Innocence (4 page)

“Yeah, well, look at the state of me! One look at the bump and they would be running away. I am so tired and need some rest. I have walked miles in the last few days or so; no wonder my feet are swollen.”

Calvin scrunched up his nose, miffed, clearly deep in thought. She guessed he was trying to come up with a solution, but the truth was there wasn’t one and with her being penniless, having nothing and no one to support her when she really needed it.

“You have to have more faith in yourself. Look, think of what has happened as a starting point for you, and that you can re-build the damage and destruction you have caused. I mean no one is perfect and we need the bad to come with the good. My father always said that, ‘
no matter what if you have the passion you will succeed’
and I believe you would, you just have had a hard time and need to get your life back on track,” he said, gazing deep into her eyes.

“It isn’t as easy as that. I have nothing only the clothes I wear, my parents aren’t all that forgiving, my mum more than Dad. Mud sticks and they will not change her mind about me. I have been bad and deserve to be punished.”

“No you don’t. We all need guidance and support from time to time. You said your mum, where is your dad?”

“He works hard, long days and hours he was hardly around the house.”

“I see, did he not notice you had disappeared when you were sixteen?” she shrugged her shoulders not having a clue.

“I cannot believe this is all because you wouldn’t take the career path your mum wanted you too, surely there is more to this.”

“No,” she answered abruptly. “What I did in her eyes was unforgiving. I threw everything back at her and I deserve the door to be slammed in my face. I was right and they were wrong.”

“Oh is this the typical teenage tantrum?  Look, why don’t you take a few days to gather your thoughts and write a master plan out of what you would like to happen and try and use it as a starting point?”

“And where am I supposed to live in the meantime? I have no money, no roof over my head, it’s impossible. Don’t suggest going back to my parents, they will not stand by me. I know them, you don’t.”

“Then you must keep trying and if you fail, we will look at plan B.”

“What do you mean plan B?” She asked baffled.

“Look, try talking to your parents again and if they really are not shifting, we will look at another plan.”

“What do you mean
‘we’
?”

“Exactly that, I will help you.” He smiled at her.

“But where do I sleep?”

“I’ll sort that out, you just rest…and check out the menu, I am starving,” he added rubbing his tummy.

Kacey watched Calvin stand up and head out the pub wondering what on earth he was up too. Did she trust him? Did she want his help? She couldn’t believe he wanted to help her, why?

* * * *

Calvin had no idea what the hell he was doing. He walked into the car park pondering whether he should call the police, longing for someone else to take over the extensive mess he’d somehow found himself in. He reached into his jeans pocket for his mobile phone, contemplating to call the police and have her picked up, get her some serious help, but he feared for her and the baby, and what would happen to them not only that he had met a funny side to her too.

There was something in his mind calling out to him to help her. He saw his car and debated to climb in it and drive away as fast as he could, leaving her to deal with her own mess she had created. Clearly, she had been shameless. Otherwise, why would her parents turn their back on her, especially carrying a baby? But listening to what she had to say and how she got involved with a bad crowd, that could be enough to course any family break-up, or had she twisted the story about her parents to get sympathy?

He felt sick, there was no way he could take her back to his parents’ place, no way on this God’s living earth. She would take one look at the hall and see pound signs and lavish in his lifestyle, there was no way he was going to be brought into her having his wallet. Hell, he had learned that over the years of being used and abused for his assets. Yes, his family was wealthy. Yes, they ran a hall and several businesses. Yes, he had the lifestyle many people would dream about, but he never took it for granted.

Okay, Calvin told a few white lies, he wasn’t living with anyone or had flatmates back in London. He owned the place out-right, worth millions, but wasn’t about to admit that. He lied about not owning the car and about going to prison. The nearest he’d been to the building was a school trip having a guided tour, that was it. He never considered himself being a swot, but he was brought up to respect people, their values, views, and lifestyles and clearly Kacey had some really serious issues on these.

He walked over to his BMW and leaned against the front wing, folding his arms across his chest, wondering what to do. He took a deep breath. His mind was all over the place searching for answers. If he couldn’t take her back home, and she certainly wasn’t welcome at her parents’ house, what would be the next option? He rubbed his chin and rolled his tongue over his teeth, thinking hard.

“You okay, Calvin,” he heard a female voice.

He looked up and saw the owner of the pub walking briskly toward him.

He sighed and felt the warm sun on his face, forcing him to squint his eyes needing to put his sunglasses on.

“Yeah.”

“You don’t look it?” Miranda said, being in her late forties and worked in every department in the pub, but today wearing her apron guessing that she was head chef.

“I’m fine, just trying to think what to do with my female friend.”

“What do you mean?”

“She has nowhere to stay, parents don’t want her and I daren’t take her to my folks’ home as otherwise they would kill me and then there are other reasons.”

“Is she the one who is expecting?”

“Yes, and no I’m not the father,” he said before she jumped to conclusions aware how gossip spread like wild fire in the village. The last thing he needed was becoming the village gossip and people were always quick to assume.

“Like I would dare think you were and anyway, I’m sure if you were about to become a father your mum would be headlining it. They often talk about when you are going to give them a grandchild.” She giggled.

“Yes, Mum does keep asking me when am I settling down and giving her grandchildren.” He laughed. “However, no, she’s a friend and, well needs somewhere to stay.”

“How about the cottage? We’re about to open it up to the public, but she could stay there for a few days, if it would help,” she told him.

