Page 35 of One Last Time

“Love you too, baby.” I end the call and think thank fuck there’s only eight weeks left until I see her again. I can hold out that long.

CHAPTER 19

Payton

I’ve started browsing for baby stuff already. I know, I’m early, but I’m almost six weeks along. It’s scary to think that I have a baby growing inside me already, but I’m overjoyed at the thought, and I can’t wait to meet my little bean.

I still haven’t told Silas yet. I hate keeping it from him, especially as he knows that I’m different. I’m unable to contain my happiness, and I’ve not stopped smiling since I found out the news. Well, once I got over the initial shock.

I’ve gotten to see my bean already, I had a checkup with a private clinic, and they assured me that everything was right on track and the baby was progressing well. I have honestly never been more relieved in my life.

My hand moves to my stomach, something that it’s been doing a lot recently, and I can’t help but imagine what bean is going to look like. I imagine her, yes, her, a mixture of Silas and I. My long brown hair, and his beautiful green eyes. She’s definitely going to be the apple of her father’s eye.

The protective way Silas is with me, I can only imagine how he’s going to be with our baby. And I’m looking forward to seeing the man that I love become a father to my child.

I’ve decided that I’ll move base, instead of living in New York, I’ll finally buy a house and settle in Seattle with Silas. It’s what I’ve always wanted, as much as Dahlia thinks that I didn’t have dreams back when I was sixteen, I did. My dream was to marry the man I love and have his children. I guess I didn’t lose that dream.

It’s going to be hard being away from Bianca, especially after we’ve been living together for so long, but it’ll be good to be close to my family again. They’ll only be a two-hour drive from me. I think it’s the best decision for us all. Maybe, just maybe, I can tempt Bianca to move with me.

“Pay, we have to go, Jerald’s waiting,” she tells me, pulling me from my thoughts. I reach for my purse and follow her out of the apartment. She sees the way my hand is gently caressing my stomach and smiles. She’s the only one that knows about the baby, as my best friend, and roommate, there’s no way that I could have ever kept it from her. Besides, I was bursting at the seams to tell someone, and I want, no need to tell Silas face to face. He deserves that.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m walking into the lobby of one of New York’s most exclusive hotels.

“Ah, Payton,” Jerald says with a smile as he kisses my cheek. “Come, follow me,” he instructs, and I dutifully follow him as he walks toward the hotel’s restaurant. “No Bee?”

I roll my eyes, he always says that we’re joined at the hip. We are, but we also do things alone too. “She’s shopping.” Bianca has an obsession with handbags and shoes; I’m pretty sure she has a full storage unit dedicated to them. When we finally settle down somewhere, she’s going to need to buy two houses, one of those just for her possessions.

He shakes his head. “It’s a good thing that you don’t like to shop, I’d hate to see what your apartment would look like.” We take a seat, “Would you like something to eat?”

I give him a grateful smile, whenever we have meetings, or he sees us, he always makes sure that we’ve eaten. It’s one of the many reasons that Dahlia adores him. “No, thank you, but I wouldn't turn down a cup of tea.” I usually drink coffee, but since I found out that I’m pregnant, I’ve turned to drinking tea.

He orders a coffee for himself and tea for me, when the server brings them down to us, he gets down to business. “I had a very surprising call about you six weeks ago.”

I raise my brows as I bring my cup to my lips, six weeks ago?

“I’m your agent for Global Model Management. Saying that, you and Bianca are more like my family. You girls have treated me like a father, and honestly, I see you as my daughters. So this call I got was a surprise, and I had to do a little digging as well as trying to figure out what to do next if you decided this was something you’d want to do.”

I’m so confused. “Jerald, what are you talking about?”

He chuckles softly, “I’ve started a new company, McAndrews Management. I’m not just a modelling agent, I’m an agent to movie stars, sport stars, and anyone else who needs me.”

I nod. “Okay, so you’re branching out. That’s good, you’re a great agent and manager.”

He gives me a soft smile, the one he only reserves when we’re not talking about business. “Thank you.” He grins as he drinks his coffee, “The phone call I received was from Kelvin Matthews.”

My breath catches in my lungs, and I’m thankful that I hadn’t had any drink in my mouth, I'd have spat it out. Kelvin Matthews? As in the freaking movie star? The amazing director Kelvin Matthews?

“Uh huh, thought that may make you speechless. Kelvin wants you to star in his new movie.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah sure.” Why on earth would a talented director want me, someone who hasn’t ever had an acting class in my life, nor have I done any acting. I’m a model for cripes sake, one that stumbled into this world purely by accident.

“Payton, I’m being serious. He wants you to fly out and audition. What do you say?”

“Seriously?”

Jerald nods. “Seriously, Pay. This is a career change, but one that could be life changing.”

I’m stunned.

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