If the Stick Turns Pink...

by Carla Cassidy

  “Bailey, you’re the only man in my life,” she protested.

  He gazed at her with a touch of sympathy. “Honey, eventually you’ll find the perfect man for you and get married and have a houseful of babies. Just give it time.”

  “I’m running out of time,” she exclaimed. “And you know my track record when it comes to finding Mr. Right. It stinks.”

  “That’s because your standards are too high.”

  “Bailey, just think about it.” To Melanie the whole idea seemed perfect. “I want my mom to know my child before it’s too late.”

  He looked at her in alarm. “Is her cancer back?”

  “No, but there’s no guarantee it won’t come back. You know how much I’ve wanted a baby, Bailey. Please think about this. You’re my very best friend in the whole wide world. Can’t you do this one thing for me?”

  Bailey was in shock. He studied the freckled face of the woman who had been his best friend for as long as he could remember, and he felt as if he were looking at a stranger.

  “Mellie, you know after the mess with Stephanie I vowed I would never marry again,” he said.

  She waved her hands dismissively. “Stephanie was a bubble-headed social climber who wasn’t half good enough for you.”

  He grinned. “That’s one thing we agree on.” His smile faded as Melanie didn’t return it.

  “It would only be a temporary marriage,” she repeated. “And I would never ask anything of you after that. Just give me a baby and I’ll go away happy.”

  He reached out and placed a hand on the side of her face. “Mellie, you know I would do anything for you. When we were in fifth grade I beat up Harley Raymond because he called you a bad name.”

  A ghost of a smile curved her lips. “The way I recall it, Harley Raymond made mincemeat out of you.”

  He laughed. “Okay, maybe you’re right, but I took the beating for your honor. In high school I tolerated you dressing me up in a monkey suit to take you to the prom. I would do anything in the world for you…except this.” He dropped his hand.

  She shrugged and offered him the slightly crooked grin that was as familiar to Bailey as his own heartbeat. “It was just a thought,” she said.

  Bailey relaxed, feeling for the first time in several minutes as if they were back on familiar footing. “What are your plans for the evening?”

  She made a face. “I’ve got appointments until about eight, then I have to come up with final grades before the end of this week when school lets out for the summer. I’ll probably get started on them tonight. What about you?”

  “I’ll probably eat a little of one of those questionable casseroles, then call it a night early. I’ve got a neutering surgery scheduled for seven in the morning.”

  “How about a movie tomorrow night,” she suggested. Most Friday nights they spent together, either eating dinner out or going to the old theater in town.

  “Why don’t we rent one and I’ll pop popcorn and we’ll watch it here.”

  She nodded and moved to the door of her car. “Sounds good. About seven?”

  “Perfect,” he agreed, and watched as she got into her car, the late-afternoon sunshine glinting off her long, curly red hair.

  He waved and smiled as she pulled out of the drive, then shoved his hands in his pockets and frowned thoughtfully as her car disappeared from sight.

  What on earth had possessed her to come up with such a crazy idea, he wondered as he headed into the barn to do a checkup of the animals in his care.

  He and Mellie were not winners when it came to the romances in their lives, but they were absolute champions when it came to their friendship with each other. Bailey would never do anything to risk that friendship. And nothing could ruin things like a marriage.

  Twenty minutes ago he would have told anyone that Melanie Watters was the most grounded woman he’d ever known. She was bright, logical and had both feet firmly planted on the ground. But that had been before she’d voiced her crazy idea about marriage and pregnancy.

  Maybe the approach of her thirtieth birthday at the end of the year had picked her feet up off the ground and put craziness in her head, he thought as he left the barn.

  He entered the house by the back door and walked into the large, airy kitchen he rarely used. As a confirmed bachelor, most of Bailey’s meals were either zapped in the microwave or eaten at the local diner.

  The only really good home-cooked meals he ever got were when either his mother or Melanie took pity on him and cooked for him.

