Everlasting (Unrestrained 6)

DRAKE: You, too.

I got on my cell and called Karen Mills. Luckily, she answered on the third ring.

We said our hellos and I asked if she would be able to sit for us on short notice.

"You know I'd love to sit for you. How is that little sweet pea doing?"

"She's wonderful. Really, we're really lucky to have such an easy baby. It's still been exhausting, which is to be expected, but she's sleeping through the night and that makes a big difference."

"It does. I'll be there at six thirty and can stay as late as you want."

"I really appreciate this, Karen. You're a godsend."

"Don't mention it. How are you doing, Drake? I've been watching the news. The coverage can't be very easy on you guys."

"It's hard but we're trying to just lay low and hope that once the trial is over and some time passes, things will get more back to normal for us."

"How is San Francisco? Do you love it there?"

"We do," I said. "But we miss Manhattan of course. We may come back for the good weather in the fall if we can find a better setup for Ethan. But we'll probably spend winters in San Francisco. So much better for Ethan to be able to go outside in the fresh air and sun."

"No doubt. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow night."

I said goodbye and ended the call. I wanted to have the details arranged before I asked Kate if she wanted to go. I knew she'd feel comfortable leaving Sophie with Karen.

I parked my rental in the parking garage and then walked the rest of the way to the apartment, whistling to myself, feeling better than I had for a while. I had my testimony out of the way, and it was all downhill from here. The trial would be finished soon, Lisa would be convicted and sentenced and put away. The headlines would die down and then, maybe in a year, I could return to my life and continue where we left off. I still had the confidence of my supervisor at NYU if I wanted to continue the Fellowship. I could qualify as a pediatric neurosurgeon and start a practice doing what I loved. I could schedule as many or as few patients a week as I saw fit, since money was no object.

I climbed

the stairs to the apartment, relieved that my role in the trial was over, eager to see Kate and Sophie.

Chapter 21

KATE

I didn’t want to go to the courtroom and watch the trial or Drake's testimony.

Some may have seen that as me not supporting Drake, or me not being interested. The truth was that I didn’t want to have to face the paparazzi. I didn't want to have a microphone shoved in my face and to be asked stupid and insulting questions about my sex life and my marriage to Drake. I just knew what the tabloid reporters would ask:

How did you feel when you found out Drake was carrying on an affair with Lisa while you were pregnant?

Did you know that your husband was a notorious Dom in the BDSM community before you married him?

Did you ever suspect that he was secretly seeing Lisa Munroe while you were pregnant with your baby?

How does it feel to be married to a notorious womanizer?

Did you know about the restraining order his ex-wife filed before they divorced?

Of course, I knew Drake wasn't the man the tabloids tried to make him out to be but some of the press picked up on those allegations from Lisa and ran with them because all Drake could do was deny them. When people looked at Lisa, they saw a beautiful young woman. Probably most of them couldn't believe that Drake wasn't having an affair with her. After all, I was pregnant. They wouldn't and couldn't know that Drake found me exceedingly sexy while I was pregnant and that it was even easier for me to orgasm while I was pregnant than before.

If they knew that, they might understand that there was no way Drake was interested in Lisa. But I wasn't going to tell them so they continued pushing false gossip about our relationship to sell copies and get clicks on their news stories or websites.

I didn't watch coverage of the trial on television, deliberately avoiding the news so I didn't have to see the headlines. Instead, I listened to calming music and spent my time with Sophie.

I was glad when I got a text from him.

DRAKE: Well, it's over. Now, we can move on.