The Texan's Surprise Baby

by Gina Wilkins

  He scooped up another spoonful of the excellent beef vegetable soup Sarah had served him. “I’ll let you know what I find out. Sarah, this soup is excellent.”

  Beaming, she jumped to her feet. “Let me get you some more.”

  “No, that’s—”

  But she was already in motion, snatching his mostly empty bowl from the table in front of him and heading for the counter.

  Shelby grinned across the table at him, then glanced at Aaron. “Did you and Uncle Bryan get all the roof repairs done before the rain started?”

  Aaron made a show of crossing his fingers. “I think so. As far as I know, no one has called to report a leak.”

  Aaron glanced at Andrew then. “The new security lights we ordered were delivered while you were gone with Hannah. We thought we’d start installing them tomorrow. The closed-circuit cameras will be in next week.”

  According to the security plans Andrew had drawn out and presented to Bryan, there would be three continuously running cameras installed at various points in the park. He’d actually recommended that measure last year, but it had taken Shelby’s kidnapping to make them take that suggestion to heart. “Give me a call if you have any questions about my diagrams.”

  Aaron nodded. “We will.”

  Sarah set the refilled soup bowl in front of Andrew, then took her seat again. “Shelby, now that we know the baby’s a girl, I’m going to start that quilt we discussed. Want to help me with it?”

  “Of course. I think Hannah will stick with the sage and cream nursery colors she was considering, but we can add some touches of pink now.”

  “Pink for a girl? A little on the nose, isn’t it?” Aaron teased her.

  She dimpled at him. “Yes, but I happen to like pink for a baby girl. Doesn’t mean I won’t buy her a toy truck or teach her how to swing a bat later, of course.”

  Andrew wanted to be the one to teach his daughter to swing a bat. He wanted to share his awe at the thought of soon having a daughter to teach. He wanted to see how his brother’s expression changed when he realized that Shelby’s little cousin was also his niece. He wanted to tell his parents they were going to meet their first grandchild in a few months. But mostly, he realized, he wanted to be sitting with Hannah now rather than with this particular branch of the Bell family, as much as he liked them all.

  He glanced at his watch, then toward the windows. The rain was still coming down, but not as heavily as before. By the time the meal was finished and cleared away, it was down to a drizzle. The family walked out beneath the outside awning, watching the rain while C.J. locked up behind them.

  Leaning on his crutches, Steven drew a deep breath of rain-scented evening air. “Always liked the resort when it rains. Come late August, we’ll be wishing for any drop of rain we can get.”

  Andrew could understand why Steven enjoyed the rain. Lights from the campgrounds glowed through the light rain like a misty watercolor painting. He imagined families gathered around tables in their campers or on the floors of their tents with cards and board games and snacks while listening to the drops hitting the roof. At least, that’s what his family would have done.

  “Your dad and I are going to run to town for a few things,” Sarah said to Steven and Shelby. “Anyone need us to pick up anything?”

  Andrew wasn’t surprised they were going supplies shopping late on a Friday evening, probably at the twenty-four-hour superstore some fifteen miles away. With the long hours they put in at the resort this time of year, this would be the only time both were free to leave for a couple hours. He knew they could have had someone shop for them, but they would probably enjoy getting away for a bit, even if just to grocery shop. The families took vacations each year during the off-season, closing the resort for a week in December and another in February, but there was no getting away during the summer, especially with a long holiday weekend rapidly approaching.

  He thought guiltily of his own piling-up responsibilities back at his office, but pushed the concern to the back of his mind for now. His company’s mantra had always been Family First—and he was definitely here for family reasons.

  He drove Steven back to the trailer in the golf cart. The rain had completely stopped by the time he turned onto the private drive leading into the family compound. Water splashed from shallow puddles beneath the wheels as he drove through the dark stretch of road just beyond the sign. Within a few days, this area would be well-lit, which would make him feel somewhat better about leaving Hannah here.

