CHAPTER 6

After leaving the Athletic Club, Adam promptly drove Melanie back to her apartment. He knew she was serious about the nightcap at his place, but that wasn't going to happen. He was just using Melanie to get to Chelsea, and had no intention of starting something with another woman. He tried the casual thing with Sharon, and that ended up hurting them both, and soured what had otherwise been a good friendship.

He woke early after another night of thrashing around restlessly in bed, alternating between thoughts of happier times with Chelsea, and tortuous thoughts of Dylan touching her. He was really beginning to hate Dylan and his naiveté. He was a less arrogant Nicholas Newman with his silly protect the little woman from the Big Bad Wolf act. Chelsea certainly didn't need his protection. She was more than capable of fighting her own battles. Dylan needed protection from her, Adam thought, chuckling, as he fixed another cup of strong black coffee.

Dylan could puff his chest out and threaten all he wanted to, but nothing and no one would stop him from waging the most important fight of his life. Dylan was nothing more than collateral damage, and if he had to be destroyed then so be it.

Before any battles could be waged, he had a meeting with the legal department at Newman regarding Victor's Beauty of Nature gambit. After that he had to find another way to run into Chels again. Out of sight, out of mind wasn't going to move him any closer to the goal post. He placed a quick call to his guys in the field to ensure they were tracking Chelsea's movements before rushing out into the chilly morning.

….

Chelsea didn't relish the idea of moving into Dylan's musty old warehouse, but she had agreed to it, and Dylan and his icky warehouse were a package deal. She also didn't want to hurt his feelings by acting snobbish, so she convinced herself that it was going to be great. She fleetingly thought of the large estate she shared with Adam. Dylan would never have the kind of wealth Adam had, but he was solid and dependable, something Adam could never boast.

Perhaps, she thought, if she started waking up next to Dylan each morning, her thoughts of Adam would stop or at least diminish. Why now, she wondered. She had finally managed to get that arrogant bastard out of her life, and found the perfect man to father her child. She hated how Adam continued to get under her skin. He sure as hell wasn't thinking of her anymore! That redhead was already staking out her claim and he seemed to like the attention.

"Stop thinking about that asshole!" she shouted aloud. Snatching her car keys off the table, and shrugging on a jacket, she dashed out to meet Dylan at On The Boulevard.

….

Adam's business, which took up most of the morning, ended with the sale of Beauty of Nature a distinct possibility. He wasn't sure what his father's angle was here, and knew it would enrage Victoria further, but it was starting to look like a foregone conclusion. Maybe this was Victor's way to get his precious baby back into the fold, fighting for Newman again. Victor always had an angle.

No matter. Adam couldn't be bothered with family drama right now. His attention was singularly focused on extricating that barnacle from Chelsea's side. Midway through the meeting, he received a text from one of his lackeys that Chelsea was meeting Dylan for lunch at On The Boulevard, so lunch at On The Boulevard it would be!

Pulling out his cell, Adam quickly texted his father. "I just met with legal. Discuss over lunch at OTB?"

Victor's response came quickly, agreeing to meet his son there. He couldn't let Chelsea get suspicious popping up everywhere she was, so a business lunch with his father would help to give him some necessary cover. He needed to discuss the Beauty of Nature business with his father anyway, so it wasn't entirely a farce.

….

As soon as Adam entered the restaurant, his eyes scanned the lunch crowd, almost immediately finding Chelsea sitting with her hero. Luckily she didn't see him, so he went in search of Victor and spied him perched in a corner, cell phone in hand as usual.

"Father."

"Hello son," Victor beamed, as Adam plopped down in the chair opposite him.

"Well, what do you think?"

"About?" Adam knew what his father was referring to, but he liked to mess with the old man.

Victor's lips curled up into a knowing smile. "The purpose of your summoning me to lunch son…your meeting with legal this morning?"

"Oh, yes..that." Adam stole a fleeting glimpse of Chelsea laughing at something No Neck said.

