Six Hot Summer Nights

Mia turned her head, but not before he saw the moisture gather in her eyes. He waited for her to turn back, fully engaged in a crying session in an attempt to gain his sympathy. But when she looked back up, the tears were still there, only unshed and Mia tilted her chin just a bit as if defying them. Damn, he didn’t want to respect her strength.

“Family means everything, Bronson,” she went on, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ve always dreamed of finding the perfect man for me. We’d settle down in a nice house, we’d create babies out of love and grow old together. I assure you, this scenario was not my dream. You can believe me, or you can choose to believe that I’m just as conniving as other women you’ve grouped me with. That’s up to you. I want this baby to know its father, and I’d hate for you to miss out on the life of your child simply because you’re afraid and this deceitful town has made you cynical.”

Bronson turned toward the wall of windows and wished like hell she was telling the truth—and that she hadn’t pegged him so easily. She wasn’t the only one who’d had the idea of a family. He’d come from a loving home, one of the few the industry hadn’t tainted. He’d love to someday fill his spacious home with a woman he loved and their babies. So, yeah, Mia wasn’t the only one with dreams.

But his work had always come first, something his ex-fiancée had thrown in his face. And since then, he had turned cynical—disturbing how Mia homed in on that aspect.

“I totally understand your reasons for not believing me,” she went on as he continued to stare out the window. “I can only hope my actions back up the truth. I won’t ask for a dime from you, Bronson, or your family. I will continue to work for your mother and support the baby. This baby’s needs have to come before your feelings.”

She was right. Whether the baby was his or not, the baby didn’t ask to be born, and Mia’s baby had to have top priority.

So, for now, until he had medical proof, he’d assume what she said was the truth and keep a close watch on her. Because if this baby was his, there was no way in hell Mia was going to raise this child on her own.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, surprised that he really cared when, for all he knew, she was a first-rate scam artist.

A soft smile spread across her lips. “Better once lunch passes. I’ve been reading online, and mine is a typical pregnancy. This is all so new to me because I’ve never been around babies. I just can’t devour enough information.”

Bronson swallowed the lump of emotion. Hearing her excitement made him feel like a jerk, but he had to be cautious. His heart couldn’t take another beating … or another baby ripped from his life.

“The baby is only the size of a pea right now,” she added, her hand moving to her flat stomach. “Strange how something so tiny can throw off my whole system.”

“I found a doctor I’d like you to start seeing. She’s the best, and she will keep things quiet if this baby turns out to be mine. I don’t want the press hounding you.”

Mia’s hand froze on her stomach, and her eyes turned to slits. “I don’t want your doctor, Bronson. I have a doctor I’m quite pleased with and, I assure you, the office won’t reveal who the baby’s father is because I haven’t said a word. Besides, it’s not as if the office will ever know it’s you anyway.”

Bronson closed the space between them and took a seat next to her on the sofa. “I’m going to your doctor’s appointments, Mia. While I’m not totally convinced this baby is mine, on the chance that it is, I want to be around for every appointment and the birth.”

For a minute, Mia simply stared. Her natural beauty left him breathless—so flawless, so timeless. The camera would love her. The camera had loved her. He had tabloids with snapshots from Cannes to prove it.

“I will not have you believe the worst of me and expect me to let you control and watch over my pregnancy,” she told him through gritted teeth. “You can either act like a father or stay away. You can’t have it both ways, Bronson.”

Oh, he could and he would. But she’d learn that in time. No need to argue right now.

“Fine,” he agreed. “You stick with your doctor, but I’m coming to all the visits and I will ask questions if I see fit. I will also have my assistant call to make sure your appointments are kept quiet and we get right in. We shouldn’t be seen in the waiting area.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “They have private waiting areas, Bronson. No need to get all guard dog on me. Besides, you need to talk to your mother and sister. We can’t prolong the inevitable. The media is going to find out soon anyway when I start showing.”

Bronson could just imagine Mia with a rounded stomach, carrying a baby—possibly his baby. She’d be just as stunning, just as breathtaking.

