Dirty (12 page)

Chapter Twelve

Simone was saved from responding when Paul walked in. James immediately zeroed in on the new arrival and practically growled at the other man. “So look who finally decides to show up.”

Paul ran his fingers through his hair and let out what sounded like a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry. I had my phone off. Had I gotten your call I would have been here. But there’s no excuse. Forgive me, Noelle.”

“You know, she shouldn’t have to call you to come in and take care of the bakery you share the responsibility for. I’m beginning to think that my wife might be better off without a partner.”

Noelle gasped. “James cut it out. It’s not his fault and you and I both know there wouldn’t have been a bakery without Paul. Paul, don’t listen to James. He’s more shaken up over this than I am.” She patted her husband’s chest and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I’m going to clean up around here and close up for the day. No point in opening this late. And when I’m finished, we’re going to talk about what happened to your face.”

Simone could barely focus on the conversation. She was too busy trying to avoid
Steve
who had yet to stop staring at her. If Paul knew what happened between the two of them, she couldn’t imagine what he’d think of her. His opinion shouldn’t matter but it did and she couldn’t figure out why.

“Well, we need to head out but we’ll be in touch,” the first detective broke into the conversation.

“Mary, how do you know Mrs. Rothschild?”
Steve
asked.

Simone only spared him a quick glance. “I’m sorry but have we met?”

It was apparent her response wasn’t the one he’d expected. “Uh…well, maybe not. I may have mistaken you for someone else.”

“Probably. I guess I just have that type of face.”

He hesitated for a moment and it seemed as if he’d say something but thankfully he didn’t. “Sorry for the misunderstanding.” He followed his partner out the door before waving a casual goodbye.

He knew she was lying. Simone was almost certain of it. There was something in his eyes that told her that he wasn’t happy about her deception either. It wasn’t the first time she’d run into a guy she’d randomly hooked up with thinking she’d never see him again. Like she did with
Steve
, Simone pretended not to know them and a lot of times the guy would get the hint and leave her alone. There was one instance when the man had gotten nasty, but his anger didn’t progress further than name calling. Hopefully
,
she’d never see
Steve
again.

If that wasn’t her wake up call to stop the dangerous lifestyle she dabbled in, she didn’t know what was. But even as the thought crossed her mind, Simone didn’t know if it were possible for her to stop. On top of it all,
she
could feel Paul’s gaze on her. She wasn’t sure how to handle him after last night but the most pathetic part of it all, Simone didn’t think she had the strength to turn him away if he came calling again.

“I think I should get going. I left Tanisha in charge of the shop and she’s probably ready to take a break. I’ll come by tonight after work okay?”

“Actually, I think Noelle and I need to have a quiet evening to ourselves. Maybe we can do something over the weekend
?”

Noelle looked up at her husband with pursed lips. “How about you let me speak for myself
?
I’d love to have Simone over for dinner tonight. I was just telling you the other night how much I missed spending time with her.”

“And you will again but I’m going to be selfish and have you all to myself. I could have lost you. You and our child are the most important things to me and I would have been devastated if I had lost either one of you.”

“James, you won’t lose me, even when you’re being a big butthead.
”
She smiled at him before tilting her head to receive his kiss.

Simone felt as if she was intruding on the couple
with
this intimate
peek
into their lives. She’d never seen Noelle so happy and she was glad that James had turned himself around to be the man her cousin deserved. As happy as she was for the couple, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy at their display of happiness
,
knowing she could never have that for herself.

James’s words finally clicked in her brain. Their child? “Wait a minute
!
Did you say child?” Simone demanded.

James turned bright red and Noelle shot him
a
narrow-eyed glare. “Well, we didn’t want to tell anyone until after the first trimester but yep. We’re pregnant.”

“Oh my God! That’s fantastic news!” Simone grabbed her cousin and pulled her into a tight embrace. “How far along are you?”

“About ten weeks. Remember when we were having that conversation not too long ago about me wanting to wait to have children? Well, turns out the point was moot because I was already preggers.” Noelle giggled.

“I thought you were on birth control.” Simone observed.

“I was but they say no method is one hundred percent.”

James grinned for the first time. “I guess I have very determined sperm.”

Noelle rolled her eyes. “He’s been walking around the house with his chest puffed out like he’s Tarzan or something.”

“Congratulations, you two.” Paul gave Noelle a hug and
a
kiss on the cheek. He then held out his hand to James who seemed reluctant to take it at first but finally did. Simone figured those two would iron out their differences later.

“Well, I may not be coming over tonight, but you’ll definitely be getting a call from me. I have to get going, but you take care of yourself and that baby.”

Noelle smiled. “James won’t let me do otherwise.”

Simone turned to Paul finally. “Uh, take care, Paul.”

He nodded, but didn’t look in her direction. She wasn’t sure what that was about but it felt like he was avoiding her gaze. Did he have so little respect for her now that he didn’t want to acknowledge her in public? Embarrassment washed over her and suddenly couldn’t breathe. “Well, I’ll be going now.” Simone couldn’t get out the bakery fast enough.

