Sweetest Mistake

by Candis Terry

  “So what will you do?”

  “Reno and Jesse have their own homes. I’m guessing that Jackson will build a house sooner rather than later now that he has you. And Jake will be home soon. This house should be his.” Jana looked away as though gathering herself. When she looked back she had a smile already in place. “Joe and I made a pledge to each other that our boys would always have the Wilder Ranch to raise their families.”

  “You’re an amazing mother.” Abby gave her a hug. “And those boys were so fortunate to have Joe for their father.”

  “And they know that. Which is why learning to accept Martin and my decision to marry him won’t be easy for them. I just hope with time they’ll come around.”

  “I’m sure of it.”

  “I hope so. Otherwise, I’ve got some lonely golden years ahead of me. Because as well as Martin and I get along, I won’t choose between him and my sons.” Jana reached for the bowl in Abby’s hands and pasted on a smile that seemed to wobble at the corners. “Now. Let’s take this in the kitchen and get snackin’.”

  The kitchen bustled with the energy of a lively Rascal Flatts song as Charli and Fiona cut up lunch ingredients. Izzy sat up on the counter, clapping her hands to the music. A round of hellos greeted her, and Izzy held out her arms for Abby to pick her up. Abby was happy to comply and gave her a noisy kiss on her little cheek.

  “Wheyah daddy?”

  “He’s working, sweetheart.”

  “You mawee him?”

  “Oh . . .” Abby glanced up to find all the activity in the kitchen had come to a halt, and all females of drinking age stood with arms folded waiting for her response. “Sweetie, I think between your Uncle Reno and Aunt Charli, and your grandma and Martin, there are enough weddings. Don’t you?”

  Izzy shook her blond curls. “Mo cake!” She lifted her chubby arms up toward the sky and grinned.

  Everyone chuckled.

  “I agree,” Abby said. “There’s never enough cake.” She hitched Izzy up on her hip and joined the others at the counter.

  “Izzy?” Fiona said. “Can you go get your Loopsy doll and bring her in here so we can all have lunch?”

  When Izzy nodded, Abby set her down and watched her scamper off.

  “Was that just a ploy to allow for some adult talk?” Abby asked.

  “Ah, so smart. And such a natural with kids,” Fiona said. “You should have a dozen.”

  “Reno and I are having a dozen kids,” Charli said. “Or at least we’re going to practice making a dozen kids.”

  Abby laughed. “Eventually, I’d like at least a couple.”

  “Which brings me to ask why the quick evasion of the M word just now,” Fiona said.

  “Yeah.” Charli pulled some lettuce leaves off a giant head of romaine. “That was some mighty fancy footwork you did there.”

  “It’s only been a couple of days for Jackson and me,” she protested politely.

  “If you don’t count the previous twenty years,” Jana pitched in.

  “Wow.” Abby plopped down into a kitchen chair. “Am I going to get the third degree every time I get around you people?”

  Jana laughed. “Not every time.”

  “You know,” Abby said, “people don’t have to get married to be happy together.”

  “They don’t?” Charli’s perfectly arched brows lifted. “Geez. Don’t tell Reno that. He’s a little freaked out over this whole wedding thing.”

  “Stage fright,” Jana confirmed. “He’s always been shy about being the center of attention. Has nothing to do with marrying you.”

  “Well that’s a relief.”

  Fiona grabbed the loaf of homemade black bread and began to cut neat slices. “We just want to see you and Jackson happy, is all.”

  The conversation volleyed back to Abby.

  “What about you, Fiona?” All the tones were of the teasing sort, but talking about her relationship with Jackson was just too new to feel comfortable to discuss with the three women. Especially when one was his mother and another was his ex-wife. Yeah, she knew there was no lingering crazy-in-love thing between those two, but discussing him was like bringing everyone else into their bedroom. She just wasn’t on board with that yet and maybe never would be.

  “Me?” Fiona pointed at herself.

  “Yeah. Why didn’t you bid on that hot friend of Jackson’s at the auction?”

