More Than This by Dominique Wolf

CHAPTER 10:

Giovanni

T

he last thing I wanted to do right now was have to deal with Casey, but I had avoided her for long enough. At the end of the day, I had to figure out what the hell I was going to do about this. There was a baby on the way now and I couldn't escape that responsibility. I strolled downstairs into my kitchen and started clearing up the empty bottles. Sergio was right - this place did look like a shithole. As I put the last of the bottles in the trash, I heard the elevator doors open. I took a deep breath in and gathered all the energy I had to focus on this one conversation. I was going to need all the help I could get.

“Giovanni!” Casey shouted, turning around the corner coming into view.

A year ago I would have been happy with the beautiful blonde walking into my apartment, but now the sight of her brought on a wave of guilt I couldn't control. Her bitchy nature and constant need for drama washed away any previous attraction I had towards her.

Now she reminded me of everything I had lost.

“Well, hello handsome.” She smiled and sauntered over to the kitchen counter.

“Hola, Casey,” I said bleakly.

She placed her bag on the counter and walked over to me. “What? No kiss?”

I rolled my eyes. “Please, don't start.”

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and walked over to an empty barstool. “Now Giovanni, there's no need to be like that.”

Not even two minutes into the conversation and I already wanted her to leave. How the fuck was I supposed to raise a child with her? The thought made me sick. There's just no way I was going to be a father. I tried to push that thought out of my mind. Instead, I walked over and opened up the cupboard door, reaching for the new bottle of whiskey I bought.

“You can't ignore me in person,” she muttered. “Are you not going to say anything?”

I placed the glass on the counter and poured some whiskey into it. I looked up at her as I brought it up to my lips, taking a small sip.

“What do you want me to say, Casey?” I asked.

She crossed her arms. “Well, we have a lot to figure out now that we're starting a family together.”

I tilted my head to the side in an attempt to control the anger that one statement brought over me. Was she fucking delusional?

“Let's get one thing clear here, you and I will never be a family. A baby doesn't change that.”

She widened her eyes. “A baby changes everything.”

Okay, she was right, but it didn't change things in the way she was clearly hoping for. This entire situation fucked up everything in my life and now I was stuck trying to pick up the pieces.

“How did the paparazzi get a picture of us at the hospital?” I asked. “Did you set that up?”

She peered at me. “Do you honestly believe I would have wanted people to find out like that?”

“Yes, I think that's exactly what you would have wanted.”

She ignored my comment. “Well, I'm just glad I don't have to hide now.”

I was convinced that Casey set that up. She only cared about remaining relevant. There was nothing beneath her outside beauty. She was a selfish, fame-hungry model that was adamant to stay in the limelight.

“I have a doctor's appointment coming up,” she continued. “You’re welcome to tag along.”

“How many weeks are you Casey?”

“About seven weeks now I think.”

“And you're sure that you're pregnant?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course I am, Giovanni. You think I would lie about something like that?”

“And you're sure it's mine?”

“Don't insult me, Giovanni,” she scowled. “You know how I've felt about you. It was always more than just a hook-up to me.”

I ignored her comment and brought the drink to my lips again. The reality of the situation was starting to set in and I hated every moment of it. Casey had always wanted more from our arrangement, but I had never seen her that way.

“Look, Giovanni, I know we've had some hiccups along the way, but we can have a good relationship. I know we can make this work for the sake of the baby.”

I laughed. I couldn't stop myself. She was fucking insane. What did she think was going to happen here?

“Casey, I need you to listen to me clearly now because you don't seem to understand.” I leaned against the counter in front of her. “Just because there is a baby involved now doesn't mean that you and I are suddenly going to be a couple. You and I will never be together. I am in love with Isabella and that's not going to change.”

“That girl from Mala Mía?” she scoffed. “Oh, please.”

I met her piercing gaze and her spiteful nature shone through. She was crossing a line that I would rather she stayed far away from. I focused on staying calm. I couldn't afford to lose my cool now.

“Casey, don't,” I warned.

“No, please, Giovanni. I'd love to understand what you think is going to happen here. Do you really think Isabella is going to be a stepmother?” She laughed.

I remained silent.

“Where is she? Shouldn't she be here then?” she probed.

“Because of your little setup, I wasn't able to tell her myself about your situation,” I muttered. “She found out along with the rest of the country.”

“I told you yesterday, Giovanni. I didn't know you weren't going to tell her right away.” She crossed her arms. “But she knows now and she isn't here with you so I'd say it's not going very well for you two.”

I was livid. Casey knew exactly how to get under my skin and I was starting to lose it.

“My relationship with Isabella is none of your business.”

“Your relationship?” she repeated. “Giovanni, please, you have never been able to maintain a relationship in your life. That little fling with her certainly wasn't it.”

“That was the most real thing I had ever known. You don't know a thing about how I feel about her,” I spat.

“Her absence and your deflection of why she's not here speaks wonders.”

The anger spread across my body and I clenched my fists in an attempt to control it. I wouldn't consider myself an angry person, but I had also never been pushed to this point before and I wasn't sure how to handle it. I was consumed by emotions and I hated it. I couldn't get it under control.

I downed the rest of my drink. “This is not going to work. You will not speak to me about my relationships. We will deal with this situation day by day. You can send me the details for the doctor's appointment. I don't want to know anything else. You and I will never be together in the way you're hoping for, so you better start accepting that.”

She narrowed her eyes at me and her nostrils flared. She had a resting bitch face that had settled back in place and I knew I had struck a nerve.

She reached for her bag. “Clearly this was a waste of time. You need more time to process, but remember this, Giovanni, I'm going to be in your life forever now. You better get over whatever it is you're going through because we have a baby on the way and I already told you that I am not doing this alone.”

She slid off the barstool and walked over to me, standing in close proximity. “You may not believe it now, but we are going to be a family, Giovanni, whether you like it or not.”

Her words echoed in my head as she turned and left my apartment. This was not the way I imagined starting a family. I didn't want it this way and I especially didn't want Casey to be the mother of my child.

Did I even want children?

I had never thought of it up until now. Up until a few months ago I was convinced I was going to be a terminal bachelor and I had accepted that.

Then I met her.

Isabella came along with her beautiful smile and witty tongue and changed everything for me. She was who I wanted a future with. For the first time ever, I wanted it all. I wanted to come home to her every day and start a life together. The reality that I could never have that was suffocating me again and I didn't know how I was going to make the pain stop.