by Samathe Beck
“Your landlord?” Sophie took a sip of water.
“Yes. The Lodge-Freeze families own more real estate than you’d believe.” Juliet sighed.
That must’ve been what Dawn meant by family holdings. “Must be nice.” Sophie grinned. “Who knows, maybe I’ll sell a painting someday and then, ah, diversify.”
“Speaking of which, I saw how your eyes lit up about the art showing.”
Sophie blew out a breath. “I’d love to have a real art showing. To paint Montana and have people come and actually want to buy my work. It’d be a dream I hadn’t ever thought I’d get the chance to explore.”
“So you’re saying yes.”
Damn it. “I’m saying yes. But I’ll do it on my terms, and some of that may mean I take pictures and then paint in San Francisco.” At home. Even though it no longer felt like home.
“Fair enough.” Juliet glanced back as the men in the far booth got louder. “What’s going on?”
Sophie glanced up as Billy Rockefeller and Fred Gregton slid out of the far booth. “The guys from the Concerned Citizens for Rural Development Group seem to be having a disagreement.” Frowns lined both men’s faces. “And they’re dressed for, ah, war.”
The two men wore camo outfits and flak boots. Billy Rockefeller looked a lot more dangerous in the army outfit than he had in the fancy jacket.
He stopped at their table. “Ladies.”
Sophie made the introductions, and he shook Juliet’s hand. Fred hovered near the counter and didn’t approach.
Billy cleared his throat, his eyes piercing. “I heard the county commissioners were smart enough to deny your plan.”
Sophie cut her eyes to Juliet. “Good news travels fast.”
Billy nodded and shifted to reveal a gun in his waistband. “Then I heard the tribe is trying to buy your plan. I’d appreciate it if you refused to sell. We don’t need a golf course.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sophie’s breath scraped her throat as she eyed the gun.
His lip curled and he lowered his flushed face to hers. “I’ll do anything to save the environment, lady. Anything.”
Sophie saw red at his obvious intimidation tactic. Enough with people pushing her around. Her temper exploded. After grabbing a bottle on the table, she squeezed it in his face. Ketchup squirted out and spread over his forehead.
She gasped.
He growled and moved to grab her.
Juliet swung with her purse, smashing him in the face. He stumbled back toward the counter, where Fred caught him before he tripped.
Billy started to lunge forward when a sharp voice in the doorway snapped his name.
Everyone froze.
Quinn Lodge stalked up the aisle, his gaze taking everything in. “What’s going on, folks?”
Sophie gulped air and pointed to Billy. “He has a gun in his waistband.”
Billy snarled and stepped far enough away from her that Quinn’s shoulders relaxed. “I also have a permit, a fact the sheriff is well aware of.”
Quinn eyed Juliet and then Sophie. “Are you ladies all right?”
“Fine.” Juliet crossed her arms. “This was a little misunderstanding about ketchup. Right?”
Sophie swallowed several times. “Um, right.” Actually, she was the one who had committed battery, considering she’d doused the asshole. But he had tried to scare her, so it was probably all right. She glanced at Quinn. “Let’s not tell Jake.”
Quinn grinned. “Not a chance, Soph. Not a chance in hell.” He took in Juliet’s ketchup-covered purse with a raised eyebrow but didn’t say a word. Then he waited until the two men left before giving Juliet a hard glance and then sauntering out the door.
After lunch, Sophie drove into the city to make a purchase. There was no way she would buy a pregnancy test in town—the news would be all over within minutes.
The feeling of leaving home grew stronger as she pulled away from Mineral Lake and headed outside of Maverick County, the sharp peaks of mountains providing a shield from rushing winds.
After driving for an hour, she shivered as dark clouds gathered across the sky and figured she’d get back in time for a good storm. Lightning cracked across the sky, and a hard rain began to pelt the vehicle and she flipped on the wipers and lights. Her phone rang just as she pulled into Billings.
“Where are you?” Jake’s deep voice stirred something inside her she struggled to suppress.
