A Billionaire's Secret Baby - Chapter 3

Ileft, walking quickly away from them. I was in shock, and my legs were shaking as I stumbled down the stairs. Seeing his face after all these years had sent my head reeling. Alex Lowe had gained a couple of steel-gray hairs at his temples, but aside from that, he didn’t look different at all. The same handsome face, the same ripped, muscular body. The same cruel, piercing glare.

The bastard who’d left me without anything and anyone, a single mother alone in New York.

I stumbled through the dining room, onto the street. It was raining lightly, and the pavements were slicked as I jogged away.

I had to get to the subway, into a cab—anything. Macy was at home and I was going to pick her up from Sara’s apartment, hold her, cuddle her, and get as far away from the monster pursuing me as I could.

“Wait!” cried a dark voice, after me. Frantically, I broke into a jog and rounded the corner, nearly bumping into a couple wandering past with some designer bags. The money on these streets never ceased to amaze me.

“LOLA!” cried Alex, and I shivered to hear my name said like that, called after me, like it had been me who’d left him, who’d abandoned him, and not the other way around…

But there was nowhere to go. At a four-way intersection, I stopped, turned, and saw Alex, jostling amongst the crowd behind me. The rain had gently slicked his hair, and he looked more gorgeous than ever. But the sight of him following me gave me chills.

“Lola,” he said, and stepped towards me. “It’s been…years.”

He’d opened his arms and was reaching for me. For a moment, I thought about what it would be like for him to wrap them around me once again, after all these years of wanting him. Even though I hated myself for wanting him. Even though I could never forgive him for what he’d done.

“Don’t touch me!” I barked, and I was astonished at the power in my own voice. Alex looked like he’d just been slapped in the face.

“Are you okay, lady?” said a guy behind me.

“This guy bothering you?” said another, looking Alex up and down. He looked quite the picture in his dark suit and designer tie, his hair neatly combed and gelled into place. His trimmed stubble. There was no denying that he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. But his eyes had gone cold once again.

Alex turned. “Fine,” he rumbled, and began to go. This was it. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? I’d never see him again.

“Wait,” I called.

He turned around.

“Can we talk?” I said.

***

“So,” said Alex.

“So,” I said, finding my smile. Time to put on a smile, I heard my mom say from the back of my mind.

Back in Wisconsin, it was lunchtime. I thought happy thoughts, about the family table covered with mashed potatoes, cornbread. But before I could find my happy place, I had to ask again. To make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

“You own it?” I said, tentatively.

Alex nodded. “About five years now. We’re pretty happy with it. What did you think?”

I tried to steel myself to be polite. “It’s incredible. Really, Alex, that’s so impressive. I can’t imagine—I mean, you must be very proud.”

“What about you, Lola? You’re waitressing now?” said Alex.

“Yeah,” I said, startled from my dream. “Well, for the last couple of years. For a while, I worked as a housekeeper, cleaner. Maid. All kinds of stuff. ”

“What about your music?” said Alex, and I felt my body tense.

“I had to give it up,” I said.

“Why?” Alex said, incredulously.

“These things come and go,” I twittered, still smiling. Keeping a happy face on. Even though I felt like the slightest pressure would crack the happy picture I presented into a hundred shards and reveal a tired, desperate mother in need of the next paycheck.

“For some people, maybe,” huffed Alex. “Not for me.”

I didn’t say anything. It was easy for Alex to be devoted to his career, of course. But not for me. I had other responsibilities. How could I even begin to explain to him?

“Life doesn’t always pan out the way you want it to,” I said. “But I’ll get back on top one day. Just you wait!”

“If I’m unhappy with something in my life…” grunted Alex, “…I change it. Plain and simple. That’s how I got where I am.”

I felt a little hurt by that, and tried to remember what I knew about Alex. I’d heard about him from time to time, of course. I’d once seen him in the papers, even heard about him on the street. I guess I knew where the money had come from that Alex had sent me. He was rich: richer than I could even guess. But I’d never once thought of contacting him after the letter arrived. I didn’t know what I’d do when I saw him again. But now, I was beginning to realize that there was another reason I’d never contacted Alex. It was that I preferred remembering him as he’d been in Bali.

Because the man sitting in front of me right now seemed like an arrogant jerk, to be perfectly honest.

Still, I didn’t want to judge Alex too harshly. Seeing him was a shock. But I had to remember that the past was the past.

“I have a lot of other commitments,” I said.

“Commitments?”

“You know. Family commitments?”

“What, are you married or something?”

“No,” I replied. For some reason, that stung most of all.

Alex looked like he was about to say more, but then he stopped, and shook his head.

“Lola,” he said. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I didn’t call you. I’m sorry I sent that letter. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Thank you,” I said. His apology didn’t even begin to scratch the surface, but somehow I was hoping that if I pretended it was fine, the feelings wouldn’t keep bubbling up, that I’d still be able to keep smiling, keep being nice, to the man who’d ruined everything, to the guy who’d abandoned me when I most needed him…

“And I hope the money was useful.”

That did it.

“I gave it to a dog shelter,” I replied.

“What?”

“I said, I gave it to a dog shelter.”

“Why? That was for you…for whatever trouble you were in!”

“I don’t need your money, mister. Never did. I told you that when I called, as a matter of fact. I said I needed your help, to talk to you.”

“I…just…” said Alex. He’d screwed up his face and his piercing blue eyes were burning like cold fire. He looked like he was about to lose his temper.

