Not This Time

by Leah Atwood

  Drew winked, taking the comment with grace. “Better late than never.”

  “Congratulations.” Breaking way, Aunt Sally returned to her tea, still smiling. “A perfect end to a perfect day.”

  “We have to go to Dena’s now. Drew’s parents came early, and we’re going to tell them now.”

  “Enjoy yourselves. This old lady is having her tea, then heading to bed.”

  “Love you, Aunt Sally.” Amie wrapped her in a brief hug. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Once in the car again, Drew let out a long breath. “That went well.”

  “You were nervous?”

  “I’ve always respected your aunt, thought of her as another grandmother. Her opinion means a lot to me.”

  “She adores you too, in case you haven’t noticed.” She laughed, giving a mischievous grin. “Why, I’ll never know.”

  “Funny.”

  “Do you mind if I call my parents before we go meet yours? I don’t want them to be the last to know.”

  “Go ahead. Do you want me to step out and give you privacy?”

  She appreciated the thought but needed his presence. “Stay.”

  Her hands shook as she dialed her parents’ number. They knew she’d been seeing Drew—she hadn’t hidden their relationship. Though they wanted the best for her, she suspected they’d be concerned with the speed at which the relationship progressed, especially on the heels of a broken engagement. Unlike Drew’s parents, hers had dated for three years before her father proposed, and then hadn’t married for another two.

  Their support was important. She understood the potential concerns, but she also knew her heart. The phone rang. Her heart thudded, anticipating her parents’ reaction. Please let them be happy for me.

  Mom answered on the third ring. “I was about to call you.”

  “Oh? Any particular reason?” She’d learned a long time ago her mother had an uncanny intuition.

  “A gut feeling all day told me I need to call you, and it changed all day. I couldn’t tell if you needed to talk, or had news to share.” Her mom cleared her throat. “I wanted to call earlier, but the dress rehearsal at church for the children’s play took all afternoon.”

  Amie coughed. Her mother’s intuition struck again and knew there’d been ups and downs to her day. “Drew and I are getting married.”

  “That’s great, honey. He was a good boy, and from all you’ve told me, he has grown into a fine young man.”

  Her eager response pleased Amie, but it was almost too easy. “You don’t think we’ve moved too fast?”

  A sigh seeped through the line. “I confess, I had my doubts at first, but I’ve had a week to think about it, and I know you and Drew love each other. You’ve known each other practically your whole lives, so it’s not like you started from scratch.”

  “That means a lot to me, Mom.” Wait a minute. Did Mom say she had a week to think about it? “What did you have a week to think about?”

  “Oh honey, Drew called your father last week to ask his blessing. He won your father over that night.”

  She spun her head to Drew. Silently she asked, “You called my dad?”

  Shrugging, he wore a smug grin and was entirely too proud of himself.

  “Thank you.”

  “What did you say?”

  For a second she’d forgotten she still had her mom on the line. “Sorry, Mom, I was telling Drew something.”

  “When will we get to you see you again? Dad and I miss you.”

  “We’ll plan a trip for next month. I’ll have to come home for an extended visit to clean out my storage unit and get my affairs in order.” Reality hit her at that moment. She was moving to Jasper Lake permanently, leaving behind her life in Charlotte. She’d miss her family terribly, but she’d have family here, as well. Aunt Sally, Dena, even Clint.

  Most importantly, Drew.

  “Have you set a date yet?”

  “No, but you’ll be the first to know once we do.” The prospect of planning another wedding overwhelmed her, and she chose not to think about it tonight. For now, she’d bask in the joy of being newly engaged.

  Her mom made a sound, suspiciously like a sniffle. “I’m sure you have lots to do and discuss with Drew, so I won’t keep you any longer, but keep me updated. Love you.”

  “Love you too, Mom.” The line disconnected, and Amie turned to Drew again. “That went better than I expected.”

