by Nikki Ashton
Bronte shook her head. “It’s fine. At least they know now. Well, them and the rest of the damn town.” She gave me a small smile and I was happy that she appeared to have forgiven me a little bit. “Just next time you drink whisky, maybe eat food too.”
“Yeah, I will.”
Inhaling deeply, I felt unusually lost for words. Not lost as such but scared. I was damn petrified in case I said the wrong thing and pissed her off again— that was how tentative I knew our truce to be.
“You’re feeling okay?” I asked, thinking it was a pretty neutral question.
“I’m fine. Tired like you wouldn’t believe, but I read that’s natural for the first trimester.”
“You take as much rest as you can.” I was desperate to take her into my arms and kiss her but was pretty sure we weren’t at that point. I settled for holding her hand instead. “You need anything?”
Bronte shook her head and looked down at our linked hands. At first, I thought she was going to pull hers free so was surprised when she placed her other hand over the top.
“I have a doctor’s appointment on Friday, if you want to come with?”
This was good. I’d obviously done and said the right things if she wanted me with her. Maybe going to the appointment would be my opportunity to turn things around and prove I was serious and committed.
“I’d love to,” I replied feeling confident I had everything under control. “Although you know I could grease up my arm and check everything out for you myself. I do it with Hunter’s cows all the damned time.”
Driving along with my windows down and Lizzo’s ‘Juice’ playing on the radio my shoulders felt a little lighter. Knowing that Mom and Dad weren’t madder than a pair of wet hens about becoming grandparents was a big relief. The talk we’d had after the incident had shown me that they were the best parents ever and all was good in the hood.
As for Carter, well he was a different story entirely. My anger at what he did at the party had subsided, he was taking good care of my cat after all, but I was still unsure what to do about him—about us.
Which was why I was going to see Ellie. While she was his sister, she was also my best friend and I knew where her loyalties lay—with me. I needed my best friend’s advice and maybe a hug along with it.
Pulling onto the driveway, I was relieved to see only Ellie’s shit colored car there. I loved Melinda and Henry, but I didn’t think I was ready to face them just yet. They’d be bound to want me to sort things with Carter, and that would be by us getting back together. Problem was, I had all sorts of worries about that.
“Hey,” Ellie said as she opened the door to me. “What’re you doing here? I thought you’d be working today.”
“Decided to take a few days and leave Lilah in charge.”
I followed her through to the kitchen where she immediately turned on the kettle and pulled out a packet of chamomile tea.
“You got any vodka instead?” I asked with a laugh.
“That bad, huh?” She pulled me into the hug I so needed. “My brother again?”
I considered her question for a few and then said, “Actually no. I’m over him being an idiot.”
“So, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing as such. I’m glad Mom and Dad know. And the idea of being a momma is growing on me.” Instinctively my hands cradled my tiny bump and I felt a surge of something in my chest. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it felt warm and comforting. “I guess it’s just the thought of having to make choices that are a little more grown-up than which purse to buy.”
“It’s only natural to feel that way.” Ellie gave me a sympathetic smile and pushed a mug of tea toward me. “We’re getting older. All our lives are changing.”
She glanced over at some drawings and her face pinked.
“What are they?” I asked, getting up from my seat at the breakfast bar, my interest immediately piqued.
Ellie cleared her throat and followed me to look down on what appeared to be architectural drawings of a house.
“Oh my God,” I cried. “Are y’all moving? Don’t you dare tell me your mom and dad are selling their place. What will I do without you here?”
Ellie laughed. “Calm down.” She looked at me warily from under her lashes. “It’s Hunter, he’s having the barn converted to a living space.”
“He’s finally decided to do that. At last, you’ll get some privacy.” I leaned down to take a closer look. “I thought he was just converting the upstairs to an apartment. This is like a real house. And why do you have the plans?”
