He was probably right. The Murphys were a wonderful, close-knit, multigenerational group that tripped over each others’ lives, and not just because of the family business. The brothers were known to fight as hard as they played, but there was never any question of the love and support they had for each other—
Oh, no!
Someone in his family had figured out about the baby!
Guessed anyway, and told Adam as soon as he came home. No, that couldn’t be right. He would’ve said something as soon as they were alone.
She stepped out on the landing. “Who told you about…about me being pregnant?”
“My father.”
“What?” Surprise flooded her veins. “Your parents have been gone for the past two months.”
Adam shrugged as he took her arm and started walking toward the stairs. “Actually Nolan was the first to notice you being sick. They put two and two together during a few phone calls, although it was just suspicion. Until now.”
“But how did they connect us?” She was grateful to see the room empty as they started down the stairs. Facing his family was the last thing she wanted. “I mean, no one would ever think that we would—”
“Does it really matter? I think the bigger question is when were you planning on telling me about the baby?”
An edge laced Adam’s voice even as his touch remained gentle and supportive. Not that she needed his help. She was feeling much better and perfectly capable of walking down a flight of stairs.
Fay pulled from his grasp once they were on level ground again. “I was waiting for the right time.”
“Yesterday morning when you came out of my bathroom would’ve been perfect.”
He was right, but the shock of seeing him again, sooner than she expected, combined with her mortification at getting sick…it had all been too much.
“Adam—”
“How about when I asked why you were sick?” He continued. “Or maybe when I tried to talk about what happened that night between us.”
“Adam, I’ve only know about this for a little while. It’s been a long day, a long couple of months, a long year. Not to put too light a spin on things, but I’ve had a lot to deal with and my day isn’t over yet.”
Tears threatened again, but Fay fought them off. She wanted to be—should be—angry with him. That’s how she’d felt toward this man for a long time. But the feeling wouldn’t come.
In fact, entirely different feelings were bombarding her from all directions and she didn’t have time to deal with them either.
“Please stay with your family and let me deal with my shop. It’s not like either of us is going anywhere. We’ll talk. Soon. I promise.”
He looked at her for a long moment with those amazing chocolate-brown eyes that spoke of truth and strength and always doing the right thing.
No, wait. That wasn’t how she saw him.
Not anymore.
She’d lived for years with a burning resentment over the fact Adam had been the one who convinced Scott to join the military. A resentment that burned like fire after she got word of Scott’s death.
How could spending less than an hour in his company take her back to the long-forgotten emotions she’d carried deep inside her when they were both so young?
“Okay, then I’ll walk you out,” he said, before setting the tray on a nearby chair.
No, she had to get away from him, the sooner the better. “That’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but I’m going to do it anyway.” He waved toward the front door. “Let’s go.”
Accepting that arguing would only keep her in his company longer, Fay headed for the foyer. Adam fell into step next to her as they left the cool air-conditioning for the warm sunshine. They walked to the parking lot, and he waited while she climbed inside the flower shop van, the only vehicle she still owned.
Because he remained standing outside the van and it would’ve been rude not to, she rolled down the driver’s-side window.
“You sure you’re feeling well enough to drive?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
His features relaxed when she pulled on her seat belt. “Drive safe.”
“I’m sure you’re as stunned by this news as I was. We’ll talk in a day or two.” A quick twist of the key and the engine turned over. Thankfully. “I just need a little time to make some decisions.”
* * *
Make some decisions.
Adam stood in the gravel parking lot, watching the woman pregnant with his child drive away. He stood there, even after that ratty old van of hers disappeared around the curve in the road. Fay’s parting words echoed inside his head until they meshed with a long-ago, locked-away memory.
The words of another woman, about another baby.
It’s my decision. It’s my body. I never wanted this.
He and Julia had married too fast after dating too little, and before they’d even reached their two-year anniversary, he found a positive home pregnancy test in the trash. After managing to hold out three days, waiting for her to share the news, he’d finally asked. He was so overjoyed when she nodded yes, he’d mistaken her tears for happy ones.
Then her stunning pronouncement, his attempts at soothing her fears, calming her doubts, pleading that turned into anger as he finally understood the decision she’d already made without him.
A decision that was taken out of their hands less than a week later, and just like that, his marriage was over.
“So, were we right?”
Adam’s heart seized and he spun, his hands reaching for the M16 assault rifle he no longer carried with him everywhere.
His brother’s shocked expression stopped him.
Dropping his hands, Adam pulled in a shaky breath. “Sorry. That was…stupid. You just surprised me.”
“Yeah, I figured that out pretty quick.” Nolan shoved his hands into his pockets, his mouth drawn into a frown before he continued. “Mom and Dad sent me to see if you and Fay were joining us. Since you’re standing out here alone I’m guessing she ate and split?”
