Mountain Man's Bride

by Lauren Wood

  Getting back to work, I tried to keep my mind off of things, but everything had my stomach in upheaval. I thought it was because of everything that was going on with Rex and Charlie, but I was starting to worry about it. I hadn’t been able to keep anything down in a couple of weeks.

  “Are you sure you are okay Sherry?”

  I looked over at Daniel and agreed that I was fine. “Yeah, no perfect. I just can’t seem to get away from the smell of fish.”

  “I didn’t know that it bothered you. This is one of the staples around here.”

  Daniels was one of my bosses and I didn’t want to appear like I couldn’t handle the job. I could, I just had to figure out why I felt this way.

  “Never did before. I don’t know what is wrong with me lately. Nerves I guess.”

  “Sounds like more than nerves. My wife couldn’t even pass the fish counter at the grocery store when she was pregnant.”

  I waved him off. “No, it’s not that.”

  He smiled and told me that he hoped that I got better. It was a nice thing for him to say, but I wanted to tell him that I was fine, everything was fine and I was going to figure it out. But he couldn’t be right. Right?”

  I mean I did have sex with Rex many times and we almost never used a condom. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility but it wasn’t something that I had really thought about.

  Now I couldn’t get it off of my mind. I was going to have to get checked out and see if this was the problem. I went home and stopped at a small pharmacy on my way home. I shook the whole time I was taking the pregnancy test, assuring myself that it wasn’t the case. I couldn’t be pregnant. I just couldn’t…

  Chapter 30

  Rex

  I pulled over to the side of the highway the third time my phone rang and it was Charlie on the phone. I was waiting for him to finally give me a call, but it had been a while and I was sure that I was going to have to wait a little while longer.

  “Hey man, what’s up?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “Shoot, what’s up Charlie? Are you ready to come back to work? I sure miss you down there.”

  “No, well yeah I will come in tomorrow, but I was calling about something else.”

  “Yeah? What’s that?”

  “I need to ask you if you want to come to mom’s for dinner. She called and gave me the riot act about not coming down for dinner. I am roped into it and she wanted me to do the same to you.”

  “Oh really? Rosalyn never really did take no for an answer.”

  “I know, so that is why I am calling you. I don’t want to have to be the one to tell her no. If you aren’t going to come, I am going to have her call you instead of getting onto me about it.”

  “No, no. That is okay. I will make sure that I am down there. When do you want me to go?”

  “I didn’t say I wanted you to go, not after what you and Sherry did, but I don’t have a choice. The dinner is for Friday night.”

  “Six o’ clock?”

  “Yeah, that never part never changes.”

  “You know that I wasn’t trying to hurt you Charlie, right?”

  “I just needed some time to clear my head. I still don’t know what to think about all of this, but right now I am just focused on the business and keeping my parents in the dark. I was afraid that this was going to happen and I can’t think of all of it at once.”

  “I hear ya Charlie. I will make sure that nothing is said. Your sister isn’t going to say anything and as long as we show up with our happy faces on, I don’t know why it would be any different.”

  “Alright Rex. I am going to get off of here. I guess I will see you on Friday. I may come in tomorrow for a little bit to do the books, but I don’t think I am ready for a whole day there.”

  I wanted to tell him to man up a little bit. He was acting like a bit of a wuss, but the way I saw it, at least he was talking to me again. It had been a long time since we hadn’t talked and it was because of something stupid back then. It wasn’t anything of much importance, not like now.

  “Sounds good enough for me, Rex. I just wanted to make sure you were coming. Do you got it at work?”

  I was tired as hell and running myself ragged, but if he needed a couple more days before we made up and got back to reality, I was okay with that. It was only a couple more days after all.

  “Yeah I got it Charlie. Take all of the time that you need.”

  He told me that he would and then he hung up. I was trying not to be so aggravated about it all, but I knew that I was going to have to eat the shit out of some humble pie for a while. We were friends for so long though that it was worth it. Anything to get us back on track and to get Charlie used to the idea that me and his sister were a thing. I didn’t want that to stop, but I wasn’t going to bring it up for a while. It was clear to me now that my friend still needed some more time. Would I feel the same way if I had a sister? It was hard to imagine, so it was hard to really say what it was that I would do.

  I didn’t feel much better talking about him and going back to the club wasn’t going to help my mood at all. I couldn’t stop thinking about Sherry and even though she had called several times, I just wasn’t ready to talk to her just yet. I still didn’t know what I was going to say to her. It was all up in the air and until me and her brother figured something out and came to some kind of terms there was nothing that could happen between us. I am in a holding pattern and she was going to have to be as well for a while.

  I put the phone on the passenger seat and ignored it the rest of the way to the club. I could hear the music from outside and I didn’t want to go in. There were so many other things that I needed to do, but until Charlie came back, someone had to make sure everything ran smoothly.

  I took a deep breath and made my way into the club. Candy was the first one I seen and even though I knew if I called her up to the office, I would get all the relief I needed. I also knew that it was a bad idea and that what she had to offer wasn’t enough. I was sick of settling for what I didn’t want.

