Why had he tried to do the same thing? It made him no better than the ex-husband who raised his fist to her. Couldn’t people change? He had, hadn’t he?
“Lana,” he began, intent on apologizing. He sat forward and took her hand in his.
Suddenly, she stood. Instead of the heart-wrenching tears, he saw mischief in her eyes and a smirk on her face. The look he’d once seen before.
“You’re such a sucker.”
“What?”
She picked up her glass of water and took a sip. At first, he was mesmerized by the sexy smile spreading across her features. It wasn’t until the cold water streaming down his face hit him that he realized what she had done.
“You can take your one night stand, Jackson O’Donnell, and shove it. I don’t need you or any man for that matter.” She gave him a sassy smile and left him sitting there, covered in water. Only one thing crossed his mind just then.
Maybe she hadn’t changed at all.
*****
Nothing felt better to Lana than knowing she was in charge of her life now. How could she have been so stupid? She’d gone and let him kiss her, for crying out loud.
So intent was she on fuming, she didn’t hear Lucky calling until he was right on top of her, taking her arm in his grasp and spinning her around to face him. She made a fist and went for his face.
“Stop!” he ordered, brushing off the blow to his chin.
“Or what? You’ll arrest me?”
“I should. You just assaulted a police officer.”
“Not nearly as much as I wanted to!” she yelled, slapping away the hair in her eyes.
“Calm down.”
Jerking her arm away from his touch, she glared at him. His hair was almost dry from the humidity, but she noticed with pleasure that his shoulders were pretty much soaked.
She waited for him to speak, but he said nothing. Shifting his balance, he propped his hands on his hips and licked his lips.
“I’m not getting any younger,” she reminded him.
He sucked in a deep breath to speak then let it out, apparently thinking better of it. Then he did it again. “Look, I’m sorry. Things got a little out of hand.”
“A little?”
“More than a little. I just…when I saw you at the party the other night, all the old feelings came rushing back. I just wanted to prove to you I’m not the same person I used to be.”
“I’d say your looks came with a price, Sheriff. You rank right up there with James in the jerk category.”
“I deserve that,” he mumbled.
“And a lot more.”
She could see he waged an inner war with himself, and she’d love to be privy to his thoughts. Was he still insecure? Did he even care what others thought about him now?
“When I asked you to the prom, it wasn’t something I did to get laughed at.”
“I didn’t laugh at you.”
“No, not you. Your friends. I…genuinely cared about you, and I saw you hurting. I thought maybe I could take some of that hurt away. The next thing I knew…”
“I stomped on your heart.”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Tell me something. Did that have anything to do with this?” She swept her hand up and down in the direction of his body.
He let out a self-deprecating laugh.
“What do you think?”
“All I know is that it’s taken me many years to realize the bottom line isn’t about looks or anything superficial. It’s about who you are on the inside.”
She continued to look at him. Lucky stared back at her without flinching.
“Well?” he asked.
“I don’t like what I see.”
“Me, either.”
“So let’s go our separate ways and call a truce, okay? We’re not in high school anymore.”
He licked his lips again and Lana ignored the rise in temperature when his gaze rested on her mouth.
“Thank goodness.”
With that, he turned and left her standing in front of the restaurant. She tried to believe the short walk to the police station to get her car would do her good, but the only thing running through mind was just a single word that reverberated in her head with each step she took.
Jerk.
Chapter Five
Whistles greeted him when he stepped inside the police station and Gretchen stood at the back, clapping.
“You work fast, dude!” Deputy Gavin Cain said and slapped him on the back.
“You gonna marry her?” Officer Luke Thompson jabbed.
“What are you guys talking about?” he asked, annoyed now that Lana had ever stepped one foot in his station.
“I can see the headlines now for the Riverton Gazette: Fat Jack Marries Prom Queen!”
Lucky grimaced. Without listening to any more of the gossip, he covered the length of the station in long strides and closed his office door. But he could still hear the whistling and laughter.
Instead of giving in and threatening an official reprimand for all of them, he immersed himself in his work and tried to remember that Lana wasn’t his and never would be.
A couple of hours later, he looked up to find Gretchen poking her head in his office.
“Sheriff O’Donnell? Can I have a word with you?”
Lucky grunted and reclined in his chair, waiting for her to settle.
“I just got a phone call from a friend of mine. It seems as though people are talking.”
“People in this town always talk. They thrive on it. What is it this time? Someone knock over a mailbox? Steal a pack of gum at the Handy Mart?”
“No sir. About you…and Lana Stevens.”
Lucky was in no mood for this. “Look, Gretchen, I don’t really want to talk about this.”
“I understand, but I think it’s important you hear this.”
He leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got two minutes.”
“Well, my friend told me about your quarrel in the restaurant, and it seems as though Lana accused you of dumping her after a one night stand.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but Gretchen hurried on, fiddling with her fingers nervously.
