A Home for Her Baby

by Gabrielle Meyer

  “I’ll be done in a second!” Piper called to her friend. She pressed Post and then shut the cover of her laptop. Her back ached, so she stretched before she rose to greet her friend and business partner.

  “These are for you.” Liv handed over a large bouquet of flowers in an elegant vase. “Congratulations on the opening of the bed-and-breakfast.”

  Piper buried her face in the beautiful red roses and took a sniff. “Thank you.”

  “And,” Liv said, holding up a brochure for their weddings and events business, “didn’t these turn out amazing?” They had started their company right out of college, and though they were successful, it was more like a part-time job for the two of them. Timber Falls simply wasn’t large enough to provide enough weddings and events for full-time work. Because of it, they didn’t have an office building. Instead, they worked out of their homes, meeting with clients in their living rooms or at venues. She’d always dreamed of using the bed-and-breakfast as the headquarters of their business. What better place to meet with clients?

  Piper took one of the brochures and quickly scanned the information. They had updated them with fresh photos and new information about the Warren House’s availability for small weddings and events. “I love them. We can set them up in the visitors’ information rack near the reception desk in the foyer.”

  “Great.” Liv was tall and graceful and was always dressed well. No matter the occasion, she wore heels, and her blond hair was rarely out of place. She had once told Piper that she considered her appearance a billboard for her work as a weddings and events planner, as well as an interior designer—her other part-time work. Today was no exception. “I’ll go put these in the rack and then I need to talk to you about our bridezilla.”

  Piper’s shoulders fell. “Today? Can’t it wait until after the grand opening is behind me?”

  “I wish it could, but it’s a time-sensitive matter.”

  Both ladies walked through the dining room and into the front foyer. Piper set the bouquet of flowers on the reception desk and Liv put the brochures in the only empty spot on the rack.

  “What’s so important we can’t wait to discuss it?” Piper asked.

  The front door opened and Max walked in.

  Liv’s eyes opened wide. “Max!”

  Max grinned. “Hi, Liv.”

  “What are you doing here?” Liv had moved to Timber Falls her senior year and had graduated with them. She had been a friend, but she and Piper had grown closer when they went to the nearby community college. There, they’d both minored in business studies. Piper had majored in tourism and hospitality, while Liv had gone into interior design.

  “I’m the new owner of the bed-and-breakfast,” Max said as he hugged Liv. “Didn’t Piper tell you?”

  Liv shook her head, surprise still written all over her face. “I just got here.” She looked at Piper. “Why didn’t you say something? This is kind of a big deal.”

  “I thought you would have heard by now.” Piper shrugged.

  “If I had, I’m pretty sure I would have led with that information when I got here.” She shook her head and looked between Piper and Max. “What a crazy turn of events.”

  Piper had no wish to continue this particular conversation, so she turned to Liv. “What did you need to tell me that couldn’t wait?”

  “Oh, it can wait, now that I know there’s more interesting things to discuss.” She eyed Max with curiosity, but Max seemed to sense Piper’s unease.

  “I’m just in here to take a quick shower and change my clothes,” he said.

  “You live here, too?” Liv’s eyes couldn’t get any wider.

  “On the third floor.” He pointed up the stairs as he walked toward them. “A reporter is coming by to interview me for the Timber Falls Tribune and then I’ll be leaving later this afternoon for our first away game.”

  “You won’t be here for the grand opening?” Liv asked.

  Max shook his head. “I didn’t know about it until I got here yesterday. If I had, I would have made other plans, but—”

  “The team comes first,” Liv supplied.

  “Well, something like that.” Max glanced at Piper. “Though, I’d prefer to stay and help. You could say I have a vested interest in the success or failure of the Warren House Bed & Breakfast now.”

  He didn’t need to remind Piper. She was all-too aware of his hand in her dream.

  “It was nice seeing you again, Liv.” Max started up the stairs.

  “You’ll be seeing a lot more of me.” Liv grinned.

  Max took the stairs two at a time and was soon out of sight. The third-floor stairway door clicked shut and Liv grabbed Piper’s arm. “What in the world, Piper? Max Evans is back in town and he’s living in your apartment.”

  “Don’t remind me—and it’s his apartment now,” she added.

  Liv leaned eagerly against the registration desk. “How did it happen?”

  Piper walked around the desk and took a seat on the stool. “I’d rather not talk about it, Liv. I didn’t know he was the new owner until he showed up yesterday—and I’m still not sure how I feel about all of it. I’m choosing to focus on one day at a time.”

  Sighing, Liv glanced up the stairs. “He’s even better looking now than in high school.”

  A twinge of jealousy turned in Piper’s chest, but she chose to ignore it. She had no right to be jealous, or to be threatened by her pretty friend. For all she knew, Max was still dating Miss California.

  “What did you need to tell me?” she asked Liv.

  It took Liv a moment to focus, but then her lips thinned. “Carrie Custer left me a text and she’s not happy with the venue she selected. She wants an outdoor wedding now.”