Adam sighed, knowing his brother must’ve seen the tray in the living room. “Yeah, she had to get back to the shop.”
“And?”
Answering his brother with a quick nod, Adam turned and headed back inside.
“She didn’t stay very long. Don’t you two have a few things to talk about?” Nolan asked as they walked past the offices and through the great room, stopping long enough for Adam to grab the lap tray of dirty dishes. “Adam?”
Ignoring his brother’s question when he heard voices coming from the kitchen, Adam stopped. “You haven’t said anything about Fay to anyone else, have you? Other than Dad?”
“No, but you know the folks, they share everything. I’m sure he told Mom what he told me. The question now is what are you going to do about it?”
“Right now? Nothing.”
“Huh?”
Adam pulled in a deep breath, willing the tension in his shoulders and chest to ease, but that same dread he’d felt years ago stayed with him. “Yes, Fay and I need to talk, to make some decisions, but she had to get back to work.”
“Are you going over to see her later tonight?”
“I don’t know.” He hadn’t planned on it. Fay had asked for a couple of days, but waiting that long to talk to her, hell, just to see her again, was going to be impossible.
What if she did something rash before he got a chance to have his say? Could he hold out until morning? The shop was closed on Sundays. “Look, I’d appreciate it if you kept this to yourself. I really have no idea what we’re going to do next or where we go from here.”
“Sure, I can keep a secret, but news like this isn’t going
to stay quiet for long. Not in a town this small.”
Adam nodded in agreement, remembering how his mother had started to mention something about Fay when it came to the town’s infamous rumor mill.
“Is there something else going on with Fay?” he asked. “I mean, other than what I just found out.”
Nolan started to speak but was stopped from answering by the appearance of his daughter.
“Dad! Luke and Logan farted in the pool. Again.” Abby’s face screwed up in a glower as if she could smell the offending odor from here. “How am I going to have friends over? I can’t believe they’re turning thirteen in a few months.”
Wrapping an arm around his daughter, Nolan gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as the three of them entered the kitchen. “Come on, we’ll tag team ’em.”
“Like I’m getting in that water? No way!”
Nolan headed outside with his daughter, passing Elise as she entered carrying a plate heaping with a juicy steak. Its tangy, mouthwatering smell caused Adam’s stomach to growl in appreciation.
She smiled and motioned for her son to set down the tray. “Let’s trade. You eat and I’ll take care of that.”
Adam didn’t need to be told twice. He sat at the center island, taking the plate and silverware out of his mother’s hands.
“Do you want another beer to go with that?” she asked.
He shook his head. No, he needed to keep his mind clear. “How about iced tea or lemonade instead?”
“Coming right up.”
“And how about some information?”
He cut into the steak and placed a large piece in his mouth, muffling the moan that threatened to escape as soon as the tender meat touched his tongue.
Damn, it’d been a long time since he’s had a meal like this.
He chewed, swallowed and cut another piece. “You were about to share what the local gossips were saying about Fay before she showed up.”
His mother glanced out the large sliding glass doors at the rest of the family before joining Adam at the counter. Placing the tall glass of lemonade in front of him, she leaned closer. “I’ll share if you will. Am I going to be a grandmother again?”
Adam couldn’t stop his grin.
His mother gave a little squeal of joy and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Oh, that is so wonderful!”
“Even though we’ve sort of gone about it the wrong way?”
“There is never anything wrong about a new life coming into this world,” Elise said, grabbing his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. “It’s about time you and Fay found some happiness in your lives. Why not with each other?”
If only it were that easy.
Adam straightened and took a quick swallow to cool his dry throat. “There isn’t anything between Fay and me.”
“You mean besides a child,” his mother pointed out. “You know, I remember the three of you always running around together back in high school and college. You, Scott and Fay. Even back then I could see—”
“That was a long time ago.” Adam pushed the pasta salad around on his plate. “Things, and people, change.”
“And not always for the better. If only half of what was being said about that girl was true, poor Fay has been through so much. Not to mention the Coggens. All thanks to Scott, rest his soul.”
Dread filled Adam’s gut, taking away any thought of food. “What exactly has been going on around here this past year?”
Chapter Five
Adam walked slowly in the peace and quiet of the early morning. The harmonious sound of voices raised in song drifted from the white clapboard church he’d just slipped out of as the first Sunday service of the day was ending.
Arriving late, he’d sat alone in the very last pew and allowed the calm words of the preacher and the familiar hymns from his childhood to flow over him.
And he prayed.
He prayed for those still fighting overseas, those who’d returned safely and for the loved ones of those never coming home, at least not the way they’d planned. Like Scott and Carl, the two members of his unit killed during this last tour.
