A Home for Her Baby

by Gabrielle Meyer

  He set his duffel bag down in the back entry, smiling at the reminder of his conversation with Tad, and took his Lumberjacks jacket off the back hook. He had to meet the team bus in the parking lot in less than fifteen minutes for their two-hour drive to Minneapolis, but it would take only a couple minutes to drive to the high school. He had enough time to pop into the kitchen, grab something to eat, fill up a mug with some of Mrs. Anderson’s coffee and get a glimpse of Piper—which was the real reason he opened the door into the private living space at the back of the main floor.

  When he had come home from dropping Tad off last night, he had hoped she’d still be awake so he could talk to her. But she had already been in bed and the last thing he wanted to do was wake her up. What he had to say could wait for morning, but now that morning had come, he couldn’t wait another minute.

  “Good morning,” he said when he saw Mrs. Anderson lifting a tray of steaming muffins off the counter.

  “Morning, Max.” She walked to the swinging door leading into the dining room and started to back through it. “Grab something to eat.” She disappeared into the dining room, clearly busy.

  Max glanced around the space, but didn’t see Piper. Disappointment flogged him as he walked to the counter. He wanted to say goodbye to her before he left. They both had a big day, and though there was little he could do to help her with the Custer wedding, he still wanted to make sure she knew he’d be thinking about her.

  He also wanted to ask her if she’d go out with him to celebrate tomorrow, because one way or the other, they’d both have a lot to be thankful for. But more than that, he wanted to tell her what he should have told her a long time ago.

  He loved her—and it wasn’t until he’d talked to Tad that he realized he needed to tell her. He couldn’t just assume she knew. Even if she still sent him away, at least then he could go knowing he’d done everything he could.

  A movement in the alcove under the stairs caught his eye and he turned to find Piper sitting at her desk.

  “Hey,” he said, his heart warming at the sight of her.

  “Morning,” she said with a sad smile on her lips. She looked amazing in a pair of tight black pants and a stylish steel-gray long-sleeved shirt that was fancy, yet functional. Her hair was styled up in an elegant twist and she wore a pair of black flats. Her pregnancy made her look prettier than ever, but it was his love for her that made her the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

  She took his breath away.

  But the sadness in her eyes and the way she winced when she stood made his smile fall. “What’s wrong, Piper?”

  “I’m just sore and tired.”

  He wanted to pull her into his arms and spend the day pampering her, but it would have to wait.

  Telling her how he felt didn’t have to wait—but did he want to tell her here, in the middle of the kitchen, with the chance that Mrs. Anderson might walk in at any minute? No. Piper deserved so much more than a rushed declaration in a busy house.

  “I have to meet the bus soon,” Max said, “but I was wondering if you and I can go somewhere tomorrow evening. Just the two of us. I’d like to celebrate—no matter what happens today—and—” he took a deep breath “—I’d like to talk to you about a few things.”

  Piper worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she studied him, hope and uncertainty waging a war in her gaze. “Where would you like to go?”

  A smile tugged up the corners of his mouth. “I thought maybe we could eat at Ruby’s Bistro and then take a walk in the park along the river.” It had been one of their favorite dates in high school. They’d felt so grown-up making reservations at Ruby’s and then taking their time strolling along the lamp-lit path in the park, hand in hand. Piper had often said the park was her favorite place in Timber Falls and there was a bench near the waterfalls that gave the town its name that she had claimed as their bench.

  “It might be cold,” she said.

  “I’ll bring a blanket to keep us warm and a large thermos full of hot chocolate.”

  She didn’t answer him for what seemed like an eternity, but finally she nodded. “I’d like that, Max.”

  He couldn’t hide his grin and was already imagining cuddling up under that blanket with her, admiring the stars, as he told her what was in his heart.

  “I’m sorry I have to run,” he said. “The bus will leave the parking lot whether I’m on it or not.” He grabbed a travel mug and poured some coffee into it.

