Unfinished Ex: A Second Chance Surprise Pregnancy Romance Read online

  He knows the story and knows it well. He gets that he was a replacement for her. Someone for me to love after the love of my life walked out on me. And fortunately, Heisman is good at keeping secrets. Even my brothers don’t know that I deserved what I got. And to this day, everyone in town thinks that she’s the bad guy who fucked over the ‘good’ Calloway brother.

  Heisman jumps off the couch, tail wagging, and gazes out the front window.

  “Someone here, buddy?”

  He’s quick to alert me of visitors, but he’s a shit watchdog. Heisman’s never met a person he didn’t like. If Freddy Krueger himself came into my house, Heisman would probably lick Freddy as he butchered me. He may be my best friend, but he couldn’t protect anyone if his life depended on it.

  It’s no surprise when the doorbell rings. I stumble over to see Calista standing under the porch light. I feel like a complete dick when I open the door. “I was supposed to call. Sorry. My brothers and I got kind of carried away.”

  “Can I come in?”

  No. “I suppose. But I doubt I’ll be very good company after all the drinking. I was about to head to bed and sleep it off.”

  “I’ll be quick.” She tousles Heisman’s hair and walks into my house, my dog following on her heels. She turns. “There was something I wanted to ask you, though. Why didn’t you call or text me when you got the papers?”

  I shrug. “Wasn’t that big of a deal.”

  “Not that big of a deal? You’ve been waiting on this for months.”

  “No. This is what you’ve been waiting on for months,” I slur.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that not a day goes by where you haven’t asked me if the papers have arrived.”

  “It’s been two years, Jaxon. I mean, how long can it take?”

  “I told you before, we live in different states. We don’t speak to each other. It’s hard to figure things out that way.”

  “Hard?” Her eyes sweep the room. “She cheated. She left. She gave you the house. She gave you everything. She didn’t want you or anything here. What was there to argue over?”

  Her words sting. Probably because she’s right. Nicky didn’t want anything to do with me or Calloway Creek. Neither could give her what she wanted: a career.

  “You’ve never been married, Calista. You’re not one to talk.”

  “No, but I have plenty of friends who have, and their divorces took six months. Even the one who had kids only took a year.”

  “Well, this one didn’t.”

  She sighs heavily. “Listen, I don’t want to fight. My parents will be in town tomorrow. I was hoping we could all have dinner.”

  “I’m not sure now is such a good time.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know. I have a lot going on at school. The start of football season. The new class I’m teaching. Lots of things.”

  “But you have time to go out with your brothers.”

  “That’s different.”

  “How is it different?”

  “I don’t know. Because they’re not your parents.”

  She leans against the back of the couch. “How come we’ve never had dinner with your parents?”

  I shrug, too much of a coward to speak the truth.

  “I know them,” she says. “I see them around town, and we say hello. Same as with all the other people in Calloway Creek. But you’ve never taken me to their house. We’ve never had dinner together with them as a couple.” She pins me with her stare. “Are we a couple?”

  I rake a hand through my hair. “I don’t know.”

  “What am I to you, Jaxon? We’ve been dating for six months. We’ve slept together dozens of times. To me, that’s the definition of being in a relationship. Are we in a relationship?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Would you quit saying that? I get how you said it before you got the divorce papers, but it’s simple now. Do you want me or not?”

  I do the worst thing possible in the history of arguments. I remain silent.

  She turns and storms out the door.

  “Calista,” I call after her. “I told you I’m drunk. This is no time for serious conversations. If you want me to go to dinner with your parents, I will.”

  She stops on the porch, looking pleased. “You will?”

  I nod. “Just don’t make me go to some pretentious place. Donovan’s okay?”

  She smiles. “Donovan’s would be right up their alley.” She steps toward me and puts her arms around my neck. “Thank you.”

  My inner dickhead is screaming at me to take it back. Dinner with her parents sends the wrong message. But I have strung her along. And it’s time for me to get over myself and move on with my life. Calista is kind and gorgeous and would be a fantastic wife and mother.