  “I knew it would.” If his self-satisfied smile weren't so handsome, she’d wipe it off his face.

  “You could have told me they already knew.”

  “And ruin the surprise?”

  “Regardless, thank you for talking to my dad first.” High emotions made her teary-eyed. “I know a lot of people consider it an outdated tradition, but it means a lot to me.”

  “Hey, no crying now.” His voice dropped low and husky. “You’ll give my parents the impression I’m forcing you into marriage.”

  She laughed through tears, causing a breathless rasp. “No one could ever think that.”

  “I was only teasing.” He patted her knee. “Ready for my family?”

  Sucking in a deep breath, she nodded.

  Dena and Clint’s house was a log cabin in the woods, several miles from the lake. Only a sliver of a moon hung in the sky. Trees blocked what little light it provided. Light lined the driveway, guiding them to the house.

  Butterflies continued to dance, and she reached for Drew. With him firmly holding her hand, the strength of his support gave her the courage to face anything that crossed their path.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Drew hummed happily while he ripped the rotted wood from the frame. He’s chosen that project to tackle first since it would make the first impression for a client coming through the back door. Once he completed this repair, he’d work on the rear and front overhangs, which both had rotted as well.

  The interior structure of the building was solid, but he’d replace the carpet with hardwood floor and accent rugs. He’d have to hire a plumber to fix the bathroom—that was out of his area of expertise—but he had two companies coming tomorrow for quotes.

  When he removed the last of the doorframe, he poked around behind where the wood had been, relieved to discover there was no further damage. He prepped the area and his supplies to hang the new door jambs and casing. Searching through his gear, he couldn’t find the box of nails he’d bought that morning at the hardware store.

  He went inside, dug through the bag he’d set aside for later. The nails were there, and he grabbed the box to head outside again.

  Someone knocked at the rear door, er, wall. It couldn’t be Amie—she’d gone with Dena to Farthington for the day. Probably a curious citizen who wanted to see what he’d done with the place so far. They’d be sorely disappointed, as he’d done little so far.

  “Hello.”

  He recognized that voice. Would know it anywhere. The owner of the voice made him want to run out the front door and escape, rather than deal with her.

  “Anyone here?” Footsteps bounced closer.

  Oh no, she didn’t, but she would. Claire Matthews didn’t possess a single scruple, didn’t believe in following rules. Not to say she didn’t believe in them, but she thought herself exempt. Narcissistic as they come. Claire did what Claire wanted, and only if it would benefit her.

  Unfortunately for him, he’d been blinded by her svelte looks and the disguise she wore every day, one of a hard worker bent on making a name for herself through long hours and relentless study.

  Too bad he didn’t learn of her true character until after he’d already proposed.

  Stiffening his back, he braced himself for her unwanted intrusion into his life. They’d had a deal, and her presence broke their bargain. Surprise, surprise. No good could come from whatever brought her to Jasper Lake. He didn’t want to know the reason, didn’t care, wasn’t even a tad curious.

  The floor creaked under her feet, an indicator of the fl
oor’s state, not Claire’s weight. She was a perfect size two—he only knew because she constantly worried about gaining weight and moving up to a size four. Women’s clothing meant little to him, he had no idea how sizes were determined. Looking back, her obsession with weight should have clued him into her self-absorbed personality, but at the time, he’d simply, though erroneously, thought her health conscious.

  She came into view, a fake smile plastered on her face. Cool as ice, no emotion in her eyes. She’d perfected the art of neutrality and controlling her facial expressions.

  Arms crossed rigidly over his chest, he glared at her. “What are you doing here, Claire?”

  “Is that any way to greet your fiancé?” Sidling up to him, she purred and ran a manicured hand down his arm.

  Disgusted chills manifested at her touch, and he slouched away from her. “Ex-fiancé.”

  “Are you still upset over the little incident?” She reached for him again, and once more, he slithered from her contact.

  He snorted. “The little incident? You cheated on me with our boss.”