“She said people think she’s pregnant. They said she had a little bit of a tummy and…”
Lucky’s raised hand effectively silenced her. “What did you say?”
Gretchen cleared her throat. Her mousy, anxious eyes darted back and forth.
“People are saying you got her pregnant and dumped her.”
Leaning forward, Lucky put his elbows on his desk and ran a slow hand through his hair. Wouldn’t it be just perfect for him to be blamed for all of this?
Then again, this would probably make Lana do a happy dance.
*****
“Lana, the sheriff is here to see you,” Ally said in a singsong voice.
“Tell him that unless he’s got a warrant, I don’t want to see him.”
Ally issued a frown Lana’s way. “What’s gotten into you? I thought you were having fun with him.”
More like the other way around. “No, I had a momentary lapse in judgment. Please tell him I’m busy.”
“I kind of already told him you weren’t.”
“Tell him you were mistaken.”
“I can’t. Daddy’s always told us not to lie.”
Lana didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her innocent tone. After her embarrassing outburst earlier, the last thing she wanted was to see Lucky again.
“Please, Ally. I have a headache.”
“He looks pretty determined. I’d say you’ve got about thirty seconds before he marches in here. Better chop chop.”
She sighed as Ally moved away from the door. Heavy footsteps fell against the hardwood floor. Her time was gone. Looking up, she saw Lucky leaning in the doorway, eyeing her angrily.
“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
“If you mean ignoring you, then yes.”
“No, I’m talking abo
ut all this gossip you fed the restaurant crowd today.”
“What gossip?”
Seeing his pursed lips and narrowed eyes, she felt like an exhibit at a circus.
“You really don’t know?”
“No.”
“Apparently, everyone is saying I did this.” Pushing away from the doorframe, he walked to her bed and sat on the end. He was so close she could smell the outdoors on him and see the pigments in his blue eyes. His thigh brushed against hers.
Still, she was confused. “Did what?”
Taking a slow and steady inhale, he let it out with a whoosh.
“They think I got you pregnant.”
“That’s ridiculous, I’m not even showing!”
He raised an eyebrow at her, and she felt the heat creep into her cheeks. “I’m not showing that much!”
“No, but it’s enough to make people wonder. Some people did see us together at the party.”
“But that was only two days ago!”
Lucky shrugged. The action caused his uniform to touch her arm.
“One of my dispatchers told me today. She thought I deserved to know, and I’m paying it forward.”
“Thanks…I think.”
“Truce or not, people are speculating that I got you pregnant. When you really start showing they just have to do the math.”
“So what do we do? You know how rabid those gossip mongers are! They’ll take anything and twist it into a nice and neat little bow!”
“I’m not arguing with you there, but I think it would serve us well to figure out what to do about it together. That way we’re on the same side.”
Lana nodded. He was right. But the situation was all wrong. No one was supposed to know she was pregnant. She didn’t want her baby being the subject of speculation.
Then again, could this be a blessing in disguise? When she thought about it, there was no better way to mask the true paternal identity of her child than to let the gossip continue. No one would even suspect James, and therefore, she’d never have to deal with him again.
“Sheriff, I think this is perfect!” she said as a slow smile spread across her features.
His jaw dropped a little. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“You told me yourself my original plan wouldn’t work. Everyone would know I was pregnant with James’s baby. I couldn’t have done this any better if I’d planned it!”
“I’m still not following.”
Excitement caused her to jump up from her bed and grasp his arms, shaking a little. “Lucky! If everyone thinks you’re the father, James will never have to know!”
The exhilaration died when she noticed his jaw pulsing. “You’re forgetting about one small detail.”
“What?”
“Me! I don’t want people thinking I’m the father of a baby I never conceived!”
“You wouldn’t have to do anything, Lucky. I just put your name on the birth certificate and I’m home free! I don’t want money. I don’t want you. I just need a way around James.”
“Lana. I would never allow my name on a birth certificate unless it was true. And I would never allow a child of mine to be born without a ring on the mother’s finger.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “Are you serious? You won’t help me?”
“I don’t see how I can. If we were dating, or even friends, I might consider it, but we don’t even like each other.”
“I wouldn’t need anything from you, Lucky. Not a penny.”
“It’s my reputation on the line, too, ya know.”
Defeated, Lana lowered herself next to him on the bed again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think this through.”
They sat in silence, and Lana tried to let go of the idea. Lucky was the sheriff and it would be a terrible strike against him to have a child with a barely divorced woman.
“Thanks for letting me know,” Lana said softly. “It’s my fault. I’ll take care of it.”
Lucky nodded and stood. She felt an overwhelming sadness take root in her chest. There was nothing she could do to protect her baby.
She stood from the bed to walk him to the door and pain sliced through her abdomen.
“Oh,” she said, her voice trembling.
