CHAPTER 34

 

Chapter 34

 

Michael flipped open the leather-bound menu, his eyes skimming the first page, then the second. Everything looked incredible, and most of it cost more than a month’s rent in some places but that wasn’t the point… He just wanted to do something romantic, to show Lisa how much he had missed her and how happy he was that she had finally come to visit.

At first, he had considered renting out the entire restaurant, just like he usually did but that wasn’t an option here, and it didn’t really matter. This place was so high-end no one batted an eye at them anyway.

But now, sitting at the table, the air between Lisa and him thrummed with unspoken tension and Michael raised his eyes, his gaze landing on her.

She sat across from him, her menu open in front of her, but she wasn’t reading it. Her teeth pressed into her lower lip, her fingers absently toying with the menu’s edge and Michael felt his stomach tighten.

Yeah. Something was definitely off.

“Anything you like, baby?” He asked, keeping his voice light and Lisa startled, like she hadn’t even realized he was talking to her, and then, she forced a quick smile, that however didn’t really reach her eyes.

“Uh… Maybe… I don’t know. I’m not that hungry.” Her voice was tight, distant and Michael exhaled slowly through his nose, his frown deepening. He glanced back at the menu, but the rich, indulgent descriptions suddenly blurred together and all he could focus on was the way she kept shifting in her seat and the restless movement of her fingers against the linen napkin.

A waiter approached, asking about drinks and Michael hesitated, glancing at Lisa again. She was staring somewhere past his shoulder, lost in thought and he took a breath, making the decision for both of them. He could ask what she wanted to drink, but with the way things were going, she would just shrug anyway, and he was too tired to push.

“A bottle of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1996, please.”

If they were doing this, whatever this night was about to turn into, they were doing it right. And maybe a little high-end champagne would loosen whatever had wound her so damn tight…

The waiter nodded and disappeared, and Michael turned back to Lisa, watching her carefully. She was still obviously a million miles away and he reached for his water and took a slow sip, letting the coolness settle in his chest.

“So, how are the kids?” He asked, hoping to reel her back in. “Wish they could’ve flown in with you… I miss them.”

That seemed to work. Her head snapped up, and for a second, she looked like herself again.

“Oh, they’re fine. They say hi.” Then, just as quickly, something flickered across her face, and she hesitated. “But… they have school. They couldn’t come now, you know…”

Michael nodded slowly. “I understand.”

And he did, really… But it didn’t explain why she was acting like this. Why she looked like she’d rather be anywhere but here with him.

What the hell had changed in the last week and a half?

His mind started spinning.

Was it still the thing with Amelia? He had fired her… Or, God help him, did Danny have something to do with this? He prayed not.

The waiter returned, popping the champagne bottle with a smooth, practiced motion and then poured two glasses before setting the bottle into an ice bucket.

“Are we ready to order?”

Michael glanced at Lisa again, and her distant stare made it clear that choosing something was the last thing on her mind.

“We’re gonna need a little more time.”

“Of course, sir.” The waiter nodded and slipped away while Michael picked up his glass and raised it slightly in her direction, motioning for her to do the same.

“A toast?” He suggested, keeping his tone easy and Lisa blinked at him, then at her untouched glass. A second passed. Then another. Then, she shook her head.

“Can you excuse me for two seconds? I just need to use the restroom.”

His chest tightened, but he kept his expression neutral.

“Of course.”

She stood, smoothing down her dress before turning and walking away, shoulders drawn just a little too tight… Almost like she was relieved to put space between them and Michael groaned under his breath and leaned his elbow on the table, raking a hand through his hair.

What the hell was going on with her?

He scanned the restaurant, taking in its quiet elegance… Only a few tables were occupied, couples in expensive suits and gowns murmuring over meals that cost more than some people made in a week. The setting was spot on — perfect and romantic — and yet, it didn’t seem to be working at all.

He thought he was being smooth… He thought he had prepared for everything… But whatever Michael had planned was unraveling, and fast…

Lisa was supposed to fly in, and after all those cold, distant phone calls, when his gut first started whispering that something might be wrong, he figured some time alone together was exactly what they needed…

And so instead of taking her straight to his house, he had arranged for Martha and the staff to watch the kids for the night and he had booked them a suite at The Lanesborough, a hotel so exclusive even celebrities had to wait their turn…

Michael had waited for her at the airport and when she got into the car, she gave him a small smile and leaned in for a quick kiss on the cheek, but there was no spark or passion like there always had been between them.