  “Here,” she said as she went to the counter and took a hot muffin off the cooling rack. “Don’t forget to grab something to eat.”

  “Thanks.” He took it from her and had to resist the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her, right then and there.

  “I’ll walk you out,” she said, surprising him.

  He led the way to the back entry and she opened the door for him, since his hands were full. She also picked up his duffel bag. “What do you have in here?” she asked as she hefted the strap over her shoulder.

  “Let me take that,” he said.

  “I’ve got it.” She laughed as she opened the outside door and they walked toward his car.

  His keys were in his jacket pocket, so he set his mug on the roof of his car to grab them.

  “Nervous for today?” she asked him.

  He shook his head. “Just excited. I wish my dad could be here to see Tad. My mom’s driving down separately.”

  A black Porsche pulled up to the bed-and-breakfast and came to a stop near the parking area.

  Max and Piper both turned to look—and Max’s heart fell.

  Margo.

  She stepped out of the Porsche in a pair of black heels, her slender body clothed in tight jeans rolled at the ankles, and a long sleek jacket. She wore her blond hair in a high pony and had on a pair of dark black sunglasses. She’d come by her title as Miss California effortlessly as she carried herself like she was always on display. It was one of the reasons Max was happy to end it with her. He had never felt like he knew the real Margo Sutton. What he saw was what she wanted him to see—perfection. It was impossible to live up to and even more impossible to emulate.

  And she liked it that way.

  “Max!” Her smile was as dazzling as it had been when she competed in her pageants.

  Piper watched Margo, almost as if she was in a trance, her mouth slightly ajar.

  Margo pulled her sunglasses off as she walked right up to Max, her stride making her look like she was on a runway, and gave him a kiss on the lips. “Hello, handsome.”

  “Margo.” He shook his head, horrified that she’d come all the way from California without giving him a warning—and more horrified that she’d take the liberty to kiss him in front of Piper. “What are you doing here?”

  “What kind of a greeting is that?” Margo asked in a wounded tone. “I’ve missed you.”

  She glanced over at Piper, her large, sky blue eyes slowly traveling over Piper from her toes up to her face. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” she asked Max.

  Max shook his head, as if trying to clear out all the confusion. “Margo, this is Piper Pierson—Connelly,” he added, almost as an afterthought. “She—” he paused. How did he explain who Piper was? His friend, his ex-girlfriend, his business partner, his employee? The woman he’d loved for most of his life? “She and I have been friends since we were kids.”

  Margo lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow. “How do you do?” Margo asked.

  “And, Piper, this is Margo Sutton.”

  “Max’s girlfriend,” Margo said, offering Piper her hand.

  Piper didn’t take Margo’s hand, but looked at Max, her eyes filled with questions and hurt.

  Max shook his head to deny Margo’s claims. “We broke up before I came,” he said to Piper.

  “We took a ‘break,’” Margo corrected,
using her fingers to make air quotes as she rolled her eyes playfully and wrapped her arm around Max’s. “But I decided I wasn’t going to let our break get in the way of coming to Minnesota to support you. Daddy told me your team was going to the playoffs, so I thought I should come and cheer you on.”

  “How did he know?” Max hadn’t taken the time to call Mr. Sutton yet, holding out hope that he’d have a reason to stay in Timber Falls.

  “He knows everything, Maxwell.” Margo smiled at Piper, who was still holding Max’s heavy duffel bag—not saying a word.

  Max slid his arm loose from Margo and took the bag from Piper.

  His phone rang and he knew it would be his assistant coach, wondering where he was. The bus would need to leave if the team wanted to get to the stadium on time.

  “I need to go,” he said, wishing he could stay and explain things to Piper. “The team is waiting for me.”

  “I can drive you wherever you need to go,” Margo said.

  “We’re heading to Minneapolis.” Max opened his car door to shove his duffel bag inside.

  “I just came from the Minneapolis airport,” Margo said on an impatient huff. “But I can drive you back.”

