I woke up to thoughts of the text Jake had sent me the previous night. He should have just called, and I would have let him stay over, but I understood why he didn’t. This wasn’t something we could cuddle up to and go to sleep. It’d been a rough couple of weeks for both of us since getting back from Santa Clarita. I missed the hell out of the guy and still couldn’t believe the swarming of the press that happened after we came back home. It was a beautiful day, letting Mom go, but it was destroyed by the media after Liz went to them in tears.
Jake was solemn when his brother gave him the news and told him to prepare for this turn of events with the media probing into his personal life. I felt horrible for him. Good grief, who cared about this shit? Apparently, it was making these outlets good money because everyone seemed to talk about the billionaire doctor who cared more about his girlfriend than his own child.
I couldn’t resist checking to see where the gossip was after Jim mentioned Liz was a frantic idiot in front of the camera. My headlines were no better than Jim’s as of last night: the woman who the doctor is using to avoid his baby. It was all so lame. I couldn’t believe anyone would give these stories credit.
I stared at the text Jake had sent me last night. It was finally done, and the results had come back with Jake being the father to Liz’s baby. I loved him even past all of my selfish desires of wanting him to myself, but it sucked to know I would have to share him with this chick he got pregnant after a one-night stand. I needed to see him, but had a feeling he needed some space.
“Mija!” Carmen called from the kitchen. “Someone’s at the door, and your dad is in the backyard. Can you get it?”
“Yep,” I said, jumping up from where I was stretched out and trying to sleep through the day. I walked past the kitchen and smiled at Carmen. “You’re just—”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said, stirring some sauce. “You’re not sleeping all day. There are bigger problems in the world than this.” She winked and pursed her lips while dancing to her music and cooking.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I said, my smile instantly fading when I saw Liz and her tear-streaked cheeks.
“We need to talk,” she said.
“I see you brought your friends with you.” I stared out at the media. “Why are you here, and how did you get my new address?”
“I followed Jake last night. I needed to—”
“Get in here,” I pulled her in, seeing the reporters creeping up the walkway. “You have lost it,” I snapped. “Following my boyfriend now?”
She collapsed on my couch, leaving me standing there and glaring at her. “I couldn’t help it. I needed to talk to him.”
“He texted me. I know the baby is his. I have no idea why you’re here, but from mentioning you’re stalking Jake, I’ll keep it simple. We have talked about this and have determined to—”
“He tried to pay me off,” she stated, interrupting me.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Last night, Jake and I talked after work. He stayed late, and we discussed our baby.” She stopped, and it must’ve been because of my expression, knowing she was alone with him after hours.
“Go on. You discussed the results,” I said flatly.
“Yes. It got out of hand, and he said horrible things.”
“Jake’s been under a lot of pressure with the shit show of the media since you decided to cry to them about your unfortunate situation.”
“That was stupid. I know that now.” She sniffed. “Ashley, I’m here because of what he said about you. I recorded our conversation after he got violent.”
“Jake got violent with you?” I asked darkly. “Did you tell those assholes that?” I nodded toward the front window. “Are you recording this conversation? What kind of person are you, Liz? I mean, what the fuck happened to you? I can’t believe half the shit you’re pulling.”
“I just want you to know that I feel like you’re with a man who won’t appreciate you or doesn’t appreciate you—”
“We’re not friends, Liz. I don’t need you filling me in on things you honestly don’t know about between my boyfriend and me.”
“Really?” she snapped, running her hand over her stomach while pulling out her phone. “This is the father of my poor baby and your disgusting boyfriend,” she sneered, and then the next thing I knew, I was listening to Jake’s voice.
I stood first in agreement with him being pissed off, then stunned and silenced when the last words I ever believed could come out of his mouth did.
“I don’t even have the time for a bullshit relationship much less deal with raising someone’s kid.” His statement on top of him offering to pay the girl off was not the man I’d fallen in love with.
“Get out,” I snapped. “And delete that goddamn recording.”
“I’m using this if it goes to a custody battle between us,” she snarled.
“Does it sound to you like he wants the kid?” I asked, thoroughly disgusted with her and Jake. “Sounds to me like he’s willing to pay you to get you and the baby out of his life.”
“What a stand-up guy you’ve got, Ash,” she said smugly. “You heard what he said about having a relationship, right? I’m sorry, a bullshit relationship.”
“Yes, so delete it all,” I said. “His point of view of not having time for that or a child should tell you that custody battles won’t be a problem between you and him.”
She sighed. “I’m going to my lawyers with this.”
