“It’s fine.” Callum pressed a swift kiss to her mouth. “I’m going to text my brothers and Stephanie and let them know I won’t be home tonight. The nurses will take care of both Linus and me tonight.”
“I know,” she said softly. “It’s an amazing thing you’re doing.”
He chuckled. “I’m sleeping on a hospital bed for the night. Not quite hero material.”
“You are to me,” she blurted, then felt her cheeks heat as a look of panic passed over his face. “I’ll check in later,” she said quickly, careful not to meet his gaze. The emotions churning inside her from the baby’s plight were making her speak without thinking. She’d been careful not to push Callum more on his future plans. She had to believe that his willingness to become involved with Linus meant he was ready to commit to Rambling Rose. He cared about this town, and she hoped he cared about her, as well.
Chapter Eleven
Callum woke the next morning to the sound of his sister’s soft singing and the smell of fresh coffee. Stephanie stood in front of the bassinet, blocking his view of the sleeping infant.
He scrubbed a hand over his eyes and they focused on Becky entering the room. She walked over to him and gently swept her fingers along his jaw, then kissed the top of his head. Her touch was comforting in a way that pricked along his nerve endings. Last night had made him far too vulnerable, more than he’d expected or felt equipped to handle.
He’d told her yesterday he wasn’t a hero. He’d simply gone with his natural instinct to protect little Linus, whose young life had changed irreparably in an instant. Coupled with his need to ease the tension he saw in Becky, he’d had no choice but to get involved.
It wasn’t the man he knew himself to be, and his greatest fear at this point was that she would expect from him something he wasn’t capable of giving.
“Why aren’t you in the bed?” Becky frowned as he stretched his neck and sat up straighter in the chair where he’d spent most of the night.
“I was afraid of falling asleep too deeply and not hearing him,” he admitted. “What time is it?”
“Almost seven.” Becky handed him a cup of coffee. “Stephanie and I arrived at the same time. You look like you could use this.”
“Intravenously,” he said with a laugh.
“Did Linus wake a lot?” Stephanie asked over her shoulder as she leaned down to pick up the baby.
“Every three hours like clockwork,” Callum said, marveling at the care with which his sister held the small baby. Once again, he was struck by the maternal side he hadn’t realized was part of Stephanie’s makeup. “Bottle, diaper change and some deep conversations about life. The little man and I covered all the bases.”
He took Becky’s hand, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “Where are the twins? I thought it was your day off so they wouldn’t be coming to day care.”
“A friend is watching them.” At his raised brow, she added, “It’s Sarah, the building manager’s wife. She’s really good with them, and I wanted to check in on you and Linus.”
“I took a personal day,” Stephanie said, finally turning toward them. “I couldn’t stay away.”
“Since when has your biological clock been ticking like a gong?” Callum asked his sister.
“She cares about Linus and Laurel.” Becky pushed a brown paper bag toward him with more force than was necessary. “She’s got a big heart.”
“Yeah,” Stephanie agreed, her eyes narrowing. “Listen to your girlfriend, Callum. She’s obviously the brains between the two of you.”
He tried to hide the agitation that rose to the surface at Stephanie referring to Becky as his girlfriend. Of course she was his girlfriend. What else would he call a woman with whom he spent almost every night?
But something about the word gave their relationship a gravity that made his flight instinct kick into high gear. Or maybe it was just his lack of sleep. Either way, he busied himself with opening the bag and pulling out a foil-wrapped burrito.
“It’s from the food truck out near Mariana’s,” Becky told him, her voice unusually light. “Best breakfast in town.”
Callum wasn’t familiar with Mariana’s but didn’t ask, unsure how to handle the strange current of tension running between them. If Stephanie noticed the awkwardness, she didn’t mention it, all of her attention focused on the baby.
The door opened and Parker walked in, his gaze tracking between the three of them. “Then you’ve heard the news,” he said to Becky and Callum before turning to Stephanie. “You’re doing a wonderful thing.”
“Holding a baby?” Callum scoffed in the way of big brothers everywhere. “She’s not that impressive. Wait until she deals with her first blowout diaper.”
“There’ll be plenty of time for that,” Parker said. “As soon as the social worker gets here, we’ll finalize the paperwork.”
Callum finally glanced up at Becky, who looked as confused as him. “What paperwork?” he asked.
“I haven’t told them,” Stephanie said, biting down on her lower lip.
“What’s going on?” Callum rose from the chair, placing the coffee and breakfast on the counter. He didn’t like the way Dr. Green was looking at his sister, like they shared some kind of secret.
“It’s not really my news to tell,” Parker said carefully. “I’ll give you all some time. Stephanie, come to my office when you’re ready and we’ll go over a few items.”
“Ready for what?” Callum demanded as the doctor closed the door behind him.
“Hush,” Stephanie whispered when the baby stirred in her arms. “You’re going to wake him.”
“I should go, too.” Becky took a step toward the door, but Callum instinctively reached out and enclosed her thin wrist with his fingers. He might bristle about putting a label on what was between them, but that didn’t change the fact that he wanted her at his side.
