Meant for Me

Chapter Fifteen

Eric

God, does it feel good to wake up in my own bed.

I stretch carefully, not wanting to disturb Ivy. I watch as the sunlight catches her hair that’s sprawled across my chest. I soak in these precious moments, listening to the rise and fall of her every breath. She’s back in my arms. Catastrophe diverted—for now.

Ever so slowly, I sit up and run my hand under the covers. The sheet is warm from her body, but I don’t feel anything amiss. Hopefully it means the bleeding has stopped. I’ll have to ask her for sure when she gets up, but so far, so good. Maybe we can begin to put this episode behind us and start focusing on the positive. We have a baby on the way. We should be excited, not scared to death.

As much as I don’t want her to wake up alone after such a traumatic night, I have to get going. The garden center needs me. I have a lot to catch up on. It’s bound to be a crazy day, and I can’t waste a minute of it. Groaning as my skin comes in contact with the chilly morning air, I hurriedly toss a wrinkled sweatshirt over my boxers and root through the closet for a pair of jeans. The laundry was backed up before I left. I should really throw a load in before I head out. I don’t want Ivy to have to worry about it. She needs to stay in bed.

I make my way softly down the steps with Shep at my heels. I open the door to let him out, surprised to see a thick frost covering the ground. I have to warm this place up. I glance over at the woodpile and there are only a few logs left. I’ll have to refill it before I leave. There’s just so much extra stuff I have to do now that Ivy’s on bed rest. I hope I can keep up with it all. I’ve lived here by myself for so long, but I really got used to her handling most of the household chores. It’s nice having a partner to balance things out. But I’ll just have to pick up the slack until she’s back on her feet.

Quietly, I arrange the wood in the fireplace before setting it ablaze. I gaze into the flames. I was planning on taking Ivy to the Hideaway Cliffs this weekend, but it doesn’t look like that’ll be happening anytime soon. Her condition is still too iffy to be carting her around the countryside. She could start bleeding again and we’d be miles away from the hospital. It’s better if we stay close to home. At least Doc’s in town if we need him.

I’m tempted to bring in the crib and place it at the bottom of the bed for Ivy to find when she gets up. But I really want to be there to catch the look on her face when she sees it. I can picture her examining every inch of it, pointing out all of the hand-carved details I already know by heart. Hearing her ‘ooh and aah’ over the crib would be like experiencing it for the first time through her eyes. Her reaction was the only thing I thought about as I spent hours and hours making it as perfect as I possibly could for our baby.

And I don’t want to upset her either. Things are still on the fence. Maybe it’s best to get through her first week home and make sure everything’s okay. If something does happen—God, I don’t even want to think about it—the crib will turn into a painful reminder of our loss and not the fulfillment of the promise it was meant to be. She’ll want to destroy it, just like I did, and try to erase the heartache from our lives. But I’m not giving up on this baby—not yet. And neither should she. It’s already proven to be a survivor. Our child is determined to come into this world, and I want to be there to welcome it when it does.

I hear Shep scratching at the door, begging to be let in from the cold. His insistence jolts me out of my head and back into reality. I better get a move on if I’m going to provide for this baby. I have a lot of ground I need to cover before it gets here in April, and I want to be ready. There’s no time to waste.

The last thing I want to think about is losing it all if Ivy doesn’t comply with Lauren’s demands. I had a lengthy conversation with Will on the plane when Ivy fell asleep during the last two hours of the flight. He knows what I’m expecting from him in terms of managing Lauren and keeping up with the workload. Ivy’s not to be overtaxed or overburdened in any way. He’s prepared to handle the bulk of the project while seeking Ivy’s creative input when he needs it. He briefly alluded that Lauren wanted to sensationalize Cassidy’s story but clammed up when I pressed him for details. He said it would be better if I had Ivy explain it to me, whatever that means. It doesn’t sound too promising. That’s a conversation I’d rather save for another day.

When I open the door, Shep charges in as I bend down to pick up the rolled-up copy of today’s Gazette. I’m about to turn around and go back inside when I hear someone’s footsteps crunching through the frost-covered grass from the back of the house. I groan inwardly. I’m not ready for my morning dose of Will yet. I hope he doesn’t think we’re going to sit down and eat breakfast together or something.

I brace myself as the footsteps round the corner and come face to face with Ben. He seems startled to see me standing there with my mouth open. For a second, we just stare at each other, totally at a loss for words.

“Ben, what are you doing here, man? Shouldn’t you be on your way to school?” I ask, peering at him against the glare of the sun.

“Uh, yeah…I was thinking of taking the day off to see if you could use some help catching up on everything.” He stumbles but quickly recovers. I almost buy it—almost. Something’s up, and it concerns some scheme of Will’s. That much is certain.

“I don’t think the school would appreciate you playing hooky on my account. I don’t need a truant officer busting my ass over the star quarterback not being able to play in Friday night’s game.” I tuck the paper under my arm, feeling him out.

“Do you really think it matters?” he asks, grinning like the joke is on me. “I have what you would call ‘special privileges.’”