And then, when he mentioned they were staying in the city for the night and he was taking her to dinner first, her face even dropped a little…

No excitement. Nothing.

So this was him grasping at straws and trying to patch up something that had obviously cracked but hell if he knew what, when, or why…

Michael had talked to Lisa a few times over the phone since the Amelia fiasco, but every conversation had been …just… weird.

She had sounded choppy, distant, like she was holding something back and had avoided certain questions, then answered others with clipped, mechanical responses, and worst of all, she had seemed eager to get off the phone as quickly as possible.

At first, he tried to ignore it and chalk it up to the stress and exhaustion she must have been feeling after flying across the Atlantic and then back just two days later… but as the calls continued and as her tone remained cold and detached, it had become harder and harder to convince himself that he was imagining things.

Not to mention, he was always the one calling...

Not once had she picked up the phone to reach out to him first.

And then she postponed her flight. Just three days, no big deal… right? Except it was, because he had been counting down the damn minutes…

And as if all that wasn’t bad enough, one morning, in a moment of sheer stupidity, he went and made it even worse.

One of the maids, probably the scatterbrained one who had started working for him part-time, had left a tabloid magazine lying around the house.

He doubted she had done it on purpose. She was always forgetting things, misplacing them, then searching for them later, but on that particular day, the rag in question had been The Sun, and it wouldn’t have caught his attention if he hadn’t spotted Lisa’s name on the cover.

Nothing bold, nothing headline-worthy, just a small, barely noticeable mention in the corner:

Lisa Marie out and about with her ex… Is Jacko out of the picture again?

His stomach clenched on instinct.

He flipped through the pages with stiff fingers, finding the article tucked away near the back. It had been brief, barely even worth a paragraph, and accompanied by a grainy photo of Lisa sitting in a car with Danny.

It hadn’t said much, just the usual speculative nonsense.

Was she rekindling old flames?

Was Michael being pushed aside?

The same tired, recycled garbage tabloids had been printing for years.

Michael really wanted to dismiss it, to shove the magazine aside and forget he had ever seen it because he knew how this worked and he knew Lisa…

If she had wanted to be with Danny, she would have had every chance to go back to him before. And she hadn’t, so why the hell would that change all of a sudden?

It made no sense.

And yet… a tiny, nagging voice had whispered in the back of his mind, reminding him of how distant she had been.

He saw Lisa returning from the restroom and Michael smiled, instinctively, reflexively, but the expression froze on his face the second he got a proper look at her.

She looked so pale.

And not just pale, her face looked a little drawn too and her eyes a little too red, her mascara just barely smudged beneath her lower lashes. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but he saw it.

Shit.

Had she been crying?

She gave him a small, uncertain smile as she sat back down, but it was weak and shaky at the edges.

Then she picked up her menu again, but she wasn’t looking at it and something inside him snapped… He just couldn’t take it anymore.

"Lisa…" He said, his voice quieter than he intended but still firm. "Talk to me. What’s going on? And don’t tell me it’s nothing, because we both know that’s not true."

She finally looked up at him, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t try to lie or brush him off and instead, she bit her lip, took a slow, uneven breath, looked down first and then up at him again.

"It’ll be better if we talk later…" She said softly, her fingers tightening around the edges of her napkin. "In private. Let’s just eat now."

His heart skipped a beat and his throat went dry.

"Lisa…"

"No…" She cut him off, shaking her head quickly. "Not now, Michael. Let’s have dinner first."

Fucking hell! How could she do this to him? How could she sit there, knowing he was unraveling inside, and tell him to eat?

There was no way in hell he was going to enjoy that stupid dinner now because whatever this was, whatever she had to say, was big. He could feel it in his bones…

Lisa ended up ordering a plate of Dover Sole Meunière served with asparagus spears and saffron-infused mashed potatoes, while Michael, in turn, had chosen the filet mignon topped with truffle butter and accompanied by a side of pommes dauphinoise.