  “I need to be with my team.”

  “What am I supposed to do?” Margo asked.

  Max shrugged, his stress level rising with each beat of his heart. Piper looked so hurt and confused. She started to take a step backward toward the house. He couldn’t let her go without convincing her Margo wasn’t his girlfriend.

  “Let me drive you,” Margo said, sidling up to Max as if Piper wasn’t standing there. “I’ll drop you off at the stadium and that’ll give us time to talk.”

  “I can’t, Margo.”

  “Max.” She put her hands on her hips. “I came all this way and you’re going to abandon me? I just want to talk and tell you what Daddy has said about the job. It’s really exciting. He has big plans for you.”

  Max’s phone continued to ring, so he pulled it out of his pocket and answered. It was Greg, his assistant coach.

  “Where are you, Max? We need to get going.”

  “I’m sorry, Greg. Something came up. Do you mind meeting me at the stadium?”

  Greg was silent for a second, but then he said, “Sure. I’ll plan to see you there.”

  “Thanks.” It wasn’t how Max envisioned his day starting, but the sooner he could talk to Margo, the sooner he could send her back to California.

  Margo grinned at him. “Let’s take the rental.” She motioned toward the Porsche. “Isn’t that better than riding on the stinky bus?” She started walking back to her car.

  Max grabbed his duffel bag, shut the car door and took the mug of coffee off the top of his Lexus. He still held the muffin, but it was now crumbled in his clenched hand.

  “Piper.” He shook his head, wishing he had time to explain. “It’s not what you think, please believe me. I’ll explain it all when I come home.”

  “You don’t have anything to explain, Max.” She lifted her shoulders, pain in her gaze. “I hope everything goes well for you today.”

  She turned and headed back toward the bed-and-breakfast.

  “Piper!” he called to her, but he didn’t have time to chase her.

  * * *

  Piper walked into the bed-and-breakfast, unable to catch her breath. The Porsche pulled away from the house with a squeal and Piper couldn’t help but wonder what Max wasn’t telling her. A woman didn’t just fly across the country on a whim to “support” an ex-boyfriend unless there was something else going on between them. Were they still a couple? Had Max been lying to her?

  Anger and hurt mingled in her chest and she pressed herself against the closed door. Max had looked cornered—trapped—caught. And now he was in a vehicle with Margo Sutton, heading to Minneapolis. What would they talk about? What plans did her father have?

  Piper forced herself to calm down. This was what she wanted, wasn’t it? An opportunity for Max to succeed.

  But why did Margo have to look so amazing and svelte when Piper felt like an overinflated balloon?

  “What’s wrong, Piper?” Mrs. Anderson asked when she walked into the room. She set down an empty juice carafe and rushed over to Piper. “Is it the baby?”

  “No.” Piper shook her head. She was being silly—she was just shocked, that was all. Max didn’t owe her any explanation.

  So then why did it hurt so much to see him with Margo?

  “I need to get to the ballroom,” Piper said, straightening to her full height and running her hands over her hair. “The florist should be there with the flowers and I need to make sure they’re set out according to plan.”

  “Take a minute to sit down and tell me what’s going on,” Mrs. Anderson said. “You’re as white as a bedsheet.”

  Piper put her hand up to her face. Her fingers were trembling and her brow felt warm.

  “Maybe I will sit down.” As she moved from the door to the chair, the first contraction squeezed across her abdomen and took her breath away.

  “What’s wrong?” Mrs. Anderson asked.

  The pain was so intense, Piper couldn’t speak. She bent forward and gasped.

  “I’m taking you to the hospital,” Mrs. Anderson said.

  “But it’s too early,” Piper said between clenched teeth. The pain soon subsided, but she was still weak and shaky.

  “I don’t care. Something’s not right, Piper.”

  “You can’t leave. We have guests.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “And I need to get to the ballroom.”

  “It will all have to wait.”

