Lynnia (39 page)

Lynnia

The next day

Lynnia rushed to the door as it rang for the second time. She couldn’t believe the guy was early. Wynter told her that she had the perfect guy in mind for the renovations she wanted done in her bathroom and her bedroom. The condo that she’d recently purchased was perfect for her in every other room except for those two rooms. Her windows didn’t give her the light she wanted when she opened the curtains. The standard tub, shower and sink didn’t say it was hers. It said it was someone else’s. She knew exactly what she wanted, but didn’t have the time to do the “do it yourself” thing. She also didn’t have time to interview contractors. Fortunately for her, her big sister told her she knew someone when the sisters all gathered for their weekly lunch the previous Tuesday.

Opening the door, she moved to slam it back, but he caught it before she could complete her action. His shirt was fitted along with the jeans. That’s what she needed.

“Why are you here? You know what, that’s a stupid question. I’m going to whoop Wynter’s ass. I told all of them to leave this alone,” Lynnia spoke as she tossed the folders she’d picked up on her way to the door on the counter.

Making her way to the area where her phone was, she ignored the sexy, raspy baritone that trailed behind her as she went to the den. Snatching her phone up, she started dialing the number to the very sister who needed to know how this little surprise made her feel. Just as she heard the line begin to ring, her phone was snatched out of her hand.

“What the … give me my phone back right now, Mr. Anderson,” she told him in her most threatening voice.

“Did you forget who you were talking to,
mami
? I know that voice. I also know that you aren’t about to do anything because you know I can take you.”

This bastard was really starting to work her last nerve. She literally only had one remaining nerve. He was bouncing up and down on it like it was a fucking trampoline. He was the one that decided he wanted to commit himself to another woman. He also felt it necessary to have that woman tossed up in her face whenever the chance arose. She didn’t want to deal with it anymore. It was why she had Carlita take over the duties for the planning of their special day. If she had to deal with the man that owned her heart getting married, then she was going to deal with it from a distance. He just didn’t seem to want to cooperate.

“You cannot be here. You cannot be in my space. I won’t allow it. This is my place. You have to leave,” she said and could hear the crack in her voice as she spoke the last words.

Why was she so emotional?
She didn’t need to be a hormonal mess in this moment. She needed to be strong and sure of herself. How was she going to do that when he was looking at her like he needed answers?

“You can’t keep doing this, Lynnie. You can’t keep shutting me out with no explanation as to why. You kicked me out of here a couple months ago then just stopped talking to me. I’ve tried everything to get us back to where we were, but you won’t let me. What’s wrong?”

He’d actually asked the question.

She could clearly see the confusion and desperation that was written in every line of his face. He truly didn’t understand. Lynnia should have known, but she was distracted with her own feelings and her own mess. There wasn’t a way for him to know or understand if she hadn’t shared what was going on with her. The question was, did she feel ready for that?

“You need to leave. I don’t want to deal with this, with you, with any of it right now.”

She made to move passed him and he grabbed her arm.

“No. You need to tell me what’s going on. It’s what we do. We hash things out, bounce things off one another. That’s who we are. This running and hiding thing isn’t. Tell me what’s up, Lynnie.”

He almost had her when he brought up how much they’d shared over the years. She quickly locked it down as she thought about the fact that he had someone else to do those things for him, to be that person for him. She didn’t need to be that any longer. Her role was recast and redefined. She was demoted and she would have to accept that.

“Let me go, Mr. Anderson. I’ll set something up with you for a future date. That way I’m not caught off guard and I can make the proper preparations.”

Lynnia kept her gaze trained on the picture window that was in front of her. She felt that was the safest bet until he moved to look her directly in her eyes. Those sad, brown eyes are what caused the first tear to trip over her lid and trickle down her face. “Heart of Stone” by Iko began to play through the speakers. She’d forgotten she was listening to music before his arrival. Hearing the words of the song didn’t help her. The words speaking of bruises and wasted tears had the tears tumbling even faster. Her singing of how the person was there with her, but not there with her had her almost sobbing. That’s when the confession began.