  To someone.

  But like the ‘good’ Calloway that I am, I pull her to me and kiss her just like everyone would expect me to.

  As soon as she’s gone, I run to the bathroom and throw up five beers and who knows how many shots of whiskey. Then I walk to my bedroom, Heisman at my heels. I sit, take off my shoes and throw them across the room with a loud thump. I sink into the bed, looking at the side that I never sleep on. Heisman jumps up, happy to fill the space, and stares at me.

  “Stop judging me,” I say, then pass out.

  Chapter Four

  Nicky

  Earlier today…

  New York City grows bigger in the small window of the airplane. The tall buildings. The busy streets. The Hudson River. They are things I never thought I’d see anytime soon, let alone before the ink was even dry on my divorce papers.

  I can’t believe I’m going to be this close to him. What was I thinking agreeing to stay with my parents? He’ll be a half mile away. Assuming he still lives in our house. Uh, his house. Victoria and my parents have abided by my wishes to never speak of him, but I still know things. Things like he’s dating Calista Hilson.

  I have no right to be jealous. I gave up that right two years ago.

  I close my eyes and lean back into the airplane seat. I should just stay in the city. It would make things easier. Except my bank account will take a hit. Two or three months in a hotel will drain my savings for sure. I know it’s XTN and all, and technically I could afford it, but I should save the money. Who knows what will happen after. Marty thinks he does, but I can’t take any chances. This could be my big break, or the nail in my coffin.

  Plus, there’s the fact that Tori has been begging me to come back for a visit. But I can honestly say that before the XTN deal, I had no intention of setting foot back home. In Calloway Creek, I’m a pariah. I’m the girl who cheated on her high school sweetheart and practically left him at the altar. Okay, so it was three years after the altar. It was a slow death. Our marriage was happy and safe at first, but when the newness wore off, it became dizzying and suffocating. I used to think we were perfect for each other. Soul mates even. Then we graduated and real life happened. Neither of us spoke of it, but we both felt the drift. The universe was pulling us in opposite directions despite our feelings for each other. And it seemed our marriage became somewhat of a ticking time bomb.

  I hated confrontation. Still do. Which is why I took the coward’s way out. It’s so much harder to break it off with a nice guy. I knew I needed to do something drastic. Something that wouldn’t have him chasing after me. Something that would make him hate me instead of the career I was always coveting. Something that would force him to stay in the town he’s always loved.

  A year into our marriage, I knew there was something wrong with me. Who wouldn’t be happy with the best guy in the world? Jaxon was nice. Stable. Compassionate. An amazing lover.

  I stiffen thinking about him in bed with other women. In bed with Calista.

  We were each other’s first.

  I rub my pendant and wish away the thoughts.

  I’ll stay with my parents, keep my head down, and go do the j
ob I was hired to do.

  The plane taxis to the gate, and by the time I get off, I’ve convinced myself everything will be okay.

  I collect my two large bags from the luggage carousel, having left everything else in Oklahoma. XTN will outfit me in a wardrobe of their choosing, so I only need my personal things. I’ll take the train to Calloway Creek, and Mom will pick me up from the station, hopefully avoiding any onlookers that would surely make me town gossip.

  I turn toward the exit of the airport when I see a man holding up a sign with my name on it. Oh, my. A sign. With my name on it. It’s something from out of a movie.

  Part of me wants to snap a picture for posterity, but I resist the urge, not wanting to seem like a silly girl when I need to be viewed as an upstanding, albeit temporary, member of one of the most popular cable news networks on television.

  I approach the man in the black suit and chauffer’s hat. “I’m Nicole Forbes.”

  “Right this way, Ms. Forbes.” He takes my bags and escorts me out of the terminal and over to a waiting limousine in some VIP area I never knew existed.

  VIP! I scream in my head.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “XTN, ma’am.”

  “Do you know why? I wasn’t aware I was needed until tomorrow.”