“What is it?” Lucky asked, rushing to her side and ushering her back to the bed.
“I have a pain.”
“Is this a joke? If it is, it’s not funny.”
“No, it’s not a joke!” she snapped, rubbing the kink out. Was it a contraction? It was too early to be having those. She scooted off the bed and stood again, testing to see if the feeling was a fluke. The pain arched through her abdomen and around to her back again as she stood erect. It doubled her over and took her breath.
“We’re going to the hospital,” Lucky announced and Lana’s world tilted. He carried her through the house, Ally at their heels barking questions.
“Ally, she’s having some pain. I’m taking her to the hospital. I’ll call as soon as I know something,” Lucky said in a deceptively calm voice. Underneath her fingertips, she could feel the erratic pulse driving through his veins. Was he scared for her? Scared for his reputation? Or was she just too heavy?
“You’re overreacting. It’s probably nothing,” she said quietly.
“Hush. Just breathe.” He slipped her into his front seat and jogged around to the driver’s side. With a flip of a button, the sirens and lights came on and they were off.
“Are you serious? The hospital is only five minutes away.”
“This is your baby, Lana. Aren’t you a little more concerned than this? You could be miscarrying!”
A calm acceptance flowed through her. “Maybe God heard my prayers, and this is His answer.”
“What kind of thing is that to say?”
“I’ve always wanted children. Just with someone I love. I guess I just never saw myself in this position. If James ever found out about this, we’d never be free of him. And after all the abuse I went through, I would kill him before I let him touch my baby.”
Lucky’s fingers entwined with hers and without thinking, she squeezed. He gave her a sad smile.
“You’re not alone, Lana. That baby is a gift, not a curse.”
Within a few minutes, he pulled up to the ER entrance and opened the door. He leaned in to get her.
“I can do it.” Slowly, she stood as tall as she could. Once again, pain knifed through her.
“Stubborn woman,” he muttered and scooped her up again. The next thing she knew, Lucky was describing her symptoms to the nurse, and she was whisked away behind the double doors.
But before they closed, she heard the nurse say, “Sir, you can’t go back there. Only family is allowed.”
Her eyes met his and she could see him visibly swallow, torn about what he should do. Before she could stop him, the words came out.
“I’m the father of the baby,” she heard him protest.
And the door closed behind her.
*****
“Why did you do it, Lucky?” Lana asked, drawing the blankets around her waist and trying to relax. The gentle whomp whomp of her baby’s heartbeat on the monitor beside her steadied her runaway nerves.
“Do what?”
“Why did you say you were the father?”
He checked the slow strip of paper for a contraction, the same way he had done every ten seconds for the last twenty minutes. He was driving her crazy.
“You said yourself it’s the only way to protect the baby from James.” Lucky shot a look over his shoulder. “Keep your voice down,” he warned.
“I didn’t think that through. I don’t want you around my baby, either.”
“It’s a little late now. You know the nurses in here are going to tell everyone I admitted to it tonight. The flame of gossip just turned into an inferno, babe.”
“Don’t call me babe.”
He checked the strip again. “Did you just feel something? I think that was a contraction.”
“I’m not
contracting, Lucky. Relax.”
“I’m just worried about the baby. I don’t want anything to happen to him. How are you feeling?”
Drawing in a deep, patient breath, she said, “I’m fine. The doctor said it was probably just ligaments stretching.”
“I better not have signed my life away for a pulled muscle,” he said with narrowed eyes.
She sat up slowly and pointed an accusing finger. “You idiot. I never asked you to do this!”
“Well, actually you did.”
“No, I retracted that question. It doesn’t count.”
“It doesn’t count? What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just forget it,” she exhaled and crossed her arms across her chest.
He threw another glance at the contraction strip. “I think you’re having a contraction.”
“I am not!” Throwing her hands up in frustration, Lana didn’t know what to do.
The nurse stuck her head behind the curtain. “Is everything okay in here?”
“He’s not the father of this baby,” Lana said, pointing to Lucky. “Can you kick him out?”
The nurse blushed and darted her gaze away. “Now, Ms. Stevens. I’m not going to kick the sheriff out of here. He’s just being a doting father, isn’t that right, Sheriff O’Donnell?”
Lucky didn’t say anything but gave her a pointed look. Lana watched the nurse walk over to the monitor and check the contraction strip. Lucky peered over her shoulder as she took electronic notes on the computer.
“You’re still looking good, Ms. Stevens. No contractions, and the heart rate is at one seventy.”
“Isn’t that too fast?” Lucky asked. “I read it should be in the one fifties.”
“Later on in the pregnancy it will come down. It’s normal since she’s still in her first trimester.”
Lana watched Lucky as he hovered, asking questions as the nurse tended to her monitor and checked her vitals. For all intents and purposes, he played the doting father quite well. What didn’t make sense to her was, why? What was in it for him?
Lucky for Her Page 5