  “Hey boss. You are looking good tonight.”

  “You as well Candy. You are going to kill it tonight.”

  She smiled at me and moved a little closer. “I am always free if you ever need another round Rex. I wouldn’t mind coming like that again.”

  My body responded to the offer, but my heart did not. It just wasn’t into it anymore and just sex wasn’t enough. I wanted more and I knew that I deserved more, as did Candy. Why was Sherry changing me so much and she didn’t even know it?

  Going up the stairs to the office, I went with a hard dick and a heavier heart. It was a strange combination that was going to drive me insane

  .

  Chapter 31

  Sherry

  I finally got the call from Charlie and though I didn’t actually get to talk to him, he did leave a pretty long message. My plan had worked and I hoped that this would be a surprise that would be a good thing. I wanted to mend all bridges and I really hoped that I was going to be able to. I hated fighting with him, so I was hopeful that things would all work out.

  He was going to pick me up in a few hours and I changed several times because I wanted to look good for Rex, but not too overtly so that he knew why I was dressing the way I was dressing. He most likely was still not okay with us being together and with the news I had, it didn’t seem like a good time to be rocking the boat.

  Charlie was there on time, like always, but he wasn’t down for a heart to heart. We practically didn’t even talk the whole way and it was only when we were in Hartford that he said anything.

  “I just want you to know that Rex is going to be here. If you could keep it together and not embarrass us both, I would really appreciate it. Mom and dad don’t need to know about your little indiscretion.”

  I was angry at him for the way he was acting and I finally came out with it. Charlie was going to be the first person I told and I can’t say that I was too happy about it going
down like this, but I knew that this was the way that it had to be.

  “Look, they are going to find out about it. There is no way that I am going to be able to keep it a secret.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because we are going to have a baby Charlie and I have to tell them at some point. You know how mom is. She sniffs out the truth and she is not going to let it rest if I don’t tell her soon. I am already a couple of months along.”

  I looked over at my brother and I swear it looked like he was going to hyperventilate. “What?”

  “We are having a …”

  “Oh my God, don’t repeat it. I got it the first time. What the hell Sherry. When you mess up, you really go for it don’t you?”

  “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

  “Not at all. My sister is going to have my best friend’s baby. I think there are day time talk shows that cover this sort of thing.”

  He was not taking it well, but I hadn’t expected him to. I didn’t know what to say, but again I didn’t have to worry about that because he was far more worried about the news that I just gave him. It was slowly working itself out in his head.

  “Does Rex know? That son of a bitch didn’t tell me anything when I called him. I can’t believe mom made me invite him to dinner.”

  “Oh, so Rex is going to be there?”

  “Yes, and I get the feeling you were the one that had mom sic on me, aren’t you?”

  I was guilty as charged, but I wasn’t going to admit it, not yet. Not until we were okay again and he had forgiven me what happened. I was in love. Couldn’t he see that?

  “No, I didn’t and no I haven’t told Rex. I haven’t seen him since…” I stopped, thinking about the moment that had changed everything. It was a moment that I had pushed for because I wanted him so badly, but now I was paying for that moment of madness. I was going to pay for it for a long time if current status was any indication.

  “Don’t. We don’t have to go there. I know what you were doing when I walked into my office. We don’t need a recap on that.”

  “Well, I haven’t talk to him since. I don’t know what you said to him, but he won’t return any of my phone calls, so there is no way for me to tell him.”

  He had a smug look on his face and I could tell that he was pleased about that little tidbit. I for one wasn’t. I was nervous to see Rex and I hadn’t planned to blab my mouth to my brother, but it just seemed like the thing to do. It was the only way I was going to get him to shut up about it all and just accept it. He had to know that we weren’t going to be able to forget about what happened. I was going to have Rex’s baby and that was all that he needed to know. Everyone was just going to have to get used to the idea. I still wasn’t there yet, but I knew that I would be soon enough.

  “I don’t know what you were thinking Sherry. You know what kind of a guy Rex is. He is a good friend, but he has never been good with women. That is why I didn’t want you messing with him. If I would have known, I never would have let you stay with us.”

  “I think I love him Charlie.”

  Charlie gritted his teeth and focused on the road ahead. “Well that is going to be your first mistake. I have known Rex for a long time and he has never loved any of them.”

  My heart sank with his words. Maybe he was right and I was just wishing on a star that didn’t exist. I knew he was a player. I just didn’t know that it was going to turn out like this. I had started it out of lust, but now it was so much more. The feelings I had when I was younger were amplified and we were going to bring a child into this world together. I remember long ago thinking that I wanted to one day have his baby. But even then I hadn’t thought that it could actually happen.

  “What about this great guy that was supposed to be coming here to live with you? Dennis was his name?”

  “I told him not to come. We broke up before he came down.”

  “So you were already with Rex then?”

  “Does it matter?”