The meals they were served were prepared to perfection, the kind of food people raved about, but to him, it may as well have been cardboard…

They ate in silence, save for the occasional exchange of small talk so shallow it barely qualified as conversation, the kind of things strangers who had just met at a dinner party might say to fill the awkward gaps between bites.

Michael stabbed another forkful of his steak, chewing with little enthusiasm, then reached for his glass of champagne to wash it down. That’s when he noticed, Lisa hadn’t touched hers. Not once… Not even a sip…

“You don’t like the wine?” He asked, breaking the silence yet again and she looked up, eyes briefly flickering with something unreadable before she answered…

“I had a few shots of vodka on the plane to help me sleep. And it’s, uh… not sitting too well now. I better not add anything else to the mix.”

He studied her for a moment, narrowing his eyes.

“You feeling bad?”

She shrugged lightly. “I’ve been better.”

His jaw tightened and his gaze dropped to her plate, where she had done little more than push her food around.

“You’re barely eating.”

She didn’t respond and he exhaled, setting his fork down.

“We can leave, if you want.” He said. “I’ve lost my appetite anyway.”

Her head snapped up. “No. I want to finish dinner.”

Michael clenched his jaw, then gave a short nod.

“Fine.”

And so they went back to the unbearable silence, picking at their food like two people fulfilling an obligation rather than enjoying what was supposed to be an intimate dinner.

Once they were done, Michael asked if she wanted dessert, but she shook her head.

“Okay…” He muttered, his tone annoyed now and then he pushed his chair back and stood. "I’ll go give my thanks to the owner, then call my driver to bring the car around. I’ll be right back.”

Lisa nodded absently as he stepped away from the table but before finding the owner, he detoured to the restroom where Michael leaned on the sink, staring at his own reflection in the mirror, his hands gripping the edges of the cool marble.

There were only so many possibilities… Either Lisa was leaving him… or something was terribly wrong. Something worse. Maybe she was sick. Maybe the kids were sick.

God, please not that…

His chest tightened, and for a brief moment, his vision blurred, hot tears burning behind his eyes but he blinked them away fast.

He needed to get a grip.

Whatever she was about to tell him, he had to be ready for it.

If she didn’t love him anymore… well, he would have to understand. He would have to let her go…

He turned on the faucet, let the cool water run over his hands, then splashed some on his face before drying off and heading out.

He found the owner, a broad-shouldered man in his sixties, dressed in an immaculate black suit with silver cufflinks and they shook hands, and the man asked if everything had been to their satisfaction.

Michael forced a smile.

“Yes. Absolutely fantastic. Beautiful place, incredible food.”

The words felt like lies. The food had been wasted on him… and on Lisa too. He had barely eaten, leaving at least two-thirds of his meal untouched and she had done pretty much the same.

With goodbyes exchanged, Michael made his way back to the table and extended a hand to Lisa.

“Car’s outside.”

She took his hand, her fingers cold and her grip weak but Michael didn’t let go and instead, he held onto her as they walked toward the exit, refusing to let what little was left of their connection slip away completely.

Outside, the city was alive and bustling and he opened the car door for her, watching as she slid inside, then shut it before circling around to the other side and getting in.

Michael told the driver their destination and as the car pulled away from the curb, silence settled over them again, thick and suffocating while he wondered if that posh hotel he had chosen might witness the end of them later that night…

They drove through the heart of London, past the grand silhouette of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament but no matter how beautiful the sight might have been, neither of them even looked at them passing by. Not really, anyway…

Michael sat rigid in his seat, his fingers clenched into fists against his thighs as every second dragged like an eternity.

And then, finally, the car pulled up to the hotel…

The doorman opened the door, and they stepped out, and he glanced at Lisa, but she was already walking ahead, towards the entrance.

Still in silence, they quickly moved through the lobby and entered the elevator and when the doors slid shut, Michael swallowed hard, his pulse hammering in his ears.

He had no idea what was waiting for him when they reached their suite but he had a feeling it wasn’t anything good.

He opened the door and let her walk in before he followed her, watching as Lisa crossed the main room, her movements slow and almost mechanical.

She barely seemed aware of his presence, her focus now entirely on her suitcase they had sent ahead before dinner and she crouched in front of it, opening it, fingers flicking through neatly folded clothes as she searched for something.

