“George?” she mumbled slowly.
Jared grinned. “Yeah, we can call him Georgie for short.”
“Georgie is actually longer than George,” she pointed out “And Georgia May would love to have our son named after her, especially since she’s been telling everyone and their mothers that she singlehandedly saved me when I got sick in the store. The way she tells it, I was practically dying.”
He visible recoiled. “Why would you do that? Why would you taint my favorite name?”
Calla laughed.
“Sam,” he volunteered next.
“No.”
“Why? What’s wrong with Sam?”
“It’s too … Sam.”
Jared threw one hand up off the wheel. “That’s not even a very valid reason.”
“I’m not calling my kid Sam,” she muttered, still chuckling.
“Daniel.”
She considered that one a moment. “Maybe.”
He was still throwing baby names at her when they turned off the main road and headed towards her dad and Beth’s house. The Christmas presents in the back rustled in their bags. One slipped out and hit the floor of the car with a concerning crunch. Calla cursed and glanced back.
“Leave it,” Jared said. “I’ll grab it when we stop.”
“Yeah, but what if it was that fire blown figurine I got Willa? I don’t want it to break if something else falls on top of it.”
Unhitching her belt, she twisted her body over the console and tried to reach for the silver wrapped box beneath Jared’s chair.
“Baby, just leave it.”
“I almost have it!”
Her fingers slipped off the corner of the box. She wiggled higher in her chair and made a half lunge for it.
“Calla…”
The hunk of ice hidden beneath a discreet powdering of snow seemingly came out of nowhere. It caught beneath the tire and jerked the entire truck to the right. Jared caught the wheel and wrenched, trying to remain in control and on the road. The back end gave a violent fishtail, throwing Calla back into her seat. Her head rebounded off the window with a dull thud that barely registered as the truck skid off the shoulder and came to a crunching nosedive into the ditch. It all happened so fast that by the time Calla caught her breath, it was over. The world had stopped moving and the only sound came from their heavy breathing and the hum of the engine.
“Calla?” Jared yanked off his belt and scrambled for her, closing his fists in her jacket and wrenching her towards him. “Are you hurt?”
Trembling, Calla struggled to control her breathing. “No…” She moistened her lips. “I’m okay.” She turned her head to him. “Are you?”
Expelling a breath, Jared nodded. He fisted a hand back through his hair and dropped back into his seat. His gray eyes took in the dark wall of snow climbing over the hood of the car to spread across the windshield.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” His attention was back on her.
Calla nodded. “Yeah, I think I’m more shaken than anything else.”
He looked her over. “I think I should take you to the hospital.”
“What?” she exclaimed. “On Christmas? Are you crazy? My family will freak.”
“I don’t care. I want you looked at.”
“I’m fine!” she promised. “Seriously. We weren’t even going that fast so it was barely a bump. Besides, we’re almost there.”
“The baby—”
“Is also fine,” she assured him as she pulled the belt back into place over her lap.
His face only seemed to tighten further. “You thought that last time.”
Just like that, every ounce of happiness deflated to nothing. It settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach like an angry fist.
“Calla…”
She shook her head. “I don’t need you to remind me what happened last time, Jared.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
She turned her face towards her window. “I’m not spending Christmas at the hospital. Trust me, if something was wrong, there’s nothing they can do anyway.”
In the glass, she saw his hand extend towards her, but he stopped himself at the last second and drew away. She was almost relieved.
He put the truck into reverse and propelled them backwards out of the hole. The engine growled in effort and the tires skid a few times, but they broke free and were on the road once more. The windshield wipers swept the snow off the windshield and they continued down the road, void of their earlier cheerfulness.
They hadn’t told either of their families about the baby, not even Willa, who Calla had phoned after her talk with Jared. The relief and happiness in Calla’s voice as she told her sister everything was fine must have been enough to calm some of her concern. But now Calla wasn’t even sure they should tell anyone. All she could think was what if she lost the baby again? It would be her fault. Why hadn’t she just left the stupid present? They’d nearly been to her dad’s place. She could have checked then. In the scheme of things, a broken figurine didn’t seem nearly as important anymore. What was worse? Jared would hate her, not nearly as much as she would hate herself, but enough to fully destroy her.
In the driveway of her father’s house, Jared pulled to a stop. Without a word, he climbed out of the truck and ambled around the hood to her side. He yanked open her door and offered her a hand down. But he held on even after her feet touched the ground. She was drawn into his arms, into the warm material of his coat.
“It’s going to be okay,” he promised into her temple.
“What if—”
His arms tightened. “It’s going to be okay,” he repeated more firmly. “No matter what.”
Hearing him say it only diminished her anxiety by a mere fraction. She wouldn’t fully relax until that baby was born. If.
No.
She closed her eyes tight and pressed closer to Jared.
No ifs. She would be okay. She had to believe that.
Her chin was lifted by his gentle finger. Her gaze was caught by his.
“Smile for me.”
“Jared, I don’t—”
“Smile!”
No matter how tight her chest was, Calla chuckled. “Stop that.”
