Seth shook his head in mild amusement. The ongoing joke in the family was that the Foster boys got their stubbornness from their mother. This proved it.
“We’ll start there,” she continued, “and if that doesn’t do the trick, I’ll figure something else out. Maybe I can take her shopping for baby clothes or out to lunch. Or both. You know, women bond over such things, and I can use that as an opportunity to sing your praises.”
Seth dropped a kiss on her soft cheek. “Thanks, Mom. But let me handle Rebecca. She’s dealing with a lot right now.”
If his mother heard him, she didn’t react. Instead, she mused, “So we have what? A little more than a month until we have a new member in the family? And you return to duty in less than that. That doesn’t leave us with much time.”
“Doesn’t take much time to love a baby,” John said. “Leave the rest of it up to Seth, hon. Weren’t you telling me the other night how he’s all grown-up now?”
“Well, yes, but…oh, John!” Karen’s megawatt smile lit up the room. “Two grandbabies are headed our way. This time in a year, we’ll be planning first birthdays!”
“A blessing to be sure,” John said in a suspiciously thick voice. “I’ll look forward to meeting Rebecca and welcoming her to the family.” He cast a speculative glance at Seth. “Forgive me for asking again, but are you sure you’re doing okay?”
His father always saw beneath the surface. “There are details to work out, but we’ll get there,” Seth replied with a level of confidence he didn’t quite feel. “So yeah, I’m good.”
He didn’t think his dad fully believed him, but that was to be expected.
“Seth?” Karen asked, drawing his attention to her. “What if I phoned Rebecca to personally invite her for dinner? Would that be okay with you?”
“It’s a nice gesture, and thank you, but I don’t think that’s a great idea just yet. She might feel cornered and pressured, and I really don’t want to put her in that place.”
“Well, maybe if I—”
Smothering a laugh, Seth tugged on a lock of his mom’s newly lightened, almost-but-not-quite blond hair. “I know you mean well, but stop worrying about dinner. Rebecca will be happy to meet everyone.” Well, he thought she would. “I’ll talk to her soon and set something up.”
“Be sure that you do. I’d prefer to meet her before my grandchild is born.”
“You will. I promise.” Seth couldn’t wait any longer. His anticipation of his mother’s reaction was too great to be ignored. “But I have something else to tell you, and it’s a good thing you’re sitting down for this.”
“What could you possibly have to tell me now that would require me sitting down?”
“Well, it’s like this…” Seth paused for dramatic effect. “Last night, Rebecca shared that we’re having a girl. I’m having a daughter, Mom.”
Karen blinked several times. Her jaw dropped open, and for possibly the first time in every one of Seth’s thirty-two years—that he could recall, anyway—she was speechless. For all of thirty seconds. Tears were sparkling in her eyes when she pulled Seth into a tight hug. “A little girl in the Foster family! I’ll be able to buy pink dresses and baby dolls and…”
Seth hugged her back. Again, it hit him hard that Rebecca had almost stolen this moment from him, from his mother and father. He tried to believe that given time, she would have told him about their baby. But damn, he was glad that Jace had seen those prenatal vitamins.
* * *
Rebecca hung up the phone and frowned, annoyed with her sister. Jocelyn had apologized for skipping out on the birthing class and had promised to attend the next one, but she’d also gone out of her way to compliment Seth. Every other sentence was about how cool or awesome or funny he was, and how Rebecca should give him a chance.
So yes, Seth had definitely won over her baby sister. And when Rebecca had spoken to her mother, Allison’s enthusiasm for Seth reigned as high as Jocelyn’s, though she’d used words like dependable and intelligent and honest.
Both women were right. Seth had all of those attributes. He was also infuriatingly stubborn, almost antiquated in some of his beliefs, and…absent for the past few days.