"You seem distracted," Victor observed.

Turning his attention back to Victor, Adam murmured, "Sorry, I haven't been sleeping much. No need to worry though, so get that concerned look off your face."

"I always worry about my children, and you're no different."

This statement caught Adam's attention as he snorted with derision and remarked, "I'm no different? Keep telling yourself that dad, but we both know the score."

Victor sighed heavily, never taking his eyes off Adam, and then replied, "Son, let's have a pleasant lunch, and not do this. Okay? Shall we get down to business?"

"Fine by me," Adam mumbled. He was in no mood to take a walk down American Horror Story's version of memory lane with his father.

"So, your meeting with legal bore fruit?"

"Beauty of Nature has taken a backseat to more lucrative divisions within the company, so selling it, while it's still a money-maker might be the best course. It's still attractive to buyers, and we would trim the fat, while still making some coin." Adam shrugged his shoulders, and took a sip from his water glass before continuing, "I think the division has more to do with sentimentality than anything else. In short, I would not stand in the way of such a sell if this is the direction you wish to take."

"Wonderful!" Victor exclaimed. "I want to move forward immediately."

A frown instantly formed on Adam's face. "Where's the fire?" He asked skeptically. "Tell me the truth dad. Is this some ploy to get the little princess's dander up, so she'll come stampeding back to Newman, and agree to head up Beauty of Nature?"

Victor tittered with laughter, before coolly responding, "You know what your problem is son?

"Enlighten me."

"You are always suspicious. Your mind never stops analyzing everything I say. You always think I have some ulterior motive don't you son?"

A smirk formed on Adam's face, as he considered his father's words. "Where would I ever get that idea about you? Your heart is always pure and free of any agenda. A thousand pardons."

"Is this how it's always going to be with us?" Victor asked, feigning hurt. "You are just insistent on creating division when there is none my boy."

Adam sighed deeply. He hated how his father always managed to twist things to make it appear as if you were the one with the problem. He was just about to continue haranguing his father when he looked up to find Chelsea and Dylan standing next to their table. His heart lurched at the sight of her, as his eyes traveled down from her face to her very pregnant tummy. He suddenly found himself fighting the urge to cry.

"Adam, we really have to stop meeting like this," she stated sarcastically. "I see you and your true love are enjoying a nice lunch together."

"Chels…" Adam began, and then abruptly stopped. His emotion quickly shifted to irritation. She needed her cute little butt spanked for that, he thought, with a bit of male pride.

Victor, sensing his son's discomfort, quickly interjected, "Hello Chelsea. Congratulations on your baby."

Chelsea slowly turned her eyes from Adam to address Victor. "Thank you. Dylan and I are very excited and happy. Did Adam tell you we're engaged?"

Adam could literally feel his blood pressure rising. How was he going to get close to her again when she felt such contempt? He could feel it coming off of her in waves.

"Well congratulations again! I hope you'll both be very happy," Victor replied cordially.

Shit! Did his father have to act so fucking happy about it?! He couldn't stand it any longer. The noose was tightening. "Chels, can I speak to you privately?"

Chelsea's inner panic suddenly erased the smile from her face. "Whatever you have to say to me, can be said in front of Victor and Dylan," she replied steadily, carefully avoiding the appearance of the abject terror racing through her body.

"Please," he quietly pleaded with her.

"You heard what she said Adam," Dylan interrupted.

Ignoring the cave-dweller completely, Adam looked up at Chelsea hopefully. "Chels?"

"Alright," she sighed nervously. "Make it fast," she snapped, turning an apologetic eye toward Dylan.

Adam immediately pushed back from the table, stood, and proceeded to the bar area with Chelsea following closely behind him.

Reaching the bar, he turned to her. "Will we ever get to the point where you don't hate me anymore, and we can actually be friends again? I miss that Chels." He knew he sounded pathetic, but these were desperate times.

