Stalemate Read online

  “Isa, are you listening to me?” Tawny’s voice broke into her thoughts.

  “Sorry, I wasn’t.”

  Tawny sat on the side of the bed. “I said, are you going to be okay here? I can try to get my shoot pushed back for a few months.”

  “Tee, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. You are not staying here because of me,” Isa answered firmly. “Besides, you have a new romance in the works... I’m going to miss you, but, Tawny, you have your own life to live.”

  Tawny crawled into bed to sit up beside her. “Remember how you used to take care of me, make sure I had snacks in case the food was crappy at the home? You did so much for me. You’ve been looking out for me or protecting me all my life. I should be here for you.”

  Isa shook her head. “No, you don’t. Seeing succeed is all I ever wanted for my sister.”

  “I’m going to change my name,” Tawny said suddenly.

  Isa looked at her in surprise. “Why, sweetie?”

  Tawny smiled sadly. “Never was really a name, it was my skin color and very unimaginative people. I thought it was cool to drop the Smith and just be Tawny, the mysterious girl in the fashion industry. It worked for a while, but looking at you with your twins... You’re going to be a mom and it made me think about what my kids would say or ask about their mother and her name. Tawny doesn’t cut it.”

  “Then what?” Isa asked gently as she took her friend’s hand.

  “I never told you, but a few years back, I found out who my mother was. I searched hundreds and hundreds of birth records for my birth date,” Tawny explained. “I went through the list cross-checking and taking families off the list. Hundreds became forty, and then ten, and then I was down to one.”

  “What did you find?” Isa was amazed at the new information and hopeful for her friend.

  “My mother died having me and my father couldn’t take raising a kid alone, so he abandoned me. My grandmother is still alive in Arizona. She lives in an assisted living community. I went there, and the DNA test confirmed that I’m her granddaughter.”

  “Tawny, why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want you to feel like I found a grandmother and would forget we are the only family we’ve ever known,” Tawny explained, and swiped a tear from her cheek.

  “That’s dumb,” Isa said with a tearful laugh.

  “Yeah, I know. In any case, I’m going to take my mother’s middle and last name, Tricia Turner.”

  “So now the twins can call you Auntie TeeTee,” Isa teased.

  “I don’t care, I would love it. You make sure to stay healthy, and give Bryce a chance, will you? He has a bad case of pigheaded-foot-in-mouth, but he is actually a good guy, I think.”

  Isa hugged Tawny. “We’ll see. No promises, but we will try to be friends to raise the twins together.”

  “Uh-huh,” Tawny said knowingly. “Let me know how that works out.”

  Tawny soon-to-be Tricia Turner left soon after with a promise to be back before the twins were born. Isa suddenly felt very alone in the bedroom that was bigger than the living room in the apartment. She watched TV and dozed then an older woman she’d never seen before brought her in lunch, including a fresh made ice cream sandwich. Isa didn’t know you could technically fresh make an ice cream sandwich, but chose not to dwell on the thought and enjoy the treat.

  When Bryce came in to see her, it was late in the evening and she’d already taken a shower in the bathroom that adjoined the guest room. He looked like he’d just come home from work, in a tailored shirt and a loosened tie. He knocked and stepped into the room with blue eyes that were warm, as was his smile.

  “How are you doing?” Bryce asked.

  “Bored out of my skull,” Isa admitted. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with extended leave from the Navy. I’m not accustomed to lying around.”

  “You’re supposed to rest and sleep, oh, and eat,” he reminded her.

  “Yes, I’ve done all three and, by the way, who is the woman who brought me food this afternoon?”

  “That’s Marjorie, I hired her to make your meals and be your care taker when I’m not here.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. I could camp out downstairs in the daytime and make my own meals.”

  Bryce shook his head. “Nothing doing. Dr. Allary said rest, and you will.”

  “He said a week of bed rest...”

  “And for you to take it easy for the duration of the pregnancy,” Bryce finished. “Did you drink enough water today?”