Sighing, Rebecca stared at the phone still clutched in her hand. She hadn’t heard from Seth since Thursday night. Not on Friday, Saturday or all day today. Yes, it was her suggestion to halt communication until tomorrow, but she hadn’t believed he’d follow through.
But he had. And now she wanted to talk to him. Only to be sure he hadn’t changed his mind about picking her up in the morning to drive her to work, and then later, to her doctor’s appointment. Or maybe more as a reminder, in case he’d forgotten.
Except there also wasn’t a chance on earth that Seth had forgotten, and unless he told her so specifically, he would definitely show up at precisely six o’clock tomorrow morning. So why in heaven’s name was she searching for an excuse to call him?
She’d avoided this man for months, and now could barely handle going seventy-two hours without hearing his voice? That would be ridiculous and stupid. Not to mention counterproductive and misleading. And, she admitted to herself with a heavy swallow, completely and irrevocably true. God help her. She missed his voice.
More than that, she missed him.
Why? What had changed? Nothing, really. Yet, somehow, it felt as if everything had changed. Her fault, she supposed, for letting him feel their baby move. The way he’d reacted—from the expression on his face to the tears in his eyes—had gotten to her.
She wished she could blame her overactive hormones, but she couldn’t. Her feelings for Seth Foster had started long before they’d actually met in person.
Annoyed with herself, with her nonsensical and impractical emotions, Rebecca tossed her phone on the counter and marched out of the kitchen. She would not miss him. Or yearn for him. Or dream about a future that could never happen.
Right. No missing, yearning or dreaming allowed.
Rather, she’d embark on one of the many items on her to-do list, keeping Seth and his way-too-sexy voice and his coffee-with-a-dollop-of-cream eyes far away from her thoughts.
Difficult, maybe. But certainly not impossible.
With that goal in mind, she went to her bedroom and reviewed the list. She’d mailed letters to her current pen pals yesterday, so that was out. Hmm. She could finish reading one of her baby books, but she doubted her ability to concentrate on such a passive activity.
Maybe she could address the baby announcement envelopes. Then later, when she was enamored with her newborn, she’d only have to fill in the details of her daughter’s birth. And seeing as she hadn’t yet written her thank-you cards from the shower, she could tackle both jobs at once. Liking that idea, Rebecca gathered the necessary items and headed downstairs.
She set up at the dining room table. One by one, she flipped through the address book, comparing the names there with those on her thank-you list, adding a check mark to those that appeared on both. A simple task, maybe, but it kept her hands busy and her mind occupied.
Everything was moving along fine—terrific, actually—until a new thought occurred. Each one of these people was important to her. Each one of them cared about her and would be excited to learn of her daughter’s birth. What about Seth’s family and friends?
Of course there were people in his life who cared about him. People who would also be excited about the birth of his daughter. Rebecca’s hand froze in place and her fingers gripped the pen tighter. Keeping her pregnancy a secret from Seth was wrong. She’d known that all along. A man deserved to know his child, especially a man like Seth.
But she hadn’t once considered how her decision would affect anyone else. Remorse struck hard and fast. Nausea turned her stomach upside down. How many people in Seth’s circle would love and cherish their daughter? How many pot
ential relationships had she almost eradicated because of fear? The possibility chilled her straight through.
Seth should hate her. He shouldn’t even be able to look at her without contempt, but somehow, he did. How did he do that? How could any person do that?
More shamed than she’d ever been in her life, Rebecca cradled her head in her arms. Maybe Seth didn’t hate her, but in that second, she hated herself. Or, at least, what she had done. Apologizing again wouldn’t serve any purpose other than—in Seth’s words—relieve her of her own guilt. But she wanted—no, needed—to talk to him.
Lifting her head, she looked at the announcements and the stack of envelopes she’d already addressed. Shouldn’t Seth’s family and friends also be sent word of their daughter’s birth? Well, yes. But would he even think of doing that?
