Until Carole had gotten pregnant.
He and Carole had come together in fun but somewhere along the way, he'd begun to develop feelings for her. Hell, he'd even thought she felt the same way. But then she'd ended up pregnant, insisting the baby was Damian's. To add insult to injury, she'd been refusing to return Carter's phone calls.
Carter had been so pissed about the pregnancy, so angry at Fuller, he'd wanted to get back at his captain. Carter had revealed Carole's pregnancy to the press. But soon after making the call, the anger had subsided and he realized he'd set Carole up for pain and humiliation-something he'd never intended to do. He'd called the press first and realized he'd be hurting Carole later, after it was too late to take back the story.
He picked up the, phone and dialed her hotel room.
He knew she wasn't leaving the city until tomorrow and wanted to make sure she was okay while she was here.
The phone rang and rang on the other end until he was about ready to hang up.
"Hello?" Carole said, out of breath.
"Hey, babe, I’ve been trying to reach you."
"Carter?"
"Who were you expecting? Never mind," he said, before she could answer. He was certain he didn't want to know. "How are you feeling?"
"A little queasy. I've been spending more time than I'd like in the bathroom."
Maybe that's why he hadn't been able to reach her. He glanced toward his fridge. "You should try drinking Coke. It'll help. At least that's what my sister said when she was expecting."
"Thanks for the advice, Rick."
He swallowed hard. "No problem. So how are you handling…the rest of it?" he asked, referring to the media attention and hoping she wouldn't make him spell it out. He felt bad enough already.
She inhaled and he heard the long pause at the other end. "It's horrible. The reporters are all over the lobby. I had to ask security to sneak me down the service elevator tomorrow morning just so I can make my flight I can't believe someone at the doctor's office would leak the news about my pregnancy. I feel so violated."
Carter's gut cramped. "What makes you think it was them?"
She sniffed and he imagined her wiping her eyes as she spoke. "Nobody else knows Damian's the father except you and me and I know you wouldn't hurt me."
She trusted him, Ricky thought, fighting the wave of nausea that overtook him as he faced the reality of what he'd done. In his zeal to take everything Damian Fuller had, he'd hurt this woman in the process. He hadn't meant to. He cared about her too much.
Way too much.
If she knew he'd been sabotaging Fuller, she'd dump his ass even as a friend. And he didn't want that. As much as he and Carole had often joked about Damian's arrogance and downfall, she was now carrying Fuller's kid.
Or was she? he wondered, as Damian's words from the press conference played back in his head.
Rick always wore a condom-it was ingrained in his head by his father-and he'd used one with Carole. She'd said she always made a guy use protection, too, but when she'd told him about the pregnancy, she'd said there was one time she and Fuller hadn't used birth control. He'd believed her.
"Hey, babe?"
"Yes?"
"Did you and Fuller use protection?"
He listened closely, waiting for an answer.
"I already told you about me and Damian. Why are you asking me again?"
He shrugged. "Something Fuller said to the press about using protection and accidents happening anyway."
She let out a too shrill laugh. "What else is he going to say? That he's not the hero the world thinks he is?"
"I understand, babe. And I'm here for you no matter what."
"That's so sweet." She paused. "But we can't see each other anymore. And Damian can't know we've ever been together, you know that right? Because if Damian will, ummm, marry me and give the baby a name, you know I have to do it. Promise me, okay?"
Rick shut his eyes tight. His position on the field, his number at bat and now his woman. What the hell else did Fuller need to hang on to that ought to be his? Carter wondered.
He couldn't live with making Carole such a promise.
"Oh I'm going to be sick again. I've got to go," she said and slammed the phone in his ear.
Apparently he wasn't going to have to promise her he'd keep his silence, after all. Which was a good thing since long after she'd hung up the phone, and long after the Renegades had won their 4:00 p.m. game, Rick tossed and turned in his bed, something eating away at him.
Something Carole hadn't said.
She hadn't answered his question about whether she and Fuller had used protection. After telling him about her pregnancy that first time, after explaining she and Damian had made that mistake just once, she'd evaded reassuring him directly ever since. Which left Rick with lingering doubts about Carole's initial claim.
Never mind the fact that she might have been with more guys than him and Fuller. Rick didn't want to deal with that thought at the moment. But if she and Fuller had used protection, just like she and Rick had used protection, then there was a fifty-fifty chance the baby she was carrying was his.
CHAPTER TEN
MICKI'S HEAD POUNDED as she somehow made it through the day. Although she, Sophie and Uncle Yank had all agreed they needed to stand by Damian, only she had a personal stake in the news he'd delivered. Only she was hurt by the fact that he'd possibly fathered a child. And only she disagreed with his decision not to marry Carole.
Nothing ate away at her more than a child deprived of a parent, perhaps because she'd lived the nightmare herself. She couldn't understand how Damian could willingly opt out of his child's life. She figured it was because the baby wasn't a reality to him yet. Once it was, if it was, then she hoped he'd do the right thing and be a full-time parent by marrying Carole. No matter how much Micki was hurt by the thought.
In the meantime, she'd guide him through the PR aspects of his situation and make sure he played well to his public. All of his publics, which in a star athlete's case included his coaches, the people who paid his salary, and his fans, including the parents of the kids who idolized him.
At least he was a quick study. She'd briefed him on the elevator ride down and he'd aced the brief statement to the reporters and the few questions she'd allowed him to take. He'd come across as a concerned man, a fallible human, and a star who was acknowledging his place in the public eye and using his mistake to educate America's youth.
He'd returned to the office and used the conference room to schedule the meetings Sophie had suggested. First up was the doctor who'd explain the ins and outs of safe paternity testing. He had an appointment for a consultation tomorrow. Once he had an understanding of the facts, he'd have to confront Carole and request a test.Those were the more personal aspects of this situation and he didn't need Micki around for that, she thought gratefully.
A knock sounded on her door and she glanced up. "Come in."
Sophie stuck her head inside. "Want to grab a bite to eat?"
Micki shook her head.
"Okay then good thing I figured you'd want to be holed up in your office. We'll just eat here." Sophie pulled a paper bag from behind her back and proceeded to unload the goodies she'd bought from the cafe downstairs. "I've got two iced coffees and two Squagels with cream cheese. Comfort food including a brownie for dessert."
"I appreciate it, Soph, but I'm not hungry."
Her sister shrugged. "So you can keep me company while I eat."
A couple of minutes later, Sophie had spread everything out across Micki's desk, leaving her no choice but to stare or pick at the food she'd brought. Micki decided to pick.
"I'm sorry you have to go through this." Sophie met her gaze. "Damian's a jerk."
"He's not." Micki shook her head, surprised to find herself defending him. "I mean in reality, he's no different than thousands of other people who end up with unplanned pregnancies. He's just famous, that's all."