One Night Love Affair *COMPLETED*

Chapter Forty

WHEN GABE PICKED THEM UP FROM THE AIRPORT, Lana didn't think they will end up driving directly to his work. If she knew they were going to one place where the chance of meeting James Cornell practically skyrocketed, from the one similar of winning a lottery ticket, Lana would rather take a subway. Even if it meant to take an overly excited child and two suitcases on the subway during the rush hour in a city she was visiting for the first time.

Everything was better than a possibility of running into James Cornell. Little did she know the reason for Gabe to go back to the office was to meet up with James Cornell in person.

Because if she knew this little fact, Lana wouldn't really care if Sam would make a tantrum and start screaming and crying and throwing himself on the floor, because he couldn't go see the cool game room his uncle Gabe told him, they have in the office.

"Don't worry Lana, I'll be quick. I just have to talk to my boss for a moment and we'll be on our way to the hotel. You'll be able to take a nap and I'll take this little man to Central Park for a walk and a pretzel."

"Fine." She reluctantly agreed, even though she had a feeling nothing good will happen from her visiting Cornell Inc. offices. "But only because you're my brother and I love you. And also I want you guys to bring me a pretzel back to my room when you return from Central Park."

"You know it sister." He nudged her and turned to Sam. "Buddy, it looks like you'll get to see how my office looks like. Are you excited?"

"I'm excited!"

He repeated after his uncle, jumping on his seat, proving just how excited he was.

"Did you give let him drink some of your coffee this morning?"
Gabe jokingly asked Lana and she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Nope, he's been this way ever since I told him about the trip yesterday."

"OK, this probably explains it." For a moment there was a silence in the car Gabe hired. "I'm happy you came Lana."

"I'm happy I came as well. But to tell the truth, I'll be a lot happier once we leave your office and are far away from the skyscraper where Cornell Inc is located."

Gabe laughed at his sister's desperate expression, saying everyone she wasn't happy with what she just agreed to.

"Look, we're already here."

Lana climbed out of the car and grabbed Sam's hand, before he could run off to the building and get lost on his first day in the Big Apple.

"What did we talk about Sam?"

She nicely reminded him, while fixing his hair. He looked like an excavator drove over his head.

"I stay right next to you. I have to hold your or uncle Gabe's hand, so I don't get lost. If I get lost I find the nearest policeman or fireman, and tell them I got lost, my name and your number."

"Good boy. Now, let's go see where uncle Gabe is working."

Together they walked into the lobby and waited for an elevator. It came a lot sooner than Lana would of liked, but there was no turning back now.

The moment she stepped out of the elevator into the offices of Cornell Inc, she knew her instinct was right. Because right there, in the biggest office was getting up the man she dread of seeing.

'James Cornell. Samuel James Reed's father. Her one and only one night stand. Her last lover.'

There were so many words Lana had to describe James. But now they were face to face once again, only one description mattered - Samuel James Reed's father.

"You didn't tell me he's going to be here!"

She whisper-yelled at her brother.

"I forgot?"

She could hear from his apologetic tone he knew exactly well James Cornell will be in the office today.

"You owe me more than just a pretzel from the Central Park."

Gabe pretended he didn't hear a silent threat behind her words and pulled little Sam towards the big playroom.

"Come buddy, I'll show you how to play ping-pong!"

Sam didn't even notice that his mother wasn't tagging along and practically ran into the game room.

'It's now or never.'

Lana said to herself, trying to gather the courage to walk and later on talk to James.

It took a couple of moments and a quick pep talk to herself, but Lana finally gathered the courage to walk into James's office.

"Hello James."

Sometime during her walk to his office James had sat down on his chair, and now that Lana was so close to him, she could notice he was unusually pale.

When he didn't say anything back to her, not even to return her greeting, she simply took a seat herself and looked around the office.

"Hello Lana. You can seat down and make yourself at home."

James was still just seating on his chair, not even moving a muscle. An expression of pure shock painted clearly on his face.

"I don't know what happened to you after you left Reedville, but we need to talk."

When Lana realized he still wasn't going to say anything, she decided to just continue talking, before she chickens out and doesn't tell him everything she wanted to tell him.

"I know it was a shock to find out you have a son, but I had my reasons for not telling you. Not only was it because I didn't tell you my real name on the night we first met, it's more complicated than that. Before I tell you anything, you must also know that when I did found the courage to pick up the phone and call you, I found out you just got married, and I didn't want to ruin your marriage."

A fit of laughter came from James. He also said something, but Lana wasn't sure why he'd be cursing his ex-wife and saying it would be for the best of she would call him.

Instead of asking him what he meant by this, she lifted her hand and effectively shutting him up.

"I have something to tell you, and I appreciated if you would just shut up and listen."

When no sound came from James and he reluctantly nodded his head, she continued with her speech. The one she thought about during the entire flight from Dallas to JFK.

"It all started six years ago, when I was working in Los Angeles as a waitress in a small diner, barely making enough for a living..."