Maybe he’d let himself get caught up in the most amazing views of the sea or the tranquil cove or even the colorful vegetation. Or more likely it was letting his guard down with Lea and enjoying the moment that had him so distracted from his work.
But right now, he was fully involved in a resort deal with his younger sister, Stasia. It was their first business deal together. And with his sister at loose ends after losing her husband, Xander was willing to do whatever he could for her.
And his sister, against his recommendation, had risked her entire life’s savings on this project being a success. That was a responsibility he didn’t want, but being stubborn and insistent, Stasia had put him in that very unwelcome position.
As much as he would like to see Lea again, it would have to wait for quite a while. Business came first. It always had. And it always would. Except when family shoved their way to the front of his priorities. Of course, his sister knew how much he adored her. He would do anything for her. And the feeling was mutual.
He set aside his phone and loosened his tie. His trip to the interior of Asia had not been fruitful. He’d known that it would be a long shot from the start, but long shots were what had catapulted him to the top of his field. Sometimes leads panned out and other times, well, they were a waste of time. But it never stopped him from seeking out the next big deal, in some of the most unlikely places.
He’d just hung up his tie in his walk-in closet that was the size of a second bedroom when he heard his phone buzz. He was really quite tempted to let it go to voice mail. He’d been traveling all day and what he longed for was a hot shower to ease the tension in his neck. But he had been out of contact for an extensive amount of time... and this could be important.
With a deep sigh, Xander headed back into the bedroom. On the way, he loosened the top buttons on his white dress shirt. He glanced down at the phone and was surprised to find Lea’s name on the caller ID. She was calling again? That struck him as odd.
Sure, he hadn’t known her that long, but she didn’t strike him as the pushy type. In fact, she seemed quite the opposite. And she was more than willing to stand on her own two feet. Was it possible that he’d incorrectly interpreted her earlier voice mail?
Not giving himself time to think about it further, he answered the call. “Lea, how are you?”
“Xander, finally. I’ve been trying to reach you for a while now. I was beginning to think that you were avoiding my calls—”
“Whoa. Slow down.” Something really had her worked up. “I just got home a few minutes ago. What’s wrong?”
“I... I don’t know if you’d say it’s wrong or not.”
“Just tell me what it is and we’ll go from there.”
There was an extended pause. He could imagine her worrying her bottom lip, like she did when she was unsure of something. While he’d been on Infinity Island, he’d picked up on her mannerisms. He found her quite captivating. It was one of the reasons he’d avoided calling her. He knew if she asked him to return to the island, it would be too great a temptation.
As the silence dragged on, Xander said, “Lea, I can’t help until you tell me what’s the matter.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Xander stumbled back as though her words had physically slugged him in the chest. The back of his knees hit the edge of the bed. He slumped down onto the mattress. Maybe he’d heard her incorrectly.
“Could you say that again?”
“Xander, I’m pregnant. And you’re the father.”
That was what he thought she’d said.
But this can’t be true. Could it?
Xander knew all too well that it was quite possible. They’d spent that not-so-long-ago weekend in bed...and there was the time on the floor...in the living room—
He halted his rambling memories. He didn’t normally let loose like that. In fact, he’d never had a weekend like that one. It was unforgettable. And apparently in more than one way.
But he had to be absolutely sure of what he heard. “Could you say that again?”
“I’m pregnant.”
His heart pounded so loud that it echoed in his ears. As though all the energy had been drained from his body, he fell back on the bed. His fingers combed through his hair as his palm rubbed against his forehead, where a throbbing headache was starting.
The silence grew heavy. He should say something. Anything. But what? He’d never been in this position before.
He needed time to think because right now all that was going around in his mind was that he was going to be a father. He wondered if this was what shock felt like.
“I... I need a little time to absorb this,” he said. “We’ll talk soon.”
He wasn’t even sure if he said goodbye before disconnecting the call. He had no idea how long he lay there staring into space before the buzz of an incoming text jarred him back to reality.
I’m going to be a father.
The profound words echoed in his mind.
How could this be? Well, of course he knew how it happened. It was a weekend that he would never forget, much as he had tried. Lea’s stunning image was imprinted upon his mind.
Still, he’d never thought he’d hear that he was going to be a father.
A father.
Those two little words sent his heart racing as his palms grew damp. His mind slipped back to the time he’d spent on Infinity Island. He’d never expected it to change his life. But it had. And now he had to figure out a plan. He was known for thinking on his toes, but this was different. This was a baby. His baby.
And he had to do whatever was best for the child.
But what was that?
HAD HE BEEN STUNNED?
Was that why he’d ended the phone call so quickly?
Maybe he’d been in shock. He had said that they’d talk soon. What exactly did soon mean?
The next day Lea was still playing over her conversation with Xander. It had ended so abruptly that it startled her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been for him to become so quiet. Perhaps she’d been waiting for him to lob questions and accusations but none of that had come.
Did he outright not believe her? She knew that was always a possibility, but she just wanted to believe that Xander was more of a man than to shirk his responsibilities. Granted she didn’t know him that well, but she sensed he was a good guy—a man who cared for those closest to him—even if to the world he portrayed himself as a ruthless businessman. In private, he was a very different man. That much
