AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If she was down on her luck, why didn’t she come to him for help? He’d have helped her in a heartbeat, and given her old job back to her without a question asked. Why was the most independent, beautiful woman he’d ever met standing in front of him in the food line? And with a child? Who looked…
About three years old.
No way.
Could it be?
The little girl was a mini version of Hope. She had soft dark, wavy hair and olive skin with the cutest cheeks he’d ever seen on a kid. She wore a pink puffy jacket and matching pink hat and scarf with pink mittens and a pair of blue jeans with white winter kiddie boots with pictures of a Disney princess on them.
He shook his head and squinted his eyes. A feeling of jealousy slid inside his body. Did Hope meet someone else right after they’d broken up over three years ago? Or did she end up going back with her ex from Lendovia? Was that the other guy’s child? Cole was always a man in control of his emotions but this situation threw him a curve ball. Still, he was in public and partaking in the Belmont family tradition of giving back to the community. There were people present. He composed himself.
“Hi there.” Cole stooped and handed the little girl a toy and a present. “This is for you, sweetie. Well, aren’t you the cutest little thing.”
“Thank you,” the little girl said shyly as she held unto her mother’s hand and leaned into her mommy.
“Her name is Mia,” Hope added with a proud-parent smile.
Cole could see that Hope was then shifting uncomfortably on the spot. His breath almost stopped suddenly. There was something in the little girl’s face. She looked…
A little like him. Or was that his imagination?
No way.
Wouldn’t Hope have said something before, if not now?
Could this be a coincidence?
“Thank you,” Hope said with her head held high and proud.
He wanted to ask her more. He wanted to keep her there. To stall her. But how? Could he even begin again with Hope?
He didn’t know what happened just then but a renewed sense of desire washed over him. He wanted Hope more than ever.
Chapter 3
Cole paused and thought for a moment. He ran some calculations in his mind. He then felt the color drain from his face. Could Mia be his child? He had to know. But could he handle the truth at that moment? Would his sweet former assistant be so heartless as to not even tell him about his own flesh and blood? The thought disturbed his senses at the possibility that Hope could have kept this from him.
“Wait, Hope!” He reached over to gently hold her arm.
“Yes?” Hope seemed puzzled by his gesture. Why was she being so evasive? Not that there was much to say now. Could he be wrong about Mia? What if she wasn’t really his?
He struggled to find the right words to say, but somehow he seemed tongue-tied. He was a former college debate champion and renowned public speaker and there must be over one million words in the English language and he couldn’t think of one to say that would convey what he was feeling.
“Can I at least help you unload the box?” Cole sounded as courteous as he could, his professionalism in check.
“Well…”
The large box of food supplies would be a struggle to carry back to her car. She was, after all, the last in line to receive a box. There was no one else and the food bank was about to close.
“Sure,” she finally said.
They walked up the stone steps and out into the dark, wintery night as the automatic flood lights turned themselves on to reveal a figurine of the Holy Birth complete with manger and three wise kings.
“Look, Mommy!” Mia squealed in excitement.
“Yes, it’s exciting, isn’t it?” Cole couldn’t help but respond, as Hope was about to reply to her little earth angel.
No, he couldn’t help it. He felt so connected with Mia for some reason.
Hope felt a strange pang of guilt inside as she noticed the connection between Mia and Cole. She normally didn’t allow her little girl to talk to strangers. But Cole was hardly a stranger, was he? How could she explain this?
As he loaded the box into the trunk, he turned to Mia. “Looking forward to seeing Santa?”
The little girl nodded.
Hope felt something strange about happen. Cole looked again at Mia and at Hope. She felt he was burning inside to ask a question. But now was not the time. Or was it?
“Are you okay, Hope?”
Her heart sank as he spoke her name with a caution attached to it. As if he was about to turn her daughter’s world upside down. She didn’t think she could bear this as her legs began to feel weak in the knees.