Michael stayed where he was, hands shoved into his pockets, watching her quietly and there was something unbearable about the sight of her turned away from him like that.

“Hey… is it okay if I take a shower?” She asked without turning or looking at him and Michael exhaled, running a hand down his face. He had been hoping, praying, that now, finally, they could talk… That she would stop running, stop stalling and stop keeping him in the goddamn dark.

But no…

"Uh, yeah. Sure…" He said, his voice hoarse from the tension riding him all night and Lisa stood up, gathering some clothes in her arms before she turned to face him.

Their eyes met, and to his surprise, she smiled… it was soft, small, but it was real.

“Thank you for dinner…” She said and her words seemed sincere.

“Of course…” He replied, shifting from one foot to the other. “I… I was hoping it would turn out better.”

“No, no…” She said quickly, shaking her head. “It was great.”

Liar.

But Michael didn’t call her out on it and just nodded instead, letting the moment stretch between them.

Lisa hovered there, uncertain, then slowly reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, smoothing it back from his forehead.

It was one of his favorite things she did, that little gesture… but now, it only made the ache worse.

Instinctively, his hand found her cheek, his thumb gently brushing across her skin, feeling the delicate smoothness beneath his fingertips.

“I’ll be right back…” She whispered and Michael swallowed, nodding.

“Okay.”

He sat down on the couch and tried distracting himself with Seinfeld, but the sitcom felt like poor entertainment, its humor failing to break through his thoughts and Michael barely glanced at the screen, drumming his fingers against his knee as he sat on the couch, looking around the suite nervously.

His mind was now a tangled mess of worst-case scenarios, and there was no way he could calm himself down enough to make a rational conclusion.

If she was sick, if something had happened to her or the kids, God, he didn’t know if he could take it…

Lisa stepped into the room, her hair damp, a few strands clinging to her flushed cheeks while a hint of jasmine-scented soap lingered in the air and he sat frozen, his eyes tracing the way a few water droplets still clung to the skin on her neck.

She had changed into a long, ivory silk robe, tied loose around her waist and he just sat there… staring like an idiot.

She looked unreal.

And dammit! What if this was the last time he ever saw her like that? Just standing there, looking like that… Like something he would never be able to forget.

“Can I sit?” She asked softly and Michael nodded, reaching for the remote to kill the TV.

Silence.

“Want some water or something?” Michael asked, just to fill the space but she shook her head.

“I’m good. Thank you.”

She looked a little lost, her eyes darting around like she was debating whether to speak or run.

“Okay, Lisa, you’re killing me here…” He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair before turning to face her fully. “What’s going on? If you’re done with me, don’t drag it out. Just say it. I’m trying to understand, but you’re not giving me anything!”

Her eyes widened, and for the first time, she looked genuinely shocked, and that reaction alone sent a jolt through him… not a good one, though.

It didn’t seem like she wanted to leave him but if she wasn’t leaving… then that meant…

Fuck.

That meant it had to be the other thing.

His stomach twisted violently.

“Shit, Lise, talk to me! What is it?! Are you sick?”

“No…” She said quickly, shaking her head but then she looked down, biting her lip, her fingers playing absently with with the tie of her robe. “No, I’m not sick…”

"So what is it, then? Lisa, you’ve been icing me out all night, and I’m done! I don’t know what I did, I don’t know what’s going on, and it’s driving me crazy! I can’t keep doing this, you're making it ten times worse by keeping me in the dark. Do you even get that?! I’m trying here, but you won’t even let me in! Just…just say something, dammit!"

She looked up at him, and Michael saw the tears brimming in her eyes and her lip trembling, and the sight made him immediately regret raising his voice at her, but at the same time, his patience was wearing thin, and he didn’t know how much longer he could keep it together…

“I’m not sick, Michael… I’m… actually, I’m pregnant.” She whispered and for a second, he felt like all the air left his lungs.

What did she just say?

His mind went blank, reeling as if trying to process something impossible, while the words he wanted to say got stuck somewhere between disbelief and confusion. He felt his jaw drop slightly, and all he could do was stare at her, too stunned to speak.

“Michael? Did you hear me?”

Hell yeah, he had heard her… But it was one thing to hear it and another to actually comprehend it. He somehow managed to shut his mouth, then shook his head like that might somehow clear the haze of shock…

“I…” His voice came out rough and uneven. “You’re… you’re pregnant?”