“Running an errand. Are you back in town?” She was not miffed that he hadn’t called. Really. Though fury still rode her at his attempted interference in her life. With her job. With her baby that might or might not exist.
“Just got home.”
“Great.” She peered through the rain-soaked windshield for a drugstore.
“Do you want to meet for dinner?” The low timbre of his voice caused a fluttering in her lower belly that irritated her, pure and simple.
“No. I may be a while.” The lights of a store shone through the darkened night.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call, Sophie. We worked twenty-hour days to finish the case up in a week.” His frustration came clear and sure through the line.
“No problem, Jake.”
“Sounds like a problem.” Silence sprawled across the line. “Where are you?”
“None of your business.” If she could take on crazy Billy Rockefeller, she could handle Jake.
“Excuse me?” Heat colored his words, even through the static. The wind lashed against her windows.
“You heard me. Nice offer you made my uncle. You’re not running my life.”
“Not trying to.” His voice dropped an octave.
“Good. Well, since we fired the Charleton Group, I’m sure that Uncle Nathan will sell you the design.”
“I assumed as much.”
“But Preston will be here working on it, not me.”
Several seconds of silence filled the line as Sophie turned into the fully illuminated parking lot. “No.”
“What?” She switched off the ignition.
“I said, no. The deal is for you to redesign the course. Not Preston. You designed the original course, the one that fits in well here. We want you to work with your design. Plus, I understand your uncle stands to lose quite a bit of money if that design isn’t used.”
“That’s blackmail.” Sophie’s temper stirred.
“No, it isn’t. It just makes sense to have the original designer alter the same course. Now, where are you?”
“Bite me, Jake.” She shut the phone with a decisive click and powered it down. Not the most mature response, but he deserved it. She squared her shoulders for courage and jumped into the rain to dash for the drugstore.
The small bag sat like a stone in her purse during a quiet dinner at a small diner just outside of Maverick County. When she finished eating and paid the check, she figured she’d stalled enough. She needed to find out now, because there was a fairly good chance Jake would be waiting for her at Mrs. Shiller’s.
She marched slowly into the small bathroom and dug into the bag. She opened the box and read the instructions. Not too difficult. With a sigh, she peed on the stick. Then she placed it on the back of the sink, turned around, and thrummed her fingers against her arm. She waited a minute. Then another minute, her eyes sightless on the pale yellow walls.
Someone tried to open the door and the lock jiggled.
She’d have to come back.
Finally, three minutes were up. Sophie took a deep breath and turned around.
Through the control window, a plus sign glowed in bright pink.
She was pregnant.
Chapter Eighteen
Fifteen stunned minutes later, she found herself in the Jeep headed toward Mineral Lake. “I’ll have to schedule a doctor’s appointment.” She had been talking to herself for several moments but didn’t think it mattered much at that point. Rain slashed the car while thunder rumbled overhead, but neither pierced her calm. “A good doctor. One with experience. L
ots of it.”
The windshield wipers made a comforting swishing sound against the glass. “I wonder if it’s a girl or a boy.”
The car crawled through the deluge as she crossed into Maverick County, and then finally the town of Mineral Lake, an odd sense of relief filling her.
“You’ll be a member of a tribe, baby, and,” she mused idly, “I think that means extra scholarships for college. Among other things.” She turned onto her street and parked by the B&B. “Look. There’s Daddy waiting on the porch. Wow. Daddy’s pissed.” She felt drunk. Why should she feel drunk? She only drank lemonade at dinner.
Jake opened her door before she could. One strong hand around her arm helped her to the protected porch. “Where in the hell have you been?”
Sophie stared up into his furious face, her eyes blinking as if in a dream. “The city.”
“You drove from town in that?” He gestured toward the driving rain.
“Yes.”
“Why?” He put both hands on her arms, obviously fighting the urge to shake her.
“I’m pregnant, Jake.” Then she pitched forward and darkness overtook her.
