I looked down at my wedding rings—my original one, along with a stunning solitaire diamond band—and thought, We can do this, right? What were we thinking?
“Honey.” Easton knocked on the bathroom door.
I hastily threw the tests in the wastebasket under the sink. “Come in.”
He opened the door in his baseball pants but without a shirt. “Do you know where my practice jersey is?”
I admired his beautiful chest for a moment before I remembered that’s what got me in this mess in the first place. I narrowed my eyes at the virile man.
“Did I do something wrong?” he asked.
I quickly put a smile on my face. I wasn’t ready to tell him yet. I was still trying to process it. “I think it may be in the dryer.”
He reached out and pulled me to his bare chest. His lips landed on my neck. “I could skip practice,” he said between kisses.
As I breathed him in and ran my hands across his bare shoulders, I was tempted, but again remembered my predicament. “I promised Jessie I would be at girl’s night tonight.” I hadn’t been in a while and they had been teasing that I was too wrapped up in domestic bliss or something like that. For the most part, that was true.
“Fine. I guess I’ll go to practice.” He kissed me hard before he went in search of his jersey.
I went back to fixing my makeup and semi-hyperventilating. I also thought back to the start date of my last period and calculated a due date in my head. I was guessing the baby would be due the first part of January. It seemed a long time away from May. I rubbed my abdomen. Don’t get me wrong, I was going to love this baby like crazy, but I hadn’t thought that at this stage in my life I would be facing motherhood again. But there was a lot about my life I hadn’t thought I would be doing. Like being remarried to my ex-husband, or building a house with him in Merryton, of all places.
We had thought a lot about it, and for the girls’ sakes we decided it was best to stay here. Emmy was flourishing and had made some good friends, and Ashley was going to be a senior. She’s going to flip when we tell her we’re pregnant, I thought. So, in the interim, Easton put his house on the market and after we were married, he and Emmy moved in with Ashley and me. It was a little cramped, but I refused to live anywhere Kathryn had.
Speaking of the vile woman, I was grateful she hadn’t reared her ugly head again. After our last run in, Easton threatened to file harassment charges if she ever came near any of us. He had apparently given her and Veronica the tongue lashing of their lives before he chased after me.
I had to admit, I was excited about the home we were building near Rachel. She had just moved into hers. The developer had bought six large parcels of land in a beautiful wooded area outside of town. The semi-secluded properties were a big draw for us. We kept the plans for our farm-style home hung up on our bedroom wall. I smiled every time I looked at it. I wondered if we could add a nursery near the master bedroom. The only bedrooms we had planned for the first floor were the master bedroom and Emmy’s room since we didn’t think Emmy would like sleeping upstairs alone after Ashley went off to school. Maybe we could make the study the nursery?
I still couldn’t believe I was pregnant.
I ran into Easton on his way out, but he was fully dressed this time.
He pulled me to him and kissed me goodbye. “Last chance to change your mind,” he said in hushed tones.
This was why I was pregnant. I smiled up at him. “There’s always tonight,” I said even though I was already exhausted. I should have known I was pregnant. That and all the extra trips to the bathroom I had been making the last couple of weeks.
He groaned before kissing me deeply. “You drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Cole. I love you.”
He left me standing there feeling warm. “Love you,” I called out to him.
I walked back to the kitchen to find the girls working on homework at the kitchen table.
I got a, “Hey, Momma,” from Ashley and a “Hi, Mom,” from Emmy. I never tired of hearing that term of endearment. Now we were adding one more into the mix. I tried to act normal when I approached. “I thought you girls were meeting Spencer at the park.”
Ashley looked up, disgusted. “Change of plans.”
“Did something happen between you two?”
“If you count the fact that he’s been hanging out with the new girl, Cortney, every day, then yes.”
I went to her and put my arm around her. “I’m sorry, darlin’. So did you break up?”
“No,” she practically cried. “He says they’re ‘just friends’, but I’m not stupid.”
It was probably for the best, but I didn’t say that out loud. Her dad and I both hoped she would see other people. We liked Spencer, but they were too young to be so serious with each other. “Do you want me to stay home?” I asked her.
She waved me off. “No.” She reached across the table and grabbed her sister’s hand. “Emmy and I are going to do facials and pedicures at home tonight.”
“That sounds like fun. I’ll be at Jessie Belle’s if you need anything.” I kissed both of them on the head before I made my way over to the café. All I could think about was that I was growing a life inside of me. A life Easton and I had created. It was amazing and overwhelmingly frightening all at the same time.
When I walked into the café I had to remind myself not to touch my abdomen. I wondered when I was going to start showing and how long we could keep this a secret. With Ashley, I made it to almost five months before I had any sort of a baby bump, but I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be so lucky this time around.
“You made it,” Jessie grinned from her chair by the fireplace. She was bouncing Tristan on her lap.
That was going to be me before I knew it. Don’t show it on your face, I reminded myself. I smiled wide. “Look how big he’s getting.” I walked over to them.
“I know. He’s already trying to crawl. Blake’s gone crazy baby-proofing the house.”