“Yes…”

“But… How?”

Lisa let out a quiet, breathy and very uncertain chuckle. “Um, don’t tell me you’ve never heard the whole birds and bees speech, Michael.”

“But… I thought you were on the pill.” He finally managed to get out and she bit her lip, looking almost guilty.

“I was. But…” She hesitated, then sighed again. “It’s just that… When… when everything happened with Matt, I was so stressed and I started smoking again. And then, when I got that letter from you and decided to fly to see you, my doctor told me to stop smoking immediately and get off the pill as well. He said the combination of those two put me at high risk for deep vein thrombosis on such a long flight, especially with my family medical history.” Lisa exhaled, clearly frustrated with herself. “And then things just… spiraled. Our conversation that night in my hotel room, me flying back, staying with Sarah for a while, then your mom calling, asking me to go back and help you. I got caught up in everything, and I completely forgot I had even stopped taking it.”

She swallowed hard, and reached out for his hand, her thumb brushing tentatively over his knuckles.

"It must have happened during one of those two nights in Bahrain when we..." She whispered, her voice barely audible but Michael stayed silent… “I’m so sorry, Michael… I didn’t plan this. I…” Lisa added before clearing her throat nervously and something in him snapped and he blinked, finally zeroing in on her words.

Why in the world was she sorry?

“Lise, Lise, Lise!” He let out breathlessly, suddenly grabbing her face with a force that startled even him, his thumbs gently brushing over her cheeks. And then, before he could even process it, a laugh bubbled up from deep inside him, a genuine, startled laugh that escaped before he could stop it.

Lisa blinked, wide-eyed but Michael just laughed again, feeling the burn of tears in his eyes.

“So you’re not leaving me! And… and you’re not dying… Instead, you’re telling me we’re going to have a baby?!”

Lisa nodded slowly, still looking unsure.

“Yeah…”

“Gosh, girl…” He muttered, pulling her into his arms like he couldn't stand to be apart for another second. “Are you out of your mind? Why the hell are you even sorry?”

And then he kissed her…just a soft peck on her lips, then another, and another…

“Come here…” He breathed against her skin, kissing now her forehead, then her cheeks, then her lips again. “God, Lisa, why didn’t you tell me earlier? I went through hell and back tonight, literally spending all night picturing how miserable my life was going to be without you! Were you trying to make me lose my mind?! Because it fucking worked!" He added and Lisa let out a soft, shaky laugh, pressing closer and Michael hooked an arm under her knees and shifted her onto his lap, holding her tight. "God, I'm so happy right now!"

“You sure?” She whispered and he cupped her face again, his lips brushing against hers.

“Of course! Gee, why would you be worried about my reaction? I’m over the moon right now! Damn, how could I not be?!”

“I don’t know…” She said and hesitated for another beat or two. "I was scared you’d think I was trying to trap you or something."

He pulled back slightly, meeting her gaze head-on.

“What are you talking about, you little nut? Trap me? Baby, I’m the one who’s been trying to lock you down! You…” He murmured, pressing a kiss to her cheek while she chuckled, the sound sending goosebumps down his skin. “Damn it, Lisa, you’re the love of my life. Why would you even think I’d ever question your intentions?”

“I don’t know…” She choked out and then she let go of the emotions she must have been holding in for God knew how long and a loud sob escaped her, but she was laughing too, clutching onto him. “I’m an idiot…”

“Those better be happy tears…” Michael teased and Lisa nodded, and he kissed her again, his lips brushing over hers, soft but urgent, catching the salt of her tears.

It only took a few seconds before Michael deepened the kiss, his breath shuddering as his tongue traced the seam of her lips, coaxing and teasing and Lisa didn’t hesitate even a fraction of a second before she let him in.

When their tongues met, she made that sound… that soft, helpless moan that tore through him, sending heat spiraling down his spine and Michael groaned in response, low and rough, his whole body trembling with the intensity of it all.

He wasn’t sure what had him shaking more… the rush of the news or the fact that she was still there, in his arms, so close it felt like everything else had disappeared. Probably both…

Her hands tangled in his hair, fingers pulling, nails scraping lightly against his scalp, and he cursed under his breath, kissing her harder now.. deeper. She was so warm and soft, as she pressed against him like she couldn’t get close enough, like she needed him just as badly as he needed her.

