by Dena Christy
“Let’s go home.”
6
“You’re sure we got everything the doctor said to get while we were in Ridgeport? We don’t need to stop for anything while we’re in town?” Alex took his eyes away from the road and looked at Mercy, who was rolling her eyes.
“Yes, Alex.” She held up the paper drugstore bag in her hand and gave it a shake. “The prenatal vitamins she recommended are in here. You were with me when I bought them. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Being at the doctor's just made everything more real. In my head, I knew that there was a baby when you told me, but I guess now it’s finally sinking in. I just want to make sure that this baby has the best chance.” The whole time sitting in the waiting room while Mercy was in with the doctor, the reality of this baby became more real to him. If he’d thought he’d been nervous when she’d first told him, that was nothing compared to how he felt now. Excitement and a little fear mingled inside him.
“This baby will have the best chance. But you’re going to drive me crazy if you are going to ask me every five seconds how I am, if I have everything I need.” She put her hand on his leg and patted it. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, and it’s nice that you want to take care of me. But ease up a little. Relax. We have months to go, and you haven’t even gotten to the hard part yet.”
“What hard part?”
She laughed. “All the stuff that comes after that baby is born. Don’t burn yourself out now, before we get to the diapers and midnight feedings part.”
She was right. He needed to relax. It was just that being a father was the biggest responsibility he’d ever taken on, would ever take on.
“What if I screw up?”
Her smile was gentle when he glanced over at her. “You won’t. It will be fine, Alex. And I think maybe we both need to go have some fun.”
“What do you suggest?”
At that moment her stomach grumbled, and she laughed. “Well apparently, I’m hungry. Do you want to go to the bar and get something to eat? I know it’s your day off, so if you don’t want to go there we can think of something else. And we could even think of it as a date. We’ve never had one of those.”
A date? That sounded like a good idea to him. He was reminded of his promise to himself that he was going to woo Mercy so she would be a permanent part of his life. Maybe he needed to stop worrying so much about the baby and focus on his baby’s mama. And he liked his job, and he had no problem going to the bar as a customer on his day off.
“Okay, the bar it is.” And it was Tuesday so it wouldn’t be that busy. He and Mercy could get a booth, have a bite to eat and do what they should have been doing for the past six weeks, which was getting to know each other.
They got back to Cold Bay about a half hour later, and a few flakes of snow were falling. Alex pulled into the bar and as he suspected there weren’t that many cars in the parking lot. He got out of his side of the truck and came around to help Mercy out. Once outside she tipped her head back and looked up at the sky.
“Do you think it will stay?”
“I don’t think so. The first few snowfalls never do. Why, do you like snow?”
A few flakes landed on her cheeks and she laughed before she tilted her head back down. “I love it.”
He brushed a snowflake off her cheek with his thumb. She looked at him, and he was hooked by those topaz eyes of hers. He wanted to lean down, to brush his mouth against hers.
A horned honked, and he jumped back, the spell between them broken. The wind picked up a little and she shivered.
“Come on. Let’s get you something to eat.” He turned toward the bar and bent his arm out a little. She slipped her arm through his and together they walked to the door.
Once inside, he saw Logan at the bar and Honor in the process of putting drinks on a tray. Logan raised his hand and Alex waved back. There were a few people in the bar, but no more than there usually was on a Tuesday night. In the past, the only worse days of the week for business had been Sundays and Mondays, which was now why Logan closed the bar on those two days, at least in the offseason.
Alex led Mercy over to an empty booth and she slid in. He sat across from her and watched as she took off her coat and set her purse aside. She was wearing a red sweater, one that looked warm, fuzzy and soft. It hugged her curves and made him want to reach out and touch her. She could wear a burlap sack and he would still want to reach out and touch her.
He shrugged out of his jacket just as Honor came up to the table and placed menus in front of them.
“How’s it going, guys? How did the doctor visit go?”
“It was good.” Mercy looked at Alex and smiled before looking up at her friend. “We still have to wait for official confirmation because the blood test will take a couple of days, but the doctor said that we can safely assume that I’m pregnant.”
“That’s great.” Honor leaned down and gave Mercy a hug. When she straightened, she seemed to remember that she was here to do a job. “Okay, can I get you guys started with something to drink while you look at the menu?”
Mercy ordered ice water and Alex decided on ice tea. Honor walked away with their order and gave them a little time to peruse the menu.
“So what are you in the mood for?” Alex knew what he wanted and didn’t need to look at the menu since he knew the whole thing by heart.
“Red meat.” She looked up at him and laughed. “I’m tired of soup, and sandwiches, and most especially crackers. I want meat and the little baby wolf inside me wants it too. I’ll be glad once this morning sickness is over so I can eat a little more regularly. I find right now I’m either nauseous or starving.”
Thankfully, the doctor seemed sure that she had the regular kind of morning sickness that should run its course by the time she finished her third month.