  “It was for our own good, Drew darling.”

  Outrage boiled his blood. “Your own good.”

  “One of us had to make partner, and Grant was about to choose Ethan. I did what anyone would do.”

  Unbelievable. “I don’t know where to begin addressing all the things wrong with what you just said.”

  “Darling, once I made partner, I would have had the power to bring you in next. Don’t you see?”

  “No, I don’t.” A deep breath didn’t produce the results he’d hoped for. “Cut to the chase and tell me why you’re here.”

  “I miss you.” Batting her eyes, she produced tears he was certain were fake. “When you left Manhattan, I thought you’d pout for a week for two, then come home.”

  Her words were so close to Grant’s, he wondered if they’d planned a scheme together. They refused to accept that he’d left for good. “I am home.”

  “You’re too smart to stay in this hick town.” She gestured around the room. “You can’t honestly tell me you prefer this hovel over the luxury office suite you left, can you?”

  He accepted her challenge, pinning her with his gaze. “Yes, I can. This is the life I want, where I’m happy and satisfied.”

  “I could satisfy you.” She leaned forward in a seductive pose.

  Averting his gaze from the low cut, not-fully-buttoned, blouse, he felt his skin crawl. “You need to leave, Claire. There’s nothing further for us to discuss.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.”

  Sure enough, she was up to something. He didn’t want to know but assumed at this point he didn’t have a choice. When a snake attacked, it was best to know its game. His skin went cold, but he didn’t allow his distaste to show. “You have five minutes to talk before I call the sheriff on you for trespassing.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Dare me.”

  For the first time, her composure faltered. She blinked twice before replacing the ice mask. “There’s a slight problem.”

  He waved a hand with indifference. “Not for me.”

  “Actually, yes.”

  An exasperated sigh pushed out between clenched teeth. “What is it?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  The news should have made him angry, but it evoked no emotions from him. “Grant’s the father, I presume?”

  “No.”

  “Then my congrats to whoever it is.”

  She tossed long brown lock behind her shoulder. “It’s yours.”

  A coughing fit brought on by the outlandishness of her accusation rendered him speechless. Finally, he found his voice. “You and I both know that’s not possible.”

  “But no one will doubt me when I tell them you’re the father.” A thinly veiled evil leer eliminated all of her physical beauty. “Think of the headlines and the damage to your reputation. Star attorney on the rise jilts his pregnant fiancée.”

  “A DNA test will prove the truth. Just try to blackmail me with lies and see what happens.” He had to get some fresh air—being in the same room as Claire polluted everything.

  Crooking a finger, she hooked it under his chin. “You’re an honorable man, Drew, and that’s quite a liability in our world. However, this time, it works in my favor because you made a deal and you’re too noble to break it.”

  Wrapping his hand around her wrist, he made a point of removing her finger. “I have my limits, and you've pushed them. I don’t wish you harm, no matter what you did to me, which is the only reason I allowed people to think I left you at the altar. But in exchange for taking the fall, you were not to contact me and were to leave me alone. So the way I see it, you’re under breach of contract.”

  “Except there’s no legal document, thus no legal contract.”

  “Even more reason why I shouldn’t hide the truth anymore.” A smug smile of his own appeared. “And you forget one important fact. I don’t care what anyone in Manhattan thinks of me. Anyone who knows me knows my character and the actions which validate it. Those who matter would never believe you.”

  Claire’s façade broke. “Nothing I do or say will dissuade you, will it?”

  “No.” Seeing real emotion coming from her softened his heart, but only a smidgen. “I’m happy here. I’ve started over with my life and have met someone. We’re engaged, and I won’t let you come between Amie and me.”

  “But…but we only broke up two months ago. How could you have met someone already?”

  “That’s none of your concern. I’ll ask you nicely one more time to leave.”

  Tears, genuine ones this time, glistened in her eyes. “The baby is Grant’s. He doesn’t believe me and wants nothing to do with the child.”

