“I’m helping your girlfriend. That’s what brothers do.”
“Sure. Pretend you’re helping. What else are you doing? Are you seeing her? Were you with her last night?” Because he’d planned to spend the evening with Annabelle, but she’d pleaded a headache and had gone home early.
“I was here,” Clay told him. “With you. What is going on? Why are you—” Clay’s expression of outrage shifted to something more like compassion. “I get it.”
“What?” Shane demanded.
Clay climbed to his feet. “She’s not Rachel,” he said quietly. “She’s nothing like her. For what it’s worth, I think you’re damn lucky to have found someone like Annabelle. You’re my brother, Shane. When Rafe was being a jerk, you were always there for me. We’ve been close our entire lives. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you. I never touched Rachel and I would never get between you and Annabelle. But you already know that. What I can’t figure out is why you’re looking for trouble. Are you worried that she’s like Rachel, or terrified that she isn’t? Because if she isn’t, if she’s just what she seems, then you’re going to have to step it up and be worthy.”
“You’re talking like a girl.”
“You’re avoiding the question and the truth. You’re not mad at me. I don’t think you’re even mad at Annabelle. You’ve got a burr up your butt about something and you need to figure out what.”
With that he left the barn.
Shane stared after him, then turned back to his work. But he’d lost the energy for it. His brother’s words mocked him as he wondered if they could possibly be true. Was he looking for trouble where none existed or was he seeing things clearly? And if this was just leftover trash from his first marriage, how did he get rid of it and believe in someone else?
* * *
ANNABELLE PACED THE length of her living room. “I’m going to throw up.”
Charlie eyed her cautiously. “Is this drama, or are you serious?”
“I don’t know.” She pressed a hand to her roiling stomach. She hadn’t felt right since the wedding, two days ago. She wanted to blame the champagne, but couldn’t. Maybe it was hormones.
She turned to the sofa, thinking she should sit, then realized she was too upset and that the walking back and forth helped.
She looked at her friend. “This is so bad. Really, really bad. He’s just starting to trust me.”
“Shane,” Charlie said, in a tone that indicated she was still playing catch-up.
Annabelle reminded herself she’d called the other woman and begged her to come over without telling her why. Explanations were required.
She dropped to the ottoman in front of Charlie’s chair. “Shane was married before.”
“I know that part.”
“From what I’ve been hearing, she was pretty awful. Wild and unfaithful. Shane isn’t the kind of guy who gives up easily. His word matters. So he tried to make the marriage work and she kept cheating and then it was over.”
“Nearly everyone deserves a second chance,” Charlie said cautiously. “Now he’s done with her. What’s the problem?”
“Sometimes he thinks I’m like her. That I’m wild and flighty.”
“You’re not.”
“I know, but the first time he saw me was after he’d moved back. The night I did the dance of the happy virgin at Jo’s bar. It painted a different picture.”
“I can see that. But now he knows you. He trusts you.”
“He was starting to. I think. I hope. But then Lewis showed up and we weren’t really divorced.”
“Not your fault.”
“Agreed, but it was awkward. It seems like every time he starts to get close, something happens.”
Charlie stared at her. “And something has happened again?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Charlie’s mouth dropped open. She closed it and swore. “Seriously?”
Annabelle fought tears. “Yes. I found out this morning. I suspected at the wedding.” She hesitated. Nevada hadn’t announced her good news, and she didn’t want to steal her thunder. “I was thinking about how great things were with Shane and suddenly I wondered. I went to the drugstore as soon as it opened and got a test.”
She pressed her lips together. “I’m happy about the baby, of course. It’s shocking, but good. Honestly, I can’t wrap my mind around that part of it. I’m so caught up in wondering how bad this is going to be with Shane. Just when he’s starting to trust me, you know? He’s not going to believe this is an accident. He’s going to think the worst of me. He’s going to assume I did it on purpose.”
Which wasn’t true, she thought sadly. She hadn’t had a clue. Which had meant an emergency visit to her gynecologist, stick in hand, to find out if she’d done anything bad by drinking a glass of champagne at the wedding. Thankfully Dr. Galloway was used to hysterical pregnant women and had taken a few minutes to reassure her before sending her off to schedule a regular visit.
“He’s as much responsible as you are,” Charlie told her. “This isn’t your fault any more than it’s his. You used protection.”
“Faithfully.”
“Then you tell him he has good swimmers and he should be proud.”
“I doubt he’s going to see it that way,” Annabelle murmured. “This is so much worse than Lewis. That was just a paperwork error that didn’t affect him directly. This is a baby!”
Charlie leaned forward and grabbed her shoulders. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Give Shane a chance to screw up before you assume the worst. He might surprise you.”
“Good advice,” Annabelle whispered. Too bad she knew Shane well enough to believe he wasn’t going to surprise her this time. At least not in a good way.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“SHOULDN’T YOUR BUSINESS partner be doing this with you?” Shane asked as he followed his brother into yet another building in the center of Fool’s Gold. So far they’d looked at three potential office locations. To Shane they were all the same—open spaces with windows and doors. Weren’t all offices the same?
