HAVE BABY, NEED BEAU

by Rita Herron

  "Your father stopped by to see me last night."

  Mimi tore off the cap to her drink, her hands trembling. She did not have a good feeling about the direction of the conversation.

  "He told me about … about the baby."

  "What?" The bottle of juice clunked onto the laminated tabletop. "He had no right."

  "He had every right. I'm your mother."

  Mimi simply stared at her. "My mother left me years ago."

  Mrs. Hartwell's expression wilted. "I know I deserve that and I'm not here to ask forgiveness—"

  "Good."

  "But I do care about you."

  "Listen, Janelle," Mimi said, purposely using her mother's first name, "if you cared so much, why did you stay away so long?"

  Mrs. Hartwell stirred sweetener into her cappuccino, hurt flickering in her eyes. "I wanted to come back a few times, but … well, I was so busy building my career and then I'd waited so long and then … well, I figured it was too late. That you girls hated me, and frankly I was too ashamed of what I'd done."

  Mimi's throat felt thick. "Then why are you here now?"

  Mrs. Hartwell's gaze rose to meet hers, and Mimi flinched at the torment she saw in her eyes. "Because I'm probably the only one who knows how you're feeling right now. How confused you must be."

  Mimi studied her fingernails. She couldn't argue with that.

  "Wiley told me that you girls overheard our argument the day I left, that you found out that we had married because I was pregnant with Hannah."

  "How did Dad know? We never told him."

  Mrs. Hartwell pushed her coffee cup around in her hands. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you two overheard that fight. I'm sure you must be thinking about it now."

  Mimi simply shrugged. Having a mother-daughter talk with a mother who'd been virtually nonexistent for years was still a novel idea.

  "I don't know if you love this young man you were with or not, and I won't pry. I realize I haven't earned that right." Mrs. Hartwell lifted a thin hand as if to reach for Mimi again, then seemed to think better of it and brushed at a strand of hair that had slipped from her chignon. "But I was wrong to say such a thing. It wasn't true."

  "You mean, you didn't marry Dad because you were pregnant?"

  "No, I mean, yes, we did marry because I was having Hannah. But that wasn't the reason we divorced. It wasn't because of you girls at all."

  Tears burned in Mimi's eyes. She'd wanted all her life to believe that she hadn't driven her mother away, but she still didn't quite trust her mother's words. "But you hated the messes I made. All the paint and glitter, and then I brought home that dog and that turtle…"

  Her mother reached for her then and took her hand, holding it on the table between them. "I know I complained about all that, honey, but my leaving had nothing to do with you or Hannah or Alison. You have to believe me."

  "Then why did you leave?"

  Mrs. Hartwell released her hand and Mimi felt as if she'd been deserted again. She studied her mother as she sipped her drink.

  "Because I was immature, irresponsible and selfish. And frankly I … I wasn't in love with your father. I'm sorry."

  Mimi's heart squeezed. Whoever coined the expression "The truth will set you free" forgot to add how much the truth could hurt.

  "Not that your father isn't a wonderful man, and he's certainly been a fantastic father, but I was too young when we met, and we just didn't have the kind of passion that keeps a marriage alive. We tried to make it work. Your father tried especially hard, but I was too immature to handle a family." She wiped at a tear in the corner of her eye. "I wish we'd had the right kind of love so you girls wouldn't have been hurt. And, Mimi, I don't want to see you make the same mistake I did. If you want a career, if you want to raise the baby by yourself and wait for Mr. Right, then you should do it."

  Mimi frowned. At least her mother was admitting to her mistakes. How could she blame her for leaving a loveless marriage? She couldn't. But she still resented her for leaving her and her sisters. Then again, her mother had been young, foolish, immature. "You really need to tell Hannah all this."

  "I intend to, as soon as I leave here."

  Mimi nodded, silently conceding that her mother's advice made sense. She still wanted to try out for that soap opera; in fact, the auditions were in less than two weeks.

  "But if you've found love with this young man of yours," she continued, "don't let what happened between your father and me keep you from getting married one day."

