by Lea Hart
“Open the door, honey. I know you’re trying to come up with a plan to avoid us, but it won’t work,” Faye called out.
Stepping back, she opened it and plastered a debutante smile on her face that would fool exactly no one, her mother most of all. “Hi, Mama. Hi, Grammy. What are you all doing here?”
Pressing a kiss to her daughter’s cheek as she passed, Faye clucked in disapproval. “You know why I’m here. Your grandmother came to watch the show. We brought over a casserole, so you won’t have to cook tonight. Three hundred fifty degrees for forty-five minutes.”
Paige let the smile drop and rubbed her cheeks. “I know how to reheat a casserole.”
“I know you know, but I like to remind you, just in case.”
“Which can be tacked on to any sentence your mother utters,” Grammy added helpfully. Patting her granddaughter’s arm, she gave her a sympathetic smile. “Honey, this only has to happen once, so make us some tea and let’s get it over with.”
Mama and Grammy walked into the kitchen, and Paige followed as slowly as she could. This was going to be as much fun as a dentist’s appointment.
Faye looked around the kitchen as she took off her coat. “Where is your fine young man this morning?”
“He’s not mine, and he’s out on a run.” After filling the teakettle, she set it on to boil. “Thank you for a lovely supper last night, Mama. Everything was delicious.”
“That’s not going to make her go easy on you,” Grammy said quietly.
Faye turned to her mother and frowned. “Mama, you’re not helping me at all. I’m only doing what you taught me to do: watch out for my family and make sure my girls are as happy as they can be.” Fluffing her hair, she fiddled with her scarf. “My goodness, why doesn’t my family understand that?”
Paige looked across the room and rolled her eyes. “Mama, I know you love me and would throw your body between me and a speeding car…but sometimes your interest and advice are a bit much.”
“I know, but if I’m willing to die for you, then I certainly get to offer whatever notes I feel would be helpful.”
Ignoring the last sentence, she pulled the cups out of the cupboard. “I have some praline cookies. How does that sound?”
“Perfect,” Grammy responded. “I want to be the first to say that Blake is a dreamboat. So handsome and virile. Also charming. He spent thirty minutes discussing Texas history with me last night. It speaks well of him that he’s willing to chat up an old lady.”
“I agree,” Faye added. “Your daddy is ready to welcome him into the family. They spoke for over an hour, and he had nothing but wonderful things to say.”
Paige made quick work of getting the tea ready and brought everything over to the table. Slumping into a chair, she pushed her feet out and stared at her pedicure. “I agree with everything you all have said. He’s been great about the news. The only thing he’s seemed miffed about was that I hadn’t told him when I found out. Other than that, he’s taken becoming a father in stride.” Leaning forward, she cupped her face in her hands. “Actually, it has me a little worried.”
Faye poured tea for everyone and then offered up the cookie plate. “Why?”
“No one takes life-changing news that well. It’s as though he’s stuffing all his real reactions deep down inside, and when they escape, it’s going to be a bloody mess. I don’t know if I trust a man who seems so unfazed by becoming a father after a one-night stand. It’s not natural.”
Grammy took a careful sip of her tea and then gently dabbed her mouth. “I agree, dear. Why do you think he’s so unaffected?”
“That’s the thing I haven’t figured out.” She took a cookie and ate it quickly. “Truth be told, I have no idea what’s normal for him. We had one night in Jordan and he’s been here since Saturday. So…after knowing him for four days, I haven’t a clue, which makes sense.”
“What would you like to happen next?” Faye asked.
“I have no idea. It’s gone as well as I could’ve hoped for, and I don’t want anything else. Let’s face it: he lives in San Diego and his job takes him all over the world. It’s not like he’s a man who lives across town and we can start dating. I think he’s staying the week and then heading to Lubbock to visit with his folks. After that, who knows?”
“Do you like him?” Grammy inquired.
“Sure, he’s all the things you said. But he’s not my future.”
Faye patted her daughter’s hand and lifted an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”
“Mama, having a baby without being married isn’t a big deal anymore. I don’t have to jump through hoops to make something happen just because he’s the daddy.”
Squaring her shoulders, Faye gave her daughter a stern look. “You listen to me, young lady. That is not what I was asking. Do you think your daddy and I would have spent all that time and money educating you, giving you every lesson that you showed the slightest interest in, and encouraging you to follow your dreams if all we wanted was to marry you to the first man who came along?” Slapping the table, she shook her head. “I assure you it wasn’t. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy. He seems like a good man, but he may not be the one for you. Hell, you may never marry. I don’t care what your picture of happiness looks like. I just want to make sure that you find it.”
A tear slipped down Paige’s face. “I know, Mama. You’re right. I don’t know why I take everything you say the wrong way.”
Smoothing her daughter’s hair, she smiled. “It’s what happens between girls and their mamas. Same thing happened to Grammy and me. Every bit of help she offered me felt like a criticism, which it wasn’t. Every time she gave me a suggestion, I assumed she thought I couldn’t do it on my own. It eventually passes, and someday all you’re going to hear when I speak is how much I love you and want the best for you.”
