Still the One

by Michelle Major

  He lifted her off her feet in a tight hug. “Hell, yeah, you could.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Rain came down in steady sheets by the time Lainey left Ida’s several hours later. She didn’t have an umbrella but was too tired to care as the downpour soaked her T-shirt.

  She walked into the kitchen—some food, a shower and quick nap high on her to-do list. One good thing about being so exhausted was it made her too tired to think about the extra work she’d have to do to get the event back on track.

  Well, almost too tired.

  She took a box of cereal from the cabinet and opened the fridge. Between the milk and the orange juice sat a cardboard carton and a plastic salad container.

  No note, but an order form was taped to the side of the carton. “Pad Thai, no sprouts, small salad” was written in handwriting she didn’t recognize. Pad Thai had been her favorite forever, but she couldn’t get it in Brevia. The name of a restaurant from a neighboring town was stamped on the box.

  She looked around, not sure what she expected to see. Would Ethan have driven forty minutes just to get her takeout? A smile spread across her face as she grabbed a fork and dug into the noodles, not bothering to heat them first.

  It was the best food she’d ever tasted.

  When the phone rang a few minutes later, she picked it up on the first ring. “I can’t talk, I’m busy chewing.” She laughed into the receiver.

  “Lainey? Is that you?”

  She recognized the voice and swallowed hard. “Sam?” It wasn’t good if the police chief was calling her at home. “Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

  “Lainey, listen,” he interrupted. “I’m at Memorial North. Your sister’s here. They need you to come in....”

  “What happened?” Her stomach lurched, the noodles threatening a repeat appearance. “Is she okay? Is it the baby?”

  “Car accident. She’s all right.” He paused. “I’ll stay until you get here.”

  “I’m on my way.” She clicked off the phone and reached for her keys.

  The rain had turned to a light mist as she pulled on to the highway. She used her cell phone to dial her mother’s room but got no answer. Memorial North was situated between Brevia and its closest neighboring town. It was bigger than the local hospital where her mother was but not a critical care center, which reassured her. Anything really serious and Julia would be in Charlotte.

  Still her heart thumped wildly as she pushed through the doors under the Emergency Room sign.

  She approached the information desk. “Julia Morgan? I’m looking for my sister, Julia.”

  The woman behind the counter checked the computer. “Exam Three,” she answered. “Second door on your left.”

  Lainey walked quickly down the hall then stopped in front of Julia’s room. The steady beep that monitored both Julia’s vitals and the baby’s heartbeat echoed through the door. She hesitated as memories washed over her.

  When she finally stepped into the room, her breath caught. A large bandage covered Julia’s forehead above her left eye while a dark purple bruise shadowed the skin underneath. The rest of her face looked pale.

  Julia’s eyes narrowed when the door opened. “You called her,” she said with a moan. “I told you not to call. I’m fine.”

  Lainey’s gaze flicked to the end of the bed. Sam stood there, his arms crossed across his chest, concern and frustration warring in his features.

  “You are not fine,” he told Julia. “Just stubborn.”

  Lainey watched the two of them stare at each other, wondering if she was interrupting a private moment. Sam turned to her. “She’s going to be all right. A few cuts and bruises. The baby’s fine. She’ll need a ride home. Even if she could drive, her car was totaled.”

  “Piece of junk,” Julia muttered.

  Lainey shook her head, frustrated she couldn’t follow the conversation. “What happened? Julia, you don’t look fine.”

  “I need to get back to the station,” Sam said, glancing at his watch. He placed a hand on Julia’s leg. “Let me know when you’re ready for something new. I’ve got a buddy with a used lot over in Ft. Thomas.”

  Julia rolled her eyes. “I think I can buy a car on my own.”

  Sam smiled. He stepped over to Lainey. “Go easy on her,” he whispered. “She’s more shaken than she’s letting on.”

  Julia humphed. “I can hear you.”

  “Gotta go.” With a last glance at Julia, Sam walked out the exam room door.

  Lainey’s eyebrows rose. “What was that all about?”

  “Nothing. That guy may be hot, but he’s too much of a stinkin’ choir boy for my taste.”

  Lainey heard the catch in Julia’s voice. It scared her more than she wanted to admit to think of Julia in danger. She’d come to see her sister in a new light since returning, to finally feel connected to her family. She sat on the edge of the bed. “Start at the beginning, Juls.”

  “It wasn’t my fault. It was the rain. And my tires. They should have been changed a thousand miles ago, but I don’t have the money. I came around the corner on Whitton’s Hill. You know how tight it is?”

  Lainey nodded.

  “There was a pool of water and the car hydroplaned.”

  “There’s a huge hill on that bend,” Lainey interrupted, shocked at the scene Julia described.

  “I went over it. The front of the car kind of folded across my lap. Thank God I could reach my purse and my cell phone still worked.”

  “Did you get a hold of Mom?”

  “No.” Julia pressed her head against the pillows on the bed and closed her eyes. “She was napping when I left. I didn’t want to bother her.”