  Why was she telling him this? He was out of his element, had no idea what to tell her. “You’re a strong woman. If Grant doesn’t come around, you’ll survive on your own as a single mom.”

  “I’m scared.” Her sad, mocking laugh echoed eerily in the office. “For the first time in my life, I’m petrified and in a situation I can’t control. I thought of getting rid of the baby, but I can’t. There’s a life inside me that I created, and I can’t ignore that.”

  Her honesty threw him off guard, yet touched the humanity in him. “I’ll pray for you. I know you don’t believe in God, but He’s real and can walk with you through this time.”

  “I envy you your faith. I’ve tried to find God, but never could believe in Him.” She blinked away tears. “And after all I’ve done, I doubt He’d want me, anyway.”

  “That’s not true. Anyone can be forgiven if they only believe in Him and ask.”

  “Maybe one day.” Claire tapped her nails against each other in a nervous gesture. “I should go.”

  He grabbed the receipt from the hardware store and scribbled a number on the back. “If you ever need anything, or want to know more about God, here’s the number for the pastor from my Manhattan church.”

  She hesitated to take the paper, but ultimately accepted it and folded it into her wallet. “Thank you.” Her throat constricted. “Amie is a lucky woman. You deserve a lifetime of happiness.”

  “I’m the lucky one.” He cleared his throat. “Goodbye, Claire.”

  “Goodbye.”

  The finality of the moment left a strange feeling in him. Claire had been an important part of his life, and while all romantic notions had long disappeared, he now saw her as a lost soul. He couldn’t be a part of her life due to all that had transpired between them, but he couldn’t dismiss her searching, though she hadn’t realized yet that’s what she was doing. He hadn’t even seen it until today. Go figure, after all they’d been through, he just now saw a side of her which he previously didn’t know existed.

  He craved a conversation with Amie, wanted her beside him. Tonight, once she came home from Farthington, he’d come clean, tell her everything about Claire. After the ordeal with his ex, he fell in love with Amie that much m
ore, which he didn’t think possible.

  “Drew.” Claire’s pained scream rang from the back door. “Help.”

  He sprinted down the hallway to see her hunched against a wall, grasping her stomach. “What is it?”

  “Something’s wrong. It hurts.” She gasped for air. “Bad.”

  “We need to get you to the doctor.”

  He called Doctor Frances, Jasper Lake’s only physician, but a recorded message on his voicemail said he was on house calls and wouldn’t be back to the office until four. Drew checked his watch. The way Claire moaned with pain couldn’t be faked. Two hours was too long to wait. He’d have to drive her to the emergency room in Farthington. Twice in a summer was twice too many. He prayed this would be the last trip there.

  “Can you walk?”

  She took a step and stumbled. Her condition was too severe to make it on her own.

  He slipped an arm under hers and helped her to his truck. She couldn’t climb into the truck. To his dismay, he had to lift her up. Even in her condition, the contact felt unnatural.

  Tears poured down Claire’s face. “I’m losing the baby, I know it. Punishment for how I’ve lived my life.”

  “That’s not how life works. I don’t claim to know anything about pregnancy, but I know you have to stay calm and strong.”

  “I want this baby. I can’t lose it.”

  “How far along are you?” If he could keep her talking, maybe it would calm her.

  “Fifteen weeks.”

  It was a good thing he was driving or else he would have stared at her stomach. He knew enough to know most women showed by that point in their pregnancy. Focusing on the road, he edged out the doubt that she was really pregnant. An hour ago he would have believed that, but she’d displayed a human side of her he hadn’t known existed.

  “Do you want a boy or girl?”

  “Either, as long as it’s healthy.”

  When he saw the pained look on her face, he realized asking questions about the baby wasn’t a wise idea. If she was losing the baby, and he prayed she wasn’t, his questions only made it more difficult. “How’s your mother?”