Grinning, he kissed her lightly before drawing back. He shut her door and reached into the back to get their gifts. Calla left him to it and made her way to the front door. The truck door slammed and a moment later, Jared’s footsteps echoed behind her.
The front door flew open before she could even reach the doorknob. Her mother smiled at her from the threshold, her cheeks the same bright pink as her sweater.
“Hey, you made it!”
Calla chuckled. “Yeah, we had a bit of an accident, but—”
The smile instantly vanished. “What kind of accident?” Her gaze jumped from Calla to Jared and back. “Are you all right?”
“We’re fine,” Calla told her quickly. “It was nothing.”
“But you’re okay?” her mother pressed, edging back to let them into the warmth of the foyer.
Brilliant strings of light illuminated the entire house in a soft, white gold that was accented by ropes of garland, bows and silver streamers. The radio was on and O’ Holy Night crooned through the air. Laughter and chatter echoed from the sitting room and Calla couldn’t wait to see the others.
“Yes.” She chuckled and leaned in to kiss her mother on the cheek. “We’re fine.”
Relieved, she closed the door behind them and turned her attention on Jared.
“I invited your parents, but they unfortunately couldn’t make it.”
Jared nodded. “They go see my aunts up in Vernon on Christmas.”
“Hopefully next year, they can join us,” she went on with an apologetic smile.
“I’ll make sure they do.” He promised, making her chuckle. “Where can I put these?”
He held up the gifts Calla had spent the better part of two weeks wrapping. He had offered to help, but after snapping at h
im that he hadn’t folded the corners properly, he’d surrendered the job to her.
Her mother started to answer, started to point him in the direction of the tree when a knock sounded from behind them that had everyone frowning.
“Everyone’s here…” her mother mumbled to herself.
“I’ll get it,” Calla offered, already turning.
Her fingers closed around the knob and she wrenched the door open. A figure stood on the porch, bathed in the pale blue of settling twilight. The lights from the hallway behind her shone over magnetic hazel eyes and danced lazily along the elegant contours of a familiar face.
“Hello Calla.”
Calla staggered back into Jared. “Richard?”
Chapter Twelve ~ Jared
The bastard smiled at Calla like he had some kind of sick right. His hazel eyes were framed by thick lashes and lines that crinkled charmingly. He was good looking in an older guy kind of way. His dark hair was elegantly trimmed and neatly combed back from a square face that was mapped with sharp cheekbones, a full mouth and a strong jaw. There were hints of gray at his temple, yet that only made him appear distinguished and handsome. He couldn’t have been more than forty, but he reeked of sophistication and money. Jared could see how an eighteen year old girl, alone and vulnerable, would fall for his lies.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” The words burst out of him before he could control himself.
“Jared!” Lily gasped, horrified.
Richard seemed unfazed by the outburst. His gaze never shifted away from Calla, who hadn’t moved from her rigid stance against Jared.
“What are you doing here?” she barely managed to hiss around her stiff lips. “I told you I didn’t ever want to see you again.”
Richard nodded. “I know, but I needed to see you.”
“Why?” she growled. “You have no right to show your face after everything you’ve done.”
He raised his hands. “Just let me explain.”
“How did you find me?”
There was an almost sheepish twinkle in his eyes when he answered, “You used to tell me about your home all the time. I knew this place before I even got here.” He glanced down and chuckled. “Okay, that isn’t entirely true. I came across your website when I searched for your name.”
Calla recoiled. “You searched … why would you do that?”
He looked up at her. “I wanted to see how you were. I missed you.”
The gifts were dumped unceremoniously to the ground and Jared had the fucker by the collar, jerking him forward until they were nose to nose.
“Keep talking,” he hissed. “You’ll be missing your teeth next.”
“Hey!” Sloan appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Jared.
Cole came up behind his brother. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Leave,” Calla said tightly to Richard. “You don’t belong here. I don’t want to see you.”
“Who is this guy?” her dad demanded.
“He’s a sick pervert who preys on young girls for his own twisted pleasure,” Jared snarled.
He shoved out of Sloan’s hold and lunged for Richard again, but Sloan was faster.
“Someone better tell me what the hell is going on!” Cole growled, taking a step towards the intruder.
“Stop.” Calla said with far more calm than Jared felt. “You need to leave, Richard. Now, before they murder you and I let them.”
No one looked like they were ready to let Richard go, not until questions had been answered. But Jared also knew that no one would actually kill him, except, well, maybe Jared himself.
The bastard didn’t move. “If you would just give me a moment to explain—”
“There is nothing you can possibly say that will ever change my mind about you,” Calla murmured. “The fact that you would just show up at my family’s home after everything you did…”
“I called,” he protested.
Calla frowned. “When?”
Richard had the decency to drop his gaze. “I hung up when you answered, because I realized what I have to tell you can’t be said over the phone.” He pushed on when Calla said nothing. “I only want five minutes of your time. If you still feel like you want nothing to do with me, then I will go and never again darken your doorway.”