  Mimi remembered Hannah's comment about her and Seth, that their relationship had been platonic. Hannah and Jake had a fiery, passionate kind of love. Did she and Seth?

  They certainly had a passionate chemistry, but was it the everlasting kind of love that could make a marriage work?

  * * *

  Seth shifted in his slacks, trying to get comfortable, the elastic in his new bikini briefs crawling into crevices they weren't meant to find. Tugging at the skimpy underwear, he rang Mimi's doorbell, trying to gain courage.

  As soon as he heard footsteps, he brought the bouquet of lilies in front of his face and hid the box of chocolates behind his back. Grated, he looked like the typical clichéd TV hero, but heck, desperate times called for desperate measures.

  And he was a desperate man.

  The door popped open. "What in the world?"

  He dropped his hand so Mimi could see his face. "Hi." The rest of his planned sentence went down the tubes at the sight of Mimi's outfit—a harem costume. Complete with scarf and rings and made of the sheerest fabric he'd ever seen.

  "Seth, good grief, what are you wearing?"

  "What am I wearing?" he croaked. He glanced down stupidly at his own clothes, remembered his shopping trip via the Internet and grinned. "A new shirt. Like it?"

  "It looks like you just walked off the plane from Hawaii."

  He figured that was a compliment—at least he hadn't been predictable—and tried to formulate his thoughts. Her bare navel was quite a distraction, but he saw her staring at him and wondered if she was still angry. "What about your getup?"

  "I've been practicing for that audition. The role is a belly dancer."

  Images of her belly dancing danced through his head, turning wicked and sexy and… He couldn't go there, not yet. Sex tonight was not part of the plan.

  "These are for you. Sorry about the roses." His gaze skated over her body, but he didn't see any red splotches. And she had plenty of skin exposed for him to investigate.

  Mimi blushed and motioned for him to come in. "How did you find out?"

  He followed her to the foyer. "Hannah stopped by the office."

  "I have to tell my family to butt out of my life."

  "They love you, Mimi."

  "I know, but I can't deal with all this hovering. The next time one of them calls, I'm going to suggest they take a number. Either that or set up a schedule."

  He laughed, grateful to see she wasn't as furious as she'd been this morning.

  "I'm sorry I offended you earlier."

  "Seth—"

  "Please listen for a minute."

  She leaned against the doorway to the living room, the slinky fabric slipping off one shoulder, grabbing his imagination and taking it for another wild ride, but he quickly reined in his libido. "You probably think I'm a dumb male sometimes, but—"

  "You're not dumb, Seth. You're the smartest man I know."

  He smiled and gave a small shrug. "Thanks, and I do mean well. But I know we think differently, and I may border on the obsessively organized—"

  "That's an understatement."

  "Okay, maybe I'm more anal than I thought."

  Mimi laughed. "I meant that we think differently."

  "Oh, right. Anyway, I realize I upset you, and although I don't totally understand why, because I was honestly just trying to help, I am sorry."

  She opened her mouth to protest. "I guess I have been a little sensitive lately."

  "Probably
hormonal."

  She pursed her lips and glared at him.

  "I read about it—"

  "You and your books."

  He ignored her jab. "Give me a chance here, Mimi. I apologized. And I am trying."

  "Maybe I am a tad hormonal," she admitted sheepishly. "They say it gets better after the first trimester."

  "Whew. I'm looking forward to that."

  She swatted him lightly, making her bracelets jangle, and he laughed, forcing himself not to stare at the cleavage the skimpy outfit revealed. But his body couldn't ignore the faint scent of her perfume and the way her breasts jiggled when she moved. Damn. He had to stick to his plan. And it hadn't been to seduce her. At least, not yet.

  "I'd say I won't mess up again, Mimi, but I probably will, because I have a protective streak in me when it comes to people I care about." She smiled and his underwear slipped higher into his groin. He shifted, trying to rid himself of the wedgie. "I'd like for us to go to dinner."

  "You mean, like a date?"