“You’re overreacting for nothing,” Stephanie said, then transferred her gaze from Callum to Linus. “I’ve been approved as this sweetheart’s foster mom.”
Callum felt his mouth drop open. He looked to Becky, who seemed as bewildered as him. “Since last night?” He shook his head. “That’s impossible. It takes—”
“Months,” Stephanie finished. “I put in my application right when we moved. I’ve gotten background checks, gone through interviews.” She looked up at him and cringed. “I even did a home visit that weekend in November when you, Steven and Dillon went camping.”
“I don’t understand.” Callum prided himself on knowing every intricacy of his siblings’ lives, especially Stephanie and the triplets. They’d always been close. How could she have undertaken something so monumental without telling him about it? “Do Mom and Dad know?”
“I called them this morning,” his sister answered, her tone thick with emotion. How had their parents reacted to the news?
He ran a hand through his hair, fatigue and frustration threatening to engulf him. “You shouldn’t have done this without running it by the family first.”
Stephanie’s shoulders went rigid. She carefully placed Linus into the bassinet, then took the few steps across the room to stand in front of Callum. At the same time, he felt Becky shift closer and was profoundly grateful for her sweet protectiveness, even if it was unnecessary.
As one of eight kids, Callum was well versed in sibling squabbles. He loved his family beyond measure and knew they could disagree and still maintain their closeness. But he’d never seen a fire like the one that glowed in his sister’s eyes at the moment.
“I’m an adult,” Stephanie said, her hands on her hips, her voice like a laser cutting through him. “Don’t forget, I’m only a few years younger than you. So as much as I appreciate the big-brother-knows-all routine, you don’t know everything about me. I make decisions for my life based on what is right for me.” She tapped her chest with two finge
rs. “I’m going to be that baby’s foster mom, and I will care for him like he’s my own as long as he needs me.”
“This will change everything,” he said, although he wasn’t sure whether he spoke the words for her benefit or his own. “Paws and Claws is about to open. You’ll be busy with that. There’s so much going on. Fostering Linus is going to—”
“Give my life more meaning,” she interrupted, a gentle catch in her voice. “It will make me happy and challenge me in ways I probably can’t imagine.” Stephanie laughed softly. “I know what I’m getting into, Callum. You might not be ready to settle down and build a life and home in Rambling Rose, but I am.”
Becky let out a startled gasp next to him, but he couldn’t take his eyes off his sister. It was like seeing her for the first time, or at least seeing her in a different light. Only a few years separated them in age, but he’d taken on a protective role toward her as much as he’d had with the triplets. Now they’d all grown up.
Ashley, Megan and Nicole were going to open their restaurant in Rambling Rose, linking three more members of his family to this community. And Stephanie was becoming a foster parent to a sweet, innocent baby who needed her. Linus would be living under their roof until his future was settled. Was that odd pain in his gut the uneasy feeling of his siblings passing him by?
He’d thought he knew what he wanted from life, but now questions and doubts swirled through him like a cold gust of wind. He didn’t know how to buffer his heart from the potential damage other than to close it off.
All he could control was his reaction to the present moment, and right now he understood he needed to change his attitude. He might not understand Stephanie’s reasons for choosing this path, but his only job was to support her on it.
“I’m sorry,” he said gently. “Blame it on sleep deprivation or—”
“Your typical high-handedness,” she added, but one side of her mouth curved into a smile.
“That, too,” he admitted. “You will be the most amazing foster parent. All of us, and especially Linus, are lucky you made that decision.” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s one of the most selfless things I can imagine, and I’m actually in awe of you right now.”
Stephanie sniffled and dabbed at the corner of her eye. “It’s about time.”
“It really is a gift you’re giving baby Linus,” Becky added. “If there’s anything I can do to help you with the transition, please let me know.”
For the first time since she’d revealed her plans, Stephanie looked the tiniest bit panicked. “I’ll take you up on that,” she told Becky. “I have the best of intentions, but very little experience with infants. And virtually no supplies.”
Becky wrapped his sister in a quick hug. “That I can take care of for you.”
He could see Stephanie relax and understood that response. Becky’s generous spirit and quiet confidence had that effect on him, as well, easing any of the sharp edges of his life and allowing him to enjoy the small moments that meant the most.
“I’d appreciate it so much.” Stephanie offered Becky a wide smile. “I’m trying to appear like I know what I’m doing, but inside I’m terrified.”
If Callum hadn’t felt like a jerk before, that admission sealed the deal. His sister needed his support, not judgment or doubt.
“You’ll do great,” Becky assured Stephanie. “While you meet with Parker and the social worker, I’ll head home and gather up supplies. I didn’t find out the sex of the twins during the pregnancy, so I still have tons of neutral baby clothes. I’ll meet you at the ranch and get Linus settled in with you.”
Stephanie nodded. “Thank you. I just realized I don’t even have a car seat for him.” She shook her head. “What kind of foster parent doesn’t have a car seat?”
“The kind who wanted to meet her tiny charge right away.” Becky squeezed Stephanie’s arms, then took a step toward the door. “We keep a couple of infant seats stored in the utility closet next to the day care center in case patients need them.”
