The Billionaire's Secret Love Child(7)

He knew his parents wouldn't be thrilled, especially since they had hoped he would marry their business partner's daughter, Ashley, but he didn't care. Even though it had only been a little more than a month he knew he was in love with Cambry and since they were going to be having a baby he figured they might as well get married.

Cambry and Brooks had discussed this ahead of time. He told her he would do most of the talking, but that she was welcome to jump in if she wanted or needed. As she dug into her chicken and rice, Brooks mom, Connie, began talking. "It's so lovely to meet you, Cambry," she said. "Of course I'd heard him talk about you, but I didn't realize how serious you two were until he mentioned bringing you to dinner."

Smiling, Cambry replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Brooks speaks only positively about you." Inwardly she sighed, hoping that Connie and her husband Benjamin would take the news well.

While they ate, Benjamin opened a bottle of wine and poured some into each of their glasses. When he reached Cambry's, she held her hand up. "I'd actually rather have water," she told him politely.

"Oh, of course," he said, sitting. She poured herself some water from the pitcher on the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Connie staring at her and wondered if her soon-to-be mother-in-law was guessing the reason that Cambry had turned down the wine.

She chose not to meet her eye, but instead kept her eyes on the food in front of her. Connie waited until Cambry had taken a bite before she said, "I was going to have our chef cook some fish tonight, but then Benjamin decided he'd rather have this dish. It's one of his favorites. Do you eat fish, Cambry?"

Cambry shot Brooks a look before answering Connie. "Normally I do, yes," she replied, trying to maintain as vague an answer as possible.

"Tell me, when is your birthday?" Connie asked, abruptly changing the topic.

"Oh, it's in January," Cambry told her, wondering where she was going with her thinking.

"Well," Connie said, clapping her hands together. "That's only two months away. If you two are together, we'll have to throw you a big party. What's your favorite cocktail? I'm sure you know Brooks has an incredible talent for making drinks. We'll have him and some of his friends there to make it for everyone."

Brooks jumped in at that point, hoping to save Cambry from his mother's obvious attempt to get information. "Mom, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. We've only been dating a month. I'm sure Cambry doesn't want a birthday party with all of our family friends there."

A disappointed look crossed Connie's face for a moment, but it was brief and she quickly brushed it aside. "Well you know how I love to throw a party. I'd love to do this for her."

"Thank you, but that's not necessary," Cambry said.

Connie turned to her. "You do drink, don't you?"

"I sometimes do, yes," Connie said, slowly nodding her head.

"Mom, do you have something you want to ask?" Brooks said.

Benjamin had silently watched the interaction between the three of them and still remained quiet when his wife spoke. "Have you gotten that girl pregnant?" Connie asked, pointing a finger at Cambry.

Brooks sighed and passed his hand over his face. "Well, this isn't how I wanted to tell you, but yes. Cambry is pregnant with my child."

Connie gasped, dropping her fork and knife onto her plate. Benjamin's face had a stunned look on it and he opened and closed his mouth a few times. Cambry watched as his face turned from a pale white to a bright red in a matter of seconds. Neither one spoke, so Brook began again. "I know we've not been together long, but I've fallen madly in love with Cambry," he said, taking her hand in his. "We want to get married, with just a few family members and friends."

Benjamin finally spoke. "Absolutely not. We were willing to put up with you seeing other girls for some time, but you are not marrying anybody but Ashley. That's all there is to it." His voice was well controlled, but underneath the surface there was a seething anger that scared Cambry.

"Dad," Brooks said. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Cambry and I will be married."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Benjamin said, pounding his clenched fist onto the table.

"Well you don't have anything to say about it," Brooks told him, standing. He placed his hands on the table. "Cambry and I are going to be married and you're either going to have to accept that or disown me. We'll leave now and when I come in to work tomorrow, we will discuss this like adults." He gently pulled Cambry up and led her out of the house.

Brooks drove to his apartment in silence. Cambry could tell he was seething with anger, but she didn't know what to say. When they were settled on his couch, she looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry to have messed up your life," she whispered.

He jerked his head in her direction. "Don't say that," he told her gently. "You didn't mess anything up. For whatever reason, my parents want me to marry Ashley, but they really don't get a say in it. They never have had a say in it; I just didn't let them know that until now. I love you and I want to be with you."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that because I'm pregnant?" she asked, concerned. Even though she had taken the day after pill six weeks before, she had still gotten pregnant and she felt as though she was a problem for him to solve.