  “What?” Piper leaned forward on the stool, her mouth falling open. “An outdoor wedding in the middle of November?”

  Liv shrugged. “If she wants it, her daddy will insist she have it.”

  “November, in Minnesota?” Piper had lived in Minnesota her entire life. Sometimes November could be beautiful and warm—other times, it could be frigid with a foot of snow on the ground. There was no way to predict the weather, and an outdoor wedding was a horrible risk to take.

  “When your father is the mayor of Timber Falls,” Liv said, “and also one of the wealthiest bankers in town, you get to have an outdoor wedding in November if you want.”

  Piper put her head down on her hands. In all the years they’d been planning weddings, they had never had such a difficult bride. Carrie Custer was not only young, just out of college, but she was also very spoiled. She’d been planning her wedding since last October and had completely changed her mind five times on theme, colors, locations, food, decor and the rest. “With only two and a half months to the wedding, she shouldn’t be making such big changes.”

  “She said she has the right to change the location until the wedding invitations are sent out at the beginning of October.” Liv rolled her eyes. “So, she wants us to come up with a list of suitable locations for an outdoor wedding by tonight.”

  “It’s not possible.” Piper lifted her hands in defeat. “I don’t have the time—”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Liv said. “I’ll get her the list.”

  “But it’s also the logistics of the thing. We’ll have to plan for any and every possibility.”

  “If money isn’t an option...” Liv let the words linger.

  “I suppose you’re right.” Piper shrugged. “If she knows the risks she’s taking, then who are we to say what she can and cannot have?”

  “Alright.” Liv crossed her arms on the high registration desk. “I’ll come up with a list. If you think of somewhere, let me know, but if not, don’t worry about it today. You already have enough on your plate with the open house. I just wanted to let you know.”

  The front doorbell rang and Pipe
r straightened her back.

  Liv took a step back and glanced toward the front door. “Looks like Larry from the Tribune is here. Maybe you can get him to do an article on the open house, too.”

  “Larry is the sports writer,” Piper said, coming around the desk to answer the door. “And besides, someone from the paper is coming by later during the actual open house to interview some of our guests and take pictures.”

  “It’ll be interesting to see what makes the front page this week.” Liv laughed, but Piper knew which news story would be more interesting to the local citizens of Timber Falls.

  Max Evans was home. Nothing else could compare to that headline.

  * * *

  It was late, but several lights were on in the bed-and-breakfast as Max pulled his silver Lexus into the small parking lot on the north side of the massive house. The Lumberjacks had beat the reigning state champions, the Plainview Pioneers, in a close game and he was both exhausted and energized. He’d almost forgotten what it was like on a high school football field. It didn’t match the size or magnitude of a professional stadium, but there was something extra special about an outdoor field under the brilliant lights, and a crowd full of mothers and fathers, grandparents, neighbors and friends cheering on their favorite player.

  Max got out of his car and went around to pull out his duffel bag and clipboard. There were six other cars in the parking lot, probably belonging to their guests. Thankfully, the back stairs led all the way to the third floor so he wouldn’t have to interact with strangers. That was Piper’s job, and given her friendly, outgoing personality, she was the perfect person for the task.

  His phone was on vibrate, but he could feel it ringing in his back pocket. After he set the duffel bag on the back steps, he pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen. Tom Sutton?

  Max frowned. Why would his ex-girlfriend’s father be calling him? He’d dated Margo Sutton for about six months before he’d decided to retire from the NFL. Her father, Tom Sutton, was the head coach of the Mid-State California Trailblazers. Max had been a big fan and had met Tom through some mutual friends. Tom, in turn, had introduced him to his daughter, Margo. At the time, Margo had been the reigning Miss California, but when her reign had ended, they had started to date—at least, until he’d decided to leave the NFL. Within a couple of days of Max’s retirement, she’d broken their relationship with no explanations, but Max didn’t need any. Without his status, she wasn’t interested, and the truth was, he wasn’t heartbroken. He’d been close to breaking it off with her, too.

  But why would her dad be calling?

  Tapping the green icon, Max brought the phone up to his ear. “Hello?”

  “Max? Tom Sutton here. Have I caught you at a good time?”

  Max was standing in the dark, outside the bed-and-breakfast. What better time to talk to the head coach of one of the most successful college football teams?

  “This is a great time. What can I do for you?”

  “I called to offer you a job.”

  The frank, no-nonsense statement made Max take a seat on the steps. “What kind of a job were you thinking?”

  “I’m looking for a talent scout and you came to mind. I remember several conversations with you regarding other players, both at college and professional levels. You have a good eye and I could use you on my staff. I’d like to give you a shot.”

  Max stared out at the dark yard beyond the small parking lot. A soft light glowed from the streetlamp at the intersection of Third Street and Second Avenue, and he could see the blue light of a television in a neighbor’s home across the street.

  “Max?” Mr. Sutton asked. “What do you think? How soon could you be here?”

  Max could no longer sit, so he stood and began to pace, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “I just started a new coaching job today and I’m committed until the end of October, possibly November if the team goes to state.”

