by Candis Terry
“I don’t discuss Jana’s life with anyone. If she wants people to know her business, she’ll tell them.”
“Of course.” Pauline waved a hand weighted down with gaudy diamond rings. “I understand. At least she’s more secretive than that youngest son of hers.”
The hair on the back of Annie’s hackles snapped to attention.
“I mean, really,” Pruneilla continued. “Both he and that veterinarian brother of his prowl like cats in heat around this town.”
And why didn’t this beeotch call them by name?
“Jesse is a respected member of the community, a former Marine, and a happily married man. And Jake is a military hero. I’m sure they have better things to do than prowl.”
“Really? And you know this how?”
“Not that you deserve any kind of explanation.” Annie gritted her teeth. “But I know this because I know them.”
“Well, apparently you don’t know the youngest very well if you haven’t heard that he’s knocked up poor Jessica Holt. I don’t imagine he’ll marry her. Those kinds of men never do the right thing. And the poor thing will surely be kicked out of the church choir for being an unwed mother. Not that I would blame Pastor Jeff for doing so. She’d be a horrible influence to the younger girls.”
As an unwed mother herself who’d been abandoned by the father of her child, Annie took offense to the slam. But the mention of Jake, Jessica Holt, and pregnancy in the same sentence rammed a wallop to her gut she hadn’t seen coming.
“Who says Jake is the father?” Especially since Jessica wasn’t the purest of individuals.
“I overheard her mother talking to Gertie West the other day in the frozen foods aisle.”
Instantly, Annie’s mouth went dry. And she was pretty sure that was a heart-stopping cramp in the center of her chest.
Several things went through her mind. First, the night she’d turned him away. He’d been primed and ready for action when she’d shoved him out the door. Could he have gone to Jessica to relieve the ache? It wouldn’t have been the first time. Or the second. He’d not mentioned Jessica to her, but why would he? What if he’d been getting it from both of them? What if he was really a dog disguised in a Southern gentleman’s clothing?
The more she thought, the more her stomach churned.
They’d had sex without a condom. Yes, she was on birth control, so there was no chance to repeat her mistakes, and he’d let her know he was clean. But what if he’d done the same with Jessica? She knew better than most how one oops made a baby. Had Jake gotten carried away with Jessica and forgotten a condom? Was Jessica now carrying an oops?
Jake had told Annie he’d never run out on her. Maybe he’d told Jessica the same thing. Still, it had been only a few weeks ago. Too soon to know about a pregnancy if Jake was involved. Or was it?
It wasn’t old-time rivalry that threw Annie in a tailspin or caused sweat to bead at her hairline, it was the fear that she’d been played for a fool again.
“It’s been fascinating talking to you, Mrs. Purdy. But I have to get to work.”
“Take care, dear. And please tell your sister hello.”
Annie refrained from saying that would be a cold day in hell and pushed her cart farther down the aisle. With each step, Pauline’s words rang through her head.
Poor Jessica Holt.
Knocked up.
Jake’s the father.
The deep breath Annie took lasted until she got in the checkout line. While she scanned the tabloid headlines and waited for the woman in front of her to be checked out, the conversation started all over again between the woman and the cashier.
“Did you hear about poor Jessica Holt?”
“Shame on that devil Jake Wilder.”
Annie looked at the shopping cart she’d just spent half an hour filling. She looked up as the two women continued to gossip about the man she loved. A heavy sigh filled her lungs as she grabbed her purse and walked away, leaving the cart filled and mouths open.
Accomplishment made a man feel good. Great even. Jake pulled open the door to Bud’s Diner and laughed, even as Jackson flicked the back of his head like they were twelve-year-old boys. He was looking forward to seeing his girl and devouring a big, juicy Diablo burger. No more meat-loaf sandwiches for him. Annie knew what he liked, what he wanted. And for some crazy-ass reason, that made him feel ten feet tall.
He scanned the restaurant but didn’t see her as he and Jackson sat down at their favorite booth.
“So tell me this grandiose plan of yours,” his brother said while he leaned against the red vinyl seat and spread both arms along the back.
“I finished the deck over the creek this morning. Tomorrow, I’m starting on building the borders and planter areas.”
“Why not build the pool first?”
“Because we’re heading into winter. Not that Texas gets freezing cold or anything, but it’s not likely to get used until spring. I’d rather put my energy into something I can enjoy now.”
Jackson grinned. “Planning on having some wild-ass bachelor parties, are you?”
“No. It’s just hard to stop seeing the place through the eyes of the kid who grew up there. Just trying to make the place my own now that Mom’s moved out.”
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with my sister-in-law, would it?”
“Why would you bring up Annie?”
“Because, jackass, you’ve been looking for her since we walked in.”
Jake wished for a cup of coffee, a glass of water, or anything that he could use to divert the discussion.
“So what’s going on between you and her?”
Jake shrugged. He and Annie wanted to keep things quiet while they figured it out. But the facts were they’d spent almost every waking moment together for the past couple of weeks. They’d somehow seamlessly meshed their lives together. And though he didn’t want to move too fast, he’d allowed himself to sink into the goodness of being with Annie and her little boy.
