Page 7 of Matrimonial Merger (Lakeshore Empire #2)

Daphne

I was perched over my desk side trash can when I heard the sound of my brother’s voice.

“Daph? You in here?”

He couldn’t see me from where he was. I was physically below the desk. I hoped maybe he’d leave me to this indignity and go elsewhere, but Davey was as perceptive as a brick. So, he called out once more, “Daph, if you’re hiding?—”

I raised my left hand and waved it, choking out, “I’m not feeling well, but I’m here.”

Davey rushed over, concerned, then backed away realizing what was going on. I expected him to run—even gag—but he just ran into the bathroom and returned with a cool, wet hand towel.

“In case you like… need it,” Davey said.

I slowly sat back up in my chair and put it on my forehead. “I’m sorry. What do you need?”

His eyes remained on the trash.

“It’s just a bin.”

“With… puke…”

“I didn’t puke. I dry heaved. I thought I would puke.”

“That sounds awful.”

“It is,” I said, tired of talking about it. “What do you need?”

Davey sat on the edge of my desk. “Are you going to do the Chicago Business Week luncheon? They need a response and have been relentlessly bothering Melinda. And Anna says she knows nothing.”

I groaned. “Because I never responded to your email. Must I? No one wants to see me. Can’t you do it?”

“Daph, they asked for you. You are supposed to be their fucking keynote.”

“I doubt they will care if you do it.”

“The never have a woman keynote. The quarterly luncheon is always a dude. If they are asking for you, they want you. It’s a sausage fest. You’d know if you ever went, sister.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, another very inclusive space.”

“Look, I am not going to claim it is. However, they want you and I think you should go.”

I was drowning. I wanted so badly to say no.

Davey’s face softened. “Daph, I know it’s a lot.

It’s so much. You just survived the holidays.

You’re pregnant. You feel like shit. And tomorrow, you’ll have to face something worse.

I am here to support you no matter what, but the Daphne I know would want me to tell her to do it because she’ll regret it if she doesn’t. ”

His tone was earnest beyond measure, sweet even! Normally, all Davey did was become immediately frustrated and bark at me when he got whipped up.

“Are you getting soft, David?” I joked.

“No. I just… I care about you. And I care about company interests. The board would like to see you take a more visible role. I know that’s not your bag. You aren’t the schmoozer?—”

“That is firmly you and Chloe.”

“I know. And we’re good at it, but this isn’t our story to tell. And I’m not about to claim credit for your ideas to turn retail around in just a bit over a quarter. I worry about Dad coming back from the dead to curse me.”

I snickered. “Okay. Fine. I will tell Anna I’ll do the damn thing.”

Davey smiled and stood again. “You’re going to be glad you said yes. Promise.”

A knock at the door made us both turn. Cal stood in the doorway. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to barge in but you were on the way, Daph.”

“You can’t quit us, can you?” Davey joked.

“We have an appointment,” I said. “He’s just trying to force me to take the car rather than walk. I am fine, Cal.”

“You’re definitely not. She was just dry heaving into the trash five minutes ago!” Davey outed me. “What is that?”

Davey pointed to the can in Cal’s hand. Cal raised it and answered, “Pomegranate seltzer.”

“A bit early for that, bud, isn’t it?” Davey joked.

“Davey, it’s for me,” I grumbled. “It settles my stomach. It’s just flavored water, not White Claw.”

“Oh,” Davey said, facepalming. “Apologies. Well, good luck with whatever this is. Wedding stuff?”

“We’re getting a scan,” I answered. “And having a follow-up. For the baby. No wedding stuff.”

“Don’t mention it,” Cal whispered. “It only makes things worse.”

Davey patted Cal on the shoulder and left, calling back, “Good luck!”

I locked my computer and grabbed my purse. “I’m ready.”

And nervous .

He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before opening the door. “It will all be fine, baby. Promise.”

“I love you.”

Cal

The heartbeat rang out clear as a bell—strong and fast. I felt everything at once—excitement, nerves, pride.

Daphne cried. I fought tears, maintaining composure by a hair—and ONLY a hair.

Any worries dissipated like a puff of smoke in the wind as I held the second ultrasound in my hands.

I thought parenthood would always evade me, but here I was looking at visual proof it was happening.

I listened in disbelief as the doctor outlined our next appointment—another scan to measure something and the genetic testing that would tell us if things were progressing and the baby was fine.

“Do we want to know the sex?” Daphne asked me.

“I don’t really care,” I said, watching her face drop. “But if you do… it’s your body, Daphne. I am alright either way.”

Her smile bounced back. “I want to know.”

“Then, let’s find out,” I agreed.

She beamed. God, I loved that smile. That beautiful smile. Even when she felt like garbage and had a million worries across an ocean, she had the best smile.

We were headed back out of the office when Daphne looked at me. “What are you staring like me for that?”