Whenever he called her "Chels" it made her want to cry. He was the only person to call her that, so it became very special to her. She was his Chels, but no more, she thought sadly.

"Hate you? I could never hate you Adam," she whispered, barely able to choke the words out.

Who was she fooling? She loved him so much she ached not being able to tell him he was the father of her baby. Right now, at this very moment, she wanted to latch onto him and never let go. She had never stopped loving him, even though she had worked very hard to convince herself that she had. She couldn't lie to herself any longer though. He would always be the love of her life, and her deepest regret in many ways. One thing she would never regret was the night they made this baby. She would always have a part of Adam, and at the very least, he owed her that much.

"I don't know if I can be friends with you though," she finished, barely able to look him in the eyes.

He felt the color drain from his face. "Chels…"

"Please stop calling me that. It's too intimate," she replied bitterly.

"I'm sorry..I didn't realize it bothered.."

"I liked it before, but it's just..," she couldn't finish the sentence. Her feelings were still so raw even months later.

"So, are you saying you want nothing at all to do with me?" He asked. She could see the pain imprinted on his handsome face. He was doing it again, she thought. Manipulative bastard! Her defenses were starting to crumble.

Against any ounce of common sense she had left, she relented. "Fine. Friends then. THAT doesn't mean I'll be knocking on your door for a cup of sugar," she quipped, then blushed realizing the unintended double entendre.

The stress immediately disappeared from Adam's face, replaced with a boyish grin that made her heart skip. This was going to prove very hard she thought regretfully.

"Thank you for the second chance Chelsea…or is this the third chance?"

"Friends ONLY," she emphasized, a smile spreading across her face at his obvious change in mood.

This was probably going to end up being a very bad idea because of the baby, and she knew she had just allowed him to work her yet again. She had an ulterior motive though. Perhaps if they were friends, it would help to get over him, she thought crazily. Even she thought that was a long shot.

Suddenly a sharp jab in the bladder jarred her back to reality, as she noticeably winced from the pain inflicted by the little devil she was carrying.

"Are you okay?" Adam questioned, alarm in his voice.

"I'm fine," she responded awkwardly. "The baby just kicked me pretty hard." She gazed into his eyes, as she chuckled softly.

Adam couldn't resist the temptation. "May I?" He asked timidly.

He couldn't possibly mean what she thought he meant. "May you what?" She asked, suddenly feeling like all the air had been sucked out of the room.

"May I feel the baby kick?"

"Here? In a crowded restaurant?"

He looked around quickly. "No one is paying the least bit of attention to us. Please. I've never felt a baby kick before, and I don't know if I'll ever get another chance."

That last part nearly killed her. He looked at her so expectantly, she couldn't say no. This was so incredibly awkward, and yet it felt right. She gingerly reached for his hand, and placed his palm against her tummy. Her heart hammered in her chest as she felt the warmth of his hand against her pregnant belly. The baby did not disappoint, and kicked hard right where Adam's hand rested. He was startled at first, and then laughed softly in amazement.

His eyes were filled with wonderment as the baby kept shifting, and kicking, giving him quite a show. She watched his face, with a mixture of love and sadness. With his hand still on her tummy, he lifted his eyes to hers, and smiled. She watched as tears filled his eyes, and then quickly looked down, ashamed and frightened. He knows, she thought, fighting hysteria. That, or he's thinking about the baby they lost. She gently pulled his hand away, and could feel a little resistance on his part as she did.

Regaining her composure, she hastily walked back toward the table and to Dylan. She never should have let Adam do that. She was dying a slow death inside. Why did I listen to Chloe?! God, what have I done? Her mind and her heart were fracturing into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Dylan, we should go," she stated curtly, forcing a smile on her face.

"Are you alright? You look a little shaken." His eyes shifted between her and Adam, who had walked up behind her.