Dammit, he hated being torn like this. How could he want something he’d never even had? Granted, he’d more than gotten used to the idea of being a father when his ex-fiancée was pregnant. But when she’d lost the baby, and the truth had come out that it hadn’t even been his, Bronson had buried those crushed emotions and vowed never to be caught up in something that wasn’t his again.

And here he was insisting he attend all of Mia’s appointments for a baby that could very well be Anthony’s—the very man his ex threw in his face as a potential candidate for being the father.

All the more reason to loathe the man and be suspicious of his ex-assistant.

“I’m going to the main house as soon as I leave here,” he told her. “I left a message for Victoria to come over, so I’m hoping she’ll be there, as well. Do you want to join me?”

Mia’s eyes widened as she let out a soft gasp. “I’m not … I … Bronson, I’m not sure I’d be very good at this family meeting.”

He hadn’t really intended it as a question. “You’ll come with me because if this baby is mine, you have bonded yourself to the Danes for the rest of your life.” God help him being tied to this seductive woman forever.

“I’m so sick of your trying to control me,” Mia told him, coming to her feet. “And quit acting like you’re not sure you’re the father. You know you are. Deep down, Bronson, you know. And it hurts me that you would deny this baby even for a second.” She turned, heading toward the foyer. “Let’s get this family meeting over with.”

With a smile on his face, Bronson watched Mia storm out of her cottage. If his life weren’t in such chaos at the moment, he’d admire her take-charge attitude and independent stance. But since his family was on the line, he needed to focus.

No way was he letting this temptress under his skin again. From now on he’d be on guard and ready for whatever she threw his way.

Dread, excitement, fear and anxiety all rolled into one big ball of nerves and settled deep into Mia’s stomach as she and Bronson entered the main house.

Olivia stood in the formal living room next to the wall of shelves that housed many pictures from her early days in movies as well as several professional pictures of Victoria and Bronson as children. Most of the photos were personal, showcasing the movie family in real life. Swimming in the pool as children, Victoria as a teen ballerina, a young Bronson on the shoulders of his father.

Mia pulled herself out of the Dane family snapshots and into reality. One day maybe her child would be in a frame in this very room. Mia hoped so. That was one of the things she’d missed as an adult. There were very few pictures of her as a child, though she still had the two photos of her and her parents when they’d first come to America. Those captured moments were something she treasured every day.

She slid a hand over her locket, reminding herself that she was never alone in life’s endeavors, even if she felt that way at times.

Soft laughter pulled Mia from her thoughts. Victoria sat in the white club chair on her cell phone speaking French and laughing at someone named Jacques. But once Mia and Bronson fully entered the room, Olivia’s face softened with a genuine smile and Victoria ended her call.

“I’m assuming Mother told you the news about the baby.” Bronson eyed Victoria who simply nodded. “I just want to get this all out so there’s no confusion as to where I stand and what’s going on.”

Mia wanted to throw up. Undoubtedly Bronson would start the same song and dance she’d heard the past two days about “if” the baby was his. No matter how harsh those words sounded and how she hated him for saying them, she knew he was just as scared as she was.

“I will assume this baby is mine for now,” he went on. “But we will get a DNA test to determine the father.”

“I never agreed to that,” she piped in. “You assumed I would, but since I don’t want your money, it’s a moot point.”

Bronson turned on her. “You will have a DNA test done on the child, Mia. Forget yourself for a minute, will you? If this child is a Dane, he has a sizable fortune he’s set to inherit.”

“Are you kidding me?”

Mia glanced around to Victoria who was now on her feet, hands on her hips. “You’re acting like this is a business arrangement. You’re talking about a child for crying out loud, Bron. Your child. You may have been caught off guard the last time, but I believe Mia. She wouldn’t lie about the paternity.”

A bit of elation spread through Mia at Victoria’s confidence that she wasn’t trying to swindle anything from this family, especially since they’d only known her about seven months. But what did she mean about “last time”?

“You just want the baby to be mine,” Bronson said. “Don’t start sewing designer Onesies.”