  A nurse came into the room, cutting off Lainey’s response. She walked to the bed and unhooked the monitor. The room went quiet. “Ms. Morgan, you’re free to go. You have a follow-up appointment scheduled. An orderly will wheel you down to the front. Pick up the discharge orders at the desk on your way out.” The nurse glanced at Lainey then back to Julia. “Do you have a ride home or should I call a cab?”

  “A cab would be—”

  “She has a ride,” Lainey interrupted and gave her sister’s hand a small squeeze. “I’m going to pull the car around to the front.”

  “Thanks, Lainey.” Julia swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’ll be waiting.”

  Lainey had taken only a few steps down the hall when Ethan came around a corner, looking as frazzled as she felt. He pulled her into a quick hug then moved back.

  “Jake Maguire told me he towed Julia’s car, that it was totaled.” He struggled to catch his breath. “Is she okay? What about the baby?”

  “She’s fine. The baby’s fine.” Lainey resisted the urge to lean into him again. “In fact she’s just been released.”

  “How are you doing with all of this?”

  She tried to smile but couldn’t force her mouth to move in that direction. “Shocked. Relieved. Running on pure adrenaline.”

  Ethan searched her face, and while she was pale and her eyes tired, she actually seemed to be holding up pretty well given all she’d been through recently. When he’d heard about the accident, he’d worried not only about Julia but also how Lainey would be affected by the possibility of trauma to the baby. He knew a situation like this could bring back memories of the loss they’d shared.

  He wanted to wrap his arms around her, reassure her in any way he could, but this wasn’t the right time or place. He watched her draw in a slow breath. “Do you want me to stay?” he asked.

  Her eyes darkened until the irises were dusky green. She reached up and her cool fingers stroked his cheek. A simple touch from her could send him over the deep end.

  She stepped away. “You should go. It’ll be easier with the two of us.”


  He smiled despite his disappointment. “Once a complication, always a complication.”

  Lainey swayed toward him then straightened. “I know you want to do the right thing. We all do. But this is so new. I’m going to pick up her paperwork and get the car. I’ll call you later. Promise.” She kissed his cheek and turned toward the nurses’ station as he walked away. She didn’t glance back, too afraid she’d surrender to the impulse to run after him and melt into his arms.

  A nurse came barreling out of the exam room, almost running over Lainey. “Get in there,” she barked, hurrying down the hall. “Your sister’s gone into labor.”

  “No,” Lainey whispered. In a daze, she returned to the room. Julia met her gaze as another nurse cleaned up a puddle of liquid from the floor next to the bed.

  “My water broke,” Julia said with an apologetic laugh. “I bent down to pick up a shoe and...”

  “It’s okay, hon.” The nurse straightened, a wad of crumpled towels in one hand.

  “I’m not ready. It’s not time...the baby...”

  The nurse patted Julia’s leg. “We’ll get you moved up to Maternity and the doctor will see you. Everything will be okay.”

  “No,” Lainey repeated, louder. Her world tilted off-kilter. Okay. Okay. That one word haunted her. Stars danced before her eyes and she licked her dry lips.

  The nurse turned. “Are you the sister?”

  Lainey stared.

  “The birth coach, right?”

  Lainey forced herself to nod.

  “It’s a good thing you’re here,” the nurse told her as she slipped past. “She needs you now.”

  With the nurse gone, Lainey stepped farther into the room. She opened her mouth to speak, but Julia’s face contorted, eyes shut tight as she bit down on her lower lip.

  A contraction.

  Lainey recognized it but couldn’t remember a single thing she’d learned in the birthing classes. Her mind went blank as she watched obvious pain wash through her sister.

  As she remembered her own pain.

  A moment later Julia’s eyes opened again. Her mouth trembled. “Is it really going to be okay?” she asked weakly.

  Lainey swallowed and nodded. She used the fear in Julia’s eyes to push away her own anxiety. As overwhelmed as she felt, she wouldn’t let Julia be alone at this moment. She had a chance now to make something right, once and for all.

  She came forward and pushed a sweaty strand of hair off Julia’s face, smoothing her fingers across her sister’s skin. “We’re going to get through this together,” she said.

  Tears welled in Julia’s eyes. “Are you sure? Because—”

  “I’m sure. The nurse was right. Everything’s going to be okay.” She dropped a quick kiss on Julia’s forehead. “Better than okay, Juls. You’re about to become a mother.”

  * * *

  Ethan had walked out of the hospital feeling more alone than he could remember. He’d never been close to his own family.

  He’d spent most of his time at the Morgans’, happy for Vera to feed and fuss over him. He tried to remember Lainey at that age. She didn’t talk to him a lot, always seemed to have her nose buried in a book. Or maybe he just wasn’t paying attention.

  He picked up Chinese takeout and drove out to the lake house. Flipping on the television, he dropped to the couch, ate and dozed off.

  A noise sounded from the floor below several hours later. Ethan stood and wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve. The last thing he needed was a random bear or raccoons nosing around his trash.

  He started down the steps but stopped midway. “Lainey?”

  “Hey,” she said. “Sorry to show up without calling.”

