by Noelle Hart
*
Kylie's morning was busy. The automated watering system had sprung a leak and she and her crew had to water by hand until repairs could be made. It was mindless but muscle straining work, hauling the heavy hoses and climbing ladders to reach the hanging plants overhead, squatting down to douse the bottom layers as well.
Her team had just left for their morning break when, with a start, she spotted Drew waving at her from the back door of the gift center. He'd never been here before and inexplicably it annoyed her that he was here now.
She met him halfway. He was wearing a suit and tie and shiny leather shoes, and since her apron was wet and smeared with dirt he carefully leaned in for a quick buzz on the cheek.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Well yes, but not here. What I have to tell you is personal. Can we meet later this afternoon? I would have told you that if you'd called first.”
“Your message sounded so succinct. I got worried. Is something wrong?”
Maybe Jolene had hit the nail on the head when she'd named insecurity as his so-called flaw.
“Please Drew. Let's do this later. I really need to get back to work.”
A line formed at the bridge of his nose. “I can't work if I have something troubling me. Your message was troubling. Especially since you've been avoiding me since we slept together.”
“I've had things on my mind.”
He looked genuinely hurt. “Are you breaking up with me? I know it was kinda rushed but, it wasn't any good for you at all?”
A loaded question that deserved a truthful answer. “For me it started really well and then fell short of the target. I realize that's something we could improve on, but the truth is, I didn't want to make the same mistake we made that night over again.” Not that it would make a difference now.
“Mistake?”
“We didn't use protection.”
He chewed on it for a bit. “Is there something I should know about your health?”
A reasonable assumption, but out in left field. “I don't have any diseases,” she said testily, “but now that we're on the subject, I should be asking you the same thing. Let me cut to the chase. I'm pregnant.” And I'm not sure I can trust you.
He jolted with the slap of the words, then stared blindly into space while his mind processed. It didn't take long. When he faced her, his eyes were brilliant with excitement. “We'll get married.”
Not a question, but a statement. Stunned, she gauged his sincerity. “Isn't that a little impulsive? Getting married should be about you and me. As an obligation it will never work. I'm not holding you responsible if you want to bolt.”
“It's not like that. It's what I've wanted all along. This is just speeding things up, that's all. Wow. A baby.” Heedless of his shirt, he crushed her to his chest. “I'm thrilled!” He held her back and met her gaze. “I want this kid. I know I can be a good Dad. I'm ready for this, Kylie. I won't screw it up.”
No, I want you, I'll be a good husband. Just, I want this kid. A sinking feeling in her gut had her mind reeling. She gave him a way out. “I wouldn't keep you from seeing the kid, if that's what you're worried about.”
He looked crestfallen. “The kid should have us both, together. It's the right thing to do.”
“Kids can have the benefit of two parents without them being married, Drew. I want to marry for love. Neither of us seems to know if we're there yet.”
His eyes dimmed, hardened. “You're spoiling this.”
“Marriage is a serious step. A lifelong commitment. I should talk to my parents first, maybe meet yours. And you should sleep on it, ask yourself in the morning if this is still what you want.”
A muscle worked in his jaw but he shook his head in agreement. “I understand.” A nervous laugh trickled out. “Like you said, it's a big step. For both of us.”
When he walked away, Kylie realized that love, if it was present, should have already made itself known.
*
Climbing out of his late model Jeep, Will strode toward the rear of the Big Red Barn where Valley Farms doled out crates of newly harvested fruits and vegetables to their walk-in wholesale customers. Inside he was greeted by workers who asked if Jimmy was sick today. When he asked where he could find Kylie Lambert, a few pairs of eyebrows were raised but no one questioned the nature of his business with her.
It wasn't business he was thinking about. She'd gotten under his skin. True, they hadn't had much opportunity to speak after their first conversation at the barbeque, but he was going to remedy that right now.
He found her next to a barrel of pungent soil, examining it with gloved hands. The sun was in her eyes when she looked up.
