by Unknown
The battle to get out of the vehicle became even more panicked. The window was down and Rich seriously considered pulling a Bo Duke routine just as her head turned toward him. A vicious smile pulled at her lips revealing teeth so white they glowed in the darkness. Long lashes closed over one eye as she winked. “It’s a race, Rich. How fast can you run?” Then Shea disappeared around the corner of the house.
Rich awoke with a jolt and sat straight up in the car. His breathing was abnormally quick, his heart raced as though he’d just run the Boston Marathon, and a sheen coat of sweat covered his entire body. Sweat that had nothing to do with the heat.
He prayed that what he’d just seen was the nightmare he thought it was. Shaking hands rubbed over the stubble that had grown since he’d shaved this morning then scrubbed his sleepy eyes. His heart still pounded with no sign of stopping until he made sure that Shea was nowhere near this house.
One quick jerk opened the door. Well, that’s a good sign, he thought.
Crickets chirped happily as he cautiously made his way to the exact place he’d seen Shea. The grass was damp and it wasn’t long before the leather of his tennis shoes allowed the moisture through to his toes. Rounding the corner, Rich found a six-foot wall covered in climbing roses. The odds of a person tangling with those thorns wasn’t likely.
The rubber soles of his shoes squeaked softly as he walked back across the grass. He couldn’t help but laugh, thinking about what he must look like. A stalker? A psycho? A crazy obsessed man?
Two out of three, he thought, biting back another laugh.
As absurd as it was, his inspection had done little to calm his fears. There was only one thing that could do that. Kate. It would be her sweet voice saying that she was okay, that would do the trick.
Once in his car, he turned the key just enough to let him roll up the windows. He pulled out his phone and pressed the speed dial that belonged to Kate.
“Hello?” She sounded tired. “Rich? It’s really late.”
“I know. Sorry. Are you okay?” He winced at the pathetically frantic sound of his voice.
“Yes. Are you okay?”
“I was just…” He didn’t want to upset her, but it was important that she understood the danger still lurking. “Shea’s still out there.” Subtle.
“I’d heard that,” she said as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“Did you lock your doors and check all your windows?”
“Nope. They’re all unlocked and wide open with a neon sign telling Shea to come right in. I even have the guest room made up for her. And I bought some more lingerie for her to shred. I’m hoping she’ll like them, maybe add them to her collection.” She was mocking him and that pissed him off.
“That is so not funny.”
“You calling me at 2:00 in the morning is so not funny. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep these days?”
“How far along are you?”
“Twenty-eight weeks…almost twenty-nine,” she answered then continued as though she hadn’t been interrupted, “I was asleep, Rich.” A car alarm went off in the driveway next door and he could hear the stupid thing in stereo. “Oh good hell, Rich, please tell me that you’re not outside.”
With a quick flick of his wrist, the engine turned over, and he hoped that she hadn’t heard as he made his cowardly retreat. “No, I’m not that big of a loser.”
Kate’s laughter tickled his ears. “I saw you, Rich.”
“I’m just worried about you—and our son.”
Her only response to his suggestion about the paternity was a breath that rushed into the phone. “I know you’re worried. I love that you care, but you should really go home, get a good night’s rest.”
“But…”
“I have the best security system money can buy.” Her revelation made him feel a little better. “I’m fine. We’re fine. I just hope I can get back to sleep.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“Sleep, love. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
At the end of the street, Rich made a u-turn and headed back for Kate’s driveway, not caring whether or not she thought he was a lovesick fool. Why deny it? He was completely in love with her.
A good night’s sleep wasn’t on the agenda tonight because the driver’s seat of a Ford Explorer didn’t have much room. It wasn’t like his Jeep would have given him any more comfort. He closed his eyes and prayed that another nightmare wouldn’t wander into his brain.
Morning sunlight and the buzzing of a weed eater woke him out of a dead sleep. He rubbed a hand across the drool on his chin and sat up, running the other hand through his hair. The car turned over with one turn of the key and he was off.