Paul felt like he could breathe again when Simone left. He wasn’t surprised to see her at the bakery because he heard about the robbery on the radio as he drove here
.
So,
it stood to reason that Simone had found out before he did. He couldn’t look at her because of shame he felt as he remembered how he’d manhandled her in a way that sickened him. He’d have to apologize to her when the moment presented itself but he had to make sure Noelle was okay.

“I’m really happy for the two of you about the baby.”

“Although this pregnancy wasn’t planned, we couldn’t be happier.” Noelle patted her still flat stomach.

James shot him a disapproving look, apparently not ready to forgive him. Paul couldn’t blame him because Paul couldn’t forgive himself. If he had been here, he might have been able to scare that punk off. Even though Paul didn’t know much about baking and handled the business end of the bakery
,
there was no excuse for him not being there. He’d let his friend down
and
for that he deserved all the scorn James threw his way.

“I can’t apologize enough for not being here, Noelle. Honestly, I have no excuse.”

“I don’t remember you being this slack when you worked for me,” James observed.

“James, don’t start. You as a businessman know how hard Paul works. He’s the reason we’re able to open up another store, why our product will be disturbed across the country,
and
why we have more orders than we can handle.”

“You can’t have a successful business without a good product to sell which I believe you’re in charge of.”

“James, please stop. I’m sure Paul feels bad enough and as he said, his phone was off. If I’m not angry at him
,
then you shouldn’t be either. I’d rather you just let it go okay?”

James glared at Paul one more time before nodding. “For your sake
,
I will. On that note, I think its best that we save the clean-up effort until after you’ve had some rest which means, I need to take you home.”

“Okay, but let me talk to Paul for a minute. Go wait out in the car for me.”

James looked as if he wanted to argue. “Fine,” he said with obvious reluctance, “but if you’re not outside in ten minutes, I’m coming back in to get you.”

Noelle saluted her husband. “Aye aye
,
Captain.”

“Smartass,” James muttered as he left Paul and Noelle alone.

Noelle moved so swiftly Paul barely saw her move. She grabbed his face between her palms. “What happened to your face?”

“Unfortunate sparing accident at the gym.”

“You’ve used that excuse before and for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never had so many unfortunate accidents. I have no problem with you not coming by the bakery as often as you used to because I know you’re handling business
.
But
something’s going on with you that you’re not telling me Paul
,
and I want to know what it is.”

“Noelle, there’s nothing going on with me. I promise.”

She released his face. “I see. Well, I’m not sure what’s going on with you, but you’re definitely not the Paul whose shoulder I used to cry on
or the Paul
I told all my deepest secrets to. I don’t know who you are because the Paul I know wouldn’t look me in the eye and lie to my face.
”

He noticed the lines of worry etched in
to
Noelle’s forehead and the hurt in her eyes
and knew
that he was responsible. If he didn’t feel like an asshole before, he felt like an even bigger one now. Even if he told her what was going on, he wasn’t sure she’d understand.

“I’m sorry, Noelle, it’s just…I’m been really stressed lately.”

“About what? The expansion? I told you that we didn’t have to rush into things. I’m happy with the way things are now. We have plenty of time for growth.”

“I know this but it’s not the business. Actually
,
it’s the business that’s keeping me sane.”

“Then what is it?”

He blew out his breath. “My father was released from prison recently.”

“Your father? I thought he was dead.”

“To me he is, but the problem is that he’s been in contact with Alyssa and she doesn’t want anything to do with him.”

“Why have you never told me about your father?”

Paul shrugged. “He’s not a part of my past that I’m exactly proud of. I’m not sure exactly what I was supposed to tell you. My father was an alcoholic piece of shit who took pleasure in beating the crap out of his family. He killed my mother in one of his rages and I wasn’t there to protect her because I was in juvie. How’s that for what’s going on with me
?”

Noelle backed away from him as if he’d slapped her. She placed her hands over her mouth as he
r
eyes widened in surprise.

“Shocking isn’t it.”

“I had no idea.”

“Like I said, it’s not something I wish to advertise.”

“I’m so sorry. I just wish you felt you could have come to me. We’re friends and your past doesn’t change how I feel about you. You helped me out when I was in a very dark place in my life and for that I could never thank you enough.”

He felt like a jerk for not telling her the rest of it but she’d already been through enough today. Paul was grateful that she seemed to move on from what happened to his face.

“Thank you for saying that to me because your friendship really does mean a lot to me. And James had a point
,
I need to show up to the shop more often. I know how the product tastes but I should learn how to make it.”

“Really? You never struck me as the backing type.”

“Maybe because the opportunity never presented itself. So now, now that it has
,
I think I’ll do something about it. Besides, didn’t you say how therapeutic baking can be?”

“It certainly helped me. If it’s something you really want to do, I’d be happy to show you what to do. But don’t do it because you feel some obligation to be in the bakery more often because of something James said.”

“No. I really want to.”

“Well, it will be nice to have you around more often. And I’m sure Brandy would enjoy seeing you here more as well.” Noelle playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

Paul groaned but not because she’d teased him but because his body
still
ached from last night. He definitely needed a healthier outlet than the fights to deal with his pent up aggression. But he was addicted to the rush and how the fights made him feel. Lately
,
he’d been on a winning streak but he wasn’t sure for how much longer.