Fade to Black

by Unknown

  Rich leaned against the wall and smiled. His eyes closed and behind the lids he could see the picture that would forever be burned into his memory; the little boy smiling at him on the screen. A boy. A son. My son.

  Chapter Thirty

  “Yes, Mom, it really is fine.” Kate had said the exact same words or a variation of them at least a thousand times in the last two minutes. “The doctor said that everything will be fine. I just have to cut back my hours at work, that’s all.” Kate saw no point in sharing that she also had to rest her pelvis—like there was any likelihood of it getting a workout.

  Rich had been quiet, too quiet, all the way home. It was as if his mind was spinning and he had trouble keeping up with his thoughts. He was probably trying to come up with a way to leave, to bow out, without looking like a total ass to everybody that knew them. She would never blame him when he left. In fact, part of her wished he’d just get it over with. Better to have her heart broken now, rather than when she had a chance to fall even deeper in love with him.

  “Okay. Are you sure I can’t do anything for you? Because I…”

  “Mom, I’m fine. Really. Besides Rich is here if I need anything.” For the moment anyway.

  Kate could hear her mother’s smile in her next question. “How are things between you? Is he treating you well?”

  “Rich is a good man. He’s better than I deserve and…”

  “Kate. Don’t. You deserve all the happiness this life has to offer, and if Rich makes you happy, then Daddy and I are happy for you.” She paused and Kate could hear ruffling noises on the other side of the line.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Packing. I’ll see you in tomorrow afternoon.” And then the line went dead before Kate could tell her to stay home. She tried calling back, but after two rings the call went to voicemail.

  A half-groan, half-scream ripped from Kate’s throat, and within seconds, Rich stood in the doorway of her room, completely panicked. “What’s wrong? Do you need something?” He was dressed in a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans so tight they should be illegal, and to complete his outfit was her pink and green striped apron.

  Kate started to giggle, a real giggle, and it felt good to feel happy. She sat up against the pillows and asked, “What are you doing in there?”

  “My girl’s gotta eat—my boy, too.” He held up a spaghetti spoon. “I hope you like Italian.”

  “Yes, I do.” Her stomach growled as if to add its agreement.

  Rich leaned against the door jamb and crossed his arms. “Would you like to tell me why you were screaming?”

  “I didn’t scream,” she protested. He laughed and raised a brow. “Okay, so maybe it was a little groan of frustration.”

  “And what exactly has you frustrated?”

  She huffed, and blew at a stray lock of hair that was tickling her forehead. “My mother. She’s coming.” He stood there, smiling, looking handsome as ever, but said nothing. “My mom tends to overreact. When I told her I’d fallen, she…well, she’ll be here tomorrow afternoon. Dammit! I really don’t need to deal with her right now.” She slammed her fist into the mattress. “She’s probably going to want to see the cut.”

  Rich’s deep, warm laughter bubbled in the air around her, and Kate, despite her best efforts, joined him. The action felt good. She let the giggles continue and grabbed at her sides when they began to ache.

  She was still laughing when Rich said, “I called Dale, you’ll be working the afternoon shift until the doctor says otherwise.”

  Her laughter broke off abruptly. “I could have done that myself.”

  “I was only trying to help. You don’t need to do everything yourself, Kate. I also talked to him about me working the evening shift so that I can drive you to work then bring you home on my dinner break.”

  Her eyes narrowed at him. “Dr. Tipton didn’t say anything about not driving. I can drive myself.” She crossed her arms over her chest, irritation coursing through her veins.

  “I don’t want to fight, Kate. Please just let me take care of you.”

  That sounded so good. She wanted to let him take care of her, to love her. But the voice in the back of her head kept screaming that she shouldn’t give her heart to him. She would have to push him away eventually, after the baby was born, and then her heart would break in two.

  **

  Rich woke up, in Kate’s bed, alone. His arm stretched out across the mattress, but still came up empty. She was gone. He jolted into the sitting position. “Kate,” he shouted into the silence.

  She appeared in the doorway that led to the bathroom with just a towel on. Her auburn hair was damp, making it look like deep mahogany, and her skin was still red from her shower, glistening delectably in the light. “What?”

  “I woke up. You were gone.” His groggy brain tried to sort through the fear he’d awakened with and the relief of finding Kate safe and sound—and sexy as hell. “Are you okay?”

  Her teeth bit lightly on her lower lip. “I’m fine. You?” Her dainty bare feet padded into the room, to the dresser where she opened a drawer and began pulling out lacy underwear. He bit back a groan. She was surely trying to kill him.

  The doorbell rang and both of them jumped. Kate’s face took on a panicked expression to match the one his face surely wore. He immediately thought of Shea. Kate, however, thought of someone else. “My mom! Crap!”

  There was no way that it could be Mrs. Callahan though. It was only 10:00 in the morning, and it would take Anna all day to make the drive from Flagstaff to Salt Lake. “You wait here, I’ll get the door.” His feet hit the floor just as the bell rang again. “Kate, please wait here.”

  “Like I could go out there like this.”

  He tore his eyes from the sight before him and slid his jeans into place before carefully tugging the zipper into place. Rich’s skin was buzzing, his entire body preparing for whoever might be on the other side of the door. Never in his life had he wished he had a gun more than in this moment. He needed to protect what was his.

  The incessant knocking was followed by a voice Rich recognized. “Rich? Richard Adam Spencer, are you in there?”

  He jerked the door open. His eyes widened with the presence of the two people on the front porch. “Mom? Dad? What are you guys doing here?”

  Marilyn Spencer practically leapt through the doorway and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek. “It’s so good to see you.” She kissed his other cheek. “You look so…happy. Doesn’t he look happy, Richard?”

