Oh, Baby! (The Townsends Book 2)

by Angie Campbell

  He knew he would end up talking to Lisa, and he’d end up kissing her. If they were caught alone long enough, he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop himself from doing more. His need for her was way too strong, and growing stronger every day. He still hadn’t learned to control it yet. He couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her long enough to find out what it was she wanted. Technically he knew her well enough to know she had to want the same thing he did, but his fear was so strong, it was mentally choking him.

  He sat in his truck for a few more minutes, just staring out the windshield. When he could come up with no obvious solution to his problem, he got out of the truck and made his way to the door. He knocked and waited to be let in. Sure enough. When the door opened, it was Lisa.

  “Hey, Tiger. How are you?”

  “Wondering how you are.” She didn’t hesitate even a second. She grabbed him by his shirt collar and yanked his head down. The kiss wasn’t long, but it was very effective at scrambling his thoughts. Enough so, that he said the first thing that popped into his head.

  “Why do you keep doing that?” He sounded nervous. Like there was a lot riding on her answer.

  “Because I want to.” She still had a hold of his collar, and her mouth was less than an inch away from his. He could feel her breath on his face, and he was caught in her eyes. “It would break my heart to do so, but I’ll stop, if you honestly want me to.”

  He couldn’t help himself. He grabbed her, picking her up off the floor, and kissed her so thoroughly, there was no way she would ever question how he felt about her kissing him.

  Her head was spinning, and she had to grab hold of him to steady herself when he sat her back down. He was still holding her when his name came out on a sigh. She just managed to stop herself from telling him how much she loved him. She didn’t think he was quite ready to hear that.

  They had decided to watch a movie once they were all done eating. They had all pitched in together and got all the cleanup done, and were putting everything away from the dishwasher when Luke walked over to Lisa.

  “Hey, I really want to talk to James for a few minutes. Whenever everyone else wanders off to the game room, do you think you could go ahead and go with them, so I can have a few minutes with him?”

  “Sure. It sounds serious.”

  Luke just nodded his head at her.

  When everyone started to leave the kitchen, Luke stopped James with a hand on his shoulder. Once everyone else was gone, James turned to look at him. “Yeah. Did you need something?” he asked, looking concerned.

  “I just wanted to talk to you before we went in to watch the movie with everyone else.”

  “Does it have something to do with Tracy?”

  “No. I wanted to know how you were doing. With this mess with Tracy going on, I haven’t had a chance to talk to you in the last few days.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Come on, James, you know me better than that. You know what I want to know.”

  “I’m trying to work myself up to it, but it’s still hard for me to believe it.”

  “James, you know Lisa well enough to know she would never have gotten in that bed with you if she wasn’t in love with you. You’ve been carrying that ring around in your pocket for five years now. Ask her to marry you already. She’s going to say yes. I would think you could see that now.”

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  “Really? That’s what you’re going to go with? Just because she’s a private person, doesn’t mean I can’t read her. Ask her to marry you. You’re going crazy wanting to. I can see it.”

  “And it would kill me if she said no. I’d just have to dig a hole and crawl in it,” James said, turning to walk out of the room.

  Chapter 7 – Saturday, July 21

  It had been sometime in the early morning when James had finally fallen asleep. Memories of Lisa had kept him awake. The night they had spent together, playing in his head like a sultry black and white movie. When he had gotten to sleep, the memories all started replaying in his dreams. He had, had the worst night of sleep of his life. It was Saturday morning. All he wanted to do was sleep in.

  However, now there was someone banging on his front door. It sounded like they were trying to knock the blasted thing down. Whoever it was, they had better have a good reason for being here this early on a Saturday morning.

  When he opened the door, he had to step back to avoid being hit right in the nose by Carl when he started to bang on the door again.

  “Sorry. I really wasn’t trying to hit you. I’ve been out here for ten minutes. I was getting concerned,” he said, letting his hand drop down to his side.

  “I was still asleep.”

  “Sorry. Lisa told me you usually get up early. Even on Saturday and Sunday.”

  “Normally I do, but I had a rough night last night. I didn’t sleep well.” He was finally starting to wake up fully, and concern hit him like a Mac truck, right in the chest. “Did something happen to Luke or Mindi?”

  Carl saw the fear in his eyes, and started spluttering. “No, no. Uh. James, I’m so sorry. Uh. No. I feel like an idiot. No. No one’s hurt.”

  James stepped back from the door, and waved him in. “Okay. That’s a relief. However, I’m guessing you’re here for a reason.”

  “Yes. I need to talk to you.”

  James almost became alarmed again, until he reminded himself Carl had just said no one was hurt. But it left him wondering what was up. Carl sounded so serious.

  “I’m a horrible cook, as I’m sure Lisa has told you, but I can make a mean pot of coffee.”

  “No. That’s not necessary. I ate before I left the house. We can just sit in here and talk.”

  “Okay. Please, have a seat,” James said, motioning for the older man to sit down. Whatever it was, it sounded serious, and it was making James nervous. He was starting to wonder if Lisa had told Carl and Jamie about their one night. He was wondering if he was going to demand he marry his daughter. Or Heaven help him, demand he stay away from her. What? Is it the eighteen-hundreds now? I’m losing it. It must be lack of sleep.