“Can I not just stare at you?” I laughed.

“Like that?” No.”

“Daph, I just love you so much. I cannot look at you like anything else. Forgive me for wanting to appreciate you. You’re about to go to London for however long. I want to just enjoy you.”

She blushed bright red. “Stop it.”

“What? Does that fluster you?”

“I don’t know why you say such sweet things?—”

“Because I love you—a lot. And I’m happy, alright? I’m so happy.”

She squeezed my hand. “Me, too. I am happier than I have ever been.”

I opened my mouth to tell her I felt the same, but instead heard a familiar voice.

“Oh my God, Cal and Daphne. How are you?”

We both turned to see Kristy approaching. Was she pregnant ? I couldn’t help but look and thing she was.

“We’re good,” I answered, not sure what to say. “And you?”

She cupped her stomach, “My back is killing me, but I’m good.”

“You’re pregnant?” Daphne asked. “Again?”

Kristy brimmed, “Yep. About twelve weeks. We aren’t really telling anyone yet. Too much pressure.”

“Oh my God, that’s amazing!” Daphne lit up.

Kristy gave me a look, as if wondering if we had more to say. I left that up to Daphne. She didn’t offer it up. I didn’t pry. I let her lead. The critical people knew she was pregnant. That was enough. And while Daphne and Kristy got along, I wasn’t about to wade into that mess.

“It’s been ages,” Kristy said. “We should have you over. So much to catch up on. And we’ve never celebrated your engagement.”

“You’re invited to the engagement party next month,” I said. “No worries.”

“Okay, but we should grab dinner! It’s been wild and we could use a night out sans-kid. I know I could anyhow.”

Daphne looked to me. “Well, I’d like to as well. I am sure Cal would love to catch up, but I’m off to London for a little bit.”

“Oh, well, I guess I’ll see you in February. Or maybe before? Aren’t you hosting that sustainability summit, Cal?”

“Yes,” I answered. “So, maybe I will see you before? I didn’t think about that.”

“Cool,” Kristy said. “Well, I’ve got to get poked and prodded. See you later.”

She left and I treaded on eggshells as the doors to the elevator closed.

“You are allowed to catch up with her,” Daphne clarified. “I trust you. I know Kristy is a close friend, Cal.”

I turned, confused. “Well, out of respect?—”

“Cal, I trust you. You’re with me, not Kristy. We’ve babysat her kid. Come on now! I didn’t realize you thought that. Cal, I deal with men on a daily basis and I wouldn’t think twice?—”

“I trust you to take a business meeting without me. I just… we have a history.”

“She’s your friend—one of your best friends.”

I was astonished. “But Chandler?—”

“Was a cheating asshole. He isn’t you, Cal.

I trust you. You are one of the few men I have ever felt completely safe with.

So, catch up. Kristy is in a relationship.

If her partner isn’t worried, why would I be?

And you can tell her. I trust her, Cal. I’d catch up with you, but I am about to be underwater and media scrutiny.

You might need a break to complain after the press jump on you, too. ”

We reached the parking garage where my security waited with the driver.

“Daph, I don’t care. They can come for me as much as they want. I am enraged for you and wish you would have let me?—”

“Cal, you couldn’t come,” Daphne insisted. “And I don’t want you there. I don’t want you to have to sit through that conversation in real time. It will be harder for me to say those things in front of you.”

I climbed into the car after her, confused about why she was reticent.

“I already know them, Daphne.”

“I know. But… it’s so much harder to know you are reliving it with me in real-time in front of the world. I don’t know why I want to protect you, just that I want to.”

I kissed her forehead, “I am sorry, my love. I am so sorry because I love you so much and want to stop it, but know I am there with you. You can always call me?—”

“I know. I know, Cal.”

She handed me the envelope with the ultrasound pictures. “For now, the best thing you can do is take this home. Put it on the fridge. And don’t argue with me.”

While I always hated to put anything on the fridge, I agreed. “Sure. It definitely has a place on our fridge.”

Daphne smiled, then looked down at her phone, immediately going back to gloomy.

“What?” I asked.

“The wedding planner,” Daphne sighed. “So many questions. I just can’t handle that right now.”

“Let me handle it,” I said.

“You can’t. It’s about my wedding dress,” Daphne said. “I need one. I don’t want to look at anything because all they’re able to pull is ridiculous pregnancy-friendly dresses and I don’t want that.”

I tucked a curly strand behind her ear. “Daph, we’ll figure it out. Just tell her you don’t have the bandwidth and to bother me while you’re away.”

“Cal, that’s?—”

I kissed her, stopping the downward spiral. “Shhh. I will handle it, baby. Let me just appreciate one last glance of you—a happy you. I don’t want to ruminate on things that bother you right now, Daphne. I don’t have any time left for that.”

She brushed my cheek. “I love you for that. I will have them bother you, then. I am officially stepping away.”