Recognizing him, Kylie's stomach erupted with butterflies. She placed one calming hand on her belly while shielding her eyes with the other.
“Will Delaney. What are you doing here?”
“Picking up strawberries. Thought I'd come over and say hello.”
“Oh. Well, hello.” She peeled off a glove and held out her hand, which he took. “Nice to see you again.” The butterflies in her belly stepped up their little disco dance and she marveled that he had that effect on her. Drew's appearance had spawned annoyance. Not a single butterfly had come to life. It worried some, but she'd think about that later.
“You never did take that look at my greenhouse. I could use some advice. My tomato plants are battling depression. Can you help?”
“Sure,” tongue in cheek, “and seeing as you're Jolene's boss I won't even charge you.”
He chuckled. She seriously had no inkling of his ulterior motive. He'd have to remedy that. No point in playing games.
“I'd really like you to nurse-maid my little gardening venture, Lord knows I'm no green giant. But what I'd really love is to take you out for dinner. Tonight, if possible.”
The butterflies did an all out tango. “Are you hitting on me?”
He scuffed his boot in the dirt. Damn it all, if he wasn't nervous. “I'm a little out of practice. Been a while since I've asked a woman out. I'd like the chance to get to know you better, that's all.”
She stared at the incredibly compelling man silhouetted by the harsh sun and had to ask herself, would she go out with him if she wasn't pregnant with another man's child? The answer came fast and hard, a resounding, yes! Her circumstances however preempted the possibility of a date with Will Delaney.
She'd let him down easy. “Not big on dating right now, but how about I swing by your house on Sunday afternoon and take a peek at those tomato plants?”
It was something. Watching her as she pulled her glove back on and resumed her work, the set of her shoulders and long, lean stance was fit and all female. Her light hair and dark lashes were a stark contrast that appealed to his senses and tugged at his libido. She might be blowing him off date wise but he'd take her offer of a little visit on Sunday as a sign that she wasn't opposed to spending time in his company.
“Sounds good. See you around one o'clock?”
“Make it two. Sunday's my day to laze around the house.” Not to mention her standing morning brunch date with her parents.
As he walked away Kylie leaned on her shovel and observed the way his long strides held a bemused swagger that intrigued rather than annoyed. The butterflies had finally bedded down and she realized this was just pure sexual tension, nothing more. A physical reaction to an attractive male. It bothered her that Drew hadn't elicited the same response from her just now.
Nonetheless her pregnancy was real and it wouldn't be fair to Will to lead him on. She'd go see his greenhouse on Sunday and let him know in no uncertain terms that while she could attend to his plants' needs, she could not attend to his.
*
The Moon property with its charming country house was located in the rural area of Metchosin and made quite an impact on visitors as they arrived via a long canopied lane of poplars.
New tires intact, Kylie parked her SUV to one side amongst a tangle of other vehicl
es. It was the twins' birthday celebration, and Kim and Carrie Moon were putting on the Ritz, kiddy style.
Balloons pointed the way around the side of the house to the back yard. Over thirty kids of assorted ages under ten ran and squealed and laughed and played. A large portable pool had been set up and the older kids were splashing around under the eagle eyes of hovering parents. The smell of steamed hot dogs permeated the air.
Carrie came their way looking harassed, flustered and happy.
“Make yourselves at home ladies. There's a table with adult beverages and food,” she said. “Help yourselves.”
Jolene stopped Carrie before she could run off. “How 'bout we help you instead. Where do you need us?”
“Kim's working the tail-on-the-donkey but the clown's late. I think he might have gotten lost.”
Kylie pulled out her cell. “What's his number?”
“Oh God. I think it's... oh look, here he comes now.” She rushed off to greet a man in a colorful clown suit hauling a tank on wheels and carrying a case that presumably held his supplies.