"I'm fine. Really." She took Dylan's hand and squeezed it to reassure him. Adam's too close proximity was making her a nervous wreck. The lies were starting to chip away at her psyche, as was often the case with lies.

"Good to see you again Chels…Chelsea," Adam gently addressed her. "Take care."

"Thank you Adam," she replied, her eyes flitting to his briefly, before turning to walk away with Dylan.

Adam sat back down across from Victor, as he settled the bill. Without looking up, Victor said, "Son, you need to forget about that woman. She has caused you nothing but pain."

"You can't be serious," Adam eyed his father furiously. Look, I allowed you to think you forced me into giving up Sharon, when in reality I had already moved on from her, but now you're going to weigh in on Chelsea too?" Adam's lower jaw tensed as Victor studied him.

"Son, I just don't like to see you wasting your life on someone who dumped you. Have you forgotten that? She wants nothing to do with you. She's having another man's baby for God's sake," Victor replied sharply. "Why would you set yourself up for more pain?"

"You don't know what you're talking about," Adam insisted.

"I don't? What about what I just said is untrue?"

"She's NOT having another man's baby. She's carrying my baby for starters," Adam sneered.

Victor exhaled a deep breath. "You know this for a fact?"

"Yes. I know this for a fact! She came to see me when I was in a coma, and she told me about the baby."

"Oh, son," Victor replied, his voice edged with pity. "You want this to be true, so you've convinced yourself of it. How could you possibly know what she said when you were comatose?"

"Really, dad? You've never heard of comatose patients being able to hear what people are saying? I remember, okay? I heard her, but I couldn't respond because…C O M A." Adam rolled his eyes at Victor's ignorance on the subject.

"If you really believe this, then you should get a court order imposing a DNA test on her."

Adam shook his head, "I don't want to go that route because she will hate me if I try to force her to do anything," he explained impatiently.

"So what? She hates you. What do you care, as long as you have your child?"

"Dad, you really don't get it. I am in love with her! That's why I didn't care when you told me to stop seeing Sharon. It was the out I needed," Adam explained, imploring his father to understand. "Look, I took Chelsea for granted. I arrogantly believed that she would stick by me no matter what. I was clearly wrong, and now she's intent on keeping me as far away as possible. I just now got her to agree to be friends again, so please let me handle this my way!"

Victor grimaced slightly, and then responded, "Well son, if you think your happiness lies with her, then stop at nothing until you get her back."

"I have no intention of letting her go without a fight."

….

Adam parted company with Victor, and stood waiting for the valet to bring his car around. Dylan abruptly approached from his side to face him.

"I thought you left with Chelsea."

"Nah, we came separately, and I hung back because we need to have a little chat Newman." Adam didn't like anyone in his space, and this gorilla now stood an uncomfortable two feet from his face.

"I don't really feel like chatting. Besides, don't you have some coffee to brew?" Adam sneered.

"I know what you're doing."

"Okay Einstein, I'll bite. What am I doing?"

"You're trying to play upon Chelsea's emotions, so that you can weasel your way back into her life."

"Wow. Do you have a listening device in your ear while my brother Nicholas feeds you your lines from his hiding place in the bushes?"

A tiny smirk lifted the corners of Dylan's mouth. "You're nothing but a smart-ass punk. I've known guys like you my whole life. Let me spell it out for you in plain, and simple English."

"You can try," Adam deadpanned.

"Chelsea is going to be my wife. She's moving in with me, and we're having a baby together in case that escaped your attention. You are going to leave her alone, and let her be happy."

"Why are you so threatened by me? If you're so fucking happy, then you should have no reason to fear me." Adam wanted to clue this hulking moron in on some cold, hard facts, but he wasn't about to let whatever progress he made with Chels unravel because of some chest-thumping idiot.

"Let me be clear," Dylan stated condescendingly. "You had your chance with her, and you blew it. Leave her, and us alone."

"That's for Chelsea to decide, not you Hoss."

"I'm not going to warn you again," Dylan replied ominously.