  Isa saluted. “Yes, captain, I did, and I have to tinkle every thirty minutes.”

  Bryce laughed. “Tinkle?”

  Isa looked down at her hands, embarrassed. “Go to the bathroom.”

  “I know what you mean,” he chuckled. “So, we have dinner downstairs and I’ll bring it up. Do you mind if I eat with you tonight?”

  “No, I’d like that,” she said shyly.

  Since the hospital, there had been such a change in him. It made her wonder if he still thought she was after his money? Isa didn’t trust easy and she knew he wanted the twins she was carrying to be well. She considered herself to be a person who could discern someone’s character. This seemed like more than an act to her. Bryce seemed to be like the man she’d met at the party.

  “Great, I’ll bring something back to keep you entertained,” he said as he got up.

  “Battleship?” Isa teased.

  “I’ll grab that too.” Bryce smiled and left the room.

  He came back soon wheeling in a food cart with covered dishes.

  “How did you get that upstairs?” she asked, surprised.

  “There’s an elevator in the kitchen.” Bryce moved the car close to the bed. “Do you know that Marjorie made homemade ice cream sandwiches? I mean, who does that?”

  Isa gasped. “Okay, I’m not crazy then. I didn’t know you could do it either. But they are so good. I had one for lunch.”

  “Good to know. I am saving mine for later.”

  He put a tray on her lap and they talked as they ate a dinner of shrimp gumbo with Andouille sausage over Jasmine rice and pan-seared salmon. It was a little spicy, which was how Isa loved her food, and she found the spice helped keep the constant morning sickness down. After the meal, he gave her a tablet loaded with games. She was immediately drawn into one that was like a military scenario where she could build her base and defend it, also wage war.

  “Look, I just wiped out that fortress,” Isa said gleefully.

  “Should I be worried you like this game entirely too much?” Bryce asked.

  Isa laughed and shook her head. “Hey, they need to build better defense. Come sit over here and watch while I decimate this volcano lair. What they don’t know is I can drop a bomb in the lava and the whole place blows.”

  Bryce sat on the bed close to her and she explained the game while she played and laughed as her plan worked.

  “Did you see how the lava spewed?” she asked in delight. “It was great. This game is awesome.”

  “Beautiful.”

  His voice was a low rumble and it made her look up. Isa’s breath caught in her throat when she met his gaze and knew he didn’t mean the game.

  “The lava?” she said breathlessly.

  He cupped the back of her neck. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

  His head descended to hers and the kiss made her toes curls beneath the blankets. Bryce tasted her lips lazily and, when she felt the first foray of his tongue glide across her lips, Isa opened greedily. It wasn’t like the first time, where the intensity of the need took hold. This time, it was as if with one slow, heated kiss, he was searching to know everything within her. Still, the thought of their past interaction made her pull away unwillingly.

  “We can’t,” she whispered, and tried to calm her breathing.

  “I know, not after the bleeding, and we have to see if the doctor says we can,” he said huskily.

  Isa put her hand against his chest. “Tha
t too, but we said friends, remember? I don’t want sex or, well, what you think of me to burn the bridge we’re trying to build.”

  “I think you’re the mother of my children and I’m attracted as hell to you,” Bryce said.

  “The feeling is mutual, but... Oh Bryce, I don’t know.” Isa felt very confused.

  He kissed her hard and stood. “Don’t stress about it, please. We had a good time tonight and this won’t change. But I want you to know I want you and I will do my damn best to have you in my bed. Goodnight, Isa, I’ll come see you tomorrow before I leave for work.”

  “G’night, Bryce,” she answered, and watched him leave.

  She played the game some more and watched TV until she could hardly keep her eyes open. After the bathroom, she snuggled down into her bed and a thought filtered through her mind. He wants me in is bed, not in his heart. That alone should make her stay away from the temptation that was Bryce Forte. It sounded good in theory, but did she have the willpower to resist?

  Chapter Five

  “I’m waddling now, can you tell?” Isa asked as she moved towards the front door.

