Baby Makes Four

by Cynthia Thomason

  Camryn’s head buzzed with the first spark of anger. “And did they...come up after you?”

  Esther shook her head.

  “Oh, Esther, you believed them? What have I told you about taking dares from Phillip and Justin? Don’t you realize how foolish it was for you to...”

  Reed’s boot steps made her pause. She spun around to see the back of him as he exited the barn.

  “Where is he going in such a hurry?” Brooke asked. “And who are Phillip and Justin?”

  “Reed’s sons,” Cam explained. “He’s a single father, and if he’s got any sense at all, he’s on his way to find his sons and punish them. This isn’t the first time they’ve goaded Esther into doing something she shouldn’t.”

  “Obviously they like you, Es,” Brooke said.

  Esther grinned. “Do you think so?”

  “Absolutely. Your mother knows all about chickens. But I know a thing or two about men. And my instinct says...”

  “I hope it’s telling you to be quiet,” Camryn said. “I don’t need to hear such nonsense right now.”

  Brooke smiled. “As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what it’s telling me.”

  * * *

  A HALF HOUR later Camryn left Esther soaking in the tub and returned to the kitchen, where Brooke was waiting.

  “How is she?” Brooke asked, nursing another glass of iced tea.

  “She’s fine. A few bruises. One minor abrasion. But she was lucky. I know that. She could have fallen all the way through and hit the barn floor.”

  “I suppose,” Brooke said. “But she didn’t.”

  Camryn brought some lunch meat and bread to the table. She couldn’t eat a thing but figured Brooke must be hungry after driving from Charleston. Sitting down, Camryn took a couple of deep breaths. “I don’t know where she gets this bold streak all of a sudden. Esther has always been such a quiet child. She has never been a discipline problem, and now she has defied me more than once in just a few days.”

  Brooke reached in her bag and took out a compact mirror. She fluffed her hair with exaggerated movements. “Can’t imagine where she gets it, Cammie, but I’m starting to think she looks a bit like me, too.”

  Camryn laughed. “She looks like both of us, and I never broke any rules.”

  Brooke dropped the mirror back in her purse. “Karma will get you for that lie, sister.”

  Camryn sighed. “I’m going to have to make some adjustments around here. Esther hasn’t learned to stand up to those boys of Reed’s, so I don’t have a choice. I have to monitor the times she sees them. They can’t come over here whenever they want to.”

  Brooke slathered mustard on a slice of bread. “You don’t want to inflict the same rules on their father, do you?”

  Cam didn’t know what she was getting at.

  “Speaking of Reed,” Brooke said. “Let’s talk about him for a minute...or an hour or two. He’s absolutely scrumptious, Cam, a fact which you neglected to tell me when you explained this barn rental agreement.”

  “His looks had nothing to do with my decision to rent him the barn,” Cam said but couldn’t hide a smile. “Though I have to agree with you. I simply needed the eight hundred dollars he offered me. How do you think I paid for those new chickens in the yard?”

  “So, in essence, Reed paid for your chickens. Besides being gorgeous, he’s a true romantic. No man has ever given me a chicken, not a live one anyway.” She took a bite of sandwich and spoke around the food in her mouth, something Brooke rarely did. “Tell me you’re appreciating this guy on every level, Cam. I mean it’s great that he rescued Es, but surely you’ve discovered his other attributes.”

  “I’m not about to admit to that, and don’t read anything into him being my new neighbor. We are friends I suppose, but that’s it.”

  “Friends who are both single. I’m assuming he still has red blood pumping through his veins, though at times I wonder about you.”

  Camryn rubbed her tummy. “It’s that dang red blood that got me in this situation.”

  “How is that going anyway?”

  “Okay, I guess, and thank goodness. I only have a short time until the critical period is over. Then I hope I can relax.” Unable to discuss the tragic details of her other pregnancies, Camryn stared down at the tabletop and shook her head. “I know I’ve been a bit uptight about this baby, Brooke. But delivering a strong, healthy child is all I think about these days.”