  Eh, what was he thinking? Nothing was going to make that parting any easier.

  As soon as they were inside, Steven went back to his bedroom to start his nightly crunches, curls and other exercises to keep himself in shape while he recuperated from his accident. Having mentioned that he would take a long walk to enjoy the rain-cooled evening, Andrew let himself out, locking the door behind him. The family compound was well-lit, so he’d have been visible crossing the road to Hannah’s place if anyone had been watching, but he saw no one else around. Lights burned in Maggie’s house, and he thought he saw the flicker of a television through the slats in the living room blinds. Aaron was closed in with Shelby, and Andrew figured his brother was pleasantly occupied.

  So why did he have the sudden, strange feeling that he was being watched? Pausing on Hannah’s porch with one hand resting lightly on the railing, he looked around with narrowed eyes, but saw nothing suspicious. Despite the lighting, there were scattered shadows where someone could hide, especially if dressed in dark clothing, but he saw nothing that made him feel compelled to go investigate. Across the street, he saw Pax sleeping contentedly on Steven’s porch. Not that the dog was a reliable guard, but he seemed to have no concerns.

  Shaking his head, he told himself he was letting paranoia carry him away. He supposed Hannah’s near obsession about secrecy was affecting him more than he’d realized. True, it wasn’t like him—his instincts were usually almost uncannily reliable—but then nothing about the past few days had been normal for him.

  Drawing a deep breath, he tapped on the door. A moment later, it opened. Her serene expression belied by the nerves apparent in her eyes, Hannah moved aside. “Come in, Andrew. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  * * *

  Automatically, Hannah scanned the grounds after letting Andrew in. She wasn’t sure why she felt compelled to do so; maybe it was to see if anyone was around to have watched him enter. Maybe because seeing her ex-husband’s father again earlier—especially not long before picking up her vandalized car—had left her jumpy and hypervigilant. Maybe because her upcoming talk with Andrew made her nervous and she was projecting that anxiety outside.

  She closed the door, then smoothed her hands down her T-shirt before turning to face him. “Have you eaten? Maggie and I had pasta, but there are leftovers in the fridge.”

  “Thanks, but I ate with Aaron and Shelby and her family.”

  “Was Lori there?”

  He shook his head. “She left after work. Your aunt Sarah wasn’t happy about Lori going out in the worst of the rainstorm.”

  “I have a feeling it wasn’t the rain my aunt was unhappy about.”

  He shrugged because they both knew that was true. Hannah wished she could have done more to warn her young cousin about the dangers inherent with getting involved with the wrong man. But then, she didn’t know for certain whether Zach was a decent guy or not. Other than his wild reputation in aimless local gossip, she knew little about him. It was obvious that Lori resented any unwanted advice about her love life. Hannah might have felt the same way had anyone tried to warn her about Wade all those years ago, though he’d been so good at conning people that everyone had thought he was just wonderful.

  Thinking of how perfect Wade had pretended to be made her even more worried about getting involved with Andrew. Practically perfect-in-every-way Andrew, the hero of her family—well, until his twin brother had heroically saved her cousin’s life. Now he was more like a co-hero. She didn’t th
ink he deliberately misrepresented himself, of course. Unlike her ex, Andrew was exactly what he appeared to be. Practically perfect. Why did that seem to be almost as insurmountable an obstacle as Wade’s duplicity?

  “What are you thinking about so seriously?” he asked her, tilting his head as he studied her face. She realized she’d been standing in front of the door for several minutes, lost in her rather incoherent thoughts.

  She moved away from the door into the room. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me.”

  Instead, she walked toward the couch, avoiding his eyes. “Maggie and I watched the news while we ate. Sounds as though the rain is over. The rest of the weekend is supposed to be beautiful weather-wise. We needed the rain, but I’m sure our guests are happy with the forecast.”

  He stepped in front of her so that she had no option but to look at him. “We’re talking about the weather now?”

  His quiet question made her wince. “Just making small talk.”