  “You know how much he sold for.” Fiona’s brows shot up, and she tossed a look to Jana.

  “I’m not going to apologize,” Jana said. “It was for charity.”

  “Some of us noticed you didn’t even bid,” Abby said. “So what’s up with that?”

  “Yeah, Fi,” Charli said. “What’s up with that?”

  “Yeah,” Jana added with a laugh.

  “I . . . chickened out.” Fiona shook her head. “I don’t think I’m ready to start anything with anyone yet.”

  “Who says you have to start something?” Jana asked.

  “Sometimes it’s okay to just get laid.” Charli’s mouth dropped open on a gasp. “Did I actually just say that?”

  “Loud and clear.” Abby was glad the heat had transferred to someone else even though she was enjoying the female camaraderie immensely.

  “Well, if anyone’s interested,” Jana said, plopping healthy portions of tomato on thick slices of black bread, “I’ve got the 4-1-1 on that handsome young man. Whose name happens to be Mike Halsey. Nickname is Hooch.”

  “Yikes,” Charli said. “Must be quite the drinker.”

  “Never touches the stuff,” Jana said. “If you’re interested, Fiona, I can highly recommend him as a person of quality character.”

  Fiona shook her head again. “I’m not ready.”

  “Then you just let me know when you are.” Jana gave her a wink. “I’ve got an in.”

  “So all the guys at the station have nicknames?” Abby asked while she set the napkins and silverware on the table.

  “Yeah. It’s a fireman thing.” Fiona grabbed the plates from the cupboard.

  “What’s Jackson’s nickname?”

  “Crash.” Every one responded at the same time.

  “Well, that’s appropriate.” Considering how many bones he’d broken in the past.

  “Sadly so,” his mother said. “That boy just can’t help adding to my gray hairs.” At the sound of a crash in another room, Jana looked up. “Sounds like Izzy’s gotten sidetracked. Fiona, how about y’all go corral her and we sit down to eat before we pull out the Brides magazines?”

  No sooner had Fiona left the room than Abby’s cell phone chirped. She pulled it from her purse and checked the incoming number.

  Five minutes later Abby had lost count of the F-bombs her baby sister fired off like bottle rockets. After several minutes of encouragement, Abby had managed to calm her sister down. With a long sigh, she shoved her phone back in her purse.

  “Trouble?” Jana’s forehead crinkled above her glittery blue eye shadow.

  With Annie and her loser boyfriend?

  “Always.”

  Chapter 16

  A long night stretched ahead as Abby put finishing up her parents’ house into high gear. Before, time hadn’t been of the essence. The phone call from her sister had quickly changed the tempo.

  Thanks to Jackson, painting the walls hadn’t been an issue. But within the space of a few hours, she’d had to learn to hang curtain rods. And as she gave a final twist of a wrench, she’d learned to install the new kitchen faucet too. In the midst of her home-makeover list, she’d managed to keep Miss Kitty from climbing the new curtains and Liberty from trying to wiggle her now-chubby body up onto the sofa.

  All that had come several hours after she’d called her parents and told them the news—that her pregnant sister had been abandoned by her loser-musician boyfriend because he couldn’t let her or a baby interfere with his nonexistent career.

  It had taken only a heartbeat for Abby to tell her sister to come home. As soon as Annie p
acked up her belongings and handed them off to a mover, she would be back within the walls where she’d been raised. Just like Abby.

  Seemed you were never too old to come home.

  Unfortunately, their party-all-the-time parents didn’t feel the same and had chosen to remain in Florida while their youngest child figured out the workings of single motherhood. At least they’d agreed now probably wasn’t the right time to sell the house.

  In the midst of chaos and bad news, Abby had wished Jackson was by her side. Not that she needed him to resolve her issues—she’d learned to do that by herself over the years. But because she’d just needed his presence. Even if that only meant that he’d be pacing the floor with his usual intensity and wanting to resolve the situation with action.

  With every breath she took, Abby found she needed him more.

