by Cassie Hayes
Spike’s heart thudded in his chest. He didn’t want to believe what he’d just heard, but he couldn’t deny it. Beatrice Bodin wanted to take Ethan away from Amy. And not because Amy was a bad mother — she wasn’t — or because Beatrice loved her grandson — she didn’t — but for revenge and the sake of propriety. If his uncle agreed to this insanity, Spike would never be able to speak to him again.
He shouldn’t have worried.
“Beatrice, you are, without a doubt, the most vile person I’ve ever had the displeasure of doing business with. How you managed to con your way into the Bodin family is beyond me. I’ve only represented you all these years out of duty to your husband, but Ron passed away so many years ago, that I feel I’ve fulfilled any obligation I might have once had.”
Beatrice gasped, probably in shock that anyone would dare speak to her so brusquely. “How dare you!”
“No, how dare you! I won’t stand here for another second listening to you denigrate that poor girl. Consider this the end of our professional and social relationship.”
Spike ducked into an alcove a moment before his uncle stormed out of the storeroom, followed closely by a red-faced Beatrice. She shook a finger at Steve’s retreating back.
“Expect a call from the best lawyer in Denver, Steven, because I’m going to sue you too!”
Spike hid in the hollow for a few minutes, trying to make sense of it all. Clearly, Amy had signed a nondisclosure agreement of some kind — why, he couldn’t figure out. Now that Josh was back, Beatrice was frantic to keep the secret, to the point of ruining the lives of Amy, Ethan and Uncle Steve.
Anger and adrenaline shot through his veins like wildfire. He had to stop this, and he thought he knew how he could do it. Amy wouldn’t be happy, nor would his family — or probably most of the town — but if it stopped Beatrice’s rampage, it would be worth it. Even if Amy never wanted to see him again. The mere thought was an ice pick to his heart, but he no longer mattered. Only she did.
Spike glanced out of his hiding place to make sure Beatrice was gone, then headed backstage.
Amy had to smile at the sight of Josh tying Ethan’s shoe. Ethan’s green eyes had always reminded her of Josh’s, but this was the first time she really saw the remarkable resemblance between them. Ethan was Josh’s Mini-Me.
Panic gripped her unexpectedly. They looked so much alike, no one would believe they were “just friends.” How long would it be before people figured it out? She wasn’t too afraid of Beatrice’s threat to sue — her mother always said, “Can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip!” — but she was absolutely terrified the woman would make good on her threat to sue for custody. Ridiculous as such a suit would be, Beatrice could afford the best lawyers in the country; Amy couldn’t afford a nice outfit for court.
Josh smiled at her, then frowned. “You okay?”
She opened her mouth to tell him the deal was off — he couldn’t see Ethan anymore, he had to stay away; she couldn’t risk losing her son to a lunatic like Beatrice — when suddenly electronic feedback screeched through the hall, stopping all conversation and drawing attention to the stage.
Spike stood in front of the mic, looking as anxious as she felt. She never would have thought an outgoing guy like him might be shy about talking to crowds. He scanned the room, then stopped when he found her. His sad smile broke her heart and she had no idea why.
“Thank you all for coming out tonight to support Mike. She’s really amazing, isn’t she?”
Cheers and applause echoed through the room. Spike let it die down naturally, until only the sound of a fresh batch of popcorn popping could be heard. He looked down at his feet, then spoke again.
“I have to tell you how lucky I am to be surrounded by such amazing women. First and foremost, my mother, Christina. Without her…well, none of us would be here tonight.”
The crowd laughed, with the exception of Christina, who was wiping tears from her eyes.
“Even though I never would have admitted it when I was younger, I’ve also been blessed with three amazing, strong and funny sisters. If you’ve ever heard me complain about how they joined forces to torture me, don’t believe a word. I’m sure I tormented them far more than they did me. Every single one of them deserves your respect and admiration, not to mention a medal. ”
Now Ally and Bekah joined in with the tearing up. A few other ladies dabbed at their eyes too. Amy was right there with them. His respect for women was one of the reasons she loved Spike.