I stepped in front of her as she headed toward the front door. “You’re not going anywhere with that but to those assholes out front. You play that for those idiots, and you’ll ruin him.”
“Isn’t that the point? He ruined my life by fucking me and calling a cab to get me out of his house that night. Karma is a bitch.”
“Shut your mouth,” I snapped, looking for my dad and Carmen and hoping they didn’t have to listen to this trash. “You getting screwed over by some dude for sex is between you and him. You realize that if you go for his throat like this, the man I just heard on that recording sounds like he’ll bury your pathetic ass.”
“The media sees me as a victim.”
“Is this a game to you?” I said in disbelief. “Some crazy soap opera that led you to the girlfriend’s house, knowing what you caught on tape would end the relationship? You are a delusional snake, Liz. The man is a billionaire. He has an army of attorneys, and if you’re dumb enough to try and end his career after having given the media that tape, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”
“So you get it, then. He’s out of his mind.”
“What he said to you was wrong, and I’m disgusted those words came out of his mouth. Does he deserve to be smeared all over the media for it? No.” I stood firm. “Delete it, Liz,” I said. “The man saves more lives than you know. Don’t cost people their lives by giving them a soap opera opinion of him and making them not trust him as their doctor. He’s the best heart surgeon in the fucking world. I won’t let you cost him that. You’ve done enough already. Delete the recording.”
I reached for the phone she held, snatched it from her hand, and stared at it with contemplation. She was stunned by my childish gesture, but I instantly deleted the recording that was already seared into my mind.
“There,” I handed her the phone. “I might have saved your ass from him, slapping you with a lawsuit if you were stupid enough to cost him his job.”
“He was bribing me!” she seethed.
“And you were recording Jake without his knowledge. I’m pretty sure his lawyers would find a way to bury you with that one. If you want to keep your medical license, then I suggest you slow the hell down on all this crap. Let him cool off. I’m sure you’ll have the support you’ll need when the baby is here.”
“You’re a coldhearted bitch and an absolute fool.”
“Say what you want, Liz. It doesn’t affect me in the slightest.” I opened the door. “Go cry on their shoulder.”
“You think I’m going to tell them about this?”
“I know you’re going to tell them about this. Get the fuck out of my house. Good luck with the baby.”
I watched Liz storm out of the house and erupt into tears out on my lawn. “I can’t fucking believe him!” I shouted.
“Ash,” I heard my dad.
“Not now, Dad. Please, I can’t.”
“Mija,” Carmen said. “You and me, now.”
I looked at both Dad and Carmen, standing side by side in the doorway. “There’s nothing to talk about. You heard Jake. He tried to pay the woman off. That’s his damn kid too. Who does that? How could anyone’s first reaction be to do that?”
“That boy has been through hell and back, and you know it,” my dad tried to scold me.
“So, you think that gives him the right to use his wealth to get rid of the burden of a child? That’s heartless, Dad, and a whole other level of wrong. You know that.” I sighed. “I’m taking off and heading up to Joe and Clay’s. I have a lot to think about. I can’t be with a man who’s made it clear he can barely handle a bullshit relationship, much less a kid. I love him, and this hurts, but I can’t waste my life on a man who sees things like that. I have no business in a billionaire’s world when his first reaction is to bust out his checkbook to make his problems go away. That is how he views being a father? Hell no. That’s never going to be me. He may be under pressure, but he wouldn’t have said that if he didn’t truly feel that way.”
“I’m so sick of the media doing this to both of you,” Carmen grumbled.
“It made the inevitable happen, but the media didn’t make Jake say what he said, that was all him. If Jake feels this way, it’s better to end it now than later. He will have more than enough on his hands, especially with the crazy bitch he decided to take home that night. She’s insane, and I wish him all the best. Perhaps with me out of his life, he can deal with all the trouble she’s going to throw his way.”
“Will you be back for dinner?” Carmen asked.
“I may stay with Clay and Joe for a while. They’ve wanted me to come up and see their new pad.” I smiled, feeling tears in my eyes. “I need to get out, and it’s closer to work.”
“Honey, we’re here for you. Take some time; Clay and Joe are good friends. Maybe they’ll help you feel a little better.”
I smiled at my dad through my tears and walked over and hugged him. “I love you so much, Dad.” I kissed his cheek. “You heard what I told that woman, right?”
“I’m not leaving my doctor if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“You’re still getting the transplant when the call comes in,” I said, wiping the tears from my face. “Promise me that.”