He could still taste the salt of her tears, but underneath all that, there was something sweeter that it made him kiss her like he was trying to pull her inside him and to keep her there forever.

 

 

In the darkness of the luxurious bedroom Michael held Lisa close to him, spooned up against her, his body molding perfectly to the curve of hers with every single inch of her pressed against him, warm, smooth and impossibly soft.

The room was thick with the scent of the two of them, a sultry, intoxicating mix that lingered in the air. Her bare skin against his felt like a dream come true, and for a long, breath-stealing moment, he just held her, inhaled her essence, and allowed himself to feel the reality of tonight.

His lips brushed against the shell of her ear, and he felt her shiver before his teeth grazed the delicate skin, just a slow, teasing nibble while his fingertips, traced lazy, wandering patterns on her flat lower belly.

Lisa chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his ribs where her back pressed against him and he smiled and sighed into the stillness of the room…

“God, girl…” He mumbled against her soft hair. “After the last week and a half, I really doubted I’d ever hold you like this again.”

She stilled and then he felt a sharp intake of her breath before she turned her head just enough to see him, her cheek grazing his jaw.

Even in the pitch-dark, he could see the surprise in her face and her breath catching as she processed what he had said..

“I’m so sorry, Michael. I really didn’t realize I was being so distant and so cold. It’s just, everything felt like too much, and I was under so much pressure... I didn’t know how to handle it, and I ended up pushing you away.”

His arms tightened around her, his palm now splayed over her stomach.

“It’s all good now... Though I gotta say, you really put me through the wringer today, Princess.”

A soft sigh and then she shifted, pressing even closer, as if she could fold herself into him.

“I’m so sorry, Mike… I’ll make it up to you.” She promised, and then she was kissing him again, soft and deep…

“Well, I gotta give you credit, baby.” He mumbled against her lips. “You had me hook, line, and sinker with that whole ‘too much vodka on the plane’ excuse. I mean, damn, I didn’t question it for a second, just ate it right up.” He exhaled, letting his head fall back against the pillow with a chuckle. “Should’ve known better. You played me good.”

“Well… you always say I keep you on your toes.” Lisa said and smiled in the dark, her fingers brushing lazily over his chest. “I didn’t have any, of course, I slept through most of the flight… I was exhausted. But… but I thought we’d just go home, you know, and there I wanted to tell you everything. You threw me for a loop with that whole dinner idea.”

“Hmmm. I just thought a romantic dinner and some you-and-me time might make you smile. But then it didn’t, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. Just sat there all night wondering what the hell I did wrong.”

She snuggled closer to him, her lips finding his again, her arm sliding up, fingers threading into his hair, massaging his scalp as she deepened the kiss and Michael groaned low in his throat, his hand slipping down the curve of her spine, anchoring her against him.

When Lisa finally pulled back, her forehead rested against his, and she exhaled a shaky breath.

“Thank you…” She whispered. “And… again, I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven…” He smiled. “Hey, Lise, did you… did you see a doctor?”

“Yeah…” She nodded.

“And?”

“Well, I’m about seven weeks along. Everything seems fine, but it’s still very early, of course…”

Seven weeks.

Holy shit.

He blinked rapidly as his brain kicked into overdrive, running through a thousand scenarios in the span of seconds... Suddenly, the room felt smaller, tighter, the air thick with the weight of his thoughts as they spiraled completely out of control.

“Okay, first things first…” He blurted out, talking faster than he could think. “No more shenanigans from now on… No way you’re flying anywhere again. That’s it. You’re staying here. I don’t care. No more long-ass flights for you, I mean it.”

Lisa blinked, wide-eyed for a second, and then laughed, like he was the one being ridiculous.

“Oh come on, don’t be so dramatic. I’m okay.”

“Nah, I’m serious.” He cut her off with a shush, pressing a finger to her lips. “You’re moving here and we’ll figure everything out, whatever it takes. I don’t care how messy it gets, you’re not getting out of my sight now, not for a even a second.”

She smiled, that soft, amused little smile of hers and shook her head, like he was some overprotective idiot, but she didn’t argue... Instead she just snuggled in closer, her body warm against his, head resting on his chest like she belonged there.