“Dante’s hiding out in San Francisco,” Rafe told him, using a laser tape measure to take quick calculations. “Resisting the inevitable.”
The inevitable being the company’s move. “Dante’s not a small-town kind of guy,” Shane pointed out. “I’m not sure how he’ll fit in here.”
“He’ll do fine.” Rafe nodded appreciatively. “I like this one. I wonder what’s upstairs?”
Temporary space was needed for Rafe’s company. He and Dante had bought a building on the edge of town, but it needed major remodeling and wouldn’t be ready for at least eight months. Which meant either commuting to San Francisco, something Rafe didn’t want to do, or getting a temporary location.
Shane wasn’t sure why he’d bothered tagging along. Getting away from the ranch had seemed like a good idea, but now that he was standing alone in the big open office space, he realized he could still hear himself thinking. He needed more of a distraction.
“Would you take it as is?” Shane asked, checking out a small alcove that was obviously a break room. There was a refrigerator, microwave, table and chairs, cupboards and plenty of counter space. Nothing fancy, but workable.
“Yes. I don’t want to put any money into remodeling. It’s only for a few months. We can make do.”
Shane walked back into the main room. “There aren’t any private offices.”
Rafe grinned. “Dante is going to love this place.”
“Why do you want to torture your business partner?”
“For sport,” Rafe admitted. “Yup, this is it. We can get all the desks in here. Half the staff will be staying in San Francisco until the new building is ready, so there’s plenty of room.”
He made a few notes on a tablet, then clipped the laser tape measure onto his belt. “Let’s go talk to the owner about a short-term lease. I want everything signed before Heidi and I leave for Paris in a few weeks.”
Shane followed him
out. When they reached the sidewalk, Rafe paused.
“You don’t have to go with me,” he said. “If you have somewhere else you’d rather be.”
“Like where?”
“The library. Don’t you want to see Annabelle?”
They were standing by the stairs that led to the second-floor businesses. A couple of young girls—maybe ten or eleven—walked by and started up the stairs. Shane shifted to the left to give them room.
“You’re still pissed,” Rafe said when the girls were out of earshot.
“No.”
“You are. I can tell. You’re being an idiot.”
“You didn’t see what happened,” Shane told him, feeling his temper rise.
“I heard about it. Clay agreed to be Annabelle’s sacrifice for her dance and they hugged.”
Shane kept telling himself that was all there was to it. But he couldn’t shake the feeling of being played for a fool. Something he’d felt too often with his ex.
“If it was more—” he began.
Rafe cut him off with a shake of his head. “Isn’t the bookmobile important to Annabelle?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that why she came to see you in the first place? To learn to ride and do the horse dance?”
Shane shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded.
“Didn’t she tell you about the program and ask you to be the sacrifice? Didn’t you refuse?”
“Stop being logical. This isn’t about that.”
“No. It’s about you being stupid. You’re making this more than it is. The worst part is deep inside, you know that, too. You’re so busy worrying about Annabelle being like your ex-wife, that you’re pushing her away when she’s done nothing wrong. But you’ll never be free from your past until you learn to let go.”
Rafe stared at him. Shane turned away. “Don’t you think I know that?”
“Apparently not, based on how you’re acting. Clay offered to help your girl. Your girl. You think he doesn’t respect your relationship with Annabelle? You think he’d want to get in the way of that?” Rafe paused as two more girls hurried toward the stairs and ran up to the second floor.
Rafe lowered his voice. “You’re crazy about her and you’re blowing it. Do you think you can do better?”
“I don’t want to do better. I want to be sure.”
“Sometimes caring about someone requires taking a leap of faith. This is that time. Go talk to her. Let her know you’re going to need a little help getting through this. But you can, if you have a little faith in her. And maybe yourself.”
Shane thought about punching his brother, but knew Rafe wouldn’t take it as well as Clay had. Plus, there was a chance Rafe might be right. About all of it.
“Marriage suits you.”
Rafe grinned. “Heidi suits me. You’ve been given a second chance, bro. Don’t blow it.”
* * *
ANNABELLE LET KHATAR pick his way over the open ground. She’d come to the ranch earlier, planning on sitting down with Shane and telling him about her pregnancy. But when she arrived, May told her that Shane had gone into Fool’s Gold with Rafe to look at temporary locations for Rafe’s business. Rather than spend her time pacing and getting more upset, she’d decided to go for a ride.
Over the past couple of weeks, she and Shane had been taking long rides together. They worked on the dance steps with Khatar then headed out past the fence lines and toward Shane’s property.
Now she urged Khatar in that direction. He went easily, remembering the route.
They walked by a grove of trees, then circled around to the edge of Shane’s property. From there it was a ten-minute canter to the construction site.
She stayed back far enough not to spook the horse. The stables were nearly finished and the house had been framed. Shane had taken most of her suggestions and his contractor had called to thank her for keeping him on track, as far as picking out fixtures, surfaces and appliances.
She could already see the finished house in her mind. She knew what the front door would look like, could imagine stepping into the entryway. There would be a light overhead, a switch to the left. From there it was a short walk to the great room. The kitchen was bigger now, with more counter space and more storage. They’d chosen everything together. There was even a jetted tub for two in the master.