  “You look fine, gorgeous, glowing actually,” Bryce said with humor in his voice. “You’re carrying twins, by the way. You’re bigger than most expecting women. Remember what the doctor said.”

  Bryce never knew he could be so attracted to a pregnant woman. But he was. In her six month of pregnancy, each time he touched her stomach to feel the babies move, he wanted her. They hadn’t done more than share a few kisses since their encounter that fateful night. Isa was beginning to trust him, but he saw the reservation in her eyes if they got hot and heavy. He couldn’t blame her. After the misunderstanding, he had been like a Mac truck and threatened everything she knew. Guilt still swamped him when he thought about her in the hospital bed writhing in pain.

  She didn’t know how long he’d been there when she woke up. But even under the medication, she mumbled how scared she was, of him and what he’d said. He understood why Dr. Allary had been so suspicious of abuse. He’d stressed her out to the point of panic. If he could punch himself in the gut for doing that to her, he would. His actions, because of pride, almost caused them to lose their children. Today, he wanted to change all that, so he’d planned a surprise for her. He took her hand as they went down the stone steps of the mansion. It had rained, and he knew that the steps could be slippery.

  “Where are we going?” Isa asked as he helped her into the SUV.

  Today, he asked his driver to use the Escalade, not wanting to have to maneuver through the streets of New Orleans in the limo.

  “You’ll see,” Bryce said with a mischievous grin.

  “I’m not good with surprises,” Isa said after he got in on the other side. “I was raised in the system. Usually when you heard the word, it meant a new home or a new foster family. None of them ever worked out good for any us.”

  Bryce took her hand and squeezed. “I’m sorry your start in life was so hard.”

  Isa looked at him. “I’m not the pity party type of girl. It happened, I lived through it, and it made me the woman I am today. Many things could’ve gone wrong and I had it better than others.”

  “My parents were loving, attentive, and kind, sometimes to attentive I couldn’t get away with anything.” Bryce chuckled. “My mom passed away of cancer, and my dad, well, he lives in Monaco now, spends his time fishing. We’ll go visit him after the twins are born.”

  “You want me to go with you to see your dad?” Isa asked, surprised.

  “Yeah, why not?”

  “I guess I thought after the babies were born, I would be going back to my place, changing Tawny’s room to a nursery, and living there,” Isa said honestly. “And we’d share parenting.”

  Bryce looked at her. “I want us to live together and be in the same household with our kids. I want a relationship with you.”

  “You could have all these women, the crème de la crème. Why me?” Isa shook her head in wonder. “I mean, you go for the super model type. You thought I was Tawny.”

  Bryce shook his head. “No, it wasn’t the name I was attracted to, but the woman who was barefoot in my family room playing Battleship. We’re taking it slow, but can’t you tell I want more?”

  Isa sighed. “I don’t want you to think that this is what I was hoping for when I came to the party, or it was some kind of planned thing. I want more to have a relationship, but not at the expense of my dignity. I refuse to be the gold-digging foster kid in anyone’s eyes.”

  “You are not in mine, and if anyone says it, they can go fuck themselves,” Bryce said firmly. “I don’t live my life in the limelight, and if I can, I stay away from the press. You and our babies will be shielded from that crap. Just think on it, okay? Let’s not ruin the surprise with too much heavy conversation.”

  “I will,” she answered. “I hope I like this surprise.”

  He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Trust me, you will.”

  They were soon at the destination and they both looked up at the sign when he helped her from the car. Comfortably Baby was a baby boutique in town where you could buy anything for the expected addition. They offered another service that he hoped she’d like. The store was on the bottom floor of a huge historic building in the French Quarter. The bright yellow sign greeted them, but when they stepped inside, it beckoned, and you felt nothing but welcome. The hardwood floors gleamed and the walls matched the sign outside with brass polished light fixtures and everything from clothes to toys on the wall. Baby furniture was to the left, clothes to the right, and baby blue curtains blocked the back rooms.