  “Understandable. But when you finally can relax, I hope you’ll allow your thoughts to wander to that handsome neighbor. He seems like a great guy, Cam. And he’s obviously interested in you as more than a landlady.”

  “I don’t know how you could tell that in just the few seconds you spoke with him.” But Camryn didn’t bother to deny Brooke’s observation. Reed had definitely shown an interest in her last night at her front door. She’d thought about his words over and over again before falling asleep, and she’d wondered about what would have happened if their children hadn’t been present.

  “Okay, I’m guessing, but it’s an educated guess.”

  “Even if he is interested, I can’t encourage any relationship with Reed now, Brooke. You know that. I’m barely two months divorced. I’m three months pregnant. I have no business thinking about starting something with Reed. Besides, he’s raising those two roughneck boys...” She patted her stomach again. “I have this bundle of joy to consider. And I can’t imagine that Reed would welcome a fourth child between us.”

  Brooke frowned. “Now who’s reading minds?”

  “It’s not just my pregnancy.” Camryn paused and took a deep breath. “I had one of my spells in front of him the other day. I covered it well. He assumed I’d gotten dizzy and I let him believe that. Bottom line, if he knew about even half the baggage I’m carrying around with me, he would run for the hills.”

  “He doesn’t seem like the running kind to me,” Brooke said.

  “You’re drawing conclusions, Brooke. I barely know the man and you just met him.”

  “True, but maybe you should give him a chance before assuming that it could never work between you. In fact...” Brooke stopped, took a sip of tea. “You should level with him. Tell him everything. I know I’d feel better if you did, and Mom and Dad, too.”

  “Why would my telling Reed about my pregnancy make you feel better?”

  “We all worry about you out on this farm with no one but Esther. We’d all like to think someone close by is watching over you.”

  Camryn shook her head. “Honestly, Brooke, do you think I would tell Reed what’s going on in my life so I could guilt him into being my babysitter? Or to satisfy you and Mom and Dad?”

  “I didn’t mean that the way it came out,” Brooke said. “I sense that you like this guy. It’s quite possible he likes you, too. You might as well start the friendship off with the truth. He’s going to know you’re pregnant in a couple of months anyway. You can’t hide it forever.”

  “I don’t intend to hide it. I just don’t want to involve anyone in my problems. Things are going well for me. I’m getting a grip on my panic attacks...or I was.”

  Brooke finished her sandwich. “Okay, it’s your life. But please, if you see more of Reed...and I can’t even begin to imagine why you wouldn’t...he’s handsome, he’s educated...”

  Camryn grew impatient. “What’s your point?”

  “My point is that you should confide in him. If you don’t, and he’s interested in you, he’s going to wonder why you kept so much of your situation a secret. And even if he’s not interested in starting something with you, a nine-year-old girl is not qualified to help you if you suddenly need assistance. You need a vet nearby.” She gave Camryn a coy smile. “What are neighbors for anyway?”

  “I have friends. And neighbors don’t exist so we can take advantage of them. But I’ll think about your advice,
” Camryn said.

  “Good, and I’m leaving now. I came. I saw. I conquered—which reminds me... I’ll see you on Wednesday at the highway exit to Myrtle Beach. You’re not going to back out on me?”

  “No, I’ll be there. Reluctantly.”

  Brooke stood, came around the table. She leaned down and gave Camryn a hug. “This really is a charming little house, Cam. And your farm looks like it’s thriving to me, though I haven’t seen many farms to compare it to.”

  Cam walked into the living room with Brooke. When they passed the dining room table, Brooke suddenly stopped and stared at boxes filled with glass jars. “What is all this?” she asked. “I didn’t notice it when I came in.”

  “It’s blackberry jam, four dozen jars of it.”

  Brooke pulled a jar out of a box. “Don’t tell me...you made these yourself?”

  “I absolutely did. And I plan to sell them at the farmers market. Go ahead, take one. Blackberries grow wild around here, and if I do say so myself, the jam I make with them is delicious.”

