Colton's Covert Baby

by Lara Lacombe

  “I missed you,” he said softly.

  “I missed you, too.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if she was confessing something that troubled her.

  He stroked her back, his fingers grazing lightly along the valley of her spine. Gradually, she melted against him.

  “I know it’s been a while,” he said. “But have dinner with me tonight?”

  She tensed slightly. “No.”

  A wave of doubt washed over him. She’d never refused his invitation before. Was there someone else?

  Well, what did you expect? he thought bitterly. It’s been six months. It was only natural Molly had moved on. She was a beautiful woman, and he’d seen the way men looked at her.

  He was so caught up in his thoughts he almost missed her next words. “I can’t tonight.”

  “Tomorrow?” he asked, sounding a little desperate even to his own ears. Or the next night? Or the one after? He was only in town for a week, but if he had to wait until the end of his visit to connect with her again, he would do it without complaint.

  She hesitated, then nodded against his chest. “Tomorrow is fine. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

  “I should have called,” he said. “I meant to let you know I was going to miss my last visit. But I never got around to it.”

  “It’s—” Her words were cut off by a deep rumble Max felt in his bones. He glanced over, expecting to see thunderclouds hovering over the town of Roaring Springs. But the sky was a clear, bright blue.

  The rumble grew louder, turning into a loud roar. He shifted his gaze back to The Lodge, and the sight that greeted him turned his guts to water.

  A massive wall of snow was racing down the mountain, gaining speed as it moved. The tsunami of white rose up, seeming to dwarf the gondola as it hung precariously above the chaos below.

  “Oh, my God.” Molly gripped him so tightly her nails dug into his skin even through the fabric of his sweater.

  The slight stinging pain snapped Max out of his shock. “It’s okay,” he said automatically.

  “How can you say that?” Molly’s voice trembled.

  Because he wanted to protect her. He wanted to stand between her and the wall of snow and ice threatening to bury them.

  But he was powerless against the forces of nature. And they both knew it.

  They held each other, watching in silent horror as the avalanche barreled toward them. It passed underneath the carriage, seemingly with only inches to spare. Molly let out a deep breath, but Max knew they weren’t out of the woods just yet.

  The gondola cables were secured by a series of posts at the bottom of the mountain. If the avalanche destroyed them, well...

  As though his thought had triggered it, the carriage suddenly dropped. It jerked to a hard stop, sending them both to the floor. The force of the impact wrenched Molly from his arms.

  Max landed hard on his shoulder, sending a bolt of pain through the joint. There was a thump from somewhere to his left, and Molly let out a faint cry.

  The sound sent his heart into his throat. “Molly?” He pushed onto his knees, searching for her amid the tangle of chairs and tables strewn across the floor.

  The carriage swung back and forth on its tether in a sickening lurch. “Molly?” he practically yelled her name this time.

  “I’m okay,” she said, though she sounded anything but. He saw movement on the other side of the carriage and began to crawl toward her.

  He found her on her hands and knees, trying to stand. “Stay down,” he commanded, reaching for her. He eased her into a sitting position, ignoring the protests of his shoulder every time he moved.

  Molly touched her head with a grimace. When she lowered her hand, Max saw an angry red mark on her forehead. The area had already begun to swell.

  “You’re not okay,” he said, moving to sit next to her. “Something knocked you on the head.”

  She grabbed his arm, her knuckles going white against the brown of his sweater. “I don’t want to die here, Max.”

  “We won’t.”

  Molly searched his face, her gaze pleading. “You can’t say that for certain.”

  She was right, but he was feeling better about their chances with every second that passed. “We don’t know if the main cable is down, but even if it is, the emergency cable will catch us.” The backup line should be tethered to another set of poles, to maximize the chances it would still continue to function if the main line was compromised. So even if the avalanche had taken out one set of supports, hopefully the other set would remain standing. The fact that they continued to hang in the air made him think the system was working as it should.

  “I hope you’re right,” she said.

  So do I, he thought wryly.

  The rocking motion gradually slowed and Max let out a sigh of relief. It was hard to think when the world was constantly moving. Once the carriage was still, he slowly got to his feet.

  Visibility outside the gondola was bad. The air was filled with a fine powder from all the snow—it was like they were in the middle of a cloud. Gradually, though, some structures could be seen through the haze.

  “The Lodge is still there,” Molly said, her relief plain.

  Max squeezed her hand as he looked down the mountain. “And I can see The Chateau,” he added, referring to the French-inspired luxury hotel at the bottom of the mountain. “The path of the avalanche seems to have angled just enough that the place was spared.” Which hopefully meant the gondola cable supports were safe, as well.

  But just as he began to relax, a sharp crack filled the air. The carriage dropped again, only to jerk to a sudden stop once more. Molly’s cry sounded like a sob, and Max reached for her as the gondola began another stomach-lurching parabola.

  “It’s okay. We’re okay,” he muttered, repeating the words in the hopes of convincing himself as much as Molly.

  “Max, there’s something I need to tell you.”

