I laughed at his insistence. Even if he was willing to be the father of my baby, I would not accept it.
My baby belonged to me alone and I was not looking for a candidate to take on the responsibility of being a father.
"It won't happen, Paul. Don't exert yourself in vain." I responded, looking him in the eyes. Despite my direct rejection, his smile didn't disappear.
"Well, I won't talk about it anymore, but keep in mind that from this moment on, I am your suitor and I won't stop insisting until you accept to be my partner. I will show you that we are not all the same as your ex-husband." He said.
My body tensed even more when he mentioned that man, and I looked over his shoulder, focusing on the dance. I no longer wanted to talk about that topic, especially not Alexander.
The dance came to an end, however, Paul's hand didn't leave my waist when we returned to our seats. In fact, he sat beside me with his arm resting on the back of my seat, making it seem to anyone else that we were a couple.
"Sarah, your father called you on your cellphone." Abby said, waving my cellphone in her hand.
"He said that the surprise has arrived and that you need to return to the villa. So, friends, the fun in this place is over, but we'll continue at Sarah's house."
"Did you answer my cellphone?" I asked Abby incredulously, although the answer was already clear.
"That's what the right-hand woman does, so let's go. Everyone is invited to the Doinel family gathering." She said. Everyone laughed when my friend got up from her seat and finished all the wine in her glass.
I shook my head with amusem*nt at Abby's invitation, made without consulting anyone, although of course I wouldn't refuse to have my friends join me at home.
"How strange, Abby, making decisions that aren't her own. Anyway, thanks for the invitation. I would like to greet the Doinels, I haven't seen them in a while." Brit said, getting up from the comfortable sofa and ready to leave.
I got up and snatched my cellphone from Abby to put it in my bag. Paul stood up and took my hand without my consent.
"May I carry your bag?" He asked, looking at me intently. I found it very chivalrous of him, so I nodded and handed him my purse without hesitation. He might insist on being my suitor, but that didn't mean he stopped being my friend, the most gallant of all.
"Are you cooking? What's that smell?" Britney asked, sniffing the air. I looked at her without understanding, as there was nothing unusual smelling in this place.
"Yes! Love is cooking." Abby responded to Brit, then I understood that they were referring to Paul and me. Oh yes, the world was on fire when Britney and Abby got together.
"You two are impossible. I had forgotten what it was like to be with you two together." I said amused as I took the initiative to leave the bar.
The three followed my steps, but Paul stepped forward to hook his arm with mine and accompany me to the parking lot in complete silence, which I appreciated.
All I could hear were the murmurs of my friends behind me, not stopping to talk about the beautiful couple that Paul and I would make. I rolled my eyes and kept walking as if I hadn't heard a single word.
Britney got into her car and Paul didn't move until the driver headed towards the villa.
"I see you getting closer every time I see you. How romantic. I can't wait to see you married and give me nieces and nephews." Abby said next to me, her gaze lost as if she were visualizing me with her brother. I couldn't help but let out a sigh that caught my friend's attention.
"I have rejected him, I will never be with Paul, not him nor any other man. Please stop insisting on this tired topic." I said without hiding how annoyed I felt.
"Don't you have anything else important to talk about?"
"First of all, don't get angry. If I insist so much it's because I want the best for my best friend and I know Paul, I know very well that he has hidden his feelings for you for many years, and how interesting that he started dating a different woman every week since he found out about your marriage. Coincidence? I don't think so. And second of all, just because you rejected him doesn't mean he will give up. Now that he has a second chance, believe me, he will take advantage of it." Abby spoke seriously for the first time, without a hint of humor in her voice.
Confused, I looked away from her face, feeling like a woman without feelings. I didn't know that Paul felt something for me before. How could I know if he never told me?
I tasted bitterness in my mouth because of the situation, but I wasn't going to accept it just because he felt something for me. That would only hurt us. I would hurt him because I didn't feel the same way, and because after Alexander I wasn't sure about opening my heart again.
And it would hurt me too, being with him out of duty, allowing him to be the rebound and not because of love. Because, even though I hated to admit it, a small part of my heart still belonged to Alexander, and that made me angry.
I was angry for my feelings, angry for making the big mistake of falling in love with that idiot, for giving everything in exchange for nothing.
It would be easier if we stayed as we were, him being a good friend and my best friend's brother, and me being the exemplary mother to the baby that was on the way.
"I don't want to hurt Paul." I said, looking out the window. Brit's car was next to mine, and I assumed Paul was coming behind.
"I just want to live peacefully with my baby."
"I know you don't want to hurt him, he doesn't want to hurt you either. But well, I promise I won't meddle in his affairs anymore. If you decide to be with him, just look for him. He will be waiting for you with or without a baby."
I didn't like that idea at all, I would be giving him responsibilities that were not his.
The rest of the way we remained silent, which I found uncomfortable, considering Abby always talked non-stop. But I supposed she didn't want to talk about her brother and how good he would look with me. She preferred silence over being pressured.
Upon arriving at the villa, I noticed a car that did not belong to the Doinel family, which indicated that we had visitors and that was probably the surprise my parents had for me, but no one came to mind.
I didn't wait for the others to arrive and entered the house with Abby. Curiosity was getting the best of me, and even if my friend didn't say it, she also wanted to know who was visiting the villa.
The butler opened the door when he saw me and led me to the living room, where I saw my parents sitting on separate couches, and three people were standing in front of them with their backs turned to me.
"Sarah has arrived. Come here, dear, I want you to meet the guests." My parents said. I looked at Abby, and she looked at me.
I had no choice but to approach my parents, and I opened my mouth in a perfect O when I saw the special guests.
If this was the surprise my father wanted to give me, let me tell you, he managed to surprise me.