Grammy dabbed her eyes. “It’s true. Your mama used to complain about me constantly. Then, when you girls became teenagers, I was her best ally. We are strong, opinionated women, so it’s not surprising.”
Paige got up and peppered both her mother and Grammy with kisses. “Thank you both for loving me as hard as you do.”
Faye kissed her daughter’s hand. “Now that you’re going to be a mama, you’re going to like me and need me a whole lot more. Circle of life. It’s finally swinging in my favor.”
“I thought you were going to try to convince me to marry Blake the first chance I got,” Paige said as she sat down again.
“Good Lord, why would we do that? As you aptly pointed out, you hardly know the man. Marrying him would be foolish. He will always be welcome in our home, and we figure he’s going to be around in some form or fashion in the future. As the father of our grandbaby, we approve. As far as being the man for you—Daddy and I have no idea. We show our approval and enthusiasm because we think he’s a good man and we want that for our grandchild.”
Grammy ate a cookie and nodded her agreement. “Does he know that we only have girls in this family?”
“I told him, and that was the only thing that seemed to give him pause. He said she couldn’t date until she was thirty.”
“Let your father speak to him. Nobody knows how to survive women better than Phillip Bennett,” Faye commented.
The front door opened and Blake called out a hello. “We’re in the kitchen,” Paige answered.
Mama and Grammy stood and started collecting dishes. “We’ll get out of your hair. We have some errands to do,” Faye said, as she rinsed the cups and loaded the dishwasher.
Blake walked in and waved. “Hi, ladies.”
“We’re on our way out. It’s nice to see you again,” Grammy said as she collected her coat and purse.
“Hope you’re not leaving on my account,” Blake said as he pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.
Faye patted his arm as she passed. “No, not at all.” Opening her arms, she gave her daughter a big hug. “Love you, baby. Call me if you need anything.”
“You all have fun,” Grammy called as she walked toward the front door.
Paige followed the ladies out and waited at the front door until they got in their car. “Love you all,” she called as they pulled out of the driveway.
The breeze picked up the scent of her roses and drifted into the house. For the first time since she got home, she felt peace. Maybe every decision in the world didn’t have to be made right away. The pressure she had put on herself started to ease. The man, the baby, the job would all work themselves out. Whatever they ended up looking like would be fine.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Wednesday, April 12
Blake sat on the front step and watched Paige work on the flower beds that lined the front walk. “Honey, why don’t you let me do that? I don’t think you should be bending over.” He watched her slide him a side eye and laugh. He didn’t think his statement warranted that sort of reaction. “What?”
“What did you tell me last night? Roll your mind back and tell me what you said.” Sitting back on her heels, she crossed her arms and waited. “Can’t remember? Let me refresh your memory. ‘Bend over, honey. You’re going to like the way this feels.’ Are you trying to tell me that bending over is okay when we’re naked but not out on the front lawn?”
“Say it louder, honey. I don’t think Mr. Perkins across the street heard. I’m sure he’s real interested to hear what happens in the privacy of our bedroom.” He watched Paige swing her head around, looking for her neighbor across the street.
“Oh, you. He’s not even home.” She returned to digging up weeds.
Over the last five days, he’d discovered that she was a relatively easygoing person. The only thing that seemed to get her fired up was eating. She hadn’t been kidding the other day when she told him that it had become her full-time occupation. For the last two days, she’d been on a baking spree. There were cinnamon rolls, a pie, two cakes and three different types of cookies in the kitchen. Making regular food didn’t seem to hold any appeal, so he’d gone out and grabbed them pizza for dinner. It worked for him. He could live off pizza and dessert without a problem.
Leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, he watched her ass wiggle as she moved further down the walkway. She’d been right about what he said last night. He bent her over, drove himself into her welcoming heat, and lost his mind in the process. Paige Bennett was an enthusiastic and vocally expressive lover. Just thinking about it made his body come to life, which was surprising considering they’d already made love twice that day. They were going at each other like a couple of teenagers who’d just discovered sex. The hunger never slaked for him, no matter how many times he’d buried himself in her body. Rubbing his chin, he wondered what it was about this particular woman that had him acting like an out-of-control idiot.
“Blake, what time is it?”
Dragging himself out of his thoughts, he checked his watch. “It’s eleven.”
“I should go in, take a shower, and get ready. I have my doctor’s appointment at one. I’m excited because today is the 3D ultrasound. I’m going to meet my daughter today and see her face, and I can’t wait!”
Standing, he walked over and held out his hand. “You used the wrong pronoun. You are not an I. You are part of a we. It’s our daughter, and we are going to meet her together.”
He helped her up and slid his arms around her waist. “Honey, you may think that you’re in this alone, but you’re not. My nickname on the Teams is Boulder. Do you know why I got it?”
“’Cause you’re built like a boulder.”
“Partly. I’m big, immovable, and stubborn. So don’t think you can get rid of me.”
“Great. I’ve always wanted a big rock in my life.”
Lifting her chin, he smooched her hard and loud. “Glad I could make your dreams come true.”
“Oh, Lordy.” Slipping out of his hold, she started to gather her gardening tools and the bucket that held the weeds.