Jake dodged forward and caught Sophie before she hit the hard wood porch. Pregnant. The woman said she was pregnant.
He cradled her easily, fumbled for the doorknob, and shoved inside. She felt too small—too fragile in his arms. Damn it.
A baby. Another baby.
He shook his head. Warmth flushed through him along with unease. As he looked down at her pale face, something in his chest tightened. He wanted this baby. He wanted this woman.
Setting her down on the sofa, he reached for his phone to call the doctor. She shouldn’t have fainted like that, should she? His gut clenched hard. Everything had to be okay. Sophie was just surprised by the pregnancy. And tired. He needed to make sure she got more rest.
The nurse answered, and he made his request. Thank God for small towns and good friends. The doctor would arrive soon.
Jake dropped to his knees and smoothed Sophie’s hair off her forehead. They should get married.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His one marriage had begun the same way and ended in disaster. What mattered was Sophie, this baby, and Leila. He’d do what was best for all of them.
What was best?
“Sophie, wake up,” he murmured.
She didn’t move, and fear caught him by the throat. He took another deep breath. Sometimes faints took a while to awaken from. She was fine. She had to be fine.
They’d have the doctor examine her, and then they’d come up with a plan. He was born to strategize, and this was no different than a trial. Okay. Considering it was his entire life, it was a little different. But he could make it work.
They’d come up with a plan, and it’d be a good one. Deep down at his core, he knew he’d never let her go. Now all he had to do was convince her.
Sophie awoke some time later laid out on Mrs. Shiller’s flowered couch with a cold cloth pressed against her eyes. She flopped a hand on the cloth and tugged it across her face to drop on the floor. Her eyes met Jake’s as he knelt by the couch.
“Feeling better, Sunshine?” His voice was soft—his eyes hot.
“Yes.” She pushed to a seated position and dropped her head into her hands. Then she struggled to reach her feet.
“No, wait a minute.” One gentle hand pressed down on her shoulder. “Give it a minute. You were out for some time.”
“I’m fine.” She shrugged off his hand and the pleasure of seeing him again in the flesh. As much as she hated to admit it, she had missed his solid presence, his reassuring strength.
“We’ll see.” Lights cascaded through the window, and a car pulled through the puddles. The splash of the tires echoed even through the storm. Jake ran a rough hand through his thick hair. “Doc Mooncaller just arrived.”
“You called the doctor?” Sophie brushed wet curls off her face.
“Of course I called the doctor,” Jake growled. “You just passed out.”
“I’m fine. Tell him to go away.” Panic spiraled through her. She had never quite gotten over the fear of doctors and needles.
“No.” Jake stood and strode to open the door, letting rain blow in from outside.
“Hey, Jake.” A portly man with a long gray braid moved gracefully into the room, black bag in hand. Kind brown eyes shifted to Sophie. “You must be Sophie.”
“Yes.” Sophie eyed the stairs. Maybe she could escape to her room.
“This is Doc Mooncaller.” Jake closed the door with a muted click.
The doctor crossed and bent down to one knee in front of her. “Rumor has it you fainted, young lady.”
“She’s pregnant.” Jake leaned against the door, broad arms across a muscular chest.
Sophie gave him a baleful glare. Weren’t lawyers supposed to be good at keeping secrets? “He’s guarding the way out,” Sophie whispered to the doctor, rolling her eyes.
The doctor chuckled. “Why, you going to run?”
“I might.”
Twinkling eyes met hers. “Good luck with that. How far along are you?”
“A couple of weeks.” She swallowed, her stomach churning.
“Just found out?” He pressed a steady hand against her forehead.
“Yes.” She fought to keep her voice normal.
“Tired?” He reached into his bag for a stethoscope, which he pressed to her chest.
“Yes.” Hell yes. But that might be from fighting her attraction to the pissed-off lawyer.
“Overwhelmed?”
“Yes.” Her voice thickened this time.
The doctor reached out gentle hands and pressed lightly along her neck and glands. “Feeling dizzy now?”
“No.”
