Colton

by Lori Wilde

  With a conspiratorial wink to April, he set the carrier down and took her free hand in his. “Perhaps you’ve been hearing about my wife,” he told Dugg. “She can be quite the wild animal at times.”

  April didn’t know which bothered her more, his innuendo or the fact that he’d called her his wife.

  “Right, my pet?” he said, continuing his play on words.

  “Um…”

  The deputy glanced between the instigators standing in front of him. “Just because you’re two of Bliss County’s leading business owners doesn’t give you the right to break the laws I’m sworn to uphold. I am not going to be lenient about this and have voters think I play favorites.”

  He paused as if to let the meaning of his words sink in.

  “I’m charging you both with a Class Four misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to two hundred and fifty dollars.”

  He had just finished writing them up when he lifted his head and sniffed the air.

  “I smell smoke.”

  “What’s the matter, Dugg? Did they raise your quota to three citations a day?” Colton chuckled as if amused by his own joke. “It’s probably just your friend Mrs. Turner burning some brush.”

  Dugg glared at Colton, as if wishing he could find a way to silence his impertinent tongue.

  April turned to her husband. “I don’t think so, Buddy. Mrs. Turner always gets someone to haul it away because of her asthma.”

  The three of them turned as one toward the Turner property. A black plume of thick smoke rose in the air at the far edge of the campground.

  “Oh, no,” said April. “That’s no campfire.”

  “It’s that hoodlum again,” the deputy declared. “I just know he’s behind this.”

  He dashed to his squad car and reported an uncontrolled burning to the dispatcher. Then he motioned for them to follow him and spun out on the gravel road. April wondered if the little man pictured himself in a cape and tights with a red “S” on the chest.

  Colton waited until only a split second after April got in the truck and closed the passenger door before roaring off after the deputy.

  Fortunately, the vehicle was equipped with a large water canister for dousing lingering embers in campfires. But April knew they would need more than the few gallons they had with them. She pulled the cellular phone out of her back pocket and called the camp store. Clyde answered and said Steven was with him.

  Relieved, she turned to Colton to relay the good news. “Steven’s at the store. He has an alibi.”

  “Yep,” Clyde continued, “you can be mighty proud of this boy. He’s been working hard mowing the back field.” April heard him talk away from the telephone as he directed his words to the teen. “You just got here. Now sit down and cool off before you go back out. No sense making yourself sick.”

  Sick was exactly how April felt. She’d forgotten he had headed out to finish mowing after he’d left her and Colton with the squirrel. His path would have taken him right by Mrs. Turner’s property. She felt further sickened when she remembered his comment to Rocky about staying away from “Killer Bea’s” pecan tree.

  She hung up the phone and voiced her fears to Colton, who didn’t say anything but only gritted his teeth. She could tell his concern was as great as hers. He, too, feared Steven may have set the blaze in retaliation for the elderly woman’s spiteful ways.

  It took them longer than she would have liked to reach the site of the fire, but Colton was driving carefully to avoid any children that might dart into the truck’s path.

  A row of six large green hay rolls sat along the fence that separated the campground from Mrs. Turner’s well-manicured yard. Four of the rolls flamed like a bonfire, sending thick smoke into the air.

  Dugg had retrieved a small, hand-held fire extinguisher from the trunk of his car and now sprayed ineffectually at the leaping flames. Mrs. Turner was making more headway with the garden hose, but the fire was smoldering deep within the hay that stood almost as tall as the deputy himself.

  Colton didn’t bother with the water tank in the truck bed. “The only way to put the fire out is by unrolling and then soaking the rolls.”

  That said, he attacked the most involved roll with a rake from the truck.

  April could see that Mrs. Turner was fighting a losing battle, both with the garden hose and within herself. Tears coursed down the woman’s wrinkled cheeks. “My climbing roses!” she said between choking coughs. “They’re going to burn to kingdom come.”

  April couldn’t argue about that. The dainty pink flowers that sought their support from the rail fence were already curling under the intense heat.

  “Mrs. Turner, your health is much more important than any flowers,” she said, taking the green plastic hose from her neighbor’s arthritis-gnarled hands. “Why don’t you come with me and sit down while you catch your breath?”

  Dugg continued the attack with the hose while April led the coughing woman to the house. Mrs. Turner refused to go inside where it was cool but sat on the porch where she could watch the men’s progress with the fire. April retrieved her inhaler from the kitchen table, and Mrs. Turner was soon breathing easier.

  A few minutes later the fire truck arrived. Drafting water from the creek where Steven had intended to swim just a few short weeks ago, the firefighters quickly contained the blaze.

  “It’s that boy,” Mrs. Turner said as April got up to leave. “He’s holding a grudge against me, and this is his way of retaliating.”

  She stopped at the door of the screened porch. Mrs. Turner was probably right about Steven holding a grudge against her. The anger in his voice when he’d spoken of the Killer Bea had been quite evident. But she didn’t think he would intentionally risk the woman’s life—or the lives of the campers at Cozy Acres—to get even with her.

  At least, she hoped he wouldn’t. “I don’t know, Mrs. Turner. All I can say is I hope you’re wrong.”