  At the moment the last thing he wanted was dinner. All he wanted was a nice warm shower and to kick back with a cold beer.

  He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Melanie it had been a miserable day. Not only had he been confronted by several well-meaning mothers of potential contestants, he’d had to put down a beloved old dog who’d belonged to friends of his.

  He walked into his bedroom and kicked off his shoes, then walked into the bathroom and stripped off his still-damp jean shorts. He tossed them in the direction of the hamper, pulled a towel from the linen closet, then yanked open the shower door and yelped in surprise.

  The dark-haired, naked woman standing in his shower smiled. “Hey, Bailey, I thought maybe you’d like me to scrub your back.”

  “Jeez, SueEllen, what the heck are you doing?” Bailey wasn’t sure whether to cover himself with the towel in his hand or cover her. He finally managed to sling the towel around his hips and grab another from the closet and throw it to SueEllen Trexlor.

  SueEllen took the towel, but instead of wrapping it around herself, held it out from her. “I just thought I’d show you some of the talent I can’t show you during the pageant,” she said.

  Bailey groaned and quickly turned his back on her. “Would you get out of my shower and get dressed. What on earth would your mama say?”

  “My mama wants me to be Miss Dairy Cow.”

  Bailey groaned again and left the bathroom. He grabbed a pair of jeans from a drawer and went into the living room, where he quickly pulled them on.

  A moment later SueEllen appeared in the bedroom doorway. To his relief she had pulled on the sundress she’d apparently arrived in, although the top several buttons were undone to expose her ample chest.

  “I’ve always had a thing for you, Bailey,” she said, her voice a seductive purr as she advanced toward him.

  Had every woman in Foxrun gone stark, raving mad? Bailey wondered if there was something alien in the air, a weird position of the moon, as he backed away from her.

  “I’m flattered, SueEllen, but you need to get on home now,” he said. “This isn’t right.”

  “And what’s wrong with it? I’m an adult and you’re an adult. We’re both free and single.”

  “But I’m not,” Bailey protested.

  SueEllen stopped in her tracks. “You aren’t what?”

  The conversation with Mellie was still ringing in his ears, and he grasped at it desperately. “I’m not single…I mean, I just got engaged to Melanie Watters.”

  SueEllen frowned in obvious dismay and reached for the buttons of her dress. “Why didn’t you say something sooner, Bailey? You know I would never steal somebody else’s fiancé. I do have my standards.”

  She tossed her head and flounced toward the front door. She pulled on the door, then turned back to face him with a sly smile. “I hope you won’t hold this against me in the pageant. I meant it when I said I’ve always found you attractive, Bailey.” Her smile widened. “And now I know for sure just how attractive you are.”

  Bailey felt the heat of a blush sweep over his features. Thankfully she apparently didn’t expect a reply, with a waggle of her fingers, she disappeared out the door.

  Instantly Bailey dropped to the sofa and waited for his heart to stop pounding so frantically. He’d been joking with Melanie when he told her he was afraid some contestant would be in his bed. It hadn’t crossed his mind that the oversexed, attractive SueEllen might be waiting for him naked in
his shower.

  Thinking of showers…he pulled himself up off the sofa, carefully locked both the front and back doors, then headed for the shower once again.

  It wasn’t until he was standing beneath the hot spray of water that he realized what he had just done. SueEllen and her mother were two of the biggest gossips in the town of Foxrun, and he’d just told SueEllen that he was engaged to Mellie.

  He quickly shut off the faucets and, still dripping water, grabbed jeans and a shirt. He had to get hold of Mellie. He had to tell her what had happened before she heard it through Foxrun’s prolific grapevine.

  Chapter Two

  The Foxrun Elementary School was a charming two-story brick building a block off Main Street. For nine months of the year Melanie taught second-graders on the second floor, and during that time the old brick building felt like home.

