Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 89

Cora's

POV

We are packed and heading for the airfield now to fly back to New York. I am ready to go back home and get back into the normal swing of things. I will miss Collin, and I hope this nightmare will end soon as we are entering April this coming week, and I only have about two months to go before the babies are here. We get to the hanger, and I see Adam pop into view from the top of the stairs, and I can't stop the smile from hitting my face and jumping out of the SUV to go hug him. I already feel better now, as I missed seeing my friends. Collin, on the other hand, doesn't seem to love seeing me hugging Adam and makes a big production of getting my stuff from the back of the SUV after he puts his duffle over the shoulders. He gives us both a pointed look as he passes us, and I hear low laughter from behind me as Marlowe comes by a few seconds later with her rolling bag and continues laughing as she goes to board the plane. Alderidge came by me with his bags and as he passed, he said, "Go grab your presents Cora and stop hugging him, you are making Collin jealous, and he might try to fire him". We immediately broke apart and went to the SUV. Adam grabbed all the bags that were left in the back of the SUV, and I grabbed the bag that had the tissue paper and gift bags in it and headed to the plane. Collin is pouty and acting jealous, and I feel like he is judging me for hugging my friend, so when I sat down next to him, I said, "What you just felt was nothing like what I felt when Maddie showed me her ring and then kissed you right there in front of me. You let her, and that broke my heart. Adam and I are just friends, that is it, and he is nice enough to be coming over and helping us get the extra room cleared out so it can be cleaned and repainted and they are even building the baby beds too. So cut him some slack, he is a good man, and a good friend".

"Who are all "us"?" Collin asked me and I realized that he was about to get jealous.

"Some of the guys from the firehouse. I am buying them beer and pizza and they are going to help us get the stuff from the room, into the attic. Iris, Ava, and Livi will be coming to help clean the room as they clear it, and they will be working in tandem. Thomas will be there, it will be fine, we will be safe. We should have it done in a few hours, which is what I was told. My parents couldn't carry it, and I am really pregnant and can't lift heavy things. Those guys are built for lifting and offered to help me do it. I am grateful as the room wouldn't be ready without them", I said to Collin.

"Wait, did you say Ava offered to help clean? And paint?" I heard Marlowe ask from the row across from us.

"Yes, she is being a really big help to me," I told her.

"Let me know when you are going to do this, Cora. I would be interested in seeing why my daughter, who had avoided cleaning anything for almost her whole life, is suddenly on board helping you clean and paint. I am sure that I am missing something, and I am sure it will be one of the firemen helping. I would just like to come and see her in cleaning action", Marlowe tells me.

I see that both she and Alderidge are both laughing about it and he nods and says, "Get some pictures, or it didn't happen."

"I wanted to buy a house for us in between your parents and my parents, one for us, and the babies to live in Cora. Together, as a family", Collin said to me.

"I would like that too, Collin. But you have to get rid of Maddie being an obstacle in your life for us to do that. So, let's work on one problem at a time. This one needs to be dealt with quicker, as when I get into the last month of my pregnancy, I don't know what all I will be able to do. I may not be able to do the show if I feel bad enough. I needed the room to get completed for the babies to use. We weren't talking when this was decided, and the guy's offered to help do it for me. It is just my fan club from the firehouse, and they are all really sweet to do this for me", I told him.

"You don't even know them. I could pay a crew to come in and help you", Collin told me.

"No, I know two of them, Adam, and Michael. I went to school with Michael, and I remember him after he told me we went to school together. He was two grades ahead of me. I know two more just from the neighborhood. I would rather have people I trust come in and help than strangers knowing which room my babies are in. At least with the firemen, they will know to go to that room to save them first", I told Collin.

"What if they want to date you? You are not available, Cora. You need to make sure that you tell them that you belong to me", Collin told me and gave me a pointed look.