I hate the smug look that’s plastered all over his face. He probably can do whatever he wants and get away with it. A sports hero like him is revered in this town. No one’s going to stop him if he feels like skipping class. More power to him is the general attitude. I’m torn because I could really use his help today, but I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of going along with his whims like everyone else.

“What’s going on? Did I miss something?” Will comes jogging around the side of the house, the wind at his heels. “Ben stopped by to see if I needed a lift to the garden center. I didn’t think Ivy would be up to working today, so I thought I’d make myself useful.”

Will is really off his game. There are so many holes I could punch in his story, it’s ridiculous. Ben is wearing the same clothes he had on last night. His truck is nowhere to be seen. And there’s no way in hell that he’d do Will a favor out of the goodness of his heart. Unless…

I don’t have a chance to question him further because a car is rumbling up the road toward the house.

“Holy shit.” Will whistles under his breath.

“Is it really who I think it is?” I ask, grinding my teeth.

“Yep, in the flesh,” Will responds, hustling to my side to get a better view. “It’s about to get ugly up in here. Ben, you might want to get away while you still can. You definitely don’t want to be on this bitch’s radar.”

“That’s for damn sure,” I groan as the car comes to a stop.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you down at the garden center.” Ben waves halfheartedly, disappearing into the woods instead of walking past the car and onto the road. Smart boy.

“Later,” Will calls out, leaning in front of me to watch him depart.

“Really, Will? A high school kid?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“He’s no kid,” he responds, unperturbed.

I roll my eyes just as Lauren glides out of her Mercedes wrapped in a white wool coat. She removes her Gucci sunglasses, settling them atop her perfectly coiffed head. She looks expensive. From her leather boots to her cashmere gloves, her whole appearance screams luxury, wealth, and power. I don’t blame Will for gulping beside me.

“Well, if it’s not the two guys I just so happen to be looking for.” She rakes her eyes over us, lingering a tad too long on the area below my belt. “Long time no see, boys.” She shuts the car door with a wallop, leaving its toasty interior behind to brave the chilly greeting she’s sure to expect.

“What are you doing here, Lauren?” I ask curtly.

“To do business, of course, silly.” She swats my chest while removing her gloves. “We have a lot of things we need to discuss.”

“Not here you don’t.” I spread my legs farther apart, blocking her access to the door. “You’re not welcome in my home.”

“Now, Eric, don’t be like that. We’re all going to have to work together and things would go a whole lot smoother if we all just got along. With poor Ivy confined to her bed, you had to have been expecting a visit from me sooner or later. How else are we supposed to get this thing done?” She bats her eyelashes at me, only provoking me further.

“Will already informed you that you’re not to have access to Ivy during all this. He’ll act as the go-between. Any message you have for Ivy, tell him. You will not be meeting with her in person. Is that clear?” I cross my arms in front of my chest, daring her to contradict me.

“Yes, he did tell me about your list of demands, but it doesn’t mean I have to agree to them,” she chuckles, drawing some paperwork out of her purse. “You’re in no position to tell me what to do. I have in my hands a copy of your latest bank statement. I believe you’re several weeks behind on a loan payment? You wouldn’t want me to call the manager and have him start taking the necessary steps to foreclose, would you?”

“You’re bluffing,” I retort, placing my hands on my hips.

“Try me,” she spits back.

I’m just about to tear into her when I hear shuffling behind me.

“What’s going on?” It’s Ivy. She’s out of bed and standing outside in nothing but my shirt. I instantly see red.

“Well, speak of the devil,” Lauren drawls, smirking as Ivy shivers. “Ivy, tell this Neanderthal boyfriend of yours to step aside. We have work to do.”

“I don’t think so,” I growl, stepping in front of Ivy, blocking her from view. “You’re not coming in. Don’t even think about it.”

“Eric, it’s okay,” Ivy says, catching me off guard. “She’s right. We have a lot to catch up on.”

“You can’t be serious,” I spin around, searching her eyes for some kind of explanation. “You’re in no condition to—”

“She’s a big girl. Why don’t you let her decide for herself?” Lauren advances again, causing me to lean into Ivy. “Or maybe you want to hear a little bit more about what we intend to work on. I’m sure it’ll blow your mind.”

“Lauren, don’t,” Ivy warns, and there’s no mistaking the fear in her voice.

Lauren has something on her. It’s the only reason why Ivy would so readily give in to her demands. Ivy is in no state to go head-to-head with her. It’s not a fair fight. That’s why she’s caving. It probably involves me somehow and she’s trying to protect me so that I won’t get hurt. That’s the only explanation for why she’s backing down when Lauren’s coming on so strong. She must be feeding her a line about me. But I’m not afraid to set her straight. It’s about time someone put Lauren in her place once and for all.

“Will, take Ivy inside. I’ll settle this,” I seethe, not even looking at Ivy as she protests behind me.

Will closes his eyes and curses under his breath but obeys my command. He slips his arm through Ivy’s, trying to get her to retreat inside, but she grabs a handful of my shirt, attempting to push me out of the way so she can get to Lauren.