Probably not. She…she could offer to send the announcements for him, as proof that she wasn’t planning on locking him out of anything else. A small gesture, perhaps, but one she very much wanted to do. And hey, if she called him now, he could bring his list of names and addresses with him in the morning. There. She had a valid reason for phoning him tonight.
And if doing so allowed her to talk to him—to hear his voice before going to bed—well, that was an insignificant outcome considering the bigger picture.
Two minutes later, Rebecca was scrolling through her saved numbers. She’d never questioned her reasoning on why she entered Seth’s number into her new cell, but she did so now. Maybe in the back of her mind, she knew she’d need it eventually. Maybe she never really planned on following through with her decision. She’d like to think so.
Finding his name, she hit the send key and reminded herself to breathe.
The phone rang twice before he answered. “Becca? Is everything okay?”
“Seth. Hi!” Ack. Way too loud. Going for a softer tone, she said, “I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”
“There isn’t such a thing,” he replied without pause. “I’m here whenever you need me. However you need me. All you have to do is say the word.”
And there he went again, being sweet and charming when by all rights he should be mean and spiteful. “Thank you. That’s very nice of you to say.” Ugh. She’d just done an excellent impression of her prim and proper third-grade teacher.
“You sound a little strange,” Seth said, obviously noticing her spot-on channeling of Ms. Ingersoll. “Are you all right?”
“I—I’m fine. I should have said that straight off.” His genuine concern threw her analytical brain for a loop. She far preferred anything she could add up in a neat, orderly column. Something she definitely couldn’t do with Seth. “I’m sorry to bother you, but—”
“You’re not bothering me. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to ask you about baby announcements,” she blurted.
“Baby announcements?”
“Um, yes. You know…the cards that parents send out after their baby’s birth?”
Seth chuckled. “I’m familiar with the concept, Becca. I’m wondering why you’re asking me about them. Did you need me to pick up a box or two? How many do you need?”
“No, no. I have plenty.”
“Then…?”
“Something happened tonight.”
“Yes?”
“Well, see, I… Something important happened and I wanted to tell you—” Stop! her brain ordered. He didn’t want explanations or apologies. “Um. Baby announcements. I’m working on mine now, and thought I should do yours, too. Because you have people who will want to know about…um…about our daughter’s birth, and it isn’t a bother, so I’m happy to do them for you.”
The phone line grew quiet for a long enough space of time that Rebecca wondered if they’d somehow lost their connection. But then she heard him draw in a deep, ragged breath.
“Already?” he asked, his voice uneven and gravely. “As in tonight?”
“Yes, already. Yes, tonight. That’s why I’m calling you.”
“Okay. Right.” He mumbled something she couldn’t quite catch. “So, you’re good and the baby is fine? There aren’t any problems or anything that I should be aware of?”
“No, Seth. There aren’t any problems you should be aware of.” She spoke slowly, enunciating every syllable. His genuine concern, his eagerness to ascertain that she and the baby were okay might confuse her, but it also made her feel special and important. And, yes, even more ashamed by her earlier actions. “I mean, I’m a little tired but we’re good.”
“Tired. Right. That makes sense. Is there anything you need?”
“I wouldn’t mind a pint of chocolate marshmallow ice cream,” she teased. “And the names and addresses of those you’d like to send announcements to.”
“Ice cream. Names and addresses. Got it.” The jangle of keys came through the line. “Wow,” he said softly. “This is amazing. Where are you?”
“Home.” What was amazing? That she’d offered to write his announcements? “All safe and snug,” she said brightly.
“You’re at home,” he repeated in a faraway sounding voice. “Why are you at home? I thought you had an actual doctor, not a midwife.”
“I do have a doctor, but I thought about using a midwife.” How had his brain jumped from baby announcements to tomorrow’s appointment? “Why does it matter?”
“It doesn’t. Never mind. I’ll be there in thirty—make that twenty—minutes.” With that, he disconnected the call, leaving Rebecca lost in a world of confusion.
