The Bachelor's Baby

by Mia Ross

  “Fine.”

  Holly gave her a long look, and Lindsay relented with a sigh. “One minute, I’m fine, the next I’m blubbering like a baby. Does that ever go away?”

  “The first time you hold her, you’ll feel incredible,” the experienced mom replied with a fond smile at Chase. “That’s when you know for sure that all the trouble was worth it.”

  Lindsay still had no idea how she’d cope with raising a child all by herself, but given the bond she already felt with her daughter, it wasn’t hard to envision loving her at first sight. That kind of responsibility wasn’t going to be easy to carry, though, and she leaned closer to make certain that no one could hear her. “Holly, can I ask you something really personal?”

  “About being a mom, you mean?” At Lindsay’s nod, she smiled. “Go ahead.”

  “Ellie told me you were a widow and you raised Chase mostly by yourself. How on earth did you manage?”

  “Three things. Patience, determination and a whole lot of faith. Beyond that, I had good friends around me, and a family that supported me when things got tough. And then, when we came here, we met Sam. He filled in all the things we’d been missing.”

  She smiled over at her husband, and even though he was midsentence, he paused long enough to grin back before continuing his discussion with Brian.

  “It can’t be easy to find a guy who’s willing to be a father to another man’s child.”

  “I wouldn’t know, because I never actually tried. Sam was a blessing I didn’t ask for, and that made him all the more special.”

  Lindsay had run out of questions, but Holly’s comment about blessings got her thinking. Was it possible for her—the illegitimate child of a shameless flirt—to be blessed that way? Because of her own difficult upbringing, she believed that children weren’t to blame for their parents’ missteps, and she hoped other people would be open-minded enough to give her daughter a chance despite her questionable start.

  Lindsay acknowledged that some people in the conservative little town were chilly toward her, and she’d done her best to shrug off their disapproval of her. But the Calhouns, along with many others, seemed to be unconcerned with her shady background. They’d given her an opportunity to prove herself, and she’d done her best to show that she deserved their trust.

  Was it possible that God could overlook her flaws, too?

  “By the way,” Holly continued, “if you decide you’d like a coach in the delivery room with you, just call me. I’ll meet you at the hospital, no matter what time it is.”

  Lindsay’s jaw fell open in shock. “Seriously?”

  “Very seriously. Brian’s sweet, and I know he’d do whatever he could, but it’s not the same as having someone there with you who’s been through it before. It’s up to you, but I’d be happy to help out if you want me there.”

  “Thank you,” Lindsay replied, still unable to believe what she’d heard. “I’ve seen videos about what’s coming, so I just might take you up on that.”

  The sound of the organist warming up broke into their conversation, and people who’d been milling around quickly found their seats. Brian slid in beside her, giving her a quick smile. “Morning, gorgeous.”

  It was a common greeting he’d used for her in high school, and she laughed quietly. “That’s one I haven’t heard in a while. You’re in a good mood.”

  “That’s ’cause Sam’s gonna help me knock out those building repairs this week. Now that we’re actually in business, I figure we oughta do some general maintenance and put a big window in the office so you don’t feel like you’re working in a shoe box.”

  “That sounds good, but you don’t have to do all that for me. I’m fine in there.”

  “Anyway,” he continued as if she hadn’t said anything, “we’ll be making a real mess, so you should plan on working from Gran’s until we’re finished.”

  She picked up the hymnal and turned to the first song listed on the board up front. “I should be able to get most things done from there. I certainly won’t miss fighting with that old space heater to get it running. It’s not as reliable as it could be.”

  “Man, are you picky.”

  She made a face at him, and he laughed as he stood to join in the singing. When she tried to do the same, she discovered that she couldn’t quite manage it in the confined space. Without a word, he reached down and helped her to her feet. Feeling her face heat with embarrassment, she murmured her thanks.

  “Anytime.” He punctuated his reply with one of his charmingly crooked grins, which she couldn’t help returning.

  Simple and reassuring, his response chased her discomfort away, and it occurred to her that this wasn’t the first time. As if that wasn’t enough, she knew that he honestly meant it, because that was the sort of man Brian Calhoun was.

  A wave of emotion washed over her, and she struggled to keep her composure so no one would notice her over-the-top reaction to his chivalrous gesture. Brian’s strength was tempered by a kind, caring nature and a heart that was probably too big for his own good. Not long ago, when she’d run out of options, returning here had seemed like choosing to take a dead-end road that led back to the sad past she’d once been so eager to leave behind. But now, she couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.

  After a lifetime of searching, on the other side of an old-fashioned covered bridge, she’d finally found the place where she truly belonged. What an amazing turn of events this was.

  When Brian’s arm settled around her shoulders, she realized she’d unconsciously leaned against him. He gave a little squeeze, and when she looked up, he mouthed, “Okay?”

  In that moment, she felt confident that things were going to work out for her. Smiling up at him, she nodded, and he rewarded her with a proud look before letting his hand fall back to his side.

  And, for the first time in her life, Lindsay closed her eyes to pray.

  Thank You, God, for bringing me home.