“Well, then why don’t we get you a steak.” He laughed at the way her eyes lit up when he said it, like he’d offered her diamonds instead of meat. “Roger does a good steak, it’s what I always get when I eat here.”
She set her menu aside.
“Sold. I’ll get a steak, medium rare with a baked potato with sour cream and butter. Order for me if Honor comes back. Right now I need to make a trip to the ladies.”
She shifted over in her seat, got out and walked toward the ladies' room. The corner of his mouth pulled up as he watched the sway of her backside as she walked away. She looked as good coming as she did going, and it made him curious about what she would look like when her belly was big with his baby. She would probably be just as gorgeous.
Logan came over to the table and set the ice tea in front of Alex and put the ice water where Mercy’s place was. Alex looked at him in surprise when he slid into the booth where Mercy had been sitting.
“What’s up?”
“I was going to wait until you come in tomorrow to tell you this, but since you’re here I thought I would tell you now. I’m hiring another bartender, just part-time.”
Now that was a surprise. “Any reason you’re doing this now, instead of during the summer when the bar is super busy with the weekenders and tourists.”
“Well, I’m also giving you a promotion of sorts. I want you to manage the bar, part-time. I need time with my family, especially now that there is a baby coming. Between the bar, my duties as alpha and my family, I’m juggling a lot of things and something has to give. And I realize that you are building your own family, so I’m hoping that by bringing on a new bartender that it will help ease some of the pressure on you too. What do you think? Is that something that appeals to you?”
Alex sat back, a little stunned. He loved tending bar, but he’d been doing it for years and could use more challenges. And he was flattered by Logan’s faith in him that he could handle managing the bar.
“It definitely appeals to me.” Alex glanced over to see Mercy was coming back from the bathroom.
“We’ll discuss the details tomorrow.” Logan stood up and moved asi
de as Mercy brushed by him with a smile. She sat in her seat and took a sip of her water. “What can I get you guys?”
They ordered their food and Logan turned away.
“Anything interesting happen while I was in the bathroom?”
“Well, I’ve been offered a promotion.” Pride spread a smile across Alex’s face.
“That’s great. Is it something you’ve been wanting to happen?”
“I didn’t know it until now, but yeah.”
“Well, I’m glad that we’re here since it calls for a celebration of sorts.” Mercy raised her glass and Alex picked up his own and they clinked them together.
It didn’t take long for their food to arrive and Alex took pleasure in watching Mercy devour her steak. She was a woman with a hearty appetite, at least when she wasn't sick. She sat back with a sigh, putting her hand on her stomach as a happy smile spread across her face.
“That was good.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Do you want to leave now or do you want to play a game of pool?”
An evil grin crossed Mercy’s face. “You don’t want to play pool with me.”
“Oh, and why is that?” Intrigued, Alex leaned forward. Before she could answer, Honor came up to the table to collect their empty plates.
“Honor, tell Alex why he doesn’t want to play pool with me.” Mercy looked up at her friend with a smile. It struck Alex that for the first time since he’d met her that she didn’t have the small bit of fear that he’d seen lurking in her eyes. It made him glad to see it.
Honor laughed as she picked up the plates. “She’s a pool shark. Play with her if you don’t mind losing.”
Alex considered himself a pretty good pool player, and he was interested to see if she was as good as her friend claimed. “We’ll settle up the bill after Mercy and I play a friendly game of pool.”
He stood up and took her by the hand. They left their things in the booth since they were the only customers left in the bar at the moment. He led her to the back room where the pool table was and racked the balls. He glanced over at her as she tested the weight and feel of several cues before she chose the one she wanted. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye with a sly look on her face.
God, she’s hot.
He cleared his throat. “Do you want to break?”
“No, I’ll let you do it.” She came to stand by the table and he grabbed a cue and started the game. He got lucky and sunk a ball after the break, but missed as he took his next turn. It was Mercy’s turn, and she ran the table after that and he barely had a chance to play.
Logan and Honor came to watch the game, and once it was over, Logan laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “Looks like she kicked your ass. If it’s any consolation, it looks like you never had a chance.”
He went back toward the bar, and Honor gave him a knowing smile. “Told you, she’s a pool shark.”
Honor followed Logan and he and Mercy were left alone in the back room. She put her cue away and looked at him, a little uncertain. He walked over to her, put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. Her eyes widened for a second as he leaned down and took her lips with his.
Kissing her was just like he remembered. Her lips were soft and full, her curves lush against him and the fruity scent of her shampoo invaded his senses just like it had on the night they’d made a child together. He kept his touch light, his lips gentle as he kissed her. He was encouraged when she put her arms around him and pressed herself closer.
He could feel his desire for her climbing, but now wasn’t the time for that. He’d promised that he was going to woo her, and he was going to take this slow. Tonight had been great, and although they’d slept together before, he knew that this was a fresh beginning for them. And he wouldn’t rush her back to bed. He could wait until he got a clear signal from her that she was ready.
He pulled back and looked at her. She seemed surprised by the kiss as she looked up at him.