  Her classroom welcomed her with bright colors on the bulletin boards and the familiar scent of chalk and children. As she slid into the chair behind her desk, she marveled that in less than a week’s time the school year would be over and the decorations on the bulletin boards would be taken down until next year.

  The teachers held two parent-teacher conferences each year. The first was held just before Christmas to discuss what improvements needed to be made and any areas of weakness the child displayed. This conference at the end of the school year was to talk about what improvements had been made and what the parents might want to do to help the child prepare for their next year of school.

  Melanie checked her watch, then pulled out the folder for Becky Altenburg. Becky’s parents would be here at any minute and they would be happy with Becky’s progress. She was a delightful little girl, both bright and cheerful.

  With her paperwork ready before her, Melanie leaned back in her chair and tried not to think about Bailey. From the moment she’d left his place, she’d been kicking herself for speaking aloud the nutty idea that had momentarily taken possession of her brain.

  The very last thing she would ever want was to do something that would destroy the precious friendship they shared. They’d even gone to the same college together in Kansas City. The only time they’d really been apart was when he’d met and married the beautiful Stephanie.

  After college he’d returned to Foxrun with his bride. She’d lasted two months in the small town before hightailing it out of here. But the time Melanie had been apart from Bailey had been the most miserable time in her life.

  Still, she couldn’t seem to get her idea out of her head. Was it really so crazy? There wasn’t a man in Foxrun she was even vaguely romantically interested in, and she hadn’t been lying when she’d told Bailey that she wanted children while her mother was still around to share the joy.

  The more she thought about it, the more she thought it was a perfect solution for both of them. She trusted Bailey more than she trusted anyone, and she was absolutely confident their friendship could withstand an unconventional marriage of convenience.

  She smiled and shoved away thoughts of Bailey and babies as Max and Betty Altenburg walked into the classroom. The conference lasted only fifteen minutes, then the Altenburgs left, smiling proudly with Melanie’s words of praise for Becky ringing in their ears.

  Looking at her watch once again, she realized she had about fifteen minutes before the next set of parents arrived. She got up from her desk and left the classroom, heading for the gymnasium where coffee, punch and cookies were supposed to be served.

  About two dozen people milled around a gaily decorated long table in the small gym. The air was rife with the scent of fresh coffee and sugary baked goods. Melanie grabbed a cookie and a cup of coffee, then started back in the direction of her classroom.

  She’d nearly made it out of the gym when her good friend and fellow teacher, Kathy Milsap approached her. “I’ve been looking all over for you!” she exclaimed as she grabbed Melanie’s arm and guided her away from the gym. “Why didn’t you tell me? I thought I was one of your best friends.”

  “You are, and what didn’t I tell you?” Melanie asked curiously, then bit into the soft gooey cookie.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that you and Bailey are engaged to be married.”

  Melanie choked and nearly spit the bite of cookie out of her mouth. She took a sip of her coffee and stared at Kathy in astonishment. “Where did you hear that?” she finally managed to gasp out.

  “I heard it from Teri who heard it from Krista, who heard it from SueEllen at the beauty shop.” Kathy’s blue eyes sparkled merrily. “So, when is the big day? I insist that I throw you a big shower. Oh, it will be such fun! Your mom and dad must be absolutely thrilled.”

  Melanie’s head spun dizzily and she held up a hand in an attempt to halt Kathy’s exuberant chattering. “I’ve got a meeting in two minutes,” she said. “We’ll talk later about all this.”

  She escaped to her room, where she sank down behind her desk in bewilderment. Why on earth would SueEllen Trexlor be telling people that Melanie and Bailey were engaged? Surely SueEllen had simply made a mistake…heard a piece of gossip and mistakenly twisted it into an engagement.

  It certainly wouldn’t be the first time a false rumor had whirled in the air in the tiny town of Foxrun. In truth, with only two television channels available for viewing without a satellite and only one local movie theater that played really old movies to provide entertainment, the good people of Foxrun thrived on gossip and innuendo.