He left the stethoscope hanging from his neck. “It’s time for you to get some rest, dear. Things will be better tomorrow.” He stood, his knees popping. “I’d like to see you for a full examination tomorrow—say, after breakfast?”
“She’ll be there.” Jake moved away from the door.
“She needs peace, Jake.” The doctor placed a hand on Jake’s arm while opening the door. “Don’t upset her.” With that, the doctor escaped into the stormy night.
Silence ticked across the room before Jake moved toward her, bent, and lifted her into his arms.
“I can walk.” Why did it have to feel so good to be in his arms? Solid and warm, the man provided a comfort she could become addicted to.
“I know.” He climbed the stairs to her bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. “We can talk about this tomorrow.”
“You’re not sleeping here.” Alarm flared in her as he shrugged out of his shirt. Jake didn’t answer as his hands went to his belt. She sat up. “I mean it. Mrs. Shiller would be shocked.”
“Mrs. Shiller and her friend, Lily Roundbird, left this morning.” His jeans hit the floor.
“Oh. I forgot about their week-long trip to Yellowstone.” Sophie relaxed. Though the man still didn’t need to stay.
“They spend more time in the various casinos on the way down, and probably just a day at Yellowstone.” He kicked his pants to the side.
“I’m not living in Montana.” Sophie sat still as stone while Jake gently pulled her shirt off and tugged his over her head and threaded her arms through. Once again, her body won over her mind. She wanted to be held. Hell, she needed it.
“We’ll figure that out, too.” He dragged the covers over them. Then he tucked her into his large body and warmth enfolded her. She couldn’t have remained awake if her life depended on it. She slid into sleep as smoothly as warm cream from a pitcher, toasty and safe in Jake’s arms.
“Bob?” she called into the clearing as she drifted from the shade of a massive lodge pole pine.
“Here, Sophie.” Bob looked up from his perch on her rock.
“You’re on my rock.” Sophie sighed as she headed over to Bob’s former rock.
“None of us own the rocks.” Bob swung
gray snakeskin boots back and forth while straightening his deep blue shirt. He wore his normal jeans, but today a black Stetson perched on his gray head.
“I’m pregnant, Bob.”
Bob smiled even white teeth as his eyes brightened. “Wow. A baby. Your hair and Jake’s eyes. Cute.” Bob stroked his chin. “Or your blue eyes and Jake’s hair. Hmmm.”
“That’s not the point here.”
“What’s the point?” Bob shifted into a more comfortable position.
“The baby. She’ll be half Kooskia. I think that means something in a custody battle.”
“Jeez, Soph. You’re already in a custody battle?” Bob raised an eyebrow.
“No, not yet. But you know as well as I that Jake won’t give up a child. I just can’t see it.”
“And you want a man who would? Really?”
Sophie frowned. “You didn’t see him in the hearing. I can see why some people think he’s a shark.”
“Yeah, he’s a fighter, our Jake.”
“Exactly.” Her stomach churned until she wanted to puke.
“No, not exactly. Not exactly like your stepfather, Roger.”
“What do you mean?”
Bob shifted his gaze from the heavens. “Jake fights for what he believes in. For those he loves. Roger fought to make money and hurt people.” Bob rolled his eyes. “If you can’t see the difference, you’re no smarter than that rock you sit on.”
Determination rushed through her, straightening her spine one vertebra at a time. “I won’t give up my baby.”
“Who says you have to? Why don’t you be the fighter here?”
“Oh, I’ll fight.”
“No. Don’t fight against Jake for Pete’s sake—fight for him. Fight for your baby and the life you want.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes on the round man. “Is that why you’re here?”
Bob shrugged. “Who the hell knows. But you obviously have some things to think about.” Then, for the first time, Bob disappeared before her eyes. Like a picture fading away.
“Weird, Bob. Really weird.” Sophie turned her face to the warmth of the sun.
Orange blossoms and spice swirled around her as she struggled to awaken. She slid one eyelid open to see a thick mug.