“What was that for?”
“It’s because you’re awesome.” He leaned down and pressed another soft kiss on her lips.
She’d kicked his ass at pool, and his reaction was to kiss her and tell her she was awesome? A smile crossed Mercy’s face as she looked out the window of Luke’s car. They were on their way to her house in Eden Creek, so she could get more things and collect her car. She’d been cognizant of the fact that Alex wouldn’t have wanted her to go to her house with Honor since he assumed that they were Nathan’s target.
“Thanks again, for doing this. I appreciate you taking the time on your day off to help me.” Mercy glanced over at Luke and he took his eyes away from the road to smile at her.
“Don’t mention it. I’d rather give up a little of my time to make sure you’re safe than to have to go back to your house while on duty because something bad happened to you.”
Frankly, she would rather not have something bad happen to her either. It was why she’d called Luke on his day off to ask him for a favor. And she could assure Alex that she’d taken every precaution when going back to her house.
Once they got to her home, she looked at it and it didn’t seem as welcoming as it had always had. Something had changed for her on the night that Nathan had broken in. Her home no longer felt like a haven, and she was glad she was only here to pick up a few things because she didn’t know how she was going to be able to be in that house and feel safe. Maybe that feeling would change once Nathan was caught.
She and Luke got out of the car and he came over to her. Together they walked up her front steps and he held his hand out for the key. She handed it to him and he unlocked the door.
“I’ll go in first and check it out. I doubt he’s come back since your neighbor would have called us if anything suspicious had happened. But better safe than sorry. Just wait for me out here.”
Luke stepped into the house, and Mercy stomped her feet and blew on her hands. Winter was coming, and there was definitely the feel of it on the air. Alex had been right when he said the snow wouldn’t stay. It was probably a good thing because as much as she loved winter and snow, she didn’t particularly enjoy driving in it when it was heavy on the roads. And since her mission today was to get her car, it was a good thing that there was no snow left over from last night.
“All clear.”
Mercy jumped for a second when Luke’s voice brought her back to the present. Relief went through her knowing that there was no danger in her house at the moment.
“Thanks so much, Luke. You don’t have to stay. I’ll only be a few minutes, packing up a few things that I didn’t get the other night.”
A frown crossed his face and he hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t mind staying until you’re done.”
“I’ll be fine. Besides, the neighborhood is well guarded.” Mercy inclined her head over toward Mrs. Fowler’s house and Luke turned to look. Her neighbor had come out of her house, under the guise of taking her dog outside to do his business. Mercy turned her head and looked over. “Good morning, Mrs. Fowler.”
The older woman gave her a slight smile before she turned and walked with her dog back into her house. It used to annoy her, the old woman’s nosiness, but considering that if it wasn’t for her Mercy would never have known that Nathan had been in her house, she felt a small measure of comfort in it.
“Okay. I’ll leave you to it them. Take care.” Luke stepped away and went back toward his car.
Mercy watched as he got in and raised her hand when he started the engine. He raised his hand in return before he backed down the driveway. Once she saw him drive away, she turned to go back in her house.
She walked in the house and closed the door. She went upstairs to her bedroom and got her large suitcase out of the closet. She had no idea how long she was going to be staying at Alex’s home and she wanted to make sure she wouldn’t be running back and forth between Cold Bay and Eden Creek.
As she packed, she thought about her “date” with Alex the night before. Sh
e was glad that she’d suggested it, although she’d only done so because she wanted him to stop worrying about the future and to focus on the here and now.
She went to her dresser and selected her warmest clothes and put them in the suitcase. Being with Alex was a constant surprise. He really wasn’t like any of the guys she’d dated before. She couldn’t picture any of them worrying about being a good father. She gave a bitter laugh. Actually, she couldn’t imagine any of them sticking around long enough for a baby to be born, let alone worry about being a father.
Just because Alex was here now, didn’t mean that he always would be. Her own father had waited until she was three before he split. Then it had been just her and her mother.
She hoped Alex was being truthful when he said he was going to be around for the long haul. She knew how hard it was to raise a child alone having watched her mother do it until she’d been too sick to take care of Mercy and their roles had changed.
Mercy shoved those thoughts aside. Alex wasn’t her father, and she was learning that he wasn’t like the guys she usually went for. He seemed tickled that she’d beaten him at pool, and he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to push her back to bed with him. The only night she’d shared his bed since the break-in had been the first night when she’d been too scared to sleep alone. He seemed fine with her staying in the guest room after that.
She had been thinking that maybe he didn’t want her, but last night’s kiss had ended that line of thinking. All the way home to his place last night, she had been dreading turning him down if he insisted that they sleep together. The other guys she’d been with would take it as a given that she would go to bed with them, and it seemed a little silly to her to say she wasn’t ready to sleep with him again, but that was the truth. The first time they’d made love had been for all the wrong reasons. She wanted to make sure that when and if they made love again, it was because they both wanted each other and not because she was using him to blot out what she was feeling.