“You want the baby, too.” Olivia moved toward them. “There’s no need to deny it, Bronson. I know you’re scared to death to admit this is your child for fear of losing another baby. But I agree with Victoria. Mia isn’t lying. I’ve gotten to know her very well, and this is an honest, loyal woman.”

She wasn’t feeling so loyal at the moment, considering the secret she held. Oh, she was being honest about this baby, but not so much about the baby Olivia gave up nearly forty years ago.

Talk about intense. This was why Mia didn’t want to do family meetings. First of all, she wasn’t in the family and, second of all, old wounds always reopened and Mia certainly didn’t want to add that dash of salt into Bronson’s.

But what was all this talk of the baby he lost? They made it sound as if that baby wasn’t his. But surely if his ex-fiancée was pregnant, the baby had been his. Hadn’t it? Good Lord, was there another buried Dane scandal? What kind of mess had she stepped into?

“I’m not here to discuss my past,” Bronson declared, eyeing his mother and sister. “I’m here to let you all know that this baby is between me and Mia for the time being. I don’t want you two fawning all over her and getting attached to someone who may not even belong in this family.”

“Excuse me,” Mia chimed in. “This baby is as much a Dane as it is a Spinelli. If your mother and sister want to get attached, let them. Just because you are choosing to keep your distance doesn’t mean they have to. My whole life I wanted to be part of a family.” Mia clutched her locket and choked back tears. “My whole life. Do you know what that’s like?”

Mia stared at Bronson, not caring a bit that Olivia and Victoria were listening, not caring that her voice was cracking. She was standing up for her child, as no one had done for her after her parents’ death, and she was starting now. This child would know love and security from day one.

“I never really felt a sense of belonging. Once my parents were killed …” She hesitated, praying the tears stinging her eyes wouldn’t spill over. “I will not have our child wondering where he or she belongs. I want nothing but love for this child. You can keep every last dollar. Just don’t deny the fact this child does belong here just as much as you do. Don’t deny our baby the bond only a loving family can provide.”

Mia caught sight of Olivia and Victoria, and both women had glistening tears and soft smiles. Bronson, on the other hand, still wore the signature scowl he’d had in place since he’d learned the truth. What would it take to get him to look on the bright side? Try to make this a positive time?

“I’m sure you all need to talk, so I’ll let you have your privacy.”

Mia turned on her heel and left the room. She didn’t slow down until she was far enough away from the house that no one would see her break into tears.

She’d never been much of a crier. Life had toughened her up at a young age, but lately she couldn’t stop the tears. Whether it was the uncontrollable hormones or the fact that she just didn’t want her baby to feel neglected and abandoned, she didn’t know. What she did know is that it was quite obvious the Dane women were perfectly comfortable with the idea that this baby belonged in the family. Too bad Bronson believed the worst.

And that’s what hurt the most. Had he always believed the worst in her? When he’d slept with her, had he just been passing time?

Mia hated the thought that she’d slept with Bronson out of pure lust. She’d never slept with a man only because she found him attractive. But it wasn’t just that Bronson was curl-your-toes sexy. He had been so smooth, so seductive, and with the ambiance of Cannes and all the romance surrounding them, she’d been caught up in a whirlwind. But she’d be damned if she let her lack of good judgment affect her child’s life or what Bronson thought of her.

This baby would have everything she never did: stability, unconditional love and family. Mia would settle for nothing less.

Eight

The next month flew by without any major drama—baby or otherwise. Anthony still hadn’t confronted Olivia, and Bronson was still as personable as a bedsheet when he’d call twice daily to ask how she was feeling.

But today was the day of her first prenatal visit, and Bronson would be picking her up any minute.

This should be a fun ride.

As if the strained phone conversations weren’t enough, now she had to sit in close proximity to the man she found both insufferable and devastatingly attractive at the same time. She couldn’t blame any of this on her hormones. Bronson was still just as sexy, and every time she looked at him she couldn’t help but remember their night together.