  "Yeah. Could we please start over and have a normal date? Pretend we haven't slept together, that we haven't argued, and that I haven't sent you roses that made you break out in hives or insulted your pride by suggesting I take care of you?"

  "What if I said I had other plans?"

  "If you meant you're seeing someone else, I guess I'd have to take boxing lessons."

  "What if I had to work, to practice for that part?"

  He hesitated, sensing this was some sort of test. "I guess I'd have to understand. Or you could dance for me."

  "In your dreams."

  "Exactly."

  Their gazes locked. Tension hummed between them.

  "Acting is important to me," Mimi said in a low whisper.

  He nodded, grateful he'd gotten to her, at least in some small way. "My job's important to me, too. But people can have jobs and personal lives, too."

  Mimi's defenses seemed to soften. She motioned for him to come into the living room. "All right. Wait here and I'll change."

  Mimi's cat darted toward him, and Wrangler hopped off the couch and wobbled his way. Seth nodded. "Fine. I'll wait here. Unless you need help."

  "I think I can manage."

  "Darn."

  Mimi laughed and flitted off down the hall. Wrangler dove at his pant leg. Seth reached into his pocket for the doggie treat he'd picked up at the pet store on the way over. Point number three on his list—make friends with Mimi's animals. He lowered himself to the floor and held out the treat. His legs were shaking, but he told himself he'd be all right as long as the dog didn't bite his hand off. Instead, it lifted his leg and started to pee on him.

  * * *

  Chapter 15

  « ^ »

  Mimi quickly slipped off her harem costume. Judging from Seth's wild shirt and jeans, which she'd never seen him in before, he'd planned a casual evening. Odd how his impromptu request had sent a shiver of unexpected excitement skittering though her, pushing her earlier anger to the far recesses of her mind. What had she been angry about, anyway?

  She tugged on her jeans, then glanced down in frustration when she had to suck in her tummy to fasten them. She was already gaining weight. In high school, she'd been plump and had worked desperately to tone up her body, but now it was going to pot.

  Because Seth's baby was growing inside her.

  A tear seeped into her eye, but not a tear of sadness. She lay a hand over her stomach and smiled, for the first time realizing that she was carrying a life inside her. It would be worth it. A boy or girl, maybe with Seth's hair and eyes and his intelligence and … sweetness.

  Suddenly anxious to spend the evening with him, she pulled on a dark blue off-the-shoulder sweater and brushed her hair, then hurried to meet Seth.

  * * *

  Seth stood up the moment she entered the room, her cat snuggled in his arms. Mimi's eyes lit with surprise. "You're holding Esmereldo."

  "Yeah, am I doing it right?"

  Mimi laughed. "She's purring, isn't she?"

  He glanced down and nodded. "I think Wrangler and I came to some sort of an agreement." The dog lapped at his brand-new tennis shoes.

  "I noticed."

  "Are you ready?"

  "Yeah. I just need to check on the kittens in the laundry room."

  "You have more animals?"

  "Temporarily. They were abandoned. I'm keeping them until the vet can find homes for them."

  Seth followed her to the laundry room and stared in awe at the five bundles of fur snuggled in the cardboard box. "They're so tiny."

  Mimi stroked one of the smallest kittens with a finger. "Someone left the kittens on the stoop at the clinic. They've barely been weaned from their mother."

  A fleeting memory pressed into Seth's mind—when he was five, he'd begged for a Labrador puppy, but his parents had refused. He watched Mimi pet each kitten, the affection in her eyes so honest his heart clutched. He couldn't imagine simply abandoning something so small. Just as he couldn't imagine abandoning his own child.

  Or his child's mother.

  "Do I need to change or am I dressed okay?" Mimi brushed a hand over her jeans.

  Seth's gaze surveyed the way the denim molded every delicious curve and inch of her. "No, you look great."

  Mimi smiled and he thought of the soft swell of her stomach, which would expand over the next few months. For the first time in his life, he thought that his life might be perfect if he could share it with someone like her.