“Mija,” Carmen chimed in, “you’ve got nothing to worry about. We don’t pay attention to the trash that follows Dr. Mitchell around. Your dad will be a new man after that call comes in, and the transplant is done.” She held her arms out. “Come here,” she said, and I hugged her slender frame. “Go breathe. This was all too much. Men are selfish assholes sometimes. We know this, though.” She pulled back, her ruby red lips parting into a sly smile. “Don’t we?”
I grinned. “We do.”
“Don’t you girls dare bring me into the middle of this,” Dad said.
I ruffled his gray, curly hair. “You’re the best of them all.”
I packed a bag and filled a garment bag of work clothes after checking in with Joe and Clay. Both of my guys insisted I come up and stay with them. They’d mentioned they had a room set up already to surprise me with in hopes of getting me to visit often. I loved these two more than anything. I could only hope that they’d help ease the pain of hearing how Jake truly felt about us.
I had just walked in from the patio after saying goodbye to Dad and Carmen when I heard the doorbell. I was indifferent when I walked toward the door, knowing in my heart it was the last person—aside from Liz—I wanted to see, but I was going to face this head-on and end mine and Jake’s relationship now rather than later.
I opened the door and ignored every handsome feature of the man I’d come to love and trust. “Come in,” I said, avoiding eye contact.
“You got my text, I see,” he said, standing next to the couch.
“I did,” I answered. “I got a lot more than that, too.”
“What are you talking about?” he questioned.
“I’m talking about Liz. She paid me a visit.”
“Are you fucking—” he paused, and his low growl matched the voice I heard on the tape. “Please, tell me she did not come in and talk to you.”
“I’m not telling you that because it would be a lie,” I said. “Kind of like our bullshit relationship is a lie, I suppose. You know the one that you made me believe was something real?”
“I—I’m sorry. I did say that, but that’s not—Ash, I was out of my mind last night when she appeared out of nowhere to talk to me and—”
“I’m glad you can be honest about saying that, I guess. Now, when were you planning on telling me that you were going to pay her off?”
His eyes were dark with anger. “She certainly had a mouthful to say to you, didn’t she?”
“She recorded everything, Jake. I heard all of it. I can’t be with someone who feels like a relationship with me is bullshit. I won’t be with a rich asshole who believes he can buy his way out of his problems, either.”
“Fuck, Ash,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “Nothing I can say will fix me going off on that lunatic last night. I’d had a shitty day, and I just lost it.”
“Yeah, well, shitty day or not, at least I know how you feel.”
“I can’t lose you, Ash,” he said, and I swallowed hard when I saw tears fill his eyes. He bit his bottom lip, his glassy blue eyes practically pleading with my soul.
“You have bigger problems to deal with than me. You need to accept this like I thought we’d both agreed. You need to go live your life and do the right thing for your child.”
We both stood there, staring at each other. My heartbreak was there, but I couldn’t feel it. I was numb, seeing Jake broken in front of me, but my guard was pulled up to protect myself.
“You’re the best thing that’s happened to me. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“Yep,” I said, holding back all emotion.
“The media will have her recording, I’m sure. I’ll be sure it doesn’t portray you in a bad light.”
“I handled her recording. The media won’t be getting this part of the story,” I said. “You don’t have to worry about them.”
“I don’t give a shit what happens out there anymore. The one thing I cared about—”
“Stop, Jake!” I snapped. “It’s done, over. I get it. You are not the man I thought you were. I want you out of my life. Do what you must so you can sleep at night. Actions speak a lot louder than words. Do the right thing with that woman,” I advised through tears.
“I’m sorry I hurt you. I swear I’ll never forgive myself for this.”
“Forgive yourself, Jake. Don’t worry about me. I should’ve known better. I’ll be fine. I’ll move on. Thanks for helping me through the struggles I was lost in. If anything, you saved me from that.”
“Would there ever be a chance that—”
“No,” I said. “When I heard you offer to pay that woman off, that’s when I realized I was with a man that I could never be aligned with. We are from different worlds. You come from money, and it shows. I don’t fix my problems by paying them off—you obviously do. You sank to the lowest of lows by not taking responsibility for your actions and making your child suffer for that. You disgust me,” I said, my emotions firing in every direction. “Get out of my house. Do the right thing with Liz, and do it for your child.”
I didn’t have to say another word. Jake pinched his lips together and nodded.
“Hey,” I said while he was halfway down the walkway, “what happened between you and me today will not affect my dad being your patient. You’re an amazing doctor, and I don’t trust anyone else with his transplant.”
“Thank you for that.”
I nodded, and he turned and got into the car, leaving my emotions for him dry and callous. He could take that hundred-thousand-dollar car and his Billionaires’ Club attitude and get the hell out of my life.