She so wished she could forget how amazing his hands felt as they’d glided over her body. The way he held her, giving so much of himself. Mia had never before experienced anything like it, and she had a feeling she never would again. Yes, the sex had been hurried, frantic, but Bronson had been so in tune with her body, so perfect for her.

When Mia’s doorbell rang, she grabbed her purse and keys and opened the door to a still-sexy Bronson. She reset the alarm and closed the door behind her. Without a word, Bronson led her to his two-door sports car. At least he had the decency to open the passenger door for her.

“This’ll be a blast,” she muttered to the empty car as he walked around the hood.

As soon as he got in and brought the engine to life, Mia twisted in her seat. “You don’t have to go. No one will think anything if you just stay away. I’ve already given you the out you obviously want. I expect nothing from you.”

Bronson’s grip tightened on the wheel, the muscle ticking in his jaw. “I said I’d be there for every appointment in case the baby is mine. I meant it. My assistant has already called to ensure we will be taken back immediately.”

Mia wasn’t going to argue. In truth, she wanted to share this glorious time with someone, she just wished that someone shared her excitement.

And she was excited—more and more every day. The baby was coming whether she’d planned for it or not. True, the fear still overwhelmed her at times, but in all honesty, she was happy about this little person growing inside her. She’d even had a burst of giddiness this morning when her skirt had been snug.

“You’re happy?”

Mia glanced back over to Bronson. “Excuse me?”

He threw her a glance. “You were smiling. You’re happy about this.”

“The baby, yes. The situation, not really.” She smoothed her short cotton skirt over her knees. “I won’t lie. The more I think about this baby, the more excited I get. But I do wish I was at a different place in my life. I’ve always envisioned myself married before having kids.”

He said nothing, and Mia wasn’t sure she even wanted to know what he thought. Other than her giving him directions to the doctor’s office, nothing else was discussed. Obviously, he didn’t want things to get too personal, and that was fine with her. If he was going to be a jerk about this, she didn’t want to open up her feelings to him. He didn’t deserve to be privy to her thoughts.

Once they were in the office, Bronson’s tension meter skyrocketed as his shoulders stiffened and his gaze moved around the room. They were immediately shown to a private waiting area, complete with a closed door. Considering Hollywood’s lame attempt to keep things hush-hush, Mia assumed every doctor’s office had private waiting areas like this one.

“You okay?” she whispered as she filled out all the documents about her medical history.

“Fine.”

Mia let it go and proceeded with the questions. She knew her information, but when it came to the father, she was a bit uncomfortable asking.

“Could you um …” She nudged the clipboard and paper onto his lap and handed him the pen. “I need you to fill this section out.”

His eyes darted down, then back up to her. “Can’t you leave it blank?”

“If I didn’t know who the father was I would. But since you’re here, fill it out and pretend this isn’t torturous.”

She’d seriously had it with his take on the pregnancy. He didn’t want to acknowledge the baby was his because he was scared of losing another one. But the least he could do was be supportive of her. Not financially, but some conversation or even a smile now and then would help.

Lord have mercy, would he ever believe that she wasn’t out to sabotage his family? She could only hope time and her actions would prove her innocence.

He grabbed the pen, began reading then checking the appropriate boxes next to family history of illnesses and diseases. Mia stared at the paper, jealous that he actually had a family history that he knew about, had heard stories about. That is what she wanted for her child. That sense of family, a unit.

Mia had only been able to answer the questions strictly on what she had been told about her birth parents. Beyond them, she knew nothing about her family back in Italy. Her mother had been a diabetic, but other than that, she didn’t know about any major health issues.

Tracing a finger over the scar on her hand, Mia silently vowed to her unborn baby that there would always be stability, always a place to call home.

“Here.” Bronson handed the clipboard back to her. “I’m done.”

She took the forms out to the receptionist and within minutes they were called back to the exam room. When the nurse told Mia to change into the gown, her eyes darted to Bronson. He merely lifted a brow as the nurse left the room.

“I’ll just change in here.” She motioned to the bathroom.

As Mia put on the paper-thin gown, she nearly laughed at how modesty now overtook her. The man had touched, tasted and savored every inch of her body. And he would probably be in the delivery room.