  * * *

  A few minutes later they parked at the recreational area, and surprise registered on Mimi's face again. He'd considered taking her to a five-star restaurant with tablecloths and fine china and crystal goblets filled with expensive wine. But that would have been predictable. Instead, he'd opted for a night of Putt-Putt at the Crazy Dinosaur Play Center. It had been one of the spots recommended in the book he'd bought on dating.

  Minutes later he silently admitted he was having the time of his life. Mimi squealed like a child when she popped her golf ball into the tyrannosaur's mouth. "I did it! I got it in one shot! Your turn, Doc."

  She'd been calling him Doc all evening, and he'd dubbed her Red. He gauged the distance of the shot, walked the small plank leading to the mouth of the dinosaur, retraced his steps and methodically studied the angles. Laughter sputtered behind him, and Mimi's hand covered her mouth.

  "What's so funny?"

  "Nothing. I just wondered if you needed a calculator."

  He frowned at her teasing tone. "I'm just trying to get a handle on the angle."

  "Worried you've got too much power in those muscles?"

  Seth's heart raced at the saucy sound of her voice and the wicked glint in her blue eyes. "I can't let myself be bested by a woman."

  Mimi winked. "Those are fighting words, Seth."

  She was worth fighting for, he decided. He started to tell her so, but the family in front of them turned a curious look their way, and he figured he'd save the comment for a private moment. "I'm glad you warned me. I don't want to step on those feminist toes again." She laughed and he prepared for his shot. One swing and the ball sailed into the pile of sand three feet south of its mark.

  Mimi doubled over with laughter. The kids in front of them snickered.

  "I thought all doctors played golf," Mimi said. "Obviously not this one." He trudged to the sand and studied the angle of the ball.

  "So what is your game, Seth?"

  "I've never played games." His gaze found hers, teasing but loaded with an undercurrent of meaning she couldn't miss.

  "Then what's this all about?" She gestured around them.

  "I wanted you to see that I'm not totally boring. That I can be unpredictable."

  A shocked expression glazed her eyes. Seeing Mimi silent was so rare he raised his iron to swing. "I thought about the drive-in, but I didn't want you to think I was too forward and just wanted your body. Not on our first date."

  Their gazes caught, the irony of what he'd s
aid hitting them both, and they both burst into laughter.

  "I don't think you're boring at all," Mimi said softly. "You didn't have to bring me here to prove that."

  He swung and missed the ball. She didn't think he was boring? A small improvement…

  He suddenly envisioned him and Mimi and a whole brood of kids out for an evening of recreation, Mimi teasing him, his kids teasing him… Of course, maybe he'd be better at Putt-Putt by then and they'd actually be admiring him, instead.

  "Seth?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Are you all right?"

  "Yes."

  He took another swing and managed to sink the ball into a comfortable zone for another shot. On the fourth one, he finally hit his mark. She cheered and he kissed her. To his delight, Mimi threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Maybe his plan was working.

  Seventeen holes later, he threw in the towel with golf. "I guess I proved I'm unpredictable."

  "Yes, I don't think I would ever have predicted how bad a golfer you are."

  Seth grinned. "Maybe we'll try bowling next time."

  Mimi hooked her arm through his. "Did I mention that I bowled on a league in high school?"

  Seth curved his arm around her neck. "How about tennis?"

  Mimi gave him a thumbs-up. "I was captain of the high-school team."

  "Is there any sport you didn't try?"

  "Football."

  "Very funny." He edged them toward the ice-cream stand.

  "Actually I dropped sports for dance and drama. Didn't you play any sports in high school?"

  Seth shook his head. "What flavor?"

  "Peanut butter chocolate chip."

  Seth ordered strawberry and they sat on a park bench, trading tastes of their cones.

  "Why didn't you play sports?" Mimi asked. "You sure have the body for it."

  Seth raised a brow, automatically sitting straighter. "No time. My folks didn't approve of extracurricular activities."

  Mimi frowned and stopped licking her cone. "No fun stuff, huh? Not even art or music?"

  Seth shook his head and indicated the ice cream melting down her cone. Mimi did a swipe with her tongue to lap it up. He sucked in a harsh breath, remembering the way she'd used that tongue on him.