One Night Stand with a Prince: Oops! I Had His Baby!

Good bye, Joshua

“Julianna.” The way her name rolled off his tongue filled my gut with apprehension. It was one simple word, yet the way he said it hinted at an intimacy I didn’t want anyone other than me in this world to feel with the incredible woman standing before us.

The man whose death I was now contemplating, was younger than me, maybe early thirties, sporting a well-tailored expensive dark blue suit and perfectly gelled hair. In any other instance he’d be a man I’d introduce myself to, working to find out if a connection with him would be worth making for my company’s future. But at this moment, the way his eyes roamed over Julianna’s body had jealousy flooding my system, my hands balling into fists at my side.

Julianna on the other hand looked as if she were going to fall over in shock. Lucy was standing beside her, blue eyes wide as she glanced between the three of us, looking as thoroughly confused as I felt.

I didn’t know who this man was, but he was attempting to claim my wife. He was threatening my newly formed family with his very presence if the way Julianna’s flushed cheeks meant anything. They had a past; one I’d get to the bottom of immediately.

“Julianna, love, clear up the misunderstanding for us, if you will?” My words were soft, even friendly, but the steel lining them was clear. I wanted her to get rid of him. Now.

“Yes, Julianna, please explain what’s going on.” The stranger stated, pulling his gaze from my wife to glare at me in challenge. He believed I was lying, that she would confirm his story.

“Joshua, I don’t- I mean, that is to say, this is-.” She was stuttering through her words, too overwhelmed by the entire situation to form a coherent sentence. Something was wrong, there was history between the two of them, but despite whatever happened in the past, she was mine now. And I protected what was mine.

“It’s okay, love.” Julianna’s eyes flew up to meet mine, and I smiled encouragingly at her. Moving forward, I made my way to her side and slipped a hand around her waist, pulling her flush against me. “I can explain, if you want.”

“Please.” Julianna all but whispered, leaning into my hold with a sigh of relief. This man had really done a number on her, something he’d come to regret.

“So, Joshua, is it?” I didn’t give him any time to answer before barreling on. “Julianna and I met last year shortly before her move here. I fell so head over heels in love with her that I followed her to California and proposed within the month.” Leaning down I placed a soft kiss on her cheek, thankfully she was good enough of an actress to accept it without hesitation. Or she was still frozen in place. “We didn’t bother with a big wedding, choosing instead to have a small, intimate ceremony.”

“Julie, is this true?” Joshua demanded, now glaring at the woman in my arms.

“Mrs. Kingston.” I cut in dryly, flashing a friendly smile when those narrowed eyes flicked to my own. “We’re married, you should address my wife with respect.”

“I am not calling her that.” He all but sneered.

“You can always address her by her official title, Princess Julianna Kingston of Lenova. But it’s a bit of a mouthful.” A pin drop would have echoed in the silence of the foyer as my words sunk in. I got the sense Lucy was trying to hold in her excitement at her friend being referred to as a princess, Julianna was curled into me, still as before. Joshua on the other hand was wide eyed and jaw slacked as he processed what I’d said.

“Pri-Princess?” He stammered. Unfortunately, the announcement didn’t keep him quiet for long. “That’s impossible! We only broke up a few weeks before you moved. Were you cheating on me?”

“Cheating?” Julianna whispered, that accusation must have struck a chord, because the frightened and nervous woman she’d been just moments ago was gone in an instance. Narrowing her eyes, Julianna glared at Joshua as she took a step towards him, and away from my side. “Cheating on you! I loved you, you damned nitwit! I was planning a future which included marrying you, when you decided to throw me away like yesterday’s fish sticks because I wouldn’t talk to you for a few days! And to top it off, you had me moved across the country so you wouldn’t have to face me in the office daily. You are a coward and an idiot.”

With each word Julianna advanced forward, causing Joshua to shuffle backwards in an attempt to keep her from knocking him over.

“That’s unfair.” Joshua began, but he clasped his lips shut quickly after a glance at Julianna, something in her eyes told him it would be smart to shut up. “Well, I guess I should make my exit seeing as how you are so happy here in California. I was just wanting to check on you.”

“Well, I’m doing great. Wonderfully happy being as far away from you as possible without moving countries.” She all but spat, then with a laugh she waved a hand towards the boxes packed and stacked near the door. “Actually, on that note, we are moving countries. My husband needs to return to his country and his family, and I, of course, am going with him.”

“Nice meeting you Joshua.” I chuckled, pleased beyond words at the utter look of disbelief written on his face.

“Hated meeting you, worst experience of my life honestly.” Lucy added, moving around all of us as she danced to the door, resting a hand on the handle as she turned towards Joshua, eyeing him as if he were the saddest things she’d ever seen. “And is such a pretty package too.” Pouting, Lucy opened the door wide and waved him out “Well, don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you.”

Joshua seemed to have had enough of his trip down memory lane. With a jerk at his jacket sleeves, he turned on his heel to leave, only to freeze in place.

Leaning around Joshua, I saw what froze him. Walking up the path to the door was a young woman, though I was so distracted by what was in her arms that I didn’t register anything about her. There, leaned back against her chest, was my son. His hair was long and wispy, flying around his chubby face. Big blue eyes were looking everywhere, taking in as much as his little mind could fathom. He was beautiful. He was perfect. He was beautifully perfect, and he was mine.

As the young woman got closer to the door, she seemed to sense the tense air hanging around the foyer, and halted just short of the door.

“Ms. Julianna?” She asked hesitantly, adjusting the giggling baby in her arms with raised eyebrows.

“Hey Izzy, come on in. I’m sure Charles is hungry and ready for a nap.” Julianna rushed forward, pulling our son into her arms and turned to flit past a now gaping Joshua. Before he could form words to stop her, Julianna fled the room, a smirking Lucy following closely behind. Izzy stood on the doorstep for a moment, unsure what to do as she felt the mounting tension in the air, finally deciding to also disappear into the back of the house.

“I don’t understand.” Joshua muttered, spinning in place as he watched the women leave the room.

Everything in me demanded I follow my son, meet him, hold him for the first time. But Julianna had fled the room because she didn’t want Charles around Joshua, so the task was left to me to get rid of him.

“Well, as you can see, Julianna is perfectly happy. Have a great day and please do not bother coming back.”

“Whose baby is that?” Joshua demanded, clearly, he wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box.

“Julianna and I’s son, obviously. Or have you already forgotten the part where she said we were married? Anyways, like we have already stated, it’s going to be a long day what with the packing and moving. So do please have a safe trip back to New York.” While explaining all of this, I grabbed hold of Joshua’s shoulder and ushered him to the door, pushing him slightly over the threshold. “Goodbye Joshua, please never contact my wife again.” With that I slammed the door and pulled my phone from my pocket, ensuring one of my men escorted him from the property.

Now onto the part of today I’d been most anxious to accomplish. Officially meeting my son.