Kylie and Jolene perused the chaos and decided they would be best utilized at the feeding station where someone was fending off a hoard of hungry mouths. Working in cadence they filled plates with hotdogs or burgers, french fries and corn on the cob, guiding the little munchkins to sit at the kiddies picnic tables. Sodas, juices and Koolaid were doled out by the bucket loads. This was one hungry and thirsty crowd!
Laughter and temper tantrums and general mayhem. It was perfect, Kylie decided, a fantastic memory in the making for the twin tots Bryan and Casey who celebrated with neighboring families their second birthdays on this sweltering Saturday afternoon.
She glimpsed flashes of either Carrie or Kim rushing about, keeping things on course. Will had given Kim and Jolene the day off for this special event and realized that he ran his business with a heart. He and Lyle had remained at the diner and it wasn't beneath him to wait on tables in Jolene's absence. Gave him a chance to smooge with the clientele and pump up public relations he'd told Jolene.
Carrying baby Samantha in her arms, Jolene signaled Kylie to follow her to the adult table for a break. Several bottles of wine were chilling in a bucket. “Crack one of those, will ya?” she told Kylie.
She did as instructed but poured only one glass and handed it to Jolene, then grabbed a small juice for herself.
“Oops. Forgot. You're in a no-booze state. Not to mention the fact you're driving us back later.”
Kylie leaned in to look at little Samantha who was awake, her dark brown eyes wide as she took in the moving shapes and shadows around her. She smelled like talc and spittle.
“So this,” said Kylie, “is what it's like to have kids. Look at me, I'm sweating. Freaking me out a little here.”
“You've been to kids' parties before. You know the deal.” She jiggled Samantha when she began to fuss.
“I've never been to one pregnant before. Puts a whole new perspective on things.”
Jolene sipped her wine. “Makes it real.”
“And then some.”
Samantha kicked and arched her little body, letting out a howl. Carrie appeared like magic. “Time for her feeding.” She reached for her baby and with an apologetic smile made off for the interior of the house.
“There's that too,” Kylie commented. “It's all so strange,” she paused as it hit her, “and kind of exciting. Jolene, I think I'm starting to feel maternal.”
“Hormones. Yours are probably going wild right now.”
“You got that right. I'm horny as hell. I'm meeting Drew tonight. Hoping to make it memorable instead of something I'd rather forget.”
Jolene pouted and took a gulp of wine. “Damn. That guy at the gym asked me out, the one with the oversized pecs.” Dramatically forlorn, “Maybe I'm wasting my time on Lyle, but every time I fantasize about sex he's got the starring role. What am I going to do?”
Kylie shrugged. “You could give mister oversized pecs a try.” When Jolene glared at her, “What exactly happened in Will's greenhouse?”
Her wine glass empty, Jolene helped herself to more as misery flared. “Mumbled some bullshit about being single, said he was sorry for kissing me in the first place, then planted a big ol' wet one on me. I thought I'd climb out of my skin I wanted him so bad. Damn it but he runs so hot and cold.” Borrowing Kim's words, “He's a walking contradiction.”
“It's that fact that will carry you through whatever amount of time he needs to realize he can't live without you.”
Jolene stuck out her lower lip. “I hope you're right.”
A flurry of activity erupted as the clown, surrounded by screaming kids, handed out balloons twisted into animal shapes.
“That is so cool,” commented Kylie as she rose to take a closer look. “Knowing how to do that could come in handy.” She stopped a few meters away to observe how the clown filled the balloons with helium gas from his tank and then inhaled a small amount. He talked in chipmunk to a cacophony of cheers, giggles and clapping for more. A group of kids and adults alike had gathered in a circle around the clown so he hammed it up while cameras filmed and clicked all around.
Abandoning the helium tank he moved toward a small puppet theater, taking the crowd with him. Jostled by the mob, Kylie was drawn with them.
A woman threaded her way through the crowd. “Have you seen my little boy?” she cried frantically to anyone within hearing distance. “I can't find him!”
Someone asked, “What's his name? What does he look like?”