Calla’s eyes narrowed. “I wouldn’t give you five seconds of my time, Richard. You had that chance a year ago, but you ruined it.”
Richard’s hazel gaze darted past her to the figures of Calla’s entire family before focusing on the blonde in front of him. He said something. It was too low for anyone but Calla to hear. But Calla’s head jerked back like he’d struck her. Her eyes narrowed, but not with anger.
With concern.
“What?”
A corner of his mouth quirked in a humorless little grin and for the first time, he seemed older, worn and tired.
“You’re my last act of penance, buttercup. Just give me five minutes.”
Jared expected Calla to tell the guy to jump off a cliff, to rot in hell. Instead, she nodded and followed him out onto the porch. Every muscle in his body tightened in rage and betrayal. He couldn’t believe she would just succumb after everything the douchebag had done to her. How could she so easily forgive him?
“What’s going on?” Sloan’s barking demand brought Jared back to the present and the small crowd waiting for an explanation, one Jared didn’t have.
What was he supposed to say: oh just wait a second while my wife talks to her ex-lover?
Thankfully, he didn’t have to. The door opened and Calla returned, her face pale and drawn. Her blue gaze met his and the exhaustion in them momentarily overshadowed his anger.
“What happened?”
The door shut behind her with a soft click.
“Can someone tell us what just happened?” Cole cut in before Calla could answer.
Calla drew in a deep breath. “There’s something I need to tell everyone.”
They moved to the sitting room. Jared left the gifts where he’d dropped them and followed. He wasn’t sure what Calla was going to tell them, but he tried to brace himself for it.
“I met Richard three years ago,” she began slowly and went on to tell everyone the story of her two year relationship with the guy.
She talked to her hands for most of it, the ground for the rest, her back steadily, gradually bending until she was nearly stooped in two. By the end, no one was moving. No one even spoke. Everyone stared at her with a mixture of horror and rage. It was nothing she hadn’t already told Jared, and yet, hearing it a second time was even harder than hearing it the first time.
He hated that she’d been hurt. He hated that there was nothing he could do to make that pain go away for her. He hated that she carried it with her and blamed herself for something that was completely out of her control. He hated that asshole for making her face it yet again. But more than anything, he hated that he had no idea what Richard had told her on the porch and what it could possibly mean for Jared and Calla. He hated not knowing.
“Oh my poor baby girl!” Quietly crying, Lily hurried out of her seat and dropped into the spot next to Calla. She dragged her daughter into her arms and held her tight. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Calla laughed weakly. “Tell you what? That I had an affair with a married man for two years, got pregnant and then couldn’t even keep my baby? How would I even work that into a conversation?” She shook her head. “I wanted to forget. I opened the shop so I would have something to distract me. I never wanted to think about what I’d done.”
Her mother jerked away. “What you’d done? What did you do?”
“Two years,” Calla snapped. “I was with him for two years. What idiot doesn’t realize what kind of man they’re with after two years? I was his mistress. I helped him cheat on his wife. For two years. I was so blinded by his attention that I couldn’t see that something was wrong. I never questioned … anything. And because of my selfish idiocy, I lost my baby.�
�
She was breathing hard and staring even harder at her mother, willing her to make that better. But Lily didn’t seem to have anything comforting to say any more than anyone else did.
Calla rose and excused herself. No one moved as the sound of her heels echoed down the hall and faded with the quiet click of the bathroom door shutting.
It was not a Christmas any of them wanted to remember. After Richard’s departure and Calla’s heartbreaking confession, the whole house seemed to fall into an eerie shadow tinged with sorrow. Jared didn’t know what to say. Part of him wasn’t sure there was anything to say.
Around the room, no one was laughing. Beth had moved to sit next to Lily after Calla had excused herself to use the washroom. Cole stood at the window, staring out at the yard with a stiffness in his shoulder that barely concealed his fury. Sloan was on the sofa, slumped forward with his hands folded between his knees. Jared wasn’t sure, but Damon might have pulled Willa into the kitchen when she’d burst into tears and Toby sat in a quiet huddle in the armchair. But none of them mattered in that moment. The only person Jared could think about was the woman he’d sworn to himself to love and protect. And he didn’t know how the hell to help her.
“Did you know any of this?” Lily was watching him, her eyes oddly bright in the firelight.
Jared nodded slightly. “She told me the other day.”
That only seemed to upset her all the more. Her chin quivered and she quickly covered it with her hand.
“She was living with that this whole time?”
“Lily.” Beth put her arms around the other woman and pulled her in close.
“I’m her mother. I’m supposed to be there for her. I’m supposed to protect her.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Beth whispered.
“But I did know,” Lily protested. “I knew something was wrong when she came back. I could feel it. I just … I didn’t know…” Teardrops glittered sliding down her pale cheeks. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Because there was nothing anyone could have done.” Calla was back. She stood in the doorway, looking drawn and pale. She stepped deeper into the room by a foot and stopped to regard the faces peering back at her. “This doesn’t change anything.”
Be My Baby Page 19