  Charlie shrugged. “Not really. I just wonder how long it took you two to betray me.”

  I sighed loudly and looked out the window. No, Charlie still wasn’t over the betrayal it seemed. I started to wonder if he ever would be.

  Chapter 32

  Rex

  “Well Rex, everyone else is on their way. I thought you guys would all be riding down together.”

  “No Miss Rose, not this time. I had to stay at work until I got the manager in. I was short staffed, but I was never going to pass up a dinner over here if I could make it. I must have been a little too enthused about the prospect because it didn’t take me any time at all to get here. I have missed your cooking.”

  The older woman waved me off, blushing slightly. While she said that she didn’t like the compliments, when it came to her cooking or her dark hair, she was okay with it. Rosalyn was glowing and I asked her if she needed any help while we waited for everyone else to get there.

  I helped her make the salad and even something as simple as that, I was straightened out several times to do it the right way. I had always known that she was particular, but it felt like it was at a whole other level when it came to her cooking. By the end of a green salad, I felt like I had been in one of those hellacious cooking show for over an hour and my food was on the verge of being dumped anyways.

  By the time I was ready to call it quits, I heard the front door open and again I was filled with mixed emotions. I wanted to see Sherry badly, hadn’t see her in so long, but Charlie was still a question and I think that there was still some unfinished business that had to be attended to. I didn’t know if we were going to fight again, but I didn’t want it to happen if I could help it. Charlie was like a brother, but I was in love with his sister. It really was a desperate situation that I didn’t see any way out of.

  “Come in guys. We are just in the kitchen.” Rosalyn hollered from in front of the stove. I had been deemed unworthy for further help and she got me out of her way by calling me a taste tester. I didn’t mind this new job and I relished in it actually. I was ready to sit down. My legs were trembling because of who was walking in.

  Charlie came in first and he had a frosty look on his face towards me. I could tell that he didn’t want me here, but Rosalyn had invited me and no one went against her, not even her own son. I figured that Charlie would have cooled down by now, but if I didn’t know any better, I would think that he had something new to be mad at me about. I hadn’t seen his sister since the day of our fight. I had been being good, so I wasn’t sure what he thought I had done now.

  “Good to see you Charlie.”

  “Yeah, you too Rex.”

  His teeth were gritted together. He didn’t want me to be here. That much was clear now.

  Sherry looked a little different. She had changed her hair and it was down for once. It flowed down her back, dark and long like her mother’s, save for the grey hair that was in Rosalyn’s. She had a little makeup on and looked beautiful, but there was something in her eyes when they finally met mine. Something was wrong and it felt like it was more than the fact that we were caught together by Charlie. Charlie looked like he knew more as well and I didn’t know what it could be.

  “Sherry, will you come help me with the dumplings? I am afraid I am running behind and Rex here is all thumbs.”

  Sherry snuck a look at me and smiled a little before she turned to take her coat off and help her mother in the kitchen. I sat there on the stool content to watch the two women work, but Charlie had other ideas. He practically pulled me off of the stool where I was sitting and told me that I was going to help him outside on the porch. He wanted to talk, I knew that, but there was something in the way that his sister looked at him that made me nervous. What was about to happen outside?

  “Sure Charlie. Let me just get my jacket. I have a feeling that we are going to be there for quite a while.”

  “Of course. I will meet you out front.”

  Sherry cast a meaningful glance at her b
rother and then a nervous one towards me. Something was definitely going on and the only way that I was going to figure out what it was about was for me to go outside and see for myself. It didn’t matter that I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew that I had to find out what was going on, no matter how nervous I felt about it all.

  Chapter 33

  Rex

  “So what do you need help with?”

  Charlie was livid and he was pacing when I got outside five minutes later.

  “You know, it’s bad enough that you had sex with my sister behind my back. You knew that I wasn’t cool with it, but you did it anyways. That was bad enough. What was worse, a hundred times worse is the fact that you knocked her up. You guys didn’t even have the sense to use protection. How stupid are you?”

  I was at a loss of words ad I wasn’t sure if it was all the way registering what he said. I could have sworn that he said I had knocked his sister up. Was that true? I wanted to go back in and pull Sherry to the side. I had to know if this was true or not.

  “Sherry is pregnant?”

  “Why look so surprised? You were the one always saying that you had to wrap it up or you would have fifty babies running around. Now look at you. I guess we should be lucky you haven’t knocked up every damn girl at work too! I know you have certainly screwed your way through the whole lot of them.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I was happy in a way. She was pregnant and we were going to be together now. There was no way that Charlie was going to be able to keep us together. He would have to forgive me eventually, right?

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I know. I wanted to be the one to tell you because if you don’t do the right thing Rex, I am going to have your head. You can’t just knock her up and then leave her twisting in the wind.”

  I understood that he is upset. No one would blame him for that, but he didn’t have to talk to me like I had already done it. I didn’t have any family and I certainly wouldn’t wish that on someone else. I don’t think I would be able to.