  Carl waited for the big guy to take a seat across from him. He stared at him for a few seconds. This was a conversation he would never have dreamed he needed to have. He decided to jump in with both feet. He took a deep breath. “Luke and I were talking last night. After everyone else had left from the barbecue. He told me something very interesting, and somewhat frustrating.”

  James had to fight to stay seated. He was getting more nervous by the second. “Yeah? What did he tell you?”

  “That you’re afraid that Jamie and I wouldn’t accept you as a son-in-law. He said you seem to feel like your being a black man might affect how we would take you asking her to marry you.”

  He groaned and some of the tension left him. That hadn’t been what he was expecting, but it was only slightly better. Now, he was afraid that Carl and Jamie might have been offended. “He wasn’t supposed to tell you about that.”

  “I’m glad he did. He did it out of concern for both you and Lisa. James, when we say you are family, we mean it. The fact that you are a black man is no more than that. You’re one of the best people I know. You’re honest. Hard working. You’ve always been good, to and for our daughter. That’s the stuff that matters. Not your skin color.”

  James raised his head and looked Carl in the eyes. “Now I feel like I need to apologize.”

  “Apologize? Why?” Carl asked, sounding almost puzzled.

  “For thinking that you and Jamie could be so... Oh, I don’t know. I can’t find the right word. Racist. Unchristian.”

  “Shall we just call it stupid?”

  “I’m sorry. What do you mean?” James asked, giving the older man a confused look.

  Carl just grinned at the big guy. “Well, racism is stupid, is it not? That’s really not a strong enough word, but I’m not sure there is a strong enough one.”

  James nodded his head. �
��Yes. Yes, it is. There really is no logical reason to believe one’s race is better than another’s. Everybody starts out with the same kind of potential. What a person chooses to do with it is what makes the difference.”

  “On top of everything I’ve already said, you’re one of the smartest people I know. You keep Luke from messing his books up at the garage. You do all the electrical stuff on the cars. You’re pretty good with the mechanical stuff too. I know he says there is still some stuff you haven’t done yet. I know he’s taught you a little at a time over the years. You also never fail to be able to help the kids with their school work when the rest of us are stuck. No matter what subject it is. I’ve never seen anyone else with a memory like yours. Your biggest problem is you’re always over thinking everything. I’ve heard Lisa say more than once, she thinks you turn everything into a physics problem in your head.”

  “She’s said that to me a few times,” he said, grinning to himself.

  “Unfortunately, I figured there was a reason you had these fears.”

  “Yes. I guess there is,” James said, staring down at the floor.

  “Would you mind telling me about it?” James could tell by Carl’s tone he really wanted to understand what had caused his fear of not being accepted.

  “There were only two individuals who ever said anything, but they did it daily while I was growing up. One of them was Greg Becket. He was always trying to get Lisa to, I’ll use the words date him, but that’s not really what he wants.”

  “Who was the other one?”

  “You may find humor in this,” James said, unable to stop himself from laughing. “It was Tracy Lewis. She was worse than Greg. I think Greg did it more out of jealousy. Lisa always spent most of her time with me. He’s always had a thing for her, and she could barely stand him. He was always so vulgar. Even as far back as fifth and sixth grade.”

  “I take it you feel Tracy really thinks she’s better than you?”

  “Yes, but who does Tracy not feel that way about?”

  “Luke, maybe? But good point. She does seem to have a superiority complex.”

  “Between them, and Bridget Hart always treating me like a piece of meat, I guess I just got confused.”

  Now it was Carl with the confused look again. “She treats you like a piece of meat?”

  “Yeah. She’s always trying to get me to sleep with her. I feel like she thinks I’m a sex toy, or something. It’s annoying. Sorry, but there is no other way to put this. She wants to know if a black man’s tool really is bigger than a white man’s. Those were her words. Not mine.”

  “That can’t be easy to deal with,” Carl said, trying not to laugh.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s funny, but I’m getting to the point where it’s difficult to keep being polite.”

  Carl just gave the big guy a serious look. “James, I know your parents taught you to be polite, but at some point, you’re going to have to be blunter with her. If she’s been doing this for a while, she’s not going to listen any other way. The Harts have a tendency to be pig headed about what they want.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  James looked back up at Carl, thinking about his conversation with Bridget Thursday. “Carl, you need to be aware of something. I was going to talk to Zane, but he’s been so busy trying to catch Tracy, I haven’t had the chance. I might as well tell you. Bridget came by the garage Thursday, and she said something that has me a little worried. Apparently, Jeremy has recently developed a thing for Hannah. And it has something to do with her being so tiny. I’m sure it’s not going to take you long to figure out what that means.” When James seen the concern and anger flare in his eyes, he knew he didn’t need to tell him anything else.

  “I thought you all needed to know. I pretty much told her, he would have to go through all of us to get to her. That doesn’t mean he won’t try.”