“You want … you want to know so badly what’s going on? You need to know so you can fix it, right?” she started speaking softly, but her octave increased with every statement she made. “It just doesn’t … it doesn’t sit right with you what we’ve become! You are the reason it is the way it is. You are not going to stand there and tell me that you had no clue how I felt about you. In all the time that we spent together, you’re really going to tell me that you didn’t notice the goofy ass way I took you in? I’ve been an idiot! I’ve been waiting for you to be ready for what everyone else claims they saw years ago. I’ve … secretly … h … hoped you would just see me. I guess … I guess you did see me just not the way that I wanted you to.”

Dario still hadn’t let her go and his proximity was causing her body to respond to him.
Fucking pregnancy hormones.

“You never gave me the signs. You’ve always been so verbal about everything else.
This
is what you chose to keep to yourself? I’m not a fucking mind reader, Lynnie.”

Lynnia scoffed as she turned away to wipe her face with her free hand.

“Stop fucking calling me that. You don’t have any right to. You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re trying to put this off on me? What’s sad is you’re actually serious? Try this on for size. That bitch you’re about to marry, I fucking hate her. She is not who you should be with. Let’s just take me off the table here. Aside from how well I know you, let’s check off what works with the two of you.”  Lynnia stood quietly and looked around before speaking again. “Exactly, not one fucking thing except y’all stupidly agreed to marry each other. You want to jump off into something with that idiot then that’s just fine by me. The baby and I will be off in the corner laughing our asses off at your stupidity.”

Dario’s grip loosened for a moment but only long enough to grip her wrist. His other hand moved to cup the back of her head as he leaned down to make sure she was looking directly at him. She could tell he was trying to calm himself. There was something in the way he looked at her and she knew. He’d figured it out with that one statement. Finally, he saw her and through the façade she’d been projecting. He took a few deep breaths before speaking.

“Are you pregnant with my child, Lynnie?” he asked the question and she could see him silently pleading for the truth. When she didn’t move to respond, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips before putting the question to her a different way, “Lynnia Evelyn Norton, if you are pregnant with my baby, then this changes everything. If you are pregnant, then I have something I need to talk to you about. Are you willing to tell me the truth about our baby to find out why your being pregnant with my baby changes everything?”

Lynnia’s worst nightmare was coming true. She hadn’t wanted to tell him about the baby because she didn’t want him calling things off on account of them. The truth of the matter was she wanted to be his first choice not his consolation prize.

Dario lifted her hand and kissed the palm of it. He placed another kiss to her lips then her tear streaked cheeks. The next time he spoke it was on a tortured whisper.

“Lynnie, tell me we’re having a baby and make me the happiest Latino man that walked the face of the planet. Tell … tell me,
mami
.”

She didn’t speak for a few moments more. Closing her eyes, she made her decision. Her nod was all of the response he needed. Slowly, he dropped to his knees before her and began to sing through the tears. His forehead rested against her stomach as his shoulders shook. Her tears renewed watching his reaction to her being pregnant with his baby. There was a slight twinge of pain because he wasn’t there’s. He was promised to someone else.

Lynnia didn’t want to dwell on that. What she wanted was to enjoy the moment that she was presented with. Stroking her hands through his short hair, she allowed this moment to be theirs. Those brown eyes looked up at her and wrecked her. He looked happier than he’d ever had before. She didn’t think that was possible. How could he look so happy to know he was having a baby with her and not the woman that he was supposed to marry? Dario didn’t look as if he was even thinking about that woman. In fact, he looked like he held his world in his arms and nothing else mattered.

“Hello, little Anderson. I can’t believe you’re in there. I’m so excited for this next part too,” clearing his throat he looked up at her again and smiled. “I’ve loved the woman you’re resting within for as long as I could say that I’ve honestly known her. Lynnia, the engagement, the wedding, the … everything was a ruse. It was a scheme to get us beyond the friends point and to the lovers that we should be. You’re mine, Lynnie. You’re mine from here on out. I’m not taking no for an answer. There are things we can battle it out over for years to come. Where my heart belongs and who it belongs to is not one of those things. You got me,
mami
?”