  A sensation of warmth enveloped her, and the only explanation she could come up with was that He was reaching down to her from heaven, welcoming her into His house. The gratitude she felt was almost overwhelming, but in a good way. All these years, the thing she’d been missing was right in front of her. All she had to do was accept what He was offering her. For someone who’d always scraped and fought for what she got, it was a heady concept.

  While she was mulling that over, she realized that Pastor Welch had begun speaking. No one around her seemed to have noticed her lack of attention to the sermon, and she put her epiphany aside to focus on the preacher. Most of what he was saying didn’t make much sense to her, but one section in particular resonated with her immediately.

  “When we go astray,” he told them in a voice that clearly said he’d done it himself, “we have two choices—keep going down that wrong path, or change course and head back in the right direction. Sometimes that means we have to retrace steps that are painful for us, endure memories that we’d rather not go through again. But if we have the courage to do that, we may find what we’re looking for on a path that we once thought was a dead end.”

  He’d so perfectly nailed what Lindsay had just been thinking, it was all she could do to keep her jaw from dropping open in shock. Stealing glances at others in the congregation, she noticed some of them nodding, as if they also saw themselves in his simple, homespun advice. Several smiles clued her in that their own backtracking had worked out well for them, giving her even more hope that her unfamiliar bout of positivity wasn’t merely wishful thinking.

  Finding that truth here, in this simple New Hampshire chapel, struck her as the perfect way to start a new future for her and the little girl she was bringing into the world.

  “And now,” the pastor announced proudly, “as secretary of the town council, I’ve been given the fun job of letting you all know the results of our recent fund-raising efforts. Thanks t
o Lindsay Holland, her devoted committee and all those who attended, the Sweetheart Dance was a rousing success. Every dollar earned will go toward the remaining repairs, and if the weather cooperates, our lovely new bridge will be ready for traffic—and tourists—at the beginning of April.”

  The entire group applauded and cheered, turning in their seats to congratulate each other on a job well-done. Lindsay accepted her share of the praise, which made her eventful morning all the more meaningful to her. Having suffered through years of sidelong looks and thinly veiled insults as a teenager, it was wonderful to feel accepted and valued for what she’d done to help the town.

  When the service was over, some people filed toward the door, while others hung back to discuss their plans for the day.

  “We’ll see you all over at Ellie’s,” Brian’s mother, Melinda, reminded them before dashing after their hostess, who was already long gone.

  The rest of the family mingled with their neighbors, laughing and catching up on the latest news from the forge. Local residents showed a great deal of interest in Brian’s new venture, and he went out of his way to include her in those conversations.

  That feeling of belonging here remained strong, and Lindsay’s mood brightened as she made her way out with Brian behind her. Ellie often had the family over for lunch after church, and Lindsay had always joined them. But today, she felt more like she deserved her spot at the family gathering than she had before.

  “That’s a pretty big smile,” Brian commented as he walked her to his truck.

  “It’s a pretty nice day,” she replied, taking in a deep breath of fresh, chilly air. “It sounds crazy, but on a morning like this, I feel like anything could happen.”

  “Good things, I hope.”

  “Only good things,” she assured him as he opened the passenger door and helped her up into the cab. Once he settled in beside her, she turned to him and asked, “What do you think of ‘Taylor’?”

  Typical Brian, he didn’t blank out on her and ask who Taylor was. Instead, he cocked his head and grinned. “Taylor Holland. Sounds like a little girl who’s gonna make the world a better place just by being in it.”

  “Not ‘Tay,’ though,” Lindsay clarified. “I always hated being called ‘Lin.’”

  “Yeah, I remember,” he commented, chuckling as he started the engine.

  “You never did that, though. It was one of the things I liked best about you back then.”

  “What about now?”

  There were so many qualities she admired, but one stuck out above the others, and she smiled. “That you care about me, and a little girl you’ve never even met.”

  “I always cared, Lindsay,” he informed her as he pulled into Ellie’s driveway. Parking the truck, he swiveled to face her with an intense look unlike any she’d ever gotten from him. “I never stopped.”

  “Really?”

  “I used to wonder where you were,” he confided with a sigh, glancing out the grimy windshield before meeting her eyes again. “If you were safe, and happy. If you ever thought about me.”

  Fondness sparkled in those deep blue eyes, taking her back to the days when he’d been her hero, defending her from anyone who dared to treat her with anything less than the respect he believed she deserved. And that was when she knew.

  She loved Brian Calhoun, she realized now. In all honesty, she always had, and she wasn’t entirely certain that she’d ever stopped.

  “That was outta line,” he said tersely. “I apologize.”

  He didn’t offer anything more as he helped her down and got her safely to Ellie’s front door. Lindsay had no clue what to say, so she kept quiet, hoping the awkward moment would pass and they could enjoy a pleasant lunch with his family.

  When they paused in the foyer, her eyes were drawn to the living room, which was decked out in pink balloons and streamers, with a pile of gifts wrapped in every shade of pink she’d ever seen.

  “What’s this?” she asked him.