“You go on in and I’ll clean up,” he said. He got a nice kiss on his cheek before she walked into the house. Today was the day he was going to see his kid’s face for the first time. As far as he was concerned, this day ranked right next to getting his trident. He figured the day she was born would top everything.
***
They were stuck in traffic. Blake glanced over and checked on Paige. She was staring out the window while she twirled her hair. They had plenty of time to make it to the doctor’s office, so he wasn’t concerned. “How are you doing?”
“Good.” Turning in the seat, she faced him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Why are you not fazed by any of this? A stranger told you that you’re going to be a daddy, and you took the news like it was no big deal. It doesn’t seem normal.”
“Maybe my lack of reaction has to do with the job I have. We are trained to deal with the unexpected. Challenges, figuring stuff out, finding a solution are all part of daily life. We’re in extreme circumstances eighty percent of the time, so finding out I made a baby during the best sex of my life seems like good news. Crazy, life-changing news. But good news.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “I came here to see if what I felt in Jordan would hold up in real life, and so far, it has. Honey, you’re a game changer, so maybe it’s not all that surprising. You’ve changed everything for me.”
“So, I’m kind of like a bomb that goes off in the middle of an op. You see it, deal with it, and try not to get blown up in the process.”
“Yes, you’re kind of like a bomb. But in the best possible way.” Patting her leg, he grinned. “The Paige Bennett Bomb. I like the sound of that.”
“That’s not a compliment, in case you were wondering.”
“Honey, in my world, a bomb can kill you, or if you have one and can use it properly, it can save your life. I’m choosing to see this as something that’s going to save my life. This baby is love, happiness, and a blessing. We made one despite using a condom. That means she’s chosen us and we’re lucky.”
“How are we going to save your life and not blow it up?”
“This can all end in the blink of an eye. I know that better than most people. You and the baby are my miracle. I can’t tell you the number of times my life was saved by one. A miracle of moving a quarter of an inch to the right so the bullet missed my heart. A miracle of a small breeze that allowed me to pick up the sound of an enemy’s footsteps. A miracle of a brother taking a shot that saved my life. A miracle that the helo came in time and picked up my platoon and I brought all my men home. A miracle of being the man who got to save your life. Now we have a baby and I’m alive to experience it. So, why didn’t I freak out? First off, SEALs never freak. Second, why would I?”
“Well, when you put it that way, it makes sense.”
The traffic broke up, and they started moving. As they drove down the highway, he figured he’d done the best he could in explaining how he felt. Putting it out on the table was all he could do. It was up to Paige now. She was either going to let him in or she wasn’t. Either way, he wasn’t going anywhere…no matter what.
***
Blake sat next to Paige while the tech went over all the different types of information she was going to gather during the ultrasound. He registered very little and hoped that Paige was going to remember whatever was told to them. His famous cool, calm demeanor was starting to slip, and his speech earlier about not freaking might not hold up like he’d hoped. “How are you, honey?” The way she looked at him suggested that he’d asked one too many times.
“Fine. The same as three minutes ago when you asked. If this is too much, you can wait outside.”
Wiping his damp forehead, he cringed. “I’m one of the most feared spec operators on the planet. Why would one small sonogram make me uncomfortable?”
“I have no idea, but you’re acting…strange, and you’re sweating.”
“It’s hot in here.”
The tech let out a small laugh and then
covered it with a cough. “Happens all the time.” She handed him a couple of tissues and then went back to setting up Paige’s sonogram.
Maybe he was acting different, but that was to be expected. This was a big deal. “Thanks. I’m fine and ready to meet my daughter.”
“Have you already had a sonogram?” the woman asked.
Waving her hand, Paige laughed. “No. This is my first one. I told Blake it was a girl because we haven’t had a boy in three generations. I doubt he’s the one who’s going to break the winning streak.”
Sitting back, Blake crossed his legs. “You have no idea what I can break or not break. And why are girls the winning streak and not boys?”
“It’s a figure of speech. Isn’t that what people say when something happens repeatedly? If you gave me a boy, then I will love him to bits.”
The tech squeezed a good amount of gel on Paige’s stomach and told her to relax. “We’ll have some info for you two in a couple of moments.” She started moving a paddle around and taking measurements.
Paige held out her hand and smiled at Blake. “Don’t say I never gave you anything.”
He took her hand and brushed a kiss across her fingers. “The baby should cover you for a long time to come.” Moving his eyes to the monitor, he tried to decipher what he was looking at. It looked like a moonscape with one squiggly blob in the middle. He glanced at Paige and noticed how calm she appeared. Maybe if you were driving the boat, it was easier. All he could do was hold her hand, and that didn’t feel like enough. He was a man of action and his part of the action was over. He could feed her, take care of her and make sure she was safe, and that was about it. Not very satisfying.
The tech and Paige were talking, and he tuned in and listened to them for a while. They were discussing some new show on TV and whether the story lines were believable. Why they were so calm was beyond him.
Paige lifted her elbows as the baby’s face came into view. He leaned forward as well and lost his breath. His child. Their child.