  These long shifts at the fire station were something she’d have to grow used to. Especially if he was to become a captain. His responsibilities would increase and maybe even his time away from home. Maybe he’d have to move to another area of the city or state. She only knew she’d follow him to the ends of the earth as long as he wanted her there.

  The late hours of night grew into the early hours of morning before Abby finally laid down her tools and crawled into bed beside her two little fur babies. Luckily, they’d been so busy pouncing and zipping around the house they both zonked right out. As Abby fell asleep with a sense of accomplishment, she allowed herself the reward of fantasizing about Jackson wearing those smokin’-hot fireman pants and suspenders, and nothing else.

  At the end of his shift, Jackson stopped by Fiona’s apartment to see Izzy before he headed home. He’d caught her and Fiona watching Tangled, and since it was—begrudgingly—one of his favorite Disney princess movies, he sat down to watch. When Fiona went in the kitchen to make popcorn, he got down on the floor with his baby girl and drew her into his lap. She stretched her little arms up to his neck and, without taking her eyes away from the movie, gave him a hug.

  Fiona came back into the living room with a huge bowl of buttered popcorn in one hand and a smaller bowl of Cheerios for Izzy in the other. She looked at him as if he’d morphed into something other than just a guy in a blue uniform sitting on her floor.

  “Troubles?” she asked.

  Time to face the music. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” Her head tilted.

  “I should have called you before showing up at my mom’s with Abby. I apologize. It was . . . insensitive of me.”

  “Are you serious?” She blinked. “Do you think you need my permission to move on with your life or something?”

  “Well . . .”

  “Jesus.” She leaned down and gave him a quick hug. “Stop beating yourself up. I’m proud that you finally took a step you should have taken years ago. I’m happy for you, Jackson. I want you to be happy. If you’re happy, then Izzy will be happy. And that’s what matters.”

  “I want you to be happy too. I know I wasn’t the best—”

  “Stop.” Her hand came down over his shoulder, and she gave it a squeeze. “Everything happens for a reason, Jackson. Your rescuing me and us hooking up was meant to be so we could bring Izzy into the world.”

  “God.” He rolled his eyes. “Hooking up sounds so . . .”

  “Maybe,” Fiona said. “But it’s the truth. And if I hadn’t gotten pregnant, you and I would have eventually gone our separate ways. We didn’t have the normal marriage. We tried. We love each other. We’re great friends, and we have our daughter’s best interest at heart. We’re a great team. We just weren’t a great married couple.”

  He flinched. The truth hurt no matter what kind of spin you put on it.

  “Besides, I knew you were in love with Abby the second I heard you mention her name.”

  “You did?”

  “Everybody did. Eventually, you had to catch on too.” She glanced toward the TV, then back at him. “Abby’s wonderful. And she’ll make a great stepmom to our little girl.”

  “Whoa. Things haven’t gone that far.”

  “They will. And when they do, I’ll be there to support you both.” She gave him a silly frown. “Unless you’d prefer I behave like a wicked ex-wife instead?”

  “No! I’m grateful for who you are. And I hope someday you’ll find the perfect guy.”

  “I’m not in any hurry.”

  “You were a really good wife, Fi.” His chest tightened. “I want you to know that.”

  “Stop blaming yourself for what happened, Jackson. We just weren’t the right fit. And as much as Izzy and I love having you stop by, what are you doing here when you should be home with Abby? She needs you right now.”

  His head came up. “She needs me?”

  “Didn’t she call you?”

  “No.” She needed him, and yet she didn’t call? What was up with that? “What’s going on?”

  “Not for me to say.” Fiona reached down and lifted Izzy off his lap. “I don’t think it’s an emergency, but it might be a good idea to head home.”

  Home.

  It was funny how that word now meant Abby when for years he didn’t even know where she lived. Or what she was doing. Or if she still thought about him.

  And here he was now, wondering why—if she needed him—she hadn’t called.

  He shoved off the floor and stood. Gave Izzy a kiss on the top of her blond curls and tried not to feel slighted when she leaned to look around him, and said, “Daddy. Can’t thee.”

