Any Way You Want It (Brand Clan #2)(56)

“That’s good. Got any exciting travel plans?”

“Well, I recently returned from St. Lucia—”

“Oooh, you lucky girl. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

“It is. Really breathtaking.” The island would always hold a special place in Zandra’s heart because of Remy. “You have to visit sometime.”

“I know. That’s what my husband’s been telling me.” Dr. Gill sighed. “I just need to clear my schedule and do it, right?”

Zandra grinned. “Absolutely. You won’t regret it.”

“I’m sure I won’t.” Dr. Gill used her spatula and brush to gently scrape cells from Zandra’s cervix. “Got any other trips planned this summer?”

“Actually,” Zandra answered, “I’m leaving for London tomorrow.”

“Oh, how nice. I love London.”

Zandra smiled softly. “Me, too. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.” And being able to share it with Remy would make it more special than ever.

When Dr. Gill finished the exam, she passed the Pap smear sample to her nurse and disposed of her gloves, then rose from the rolling stool and walked to the sink to wash her hands.

As Zandra sat up on the table, Dr. Gill asked her, “Are you still happy with the Pill?”

Zandra hesitated for a moment, surprising herself.

“Zandra?” Dr. Gill prompted.

She looked at her. “How long does it take to get birth control pills out of your system?”

“Well, once you stop taking the Pill, the hormones are out of your body quickly, usually within a couple of days. That means your body will start to produce follicles again, which will eventually lead you to ovulate. But every woman is different. Some may take a few weeks to ovulate. Others may take several months. It just depends.”

Zandra nodded slowly, absorbing this information with a carefully neutral expression.

Dr. Gill eyed her speculatively. “Are you thinking about coming off the Pill, Zandra?”

She bit her lip, then shook her head. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

She wasn’t, but she nodded anyway.

“Well, you just let me know whenever you’re ready to stop taking the Pill, or if you’d like to explore other options for birth control.” Dr. Gill paused, eyes glinting. “Or if you’re ready to start planning a family.”

Zandra blushed. “I’m not. But...thanks.”

Dr. Gill gave her a warm smile. “See you next time.”

After the doctor and her nurse left, Zandra got dressed, then walked out of the examination room. She was heading down the bright corridor toward the reception area when she passed a corkboard covered with snapshots of patients’ newborn babies.

She’d walked by that corkboard countless times before without giving it more than a passing glance. But today for some reason, she felt compelled to stop.

As she stood there staring at the collection of photos, a deep ache of longing spread through her.

She put a hand to her stomach.

For the first time ever, she allowed herself to entertain the thought of bringing a child into the world.

Not just any man’s child.

Remy’s.

*

Remy sat across from Sam Keegan in a leather booth located at the back of a coffee shop on West Jackson Boulevard. Keegan had called him that morning and asked to meet in person. In case the mayor was having him followed, he wanted to look like he was following orders, doing what he’d been told.

Remy waited until the waitress had poured their coffee, winked and sashayed away before he spoke. “It’s done.”

Keegan met his gaze across the table. “You’ve started investigating the escorts?”

Remy nodded, his gut churning with guilt.

“You’re doing the right thing.”

A grim smile twisted Remy’s mouth. “Maybe if I keep telling myself that, I’ll start to believe it.”

Keegan was silent, lifting his coffee cup to his mouth and sipping the black brew.

“Does the mayor know that Zandra is an old friend of mine?”

“No,” Keegan said flatly. “And I didn’t volunteer that detail. If he finds out on his own, I’ll just explain that you’re the best person for the job because she’d never suspect your involvement.”

“Jesus.” Remy closed his eyes, rubbed a hand over his face and swallowed hard as guilt and self-loathing burned like bile in his throat.

“Kennedy’s holding a press conference tomorrow to announce his run for mayor,” Keegan informed him. “It might be a difficult day for Zandra.”

“She won’t be here,” Remy muttered.

“Oh? Where’s she going?”

“I’m taking her to London. We leave early tomorrow.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Keegan sipped more coffee. “Her father’s a strong candidate, like I told you before. The knives will be out for him soon.”

Remy smiled darkly. “Should one of those knives happen to get rammed into his aorta, I’d be ever so grateful.”

Keegan chuckled into his cup. “Guess you’re still not gonna tell me why you hate the old man so much, huh?”