  “I’m just the driver, ma’am.”

  “Of course. Sorry.”

  On the way, I text my mother and tell her I’ll be later than I thought and not to go to the train station until I contact her again.

  Forty minutes later, I’m on the eighth floor of the XTN building, standing in the office of my new weather producer, Barry Remsen. Alone.

  I glance around, keeping myself in check but knowing this is the big league. Marty’s office could fit in Barry’s bathroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook Manhattan. Awards line one of the interior walls. Photos of news anchors, prominent politicians, and celebrities line another. I’m so in over my head.

  Jenny, Barry’s assistant and the woman who led me into the office, returns and hands me a bottle of water. “They’ll be in momentarily.”

  “They?”

  “Barry, wardrobe, makeup—you know, everyone.”

  Suddenly I’m terrified. I smile at Jenny as if I knew. She leaves and I breathe deeply. You can do this, Nicky.

  There’s a lot of activity outside the door. Someone holds it open, and people pour in. Dozens of them. They’re all talking to each other—about me, but not to me.

  “Uh, hello,” I say quietly amongst the noise. I clear my throat and speak louder. “Hi.”

  “Nicole,” a man says, as if I’m an afterthought. His eyes sweep me up and down, homing in on my chest. He snaps his fingers at a woman. “Clarice, you get her first. You may have your work cut out for you. She’s got big boobs; you’ll have to let out material to accommodate them. Bad for you, but I have a feeling weekend viewership is about to go through the roof.”

  I step forward. “I could sue you for sexual harassment, you know.”

  He appraises me like I’m a toddler. Okay, so no joking around with this asshole.

  “I was only kidding,” I say. “I’m actually flattered you think I’ll bring in more viewers.”

  “Why would you sue me? I was just stating the facts. You have large breasts, and that means Clarice will have to alter your wardrobe. And, yes, men will tune in to watch.”

  “I hope women will too.”

  “That remains to be seen.”

  I realize this jerk just assumes I know who he is. “Where I come from, we generally introduce ourselves before making comments about each other’s bodies.” I extend my hand. “I’m Nicole Forbes.”

  He rolls his eyes and shakes. “Barry Remsen.”

  I turn to Clarice. “Clarice, nice to meet you.” And then I ask the names of the rest of the crowd who run the gamut from assistant producers to lighting techs, makeup artists, and more wardrobe people.

  “Follow me,” Clarice says, guiding me toward Barry’s private bathroom. Once inside, she shuts the door. “Don’t mind us, we work eighteen-hour days and rarely come up for air. You’ll get used to this bunch soon enough. Some of us might actually be nice people.” She nods to the door. “But not all.”

  I don’t have to ask about whom she speaks.

  “I hope you don’t mind getting measured,” she says. “I promise not to make it awkward.”

  I unbutton my blouse. “Not if you don’t mind that I’m wearing my comfortable airplane undergarments that look like they belong on someone three times my age.”

  Clarice laughs, putting me at ease for the first time today. “I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

  After Clarice is done with me, hair and makeup get their turn.

  “Keep her hair down,” Barry says, butting in.

  I know why he wants it that way, and it disgusts me. He’s treating me like a weather girl, not a degreed meteorologist. But after earlier, I keep my mouth shut.

  Henri, the makeup artist assigned to me, gets out his palette and picks my colors. “Beautifique,” he says with what I’m pretty sure is a fake French accent.

  “Merci,” I reply, earning a wink of approval.

  Two hours later, everyone has cleared the room, leaving Barry and me alone.

  “Listen,” he says. “Xuan Le Kim and I butted heads over this decision. I don’t think it’s prudent to start our relationship on bullshit. I wanted John Hansen from TTKY in Lexington. But Xuan Le’s the president of the network, so I got overridden. Plus, you’re only here temporarily, so it wasn’t a hill I was going to die on.”

