NiceGirlsDo (23 page)

“She didn't kick -- she just needs time to ...”

“To what? Decide that maybe she can do without a man who refuses to marry her after knocking her up?”

His nostrils flared. “I didn't knock her up!”

Amber gaped at him. “Oh, my God, Clay! You mean it's not your baby?”

“Of course it's mine!”

She frowned. “Then if you love her, and it’s your baby, why won't you marry her?”

“She understands and I asked you here to discuss you, not me and Darbi.”

She slipped her arm through his. “Clay, you need to understand that I am not getting married. I've already talked to Mom and Dad and they understand. I’m going to put off school while I have the baby, but I will go. Promise. You might think I’m an airhead, but I know the value of education and I will make you proud of me, Clay.”

He shook his head. “Oh, honey, even if you don’t go to school, please don’t think I’m not proud of you. I know I don’t always show it, but I love you very much and I really wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

“Good because right now, Mom and Dad want me to come home.”

He stared at her. “You're too young to be a single mom, Amber. You don't know what you're getting yourself into.”

“Maybe I don't, Clay, but I know what feels right. Going home to Mom and Dad and having my baby there feels right.”

“You can't do this by yourself, Amber.”

“I won't have to. I'll have Mom and Dad and Damien and --”

“Damien? He's all right with this?”

She shrugged. “I think being in love has mellowed him. He ranted and raved at first, but after Betty and Cami talked to him, he calmed down. So I'll have them and you, Clay?” She looked up at him, her green eyes clouded with worry. “I know you don't approve, but can I count on you?”

He sighed and hugged her. “Of course you can count on me.”

She linked her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “I knew you wouldn't let me down, Clay.”

“Never.”

She drew out of his arms and rose. “I'd better go pack my bags.”

“You're not leaving for another week or so.”

“I know, but in case you haven't noticed, I've bought a lot of clothes over the summer and I won't be able to fit most of them soon.”

He stood up and caressed her cheek. “I know you think I've been hard on you, honey, but you know it's only because I love you.”

“I've always known that, Clay ... even when I was being the most difficult.” She clutched his hand. “Walk me to the door.”

At the door, she smiled up at him. “Do the right thing by Darbi, Clay.”

“I intend to. I'll take care of her and the baby.”

She sighed and shook her head. “You're going to have to marry her to keep her.”

He shook his head. “No one is going to force me into a marriage I don't want.”

She rolled her eyes. “I'll see you when you get home.” She kissed his cheek and left. He closed the door and sat behind his desk. He ordered a dozen roses to be sent to Darbi at work and then called her. “Hi, honey.”

“Clay.” Her voice warmed. “Hi. I can't talk long. I'm on my way to a meeting.”

“Okay. I just wanted to talk to you and see how you were.”

“I'm fine, Clay.”

“Really? Not missing me at all?”

“Of course I do, but I'm a big girl. I might have to learn to cope.”

Oh, hell. “No! Let's not talk about coping without me, Darbi.”

“I don't want to, but you should know that I can if I have to, Clay.” She sighed. “Now I have to go. Have a great day.”

“I'll call you tomorrow.”

“When I said I needed space, I didn't expect you to call me every day.”

“Do you want me to stop calling you?”

“I ... no.”

“Then I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

His phone rang again just after he put it down. He lifted the receiver. “Hello.”

“Clayton! Darling, I have some news for you.”

“Mom. How are you?”

“Considering things, I'm well.”

“And Xavier?” “He's as well as can be expected. When I first told him about Amber, I thought he was going to have a stroke. He still thinks of her as a little girl.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Yes, well, we’ll all have to learn to cope.”

“You had news you wanted to share?”

“Yes.”

She sounded excited. He smiled. “Good news?”

“Oh, yes, Clay. We wanted you to be the first to hear our news.”

“Oh, Mom. You're separating? I'm sorry.”

There was a silence before she spoke. “Separating? Where do you get these ideas, Clayton?”

At the surprise in her voice, he realized he'd been expecting them to separate for years ... just as he'd been expecting his father and Damon's mother to separate. He frowned. He wasn't sure why since both couples had always seemed very happy. “So you're not separating?”