She gave him a few more seconds before she looked up at him again…

“Do I get a say in any of that, Mr. Jackson?”

“Alright, alright… Go ahead.” He groaned and Lisa smiled again, threading her fingers through his hair now.

“I have already arranged that… moving here, that is…” She said nonchalantly and Michael froze, his heart stopping for a beat, before it kicked back in way too fast.

“Wait, what?”

“Well… let me tell you the whole story. Riley… Riley was actually the first one to figure out I was pregnant…” She said, laughing softly. “I thought I was just still fighting that bug or something, you know? Sick, tired, all that. And she just looks at me one morning and goes, ‘Don’t you think you could be pregnant?’ Like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. I hadn’t even thought about it. Not even a little.”

Michael raised an eyebrow but couldn’t help but kiss Lisa’s forehead gently before she continued.

“And then… I went to the doctor, got it confirmed, and sat down with both the kids. We talked it all out. And they actually brought up moving to London… I wasn’t so sure, though. Thought Danny would lose his shit.”

Yeah. Michael barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of that guy but he kept quiet.

“But they pushed me to talk to him. And yeah, he wasn’t exactly thrilled at first but then, two days later, he calls me outta nowhere and says he’s okay with the whole thing. Just like that… He told me about this buddy of his who moved to London years ago and plays in some band over here... Apparently, this guy’s been offering Danny a spot with them for ages but Danny always laughed it off because packing up and moving across the ocean seemed ridiculous to him. But now he had a reason to think about it more and he called the guy… and the offer still stood. So he decided to take it… said it felt like a sign or something, like this whole situation could actually work out for everyone. He said if it makes the kids happy, and me happy, then maybe it’s finally time for him to take that leap, too.”

Lisa was smiling, looking at him like this was the perfect plan, like everything had fallen into place just right, like he was gonna be thrilled…

But Michael wasn’t smiling.

No, he was frozen again, but for a different reason this time… His jaw clenched while he stared at her in the dark.

“So…” He started, barely able to keep his voice level. “You’re telling me here your ex knew you were pregnant with my baby before I did?”

Lisa’s face shifted, her eyes softening, and she reached for him, laying a hand on his face, her fingers gliding over his skin in a tender caress but he didn’t move and didn’t pull her in this time.

“Baby…” She said gently. “I had to. I needed to figure out if I could move my kids here or not. And I really didn’t want to tell you over the phone. It didn’t… it just didn’t feel right.”

Then Lisa leaned up, kissed his jaw, his neck, the hollow of his shoulder but Michael stayed still, stone still, trying not to lose it.

Her hands slid over his ribs, scratching softly, her body pressing closer.

“Baby, come on… I love you…” She whispered, her breath hot on his chest. “I want to be with you. I just needed to find a solution, that’s all. I wasn’t trying to shut you out.”

He huffed, still tense, still kinda mad and Lisa tugged her head under his chin, her lips trailing over his chest again, fingers tracing slow circles on his side, and goddammit, she knew how to break him down…

“I know you never liked him…” She murmured. “But Danny’s a good guy. He could’ve dug in his heels, made this a whole custody war or something, but instead… he backed me. He’s trying to do right by the kids…and by me.”

Michael grumbled something under his breath, half annoyed, but his arms wrapped around her again, tight, holding her like he couldn’t let her go and she kissed his chest again, and he kissed the top of her head, finally letting himself breathe.

“I love you, Michael…” She finally added whispering. “We’re going to be together. That’s all that matters.”

“I love you too…”

“Are we okay?”

“Yeah…” He mumbled, deciding that ruining this moment would be the most stupid thing to do now. “We’re more than okay, Lise.”

After he said that, he heard her smile before she snuggled into him, wrapping her arms around him like a little spider monkey. Her face pressed against his chest, her lips softly kissing his skin, right over his heart and he couldn’t help but smile, his fingers automatically threading through her hair as he pulled her closer.

Michael held her close to him when a quiet realization hit him and the thought of their baby settled in his chest, warm and overwhelming, a mix of excitement and awe, and he pulled Lisa even closer, his heart so full it could burst. This was everything he had wanted for the past decade, if not more and finally his dreams seemed to be coming true.