Chapter Seven
Thirty minutes later and Seth hadn’t yet shown. Rebecca took to pacing the living room with occasional glances out the front window. She’d gone through their conversation a dozen times, trying to deduce the reason for his spur-of-the-moment decision to visit. The best she could figure was that he’d taken her joke about craving ice cream seriously.
A flash of light rolled through the room, casting shadows on her walls. Easing back the curtain, she peered out to see two cars pulling up to the curb. Within seconds, both sets of headlights were extinguished. She didn’t recognize either car, but she wasn’t concerned. Many of the houses here were broken into apartments, which meant multiple families with multiple cars per residence. It was far more unusual when there weren’t any cars parked along the street.
But when a pickup truck parked in line with the others, and no one exited any of the vehicles, a tingle of cautious apprehension appeared. Rebecca almost tripped in her hurry to lock the front door. Another furtive glance outside showed the same three vehicles still parked, except now there was a group of people clustered together on the sidewalk.
Should she open the door and ask if they needed directions? If it were the middle of the afternoon, maybe, but not now. Okay, then. Should she phone the police and tell them there was a group of strangers conversing in front of her house? Well, no. That seemed a bit neurotic.
But she’d feel a heck of a lot better if someone was here with her. Seth. She wanted Seth, and he said he was on his way, so maybe she should hang tight and wait. Except he was already late, so maybe he’d gotten tied-up with his family. Or he could be scouting every grocery store between his house and hers, looking for chocolate marshmallow ice cream.
Of course, he also could have changed his mind about coming over altogether.
She dismissed the idea of phoning him again. In the end, she called her parents. Neither answered, so she left a convoluted message about strange cars and people, and how she was probably overreacting but if they got the message, could they please check in with her.
She’d barely disconnected when another flash of headlights swept through the living room, causing her heart to jump. It was Seth, thank goodness. No longer anxious, Rebecca watched as he stepped from his car and approached the people on the sidewalk.
She s
aw Seth shake his head. He might have laughed. One of the men—wait a minute, was that Jace?—slugged him on the arm. Rebecca smashed her nose against the glass for a better look. It was Jace. Seth hugged someone else, and as a group, everyone aimed for her front door.
Rebecca pushed away from the window and let the curtain drop. Okay, so this must be Seth’s family. And he decided he should introduce them, without any warning, at 9:32 on a Sunday night? Well, what else could she expect from Seth?
Rebecca fluffed her hair and yanked her shirt straight. How dare Seth bring his family—or any group of people if they weren’t his family—to her house without first informing her? Obviously, he still believed she meant to lock him out, which she supposed she understood. But how could their conversation on Thursday not have gotten through at all?
She had a choice here: react the way he likely expected and embarrass herself in front of his family or surprise him. The answer was easy. She’d be pleasant, polite and welcoming. Even if it killed her. She opened the door the second she heard the light rap, and with a bright smile and a toss of her newly fluffed hair, said, “Hi, Seth! This is a wonderful surprise!”
“Becca. I told you I was on my—” Seth shifted the bag he held from one hand to the other. He blinked and his gaze swung from her face to her stomach and then back to her face. His jaw dropped open and he shook his head, as if confused.
“Well, come on in.” She moved out of the way so everyone could enter, which they did. Closing the door, she gestured toward the furniture. “Make yourself at home and I’ll put together some snacks. I have cookies and lemonade.”
No one moved. Almost everyone stared at her. Everyone else stared at Seth.
An older man with snowy white hair coughed. “We might have ourselves a misunderstanding,” he said with a smile. “I’m Seth’s dad, John. And you must be Rebecca.”
“I… Yes. I am.”
“Hey, Rebecca,” Jace said from her left. He gave her a wink and the same half charming, half mischievous grin from the day in her office. “You look…um…healthy. And maybe kind of surprised to see us all, huh?”
An Officer, a Baby and a Bride Page 9