  “I’ll talk to Zane about it. You may need to help him get the point across. If I go after the guy, I’m taking my hunting rifle.” James could tell by the look on the man’s face, he meant every word of it. The man was a good Christian, but you didn’t mess with the man’s baby girls.

  James just grinned and shook his head. ‘I’m glad you consider me family.”

  “I know you would never intentionally hurt my daughter. If Jeremy doesn’t get what he wants, he wouldn’t hesitate to rape her or beat the crap out of her.” All of the sudden Carl grinned, “Of course, I don’t figure he’s ever tried to grab a tornado by the tail either. I’d almost bet, Hannah would be a lot more than he was prepared for.”

  “Yeah, I get that we all refer to her has a miniature tornado, but she’s so tiny and the thought of her having to take him on all by herself gives me chills.” He wasn’t exaggerating. The chills going up his spin were so bad it was almost making him shake.

  “I think we better change the subject before you and I go head hunting. We need to let Zane deal with this a little more calmly.”

  “Yeah. Good idea,” James said, trying to shake the thoughts out of his head.

  “Well. Are you more reassured of your place in our family?”

  “Yeah. I truly am. I know now, I should never have let them get to me.”

  “James, you were a child,” Carl said with a thoughtful expression. After a second or two he asked, “Did you ever talk to your teachers or parents about it?”

  “No. I guess I believed them.”

  “I guess your parents told you how they ended up adopting you?”

  “Yes. My parents got killed in that car accident right in the middle of town. My dad was the first one on the scene. They felt it was God’s way of giving them a child they would never be able to have by themselves, and giving me parents that would love me.”

  “Yes, for them, you were a gift from God. Jamie and I believe you were a gift to our family as well. Especially our daughter. We’d be thrilled if you were to marry Lisa. Never question that.”

  “But I don’t know if she’s in love with me.” He didn’t bother to try and deny how he felt for her. He knew Carl would see right through that.

  “James, I think, deep down, you know she’s in love with you.” Carl was thinking about what his wife had said about suspecting they had spent the night together. He knew if James could stop thinking about everything else, and just consider the significance of that one night, he would get it. “You’re just too scared to trust your own instincts.”

  That caused James’ head to snap up. He sat there looking the man in the eye. He was hit with that feeling again. Somehow, he was certain Carl knew what had happened. It left him wondering how Carl and Jamie always knew what was going on with their children.

  Chapter 8 – Thursday, August 30

  Lisa sat in the floor of her bathroom crying. She had been sick for the last couple of weeks, and hadn’t been able to work much. She finally had faced the facts, and taken a pregnancy test. As much as she wanted children, this was not how she had intended to do it. She didn’t want James to feel trapped, but there was no way to keep this from him. Not that she would try anyway.

  She was experiencing a swirl of different emotions right now. She wanted this baby more than she could ever hope to explain. James was the only man she was ever going to love and she wanted to have children with him. The timing was just all off. She didn’t want him to ask her to marry him because of the baby, but she knew James well. The second he found out about the baby, he was going to want to get married. She needed to know a hundred percent that he loved her and wanted to marry her for no other reason than he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. This just made everything so much harder.

  “God, he needs to stop over thinking everything and listen to his heart. I need him now, more than ever. I know if he could just stop thinking so hard, he’d realize I really do love him.”

  She sat there for a little while longer, the tears streaming down her cheeks. She was going to have to have the faith that God would see them through this. Right now, that was fee
ling like the most impossible thing for her. She wanted to be married before the baby was born, but what if it took him too long to get it? What if he never got it?

  Maybe she should just tell him how she really felt. Maybe he would start to see after a while. She was just too afraid he’d believe she was just trying to give him what he wanted. And she knew James. That would never make him happy. It wouldn’t make her happy either. She needed him to know she really loved him. That she was marrying him to be with him, and nothing else.

  When she finally managed to push herself up off the floor, she made her way slowly down the hall to the kitchen. She found her phone lying on the kitchen table, and called her sister. “Hey, are you busy right now? I really need someone to talk to.”

  “I could use a break from wedding planning. Do I need to come to you, or do you want to come here?” Lisa could hear the concern in her sister’s voice even over the phone, and ended up smiling despite herself.

  “I’ll come to you. I really need to talk to Mom, too.”

  *******

  Ten minutes later Lisa walked in her mom and dad’s house. She walked to the kitchen and practically fell in a chair. She still felt numb from the shock. Mindi must have heard her come in, because she walked in behind her not a minute later.

  She walked around to the other side of the table and looked down at her sister. “Okay, Lisa, what’s going on?” Mindi asked, trying to keep her tone light, but failing miserably. She could tell something serious was going on. Lisa looked like she was in a state of shock.

  Lisa looked up at her sister, with a lost look on her face, and mouthed the words, “I’m pregnant.” She hadn’t been able to make any sound come out, so Mindi had to ask her to repeat herself. She tried again, managing to squeak just a little above a whisper. “I’m pregnant.”

  Mindi walked back around to where Lisa sat and pulled the chair beside her out and dropped in it, and just stared at her. “Wow. Are you going to tell Mom?”