Ellie blushed again as she took a deep breath. “He decided a house would be better. Well, he and Jefferson decided. There’ll still be an office.” She pointed to a room on the plans. “See there, at the back of the house overlooking the stables. And here, well they’re going to build a small bunkhouse. Jefferson just bought twenty more acres from Lyle Matthews and wants to expand the herd at The Big D again this year so is going to take on four more ranch hands. That means with him, Hunter and the Williams brothers, there’ll be eight of them working there. They’re going to add on to the stables too, seeing as they’ll need more horses. Oh and —”
“Ellie,” I interrupted around a giggle. “Why are you babbling and why are you as red as a beet?
Staring at me with wide eyes, she chewed on her lip before blurting out, “Hunter asked me to move in with him.”
“Oh my God,” I screeched. “It’s quick, but it’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.” Pulling her into a hug, I felt my face ache my smile was so big. Something struck me and I pulled away to look at her. “You seem unsure. It is what you want isn’t it?”
“Yes, more than anything.” Her face lit up, settling my concerns. “I didn’t want to make you feel bad, with everything going on with you and Carter, is all.”
My heart clenched a little. My best friend was happy and in love and I was unhappy and in love.
“Am I being stupid?” I asked, the words barreling from my head to my mouth. “Pushing Carter away.”
“Bronte, you have to do what’s best for you. I can’t tell you and neither can your folks or mine. No matter how sad for everyone, if you don’t think it’s right with Carter, then you have to do whatever is necessary.”
“That’s the problem,” I sighed. “Everything with Carter is amazing, most of the time. You know he’s not the same with me as he is with you. He’s kind, he’s thoughtful and he’s real funny.”
Ellie screwed up her face. “We talking about the same Carter? Six-one, dark auburn hair, head as big as a bison’s?”
“Yes,” I laughed. “Seriously, Ellie, he’s as sweet as cotton candy really.”
“I guess I’ll take your word for it.” She shrugged. “Personally, I think he’s a dunderhead and that you need help, but that’s just me. So, why are you pushing him away, if you think all those things about him?”
“You know why. Because aside from all those things he’s also selfish at times and is basically a fifteen-year-old in a twenty-six-year old’s body. You know just before I found out I was pregnant he suggested we go travelling for three months. Go to Europe or India.”
“Well, that’s not unusual. I can see why he’d suggest it.”
“I agree, but when I told him that would be cool, you know what he said?”
Ellie shook her head.
“He said, ‘Oh, wait, I have to castrate Missy Malloy’s Shar Pei next week. Maybe we’ll do it some other time.’.”
Ellie laughed and shook her head. “He’s such an idiot.”
“And he’s my baby daddy,” I protested. “You see why I’m scared, right?”
An arm came around me and I was bundled into another hug with my best friend. Thank goodness I had her, she understood me better than anyone.
“Okay,” I said after Ellie began to squeeze a little hard. “Explain to me why there are three bedrooms and a den on that plan, when there’s only two of you going to be living there?”
Spending time with Ellie, list
ening to her plans for a future with Hunter made me feel much better. By the time we’d had two cups of tea and a huge piece of Melinda’s cherry pie, I was feeling totally relaxed.
“He has to be thinking of asking you to marry him,” I gasped as Ellie showed me some swatches of fabric for drapes in Hunter’s new house. “He wouldn’t have asked you to move in if he wasn’t. If I know anything about Hunter, it’s that he doesn’t do things on a whim.”
Ellie shrugged and gave me a small smile. “I don’t know. I hope so, but who knows?”
We’d gone back to looking at decorating ideas on Pinterest when the door burst open and Carter and Melinda walked in. They were carrying bags of groceries and chatting but as soon as she saw me, Melinda almost dropped hers.
“Bronte, sweetheart. How are you?” She put the bags down and came over to pull me into a hug, almost as tight as her daughter’s.
“I’m good thanks,” I replied as she let me go.
“Hey, Lollipop.” Carter’s beautiful whisky-colored eyes shone as he looked at me over the top of the bags he had in his arms. “I was going to call you.”