Yeah, modesty definitely had no place here. Her needs were no longer a priority. Her baby trumped everything and everyone.

Mia put on the hospital footies and padded back out to the exam table, holding her gown together with a fisted hand. Bronson’s presence filled the room as he sat in the corner in a plastic chair.

“What will they do today?” he asked.

Mia’s heart softened a little. She knew he was nervous. He’d lost a baby once before. He may have his doubts about whether or not he was the father, but she could tell he was getting more used to the idea.

“I think they listen for a heartbeat and maybe do an ultrasound to see exactly how far along I am.”

“I came to a couple appointments the first time …” He trailed off, looking her in the eye. “Never mind. Let’s just focus on now.”

Mia wanted to say something, to not let this intimate moment pass her by. For a split second he’d thought of opening up to her, and she realized she wanted that more than she’d thought. She did want a connection to Bronson, other than a physical one, if for no other reason than for the sake of the baby. Could they work backward and attempt at least a friendship? Would he ever feel comfortable enough to not close up when personal issues arose?

The door swung open and Mia smiled at her doctor.

“Good afternoon, Mia,” Dr. Bender said. “How are you feeling today?”

Mia nodded. “I’m adjusting to the morning sickness and I know to keep food by my bed and eat before I even think about standing up.”

The doctor washed and dried her hands at the sink in the corner. “You should be nearing the end of the queasiness. Not many women have morning sickness through their entire pregnancy.”

The entire pregnancy? Mia couldn’t even fathom that. She prayed she had the typical first trimester kind and the sickness would end soon.

Dr. Bender moved around the exam table. “Just lie back here and let’s listen for the heartbeat.” She eased Mia down and glanced over to Bronson. “You’re the father?”

Mia didn’t look at him, didn’t want to see his denial, but she was even more crushed when he spoke.

“How soon can a DNA test be done?” he asked.

The doctor placed a sheet over Mia’s legs, then folded the gown up to expose her belly and squirted some cool gel onto her stomach. She began to move the Doppler around, spreading the sticky gel, obviously not fazed by Bronson’s question.

Mia, on the other hand, wanted to cry. How dare he humiliate her like this? Even worse, how could he deny this baby in public? Besides making it sound as if she slept around, he was disrespecting their child.

“That depends,” Dr. Bender said. “There is one test called chorionic villus sampling, which can be done between ten and fourteen weeks. The other is called an amniocentesis, which is done between fourteen and twenty weeks. I can go over the procedures and the risks involved if you’d like before you make a decision.”

Amid all the static of the Doppler machine and the doctor telling Bronson about the testing, Mia heard it. The rapid thump, thump, thump of her baby’s heartbeat.

Her baby. Her eyes darted to Bronson. Their baby.

“Baby’s heart rate is right at the norm for eleven weeks.” The doctor wiped off the gel from Mia’s stomach. “Sounds like you’ve got a healthy one. Are you experiencing any other symptoms, other than morning sickness?”

“Just some slight cramping,” Mia told her. “I get dizzy sometimes.”

“You never told me that,” Bronson piped up, suddenly more concerned.

Eyes wide, Mia threw him a look. Now was certainly not the time to discuss why she hadn’t told him—because he’d barely given her two minutes when he’d called on the phone. Besides, if he’d acted halfway as if he genuinely cared, she would have made the time to open up to him.

“That’s fairly normal,” the doctor told her, taking a seat on her black stool. “Your uterus is stretching, so that will cause some cramping. Try to rest as much as possible. If a miscarriage happens, it’s more than likely going to happen within the first twelve weeks from conception. I don’t say that to scare you. I just want you to listen to your body and take good care of yourself.”

“I’ll see that she does.”

Mia fisted her hands at her side. Now he chose to step up? Now he wanted to offer to help? And what did he mean by he’d see that she takes care of herself? Did he plan on spending more time with her?

When the rest of the exam was done and she got herself dressed, Mia scheduled an ultrasound for next month and didn’t wait for Bronson before she made quick steps back to his car.