“Far from it!”

Of course they weren’t. She loved Xavier and wouldn’t have sounded so happy if they were separating. “Good.”

“When we discussed the baby, we realized it was time we behaved in a more responsible manner.”

“What do you mean?”

“We didn't want our first grandchild to think his grandparents didn't care enough about each other to solidify their commitment to each other. Xavier asked me to marry him and Clayton, I was so ... happy and stunned, I started crying, and I could barely get the yes out.”

He couldn't remember the last time he'd heard her sound so happy. “He did? Congratulations, Mom! I'm very happy for you and Xavier.” He frowned. “How did Dad take the news?”

“Well, he was very surprised when I called and told him I wanted a divorce immediately.” She laughed. “After the shock wore off, I think he was afraid once he's free, he'll have to marry Velva.”

“Why shouldn't he want to marry her, Mom? He loves her.”

“Does he? Strange he's never wanted to marry her. Sometimes I don't think you Frazier men have marriage in your blood.”

“He married you and he does love Velva, Mom.”

“Then he should make an honest woman out of her!”

He shook his head. After twenty-some years of living with Xavier, she didn't really have much room to talk. But apparently she was feeling self-righteous now that Xavier was finally going to make an “honest woman of her.”

“Maybe marriage isn't important to her.”

“Are you serious, Clayton? Take it from me, if and when a woman really loves a man, she wants and needs to know he wants and needs her enough to ask her to marry him. I ... I didn't think marriage was important ... until Xavier asked me to get a divorce and marry him.” Her voice broke. “Then ... then I knew what had been missing from our relationship the entire time we've been together. Don't get me wrong, Clayton, I know and have always known he loved me, but when he asked me to marry him ... it turned my world upside down in the most incredible and happy way.”

“I ... I'm very happy for you, Mom.”

“Good. We'll be getting married as soon as possible. Xavier wanted to ask you to be his best man, but he was afraid you'd say no.”

“Why should I say no?”

“He's afraid you've harbored ill feelings for ... living with me all this time.”

In the beginning, while he'd readily accepted his father's extramarital relationship, his mother's with Xavier had taken some getting used to. As a nineteen-year-old, he had hated Xavier until he'd seen how happy he made his mother. “I'd be delighted to be his best man. Is he there?”

“He's working.”

“I'll call him and tell him myself.”

“Oh, Clayton, would you? It would mean so much to him and to me. I don't think either of us has given much thought to how you must have felt all these years until we realized we were going to be grandparents. I'm sorry, Clayton. This must have been a difficult situation for you at best.”

“No, Mom, no. I've been an adult for a long time now. I understand and have understood you two love each other. Please don't waste any time on regrets on my behalf at a time when you should be very happy.”

“Oh, Clayton, you are such an understanding man. I hope that one of these days you'll meet a woman who makes you as happy as Xavier makes me.”

“I am seeing someone special, Mom.”

“Who? Why haven't you mentioned her? How special is she?”

“Very special.”

“Will I get to meet her soon?”

“It's early days yet.” Early days? He was in love for the first time in his life with a woman who wanted something he'd thought he couldn't give her.

“Have you asked her to marry you yet?”

“No.”

“Are you going to?”

He sighed. “I ... I don't know.”

“If you love her and she loves you, think about it, Clayton.”

He nodded. “I will ... I have been.”

“Well, I'm off to go shopping for a wedding dress before I meet Xay to pick out our rings. I love you so much, Clayton.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

“Bye, darling.”

“Bye, Mom.”

He hung up and sat back in his chair. His parents were getting a divorce and his mother was remarrying. Hell had frozen over. Just maybe it was time he reevaluated his priorities.

He picked up the phone and called his father. Damien’s mother answered. “Clayton! How are you?”

“Hi, Velva. I’m fine. How are you?”

“I’m great.”

He hesitated, wondering if she’d mention his father’s impending divorce. When she didn’t, he spoke again. “Is Dad there?”

“Yes. Hold on a second and I’ll get him.”

Several minutes later he heard his father’s voice on the line. “Clayton! Boy, how are you?”

