Part 2 (1/2)

”You don't think I recognize the voice?” His placid tone was as unnerving as it was still and she felt her heart drop to take a nap at the bottom of her stomach.

”Well, it's been a while and-”

”Sloane, what can I do for you?” Gritting her teeth, Sloane closed her eyes and quietly counted to ten. She hated the dismissive tone of his voice.

”I wanted to see if we could talk about the possible situation we have.” She was struggling to keep her composure since she knew he was the only thing standing in the way of getting what she wanted. She needed him to build their hospital and go back to New York so things could go back to the way they were.

”Possible situation? Hmm, I really don't see it that way. What I do see is you are sitting on a project that's mediocre at best, while D&S have something that's about to make me a lot of money. So, I really don't see a situation.”

”Oh really, is that what you think?” Her blood pressure rose and she wanted to reach through the phone and choke the life out of Gates.

”It's what I know, Sloane. I told you a long time ago when I want something I get it. I haven't changed.”

”I can see that. You're still the same cold-hearted a.s.shole. I don't know why I thought you and I could have a decent conversation.” Slamming the phone down, Sloane sat for a few seconds before realizing her hands were shaking. He was so d.a.m.n arrogant. She couldn't believe she ever thought he could be civil with her. She knew he was angry, but could he truly still be carrying that much hatred towards her? There's no way I can tell him about Brayden now. She was so distraught about the phone call she didn't notice Liyah walk into her office and sit in the chair across from her.

”So, how'd it go?”

Sloane sat quiet for a moment before she lifted guilty eyes to meet Liyah's and whispered her reply. ”I hung up on him.” She braced herself for what she knew would be the equivalent of a category five hurricane named Liyah.

”YOU WHAT?” Liyah sat forward with wide eyes. ”You hung up on him? Sloane, do you know what you've done?”

”Yes.” Sloane added with a somber look in her eyes and tried her best to process exactly what she'd done. ”I think so.”

”You think so? I can't believe you. We have to convince this man to back our project and you slam the phone down in his ear. We want him to go with our plan. What're you trying to do, bury our careers?”

”I know, Liyah. I...I just couldn't take his smug arrogance. Do you know how hard it is to talk to him? He's so full of himself and-”

”Maybe he is, but this isn't only your career you're dealing with here. Mine's on the line too. You have to call him back and apologize.” Sloane watched Liyah stand from her seat and pace back and forth raving in a mix of English and Spanish. Her rash decision to hang up on Gates seemed like a good idea at the time. Now, as she watched Liyah wearing a path in the carpet, she questioned her tactics.

”Liyah, I'm sorry, but listen, I-”

Liyah stopped and faced Sloane with the most serious look Sloane had ever seen and she cringed at the intense fury in Liyah's eyes. ”No, Sloane, you listen. We've been working our b.u.t.ts off on this and I'm not going to sit by and let you sabotage our jobs because of the personal c.r.a.p you and Gates have going. It's not fair. Call him back!”

”Wha-no. No! I'm not calling him back. If Gates wants to be a jerk, then let him, but we'll figure out a better way. I can't believe I let you talk me into calling him in the first place.” Sloane sat forward. She wasn't about to give in again and call Gates back. She didn't think she could take much more of his condescension. She just wanted him to go away.

”Sloane, what do you propose we do then? We have no other way but through you.” Liyah's shoulders slumped as she stood there wringing her hands. ”Antony and Isabella are going to bury us up to our necks in a red ant hill and pour honey on our foreheads.”

Sensing her friend's apprehension and worry Sloane walked around the desk. She placed her hands on Liyah's shoulders and turned her to face her. ”We have a project people believe in and we've got to make sure we make it that much more evident. Gra.s.sroots kind of stuff, you know? Make him see the community won't take it lying down.”

”Sloane, you know that's not going to work.” Liyah tilted her head to the side and Sloane knew deep down, Liyah was right. Ugh, why did she have to be right? She knew her own stubbornness was getting in the way of clear thinking, but she had to try something.

”I just don't want to roll over and let Gates win.”

”Hon, we may not have much of a choice. If you don't talk to him,” Liyah looked at her friend with unmistakable fear in her eyes ”you and I may be out of a job soon.”

”I won't let that happen.” Sloane said, giving Liyah a furtive smile.

Chapter 3.

”How was he today?” Reaching out, Sloane took her squirming little boy from her aunt's arms. She was so tired and the only thing she wanted to do was lie down and sleep, but something about seeing Brayden reenergized her spirit. It never failed, seeing his soggy grin and the way his eyes seemed to light up when he saw her was enough to give her goose b.u.mps. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and he dissolved into a fit of giggles.

”An angel, like always.” Avery smiled at her great nephew and smoothed the baby's unruly curls.