  “State? Are you coaching a high school team?” The incredulity in Mr. Sutton’s voice grated on Max’s nerves. “You’re better than that, Evans.”

  Max stopped pacing and shook his head. There was no shame in coaching a high school team, especially when it was his hometown’s. “My kid brother is a senior this year and the team needed a coach.” He didn’t add that he had blown the town’s only opportunity for a state title ten years ago and he’d come back to redeem that mistake.

  “That’s a noble cause.” There was a newfound measure of respect in Mr. Sutton’s voice. “I had hoped to get you here sooner than that, but I can give you until Thanksgiving—for your hometown’s sake. That is, if you want to come.”

  Max wasn’t sure what he wanted. Seeing Piper again, being back in Timber Falls, where life used to be simple and where people actually cared about him, was really nice. But how long could he stay? Would he be content owning a bed-and-breakfast and coaching the football team three or four months out of the year? What would he do with the rest of his year? He had enough money to be comfortable, especially living in Timber Falls, but he wasn’t opposed to making more.

  “It’s an honor to be asked,” Max acknowledged. “But it’s a big decision and I’d need some time.”

  Mr. Sutton was quiet for a moment. “If this has something to do with Margo, you don’t need to worr—”

  “No. It doesn’t.”

  “Good, because I try to keep my personal life and my professional life separate and I ask that of my staff, as well.”

  “Of course.”

  “I need to find a scout, but I’ve got some time before the position needs to be filled. Let’s talk again in a couple months. How’s that?”

  “Good. Thank you.”

  “Wonderful. We’ll talk then.” Mr. Sutton hung up the phone.

  Max pulled his phone away from his ear and let out a deep breath. He hadn’t expected a job offer from anyone after his retirement, least of all Tom Sutton. The job would be a good fit and it would be a way for Max to keep a pulse on the industry if he wanted to stay involved. But did he?

  Picking up the duffel bag and clipboard, he walked up the short flight of stairs to the back door and into the rear entry. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the offer. It was almost too good to be true—an opportunity anyone would be glad to take. But he had just wrapped his mind around being back in Timber Falls—and, truth be told, he was happy to be here. Happier than he’d been in a long time. And the prospect of reconciling with Piper, even if it just meant they could be friends again, was worth giving up a job in California.

  But would it be necessary? Could he have both?

  It was dark, so he flipped on a light and would have continued up to the apartment if the smell of marinara hadn’t been wafting out of the kitchen. He hadn’t taken time to eat supper and his stomach growled in protest.

  “May I come in?” he asked with a light knock on the door.

  “Come in,” Piper called to him. “You don’t need to knock every time you want to enter.”

  He pushed open the door and found Piper at the sink washing a large pot. “I feel like I’m invading your privacy if I just barge in here.”

  “This is a communal living space,” she said as she rinsed the pot. “You’re free to come and go as you’d like.”

  “Thank you.” He set his clipboard on his duffel bag and left them by the door.

  “How was the game?” she asked.

  “It was tight, but we pulled out a win in the last quarter.” He tugged at the hem of his long-sleeved shirt which sported the school’s logo, two loggers’ crosscut saws forming an X. “It felt good to be a Lumberjack again.”

  “Congratulations.” She took a pan and set it in the soapy water. Next to her on the counter was a pile of platters, pitchers and various other dishes. Before tackling the pan, she stretched her back and winced.

  “Shouldn’t Mrs. Anderson be helpi
ng?” he asked.

  “She got called away. Her granddaughter fell off a slide and broke her wrist, so Mrs. Anderson is at her son’s house babysitting the other grandkids while her son and daughter-in-law are at the hospital.”

  “Ouch. I hope it’s not too serious.”

  “Sounds like they’ll have to place some pins.” Piper used her shoulder to push some hair off her face. She looked pretty in a pair of black leggings, an airy cream-colored tank top and a pair of red shoes, which she’d kicked off to the side. “Hopefully she’ll be home later tonight.”

  “Can I help you with those?” He couldn’t just sit back and watch her work.

  “I wouldn’t mind some help.” She nodded toward a dish towel lying on the counter. “If you could dry the dishes—”

  “How about I wash and you dry, since you know where everything belongs.”

  Piper nodded and took her hands out of the soapy water. She dried them on the apron she wore. It was tied in such a way that it emphasized her baby bump. She had to be the cutest pregnant lady he’d ever seen. It suited her well. As an only child, with no mother since the age of nine, Piper had often talked about having a lot of children one day. She had always envied large, loving families, and told Max on several occasions that she would have her own someday.

  When they’d been dating, he fully expected those children to also be his, and he’d wanted them as much as her. There was something profound about the idea of bringing a child into the world—one that was part of him and her. After she married Nick, he’d expected them to have a whole household of little ones by now. A part of him wanted to ask why she didn’t, but he knew it wasn’t any of his business.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, instead.

  She glanced at him as she took the dish towel in hand. “My feet and back are a little sore, but I’ll be fine.”