adult. She’d make her own decisions and live with them. He had better things to do than babysit a grown woman anyway.

“Whatever you say.”

“Good. Take me to Bar X.”

***

Damien held the car-seat with a sleeping and bundled Sophia as they rode the elevator up to their floor. The baby had awoken once in the taxi and that had been to coo, grab Damien’s finger, and go back to sleep.

Kat stepped from the elevator first, making her way to the living room. Her heels were lovely but her feet were suffering. She needed them off now. She’d just come to the end of the entranceway leading to the living-room when she froze, her achy feet all but forgotten as she stared.

“Damien!”

He didn’t approach fast enough so she turned to him, eyes wide as she stared between the items behind her sofas and her husband.

“What is...?”

The edges of his lips twitched, and then a large smile curved his lips up. He approached and stopped directly before her. Lowering his head, he kissed her lips. “Surprise.”

Returning her attention to the living room, Kat could say that she was truly surprised. On three separate easels, were large paintings of their family. Quickly slipping off her shoes, Kat crossed to the first, feeling her nose burn and her throat grow tight as she analyzed the perfection.

She didn’t remember taking this particular picture, but she remembered the day and the flowing, peach-colored, maternity dress. It was during her last month of her pregnancy and Damien had taken her to his summer house in Cape Cod. The city had been getting to her, the overwhelming smells, the constant noise, the bustling, and add to that the stress of fixing up the apartment. Damien had taken the week off and whisked her to the Cape.

In the painting, she was standing by the beach, her feet covered by white, foamy water. One hand against her swollen belly and the other pushing her wind-blown hair from her face. Directly behind her, the sun was setting, casting an orangeish tint to the photo. It was very scenic, caught in profile, elegant, natural, and warm, and the brush strokes and undertones of the realist painter complimented it all.

“This is beautiful...”

Excited, she moved to the next, and this time, tears blurred her vision. It was a painting of her and a newborn Sophia. They were both sleeping, Sophia perched against Kat’s nearly exposed breast as Kat sat in her comfortable feeding chair. Kat must have fallen asleep while feeding her daughter. Damien probably made her photo-ready and began snapping. The colors were warmer than the last and Kat could practically feel the sunlight through the painting.

Looking over her shoulder, she found Damien watching her.

She threw a shaky smile his way and moved to the last. She loved them all, but this was her favorite. This would go above their electric fireplace.

Kat remembered the day well, only because Damien had “set the scene” and had had them take about ten different shots before he’d been content. He’d come home early on that day and had found her and Sophia in Sophia’s playroom. In a matter of minutes, Damien had returned with the camera, placed it on its stand, set the timer, and proceeded to take pictures. The painting captured a cameo that was so natural, no photographer could have staged it.

Sophia had made her way to Kat’s lap and Kat helped her sit up. As Kat kept an eye on her daughter, Damien stared at her with love radiating from his person. Sophia happened to look at the camera with a toothless grin at that exact moment. It was the portrait of a happy family and the artist had used bright blues, yellows, and warm browns  to capture it.

“Oh Damien...”

Strong arms slipped around her middle and firm lips touched her neck. “Do you like them?”

“I love them!” She turned in his arms as understanding began to dawn. “This was the surprise? You commissioned paintings of our family?”

He nodded. “I knew you were looking for paintings to put up around the apartment.”

“And Vanya?” Kat continued, knowing in her heart that the answer was going to cause her further embarrassment.

Keeping an arm around her, Damien pointed to the artist’s signature at the bottom of each piece. Vanya
B.

“Oh.” Kat stared at each signature, embarrassed that she’d accused her husband of having an affair when he’d been busy getting a realist painter to surprise her with paintings of their family. Vanya...

She turned back to Damien. “Her name sounds familiar.”

“Yes,” he confirmed, gently rubbing her lower back. “We went to a Valentine’s Day gallery opening in my office building. Do you remember?”

“Yes, and I liked the painting...” Oh God. Her heart began a rapid pounding, and Kat felt faint.

Vanyanka
Burdzecki.

That had been the name of the painter. The painting had been beautiful. It had only been a field of flowers, but the simplicity had accentuated the artist’s many talents. An art minor in college, Kat had always like paintings, particularly realist ones, and she’d been completely enamored with that one. Damien had made an offer but it had only been on display. The artist hadn’t been ready to sell.