  I plaster on a sarcastic grin. “Tell me what you really think of me, Barry.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, you’re good. Maybe not XTN material, but Xuan Le likes your format. No scripted monologues. Off-the-cuff weather reporting. Not many weather girls can pull it off.”

  “Broadcast meteorologists.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “No, you said weather girl. I’m not a weather girl. I’m a broadcast meteorologist.”

  He leans back in his chair. “Are you always this difficult?”

  “Are you always this sexist?” My mouth goes dry at my unusual confrontation. But I’m in the big leagues, so I’d better act the part.

  He grunts but doesn’t answer.

  “Barry, I really want to get off on the right foot here. I love XTN. I’m grateful for this opportunity. I’m here to do one job—report the weather. And I promise I’ll give it my all and hit the ground running. But it would be best if we could work as a team. As my producer, you and I will work more closely than anyone. I hope we can be friends.”

  “Friends.”

  He says the word as if it’s a foreign concept.

  “I’m not asking you out for drinks. I just want to establish a good relationship. You know, me asking how your wife is or congratulating you on your son’s graduation. You asking if I had a good day off—that sort of thing.”

  “I don’t have a wife. I have two ex-wives, three kids I hardly ever see, and a cat named Chester who I, unfortunately, got by default in my last divorce. Luckily, he likes his alone time. Like me.” He glances toward the door. “Now, we have an early day tomorrow. Be here at four. Jenny will show you to your dressing room. Go get some sleep, and be ready to work. Just because it’s weekends doesn’t mean it will be easy. You’ll be on in the six to ten morning slot and then again at night from five to ten. The days will be long. And between weekends, you’ll be expected to go out in the field. I hope you didn’t come here expecting a cushy job.”

  “I know perfectly well what the job entails. I’m ready to work. And the less time I have to spend in Calloway Creek, which is where I’m from, the better.”

  Anyone else might ask why I said that. Not Barry. “Good. See you bright and early then.”

  I get up and hesitate in the doorway.

  “Was there something else?” he asks, glancing up from his laptop.

  “
How are Makenna and the baby?”

  He shakes his head as if I’d asked him about life on Mars. “How the hell would I know?”

  “See you tomorrow, Barry.”

  Jenny grabs me on my way out. “Boy. Four pounds, two ounces. Four weeks early. He’ll have to stay in the hospital for at least a week, they think. Makenna is doing very well.”

  “Thanks, Jenny.”

  “If you ever need someone to grab a coffee with, I’m always here.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m not kidding. Always. And I love coffee.”

  I smile. “So do I. I may take you up on that.”

  “Your driver is waiting in the lobby. He’ll take you wherever you need to go.”

  “The train station will be fine.”

  “He’s at your disposal today, Nicole. Better enjoy it. As Barry instructed, it’s the only limo service you’ll get. Have the driver take you to Calloway Creek. You deserve it, with uprooting your life and getting out here in twenty-four hours.”

  Instantly, I know Jenny and I will be friends. And I’m grateful to have one person on the East Coast who doesn’t believe I’m a back-stabbing cheater.

  ~ ~ ~

  It’s been two years since I’ve been home. Can I still call it that? As the limo drives through Calloway Creek, memories of the day I left bombard me. Packing my things. Leaving my house. Leaving him. Driving fifteen hundred miles away from a life I didn’t want toward a career I was chasing.

  We pull up to my parents’ house. I’m grateful it’s dark, or the limousine would have garnered a lot of attention. The driver takes my bags inside and leaves, seemingly happy with the hundred-dollar tip I gave him. I wish it had been more, but I haven’t gotten an XTN paycheck yet.

  “Nicky!” Tori yells, bounding down the stairs and into my arms.

  I hug her like she’s my lifeline. We haven’t seen each other since March, when she and my parents flew to Oklahoma to visit me over Tori’s spring break. I hold her at arm’s length and take her in. She’s always been a younger version of me. People have said we could be twins if we were the same age. But now, somehow turning eighteen, she’s become her own person. And the highlights in her hair certainly set her apart from me and my darker locks.