”You're too generous. I know this little one and he's too much like his father to be an angel. Aren't you, baby boy?” Sloane kissed the baby on his temple and laughed at his gurgling attempts at speaking. The day's events with her call to Gates and her disagreement with Liyah seemed to melt away as she hugged the little boy to her.

”Speaking of his father, have you talked to him?”

”Aunt Avery, don't start.” Sloane was devoted to her baby and she never got tired of watching him as he discovered new things. At the moment, he was engrossed in the necklace she had on and was trying his best to get it as close to his mouth as possible.

Watching her niece balance the baby on her hip while trying to keep her jewelry out of his mouth, Avery shook her head. ”Look, I'm concerned. Just how long do you think you can keep Brayden from his father? Honey, at some point, he's going to ask where his daddy is and what're you going to say?”

”Auntie, don't you think I've thought about that? I have. I don't know. I...I don't want Gates to hurt Brayden.” Her son's innocent face melted her heart as he looked up at her. She couldn't fathom putting him in a situation to get hurt by his own father.

”You don't want Brayden to get hurt, or you don't want to get hurt?” Avery leaned against the kitchen counter and c.o.c.ked her head to the side, waiting for Sloane's response.

”What?”

”Sloane, there's always the potential for hurt feelings, but baby, you have to let Gates know he has a son.”

Sloane shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut for a brief moment. She could feel the tears of frustration punching at the back of her eye sockets. ”I know. But I'm so scared of the unknown, okay? I don't know that Gates will be so accepting of the fact that he has a son. Or that I kept it from him. Then what?”

”How do you even know Gates would reject him? You don't. Sweetie, you and Brayden mean the world to me. You are the only family I have left. And family is important. That's why you have to do what's best for Brayden, and not what's easiest for Sloane. Brayden needs to know who his father is, and Gates deserves to know he has a child.”

”Auntie, please? Not tonight, okay? Please.” She knew Avery was right, but it wasn't what she wanted to hear at the moment. The referral to it just being the three of them left tugged at her heart. Avery was the only blood relative she had left, besides her son. Sloane had moved from Georgia to North Carolina to live with Avery when she was eight years old after her parent's died in a car accident. She missed her parents. The devastation she'd felt when they died nearly consumed her as a child. If it wasn't for Avery, she was pretty sure she would have curled up in a ball and died too. Up until her parent's accident, she'd been the happiest kid in the world. They had both been devoted to her and made sure their little family was close. When they died it left her feeling the loneliest she'd ever felt. Avery did her best to fill the void, but it wasn't the same. Avery loved and doted on her and Brayden like they were her own, but she never let up on the reprimands for Sloane. Tell Gates about his son. Sloane just didn't feel like dealing with it at the moment.

”The man deserves to know there is someone else in the world sharing his DNA. Even if he doesn't accept him.” Sloane was never so thankful for the buzzer on the stove alerting them to dinner being done and she watched her aunt head over with oven mitts to retrieve the food.

”Auntie, I know secrets can do a lot of damage in a person's life. I get it. And, I want to tell him. I really do, but right now, I'm not ready, okay?”

”Fine. I won't say anything else, at least not tonight.” Reaching over and taking the little boy from his mother's arms, Avery kissed him on the head and motioned towards the counter. ”In the meantime, eat, I'll give him a bath and put him down.”

”You don't have to do that.” Sloane was almost relieved she didn't have to fight with the little boy as he splashed water all over.

”Hey, you don't get this kind of service often. You may want to take advantage of it while you can. Sit, eat, I'll take care of him. C'mon little one. Let's get you ready for bed.” Sloane watched Avery walk out of the kitchen with the little boy on her hip. Just then the doorbell rang. ”I got it.” Sloane called out, walking through the living room and opening the door to find Chase.

”Hey.” Chase greeted her before entering the house.

”Hey. What're you doing here?”

”Uh, Aunt Avery called and said she made her chocolate fudge brownie pie.” Laughing at Chase, Sloane closed the door and gestured for him to follow her through the house to the kitchen. ”You think I'd miss that? Where's little man?” Sloane had met Chase through Liyah and had grown close to him. He was like a big brother to both her and Liyah. He came with support and protectiveness like a big brother should. And many times, when Liyah introduced him as their 'brother from another mother', it was met with wary glances, since he was white, she was black and Liyah was Hispanic. They were a multicultural lot and Sloane loved it. She also loved being able to talk to him about anything. They'd talked about her life with Gates and he'd listened without judging. He and Liyah were so supportive of her and they pitched in from time to time to help her with Brayden.

”Avery is giving him a bath. What's up?” Again she was thankful for her aunt being there for her. She didn't realize how tired she was; she could hardly focus on anything. It was evident she had a lot on her mind as she picked at the food on her plate.