She gasped at her own thought. She did love him. It still seemed too fast, but the truth of it struck her like a Mack truck. She wanted to wake up next to him, she wanted him to show Ethan how a real man treats women, she wanted her happily ever after! She beamed up at him as he continued, trying to communicate her feelings through psychic brainwaves…or something.
“I’ve heard people in town call me a hero. Honestly, I have no idea how I got that reputation, but let me assure you, I don’t deserve it.”
Folks in the audience shouted things like, “No way!” and “You are a hero!” and “Spike for president!” Spike waved his arms until they stopped.
“It’s true, and to prove it, I’m going to confess something that’s been weighing on me for years. Six years, to be exact.”
He looked directly at Amy, and a chill pebbled her skin. She had a bad feeling about this. What was he up to?
“If you don’t know Amy Sanderson, you should,” he said, pointing at her.
Amy flushed fuchsia and tried to will herself to disappear. When that didn’t work, she gave a faltering smile and waved limply to all the eyes that had suddenly turned toward her.
“Amy is an amazing person who’s overcome more than I can imagine, and I’m proud to call her my…friend. God knows, I don’t deserve her kindness.”
Friend? Certainly, she deserved more than that. Was it possible she’d stumbled into a relationship with another guy who was ashamed of her?
“Six years ago, Amy was forced to quit school and get a job when she became pregnant. Some ugly rumors that don’t deserve to be repeated went around town concerning the identity of the baby’s father, but Amy didn’t lower herself to respond. Well, I’m here to reveal the identity of her son’s father.”
No! No! No! If he announced it to the town, Beatrice would believe she’d told him, and make Amy’s life hell. This wasn’t happening, it couldn’t be happening.
“It’s me,” Spike continued, though Amy had trouble processing his words. “I’m the father.”
Amy’s jaw dropped to the floor. The Mack truck that had hit her before could have driven right into her gaping maw. She turned stunned eyes to Josh, who looked equally surprised, but also a little relieved.
“Why is he doing this?” she hissed at him, quickly glancing down at Ethan. He sat cross-legged on the floor, happily eating his popcorn and completely oblivious to what Spike was saying. Hopefully.
“I don’t know,” Josh whispered back, “but it solves all our problems.”
Amy stared up at the man she’d once thought she loved, and realized it had all been hormones and fantasies. She’d been so desperate to leave her parents’ home, she latched onto him as if he was Prince Charming. What she didn’t know at the time was she didn’t need a hero, she needed a partner.
“I pressured Amy to keep our secret all these years, but I’ve finally realized what an enormous ass-hat I’ve been.” He shot a dark look at Josh, who at least had the sense to dip his head in shame. “I hope that she can find it in her heart to forgive me, but I won’t blame her if she can’t. And nobody else should either. Amy is totally blameless in all of this, other than her ‘sin’ of trusting a jerk like me.”
The crowd around them murmured and whispered, everyone shocked at Spike’s false admission. Some glanced in her direction with sympathy, others glared up at Spike. This wouldn’t end well for him. A handful of men she recognized as regulars of Rocky Mountain Adventures shook their heads, others had their wives ang
rily whispering in their ears. Spike and Zach would lose clients over this, she was certain.
Spike shouldn’t have to pay for a crime he didn’t commit. It was clear Josh wasn’t going to step up though. The fact he was still too afraid of his mother to claim his own son, after all these years, made her ill. But was she any better? She was terrified Beatrice would try to take Ethan, and so she stood silently and watched as Spike demolished his reputation with just a few words. If she allowed that to happen, she would be as pathetic as Josh.
Before she could think twice, Amy rushed the stage. Spike saw her coming and tossed the mic off to the side so she couldn’t grab it from him. He shot a panicked look at the crowd, then corralled her into a far corner.
“You can’t do this, Spike!” She tried to run past him, toward the mic, but he blocked her.
When his fingers wrapped around her upper arms, the connection between them hummed. Her frazzled nerves were soothed, and when she looked into the eternal depths of his hazel eyes, the rest of the world disappeared. She was still upset, but no longer frantic. His calming force had found her.