“Eric, stop! You don’t know what you’re doing,” she cries, desperately trying to hang on to me. Will lifts her off feet but she continues to struggle against him. “I’m begging you, please don’t do this. Please!”

“Get her upstairs!” I roar as her nails dig into my skin.

She’s nearly hysterical, and I don’t like it. She’s gotten herself too upset over this. It’s the last thing I wanted for her right now. She fights Will with all her might, and he ends up tossing her over his shoulder as she continues to scratch and claw at him.

“She’s going to tell you that Cassidy was cheating on you!” Ivy shouts before Will has a chance to close the door. She’s panting in his arms. Tears are streaming down her face. But for a minute, my mind goes blank. I know she’s in distress, but all I can focus on are Lauren’s red-painted lips as they curl into a hideous smile. This can’t be happening. Not again.

“You beat me to the punch once again, Ivy. Bravo!” Lauren smirks as Ivy pounds Will with her fists to let her down.

“Get out,” I say, my voice deadly.

“I guess my work here is done,” Lauren says, calmly lowering her sunglasses onto her nose. “Ivy, I’ll be in touch to schedule our next writing session. We’re going to have to flesh out all of the juicy details of Cassidy’s affair. Can’t wait. Oh and Eric, if you think I’m lying, which I’m not, you might want to talk to Ben’s brother. I’m sure he could provide you with a ton of information about their secret trysts. Like I said, fascinating stuff. It’s going to make such a great movie, don’t you think?”

“I’m going to count to ten and you better get the hell off my property!” I completely lose it, advancing on Lauren until she stumbles backward, gripping the railing before making her way down the porch steps. I chase her to the door of her car, standing there until she gets in and starts the ignition. It’s taking all of my willpower not to physically pull her out the vehicle, but somehow I restrain myself. But she still has to have the last word.

Sliding down the driver’s side window, she calls out, “Oh and Will? You might want to change your shirt. You have blood all over it.” She peals away, but not before I manage to pound on the hood.

Rage is coursing through my veins as I raise my eyes to the porch in fear. Ivy has gone completely still as Will lowers her carefully to the ground. Lauren was right. His shirt is covered in Ivy’s blood as it continues to trickle down her legs. For a split second, I think I’m going to collapse, but somehow I find my feet and clumsily charge up the steps, my heart pounding.

“Will, call an ambulance!” I shout over Ivy’s muffled cries as she begins to shake. “Ivy, it’s okay. I’ve got you, baby. Just relax. We’ll get you to the hospital and everything’s going to be all right. Take some deep breaths for me. That’s it.”

I gently lift her into my arms, following Will into the house. I rush into the kitchen, laying her on the table. Frantically, I root through a drawer for a clean towel before returning to Ivy’s side. I’m terrified of what I’m going to have to do next.

“Ivy, honey? Open your legs for me, okay? I’m going to have to try and stop the bleeding until they get here, all right?” I swallow hard as it turns into a steady flow, dripping onto the floor. She complies, her breathing ragged. There’s so much blood. I bite my lip hard. There’s no way she’s still pregnant. There are thick clots on her upper thighs, and I try not to look as I apply pressure to the towel to stem the flow.

“They’re on their way!” Will cries, running into the kitchen. He stops dead when he sees just how bad things are. “Umm…do you need me to do anything else?” He runs his hands through his hair, not even realizing they’re covered in Ivy’s blood. It’s everywhere—on him, on me, on her.

“No, just get out!” I yell at him, and he hastily departs.

This isn’t something he should be a part of. There’s no place for him here. He brought this to our doorstep. We were done with Lauren and he had to bring her back into our lives. I should’ve never encouraged Ivy to work on that damn screenplay. Just look at the havoc it’s caused. It’s probably going to cost us our child.

Ivy’s face is white as her eyes roam across the ceiling, guessing the magnitude of the situation. She’s conscious but she’s miles away from me. Her body’s rejecting what our love created. If only she’d stayed in bed. Why the hell did she have to come to the door? At this point, I don’t care who Cassidy slept with. It’s not important. That part of my life is over whether I like it or not. This second chance is what I dreamed of, hoped and prayed for on my knees, and now it’s being taken away from me too. A shudder runs through me as I try to contain my emotions. I can’t break down in front of her. I have to be strong, just until I can be alone. She didn’t have to protect me from Cassidy. She already saved me from her.

I hear the wail of the ambulance pull up as Will directs them inside. I pray that somehow it’s not too late. Somehow they’ll be able to save our unborn child. Ivy shouldn’t have to go through something like this. I’ve already experienced the loss of a child. I know what it feels like, and I should’ve done everything in my power to spare her such a fate. I should’ve put my foot down. I should not have let her go to L.A. I should’ve slammed the door in Lauren’s face when I saw her coming.

But now it’s too late.

I watch helplessly as the paramedics transfer her body onto a stretcher and rush her out of the kitchen. I follow behind them blindly, not even reaching for a coat and forgetting about my wallet and keys. My only thought is about her and how I’m going to get her through this.