“It's Bart... Bartholomew Mayer.” Her voice warbled with panic. “He's only five.”
Kim appeared at her side. “Where's the last place you saw him?”
“I turned away just for a second to grab my camera and he was gone.”
Kim tried to calm her. “He's around here somewhere, Amy. Let's spread out and look around. Kylie, would you mind helping?”
“No prob. Amy, what's he wearing?”
“Blue jean shorts and a red and yellow striped shirt.”
More adults listened in and moved away to help with the search, leaving the kids to the puppet show. While everyone moved in different directions calling his name, Kylie backtracked toward the previous site thinking he may have wanted one of the abandoned balloons lying on the ground.
She almost missed him. The child lay spread-eagle on the ground in the tall grass. She squatted and saw a small patch of blood pooling beneath his head. Panic slammed into her chest and she pulled out her cell to call emergency services even as she called out an alert to the others.
Kim rushed up, his face a white mask. “What happened?”
“Oh God, please let him be alright,” pleaded Amy. She wanted to pick him but up her husband, Big Bart, cautioned her not to. Their fear radiated, permeating the crowd of on-lookers including the clown.
“Looks like he's breathing,” someone said, and they all observed the child's chest rise and fall. A small groan emitted from his rosebud mouth and his eyes fluttered.
“He's coming to,” said Big Bart.
A siren sounded in the distance and Kim ran off to meet the ambulance at the end of the driveway.
The paramedics quickly assessed what might have happened when one of them spotted the helium tank standing to one side with the nozzle within reach of the boy's hand. It looked like he'd inhaled enough helium to make him pass out and then hit his head when he'd fallen.
The repercussions of that were not clear. Kim stood with Carrie who still cradled their infant in her arms. They gathered in their twins and watched the ambulance drive away with the Mayers' car right on its bumper.
“Shit,” came Kim's low comment. “I hope he's okay.”
One of the male parents laid a companionable arm across his shoulder. “How well do you know Amy and Bart Mayer?”
“Well enough.”
“Would they slap you with a law suit?”
If possible, Kim's face blanched even more and Carrie's body tense
d. “Guess it depends on how this turns out.”
*
Everyone had gathered up their children and gone home. Kylie and Jolene remained, cleaning up party debris while Carrie and Kim sat on their porch and spoke in low tones with Will Delaney who had driven over the instant he'd received Kim's call.
He drilled Kim. “Who was this clown you hired? Does he work for a reputable company?”
“We hired him from Smarty Pants. They do all kinds of party shows but their specialty is clowns.”
“How come that tank was left unattended? Christ, the idiot didn't even turn off the valve. That's negligence. And not your fault.”
Kim swiped his face with a sweaty hand. His color had come back with a gray tinge. “What if it had been Bryan or Casey? What if...”
“Don't go there,” came Will's stern advice.
Carrie's quiet voice interceded. “I think that's a question all the parents here today are asking themselves.”
Kylie and Jolene clomped up the porch stairs. Kylie took the boys in hand. They didn't resist, only stared shyly at the pretty lady who firmly held their hands. “I'll give these little men a bath and put them to bed,” Kylie informed Carrie in a no-nonsense tone. “I know you're breastfeeding so instead of the good stiff drink I think you've earned, Jolene will fix you a nice cup of tea.” She turned to Will who stood, hands on hips, looking far too masculine and virile for the moment to merit. “Why don't you pour Kim here whatever he's got on hand and then call the hospital, have a conversation with Big Bart.”
He watched her take charge and it took his opinion of her up another notch. Here was a woman who could keep a clear and steady head in a sticky situation. Admirable, and incredibly sexy.
Big Bart wept on the phone line, his control completely lost as he managed to sputter to Kim the condition of his light and joy. Outwardly the boy was fine, the fall having caused a small cut and contusion. It was yet to be determined whether or not a lack of oxygen to the brain had occurred and if so, if brain damage had set in.