  “I think we’re past that, don’t you?”

  She pushed a hand through her hair. “I just...”

  Having no clue how she’d planned to finish that sentence, she fell silent.

  Andrew raised a hand to skim the line of her jaw with his fingertips, gliding across her cheek and then pausing to trace her lower lip. Just a brush of his hand—and yet she felt as though she had been thoroughly kissed. Perhaps it was the look in his eyes as he gazed so intently at her mouth. Maybe it was just the reawakening of memories she tried so hard and so often to suppress.

  “I don’t want you to be afraid of me, Hannah,” he said quietly, resting his hand against her cheek.

  She sighed, covering his hand with her own. “I’m not afraid of you, Andrew. Maybe I’m a little afraid of myself when I’m around you.”

  It was an unguarded admission, and maybe she shouldn’t have let it slip, but something in his expression made her think he completely understood. He lifted his other hand to cup her face between his palms, and then he brushed his lips over hers. Perhaps he’d intended it only as a reassuring caress, a sweet moment of bonding. Maybe he didn’t plan for it to go any further, or to evolve into anything more than a light kiss. If so, he’d forgotten to account for the sparks that seemed to fly whenever their lips met, or the fires those sparks ignited.

  The kiss changed, deepened. His hands fell, his arms going around her to pull her closer. There was a momentary hesitation when their bodies met, as they adjusted for her changed shape, and Hannah started to draw back. But then Andrew’s hands made a slow sweep down her back and the tip of his tongue traced her lower lip before slipping inside her mouth. The heat rose, spreading rapidly from her mouth to her limbs to a place deep inside her heart that had been cold and dark since the morning she’d said goodbye to him for what she’d thought had been the last time.

  Her arms were around his neck. When had that happened? Her sensitive breasts brushed against his solid chest, reminding her of how very good he looked and felt beneath the conservative clothes he favored. His thighs were rock solid when they tangled with her legs. He was aroused and hungry, and his kisses left no doubt of that.

  She pulled her mouth from his, drawing in a deep, unsteady breath, her hands clutching his shoulders for support.

  Andrew smiled down at her somewhat apologetically. “Did I get carried away? Sorry. December was a long time ago.”

  Surely he wasn’t implying that he hadn’t—

  “There hasn’t been anyone since,” he said as if reading the question in her eyes. “I’ve been really busy and traveled a lot and...well, there just wasn’t anyone else I wanted to be with.”

  Had he thought of her during those months? Could she possibly have crossed his mind as often as he had hers?

  She couldn’t stop herself from flashing back to that morning when she’d awoken in his arms before dawn, opening her eyes to see his sleeping face on the pillow next to hers. There had been very little light in her hotel room, but she’d had no trouble seeing his relaxed features. Perhaps because they were so strongly imprinted in her mind.

  She had panicked. It was the only word to describe the sudden, throat-closing, heart-stopping fear that had gripped her in response to seeing him there. In response to her own momentary jolt of sheer happiness at waking beside him. She couldn’t allow herself to feel that way, she’d immediately told herself, furiously. She would not allow her happiness to be dependent again on any man. Wade had burned her, but she suspected that Andrew had the power to reduce her to ashes. A wise woman would send him away. She’d wanted to believe that experience had brought her a measure of wisdom—despite one night of reckless weakness.

  Slipping from the bed, she’d wrapped herself in a robe, closing it to the throat and tightly knotting the belt. “Andrew,” she’d said too sharply.

  His eyes had immediately opened, without visible confusion or disorientation. “Yes?”

  “You need to go.”

  She had watched his eyebrows knit, the shadows concealing the expression in his eyes. “What time is it?”

  “Late. Or early, I guess. I’m meeting my college friends for breakfast before I head back to the resort. I’d like some time to myself to get dressed and packed.”