  “Looks like a party to me,” he replied, any trace of their earlier exchange gone.

  Ellie appeared in the kitchen doorway wearing an apron proclaiming her the Best Grandma Ever, and Lindsay asked, “For me?”

  “And the little one who’s on her way,” the sweet lady said with a smile. “You’ll be needing some things for her, and we thought it would be nice to make a celebration of it.”

  “Oh, Ellie,” Lindsay gasped, embracing her tightly before pulling away. “Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  Between this and Holly volunteering to coach her in the delivery room, Lindsay thought she just might burst from sheer happiness. She couldn’t recall ever feeling that way, and the strength of those emotions threatened to swamp her self-control for the umpteenth time this week.

  “Puppies?” Brian murmured into her ear.

  Swallowing hard, she nodded. “And kittens and baby otters. All this affection is a lot for me to process, I guess.”

  “Are you planning to stick around here for a while?”

  The question dovetailed so perfectly with the realization she’d come to during the service, she couldn’t help smiling. “Yes.”

  “Then you’d better get used to it. My family likes you, and this is how it’s gonna be.”

  Added to the revelation he’d made earlier, the matter-of-fact declaration sent a warm current through her from head to toe. She wasn’t well-acquainted with the kind of unconditional love that the Calhouns had showered on her, so it might take her a while to get comfortable with it.

  Discovering that she still had such strong feelings for Brian had been unsettling, because she’d thought she’d left all that behind her years ago. She didn’t know how things might work out between them this time, but she’d always be grateful to him for giving her another chance.

  * * *

  Working from home was fabulous.

  Especially when you were in your last month of pregnancy and getting around got a little tougher every day. Lindsay had set herself up in the living room, cozied up next to the fire, alternating data entry with responding to orders as they came in. Her goal was to respond to customers within five minutes so they’d know there was a real live person on the other end instead of some robot in a warehouse.

  In a rare meeting of the minds, she and Brian had agreed that the specialized nature of Liberty Creek Forge’s products demanded kid-glove treatment of people who contacted them. Because of that, she was determined to make every one of them feel as special as humanly possible. Her cell phone was the contact number on the website, and when it rang, she answered in her usual professional greeting.

  “Good morning, this is Liberty Creek Forge. My name is Lindsay. How may I help you?”

  “I’m on your website right now and I’m curious about the size options on that beautiful wine rack,” a woman’s voice explained. “Could you make something other than the two listed on the page?”

  “Absolutely. Would you like it bigger or smaller?”

  “Bigger. We run a small vineyard in Vermont, and I’d like to use some of them in our tasting room.”

  She read off the dimensions, and Lindsay gave the answer Brian had always insisted she use. “Our master forger can make anything you need. How many would you like?”

  “Ten.”

  Lindsay nearly swallowed her tongue. This was the biggest order they’d gotten to date, and she waited a beat to make sure her voice wouldn’t come out in an excited squeak. “Did you have a specific delivery date in mind?”

  “As soon as possible.” The woman laughed. “I guess you hear that a lot, but in this case it’s for real. We’ve got a spring event scheduled for mid-April, and I’d love to have them installed and filled in time for that.”

  Lindsay didn’t hesitate to make the commitment, since she was confident Brian would work night and day to
have the shipment ready in time. She arranged for a down payment of half the fee, then completed the order and emailed the details to their first big customer.

  And then she called Brian. She relayed the stellar news, and he blew out a long breath. “Okay, I can do that.”

  “Good, because that’s what I told her.”

  He didn’t scold her for not checking with him first, just laughed. “Why am I not surprised?”

  “You want the forge to succeed, right?”

  “More than anything.”

  “You’ll make that happen by being light on your feet,” she informed him. “Large companies can’t adjust their production runs for specialty items like this. You can, and that gives you an advantage over them. Once people see for themselves how great your products are, they’ll tell their friends, and then you’ll have even more business.”

  “Are you angling for a raise?”

  “No, but I’m hoping that someday when the books aren’t always in the red, you might decide I’ve earned one.”

  “You already have,” he told her in a sincere tone. “I just wish I was able to give it to you.”

  She hadn’t meant to make him feel guilty, and she hunted for a way to let him off the hook without making things worse. “When you can afford to fix the furnace in your own house, we’ll talk about increasing my salary.”

  “Deal. Since we’re on the phone, is there anything else we need to go over?”

  She’d just started walking him through the items on her list when the front doorbell rang. She groaned at the unappealing thought of leaving her comfy seat on the couch. “Who could that be? Everyone in town knows Ellie’s at the bakery this time of day.”

  “Ignore it. They’ll go away.”

  She kept quiet, hoping he was right. Instead, the visitor rang again, pressing the button in a quick succession that made it clear they weren’t giving up anytime soon. “I’d better go answer it.”

  “Go ahead. I’m not going anywhere, so just call me back when you’re done.”

  Grumbling to no one in particular, Lindsay switched off her phone and set it on the side table. With a significant effort, she levered herself up to go into the foyer. Peering through the sidelight, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Blinking, she looked again just to be sure she’d seen right.