“Is Roderick okay?” I asked, anxiously.
“Yeah, he’s good. That’s what I was calling for.” He also placed his bags down and took a step closer to me. “You can pick him up later. Lance just wants to watch him poop and pee one more time, then he’s good to go.”
Heaving a sigh of relief, I ran to Carter and flung my arms around him.
“Thank you, so much.”
“Hey,” he said rubbing my back in soothing strokes. “No problem. It’s my job but gotta admit I took extra care of him, seeing as he’s yours.”
Suddenly feeling a little conscious that we were still locked in each other’s arms, I pulled away. Ellie and Melinda were watching us, but quickly looked away.
“So,” Melinda said briskly. “You want to stay for dinner, honey? Carter is and one more makes no difference to me.”
“Mom,” Carter warned before I could answer. “What did I ask you not to do?”
Melinda rolled her eyes. “Interfere. And for your information, Mr. Smarty Pants, I wasn’t going to.” She turned to me and took my hand. “This is a huge thing you’re going through, honey, and I just want you to know we’re here for you and our grandbaby no matter what happens.”
She glanced at Carter and then back to me and I knew it must have been hard for her. There were so many things she probably wanted to say.
“Thank you,” I replied. “And we do all need to talk, I guess, but in a few days when I’ve got my head sorted? Oh, and I’d love to stay for dinner please.”
Melinda smiled, kissed my cheek and then set about putting her groceries away with Ellie’s help, gossiping about Jacob Crowne’s split from his wife Lydia as they did.
“You okay?” Carter asked, coming over to stand next to me.
“Yeah, I’m good. I slept well last night, although I’ll probably be asleep by the time your mom serves dessert.”
“When you’re tired, you just let me know and I’ll get you home.” He shifted his feet and ran a hand through his hair, looking nervous as all get out. “You still want me to come to your doctor’s appointment with you?”
“God yes.” I nodded. “I’m kind of nervous, so it would be good to have you there.”
Carter let out a huge exhale and smiled. “Excellent. So, after dinner if you’re not too sleepy I can take you to get Roderick before I drop you home.”
“It’s fine, I have my car.”
“Yeah, I know,” he replied, his brow furrowing. “But I’d like to and then I’ll bring you back tomorrow for your car.
I considered carefully what he was suggesting. Dinner with his family and then time alone while we went to pick up my cat. I guessed it wasn’t a big deal, and I didn’t think he would take it as a green light for us to get back together. When I looked up to his handsome face, with the high cheekbones and straight nose, I realized even if he did it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. I’d never stopped loving Carter; I was just being protective of the little baby we’d made together. And that was something I had to hope he felt the same way about.
My ass was killing me and there was more sweat pouring from me than if I’d been working out; I was not a happy bunny.
“How long is she gonna be?” I hissed to Bronte who was busy reading some baby magazine. “This chair is not made to be sat on for an hour, and do they not know how to use their AC?”
Grabbing a pamphlet from the small table in front of us, I began to fan myself with it. That earned a stare from Bronte.
“That’s meant to be read,” she hissed, grabbing it from me and throwing it back onto the table.
I glanced down to see it was about protecting your nipples when breastfeeding.
“I have teat ointment at the clinic,” I offered, nodding at the literature.
“For what?” Bronte’s head shot up from her reading.
“Sore teats.” Picking up the pamphlet again, I waved it in front of her, taking the opportunity to duck my face into the breeze. “So, it figures you could use it on your nipples too.”
“You want me to smother my nipples in the same ointment that all the farmers and ranchers in the area cover their animal’s titties in?”
I shrugged. “Teats, nipples, they’re all the same.”
Bronte took a deep breath and shook her head. “I actually despair of you, I really do.”
Shit, I couldn’t do anything right as far as she was concerned, so decided to sit quietly until it was our turn. I watched the clock on the wall and found myself counting the seconds in my head.