  “We’ll see who’s right and who’s wrong,” the older woman promised as April crossed the close-cropped yard in front of her. “I’m going to have the fire marshal begin an investigation.”

  Earlier today, Colton had sought to put out a fire. Now he was trying to start one. With April.

  The problem was, she was currently focused on whether Steven had set the hay fire and what might happen to him if he had. She wasn’t taking his hints. Subtlety be damned, he was going to try the direct approach.

  Already showered and dressed for bed, she paced the floor near the couch where he sat. She wore the loose beige-and-brown shorts and baggy green T-shirt that her sister had hidden from her on their wedding day. Surprisingly, the sight was far from unpleasant. The shirt flowed over two small tempting hillocks and a flat abdomen before disappearing into the folded-over waistband of the shorts that were a size too large. Working at the campground, she had become as strong as any man of her height, but tonight her nightwear made her appear delicate.

  The next time she paced past him, he caught her arm and pulled her down to sit beside him on the couch. “You’re tense,” he said, stating the obvious. “Let me help you relax.”

  When she was seated, he turned sideways so that she sat between his legs, and he began a slow kneading of the taut muscles around her neck and shoulders. Her head lolled back under his gentle ministrations, and he moved the massage up to her scalp where he could enjoy the silky sensation of her soft blonde curls.

  “Mmm, Buddy, you have magic fingers.”

  He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of her peach shampoo. Slow down, he told himself. Don’t rush it. He forced himself to concentrate on his long-range goal. Not only did he want her in his bed for tonight, but also in his life forever.

  Their first time had to be special. He wanted to show her that they weren’t just making a baby; they were making love. He wanted her to see the love that had been growing between them since the first time they had played together in preschool. Tonight, he intended to start breaking down the barriers she had erect
ed between them.

  But he would have to play his cards very carefully. If he moved too fast, he’d frighten her away. And after all these years, he wasn’t willing to risk such a loss.

  April hunched and relaxed her shoulders, giving in to the mesmerizing feel of his kneading hands. What a dear friend he was, trying to calm her nerves after her upsetting day. Although he’d tried not to show it, she could tell he was reluctant to release Rocky back into the wild. And she knew he had been every bit as disturbed as she was by the fire and the possibility that Steven was involved, but he was putting her comfort before his own. She felt him lean close behind her.

  “It’s been three weeks,” he said. “Don’t you think it’s time to get on with your business of making a baby?”

  Her shoulders tightened again, and his strong fingers immediately rubbed away the tension.

  He was right about trying to conceive now. If she became pregnant this month or next, the baby would be born in early spring, before the summer rush. Unfortunately, she felt uncomfortable about going the direct route with Colton.

  She supposed she could still let the fertility clinic handle the procedure, even though it would be his child. But it did seem rather silly to waste their time and money to involve a third party when—as Colton had pointed out—they were perfectly capable of doing it themselves. She wondered if he was still interested.

  She wondered if doing so would change things forever between them.

  Of course it would, she chided herself. Perhaps the bigger question was, would she be able to live with the changes wrought by the introduction of sex into their friendship?

  He seemed aware that she was debating her decision. “The sooner you get pregnant,” he reminded her, “the sooner you’ll have the baby and be back at work.”

  And the sooner he could get on with his own life, she mentally finished for him. He was already inconveniencing himself for her, so it wouldn’t be fair to prolong their arrangement any longer than necessary.

  “You’re right,” she agreed. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

  “It’s a tough job,” he said with a grin, “but somebody’s got to do it.”

  They stood, and she followed him to the bedroom like a horse thief headed for the hangman’s noose.

  Once they were in bed, though, some of her reluctance faded. It’s natural attraction, she reminded herself. Unfortunately, her shyness soon increased.

  “Let’s turn off the lights,” Colton thoughtfully suggested.

  Great idea. Then maybe he wouldn’t see how nervous and trembly she was. On the other hand, she thought inanely, maybe her involuntary shaking would make it more pleasurable for him.

  When he touched her, the trembling ceased, and she was filled with a warmth that spread all the way down to her toes. Strange how her body’s reaction could be so different than that of her brain. Maybe if she just went ahead with this, she’d get these longings out of her system and fortify herself for another long period of celibacy until she found the man she would eventually marry for real.

  “We don’t have to rush this,” Colton said. “I could just hold you for a moment.”

  Even though he couldn’t see her response in the darkened room, she nodded. Scooting closer, she leaned into his embrace. Yes, indeed, he’d certainly changed a lot since their days of playing in the wading pool at preschool.

  Tenderly, he touched her cheek, her nose, her lips, and followed with a kiss to each spot. The touches and kisses trailed down her neck. The tingling sensation that he elicited was enough to make April forget her hesitation.

  Despite her newfound enthusiasm for sharing this baby making procedure with Colton, something held her back. It was like a gnat that she couldn’t see and which refused to go away.

  It was almost like they were being watched.

  “Buddy, did you pull the shades?”

  He raised his head from kissing her neck. “Yeah, why?”

  “It feels like somebody’s looking at us.”

  He laughed and pulled her to him. “It’s first-time jitters, honey.”

