apartment with her newly cleared head, she made her way up the stairs. When will that stupid elevator be fixed? She hated climbing so many stairs, especially on a day like today.
Letting herself in, Natalie threw the box on the counter and sat down. Her foot was bouncing, tapping quickly, and twisting a strand of hair around her finger, she stared over at the box. She hated that thing, resented the box, and yet it held all the answers. She didn’t want to know, and yet she needed to. It would predict the future.
Her mouth was dry, and as the feeling overtook her, she stood to get a glass of water. She avoided the box, not wanting to touch it. It was still shoved in the plastic bag, but she knew it was in there, simply waiting to be used, taunting her.
Drinking her water, she stood warily watching the box as if it would do something. Finally finding her courage, she took it out of the bag and read the directions. She knew what to do, but it would delay the inevitable. She could do one today and one first thing in the morning, or maybe she’d just wait until the morning. That probably made better sense. She knew she didn’t have the patience to wait and would be checking one today. She just wasn’t ready yet. Soon, she told herself…soon.
When the moment came, relief washed through her. One down, one to go, and if tomorrow’s was negative too, she’d have her life back. Climbing onto her bed, she smiled, realizing what a close call it was. She wouldn’t make that mistake again…in fact, sex was off the table for now. There was no way she was ready to be a mother. It was painfully clear to her.
Natalie Cooper felt like she’d gotten her life back. Now she had to untangle this mess of a contract if she could. It was foolish to sign those papers, and she just might have a loophole with the mess going on. Sure, Michael would ask her to stay, but she knew this wasn’t going to work out. Now that their lives had stumbled, she had the perfect out. The question was, would he let her go?
Chapter 5
The morning offered the same negative results as the day before, and Natalie felt like a free woman. Her step was lighter knowing she’d gotten lucky, fate offering her another chance. There was no way she was messing up again – she just wasn’t ready to be a mother. She was just barely taking care of herself these days. She’d focus on losing those extra pounds that Victoria would tell her about, and look for more high profile work, maybe even a new agent. She hated that it came down to a few pounds – but if that’s what they wanted, she’d let go of the pasta and bread, and slim down even more. She came to New York to model, and it was damn well time she got better paying gigs – whatever it took.
She had no idea what she was going to say to Michael or how she’d break it to him, but she wanted her life back. The clarity she finally had told her what she needed to know. She needed to find that loophole and take back her life.
Michael’s day could have started better, but it seemed each day was getting worse. At least he still had Natalie. The more he thought about her, the better he felt. She was more than just “some girl” that had signed a contract; he was truly starting to fall for the girl. She was real, sweet, gorgeous, and had a way of making him feel comfortable. They’d found friendship in the process of this journey and he knew that in the next few years, they’d truly be able to rely on each other.
Was it possible he was falling in love with the girl? A small smile spread across his face. She was the only bright spot in his life right now. There was no way he could have planned this. He’d just picked her from a pile of pictures, and yet something felt right. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was meant to be – either way, he was grateful she was still going to stand by his side. He needed her more than ever. He’d been lonely for too long, and with Natalie he knew he wouldn’t be alone
Letting herself in, Natalie threw the box on the counter and sat down. Her foot was bouncing, tapping quickly, and twisting a strand of hair around her finger, she stared over at the box. She hated that thing, resented the box, and yet it held all the answers. She didn’t want to know, and yet she needed to. It would predict the future.
Her mouth was dry, and as the feeling overtook her, she stood to get a glass of water. She avoided the box, not wanting to touch it. It was still shoved in the plastic bag, but she knew it was in there, simply waiting to be used, taunting her.
Drinking her water, she stood warily watching the box as if it would do something. Finally finding her courage, she took it out of the bag and read the directions. She knew what to do, but it would delay the inevitable. She could do one today and one first thing in the morning, or maybe she’d just wait until the morning. That probably made better sense. She knew she didn’t have the patience to wait and would be checking one today. She just wasn’t ready yet. Soon, she told herself…soon.
When the moment came, relief washed through her. One down, one to go, and if tomorrow’s was negative too, she’d have her life back. Climbing onto her bed, she smiled, realizing what a close call it was. She wouldn’t make that mistake again…in fact, sex was off the table for now. There was no way she was ready to be a mother. It was painfully clear to her.
Natalie Cooper felt like she’d gotten her life back. Now she had to untangle this mess of a contract if she could. It was foolish to sign those papers, and she just might have a loophole with the mess going on. Sure, Michael would ask her to stay, but she knew this wasn’t going to work out. Now that their lives had stumbled, she had the perfect out. The question was, would he let her go?
Chapter 5
The morning offered the same negative results as the day before, and Natalie felt like a free woman. Her step was lighter knowing she’d gotten lucky, fate offering her another chance. There was no way she was messing up again – she just wasn’t ready to be a mother. She was just barely taking care of herself these days. She’d focus on losing those extra pounds that Victoria would tell her about, and look for more high profile work, maybe even a new agent. She hated that it came down to a few pounds – but if that’s what they wanted, she’d let go of the pasta and bread, and slim down even more. She came to New York to model, and it was damn well time she got better paying gigs – whatever it took.
She had no idea what she was going to say to Michael or how she’d break it to him, but she wanted her life back. The clarity she finally had told her what she needed to know. She needed to find that loophole and take back her life.
Michael’s day could have started better, but it seemed each day was getting worse. At least he still had Natalie. The more he thought about her, the better he felt. She was more than just “some girl” that had signed a contract; he was truly starting to fall for the girl. She was real, sweet, gorgeous, and had a way of making him feel comfortable. They’d found friendship in the process of this journey and he knew that in the next few years, they’d truly be able to rely on each other.
Was it possible he was falling in love with the girl? A small smile spread across his face. She was the only bright spot in his life right now. There was no way he could have planned this. He’d just picked her from a pile of pictures, and yet something felt right. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was meant to be – either way, he was grateful she was still going to stand by his side. He needed her more than ever. He’d been lonely for too long, and with Natalie he knew he wouldn’t be alone
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