"I don't belong to you yet, Collin. I love you, but so far, this has been a very one-sided relationship for us. You tell me I am yours on the way back from Paris last time, and that didn't even make it 24 hours. It didn't even make it 12 hours actually. You only admitted to loving me, after you told me that horrible story of what you had done with Maddie, for her to be able to get that awful video when I was leaving your parents' house. So, until you are ready to claim me, publicly, don't bother to claim me privately. I have done well for myself, by myself, for the last 6 months, I can continue to do it. When you have gotten the Maddie problem fixed, you can come to me, but as it has already been 6 months, there is no telling how much longer it will take Collin. I am giving you another chance, and I will wait for you for a while, but I cannot wait for you indefinitely. You don't have a great track record for being faithful, Collin. I am glad you have been for the last six months, but I also know Maddie and she will never give up. She wants you, and she wants to hurt me. This situation is a win/win for her, as it is causing me a great deal of stress, and that is not good for me or the babies. So, when the plane lands we have to go back to where we were in our lives. It is easier for me not to see you with her. So, much easier, because every time I see her hands on you it makes me want to scream", I told him with tears in my eyes.

"I am going to fix this, Cora, don't you dare leave me. I love you and I want to marry you and raise our family together in a nice house that we choose together. I have already put some thought into it. I want a five-bedroom house, so we can have two more children. I want to be with you, and for us to grow old together. You are it for me, Cora, I am a changed man. I only want you, just you. I don't want anyone else, and I want the whole world to know it. I will get this straightened out baby and then I want us to be together, forever. I want you on my arm and by my side until we die. I screwed up, badly, but I am working to fix it every day. Just give me some more time, and don't give up on me. That is all I need you to do. Don't fall in love with someone else, just keep me in your heart, and I will get this done. I am aiming for before the twins are born. I want to publicly claim them too. I already love them both and they are not even here yet", Collin tells me and then grabs my face and turns me towards him, and gives me a heated kiss. He is putting all his emotions in there about our situation, and I can feel his; sadness, anger, frustration, and love coming through the kiss.

The problem is, I feel the same way when I see their pictures and they look like a normal happy couple in the newspaper and gossip magazines. I will look like a homewrecker at first when he finally gets to leave Maddie and come to me, but perceptions about me will be very upsetting. I don't know how Collin can get public opinion to turn towards me favorably again. It could affect my clients, and they could drop me. It is a concern that I have, and that is why I am trying to be very careful with my funds. I may have to get a new job soon.

I texted Franco and saw if he could get me in next Saturday for a hair appointment as Mateo's wedding was coming up in two weeks. Five minutes later, I got a text back for a noon appointment next Saturday. I thanked him and made a mental note to take his and Eric's stuff. I got them with me to the shop.

I start putting my gift bags together and see Collin pull out three boxes of croissants from his duffle bag and grin at me. I grinned back and put my stuff down to eat some croissants and then offer some to Marlowe, Alderidge, and Adam. Collin remembered me liking them so much and asking for the driver to pick them up before he got there was again a surprise. I only hope that Collin can give me a surprise when it comes to Maddie too. As it really does break my heart to see them together, like a happy couple. I love him, to my soul, even with his flaws. I know he loves me too, but he might have made a choice that ends up with me alone, and him married to Maddie. If that happens, I won't allow her to be present for the babies' visits with their father, or I will have supervised visits to protect my babies. I hope it never comes to that. I know he is working on it, but if she straightens up and flies right, will he leave it alone? Marry her instead? I don't know. I know that he is worried sick over losing the business. He is thinner now, but he is still working out. I don't want to add to his stress, but I had to tell him that I cannot wait forever for him. Eventually, she will push his hand, and he will either have to marry her, or he will get enough to be able to be free of her. I think 20 years is enough, but Collins said with good behavior she could be out in 10, or even less, as she is good at fooling people. He doesn't want to take the chance of her getting to me or the babies. In my head, I know that he is right, but in my heart, I wonder how long it will be before we can truly be together?