“Let me do this, Amy,” he pleaded. “I know what’s at stake now.”
Fear and confusion rose to the surface, but the love emanating from his eyes tamped them down. “How?”
“I overhead my uncle and Mrs. Bodin talking. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“If you heard, then you know.”
“Of course,” he said, pulling her into a hug. Somewhere in her consciousness, she heard the crowd murmuring at their embrace. “That’s why you have to let me do this. It’s the only way—“
Feedback screeched from the mic again. They both turned to see Josh picking up the mic — with Ethan at his side. Amy forgot how to breathe.
“Is this thing on?” Screech! “Whoa, I guess so. Um, anyway… I’m Josh Bodin. You probably know my family. My mother, Beatrice, is standing right over there.”
Every eye in the house turned toward a seething Beatrice. Her eyes shot daggers at her son, but he ignored them, as well as her not-so-subtle head shake.
“It’s time I put a stop to all this nonsense,” Josh continued. He paused for a moment, glancing at Amy with a nervous smile. Turning back to the crowd, he took a deep breath. “I’m Ethan’s father, not Spike.”
Beatrice wailed in the corner and faked a fainting spell. No one paid attention.
“You see, six years ago, Amy and I dated. I’m ashamed to say, I kept our relationship secret. I should have been honored such a caring, kind woman loved me, but I was young and stupid. When she called with the news I was going to be a father… Well, I flipped out. My mother offered to pay Amy if she’d never tell a soul I was the father.”
Half the crowd gasped, the other half cast curious gazes on Amy. Great, now they’d think she was a gold digger. As proud as she was of Josh for finally standing up to his mother, throwing her under the bus wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind.
“Amy signed the papers, but not for herself, or even for Ethan. No, she did it for her mom. Martha Sanderson, are you here?”
“Right here, handsome!” Amy’s mom waved wildly, grinning from ear to ear. She loved the attention.
“About a week before Amy discovered she was pregnant, Martha was diagnosed with breast cancer. With no health insurance, she was a dead woman walking.”
When the crowd gasped, Amy welled up, remembering all the casseroles and flowers the residents of Silver Springs had sent over. Not to their old place, where her father was probably still wallowing in his own filth, griping about Amy and Martha’s ingratitude. Part of the money she’d received from Beatrice had gone toward rent on a small apartment for her and her ailing mom. Second best money she’d ever spent.
“Amy used pretty much all of it to pay for her mother’s medical bills.”
That was the best money she’d ever spent, and she’d do it again in a heartbeat. Her mom threw an air kiss to her. As was their routine, Amy reached out and plucked it from the air, then slapped it to her cheek. They grinned like the lunatics they were.
“Part of the deal though, was that Amy could never tell anyone the truth,” Josh said. “And she’s been true to her word, despite what my mother thinks. Spike figured it out on his own and wanted to protect Amy and Ethan, which is why he came up here and lied to you all.”
Some folks in the audience looked doubtful, so Josh lifted his son in his arms and gave him a kiss on his cheek.
“I mean, come on. Look at us!”
Ethan couldn’t stop staring at Josh. He’d wanted a dad for so long, and now he had one. And they looked exactly alike. Then Ethan threw his arms around Josh’s neck and held on tight. A collective “Awww!” filled the hall.
When Spike wrapped his arm around Amy’s shoulders, she snuggled into him, happier than she’d been in longer than she could remember. Maybe ever.
“Before we all watch Mike destroy her competition, I want to apologize to Amy.” Josh turned to her. “I wish I hadn’t been such a coward back then. I can’t believe I’ve missed five years of my son’s life. More than anything in the world, I want to be a father to Ethan. I can’t promise to be perfect, but I promise I’ll be better. I swear to you, I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust.”
Grasping Spike’s hand tightly, Amy walked across the stage. Smiling at Josh, she took Ethan in her arms and looked deep into his confused eyes.
“Do you understand what’s happening, bug?” she asked quietly, so only the four of them could hear.
“Josh is my daddy?” he mumbled.
“That’s right. How do you feel about that?”