Baby-proofing? I hadn’t thought about that at all. I didn’t even know what little kids liked anymore, or what the best and safest car seats were. And were you supposed to lay them on their backs now or their sides? They were always changing recommendations, but I supposed Easton would know. He was a doctor after all. But who was going to play with this child? If I showed up to the Mommy and Me programs, they were going to think I was this kid’s grandma.
“Are you okay?” Abby asked. “You look a little pale.”
I took a seat near Jessie. “Right as rain,” I lied. I was having a midlife crisis of mass proportions. Easton was getting a vasectomy, stat.
“I think you look fabulous,” Rachel said. “You still have that newlywed glow.”
I think it was probably something else, and soon it was probably going to turn into a green glow of sickness as I puked my guts out for the next couple of months. I smiled again. “You’re too kind.”
“Anyway,” Cheyenne interrupted. “As I was saying, I ran into Andrew Turner again and this time he asked me what my name was.”
With looks of befuddlement and not knowing how to respond, we all smiled at her.
“Guys, this is it. The next time he’s going to ask me out.” She was obviously hoping for more enthusiasm on our part.
“Why don’t you go for the pastor’s brother who just moved to town,” Jessie suggested. “He’s attractive and … attainable.”
Cheyenne’s eyes blazed. “Aidan Bates? He’s a complete gentleman.”
“That’s a bad thing?” Rachel asked.
“Not necessarily, but he’s totally into church and being all pure.”
We laughed at her.
“Easton wasn’t too far off from that,” I reminded her, as she’d had her sights set on him, and maybe still did for all I knew.
“Well, Easton is a sexy doctor. He could have been the Pope for all I cared.”
We laughed even harder.
Cheyenne was not impressed with us. She glared at us and popped a piece of
orange roll in her mouth.
“Maybe you should get to know Aidan better,” Abby suggested to Rachel.
Rachel thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. I get the vibe he has a past and maybe some dark secrets.”
That perked Cheyenne up again. “Hmmm. Maybe I’ll have to reconsider.”
Jessie threw a burp rag at her. “You’re hopeless.”
Cheyenne picked up the burp rag like it was diseased and tossed it back to Jessie, who was cooing at her babbling son. “Well, at least I can still talk in full sentences,” she teased her best friend.
Jessie paid her no attention. “Don’t listen to her, Tristan,” she said adoringly.
Watching Jessie with Tristan calmed me down some. I did look forward to having one of my own to hold, but wow did I feel too old for it.
I needed a girl’s night. I had grown to love these ladies, even Cheyenne. Their laughter and fun conversation was just what the doctor ordered. We were having so much fun I didn’t realize it was so late. I stood up to say my goodbyes when Easton came bounding in through the café doors.
We all looked his way, surprised to see him. At first I was worried that something happened, but he ran to me in his dirty practice uniform, picked me up, and swung me around. He kissed me fervently for all to see.
I pulled back from him and looked into his smiling eyes. “What’s all this for?”
All the other ladies looked curiously on.
“I was looking for a band aid under the bathroom sink and—”
I begged him with my eyes not to say it out loud.
“I can’t believe you’re pregnant.” He kissed my cheeks repeatedly.
There was a collective gasp among my friends and the few patrons left in the café. I could already feel the heat from the town grapevine burning up at the news.
I took Easton’s face in my hands. “Honey,” I said through gritted teeth, “I was kind of hoping to tell you privately, and to keep it between the two of us for a while.”
It was like he couldn’t physically stop smiling. He was glowing more than me. It kind of made it hard to be upset with him.
“You can write me another poem about conception if it will make you feel better. How did the first one go, again? There once was a—”
I placed my hand over his smiling lips. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Love me.”
“That I can do.”
Rachel Laine
The Women of Merryton — Book Three
Sneak Peek
Chapter One
“Rachel Laine, Andrew Turner is here to see you,” Liza our receptionist informed me by phone.
“Andrew Turner?” I wasn’t expecting anyone this afternoon and the name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place him.
“You know, the Andrew Turner?” she whispered, trying to be covert.
I still wasn’t getting it.
“Andrew Turner, the all-star pitcher for the Bears,” she said as if I was completely dense. I also detected a hint of excitement in her voice as she said his name.
I thought for a moment. He was the guy Cheyenne had been after for a while, or maybe still was. It was hard to tell with her. I wondered why he would be here to see me. Perhaps he bought a new home in our lovely mountain town of Merryton and needed it insured. Regardless, I had time to see him, so I told her to send him back.
Within a minute there was a knock on my door. I opened the door only to find very familiar eyes staring at me. So familiar I almost gasped. There was no mistaking the amber eyes that looked like liquid gold framed with deep brown eyelashes. Those eyes had gotten Drew his way on more occasions than one. They were the reason we had a dog, a later bedtime, and a myriad of other things I said we would never have. But right now they were staring right at me and making me feel anything but the love I normally felt when I saw those eyes.
My first thought was, Why didn’t Sydney tell me that this was the Andrew. My second thought was to slam the door in his face.
