Tremendous thanks to my loyal reviewers. Your reviews keep me motivated and updating just as fast as the story will allow. Please, please keep letting me know your thoughts and opinions: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's the only way I know what you like and can get better. I do not own any of the established characters only Haydence and my plot (as always).
Waking up, Lucas thought for one cruel moment that Hayd's return had been a dream. His hand reached for her but only came up with a fist full of sheet. But then he breathed in deeply and inhaled her scent. That at least was real and that meant that Haydence was real. In all his six months without her, Lucas had never found anything to duplicate her own unique scent. But she wasn't in bed, so where was she?
Standing up, Lucas slid his boxers on and searched his flat. He found her in the kitchen looking dismayed at the contents of his kitchen cupboards or rather their lack of contents. She wore the lavender sleeveless shirt that was part of her suit. It covered to her most rounded parts of her belly and bottom but then it stopped revealing her white cotton knickers with little lavender flowers. As she stood on tiptoes the shirt rode up showing more and more flowers. Lucas's breath caught in his throat. He had never known a pregnant woman to be so sexy. Just looking at her affected him.
His noise drew Hayd's attention. He had intended to make his thoughts vocal and maybe turn them back in the direction of the bed, but Hayd beat him to it. However, she had other thoughts on her mind.
"Lucas North, what in the hell have you been eatin' for the last six months?"
He laughed slightly embarrassed. "Not much."
"I can see that." She dangled an almost empty bottle of Dickel by the neck. "I hate to disappoint you, but whisky is not a food group."
He crossed the floor to her wrapping his arms around her. "When I lost you, I lost a lot of other things too."
Hayd felt so sorry for all the pain Lucas had gone through because of her, but was determined to help him put it in the past. She kissed him soundly on the lips. Releasing him, her voice was a whisper. "Well, now that I'm back, maybe you can find your appetite again."
Lucas leaned closer into Hayd letting her feel him completely. "I think I will. But right now, I'm not hungry for food."
"Obviously. But we are."
"We? I didn't know Hannah Taylor was royalty."
"Don't be daft. We – myself and little madam. We are starving. Remember, you and I didn't take much supper last night."
"Oh, I'm sorry, love. We'll go anywhere you want for breakfast. Do you want Krispy Kreme from Harrods?"
"Hmmm. No. I'm feeling more of a good ol' English fry up."
"I haven't had that in ages."
"Good. Get dressed. Just promise me you won't get blood sausage. I can only handle purplish piece of meat at a time, thank you very much."
His jaw dropped aghast at her rudeness and tickled her for her sins.
Seated at the restaurant finishing up the scrambled eggs and fried mushrooms, Hayd turned to Lucas. "There is something we need to talk about." She ran her finger over the edge of her glass of milk.
Lucas dabbed the corner of his mouth with a serviette. "What, love?"
"Because of Hayd's death and Hannah's arrival, this makes a difficult choice concerning meshing Hannah's and Lucas's back stories."
"How so?"
"Well, if we say that Hannah and Lucas met right after Hayd's death, it would have to be for a one nighter since you've been in mourning the rest of the time."
"At worst I'd look callous and shallow bastard. That I didn't really love Hayd and was simply marrying Hannah because she's pregnant."
"Exactly. While, Hannah looks like a needy pathetic woman or a manipulative slut by getting pregnant and trapping you into marriage. But, I don't like the alternative either – which is to say that we've just met."
"Hold on. That wouldn't even make me the father."
"I know. That's why I don't like it."
"Which one does Harry favour?"
"Harry thinks the second one is safer. And that you would adopt our little girl to make it legal."
"I'm not going to adopt my own daughter!"
"I know. That's what I told Harry." Hayd took a deep breath and raised her glass of milk. Lucas took his cue and did the same.
She smiled, "Here's to you, you callous and shallow bastard." Hayd clinked her glass to Lucas's and downed the milk.
"And to you, you manipulative slut." He grinned and swallowed his milk as well.
A few weeks later in the evening, Hayd and Lucas left Thames House together. Instead of going back to the flat or out to eat, they caught a cab and headed toward their first natural birthing class. She seemed uneasy, and Lucas noticed.
Leaning over to her, Lucas whispered, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, love."
"Don't give me that. I know when something's bothering you."
"I've just got the starters of a headache."
"And why is that?"
"It's silly."
"No it's not. Tell me."
"I just don't want to sound vain."
Lucas reached down and held her hand. He let his fingers absentmindedly touch the ring he had given her just a few days ago. Two pearls – one lavender, one black, set in flowing white gold encircled her finger. A band of white gold now rested on his own finger as well.
"Mrs. North, tell me."
"I know I've never been petite. So I have no delusions there. But since getting pregnant, I'm sure I've got the biggest bottom in all London."
Lucas tried not to laugh. "That doesn't matter. You are beautiful. You are carrying our daughter. That makes you the most beautiful woman in the world – forget London."
The cab stopped; husband and wife stepped out.
"I am more nervous than the first time I met Durning. Lucas, why is that?"
"Don't worry. Take a deep breath, and we'll go in together."
Hayd followed her husband's instructions and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothin'." She stepped into the building, looked around, and exhaled. "Oh, shite."