A blanket of snow covered the city as carollers sang in the background. The snow was falling heavily. Hope could sense that Cole wanted to, in his traditional charming way, hold her tightly and wrap his arms around her. But she also sensed hesitation. Who could blame him? She was giving off the old ice-queen vibes tonight. More like “stunned-queen.”
How on earth was she going to get out of this one?
An awkward pause followed as Cole slammed her trunk closed with the box of edible goods inside.
“Yes, I’m fine. And thanks again,” she said as she turned to take her little girl’s hand to guide her into the car.
“Do you two want to grab a bite at the mall?”
“Oh…um. I really don’t think this is a good idea, Cole,” she said turning to Mia whose face lit up to the idea. The mall was so festive at this time of the year. It was early in the evening and Santa was nearby with a line of children ready to take keepsake pictures.
“Why not? Where’s your holiday spirit?” He spoke gently and deeply as he edged closer to her as if he read her mind and her emotions.
Damn! He was good.
She could never hide from him. The tension was palpable. But she finally gave in.
“Baby, do you want to go see Santa?” Hope turned to her precious daughter who nodded excitedly. Hope could not resist.
“Okay.” Hope smiled. “But we can’t stay long.”
They walked together next door to the mall doors and were greeted by another Santa ringing his bell.
“Ho. Ho. Ho. A very Merry Christmas to all.” The Santa observed the picturesque couple with their lookalike child then turned to Cole and gave him two candy canes. “These are for your little girl and your missus.”
Hope’s eyes widened and her heart sank. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.
Cole surveyed Hope with suspicion and narrowed his gorgeous eyes as they walked on.
“Is something wrong?” He turned to Hope, with a raised brow—looking too charming for her liking. “You look as if you’ve just seen a ghost.”
More like a ghost from the past!
When was a good time to tell him? This was too quick. She needed to get Mia used to the truth first.
“Oh, it’s nothing… I…”
Little Mia suddenly dropped her teddy and collapsed to her knees. Her breathing became labored. She was wheezing. Hope dropped her bag on the ground and screamed. “Mia!” She then grabbed her bag and tore open the zipper with lightning speed and whipped out a blue inhaler.
“Mia, it’s okay, sweetie. I’m here for you.” Cole reached for the little girl to support her.
“Here’s your puffer, baby. It’s going to be okay,” Hope said as she tried to soothe as calmly as she could, hiding her fear as she placed the inhaler with its toddler aero-chamber mask over her daughter’s tiny mouth and nose.
Cole was already at their side knelt down. The look of concern slid across his face. Neither heard the Santa holler for someone to call 911.
The frightening sound of the whistling wheezing of air trying to squeeze through constricted lungs paralyzed Hope.
Cole held Mia gently while she administered the doses of her asthma medication.
“Is she going to be okay?” He continued to hold the little girl gently rubbing her back with paternal instincts that surprised Hope.
Hope briefly looked to Cole once Mia started to calm down and breathe easier with the emergency puffer that Hope kept close by at all times. In fact, she had several puffers all over the apartment she shared with her little girl and one in her car, just in case.
“Asthma,” Hope finally muttered.
Thankfully, this was only a mild attack. She would carefully and closely monitor Mia. Hope remembered the training she received at the Asthma Clinic when she discovered Mia had allergic asthma. The brain could only survive four to six minutes tops without oxygen. After that…
Hope perished that thought. She ensured that Mia also carried one in her backpack and the teachers at the daycare were aware of this.
“She’ll be fine,” Hope offered with optimism as she stroked and kissed her baby girl’s forehead holding her daughter so closely to her. She was both surprised and relieved at Cole’s take-charge actions over the situation. She could feel his urgency to make sure that Mia was okay. A shadow of concern crossed his face.
The three of them were knelt down on the sidewalk like a family about to pray as a small circle of concerned onlookers craned their necks to get a better look at what was happening. The trio was unaware of the scene at the time.
“Is she alright?” one woman called out with concern in her voice.
“It’s okay, we’ll be fine. Thanks,” Cole assured with more confidence as he stood up. He still had the same dominance Hope was used to in the past.
