AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What she needs is medical care,” he said firmly.
Krista shook her head. “What she needs is to be surrounded by people who care about her and her child. Connor you can say you don’t want children, you can even say you don’t love children, but I don’t believe you. Remember, I was there when you held that baby. And I saw how you cared for that woman when she was scared. You can pretend you don’t have a heart. You can even believe the lie yourself, but you’re not fooling me.”
Somehow she was turning this around on to him. He was happy with his life as a bachelor. What was wrong with not wanting children? He never did say he disliked them, only that he wasn’t comfortable around them. Connor knew exactly what he wanted and didn’t want. Who the hell did she think she was trying to make it seem like she knew him better than he knew himself?
He had to bite back the angry words that wanted to come out. Connor had to remind himself that she was the type of person that wanted to fix everything. But he did not need fixing. Arguing with her was only going to continue the conversation that he did not want to have. So he’d change the topic.
“I was actually on my way to the kitchen to make some coffee. Would you like a cup?”
Krista glared at him as she got up and grabbed both the blanket and pillow and said, “I’m going to go back to my room. In the morning I’m going to see her. You can come or you can stay. But I’m going to go and see them.”
Connor stood there watching as she walked away back to her room and closed the door. This was crazy. He should just let her go by herself in the morning. There was no need for him to be there. He would only be in the way. He wasn’t her keeper. She had her life and he had his. He would stay until she returned so they could fly back to Boston together. He was the one after all who had brought her to New York, so it was his duty to ensure she made it home safely.
He wished he could go back to his room, close his eyes and sleep. But that wasn’t going to happen. Although she was way off the mark with her comments, they were echoing throughout him. If his head wasn’t pounding bad enough before, it was now.
As he prepared himself a cup of coffee, he couldn’t help but think about his mother. He was so different from his mother. Although her life had been very difficult until she met Ralph, she was always there helping another person. Even when she had so little. Their life had been difficult when it had just been the two of them. Although he hadn’t realized just how hard until he was an adult and that was thanks to his mom.
But when she married Ralph, things changed for them. Ralph took care of all their financial needs, and his mother contributed the rest. She even loved and raised Kollette as though she were her own daughter. She was what made that house a home.
It seemed as though his mother had enough love in her heart to give to the whole world. Why was he unable to give to anyone? He wasn’t a cruel person. In fact he chose jobs that actually helped other people. With his mother, giving and showing love seemed to have come naturally. For Connor, he had walls up around him. He wasn’t even sure why. He’d dated many women over the years, yet he loved none of them, at least not enough to want to change. He was good at one thing, keeping people safe.
I’m not leaving Krista in New York. I might not be what she wants me to be, or who she thinks I am, but I’m going to have her back until this is over.
He wasn’t doing this for her. He wasn’t doing it for himself. This was for his mother. For all she’d done for others. Now it was his turn. Downing the remaining coffee, he sat quietly in the kitchen.
I just wish to hell you were here Mom to tell me what exactly it is I’m supposed to do, because I don’t have a fucking clue.
As he made his way back to his room, he had a feeling there was one woman who did, and she wasn’t afraid to tell him what it was.
Figures. Krista has my mother’s tender heart, and my stubbornness.
Krista hadn’t planned on spending the night in New York, and a shower wasn’t quite as refreshing when you had to put on the same clothes as yesterday.
When she exited the bathroom, she noticed breakfast seemed to be waiting for her on the coffee table in front of the couch. It was a touching gesture, especially after how they left it last night.
Once again, she was talking to him in a way that she had no right to. He didn’t even have to be in New York, but he was. That was more than so many people would do.
She sat down and ate the breakfast that he had brought for her. She was starving and it was delicious, but the one thing that would’ve made it better, was if Connor was there eating with her. Maybe he was avoiding her. Understandably so. It was quite evident last night that he did not want anything to do with what she was doing today. Who could blame him? There was nothing easy about it. Besides the language barrier, Krista had no idea what mental state the woman was in. It was devastating news that she had been given at the hospital. She suspected that it would’ve been too much for her to have comprehended with everything else going on Just the birth of a child is a lot. Maybe it’s better if she doesn’t know.
She brushed that thought out of her mind. She was starting to think like Connor. Nothing what he felt was wrong, because feelings are never wrong, they were just so different from hers. But then again that’s probably why she was the physician and he did security. They looked out for people in different ways. Both were needed. She had to stop making him feel as though she was right and he was wrong.
But for that to happen, she was actually going to need to see him. Krista did not know much about Connor, but she was positive he would not leave her in New York and go back to Boston.
She was very capable of making her own plans. One thing about New York City—there was plenty of transportation. Most likely taking a taxi would be the best way. She would not have to worry with directions. Just give the driver the address and she could sit back and ponder about important things, and think about what she’s going to say when she got there.
For all the grief she had given Connor, she still didn’t have a firm plan. That was very unlike her. Maybe because so many things were left unknown. Or maybe it’s because Connor is right. What if the woman wants to be left alone?
There was no time like the present to go find out. But her confidence level wasn’t as high as it was last night. If she thought coming to New York for the conference had been stressful, it is going to seem like a walk in the park compared to what she was going to do today.
She cleaned up everything from breakfast and went back to her room to grab her purse. Krista was not worried about hailing a taxi in this neighborhood. Actually the doorman would probably do that for her. It was a lifestyle she wasn’t used to. It wasn’t even something she dreamed about having someday. Although the penthouse was magnificent, it seemed more like a showplace, not a place someone actually lived in. From what she gathered, it was only used occasionally.
I would take my little house, any day over this.
When she returned from her bedroom, she found Connor standing in the living room.
“I see you’re ready to go,” Connor said.
“I figured I’d get an early start. Thank you so much for breakfast. I really appreciate it. I hope it was all mine, since it’s all gone,” she chuckled. Krista hadn’t thought about it before, but it was possible the food had been for them both.