  “No, I don’t think so. This is a really weird, creepy feeling.”

  “Thanks a lot.”

  “No, I’m not talking about you. It’s something else, but I don’t know what.”

  She heard him sigh as he pulled away from her to switch on the lamp. Blinking against the harsh glare of light, she searched the room for whatever might be amiss. There was nothing on Colton’s side of the room, but then April’s gaze fell to her edge of the bed.

  Large brown eyes stared back at her and rubbery lips turned upward in a doggy smile. Golden, whiskered eyebrows lifted in alternate turns as Maybelline glanced curiously between April and Colton.

  “Oh, no,” she said. “Now?”

  The dog shifted uneasily where it sat beside the bed.

  “I think that means yes,” Colton said.

  Before April could push the covers back to get up, Colton dashed the golden retriever to the backyard they shared with the other residents of the duplex.

  And then he returned to finish what they’d started.

  9

  “Come on.” Nicole grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the fourth store that morning. “Let’s finish what we started.”

  April allowed herself to be led into the aptly named Baby Store, but that didn’t stop her from complaining. “Aren’t you exhausted? I thought pregnant women were supposed to take naps and have people bring them snacks.”

  Nicole laughed, and April loved the happy sound of it. She’d be happy, too, if she were pregnant.

  “Oh, don’t be silly,” her niece told her. “If you can put in fourteen-hour days at the campground, I know you can handle shopping for a crib with me.”

  It wasn’t the shopping she minded so much. It was the pregnant women, and the mothers with toddlers clinging to their legs. It was the envy that ate away at the inside of her to see these lucky people preparing a special place for their little loved ones.

  It had been almost a week since she and Colton had started trying to have a baby of their own, much too soon to know if they’d been successful.

  What she hadn’t been successful at doing, however, was satisfying her physical cravings. If anything, that first time with Colton had made her desire stronger. And even though she kept telling herself they were only together every night because they were trying for a baby, she couldn’t deny how much she looked forward to their private time together.

  And she couldn’t deny how much she enjoyed waking up with her “best buddy” and sharing all aspects of her life with him.

  “What do you think of this one?” Nicole pointed to an oak Jenny Lind crib outfitted with a yellow gingham and eyelet lace comforter.

  “It looks like the one you saw at the last store, only it costs ten dollars more.”

  “Uh-uh, it’s on sale—ten dollars off.” Nicole’s attention was drawn away from the crib when a young mother walked by with a newborn infant strapped to the front of her. “Hey, I think that’s Teresa.”

  At the sound of her name the young woman turned, and she flashed a bright smile of recognition at Nicole. Soon the two were bringing each other up to date on the latest happenings in their lives.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce you. This is my Aunt April. April, Teresa and I graduated from high school together. And this little guy is Liam.”

  As they were saying their hellos, April noticed that the baby’s position in the carrier looked uncomfortable. “I think he has his foot tucked under him.”

  The young woman looked down at the sleepy little one. “I’ve been having trouble with this thing all morning. I don’t know why it’s giving me so much trouble all of a sudden.”

  But Nicole quickly figured out the problem. “The strap is twisted. April, if you’ll hold Liam, I’ll help Teresa untangle this contraption.”

  Before she could protest that she had no experience with infants, the baby was in
her arms. She worried about supporting his head properly, and she worried about dropping him. And then a thought occurred to her. If he were a puppy or an orphaned squirrel, she’d just cuddle him close to her chest. She did, and he turned his angelic face toward her, his mouth opening instinctively in search of food. It was enough to send strange, tingling sensations to her womb.

  April adjusted his position so as not to confuse him into thinking it was lunchtime. She nuzzled his fuzzy blond head, enjoying the sweet, powdery smell that was common to babies. Heaven must smell like this, she thought. If not, it should.

  “Hey, April, you’re a natural.” Nicole flashed her a smile and tugged at a buckle on the blue papoose. “Oh, I see,” she declared to Teresa. “This flap was turned inside out when you put it on.”

  April took up a swaying motion as she watched the two younger women work out the problem. With little grunts of contentment, Liam let her know he was comfortable in her arms. She could get used to this quite easily, she noted happily.

  “I should have known Will would have something to do with this,” Teresa complained. “Ever since we brought Liam home from the hospital, he has been doing everything wrong. You know, I don’t think he listened to a thing they taught us in prenatal class.”

  “They have classes on how to use baby equipment?” By now, April was jouncing Liam in a gentle up and down movement.

  “Not exactly. The hospital offers a course on the basics for first-timers like us. They show you how to diaper your baby, give him a bath … stuff like that.”

  Nicole threaded the strap back through the buckle and pulled it snug. “Will will get the hang of things,” she said. “He probably just needs a little time and practice.”

  “Practice! That was what the classes were for. I’m not going to let him make a bunch of mistakes on my baby and run the risk of hurting him.” As if a switch had been flipped on, Teresa’s eyes filled with tears. She pulled a tissue from the oversize bear-adorned bag that hung from her shoulder and dabbed at the flood that spilled over onto her face. “Good grief, now he’s made me cry again. Sometimes I wonder whether he’s worth all the trouble I go through to keep him around.”