  “This place is immense and so full of awesome things.” Isa gasped in delight. “Are we shopping? My check hasn’t been deposited into my account yet. Can we pick out and layaway? I can pay the rest after.”

  “You can buy anything you like, and you don’t have to do the layaway thing, whatever that is,” Bryce said with a grin.

  “I don’t want you to buy everything for us. I want to contribute to their things,” Isa said stubbornly. “I won’t be leaving the Navy. I have another four years and I can provide for the twins as well.”

  “How about a compromise?” Bryce said, not wanting to offend her. She took pride in taking care of herself and Tawny before she got her modeling career off the ground.. Now that she was expecting, she would want to do that for her children. “Today we pick out whatever we want, baby furniture and the likes. I’ll pay for half now and then you can get the rest later.”

  “Deal. So this was the surprise, baby shopping?”

  “No, the real surprise is in the back.” Bryce took her hand.

  The young woman in the shop smiled. “Mr. Forte, right this way.”

  Bryce led Isa behind the curtain to the art studio.

  “What’s all this?” Isa said, looking around.

  “This is how some women commemorate their pregnancy,” the clerk explained. “We make a cast of your belly and then we cover it in clay. Our artist then colors and fires it into a marvelous piece of art.”

  “Are you in?” Bryce asked.

  Isa laughed. “Oh heck yeah I am!”

  “I understand you’re having twins,” the clerk said conversationally. “Sometimes, if we get a mother far long, we see a foot print in the cast or maybe a knee.”

  “Can I come back and do another one when I get further along?” Isa asked, and Bryce could hear the excitement in her voice.

  “We can.” He kissed her temple. “I’ll be coming back with you.”

  “I’d like that,” Isa said shyly.

  He watched with rapt interest as she came out from the dressing room in a sports bra. Her skin was smooth as chocolate silk and burgeoning with life. The clerk laughed as she felt movement. As she showed them around, she told them she ran the store and helped make the cast for the artists when they came in. Bryce felt a little jealous at how easily Isa talked to the clerk, especially with the clerk being allowed
to touch her belly when he felt uncomfortable asking. Bryce brushed it off as a woman thing knowing they had a lot of ground to cover to rebuild trust. In his case, he felt jealous of even Dr. Allary, who Isa called Ben. She saw him as a friend, and all Bryce saw was a threat.

  After the cast was dried and removed, she cleaned her stomach off with a warm washcloth. The clerk handed her cocoa butter cream to moisturize her skin, and watching her rub it on made Bryce shift uncomfortably in his seat. He wanted her in the worst way.

  “We don’t know the sex of the twins, so let’s keep the clothes to a minimum for now,” Isa said as they shopped.

  “When do we find out anyway?” Bryce asked. He picked up something he thought looked like a boy version of a tutu. I should let her pick clothes before the kids are dressed like baby clowns, he thought. He had no clue about dressing kids.

  His cell phone beeped in his pocket and he pulled it out to look at it.

  “We find out next appointment, hopefully. The last time neither of them cooperated.” Isa walked towards him while he stared at his phone. “Something wrong?”

  “I have this gala thing tonight I have to go to In New York,” Bryce said. “Fuck it, I would blow it off, but I pledged donations to them months ago and it’s a thing my mom started.”

  “No, go. Makes no sense you staying in with me every night. You had a schedule way before this, and I’ll be fine,” Isa encouraged.

  “I’d invite you, but it’s too late to get a dress and I just promised to keep you out of the lime light,” he said. “Plus, we don’t know if you were cleared for flying.”

  Isa laughed. “It’s fine. Besides, the last time I crashed a party, look what happened.”

  Bryce kissed her lovingly. “A very good thing happened. I’m taking my jet, so I’ll be back late tonight.”

  “I’m all tapped out. Can we have some lunch before we head home?” Isa asked. “The twins are starved for a steak burrito bowl, smothered in spicy melted cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.”

  “They seem to have a very specific taste for being babies,” Bryce said, amused.