More Than a Millionaire / The Untamed Sheikh. Emilie Rose

the stairs and jogged down three flights. She was slightly winded and perspiration dampened her skin by the time she knocked on Beth’s open door.

      With the phone to her ear, Beth held up one finger, pointed at the visitor chair and turned away. But Nicole couldn’t possibly sit still. She checked her watch. Eight minutes. She’d never been late for an appointment before and didn’t want to start now. She prided herself on promptness.

      What felt like an eon later but was actually only two minutes—she knew because she counted off the seconds—Beth cradled the receiver and faced her. “What’s up?”

      “We have to tell the family about the baby.”

      Beth stiffened. “Not yet.”

      “Beth, Ryan Patrick’s company just contracted us and demanded me as their CAM. I can’t do it. You and I know why, but I can’t tell Trent the reason I must be excused until you let the family in on our little secret.”

      Beth bit her bottom lip, shifted in her seat and shook her head. “I’m not ready.”

      “What do you mean, you’re not ready? I’ll be showing soon.”

      Tense, silent seconds passed. “Nicole, Patrick and I are…having problems.”

      Nicole’s heart stuttered. She knew they argued. “Every marriage has rough spots.”

      “This is bigger than that.”

      Her pulse fluttered. In the first few years of Beth and Patrick’s marriage, Nicole had selfishly wished for Patrick to realize he’d married the wrong sister. But that wasn’t what she wanted or needed now. If Beth and Patrick separated with Ryan circling like a shark, the custody issue would only get more complicated, and Ryan would stand a better chance of winning.

      “Is it because the baby’s not his?”

      Beth adjusted the pens on her desk. “That’s part of it.”

      A fresh wave of panic hit. What would she do if they decided not to adopt her baby? Ryan would win and she might never see her child again.

      “You’ll work it out, Beth. You’ve always worked it out before. You guys are perfect for each other. Remember?” She heard the desperate edge to her voice.

      “This time is different.”

      “I’ll help. I’ll talk to Patrick. I’ll do whatever you need me to do, but you guys have to stay together. You love each other.” The irony of begging for the man who possessed her heart to stay married to another woman didn’t escape her.

      “Nicole, sometimes love is not enough. And the timing for the announcement is all wrong.”

      “You’ve known for five weeks.”

      “Give me a little more time,” Beth said with a tight smile. “And then everything will be settled.”

      Nicole pressed a hand over the little life causing so much upheaval and felt the extra firmness beneath the skin. “I don’t have more time. And you know we’re having the ultrasound Wednesday. You’re going to want to share the pictures. The doctor even said she’d make a video of the baby for us.”

      “Patrick and I will have to watch the video later. I’m not ready to share the news.”

      Surprise rocked her back on her heels. “Later? You’re not coming to the appointment?”

      Beth made a show of checking her calendar. “I can’t get away.”

      Nicole couldn’t remember Beth ever lying to her before. Lying for her, sure. Many times. But she knew from the look in her sister’s eyes Beth was telling a whopper this time. Beth was HAMC’s publicist and there were no urgent marketing campaigns going on now. September was traditionally a slow month, and Beth’s office was practically a tomb. It had been no big deal when Patrick and Beth had skipped the earlier routine appointments, but this time they’d get their first look at their future son or daughter.

      Pain made Nicole look down. She’d dug nails so deeply into her palms she’d broken a fingernail at the quick. Blood filled the tiny crack. That was going to hurt for a while.

      But not as long as losing her baby would.

      Her thoughts swirled like leaves in a windstorm. Needing to collect herself, she checked her watch and realized she was out of time. Panic rose within her.

      “Beth. Please reconsider. I can’t keep Ryan on my client roster.”

      “I’m sorry, Nicole, but we can’t make the announcement yet. Maybe in a few weeks.”

      A few weeks. Two weeks ago Beth had barely been able to contain the news, then at the picnic she’d begged for a few more days. And now she was delaying weeks?

      Nicole had a bad feeling about the whole situation. Something was really, really wrong, and until she knew what it was, she couldn’t fix it.

      “Beth, I need your help.”

      “This isn’t high school anymore, Nicole. It’s not as simple as lying for you like I did when you skipped class or picking you up when your date dumped you on the side of the road because you refused to put out, or forging Mom’s signature on a note home from your teacher. Handle your own damned problems for once and quit screaming for me.”

      Stunned speechless by Beth’s vehemence, Nicole fisted her cold fingers by her side. She was on her own and she had no idea how to handle the disaster that had become her life.