The drive home was uneventful. Talk radio filled the silence, not that he was listening to their debate. His mind was devoted to Kate. It was spinning with thoughts, anticipation and fear. His whole future, his entire happiness hung in the balance. Kate had the ultimate power over his heart. If she were to turn him away again, his heart would never mend. He would be broken forever.
Rich pulled up in front of Nate’s house, cut the engine, and debated whether or not going inside was a good idea. His best friend had a way of being infuriatingly honest. Rich didn’t want to be ridiculed, but was in desperate need of a shower, a shave, and something to eat.
Nate was sitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of Cap’n Crunch, watching the morning edition of KHB’s newscast. He looked up and smiled. “Morning, sunshine. You look like crap.”
“I feel like crap.” His hand unconsciously rubbed at the crick in his neck. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Nate chuckled as he used the spoon to dig into the bowl for another bite. “Good to hear. I knew she’d come around.”
Rich rolled his eyes, making sure Nate saw the action then crossed the kitchen to find something to eat. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, of course not,” Nate said sarcastically.
Turning on his heel, Rich started for the door. Even though he’d known that this was exactly how the conversation would go with him, he couldn’t stand it. He’d rather starve.
“Hey,” Nate called, “where you going? I thought you were hungry.”
“I lost my appetite,” Rich said without turning around.
“Sorry.”
Rich grunted, pausing in the doorway.
Nate laughed and kicked the chair opposite him. “Now, sit, have some breakfast. The Cap’n is really good this morning.” The little yellow cereal nuggets clinked as they hit the ceramic surface of the bowl. Rich poured some milk over the top and then put some in a glass. “It’s good to see you’ve graduated from beer for breakfast,” Nate noted before scooping another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
Rich used a quick swig to punctuate the observation. The cool liquid was a refreshing change—not that he would admit that to his best friend.
“So how’d it go with Kate last night?”
Rich glared at him.
“I don’t want sexual details.” He wiggled his brows and flashed a cheesy grin. “I’d just like to know… well, whatever you’re willing to tell me.”
The sweet, sugary cereal crunched beneath his teeth, and Nate’s interrogation caused the subtle chewing to turn to grinding. “She insists the baby is Jesse’s.”
“It’s possible, isn’t it?” His voice of reason was irritatingly correct.
“Of course it’s possible, but…” Rich put another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
Nate watched him then as he chewed asked, “But…?”
“But…it could be mine. We didn’t use any kind of protection.” Rich’s skin tingled as he remembered the moments Kate had spent in his arms. He ached to have her there again—soon.
“Was she on the pill?” Nate asked before shoveling another heaping spoonful into his mouth.
“I don’t know. I would think she and Jesse used some kind of protection, but I don’t know.” Rich shuddered at the thought of
him touching her intimately.
“But the pill—” Nate’s face scrunched with concentration. “—well, that would have… You wouldn’t have gotten her pregnant either.”
“Hey!”
“Those little pink puppies would have stopped Superman’s swimmers too.” Nate laughed. “At least that’s what I’m banking on.”
“You’re Superman, huh?” Rich raised a brow.
Nate blew on his fingernails and rubbed them on his t-shirt. “Somebody had to take the job.” Then he leaned toward him and whispered, “You have to keep it a secret though. I wouldn’t want it to get out. I have other things to do besides saving other people’s asses all the time.”
“You’re a saint, Nate Hughes.”
“I know,” he said as dimples appeared.
Rich finished his cereal, polished off the milk, then rinsed the dishes and set them in the sink. It was a good thing that he was working the late shift today, because his body was exhausted. And, now that Kate was safe at work, he could allow himself to sleep, to rest.
The bed was soft under his body, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, his eyes closed.
Kate hummed softly as she waited for her computer to power up so she could log on to the station’s network. A smile tipped her lips as she remembered the concern on Rich’s face last night. She had been able to get back to sleep, only to dream of Rich.