  The cables groaned under the weight of the carriage as it swung back and forth. Fear gripped Max’s heart in a cold fist, and he fought the urge to panic. He took a deep breath, drawing on his Special Forces training to remain calm.

  Even though there was nothing he could do.

  Or was there? He glanced up, wondering if there was some way they could climb out the top of the carriage. Maybe they could hold on to the cables until rescuers arrived? No, not likely, he thought, dismissing the possibility as he turned his gaze down. Just how far of a drop was it? It looked like soft snow underneath—could they try to jump for it? What were the odds of a safe landing?

  “Max.” Molly’s voice was insistent. He looked back at her, surprised to find her blue eyes full of determination.

  “What is it?” His thoughts continued to whirl. How long until the rescuers would arrive? How much damage had been done by the avalanche, and would the rescuers even be able to reach them soon?

  “I’m pregnant.”

  It took several seconds for her words to sink in. But when he finally registered what she was saying, his heart skipped a beat.

  “What?”

  She smiled nervously. “I’m pregnant,” she repeated. “And it’s yours.”

  Chapter 2

  It took at least twenty minutes for the gondola to stop its violent rocking. The carriage was never fully still—it moved a bit in response to gusts of wind, but at least the roller-coaster ride seemed to have ended.

  Things appeared stable, at least for now. But Molly couldn’t relax. Her heart was racing and her mouth was dry. She focused her gaze on the bottle of water she’d retrieved before the ride had even started—had it really only been half an hour since then? A mere thirty minutes ago, her life had been normal. Now she was stranded in a gondola carriage suspended high above a mountain with the father of her child her only company. Under any other circumstances, Max’s
presence should have been a comfort.

  But thanks to her panicked confession, there was nothing but tension between them.

  Not that he was talking to her. He’d been on the phone, calling everyone he knew in an attempt to get information about the search and rescue effort. He’d finally managed to connect with someone from the fire department. Molly wasn’t able to hear what Blaine was saying, but if Max’s reactions were anything to go by, they shouldn’t be stuck here much longer.

  She reached inside her purse and ran her finger along the edge of her own cell phone. She should call her parents and siblings, let them know she was okay. But she wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, especially not in front of Max. So she typed out a quick text, reassuring her family she was fine. No one knew she was in the gondola, and that was fine by her. Later, when she was back on terra firma, she’d fill them in on all the details.

  Molly slipped the phone back into her purse. Max had ended his call while she’d been texting, and she realized he was looking at her now, watching her with a hint of suspicion.

  She met his gaze, lifting one eyebrow in a silent question.

  “Everything okay?” he asked. His tone was heavy with meaning, but Molly didn’t have the energy or the inclination to puzzle out what he was leaving unsaid.

  “Yes.” She considered telling him who she had contacted, then decided against it. She didn’t owe him any explanations. “What did the fire department have to say?”

  Max sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “The rescue effort is still getting organized. Right now, they’re trying to triage the response. But they know we’re up here, and we’re a high priority. Hopefully, it won’t take long for them to reach us.”

  “Maybe we’ll get lucky,” she murmured. Though given the way her day had gone so far, the odds were not in their favor.

  They were silent for a few moments, staring out opposite windows as though they could pretend to be alone. Finally, Max cleared his throat.

  “So...” he began. “You’re really pregnant?”

  Molly’s first instinct was to fire off a sarcastic response, but she marshaled her self-control. “Yes,” she said simply.

  “And you’re sure the baby is mine?” He winced slightly as he asked the question, as though he knew it was insensitive.

  Molly narrowed her eyes. “I’m certain. Though it’s good to know what you really think of me.”

  “I’m sorry, okay?” Max held up his hands, palms out. “But you can’t blame me for asking. You’re a beautiful woman, Molly. I didn’t expect you to wait for me.”

  If she’d had any doubts about the casual nature of their relationship, his words confirmed it. He thought she had moved on. Was that because he’d done the same? The thought of him with another woman made her heart sink, but she buried the hurt. This conversation was about the baby, nothing more.

  When she didn’t respond, he spoke again. “How far along are you?”

  “About five months.”

  He nodded, digesting this information. After a moment, he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Anger bubbled up inside her. “I tried,” she said, her voice razor-sharp. “I was going to tell you during your next visit, but you never showed up. So I called your office, wanting to know when you’d be coming back. I left several messages with your secretary, and she assured me you had received them.”

  Max went pale as guilt flashed across his face. “I did get them,” he said quietly. “And I meant to call you back. Truly, I did. But things just got—”

  “I get it,” Molly said with forced lightness. “You were busy with your work, and your girlfriend and your dog.” Furbert was Max’s rescue dog and near-constant companion. For a brief second, her mind flashed back to the smudged print on the window of The Lodge, and in that instant she knew exactly where it had come from.

  “It’s not an excuse,” he said. “If I had known it was urgent...” He shook his head. “Well, it doesn’t matter now.”

  Molly noticed he hadn’t refuted the comment about a girlfriend. She hugged herself and shuddered, trying not to let her imagination run wild.