Ethan looked from her to Josh to Spike and back again. Then he leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Can Spike be my daddy too?”
Tears poured from her eyes as she clutched his little body to her. Going from no father to two would be a dream come true for him. And Spike would be a dream come true for her.
“I hope so, bug. I really hope so.”
10
“Who wants donuts?”
Spike poked his head into Amy’s apartment and waited for the squeals. He didn’t have to wait long. Ethan came tearing out of his mom’s room like a starving animal.
“Me! Did you get the kind with sprinkles, Spike? Did you?”
Spike couldn’t help laughing as the kid jumped up and down, arms flailing. Ethan loved his sprinkles.
“I got two with sprinkles, little man. Who loves ya?”
Spike’s heart swelled when little arms wrapped around his leg in a fierce hug.
“I know I love you,” Amy said as she stumbled out of the bedroom with sleepy eyes and a wicked case of bed-head. She looked every bit as sexy as when she was dressed up for a night on the town.
Setting the box of donuts on the table, Spike swept her into his arms and bent her into a deep dip. He drank in her prettily pinking features before stealing a quick kiss. With the kid in the room, he didn’t dare do more, even though every fiber of his body screamed to.
“Anybody home?” Josh called out as he walked in through the open door.
“Daddy!” Ethan screamed and ran into his father’s arms.
“What is this, Grand Central Station?” Martha said, leaning against the kitchen doorframe with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. “Ooh, sprinkles!”
“No!”
Ethan wriggled down from Josh, and sprinted to save his precious donuts. It was an old game with them. Everyone knew Martha only ate maple bars.
“Morning, Josh,” Amy said, trying to pat her hair into some semblance of smoothness. “Who wants coffee?”
“Only if it has sprinkles,” Spike joked, winking at Ethan. He gave Spike a somber nod, as if to say, “Yes, sprinkles on everything, please.”
“How’s the new job, Josh?” Martha asked as she bit into a soft, gooey maple bar. She didn’t wait for an answer before moaning in culinary ecstasy.
“Really good! Spike, Ralph has really taken me under his wing. Thanks for t
he recommendation.”
Spike grinned at his old friend. “No prob, brother. Glad it’s working out.”
After the scene at the community center six months earlier, the four of them had taken the time to work through everything. Since Josh had announced the truth, Beatrice didn’t have a leg to stand on in court. Besides, if she’d tried anything against Amy, the residents of Silver Springs would have run her out of town. As it turned out, Beatrice Bodin wasn’t nearly as well liked as she’d imagined.
But going against his mother — and making her look bad in the process — had meant Josh was no longer welcome in the family home. He’d moved in with Spike for a short time, which had allowed Spike and Amy to spend quality time together when Josh had Ethan for the night. Then he’d found a job with Spike’s uncle at Silver Springs Savings and had moved into his own place.
Once Josh had proven he took his responsibilities as a dad seriously, Amy had asked Steve Roberts to file paperwork to reinstate Josh’s parental rights. That process was going to take months, but the decision alone brought them closer as a family. An odd, modern family, but a family nonetheless.
And with the money Josh gave her every month, plus the raise she’d gotten at Rocky Mountain Adventures, Amy had been able to afford to hire two helpers for her nighttime cleaning jobs. That was a good thing, because she’d been inundated with new clients. Seemed everyone wanted to hire a person as ethical and loyal as Amy. Spike had no doubt, within a year or so, she’d have a thriving business with a staff of ten.
“You about done with that donut, Ethan?” Josh asked as Ethan stuffed half a donut into his mouth. “The fish don’t bite all day, you know.”
“Mwuf hanf foom.”
“I have no idea what you just said, but it’s time to get rolling. Go grab your hat, coat and rubber boots.”
Ethan tore from the room like he was on fire.
“Man, that kid can move!” Spike laughed.
“Here you go, babe,” Amy said with a yawn as she handed Spike a cup.
He’d long ago stopped trying to make coffee. Nothing compared to Martha’s brew, and everyone complained about his sludge anyway. Besides, who didn’t love coffee with sprinkles floating on top?