They felt like a family.
It was only when he was alone that the guilt snuck up and devoured him.
“I don’t know,” he said to his brother’s impatiently tapping fingers. “Probably nothing. We’ll see.”
“That look in your eye doesn’t say it’s nothing.”
Jake looked around again and finally spied Annie coming out of the kitchen holding a tray filled with tall, frosty milk shakes. They locked eyes. He smiled. She didn’t.
“Jake?”
He swung his gaze back to his brother.
“Don’t hurt her.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Maybe not intentionally.” Jackson shook his head. “But sometimes shit happens. She’s a good girl.”
He watched her deliver the milk shakes to the corner booth with a smile. “I know that.”
“Just be careful.”
“Yes, Dad.”
Finally, Annie made her way over to their table. He smiled again. And again she failed to return the gesture.
“Coffee?” She tossed the menus in front of them.
“Bad mood?” Jackson asked.
“You have no idea,” she said, and away she went, without waiting for them to respond to her question.
Jake looked at Jackson and shrugged. “Must be a busy day.”
A minute later, she was back, tossing their napkins and silverware on the table and setting two cups of coffee in front of them. Then away she went again.
“You order coffee?” Jackson asked.
“Nope.” Jake opened up a packet of sugar and dumped it in as he watched Annie bustle about the diner—delivering, ordering, and ignoring him.
“Think she’s avoiding us?” Jake asked.
“Appears so. She’s definitely got a bee in her bonnet about something.”
&
nbsp; A few minutes later, she dumped his usual order in front of him and the same for Jackson in front of him. Then she scooped up the menus and started to walk away.
“Sugar?” Jackson caught her arm before she ran. “We didn’t order yet.”
“Well . . . eat it anyway.” She spun on the heel of her tennis shoe and headed back to the kitchen.
Jake and Jackson just looked at each other.
“Definitely pissed,” Jackson said.
“Ya think?”
A few minutes later, Sarah Randall, Deputy Brady Bennett’s girl came to their table to see if they needed any ketchup or mustard.
“Where’d Annie go?” Jake asked.
“I don’t know. She came into the back and told Bud she had to leave.”
“She’s gone?”
“Yep. Burned rubber pulling out of the lot just a minute ago.”
A million worries ran through Jake’s head. What if there was something wrong with Max? What if she was sick? What if Doug had come back?
He slid from the booth.
“Hey, what about your lunch?” Jackson asked.
“You eat it.” As Jake headed toward the door, he heard his brother mutter something about how the damned Wilder men weren’t ever able to get things right.
Annie knew better than to walk off the job unless she was dying of some kind of incurable disease. She wasn’t that irresponsible. She had a baby to take care of. Rent to pay. A small business to support. Bailing out at the first sign of trouble wasn’t her style. But the moment Jake had walked through the door, she knew she couldn’t deal with him. Not when her emotions were running on the spin cycle. So she’d scampered like a big coward. Not only had she abandoned her much-needed job but also her much-needed groceries back at the store. Like her sister, she’d let Pauline Purdy get the best of her.
Gossipy old biddy.
The speed limit was twenty-five. She was doing well over that as she headed . . . where? Home? To hide?
Stupid.
She forced herself to take a breath. Then another as she turned off Main Street and onto Highway 46. Maybe she’d just go for a drive to calm down. Then she’d have to pull up her big-girl panties and face the music like a real adult. She drove for miles with no radio for distraction. Only her wickedly racing thoughts kept her company.
Maybe the rumor was true. Maybe Jake had left her house that night and gone to Jessica Holt and gotten her pregnant. But again, that had been only a few weeks ago. So maybe he’d paid Jessica a visit before then. Maybe he’d gone to Jessica the minute he came home. Or maybe the rumor was just vicious gossip. And maybe, instead of torturing herself by trying to guess, she’d be a whole lot better off if she knew the truth.
Did she trust Jake?
Yes.
Did she believe in him?
Absolutely.
Did she love him with all her heart and then some.
Without question.
If all that was true, she had to give him a chance to tell his side of the story. She might not like his answer, but she had to know what she was dealing with. Because it was really hard to believe in the fairy tale when you dove headfirst into hysteria.
At the next pullout, she made a U-turn and headed back toward town, but not before stopping at Howdy’s Gas It Up Mart for a giant soda for herself and a box of animal cookies for Max. When she pulled back onto Main Street, a big black truck with an enormous chrome deer guard rode up on her bumper. She snuck a look in the rearview mirror and caught the look on Jake’s face. Oh good. He looked mad. What the heck did he have to be mad about?
She swung her eyes back to the road. He honked. She ignored him. As she turned onto Bluebonnet Lane, he honked again. She flipped him the middle finger. His eyes narrowed.
Like it was any other day, and her heart wasn’t trying to pound through the wall of her chest, she pulled into her driveway and got out as casually as her wobbling legs allowed. The big black truck pulled in behind her and the door was flung open as she reached her porch.
“What the hell, Annie?”