  Andrew studied her a moment before climbing from the bed. She’d averted her eyes when he reached for his clothes, afraid that the sight of his naked perfection would weaken her resolve. He dressed quickly, then circled the bed to stand in front of her. “I’m sure you need a little time to process this,” he’d said, his voice so gentle and understanding that a lump had formed in her throat. “I’ll call you in a few days.”

  “No,” she’d quickly said, hoarsely. She’d swallowed, then continued more steadily. “It would be better if you didn’t, really. The holidays are going to be very busy, and after that we’ll start gearing up for the busy season at the resort and I—”

  “Hannah.” He’d silenced her with his fingertips on her lips. “I wasn’t looking for a one-night stand with you.”

  He’d probably thought the reassurance would allay her fears. Instead, it had only made her more nervous.

  “That’s all I have to offer,” she had answered him simply, drawing on all her strength to directly meet his eyes. “I want—I need to be on my own now, to focus on myself, my job, my family. Last night was great, Andrew, but let’s just leave it at that, shall we? A pleasant memory.”

  And then, like a fool, she’d offered her right hand to him for a shake, a memory that still embarrassed her as she stood in his arms now, her lips still tingling from his kisses. Her face heated, both in response to those painful memories and the feelings being roused in her again tonight.

  Andrew studied her with narrowed eyes, trying to read the expressions that must have flitted over her face in the past few moments. Did he remember that awkwardly extended hand, the way he’d looked in disbelief from her face to her hand and back again before turning toward the door without touching her? He’d let himself out after telling her she knew where to find him if she ever needed him. She had spent the hours until sunrise sitting in an uncomfortable chair and wondering if the hurt she’d seen in his eyes had been because of wounded male pride, or if she had truly disappointed him when she’d sent him away so unceremoniously.

  Despite her request, he’d tried to call a time or two afterward, but she had neither answered nor returned his calls. Cowardly and rather rude, perhaps, but she’d needed the distance...especially after the shock of finding herself pregnant. The fact that he’d been with no other woman since—and Andrew was nothing if not truthful—had her wondering all over again what that night had meant to him. Her confusion only reinforced that she still couldn’t think coherently where Andrew was involved.

  He drew a deep breath, making her aware of how long she’d stood there without saying anything since he’d admitted she’d been the last woman he’d been with. Brushing his lips lightly over the tip of her nose, he then stepped back. “You asked me
here to talk. I promise to behave myself now.”

  How ridiculous was it that she was rather disappointed to hear him say that? Smiling wryly at her own folly, she shook her head. “You’ve always befuddled me, Andrew. How do you do that?”

  He laughed softly. “Befuddled?”

  She shrugged. “Seems like a fitting description. When I’m around you, I can’t seem to think clearly, which makes me wonder what you think of me. Despite the turmoil that always seems to surround me when you’re here, I really am an intelligent and competent woman.”

  “Surely you don’t believe I have any doubt of that,” he said with one raised eyebrow. “I certainly don’t think any less of you because of your ex-husband’s actions. I admire you for kicking him to the curb as soon as you became aware of his true nature, and for cooperating so fully last year in my investigation, even when you felt obliged to tell me things you understandably wanted to keep private. As for our current situation—” he motioned vaguely toward her midsection “—I’m as responsible for this as you are, if not more so. I thought I was taking adequate precautions.”

  “Accidents happen,” she murmured, resting a hand on her tummy.

  He nodded. “I know.”

  But they didn’t usually happen to him, she added silently.

  Her hand still resting over their daughter, she lifted her chin and met his eyes. “I want you to know I don’t regret this. This child will be greeted with love and joy, and raised to be proud of her family and her heritage.”

  “I don’t regret it either,” he replied just as firmly. “Maybe we didn’t plan this, but I consider it a blessing rather than a mistake. We love kids in my family. I’ve always imagined myself as being a dad someday, though it was always in some vague future.”

  And with some other woman? she thought wistfully.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “that’s why you asked me over, right? To talk about how we proceed from here.”

  She nodded. “We have a lot of decisions to make.”