  Brooke tucked the jar into her bag. “Oh, my gosh, Cam, it’s like you’re in a play or something.” In her most dramatic voice she added, “Come back to us, dear sister, before we lose you forever.”

  “Don’t be silly. Now pop into the bathroom and say goodbye to Esther.”

  Camryn was still smiling as Brooke drove down the lane to the road. Brooke wasn’t all wrong. Cam had changed, made decisions that had surprised her entire family. She had given up a big house and a life in Charleston for the sweet smell of grass in the country. There indeed was a big difference between the refurbished condo in a nineteenth-century house in Charleston, where Brooke lived, and a small farm in Bufflehead Creek.

  * * *

  AFTER SUPPER, CAMRYN and Esther played a game and watched a bit of television until Esther’s eyes would no longer stay open. Cam tucked her daughter in bed, turned on the night light and left the bedroom door open a crack.

  Now was Cam’s time. She showered, washed and dried her hair and slipped into her comfy chenille robe. After the day she’d had, she really wanted a glass of wine, but with a baby on the way, that wasn’t possible. So she poured a glass of white grape juice, added ice and went onto the front porch to enjoy the sounds of night time settling around the farm.

  She didn’t turn on the porch light because she didn’t want to attract bugs. But she lit a couple of citronella candles and sat in her favorite rocking chair. A fresh, cool breeze swept over the porch but the robe kept her warm and cozy. She rested her head on the back of the rocker, listened to a nearby owl in a tree and the melodious rhythm of crickets, and thought, I really do love it here. An idea for her Christmas magazine cover occurred to her. “Carl the Christmas Cricket,” she said aloud.

  After a few minutes, the peace of the evening was interrupted by a vehicle coming up her drive. Camryn had no idea what time it was, but certainly it was too late for visitors. She sat upright in the rocker and peered into the darkness. The vehicle was a large SUV, black in color. Camryn’s heartbeat escalated as the SUV came closer. Reed’s car.

  He parked in front of her porch and got out of his car.

  “Evening,” he said. “Mind a little company on a pretty night?”

  She waited before answering to see if his sons got out of the back. They didn’t. “Sure. Pull up a chair.”

  “I noticed you hesitated before issuing the invitation, and I can’t blame you. The boys are home with my mother. She’s probably using a cattle prod to get them to bed right now.”

  He chose a comfortable wicker chair and scooted it close to Camryn. “How’s Esther?”

  “She’s fine. A couple of bruises, which to my dismay she is proud of, but she’s no doubt sleeping peacefully by now.”

  “That’s good.” He sat, crossed his legs so his ankle rested on the other leg. “Speaking of my boys, they didn’t have a good evening.”

  “Oh? Why is that?”

  “Because they learned they were denied video games for a month and have to do their homework immediately upon getting home from school for a week.” Reed smiled. “That last one probably hurts me more than it hurts them. I had planned to take full advantage of the lax child labor laws in this area and work their butts off in the barn.”

  Camryn nodded. “I guess it’s not unusual for our punishments to backfire on us once in a while.”

  Reed pushed the sleeves of his denim jacket past his elbows, revealing strong forearms with a light covering of dark hair. He shifted as if trying to get comfortable on the plush cushions and released a long breath. “I came to apologize,” he said. “Again.”

  Cam smiled. “Why? What did you do?”

  “What I did was contribute fifty per cent of my DNA to those two hooligans and then basically ignore their upbringing for eleven years. But what I’m apologizing for is their behavior. Their actions were dangerous and mean. All I can say to you now is that I think they understand that what they did was wrong for so many reasons.”

  He leaned toward Camryn, resting his forearm on the arm of her rocker. “But at the most basic level I think this was an example of boys and girls testing each other, trying to prove themselves and strutting around until they establish dominance. In other words, I think my boys actually like your daughter.” He smiled. “Justin said, ‘But she did it, Dad. She’s not a baby after all.’”

