Falling For The Mom-To-Be (Maple Springs #1)

by Jenna Mindel

  * * *

  “Tired?” Matthew held open the passenger-side door of his truck for Annie.

  They’d taken the last ferry ride back to Mackinac City before the sun had even set. He was tempted to suggest they drive the long way home, stop at Sturgeon Bay beach and watch the sun go down, but Annie’s yawns had ruled that out.

  “Yes. But a good tired. A fun tired.” Her face was sunburned and rosy and her dark blond hair golden. “I’m going to sleep like a rock tonight.”

  Longing cut through him sharp and quick. “Good.”

  She buckled her seat belt and waited. “Are you going to get in?”

  “Yeah.” He moved away from the open door he’d been leaning against and circled the front of his truck, tapping the hood as he went.

  When he climbed behind the wheel, he started the engine and cranked the air, but he didn’t back out. Not yet. He’d had a great time today and didn’t want it to end. He didn’t want to drop her off and then head home. But he had to.

  He turned in his seat. “Annie, let’s do this again.”

  “Maybe when you’re home in the fall, we can come back. It must be gorgeous with the colored leaves.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I want to go out with you again, before I leave.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “A date, Annie. I want to take you on a real date.”

  He’d made a commitment to be there for her and the baby. Maybe he shouldn’t rush things, but he wanted to be sure. Would they mesh as well as he thought they could?

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe Traverse City. We can grab dinner and look at stuff for the nursery.”

  Her eyes softened. “Friday evening might be best for that.”

  “Good. Then it’s a date.” Maybe they could do something else in between. He looked at her some more. With her ball cap off and her hair pulled up into a thick ponytail, she looked relaxed. Carefree even.

  “What?” She tipped her head.

  “You’re really beautiful, did you know that?”

  “Matthew...” her tone warned him to stay put.

  Not going to happen.

  He flipped the console between them up and out of the way and moved closer. “We’re away from anyone who might tell.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  Gently, he unbuckled her seat belt. “I’m going to kiss you, Annie. Right here, right now.”

  Her eyes widened, but she didn’t refuse.

  This time it wouldn’t be about loss and angry grief. This time, he aimed to find out if what they had was real. If they could be more than simply friends sharing their sorrow.

  Cupping her cheek, Matthew lowered his lips to hers. Awkward at first, he felt the tension leave Annie when she finally kissed him back. Sweet and filled with promise, Matthew knew where he stood. And what he wanted.

  Pulling back, he searched her eyes. He didn’t see any tears or regret. Only pleasant surprise and warmth.

  “Thanks for a great day.” He smiled.

  She smiled back. “You’re welcome.”

  And that’s when he knew for sure.

  He loved her.

  Chapter Ten

  Friday morning, Matthew strolled into the IGA store around the corner to pick up lunch to go. He and his brother Cam planned to spend a few hours fishing the bay on Cam’s boat.

  Matthew gave his order at the deli counter when he heard the telltale sound of a woman in high heels approaching behind him. He turned.

  Holly Miller’s eyes widened with interest. “Good morning, Matthew.”

  He gave her a nod. “Holly.”

  She peeked at the deli clerk engaged in making two sub sandwiches and grinned. “Looks like someone is planning a romantic picnic.”

  He grit his teeth at the lilt in her voice. He couldn’t let the nosy woman get away with the wrong assumption. “Fishing with my brother.”

  “Ah...” That clearly wasn’t the answer she’d hoped for. “So, how’s Annie?”

  Matthew hesitated. He’d like to set Holly straight about a few things when it came to him and Annie, but he wasn’t about to lie. Especially since the gossip he believed she’d started had become true.

  Tonight, he’d take Annie over an hour away from the prying eyes of Maple Springs for dinner. The other day, they’d gone out to breakfast, but tonight was their real date.

  He looked at the young woman and challenged her. “What do you want to know?”

  Holly’s eyes widened and she shifted but didn’t back down. “Well, considering that she’s recently widowed, I wondered how she’s dealing.”

  He didn’t miss the dig of sarcasm in her voice. It was no one’s business if they went out, but in a small town, people made it so. Eventually gossip died down on its own, but for Annie’s sake, Matthew hoped to speed its death.

  “She’s having a hard time. We both are. Helping with that museum donation has been a great way to honor the man who was like another brother to me, so thanks for that.”

  Holly looked surprised at his compliment. “Oh, sure. You’re welcome.”

  He’d scored a hit and went for home. “I worked with Jack for years. There isn’t anyone I’d call a better friend.”

  “Oh.” He’d taken the wind out of her sails a little with that statement. Good.

  “I didn’t realize you were so close.”

  “I’ll do whatever I can to help Annie through this rough time. She deserves a little slack, don’t you think?”

  Holly’s color deepened. “Yes, of course. Difficult situation.”

  She had no idea. Matthew received two wrapped subs and nodded to the clerk. “Thanks. Have a great day, Holly.”

  “You, too.”

  Matthew picked up a bag of chips, pop and then headed for the cashier to pay. He added a bag of ice to his bill and looked up as Darren’s ex-fiancée walked in.