  “Cold?” Max asked, misinterpreting the gesture.

  She shrugged. In point of fact, she was getting cold. The gondola carriage had lost power, and with it, the heater. There was a definite chill in the air, which was only going to get worse as time wore on.

  Max grabbed the hem of his sweater and pulled it over his head, revealing a tight-fitting cream thermal shirt underneath. Molly tried not to notice the way the waffle-weave fabric hugged his muscles, but it was a wasted effort.

  He tried to hand her his sweater. “Put this on,” he instructed.

  Molly shot him a look. “Really? Do you think all of this—” she gestured to her breasts and stomach and hips “—is going to fit in your sweater?”

  Max blushed. “I, uh... Sure.”

  She smiled, amused by his discomfort. “I appreciate the gesture,” she said sincerely. “But I’m fine. You’re better off wearing it.”

  Max studied her for a moment, searching her face for signs of deception. At her nod, he donned his sweater once more. The movement made him wince, though he tried to hide it.

  “Are you hurt?”

  He shrugged, then grunted softly. “I landed wrong on my shoulder. Nothing some ibuprofen and ice won’t fix.”

  “Hmm.” Molly wasn’t convinced his assessment was correct, but she didn’t bother to argue.

  “We should at least sit next to each other to keep warm,” he said. He settled on the floor, then reached for her hand.

  It took a little effort, but Molly managed to lower herself to the floor. She felt about as graceful as an elephant attempting ballet and briefly wondered if things were this bad now, how would she feel at nine months pregnant?

  Once she was on the floor, Max scooted closer until he was sitting next to her with their sides touching. Molly hated to admit it, but she began to feel toastier right away.

  “Is it a boy or a girl?” he asked softly.

  “I don’t know yet,” she said just as quietly. “I was going to find out today. That’s where I was headed—I was supposed to have a scan this afternoon.”

  Max took a deep breath. “I really am sorry. I should have returned your calls.”

  “It’s fine.” She waved away his apology. “You know now. That’s all that matters.”

  He didn’t reply. The temperature continued to drop in the carriage; Molly could see the fog of their breath now.

  “There’s no girlfriend.”

  He spoke so softly, Molly wasn’t sure he’d said anything at all. “What?”

  “There’s no girlfriend,” he repeated, a little louder this time. When she didn’t reply, he continued. “Earlier, you said I must have been busy with work and my dog and a girlfriend. I just wanted you to know, there’s no one waiting for me back home.”

  She turned her head away and smiled, relief warming her from the inside out. It was silly for her to care so much about his relationship status when they had never made any promises to each other. But it was nice to know she hadn’t been replaced quickly.

  Hormones, she thought, mentally shaking her head. Pregnancy had certainly done a number on her emotions.

  She knew his words were an olive branch, so she responded in kind. “It’s the same for me,” she confided. “I haven’t been with anyone else. Just you.”

  Max didn’t reply. He lifted one arm and slowly put it around her, giving her time to reject his touch.

  Molly leaned against him, partly for warmth, partly to enjoy the solid feel of him. She’d spent countless nights lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling as she remembered the time they’d spent together. Their relationship had started out as purely physical, nothing more than a fling. But somewhere along the way, she’d started to fall for the q
uiet ex-soldier.

  And now she was pregnant with his child.

  Her heart ached with the knowledge they would never be a traditional family. He lived in Washington, DC, and she lived in Roaring Springs. But even if they didn’t have a geography problem, there was the small fact that he didn’t love her. Still, Max was a good man, and she knew he would love his baby and do his best to be a devoted father to the little one.

  And as for her? It seemed that Molly would just have to get used to being left out in the cold.

  “How did this happen?” There was no blame in his voice, only curiosity.

  “The usual way,” she replied flatly.

  She felt his eyes on her. “You know what I mean. We were always responsible.”

  “I know.” She sighed. “But you know what they say about life and making plans...”

  It was his turn to sigh. “I wasn’t ready for this.”

  And you think I was? Anger flared at his words. If she didn’t need his body heat, Molly would have pulled away from him then. It wasn’t as though she’d planned on getting pregnant. This baby wasn’t exactly part of her five-year plan, either.

  But even as she silently raged against him, her anger began to fizzle. She’d had five months to process the shock from seeing those two pink lines on a stick. Max had only known he was going to be a father for thirty minutes. Maybe she could cut him a little slack.

  “Me, either,” she finally said. It was a hell of a thing, to find out your life was irrevocably changing. One minute, things were carrying on as normal. The next, you were a totally different person. A parent. For Molly, it had been like the flip of a switch—she wasn’t pregnant, then suddenly she was. Max at least had a little time to ease into the idea of his new role before dealing with the reality of a baby.

  “They’ll be here soon,” he said. “We’ll get out of this gondola and figure out what to do.”

  Molly wished she shared his confidence. She wanted to believe that once they were back on the ground, everything would magically be okay. But she knew that even if the rescuers found them quickly, their issues were a long way from being resolved.