Was it actually possible for a man to love another man’s baby? It wasn’t fair to expect that of Rich. He was a wonderful man who deserved children of his own, not to be saddled with one that wasn’t in any way his responsibility.
Kate had resigned herself to the fact that she would raise this child on her own. Jesse’s son would have everything Kate could give him. The only thing lacking would be a father, and she wasn’t willing to give him that. She couldn’t.
She just couldn’t.
A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of pushing Rich away—again. He didn’t deserve that either. This whole situation was impossibly unfair. Jesse’s son would grow up without a father. Rich would be on the receiving end of heartache. And Kate… She sighed. She would have to learn to live without the man she wanted more than anything in this world.
Her heart belonged to Rich. And if she were being honest with herself, he had captured it long before she’d allowed herself to realize. She’d wasted so much time. This baby could have been his. Jesse would still be alive, heartbroken but alive. And she wouldn’t have again wasted time cowardly avoiding the consequences of her actions.
“Kate,” Olivia asked, “are you okay?”
Kate sniffed, grabbed out a tissue, and wiped her nose. “Damn hormones.”
Olivia laughed. “Yeah, I’ve heard they can be a bitch.”
Kate looked into the eyes of her friend, and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her dark brows pulled together. “Tell you what?”
Kate attempted a smile. “Olivia, I met Fergie last night.” The statement in and of itself explained everything, and Olivia bit on her lip. “I’m surprised you and Jordan—and Nate—didn’t just kick me out on my ear. I would have deserved it.”
Olivia covered Kate’s hand with her own. “Listen, Kate, Jordan and I have decided that what happened, or what will happen, is between you and Rich. That doesn’t mean I agree with your actions, but we’re going to try and stay out of things.”
Kate laughed. “Did Jordan have to write that down for you to memorize?”
Olivia smiled, but didn’t disagree. “It’s been hell trying to keep my opinions to myself, Kate. Especially when you show up…a little bigger than you left.” She bit her lip, did a quick scan of the newsroom for Jordan’s whereabouts, then leaned in. “I do have to say, though, that letting Rich find out the way he did was…well, it was really chicken shit, Kate. He deserved better than that.”
Kate nodded. “Rich deserves a lot better of a lot of things. I hate the way things are between us, that this baby—as much as I love him—is a wedge that will never go away.”
“You don’t give Rich enough credit.”
“You give him too much,” Kate retorted. “I can’t ask him, nor will I, to accept a child that isn’t his. He deserves better than a constant reminder of Jesse. I love him too much to put him through that.”
“Rich or Jesse?”
Kate’s brows crinkled. “Huh?”
“Who do you love too much, Rich or Jesse?”
“Morning meeting in five.”
Saved by the PA.
Olivia smiled. “I guess it doesn’t matter to me, Kate, but it sure as hell matters to you—and to Rich. And believe it or not, your son deserves a father, even if it’s not his biological one.”
“I guess we’ll just have to disagree on that, won’t we.” Kate stood and picked up her notebook. “Come on, let’s get me a good story.
Rich opened his eyes when the annoying blare of his alarm insisted that he should. He needed more sleep. Geez, this situation had disaster written all over it. There was no way he’d be able to keep up this pace for long. Kate needed to be protected, but Rich needed his sleep.
He somehow made it to the shower, got dressed, and stood with his keys in hand. The drive to work should be interesting since the only thing his mind could concentrate on was Kate. Always Kate.
She’d been on his mind for months, and now that she was back, she was an even more permanent fixture. When he closed his eyes, it was her face on the back of his eyelids.
He walked through the door of the station and, of course, his eyes scanned the familiar room in search of the familiar face that made his whole world complete. Jordan tipped his head in a hello then shook it. Rich groaned, knowing that the whole world knew just how whipped he was over the pregnant girl who had chosen to show back up in his life.