  He squarely met her gaze. Did she have any idea what she’d done to his brother? Did she even care?

  She quickly looked away and kept walking.

  Evidently not.

  Matthew left, grabbing a bag of ice from the metal cooler outside. The women in this town could be petty and cruel. Darren stayed away because of it. The gossip grapevine had buzzed for months after his brother’s breakup last year.

  Small towns talked, but Maple Springs wasn’t a regular small town. It was a resort community littered with wealthy summer residents and loads of tourists. The beautiful people also descended during the ski season. And a lot of regular, year-round folks put on judgmental airs to compete with those beautiful people. Or feel like part of them. Folks like Holly, who dared raise her eyebrows at Annie.

  He got in his truck and slammed the door.

  “What’s with you?” His brother Cam adjusted the lid on his cup before taking a drink.

  “Didn’t you see Raleigh?” Matthew couldn’t believe Cam missed their brother’s ex-fiancée. She must have walked right in front of the truck.

  “Who cares? Darren’s better off without her.” Cam raised his steaming coffee in mock toast. “Here’s to staying single, right little brother?”

  Matthew didn’t answer.

  He was lost in the memory of a camping trip with all his brothers right before Darren’s wedding. Even their oldest brother, Zac, had made it on a rare furlough from active duty and they’d ribbed Darren pretty good. They vowed never to fall prey to the wedding wiles of women.

  Spending time with Annie made Matthew realize he didn’t want that toast. But a future with her was a two-for-one deal. He’d help raise Jack’s child and that was a big responsibility. One that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

  Cam jerked his shoulder. “You’re a goner, aren’t you?”

&nbs
p; “Huh?”

  His brother laughed. “Never mind.”

  Matthew pulled out, ignoring the squeal of tires and the shocked look from Cam. His love for Annie wasn’t only real, it was serious. The kind that might last forever.

  * * *

  Annie got out of her car, took a deep breath and waved. It sure felt as if she’d run away. And maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.

  Matthew jogged toward her. “This is crazy, you know that.”

  “But it’s fun. Here, you drive.” She handed him her keys.

  Meeting Matthew at the chain grocery store in the next town made sense. Her car got better gas mileage, and she didn’t want his truck left sitting in her driveway until late tonight. Someone would certainly notice, and she didn’t want to deal with all that. So here they were.

  He opened the passenger-side door for her. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks. You said dress casual and bring a jacket.” Annie fastened her seat belt over a pale purple summer knit dress she’d dug out of her closet. It had a shirred waist with a lot of give that comfortably hugged her thickening middle. She settled her purse and a cotton sweater in her lap.

  Matthew slid behind the wheel and adjusted his seat. “Ready?”

  She inhaled his subtle cologne and smiled. “Where are we going for dinner?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “By the way, you look nice, too.” He wore a plain yellow oxford cloth shirt and khakis.

  This wasn’t a couple of old friends hanging out. This was a real date, and her stomach fluttered in anticipation of the evening ahead. Matthew didn’t help calm her jitters as he refused to give her any clues to what he had planned.

  Grilling him with questions ate up the hour-and-a-half drive to Traverse City. When they finally pulled into the parking lot of a certain marina, Annie grinned. “Wow, really?”

  “I thought you might enjoy a dinner cruise on a tall ship like Jack’s model. If this is good, we’ll come back when the baby’s older and can experience this, too.”

  Annie’s eyes burned. Matthew was equal parts thoughtful and clueless. Making tonight about a future together touched her deeply, but his mention of Jack made it bittersweet.

  She glanced at the wedding ring she still wore. She couldn’t expect Matthew to leave Jack out of their relationship if she wasn’t ready to let go. His willingness to keep Jack’s memory alive for the sake of her baby was truly noble and good. But was this whole dating thing right for her? And more important, was it right for Matthew?

  * * *

  The following Friday, Annie took a deep breath and blew it back out. She paced, she silently counted, but nothing soothed. She peered out the window. No sign of Matthew’s truck. It was early yet and nothing had kept her mind off the upcoming doctor’s visit in the next town. Near where Jack’s parents lived.

  This was the big one. The appointment when she’d finally see her baby with an ultrasound and hopefully get news that everything was all right. With a good report, she’d tell people about the baby, starting with Jack’s parents.

  She chewed her bottom lip, dreading Marie’s reaction. The woman would no doubt be in her face daily, checking on what she ate, how well she’d slept; even her bathroom habits would be open season for Jack’s mom.

  Annie shoved her hands in the pockets of linen drawstring pants. She wore loose and shapeless clothes in an attempt to hide her stomach. Despite dressing in the baggiest dancewear she could find, her baby bump was growing. She’d even received a few lingering glances.

  She blew out another deep breath. It might be okay. Once the news that she was having a baby was out in the open, she could go back to wearing whatever she wanted. She’d even purchase real maternity clothes. Maybe she’d ask Marie to go with her on that shopping trip.

  An image of a tent-shaped T-shirt with a ruffled collar flashed through her mind. Annie could imagine the kind of clothes Jack’s mom might pick out, but going would mean a lot to Marie. This was her only grandchild, after all. Annie needed to build a solid relationship with her in-laws for her baby’s sake. They were his only set of grandparents alive.