“I’m playing a dangerous game,” she whispered. “Falling for a man who might never trust me again.”
Once he found out about the baby.
She had hopes, of course. The fantasy that he would hear the news, gather her in his arms and tell her he would love her forever. That the baby was the best surprise ever. Unlikely, she thought sadly. While she was at it, she could add movie music that swelled as the credits rolled. Because the odds of that happening seemed so small.
One of the construction guys spotted her and waved. She waved back. She leaned over and patted Khatar. “We should probably head back,” she told the horse and began to turn him. He took a couple of steps, then stopped, his ears forward as if listening to something unfamiliar.
Annabelle was quiet, listening. Then she heard it, too. A warning rattle. Her whole body went stiff with fear as she stared down at the ground, searching for the owner of that scary sound.
The snake was coiled by a bush, inches from Khatar’s hoof. Annabelle sucked in a breath and carefully drew the horse back. She didn’t know what would happen if he was bitten, but knew it wouldn’t be good.
“Come on,” she said quietly. “Back. Get back. We’ll leave him alone.”
Khatar did as she requested, taking a step away. Then the snake lunged forward and the horse went on the attack.
There was very little warning. Khatar rose on his back legs, then came crushing down. The snake was pulverized, suffering an instant death. Annabelle did her best to hang on to the saddle while keeping hold of the reins. Then she felt herself starting to slip. She screamed.
Khatar rose up again, as if determined to reduce the snake to little more than a stain on the dirt. Her left foot slipped out of the stirrup, the reins fell from her fingers. She reached for them just as Khatar came down hard on his hooves. He rose again and she went flying.
The sense of soaring through the air shocked her but not as much as the hard ground. She landed on her back, all the air rushing from her lungs. Yet breathing was the least of it, she thought in a panic, her hands covering her belly, as if offering protection.
The baby, she thought as Khatar stepped close and snuffled her cheek. The baby. She inhaled the scent of the horse, saw the sky go black and then there was nothing.
* * *
“YOU’RE VERY LUCKY,” the doctor said.
Annabelle was sure he’d introduced himself, but right now names were the least of her issues.
“Nothing broken,” he continued. “Your bump on the head isn’t serious. We’re going to keep you overnight, for observation. If all goes as we expect, you’ll be released in the morning.”
Annabelle put her hand on her stomach. “I’m pregnant,” she said quietly, trying not to panic. “Is the baby okay?”
The doctor, an older man with gray hair, glanced down at her stomach. “How far along?”
“I’m not sure. Around six or eight weeks.”
“Do you see Dr. Galloway?”
Annabelle nodded.
“I just saw her in the hall. Let me tell her you’re here and check if she can see you.”
“Thank you.”
He left. Annabelle swallowed against the tightness in her throat and told herself that everything would be fine. That even though she felt as if she’d been run over by a truck, the doctor had assured her she wasn’t hurt. The baby was small, right? Protected? If she was okay, then her child would be, too. Except she knew that fall could be bad for an unborn child.
She shivered, then pulled up the blanket and tried to get warm. The steady throb of a headache made it hard to do anything but get lost in the fear.
A few mi
nutes later, Dr. Galloway entered the room and walked over to Annabelle.
“What is this I hear?” the doctor asked as she took Annabelle’s hand and gave her a warm smile. “You fell off a horse?”
“I didn’t mean to. He was protecting me from a rattlesnake.”
“Then he sounds like a good kind of horse. How do you feel?”
“Beat up.”
“Any cramping?”
Annabelle shook her head.
“Excellent. I’ve ordered an ultrasound. They should be here for you shortly and then we’ll have a look and see what happened. Until then, try not to worry. I know that sounds impossible, but make the attempt. Babies are surprisingly resilient.”
“All right,” Annabelle whispered.
Three hours later, she was wheeled back into her room. A pretty nurse bustled in to check her vitals and offer her a sandwich to tide her over until dinner.
“We’ve been flooded with calls,” the nurse added with a smile. “Word got out about your accident and the whole town wants to know if you’re okay.”
Annabelle couldn’t imagine ever feeling hungry or tired or sad again. Not when the news had been so good. The baby was fine. She had, in Dr. Galloway’s terms, fallen exactly right to protect a growing fetus. Her bones and organs had cushioned the growing life inside of her, which meant she would be sore for a few days but the child would be unaffected.
She let the relief spread over her and knew she would always be grateful. “A sandwich would be great,” she said. “As to my friends, you can tell them everything is perfect. I’ll be home in the morning. And yes, that’s actual permission to give out the information. I know you have strict confidentiality guidelines.”
“We do and I appreciate the specific instructions. There are a few people outside in the waiting room. Is it okay to send them in?”
“Sure.”
Annabelle realized she probably looked awful, but that didn’t matter, either. Her baby had survived. Right now he or she was growing. In a few months she would be holding an infant in her arms. That was going to be her priority.
As the nurse left, Annabelle wondered if Shane had heard about the accident and if he was one of the people waiting. At the thought of him, her heart quickened. As soon as they were alone, she wanted to tell him about the baby.
Summer Nights Page 25