  Piper wouldn’t risk her baby’s life for anything, so she nodded. “But let me call Mrs. Evans,” Piper said. “She can be here in five minutes and take me to the hospital. We can’t both leave the house with all these guests.”

  Mrs. Anderson squinted her eyes in thought, and then nodded. “Fine. I’ll call her.”

  As she pulled out her cell phone, another contraction came on and Piper pressed her eyes closed, trying not to whimper. “Please,” she prayed silently to God. “Please keep my baby safe.”

  Less than five minutes later, Mrs. Evans arrived in a whirlwind of concern. With barely a word, she whisked Piper away from the house. Thankfully, Mrs. Anderson had been able to throw a few essential items into a bag for Piper, in case the baby wanted to be born early.

  All the way to the hospital, Mrs. Evans peppered her with questions, asking how far apart the contractions were, what she’d had to eat that morning and so on. “I’ll call Max as soon as we get you checked into the hospital,” she said. “He’ll want to know what’s happening.”

  At the mention of Max, Piper started to cry. She wanted him by her side more than anything, but he was currently on his way to Minneapolis with another woman.

  When they reached the hospital, Piper was immediately brought back to the ER where a flurry of nurses took her vital signs, asked dozens of questions and set her up on a fetal monitor. Dr. Meeker was paged at the clinic and Piper was left with Mrs. Evans to wait.

  “I can’t get ahold of Max,” Mrs. Evans said as she walked into the room where Piper was lying. It was a stark environment, with fluorescent lights and a strange, chemical smell. Her blood pressure was high, but the nurse said that was to be expected with all the commotion. It wasn’t high enough to worry them—yet.

  “I called Tad, but he said Max isn’t on the bus with them.” Mrs. Evan’s eyes—so much like Max’s—were filled with worry.

  “He’s driving to Minneapolis with Margo Sutton.”

  Mrs. Evans’s mouth thinned into a straight line. “Margo’s back in his life?”

  “She showed up unexpectedly, so he got into her car.”

  Mrs. Evans took a deep breath before she said, “He must have turned off his ringer, b
ecause he’s not answering.”

  Another contraction wrapped around Piper’s middle and she had to close her eyes to block out the harsh lights.

  Mrs. Evans was at her side, rubbing her arm and speaking calm words to her. Piper thanked God Max’s mom was there. When it had really mattered, Mrs. Evans had always been a second mother to her, just like now.

  “Thank you,” she whispered to Mrs. Evans when the contraction passed. “I know you planned to be on your way to Minneapolis right now—”

  Dr. Meeker came around the corner, her white coat flapping as she rushed to Piper’s side, her face drawn. “It looks like you’ll be getting that trip to Minneapolis, after all,” she said to Piper and Mrs. Evans. “I don’t like what I’m seeing on the fetal monitor, Piper.” Her voice was calm, but serious. “You’re only thirty-five and a half weeks along. We consider a baby preterm if they come before thirty-seven weeks, which puts you and the baby at high risk. Your body is in labor, and given all the information my associate was able to attain, I don’t think we can stop it. We don’t have a neonatal intensive care unit here in Timber Falls, so I’m having you airlifted to Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. You can deliver there and the baby will be taken care of by world-class physicians.” She studied Piper. “Are you okay with that plan?”

  Tears gathered in Piper’s eyes, but she nodded. “Whatever I need to do for the baby.”

  Dr. Meeker nodded and patted Piper’s shoulder. “I’ve already ordered the medicopter. It should be here within a half an hour.” She glanced at Mrs. Evans and then back to Piper. “You may take one guest with you—” She was stopped by a nurse needing more information for the air ambulance team. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to give you more information,” Dr. Meeker said. “Try not to worry, Piper. We’ll make sure you and the baby have everything you need to be safe and healthy.”

  Piper nodded as she watched her doctor slip out of the room. Her gaze then landed on Mrs. Evans and tears streaked down Piper’s face. “I’m so sorry,” Piper said. “I know you wanted to be with Tad and Max today.”