  She needed to talk to Bailey. What if he heard the rumor and assumed she’d been the one to start it because of the conversation they’d had that afternoon?

  She would be mortified if he thought she’d tried to push his hand by starting such a rumor. Surely he knew her well enough to know that if she were going to try to convince him to agree with her plan, she wouldn’t be underhanded but would come to him face-to-face.

  She’d always been one of those people who thought cell phones were silly indulgences, but now she desperately wished she had one.

  Maybe she’d have time to sneak into the office and use the phone, she thought. But at that moment her next set of parents arrived.

  It was eight-thirty by the time she finished with the last of her meetings. She left the building and hurried toward her car, eager to get to Bailey’s and tell him the latest rumor making the rounds.

  She unlocked her car door, then squealed in surprise as a hand touched her on the back. She whirled around to see Bailey. “You nearly scared me to death,” she exclaimed. “I was just getting ready to go to your place.”

  “We need to talk,” he said. “How about we take a walk over to Millie’s and get a cup of coffee.” Millie’s Family Restaurant was the most popular place in Foxrun.

  Melanie nodded her assent, and together the two of them started walking toward the restaurant on Main Street. As usual, Melanie had to lengthen her strides to match his, and as usual, he was clad in tight, worn jeans and a T-shirt.

  She couldn’t help but notice how the worn denim hugged the length of his long, muscular legs and emphasized his trim waist.

  “Have you heard the newest rumor making its way around town?” she asked tentatively.

  “If it’s the one I think it is, I’m afraid I’m the one who started it.”

  “What?” She stopped in her tracks and stared at him.

  “Come on, I’ll explain everything over a cup of coffee.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door of Millie’s.

  A bell over the door tinkled as they entered into the warm, heavenly scented interior of the restaurant. It was late enough in the evening that there were few diners.

  Bailey led her to the back booth, their regular spot for dining. Almost immediately Samantha, Foxrun’s sheriff’s teenage daughter, appeared to take their orders.

  “Just coffee for me,” Bailey said.

  “The same for me,” Melanie agreed. “Now, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” she asked when Samantha had departed.

  He leaned back again
st the red plastic booth and raked a hand through his hair in distraction. “Remember our conversation this afternoon when I told you I was half afraid some Miss Dairy Cow contestant would show up naked in my bed?”

  Astonishment swept through her. “Don’t tell me…who?”

  “SueEllen Trexlor, but she wasn’t in my bed, she was in my shower.”

  “Naked?”

  “As a jaybird.”

  They both stopped talking as Samantha returned to the booth with two cups of steaming coffee. When she left them once again, Melanie stifled a grin with one of her hands. “Tell me all.”

  “It isn’t funny,” Bailey exclaimed with a scowl. “It was downright embarrassing.”

  She tried to keep the grin from her lips. “So, how did things go from a naked SueEllen in your shower to the rumor that we’re engaged?”

  Bailey frowned and wrapped his hands around his mug. “I guess your crazy idea was still going around in my head when I opened my shower door and saw her there waiting for me. I panicked and told her I was an engaged man.” The blue of his T-shirt intensified the blue of his eyes as he held her gaze. “Who did you hear it from?”

  “Kathy Milsap. According to her, SueEllen told Teri, who told Krista who told Kathy.” She shrugged. “You know how things spread in Foxrun.”

  “I know,” he replied, looking utterly miserable.

  “Honestly, Bailey, it isn’t the end of the world,” she exclaimed. “The way I see it we have two choices. You can either tell everyone you’re a liar or we can get married and follow through on the plan I outlined this afternoon.”

  His frown deepened and he stared down into his coffee mug. Melanie waited patiently, knowing that Bailey never did anything without thinking through his options.

  She took a sip of her coffee and tried not to notice the length of his long dark lashes, the attractive structure of his facial features.

  There had been a time in high school when raging hormones or something alien had made her yearn for Bailey in a way that had nothing to do with their friendship.