Calvin was pleased at her suggestion. “That would be amazing, thank you. I will pay for what you want for the nights.”

“That is generous of you.”

“She is broke and had everything pinched. She needs a few days to gather her thoughts,” he informed her not wishing to give away too much detail.

“No problem, I’ll get you the key. Will you be staying with her?” She asked while they made their way back to the pub.

“No, no she is a friend,” he disclosed.

He watched Miranda, head into the kitchen at the rear of the pub. He felt delighted he had managed to find Kacey somewhere safe to stay for a while.

Calvin wandered back into the pub and to the table where they’d both been sitting. Kacey was gone. He stopped in his path and quickly scanned the area.

“Shit,” he huffed and quickly rushed out the main door to check the car park, not being sure how on earth he missed her passing him. He ran to the main lane and looked up and down the road.

“Kacey, Kacey,” he called out.

There was nothing. So, he ran down the road looking in both directions. He then rushed in the opposite direction needing to locate her. He knew she couldn’t have gone too far with her waddling and there was no way she would be able to run that far and so quickly.

Calvin stood, trying to work out where she might have gone.

His heart thumped inside his chest, really worried about her well-being and being so unpredictable.

He decided to run back into the car park. He rummaged in his jeans pocket to get his car keys. Before he opened the car, he noticed someone sitting on the wooden bench in the corner of his eye. He glanced over again to see her, Kacey sat in the beer garden.

He gasped and caught his breath. He had no idea why he felt so relieved at seeing her and really had no idea why he panicked. Calvin had no idea what on earth was going through his head, and when he saw her, he breathed.

Having a few minutes to calm, catch his breath, and slow his heart down, not wishing to indicate to her how worried he’d been, or more the point why?

“Hey, how come you are out here?” He said on approach, seeing her stunning brunette hair blowing in the light breeze.

She turned to look at him. “Needed air and a few minutes to think,” she told him.

He sat down alongside her.

“I have found you somewhere to stay for the next few days.”

“You have? Where?”

“The cottage here.” He pointed to the side of the pub.

“That’s great,” lowering her voice not sounding pleased.

“What is it? I cannot have you staying at my folks as they would string me up,” he scoffed, trying to add humor to the mess.

“No, it’s great, really thank you. I just don’t have any money to pay.”

“Don’t be daft. Miranda said you could trial run it for the grand opening and give her your opinion.”
Yep another lie, Calvin, you are doing pretty well today!

“But, I don’t deserve the help you are giving me.”

“Kacey, you’re expecting a baby, and not only that I would hardly sleep knowing you might be sleeping rough. I do care you know, even if I have never met you before,” he said and stood up. She lifted her head. He gazed deeply into her eyes and added a wink.

“Now, should we go and get some food? My stomach is growling.” He chuckled.

They both stood up and walked back into the pub where they both sat down and ordered their food. Kacey chose a small cheese salad.

“You can order something more filling.”

“No, no thank you. I eat small and often.”

He ordered a steak sandwich feeling very hungry, needing the extra carbohydrates to think clearly, if at all possible.

They ate their food. He watched her intently, trying to work out how it must feel to have no one in your life who cared. He thinned his eyes, already feeling lonely. He had much support surrounding him, family, friends, and colleagues, not that he shared his personal life with them.

Miranda came over to the table and gave them the key to the cottage. He didn’t care for how much she would charge him, all he cared about was having Kacey safe and secure for a few nights, until she got sorted.

They took the short walk to the cottage. The palms of his hands were sweaty. He tried to breathe naturally, but his heart kept skipping beats. He worried that Kacey would try a take her life again, he wondered whether he should babysit or become her bodyguard. But the truth was…she appeared calmer and very tired, surely the last thing she would be contemplating would be to head back all the way to the river and take her life again.

They stood in the tiny fenced garden. His throat dry, his chest was tight. He turned to stare at her.

“Right, do you think you’ll be okay? Miranda is going to make you breakfast and is sending over tea, coffee, and some biscuits, but if you need anything to eat, just order it and I will pay the bill, don’t worry,” he said, aching inside and noticed her looking lost and very lonely.

“Thank you. I really mean that,” she said and leaned forward, kissing him on his right cheek.

He froze to her gesture. He hitched his brows and swallowed hard. “Don’t mention it. I will leave you, but if you need me Miranda has my mobile number so she can call me. Don’t hesitate to get in touch. I might call in later this evening to see how you’re doing,” he explained, and without further hesitation he sauntered away heading for his car. He turned around seeing her standing in the doorway of the cottage looking so elegant and pretty. She really was beautiful. He’d never noticed the pregnant form before, but she really was breath-taking.

He climbed into his car and drove off, leaving her at the cottage that he dare not enter. He couldn’t. He wanted to see what the owners had done inside, but being in a sweet cottage with a woman who had attempted earlier to take her life was just not feeling right in his heart.

Confused as to what he was doing and why he was doing it. He should have the balls to walk away, leave her to fend for her own life, yet, here he was, helping her. He shook his head in disbelief aware that the journey with her was going to be one rough ride. Calvin steered the car down the lane driving toward his family home, only his guts ached. Something wasn’t right. Something in his heart wasn’t fitting with her, there was something about her, but what? It seemed a little déjà vu.

Slowly, he drove his car down the narrow lanes to the hall that had been in the family for generations, owning stables and a large office for the real estate company his father and mother own. They also had offices up and down the country, and his father had the odd dealings with the States.