Something else had been on his mind. October 5th. He sat down at an empty computer and hit the internet connection. Within seconds he had ‘conception date’ entered in the search box. Sweat broke out on his forehead and he nearly gnawed a hole in his lip in the seconds before he pressed ‘enter’.
Three clicks later and he had a calendar on the screen. The conception dates were when they were in Phoenix. That was good. It gave a range of three days; the day Jesse showed up, the day Rich confessed everything, and the day Kate finally accepted him.
In other words, Rich thought with a groan, it could be either of ours.
But it was still a possibility. One he wouldn’t give up on until he was forced to. He sighed and clicked the close button, erasing his pathetic search.
With his head held high, Rich crossed the room to the assignment desk. He propped his elbow on the chest high desk. “Busy day?”
Jordan looked up and smiled. “Not much going on. Mostly just coverage of the Pioneer Day festivities. I’ve got Kate and Nate at the Horse Parade downtown.” He paused then said, “I need you to join her there for the actual newscast. Nate has to…go to another assignment.”
Rich fought the urge to kiss his longtime friend. “Sure thing. When should I…”
“Now. Get your ass down there…now.”
Rich tossed him an I’m-not-buying-it look. “What have you done, Greene?”
“Moi?” He feigned innocence.
“Yeah, you. What are you trying to pull, Jordan?”
“Get your ass down to the parade,” Jordan growled through his teeth, glancing over his shoulder to look at Olivia, who smiled.
Rich didn’t wait to be told twice. He snorted and walked back toward the Photog’s lounge, and as he did, Olivia said, “I thought we were going to stay out of it, Jordan.”
“Great,” Rich muttered. He didn’t stand a chance of escaping this catastrophe with his heart intact with those two playing matchmaker.
“Oh good, you’re here,” Nate said.
Kate turned just in time to see Rich walk up. Her heart stopped. “What are you doing here?” It wasn’t meant as an accusation but sure sounded like one.
Nate answered instead of Rich. “I have to meet Roxy in twenty minutes. Thanks for covering the 5:00 for me. I owe you, buddy.” Nate clapped Rich on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear before tossing Kate a smile. “Great working with you today, Kate. I forgot how much fun you are.” He winked and was gone.
Kate watched Rich, who watched over his shoulder as Nate vacated the premises on a near run. She wasn’t sure if his story was fact or fiction. It seemed a little convenient. “So do you think it was his idea?”
“That depends—” Rich turned to face her. “—did Jordan call him or did Nate call Jordan?”
“Jordan ca-…” Kate’s eyes narrowed and Rich smiled, raising a knowing brow. “Ew, Jordan.” She said his name as a curse.
“Can you say matchmaker?” Rich groaned under his breath.
This new little bit of information made Kate angry. How dare Olivia—how dare they interfere. She promised that they wouldn’t and, in classic Olivia form, she was butting in. And there were three more long months before the baby would be born. “I wish Olivia would just keep her…”
“Olivia?” Rich’s brows knitted together. “What does Olivia have to do with this? Did she…”
“Let’s just get this story finished, okay? I can’t think about this right now.”
“What’s to think about?” There was an edge of angry frustration to his voice, one that he tried unsuccessfully to hide. “I love you, you love me. End of story.” Rich stepped forward and Kate matched the action by retreating.
“That’s not the end of the story.” She rubbed her hand over her ever growing stomach. “There’s so much more to the story. A little boy, who has a story that hasn’t even begun, Rich. That is….” Her voice grew thick with emotion as she talked about her unborn son. She cleared her throat. “I can’t do this, Rich. Please don’t…”
“I’m sorry, Kate.” He stepped forward and took her hand. “You love me, right?”
She wiped roughly at her cheeks, and snorted.
“Right?” he encouraged.
“You know I do,” she said without looking in his eyes.
He tipped her chin with his finger. “Don’t ever forget that I love you, too. Always.”