His last tour.
Stetson in hand, Adam soon reached the Coggen family plot in the far corner of the neighboring cemetery. He kept walking until he stood before his best friend’s grave.
He didn’t know what to say or if he had the right to say anything at all. Was it true? Had his buddy really screwed up so badly before he’d shipped out that his family was still paying for those mistakes a year after his death?
Stunned by what his mother shared with him yesterday, and the stories his father had added as they’d walked along the lake at sunset, he could only shake his head.
Scott’s family had always been high on the town’s pecking order when it came to money. While his friend had balked at working for his father right after college, eventually Scott started as a manager at the Laramie location of Coggen Motors, one of six dealerships located all over Wyoming, and worked his way up.
Now the entire business belonged to someone else.
Scott and Fay had built a fancy home on the other side of town on land given to them by Scott’s parents who’d lived right next door. Only Fay had sold the house back in January, not long after Walter’s stroke.
Something didn’t add up.
Fay should’ve received a one-time death gratuity when Scott was killed. Not that it was a lot of money, but it would’ve helped. Not to mention she should be getting a monthly payment for survivors of deceased veterans. And what about the group life insurance every serviceman had?
If things were as bad financially for her as it sounded, how was she going to handle adding a baby to the mix?
His baby.
Not that he planned on money being an issue for her. No, he fully intended on taking financial responsibility for his child.
The enormity of what exactly that would entail stuck hard in his gut. Like dive bombers fixated on the same target, so many emotions came at him from all sides.
Anger, pain, guilt, grief. All mixed with the joyful news of the baby.
A joy he wasn’t sure he deserved.
“I’m going to take care of her,” he vowed, standing in the hushed silence. “I have no idea how, but I promise you that much.”
A shaft of sunlight broke through the trees, landing on the smooth granite marker. He’d blinked hard, slapped his hat on his head and headed for his pickup truck.
Pulling away as the church started to empty, Adam drove to the local bakery. Moments later he turned off Main Street and pulled to a stop in the parking lot behind The Sudz Bucket, a do-it-yourself laundry, Ursula’s Updos, the local beauty parlor and Fay’s Flower Shop.
And for the last six months Fay’s home as well.
Adam honestly hadn’t planned on stopping by her apartment this morning. Just like he hadn’t planned to stop by the church or Scott’s grave.
Then he’d spotted the display of doughnuts back at the bakery and remembered how he and Fay had shared a preference for the simple glazed ones. Before he could talk himself out of it, he’d grabbed a variety, just in case her taste had changed, and here he was.
He pried off the lid to his coffee and took a sip from the steaming cup before glancing at his watch. Almost nine-thirty. Too early to walk the double flights of outside stairs and knock on her door?
Fay had asked yesterday for time to think. Said she had decisions to make. He wanted—he needed—to know the most basic decision of all.
Did she want the baby?
He shook his head, tossing aside the stupid question.
She had claimed the child as hers when he’d asked about the pregnancy. Still…he had to be sure. For whatever reason, she and Scott never
had children during their marriage.
Was that Scott’s idea or hers? If it was hers, how did she feel about getting pregnant now?
How did she feel that he was the father of her child?
Stop driving yourself crazy and go knock on the door. He took another sip.
What was he waiting for? An engraved invitation?
Forget it, pal. The lady couldn’t get away from you fast enough yesterday.
And yeah, that stung a bit, too.
The rumbling of his stomach had him flipping open the box of doughnuts on the seat next to him and grabbing one. Gone in four bites. He reached for another.
As he brought it to his lips, Adam got the strangest feeling he was being watched. Looking out the side window, he found himself under the scrutiny of a mutt sitting on his haunches in the empty parking space next to his truck.
Scruffy looking, the dog’s matted fur was more gray than white except for the large circle of black that covered one side of his face from the ear, over one eye and down along his snout.
“Well, where did you come from?” He rolled down the window, the action and his words causing the dog’s tail to thump wildly against the pavement. “What? You think you’re going to get some of my breakfast?”
Damn if the dog didn’t nod his head.
Adam’s mouth rose into a grin for the first time that day as he tossed the pastry toward the mutt. It was gone in a flash. He reached for an old-fashioned plain doughnut instead of a glazed one this time and it disappeared as quickly as the first.
“Sorry, the rest are spoken for.” Adam looked up in time to see movement behind the partially closed curtains hanging in the large picture window on the second floor.
He grabbed the doughnuts and his coffee and got out of the truck, pausing to put on his hat. “You better head home now.”
The dog got up on all four paws and offered a full-bodied shake that started at his head and traveled to the other end, a move that revealed no collar or the jangle of tags.
Having Adam's Baby (Harlequin Special Edition) Page 6