“So, there’s nothing I can do?” he said.

“No. Not now.”

“And you don’t want to tell me about whatever it was? That you called me about?”

“Not your problem!” I said, happily. Even if it made me most unhappy to say it.

“So, we’re not going to talk about it at all?”

“You sure are a smart cookie,” I replied sarcastically.

That did it. Alex had stood, and was buttoning his elegant designer blazer.

“It was good seeing you, Lola,” he said, through gritted teeth. “But I really must go.” I watched him pick his way gingerly through the crowded coffee shop.

But I didn’t care. Sure, I’d been really looking forward to working at The Blue Orchid. But I was better off without Alex Lowe.

***

I took the subway back to Jackson Heights that afternoon. It was almost an hour-long journey from The Blue Orchid to my apartment.

I’d gotten a text from Zeke, thanking me for coming in and telling me I’d be hearing from them. But somehow, I got the feeling that billionaire, asshole Alex Lowe wouldn’t be welcoming me to one of his upmarket venues any time soon. Besides, the commute was long, and I bet they made you work all kinds of crazy shifts at such a fancy place.

When I got off the subway, I walked back to my building. I lived above a bodega owned by Sebastien, Sara’s uncle.

“Buenos dias!” I said to him, at the door of the little store. Sebastien looked up at me and grinned.

“Preciosa Lola,” he said. I smiled sweetly at that. Precious Lola. “How the job?”

“Nada,” I said. “But maybe next time, huh?”

“Mañana,” he said confidently, meaning tomorrow before returning to serve a guy.

I put my key in the door and punched in the code, and jogged up the stairs to the top floor of the building. But when I got there, I didn’t go to my apartment. Instead, I walked to the end of the corridor and knocked.

“Just a minute!” yelled a cheery voice.

The door opened, and Sara gave me a hug. Sara wasn’t my oldest friend but we’d known each other for a long time now. And if I was feeling down at all about seeing Alex that day, the sight of my cheerful, gorgeous friend made me smile.

“How did it go, sweetheart?” said Sara. “You been sampling any of that fancy Manhattan food?”

“I wish,” I said. “It’s a nice place. Too fancy for me, though.”

“A girl’s gotta take what she can get these days,” said Sara.

“I have my limits,” I said with a grin, and Sara’s expression changed from happiness to concern.

“Are you okay?” she said. “What, they didn’t want my best friend Lola waitressing in their fancy place? Must not be so fancy after all.”

“Oh, come on!” I said. “I’m not fancy.”

“You must be kidding yourself, hermosa. One of these days, some nice rich man is gonna come and sweep you off those feet of yours.”

“Oh, Sara,” I sighed. She was always so nice to me that way.

“Thanks for taking Macy. How are the kids?”

“Oh, it was no trouble. They’re doing just fine,” said Sara. “Raul’s a little cranky because I made him go to bed early. But Macy’s done all her homework too. MACY!” she yelled. “Your mommy’s here, chica!”

But before she’d even finished talking, I’d heard a tiny pair of feet sprinting to the front door. And before I knew it, I was holding my daughter in my arms, laughing and kissing her dark hair, as she looked up at me with a pair of gorgeous blue eyes.

***

By the time I’d finished chatting to Sara, got Macy home, and made her dinner, it was 8.00pm. So I got her washed and dressed in her PJs, and carried the sleepy girl to bed.

“What did you do today, Mommy?” said Macy as I curled up on her tiny bed with her. I read her a story each night. Tonight’s tale had been the Princess and the Pea, which Macy almost knew off by heart these days. She was a clever girl, for sure.

“Well, mommy went to a restaurant to see if she wants to work there,” I said.

“Are you gonna?” said Macy.

“Well, it’s a good job, but unfortunately the man who runs it is a bit of a…”

“A gruffalo?” said Macy. It was her favorite book. I couldn’t help but giggle.

“Yeah,” I said, laughing. “Yeah, I guess he is. So I don’t want to work there.”

“Okay,” said Macy. “So what are you gonna do?”

“Oh, hey, don’t worry, baby,” I said. “We’ll find something else. You and me, kiddo? We always come out on top.”

“What else did you do?” asked Macy.

“Well, I got some coffee.”

“And?” she murmured, sleepily.

“And I took the subway.”

“And?” Macy murmured, even quieter now, almost just a whisper.

“And I saw Aunty Sara, and we talked about you and how great you are, and how much we both love you.”

“And?” Macy whispered, as her eyelids fluttered a little, and closed.

“And?” I said, laughing. “What else is there, baby? I thought about you, of course. And how much I love you.”

But Macy couldn’t hear me. She was already fast asleep. I lowered her under the covers, and adjusted the pillows. I brushed a strand of her dark hair aside, and kissed her forehead.

“I guess I saw your daddy today,” I said, softly, so there was no chance Macy could hear me in her deep, deep sleep.

I got up, and quietly stepped out of her room, switching on Macy’s night-light.

I went to the kitchen to make myself some tea. I thought about listening to some music, but the events of the day had completely exhausted me. And besides, with Macy asleep, a perfect peace had descended over my home.

Then, my phone began to ring. I would have noticed the number if I hadn’t been so tired. A number I’d memorized, a number that I saw behind my eyelids on sleepless nights for the last six years.

I answered. “Hello?” “Lola? Is that you?”

And all of a sudden, my perfect peace was gone.