  Ethan barely registered her words. Her scent trailed up to him, overriding his senses until he was dizzy with need. He tried to steady his heart, to think of something normal to say. Something to make her stay in Brevia longer than this summer—maybe even forever.

  She gave him a questioning look. “If I’m here at a bad time...”

  “No,” he said quickly. He realized he was blocking her way up the narrow staircase. “Come on up.”

  He grabbed the remote and flipped off the TV then tried to straighten newspapers and magazines on the coffee table. He picked up his half-empty Chinese carton and moved it to the kitchen counter, next to a stack of crusty dishes.

  “I came to say thank you for the pad Thai.” She crossed and uncrossed her arms, looking both uncomfortable and adorable. “It’s my favorite.”

  “I remember,” he said with a grimace. “I just can’t figure out why. Give me good ole kung pao any day.”

  “That’s why I appreciate it so much.”

  A wave of pleasure washed through him. Funny how doing something nice for her made him feel ridiculously happy.

  “I also wanted you know Julia had the baby.”

  Ethan felt like he’d taken a hard right to the jaw. “What?”

  “I went back to the room.” Her eyes widened. “Her water broke. Everything went so fast and then—”

  He didn’t know what to say, how to react. He studied Lainey but couldn’t read her expression. “What happened?”

  A dazed grin broke across her face. “I have a nephew, Ethan. He was determined to meet the world today. Julia barely had time to push. And Charlie is perfect.”

  “Named after your dad.”

  Lainey nodded. “Ten fingers, ten toes. The loudest cry you’ve ever heard. He’s perfect,” she repeated in a whisper.

  “Congratulations, Aunt Lainey. I’m happy for her. For both of you.”

  Her head cocked to one side. “Do you ever think about the baby we would have had?”

  He stumbled a step.

  “If we have a chance,” she said with a sigh, “we need to talk about our loss.”

  His pulse began to thump. He cupped her face in his hands. “I think about that summer—the baby. About what would have happened. About you being my wife.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I only care about our future, Lainey.” He forced himself to continue. “Do we have one?”

  Her breath caught.

  She wanted to answer yes. Isn’t that why she’d come here in the first place?

  She’d meant to drive straight home from the hospital and hide under the covers but instead found herself here. She needed to crawl into the safety of Ethan’s arms.

  To lose herself in him.

  But did they have a future?

  This was the time when she should lay everything on the line. Familiar fear rushed through her.

  She’d spent so long condemning herself; she couldn’t bear to talk about her inability to have children and risk seeing that same judgment in Ethan’s eyes. Of being rejected by him again.

  Instead of answering, she touched her lips to his. She breathed him in, wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight.

  He didn’t disappoint. His kiss was deep, hungry, demanding. Like he was trying to prove something. His desire for her went beyond pure lust or the familiarity of old lovers. He was urgent, desperate and she matched his need.

  “You’re making me crazy.” He laughed into her hair. “I have about as much control as a teenager.”

  As she drew back and looked deep into his eyes, she had no doubt that the longing she saw reflected there was only for her.

  “Control is overrated,” she whispered with a smile.

  “I want this forever,” he whispered then pressed his mouth against hers before she could answer. “You are the best part of me, Lainey.” He led her to his bed as he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, the line of her jaw. “You make me a whole person.”

  “I love you with every part of me,” she whispered. “I always have.”

  They breathed into each o
ther, melding together until she wasn’t sure where he stopped and she began.

  She could feel his heart thundering in his chest, matching the pounding of her own. They stayed wrapped tightly together, taking and giving pleasure for hours. When Lainey heard the hiss of sprinklers outside the window, she finally glanced over at the clock.

  “It’s almost eleven. I should go.” Even as she said the words, he nestled her against him.

  “Stay.”

  Little tingles of awareness spread down her spine. “I need to get up early to see Julia before work.”

  “I’ll set the alarm.”

  She propped her elbows on either side of his chest and looked at him. Could she trust him with her heart again? She was afraid if she had to take another emotional pounding, she might not survive it with her soul intact.

  “Please stay with me tonight.”

  “Yes.”

  As his mouth claimed hers, her doubts faded away like the moon in the first light of morning. Maybe they were still there waiting to resurface when darkness fell again, but for now his kiss was like the bright sun, warming every part of her.

  * * *

  Lainey had left Ethan on the lake house’s deck with a steaming cup of coffee, a kiss and a promise to meet later that morning.

  She’d called her mother on the way to the hospital and after visiting her sister and nephew, she finally pulled herself away and made it to the clinic around noon. She’d called Ethan’s cell phone but got voice mail, so left a message she’d pick up sandwiches on the way over.

  In a million years, Lainey would have never guessed she’d have such a hard time leaving Julia and Charlie, even for a few hours. But from the moment her new nephew had wrapped his little hand around her finger, she’d been a goner. She hadn’t even minded changing his dirty diaper.

  Nothing about Charlie or the maternity ward made her revisit her own pain. She stayed totally focused on the present moment, grateful for new life and her chance to be a part of it.

  Which may have explained why she’d lost track of time. Vera had called three times. She was being released later that afternoon and was chomping at the bit to meet her grandson. Lainey planned to pick her up when she left the clinic.