“Keep your voice down.” She stuck the key in the lock. “You don’t want Arlene Potter getting herself hurt by falling out the window while she’s trying to eavesdrop.” Her neighbor was a sweet old lady, but not in the typical fashion. And Annie never forgot that while the woman and her BFF, Gladys Lewis, might look like two innocent senior citizens, they headed up gossip central. And Annie had no desire to become front-page news.
Jake was up on the porch beside her in a few long strides, glaring at her as if she’d kicked his dog. “What’s wrong?” he asked, as she pushed open the door. He followed her inside. “Is Max okay? Are you sick?”
“He’s fine. I’m fine. Everybody’s fine.”
“You don’t sound fine. You sound, look, and are acting pissed off.”
Tossing her keys and purse on the table by the door, Annie walked into the living room, untied her Bud’s Diner apron, and tossed it on a chair. Then she propped her hands on her hips, took a breath, and turned.
Time to meet the issue head-on.
“Did you know Jessica Holt is pregnant?”
“How would I know that?” His hands went to his hips in a mirror of her defensive stance.
“She hasn’t called you?”
“Why would she call me?”
“You haven’t been over to see her?”
“When would I have found time or reason to do that?”
Annie gritted her teeth. “Why are you responding to my questions with a question?”
“Why are you asking such weird questions?”
“There you go again!”
He tossed his hands up. “Apparently, you know something that I don’t, Annie. So please, feel free to share so we can get on the same page. I’ve been worried sick since you left the diner in such a hurry. I thought something was wrong with Max. Or you. Now you’re hitting me with all these questions about Jessica Holt?”
Annie folded her arms. Shifted her weight to one hip. And watched as realization opened his eyes.
“Shit. You think Jessica is pregnant, and it’s mine?”
“That night I turned you away. Did you go to Jessica’s afterward?”
“Hell no.”
“Have you been with her since we’ve been . . . together?”
“I’d be offended,” he said. “But I suppose I have a track record where she’s concerned. So I won’t walk over there and smack you upside the head.”
“You wouldn’t do that anyway.”
“Maybe not. But what I will do is this.” He crossed the room, grabbed her, and planted a kiss on her lips that made them tingle.
When he lifted his head, she said, “That’s not really a form of confirmation or denial.”
“No. It’s not.” He held her by the arms like he expected her to try and escape. “But it is a way to get you to stop asking stupid questions. And to stop you from thinking of more for just a second.”
“If you’re not going to answer . . .” She tried to pull away.
“I am. I was just waiting for you to stop seeing red long enough to hear what I have to say. And stop rolling your eyes at me.”
“Fine.”
“The last time I saw Jessica Holt was when I was home on leave. That was over a year and a half ago. Since I’ve been back, I have not seen her, and she has not seen me. Naked or otherwise.” He tipped her chin up so she had to look at him. “The only woman I’ve been interested in seeing is you. Naked or otherwise.”
The boulder moved off the center of her chest, and Annie swallowed her relief.
“I know I’m a big, fucked-up mess,” he said. “And you’d be smart to kick my sorry ass out the door right now. But I’m hoping you won’t. Because the only time I feel right, like everything might eventually be okay, is when I’m with
you. I hate to put that kind of responsibility on your pretty shoulders, but that’s the truth of it.”
“I’m not kicking your sorry ass out the door.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” A smile brushed his lips and he kissed her forehead. “Because I’m pretty crazy about you. And Max.”
“We’re pretty crazy about you too.” She hugged him close, held his strong back with the palms of her hands, and laid her head against his broad chest. His heart beat steady beneath her ear. “And I apologize. I shouldn’t have gone into a tizzy before I talked to you.”
“In a weird way, I understand. God knows none of us Wilder brothers have walked the straight-and-narrow path.” His low chuckle tickled her cheek. “So who was trying to fry my bacon?”
“Pauline Purdy.”
“Ah. Guess I’ll have to pay a visit to the old T&G and convince her to spew her vile gossip in another direction.”
“I wouldn’t waste my energy. You’ll just give her more ammunition.”
“True.” He held her tight as they rocked together slowly in the middle of the room. “I’m sorry she upset you.”
“Me too. I had to leave my groceries in the cart.”
“I’ll take you shopping.”
“I don’t want to go there. I’d rather drive all the way to San Antonio for groceries.”
“I’ll drive you.”
She chuckled. “Stop being so amenable.”
“I just don’t like seeing you upset.”
Two minutes in his arms took away all her anger, her worry, and her doubt. “You know what wouldn’t make me upset?” she asked.
“What’s that?”
“If you decided to take all your clothes off.”
“And what would you do with me then?”
She pulled back and smiled up at him. “Anything I wanted?”
“Hmmm.” He kissed her forehead. “We all good here now?”
“Mmm-hmmm.”
“Sweet.” He flashed her that famous Wilder grin. “Then how about you take off that hot little skirt, we go upstairs, and I let you lose count?”
“Of?”
He picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and carried her upstairs. There he tossed her on the bed. “Of how many times you say ‘Oh, Jake, please do that again.’ ”