“Is there any chance you could be quiet.” A heavily pregnant woman with a bad dye job and swollen ankles kicked at my foot. “You’re really annoying. We can see what the time is, and that the doctor is running late. You don’t need to tell us.”
I turned to her and frowned. “I wasn’t doing or saying anything.”
“I can hear you counting, and if I can’t hear you counting, I can hear you breathing.” The woman’s nostrils flared as she reached up to snap her bra strap which had fallen down.
“I’m sorry,” I replied. “I didn’t realize I was counting aloud. Was I counting aloud, Lollipop?’
Bronte narrowed her eyes on the woman. “Does it matter if he was? He can’t help being a mouth breather, he has adenoid problems.”
Puzzled, I opened my mouth to ask her what she was talking about, but Bronte gave me a glare that warned me to keep quiet.
“You might,” she said quietly. “And therefore, she shouldn’t be so rude. But stop counting the seconds. She’s right, it’s annoying.”
Pouting like a toddler, I flopped back into the uncomfortable seat and crossed my arms over my chest. The temptation to poke my tongue out at the pregnant woman was strong, but I valued my balls. I was getting used to the idea of being a dad and wanted the opportunity to father more kids in the future.
After another eleven minutes and twenty seconds – yep, I counted – the door from the consultation room opened and I was surprised to see Marie O’Reilly followed by her dad, Declan. As he moved to the desk, taking out his wallet, my eyes went straight to Marie’s stomach to see a definite bump.
“It wasn’t me,” I yelled as I jumped to my feet and almost knocked my chair over. “I’ve never touched her.”
Declan swung around and as soon as he spotted me, his face went red with rage. He’d once thought I was fooling around with Marie and had made it very clear it wasn’t something that he was happy with.
“I swear, Declan,” I said directly looking in his eyes. “No matter what you think, I have never touched Marie, or even breathed on her. I swear.”
“Oh my God.” Bronte groaned beside me and pulled on my jacket. “Carter, sit down. He knows it isn’t yours.”
I looked down at her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I swear, Lollipop. I haven’t, I would never.”
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and
I saw her lips move.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Counting to ten,” she ground out, her blue eyes flashing open. “Now, look over to who is standing with Marie.”
I swiveled my head and heaved out a sigh of relief when I saw Evan Wickerson with his arm around Marie.
“Really? When did you two…?” I pointed between their crotches and grinned.
“Well at least five months ago,” Declan said moving closer to me, his features morphed into something a little too menacing for my liking.
I sat back down in my seat and grabbed Bronte’s hand. “No Declan, you can’t hurt me. I’ve done nothing wrong and I’m going to be a father soon.”
My grip on Bronte tightened and she let out a little whimper.
“Sorry, Lollipop.” I lessened my hold and moved my gaze back to Declan who was clutching his wallet like he was wringing out a wet cloth. Hoping to alleviate the tension I smiled at him. “Congratulations, Grandpa.”
Bronte groaned and Declan made a strange noise.
“I’d be glad if you didn’t spread this around,” Declan said through gritted teeth, the Irish brogue of his father’s homeland whispering at the edges of his accent. “Folks will know soon enough, but it’s not something Marie wants spreading around; being an unmarried mother.”
Before the words had even disappeared into the ether, I felt both mine and Bronte’s hackles rise. She, however, was faster from the gate than I was.
“You do realize we’re no longer in ninety-twenty-five, right? There’s nothing wrong with being an unmarried mother, which I have to say is a derogatory term in itself.” She took a quick breath but was on a roll. “Many women choose not to marry the father of their child, or children, but it doesn’t mean they are lesser citizens because of that and frankly Mr. O’Reilly, I’m saddened by your attitude.”
Shit, I loved that girl.
“Yeah, what she said,” I added, pointing to Bronte.
Declan shifted uncomfortably and then without a word, turned back to the receptionist and flung his credit card down on the desk. The atmosphere was a little tense. Marie and Evan appeared to be as nervous as Declan was mad. A seething Bronte threw her magazine down onto the table and nudged me.