He cleared his throat as I glared at him.
“Sydney,” he said and then shook his head. “I’m sorry, I meant Rachel. It’s just you look so much alike.”
I hadn’t been called Sydney in ages and it stung. After eight years there wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think of her or miss her. Sometimes Drew would say something or he would make a face and I would see her. It made me realize she hadn’t completely left me, but sometimes in those moments I missed her so much I physically ached.
Him saying her name made me angry. I felt he had no right to speak her name, like he had no right to be here.
“Yes, that’s what happens when you share a placenta with someone for nine months.”
He cracked a smile. I recognized that crooked grin.
“Anyway” he said, “I’m looking for Sydney. I’m hoping you can help me find her.”
I began to tremble slightly. I felt my own face become pale. He didn’t know.
“Is there something wrong?”
I motioned for him to come in. “Have a seat.” I pointed at my couch.
He sat on one end and I sat on the far side. We stared at one another for a moment. I couldn’t believe my son’s father was Andrew Turner, and here he was sitting in front of me completely clueless that I was raising the son he never knew or even cared to find.
“Mr. Turner.”
He looked confused. “Andrew, please.”
I didn’t want to call him anything but foul names, but I refrained and continued. “Sydney passed away a little over eight years ago.”
His tanned faced suddenly became ghostly white. “I’m sorry, I had no idea. How did she die? I’m sorry that is none of my business.”
It was more his business than he knew. “In childbirth,” I responded coldly with a knowing look. Yes, I wanted to say. I know it’s you.
He too gave me a meaningful look as he pulled out a letter and handed it to me.
I carefully unfolded it. I recognized the handwriting immediately.
Dear Andrew,
I’m going to go back home to Merryton. I know you don’t believe this baby is yours, but it’s true. Can’t you see by my leaving how much I care about you? I know I said some things I shouldn’t have, but I never wanted to ruin your career or use you because of your fame. I only wanted you to care about me like I care about you. I wanted you to love our baby.
I’m not sure where I will go after our baby is born, but if you ever want to know where we are, contact my sister Rachel Laine. She always knows where I am.
With Love,
Sydney
I could barely read the last sentences through my tear-filled eyes. I remembered how depressed she was before Drew was born. It was so unusual for her, but I think she really did care about this man in front of me. Our whole lives she had been the life of the party. We may have looked identical, but in personality we were complete opposites. I followed the rules and she burned the rulebook. I cried when I got a B in school and she rejoiced when she got a D because at least she passed.
I handed back the letter and stood up to retrieve a tissue from my desk.
“What happened to the baby?” he asked while my back was turned to him.
I tried to compose myself. I didn’t want to tell him about Drew. He didn’t deserve to know, and then a sudden thought occurred to me. What if he wanted to take him away from me? Could he? Legally Drew was mine, but could a biological father change that even after all of this time? I felt ill at the thought and grabbed my desk.
“Rachel, please.”
I closed my eyes and breathed out. “Why do you want to know?”
“I’m not going to lie. I’m contemplating running for office and I need to make sure there isn’t anything from my past that could impede my ability to win.”
I whipped around. “So you’re only worried he could be a liability to your campaign?”
“No, that sounds terrible. I meant …” He rubbed the back of his neck nervou
sly as he tried to dig himself out of the huge hole he’d dug, but then I watched as what I had said dawned on him. “Did you say he?”
I turned and grabbed one of the many framed pictures of Drew off my desk. This particular one was his latest school photo. His huge grin showcased his two missing front teeth. Teeth or no teeth he was the most handsome boy with his sandy brown hair and dimples. He had a smile that melted my heart. I looked at the photo and then at the man in front of me. There was no mistaking; Andrew Turner was my son’s father. Drew was the spitting image of his father.
Andrew took the photo and studied it intently. I saw the spark of recognition in his eyes. He had to know it was his son.
“My son, Drew, is in third grade and he is the best kid to ever walk the face of this earth.”
Andrew looked up at me and slowly handed back the picture. “He looks happy.”
“He is.”
“I need to know if he’s really mine.”
“Why? Are you planning on being part of his life now?”
“No—”
I narrowed my eyes at him and he squirmed.
“I mean, I don’t know. It’s just important I know.”
“If you’re worried about whether or not Drew and I will adversely affect your precious campaign, let me put your mind at ease. Drew has no idea who you are. He doesn’t even know your name. I didn’t even know your full name until today. So you can walk out that door and keep pretending like Drew never existed. I promise we will do the same for you.”
The mama bear in me wanted to come out so badly. If I could have clawed his eyes out I would have. How dare he come in here after all these years and how dare he only be worried about himself. Part of me was relieved that he seemed to want nothing to do with my son, but what kind of man waits eight years to find out if he really fathered a child? From the looks of it, a selfish man.
He stood up and I wasn’t sure what the look on his face meant. Relief perhaps?
“Would you allow for a paternity test?” he had the audacity to ask.
“I don’t see why that’s necessary.”
Taylor Lynne: The Women of Merryton - Book Two Page 30