He wondered how old he’d have to be before his father stopped calling him boy. “I’m fine, Dad. How are you?”

“Hell has frozen over, Clayton. Your mother and I are getting a divorce.”

“Yes. I know. She just called and told me. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Mom thought you might have been ... dismayed.”

“Dismayed? Where does your mother get those ideas, boy? Actually, I was somewhat relieved. I’ve been trying to get up the nerve for some time now to ask her for a divorce.”

“You have? Why?”

“I’m not getting any younger, boy, and Velva is getting more gorgeous with every passing year. I decided last year that it was time I asked her to marry me before some young buck came along and tried to take my woman from me.”

“Have you talked to her about this yet?”

“No. I wanted to talk to your mother first.”

“And now? Are you going to tell her now that you want to marry her when the divorce is over?”

“I plan to wait until the divorce is final and surprise her.”

“Sounds romantic, Dad, but I think if I were you, I’d give her a heads up.”

“Why?”

“I’m thinking she’d like to know how much you love her.”

“She knows that, boy.”

“I’m sure she does, but I’ve lately come to the conclusion that we have to do some things we might view as ... unimportant to keep the women we love happy.”

“We? Are you in love, boy?”

“Yes, Dad, I am.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She’s amazing, Dad. She ...”

* * *

On Friday morning Darbi and Sharde worked through lunch, which they shared in Sharde's office. “This feels awkward asking this, but are we still on track, Darbi? We're determined to outbid Fra-Tech to win this next government contract.”

She nodded. “I love him, but I work here and we never discuss business when we're alone. He knows I'm going to do all I can to help Calder Tech outbid Fra-Tech.”

“Don't you find it difficult?”

She sighed. “Not so far. We're on track. I've gone through résumés and arranged for several interviews. We'll be ready to outbid them.”

“What will happen when things work out for you two?”

“Don't you mean if?”

Sharde shook her head. “No. I mean when. He loves you and I know you love him. You'll be able to work things out. Then what?”

“Then I'll have to resign and worry about another job after the baby's born.”

“I'm sure things will work out for you and Clay, Darbi. There's no way two people could love each other as much as you do without being able to give and take until you can reach a compromise.”

“Compromise?” She shook her head. “Things didn't work out with Martin, but I still believe in and need to be married to a man who claims he loves me.”

Sharde smiled. “So. Are we still on for tonight? It's time you met Jeff's best man, Benton Savage. Since it's just going to be the four of us, I thought we'd have a cozy dinner at our place.” She lowered her gaze. “You know, if you want, you could invite Clay and we could maybe invite Jadan to make a sixth.”

“Jadan's away and are you sure you want to have Jeff and Clay together in such a confined space?”

Sharde laughed. “It's going to have to happen sooner or later. Jeff will be on his best behavior. So invite Clay if you like and maybe we can get Willow.”

“Thanks, but I think I'll come solo.”

“Okay. Ben will like that as he’ll get to flirt with you.”

She smiled. “I’ll look forward to that.”

After lunch, she returned to her office. Instead of working, she sat at her desk, staring at the ring she had bought for Clay with such high hopes. Would she ever get him to agree to wear it?

The ringing phone interrupted her thoughts. Her secretary was at lunch, so she picked it up herself. “Good afternoon, Calder Technologies. Darbi Raymond speaking.”

“Hi, honey.”

She smiled. “Hi, Clay. How are you?”

“I'd be great if you'd have dinner with me tonight.”

She sighed. “You know I'm Sharde's matron of honor?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Sharde wants me to meet the best man tonight. We're having dinner at their place.”

“How about coffee afterwards?”

“I'm feeling a little tired. I'm going home and going to bed after dinner.”

“Tired? Are you all right?”

“Yes. I just have to adjust to being pregnant. Look, I should get back to work.”

“Darbi, I need to see you soon. We need to talk.”

“I know and I need to see you too. I'll call you and we'll set up a date.”

“Okay. Enjoy yourself tonight.”

“How will you be spending the night?”

“I'll probably watch a movie.”

“I'll call you soon, Clay.”