“I’ll go get it,” Callum offered, needing to feel useful in some way. “Then I’ll call Steven and Dillon to explain what’s going on.” He flashed a wry smile at his sister. “I can at least save you from having to deal with them the way you did me.”
“It’s probably good that your initial reaction was so lame.” Stephanie winked. “Now you’ll feel guilty about it for weeks and will happily do diaper duty or late-night feedings to make it up to me. Right?”
He wrapped her in a tight hug. “Whatever it takes, li’l sister.”
* * *
Becky tried to focus on the twins’ happy babbling from the back seat as she drove toward the ranch and not on the disappointed beating of her own heart.
All those silly fantasies she’d had of Callum had evaporated like dew on the grass in the morning sun. Listening to him speak to his sister about losing her freedom made Becky know that he wasn’t thinking of staying. At least not now.
She had no idea how he felt about her and her girls. Sure, he liked spending time with them. And the way he touched her body in the quiet hours of night made her feel cherished. But was it all just a temporary arrangement for him?
The Fortunes were doing so much for Rambling Rose. She hated to think that he could easily move on after all the work they’d put into revitalizing the town. She’d heard rumblings that some of the locals weren’t happy with all the changes. People were afraid that their community was falling prey to a sort of cowboy gentrification, and that longtime residents would be pushed aside for businesses that catered to the wealthy people moving into areas like the Rambling Rose Estates.
She knew that wasn’t the intent of Callum or his brothers. They wanted to add to the community, but if his plan didn’t include staying long-term, how much would Callum care about his impact?
And what about the impact he’d already had on her heart, she thought as she pulled up to the gatehouse at the entrance of the gated subdivision.
She offered a smile to the uniformed attendant, who frowned in response, giving her dusty minivan a dismissive once-over.
Acid seeped into Becky’s veins. Callum and his family had never made her feel like less because of their differences in social and financial status. The man staring at her now, with his cropped cut and ice-blue gaze, managed to do just that without saying a word. The older gentleman who’d been working the first night she’d come to the ranch was nowhere in sight.
“I’m visiting the Fortunes,” she said, forcing a cheerful tone.
“You aren’t on the list,” he said flatly.
“It’s been a whirlwind kind of morning.” Becky hitched a thumb toward the cargo area of her vehicle. “I’m bringing supplies for Stephanie and her new baby. Maybe you heard about the baby relinquished at the pediatric center yesterday? The Fortunes have stepped in to care for him, and I’m helping with that.”
She drew in a breath and tried to calm her beating heart. Nerves made her babble, and the way this man looked at her as if she were dirt on the bottom of his boot gave her a feeling of indignity she didn’t appreciate.
Sasha began to whimper from the back seat, as if she could sense her mama’s tension and wanted to offer her own kind of toddler empathy. Unfortunately, the last thing Becky needed was a meltdown on top of everything else.
“I’m Callum Fortune’s girlfriend,” she said, changing tactic. “He’s expecting me.”
“Not on the list,” the man repeated. He pointed to a few open parking spaces. “You can turn around over there.”
Becky almost did what he told her. That was how she was raised. Listen to authority. Don’t make waves. Know your place.
This surly man was a literal gatekeeper. She was tempted to drive home and ask Callum to come and pick up the baby supplies from her house. It would be much easier that way.
If motherhood had taught her o
ne lesson, though, it was that she possessed enough strength that she didn’t have to take the easy way out. She understood how to win a battle of wills. If this dude thought he had anything on a pair of grumpy toddlers, he was sorely mistaken.
“I’m not leaving,” she said, moving her sunglasses to the top of her head so she could return the gatekeeper’s glare. “You can choose to trust me or you can call Callum.” When the guy opened his mouth to argue, she held up a hand. “But just so we’re clear, he’s going to be very angry that you doubted me.”
The guard’s already pinched mouth thinned even further. After several long moments of staring at the clipboard in his hands, he thrust it at her. “Write down your name, address and phone number. If there are any questions, we’ll know how to contact you.”
“Okay,” she answered and scrawled the information with trembling fingers. It had worked. She’d held her ground and gotten her way. Forcing herself not to cheer or break out in song, she returned the clipboard to him. “You made the right decision today. Thank you.”
He gave a brief nod, then went into the gatehouse and hit the button to open the wrought-iron gate.
Becky drove through with a wide grin on her face. “Did you see how Mommy stood up to the rude man?” she asked her daughters, glancing at each of them in the rearview mirror. Sasha stared at her solemnly, binky shoved in her mouth, while Luna stared out the window at the rolling hills. “You girls are going to understand your worth a lot earlier than I did. I’m going to make sure you know that you deserve to be treated well all the time. No exceptions.”
She blew out a shaky breath, adrenaline pumping through her at the small stand she’d taken. “We will respect authority, but also know that we should be respected, as well. I’m going to become a strong woman so I can raise strong women.” She laughed at the depth of conversation she was having with her daughters. They couldn’t understand the meaning of her message but she continued to speak about their value as she drove down the winding drive that led to the Fortune ranch, needing to say the words out loud for herself as much as for them.
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