  She heard Matthew’s truck pull into her drive and smiled. Their outing to Mackinac Island the previous week had definitely started something. And since their dinner cruise date a week ago, they’d driven far from town for a picnic on the beach, and then again for a movie. They’d even browsed a hardware store nearly fifty miles away to check paint colors for the walls of her soon-to-be nursery.

  Ginger called their meetings clandestine, but Annie had laughed and said they were simply fun. But that wasn’t all they were. Annie was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, a future with Matthew was possible.

  Away from prying eyes and the expectations of their grief, she and Mathew relaxed. They enjoyed getting to know each other better on their own terms. Annie had done her best to keep those get-togethers light and easy, but Matthew’s comment about sailing the tall ship one day as a real family filled her with hope. It also nagged at her conscience.

  A quick knock and Matthew opened the door. “Ready?”

  She clenched her hands into fists then shook them out, scattering her thoughts. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.”

  “Nervous?”

  Annie took a deep breath and let loose a soft laugh. “Ah, yeah.”

  He gave her a quick kiss. “It’ll be okay.”

  She searched his eyes and then finally nodded. He couldn’t promise her a safe tomorrow any more than Jack could.

  She grabbed her purse and followed him out. The day was sunny and dry in the high seventies but nothing like the summer heat they’d had. This was normal weather for the middle of June.

  Two days before Father’s Day. Annie looked forward to giving Jack’s dad the news about becoming a grandfather. Maybe she’d stop over Sunday after church and tell Jack’s parents then.

  And one day before Matthew’s family picnic. The one she’d agreed to go to with him. And that was another set of nerves waiting to happen.

  Once in his truck, Matthew grabbed her hand and held it. “Maybe we should pray.”

  A great idea and something Annie often failed to do. “Yes, please.”

  Matthew bowed his head. “Lord, we trust You to protect Annie and the baby. And please show us the way. Amen.”

  “Amen.” Annie gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. A simple prayer and yet he’d summed up everything rather well.

  Matthew drove out of Maple Springs before he finally said, “Did you know that Jack used to say a similar prayer when he came on duty? Every day he’d ask God for protection and guidance.”

  “No, I didn’t know.”

  “Good habit, to pray daily, don’t you think?”

  “Yes.” Annie knew that it was, but she’d fallen away from seeking God. Afraid to really trust Him because He’d taken Jack away from her.

  And now there was Matthew. What did God think about that? Annie hadn’t really asked and certainly hadn’t listened for an answer. There was always the possibility that she might not like what she heard.

  * * *

  Matthew wasn’t sure what he’d been thinking coming here. He couldn’t even pace the waiting room. He’d been given the evil eye by the receptionist to sit back down and behave. He knew Annie needed his support, but waiting while she met with her doctor privately had tied him up in knots.

  Was she hearing good news or bad?

  By the time someone came to get him for the ultrasound, he’d nearly hit the restroom to toss his breakfast. He’d never expected baby stuff might get to him like this. He’d never expected Annie would, either. But when he stepped into the exam room with Annie stretched out on the table with fear shimmering in her eyes, he knew why he’d come.

  “Hey.” He grabbed her hand.r />
  She gave him a wobbly smile and squeezed hard. “Hey.”

  “You can sit beside her, there.” The technician pointed to a chair out of the way next to Annie’s head.

  He did as instructed and silently watched while the tech put gel on Annie’s bare midsection. Then she followed with a wand that hooked into a computer.

  “Relax. This will be a breeze.” The tech patted Annie’s hand.

  Then the show began and Matthew was blown away. There on the screen, the baby moved and even sucked its thumb. “Would you look at that?”

  He glanced at Annie.

  She had tears streaming down her cheeks and a rapt expression on her face.

  The tech continued to explain what they saw. The baby’s arm, the heartbeat, stomach—and then she stopped. “Would you like to know what you’re having?”

  Annie didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Definitely yes!”

  The tech didn’t bother looking at him. Annie had told him that her doctor’s office knew about Jack’s death. And she’d cleared either his or Ginger’s presence ahead of time for this test.

  “Congratulations. It looks like a boy.”

  Annie laughed. “I knew it!”

  By the time the doctor came in to go over the findings and measurements, Matthew was thinking ahead. Way ahead. Jack would want his boy to know how to fish and maybe play sports.

  He ran a hand through his hair. It’d be up to him to show Jack’s boy those things. He couldn’t blow it with Annie and then not be around for Jack’s son.

  After Annie’s doctor jotted down notes in her chart, the woman smiled. “Everything looks really good, Annie. I’m very pleased. I see no reason for alarm, but I’ll order another ultrasound as we get closer, maybe even two. But you are doing great and so is your son. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Annie returned with a smile of her own that couldn’t be broader. “My son. I love the sound of that. Thank you.”

  By the end of the appointment, Annie was given several glossy pictures taken during the ultrasound. Some of them were difficult to figure out, but it wasn’t hard to see how Annie’s features softened as she ran her fingers across the paper before putting the bundle of images in her purse.