  Justin’s comment was little comfort to Camryn. She shook her head while her gaze remained on the tendons of that arm so close. “Funny, that’s what my sister said, but I’m not sure I buy it.”

  “That’s okay. Finding a reason for bad behavior does not excuse it. And in my capacity as a single father, I’ve learned a thing or two about bad behavior.”

  Camryn looked up, focused on the deep brown of his eyes. The entirely female part of her wished she had eyelashes even half as thick as Reed’s. His hair, still damp at the ends from a recent shower, glowed golden in the candle light. She couldn’t let such sensory pleasures influence her. While she’d been sitting on the porch, she’d reinforced the conclusion she’d reached earlier.

  “Reed,” she began. “You understand that I must think of my daughter before anything else.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ve made a decision. It would be best if your boys didn’t come around my farm unless they are supervised. One of the two of us should be present whenever the kids are together. If that is a hardship on you... If you want to cancel the rental agreement...”

  “I don’t. I’m happy with our situation. And my horses tell me they love it here.”

  She smiled. “You’re not angry? This hopefully isn’t forever, but for the near future...” She took a deep breath. “I understand that your sons are children, and all children test authority, but what happened in the barn today...”

  “I get it, Cam. Believe me, I know how bad it could have been. Phillip and Justin will be occupied with homework after school for the next week anyway, so they will not be near Esther. Maybe they’ll surprise us both and come to regret their actions. That’s my hope anyway. I have no problem with keeping them from coming over here. But I don’t want to punish myself, as well. I want to see you, Cam. I tried to tell you that last night. Maybe we can go out to dinner next week, with or without the kids, whatever makes you comfortable.”

  She considered the open-ended invitation. A dinner out might be nice, and with both parents there, all the children could be trusted to behave in a restaurant, couldn’t they? “I actually owe you a dinner,” she said. “But if you let me pay the bill for myself and Esther, I think we could do that.”

  “We can talk about the details later. And don’t worry about owing me a home-cooked meal. I intend to make you live up to that promise. But I’m just now thinking that you agreed too quickly to that part about taking the kids along.” He grinned at her. “I was kind of hoping you’d argue tha
t point.”

  “You don’t want to take the children?” she asked.

  He placed his hand on her arm over the sleeve of her robe. “What do you think?”

  “Well...”

  “Has Esther planned any sleepovers in the next little while?”

  Camryn smiled. “Are you seriously suggesting ways of getting rid of our children, Reed?”

  “Life isn’t all about the kids, Camryn. We adults need to find time for ourselves. Let’s make this dinner about just you and me. Good food. A good bottle of wine.”

  Camryn’s hand went instinctively to her tummy. “I don’t drink, but you can certainly have a glass.” If Reed was serious about wanting to take her out, the perfect solution for Esther had been presented this afternoon. Mark had called to say he wanted to drive down and pick up Esther on Friday for the weekend. Camryn certainly couldn’t deny Esther and her father time together, so she’d told Mark that he could come.

  Camryn bit her bottom lip. She suddenly wanted to go out to dinner with Reed, and the details were falling into place. Still she questioned whether she should do anything to further this relationship. Reed had responsibilities on his shoulders right now. There was so much about her life that Reed didn’t know. Maybe Brooke was right and Cam could tell him about her past, and present, when they went out.

  “The bottom line is this, Camryn,” Reed said. “My horses aren’t the only living, breathing creatures who like it here. I consider the day I met you at the feedstore to be a stroke of pure luck.” He took her hand and held it in both of his. “I like you, Camryn, more than I expected to that day and perhaps more than I should considering those two boys over there are doing everything they can to make the Bolden men look bad. But it is what it is, and I do like you.”

  Continuing to hold her hand in one of his and gently massaging her knuckles with his thumb, he shifted his free hand to her nape. His fingers threaded through her loose hair, tickling her neck in the most delightful way. His palm was warm, sending waves of pleasure through her shoulders. When he pulled her close, she knew he was going to kiss her. And she knew she wouldn’t resist.