  Fiona walked him to the door. “Just so you know, I’ve decided it’s best if Izzy and I move to Sweet. She needs to be closer to you and the family. And since my parents live halfway across the country, there’s really nothing holding me in San Antonio. I can commute just like you until I find a way to open up my cupcake shop.”

  “That would be great.”

  She shrugged. “It will help us both be better parents.”

  They came together in a friendly embrace that lifted the weight from his chest.

  “Now, go home.” She laughed as she shoved him out the door.

  He got in his truck and checked his cell phone for messages.

  Dead battery.

  Maybe that’s why he hadn’t heard from her.

  He searched the glove box for his charger cord and couldn’t find it. Angry with himself for such a dopey move, he put the truck into gear and headed toward Abby. Whatever the problem—no matter how big or how small—he’d fix it. The last thing he wanted was to give her a reason to leave again. Because for the first time in a long time, he felt like his life finally made sense. Like he could finally breathe without waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  When he showed up at Abby’s door her smile warmed up all those chilling concerns he’d had during the thirty-mile drive home.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked, searching her face for signs of distress. “I stopped by to see Izzy after work, and Fiona told me there might be a reason you needed me. My cell phone was dead, so I didn’t know if you’d left a message.”

  “I didn’t call. I didn’t want to bother you while you were at work.”

  “Bother me?” He cupped his hands over her shoulders and drew her into his arms. “Sugar, you could never bother me. I’ve been worried.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

  After a brief kiss, he stepped inside, and she shut the door. In the center of the living room, the kitten and puppy were playing a game of tag, and the house looked surprisingly in order. “Looks like you’ve been busy.”

  She glanced around and nodded. “Pretty much worked all night and day to get it done. Or at least what I could manage to do by myself.”

  “What’s going on?” Why had she worked so hard to finish the house when she hadn’t been in a hurry before? Dread snapped against his spine.

  “I got a phone call from Annie.”

  On the ride home, he’d imagined every scenario from an illness to her going back to her husband—whic
h, even as he’d thought it, he knew was ridiculous. He’d never even given a thought to her sister. “Is she okay?”

  “The loser left her. He doesn’t want her or the baby to interfere with his nonexistent musical career.”

  He remembered feeling overwhelmed when Fiona had first told him she was going to have his baby. But he’d never once even considered abandoning her or their child. “Selfish bastard.”

  “Exactly.” She glanced away. “I’d like to smash him over the head with his stupid guitar.”

  And then it hit him. How Mark Rich had treated her when she’d wanted a baby of her own. How he’d abandoned her. Thrown her out with the trash. Jackson took her in his arms, and, as he held her close, he wished he could rewind time to that night before he’d left for Afghanistan. The night they’d made love, and instead of telling her then how he felt, he’d said nothing. And she’d walked. Rightfully so.

  When her head came back around, and she looked up at him, he could see all the anguish she’d been trying to hide. His heart broke. In that moment, he wanted to give her the world. To make up for the time they’d lost. To make up for what she’d lost during her marriage to Mark Rich. He loved her so much, it made him ache.

  “Want me to go break his kneecaps?” he said with a smile.

  “Yes.” She laughed. “But you’d look horrible in prison orange.”

  The break in tension had been apparently what she needed as her smile lingered.

  “The reason I didn’t call you at work,” she said, “was because nothing was on fire and nobody was dying. And in your line of work, that’s why the calls come in. I knew Annie’s news could wait until you came home.”

  Home.

  There was that word again.

  “I appreciate that. But if you need me, call. Please. If I’m fighting a fire or saving a life, you’ll get my voice mail, and I’ll call you back as soon as possible. And I promise to keep my phone charged from now on.” He tucked his fingers beneath her chin and lifted it so her eyes met his. “Got that?”

  She nodded.

  “I need to hear a “ ‘Copy that, Crash.’ ”

  She folded her arms. “I am never going to use that ridiculously appropriate name of yours.”