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Chapter 17
Philippe
Even now that I am back in Munich and trying to focus on business and wedding planning, I am not busy enough to get the night that Carla and I spent together out of my mind. Part of me knew even as we were doing it that it was wrong. I didn’t want to get so serious until I was sure that we were falling in love with each other. I wanted this big moment where I knew she was the one. I would give her the ring, and that would be that. But she caught me off guard in a way I did not expect when she slid across that table and into my lap. I may be a conservative man, but still a man, nonetheless.
I slowly sip my whiskey as I take a break from the phone calls, dealing with bookings for so many things. I didn’t realize a wedding was this much work until I volunteered to take on the planning myself. This way, Carla can stay with her restaurant as long as possible before having to come to Munich with me, though that day is coming up quickly. And even if I am not head over heels for her yet, I find that I do miss her during this process.
And the worst part is that all of this will have to be called off and thus the hard work will have been useless if this doesn't work out the way I expected.
A knock comes at the door, but I leave it to my staff. It’s their job, anyway, but it’s my secretary, Luna, who is coming in to greet me. I haven't seen her or talked with her since I left again. She had a few assignments to keep her busy enough that she wouldn’t get so upset being off of work, but it probably wasn’t enough to keep her fully occupied.
I put a smile on my face and try to seem like I care as she rattles about wanting to know how the wedding planning is coming and if I need any help. In truth, I could probably use a woman’s touch. "I am sure I can find something for you to do," I tell her. “It is a lot of work. Thank you for the offer, Luna."
Her eyes dart around, and she looks a little nervous before stepping a little close to me for comfort. Something seems off about her right now, different, but I can’t place my finger on it just yet. "I am so sorry to bother you about this, but I think it’s something we need to talk about," she whispers, and I pull my right eyebrow up at her, unsure what could possibly have her acting like this. "I don’t know if you remember that night we had together when you came into town to see your mother..." she begins, and I am taken aback. What does she mean by night together? I don't even remember seeing her during that trip. I talked with her on the phone once, but that is all.
"Well, because of that night together...I am pregnant," she says, and now I know she must be losing her mind.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I ask her, not in the mood to figure this out while I am trying to make sure things are ready for my fiancée to come live here permanently. I don’t have time for these kinds of games, especially from someone who I have trusted as part of my team for years now.
"Oh, I guess that means you don’t remember," she says in a meek voice, looking down at the floor. "The night you came back for your mother. In your study...we were together,” she tells me.
I narrow my eyes at her and cross my arms over my chest. "Why would I do that? I am an engaged man." She doesn’t need to know the details. I am pretty much spoken for, and I would not betray Carla unless things were officially called off. "Look, I don’t know what you think you're going to gain from this..." I stop as she bursts into tears.
"I am sorry, I just thought something had really happened between us. I didn’t know what to think when you said nothing, but I thought maybe you would be calling the wedding off after you went back. I don’t know, my emotions are everywhere. Being pregnant is not easy," she says in between sobs. I pass her my handkerchief, unsure what else to do for now.
I think back to that night and the morning after. All I remember is drinking and then waking up to that phone call from Carla before I had to go see my mother at the hospital with a hangover. Could it be possible I did something I don’t remember?
"I thought you were a good man and that you cared about women and about me, for that matter!" she squeaks out, and if I don’t do something soon then she is going to make a scene I can’t afford. if she is telling the truth, I will have to tell Carla eventually. But she needs to hear it from me in a controlled environment, not from rumors because someone overhears this conversation and comes to their own conclusions.
I sigh and bring her to sit down with me, to explain what happened after I make it clear to her I was drunk. That if something did happen, I remember none of it. I know from the words she uses that this is out of hand, and for all I know she could go public with this to make sure I have to pay her, and my family doesn’t need that kind of mark against us. Hell, the mafia doesn’t need that mark against us right now. Ion and Mariana would have my fucking head.
"I want you to understand that there is nothing between us and that I am sorry a night I don’t remember came to this. I want you to think about what you want to do with this baby. If you want to keep it or not, and we can go from there. I will certainly help you to make sure you have the medical care you need if you decide to move forward and that the child is well taken care of," I assure her.
"Of course, I am keeping it," she says. "I don’t take these things for granted." I nod as my stomach sinks, leaving a gaping hole where it belongs. How am I ever going to get Carla to understand about this?