  “Yes, Marilyn, he does look happy.” Richard Spencer stepped through the door and extricated his son from the death grip his mother had inflicted. “Let the boy breathe, Marilyn. It’s good to see you, son. How are things?” He looked over Rich’s shoulder. “Where’s Kate?”

  “Right here.” Kate stepped out from around the corner. Her eyes accused Rich as she asked, “Your parents are here?”

  “Yes. I didn’t…”

  “What a nice surprise.” Kate came closer and Marilyn closed the gap, wrapping Kate in a hug. “Welcome to our home.”

  Our home. Rich liked the sound of that.

  “We’re glad to be here.” Marilyn released her hold and stepped back. “I’m Marilyn and this is Richard. We just had to come and meet the woman who has captured our son’s heart.”

  Rich felt an uncomfortable heat flood his cheeks, and he avoided Kate’s gaze which he could feel burning a hole through him. “Captured his heart, huh?” Kate sounded amused.

  “So, Mom, really, why are you here?”

  “Well, you said that Kate couldn’t travel…”

  “You…?”

  “I…”

  Richard stepped in to save them all. “After speaking with you last night, we just thought we’d take a little vacation to come visit you and to…meet Kate.” He wrapped an arm around Marilyn’s waist. “I hope we’re not intruding.”

  “Not at all.” Kate held out her hand to shake Richard’s. “You are Rich’s
family which…”

  “Makes you hers,” Rich interrupted, stepping forward to mimic his parent’s pose. Kate tensed, but whether it was the reference to her being their family or the contact he’d just imposed, he couldn’t be sure. “You can take the bed that’s being delivered today, and I’ll take the couch.”

  “No,” Richard said, shaking his head. “We’re staying at the LaQuinta Inn. We wouldn’t think of completely intruding.” He chuckled softly and Rich realized for the first time ever that his father’s laugh closely resembled his own. “Your mother might, but I never would.”

  She reacted just as the two men expected. She launched an elbow into his side, a blush rising to her cheeks. “I would not.”

  “It’s okay, Mom, we’re glad you’re here.”

  The woman, whom he strongly resembled, smiled, her blue eyes flashing. “Kate, how are you? How is my grandson?” She reached out toward Kate’s stomach.

  Kate stiffened at the mention of the baby, and Rich realized that there was a storm brewing—the same storm that rumbled whenever he made reference to the child’s paternity. “Good. We’re both good,” Kate said through a smile that didn’t come close to appearing real. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to um…” She pulled away from Rich and started down the hall. “Excuse me.”

  Marilyn’s eyes were wide. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”

  “It’s okay, Mom. I’ll just check on her.” Rich followed Kate into her room where she stood in front of the window, her arms crossed over her chest. “Kate?”

  She whirled around to face him, her eyes a blistering accusation. “How dare you?” she hissed through her teeth, careful to keep her voice low enough so that the people in the other room wouldn’t hear her.

  Rich stepped inside the doorway and closed the door. “Kate, I don’t know what I’ve dared to do now.”

  Her teeth ground together as she continued to glare at him. “As if it wasn’t bad enough that Nate knows what happened between us, you told your parents. Come on, Rich think of how that makes me look.” The second the smile lifted his lips, he knew he’d made a mistake and her reaction verified his suspicions. “You’re an ass, Rich.”

  “Maybe. But not because I’ve told anybody what happened between us…well, except for Nate.” He waited until the realization of what he’d just said sunk in, then continued, “They don’t know that little boy could be mine biologically speaking, love.”

  “Then why did your mother…”

  “I’ve been very open and honest with my parents, my father especially, about how I feel about you.” Rich’s fingers ran through his hair while blowing out a slow, controlled breath. “They know their son, Kate. That’s all.”

  Rich watched as her whole demeanor softened, almost as if the anger melted away at his words. He wanted to continue, to tell her how much he loved the little boy growing in her belly, and that he’d also told his father that but knew better than to start that debate again. Not while his parents nervously waited in the other room.

  “So they came here to meet me?” she asked as if totally shocked at the idea.

  “Yes, love, just to meet you.” He smiled when she did. “And I think you’re kinda freaking my mom out. Can we go back out there?”

  “Oh,” she gasped, running past him. “Mrs. Spencer…”

  “Call me Marilyn,” Rich heard his mother say.

  “Marilyn,” Kate continued, “I’m so sorry. My hormones seem to be out of control these days, and I…”

  “There’s no need to apologize.” Marilyn’s blue eyes met those of her son, and the two of them smiled in unison. “Hormones are just a way of tormenting womankind, I think.” She leaned close to Kate and stage whispered, “You think pregnancy is bad, wait ‘til menopause.”

  “Mom,” Rich voiced his mortification. He was just about to apologize to Kate when a laugh caused him to smile instead. Kate had a hand over her mouth which did little to stifle the humor of Marilyn’s statement.

  “Come on, Kate, surely you’ve got some chocolate in this place.” Marilyn threaded her arm through Kate’s, and Kate led the way into the kitchen.

  Rich watched the two most important women in his life as they laughed and disappeared into the kitchen. “What the hell just happened?”

  Richard chuckled, clapping his son on the shoulder. “I think they just bonded.” And as if to verify his father’s statement, a ferocious bout of laughter boiled from the other room.

  “Well, that’s a good thing…I think.” As the laughter continued, and continued, Rich wondered what he’d unleashed. A lump formed in his gut. It was good the two most important women in his life were getting along, but the only thing they had in common was him. And that was so not a good thing.

  Kate handed Marilyn a steaming cup of hot cocoa and a piece of Hershey’s candy bar to use as a spoon. “I know it’s the middle of summer, but this is my favorite when I need a chocolate fix.”

  Marilyn smiled, her blue eyes twinkled. “I knew I liked you, Kate.” She looked over her shoulder, then leaned forward and dropped her voice. “Now that Rich is gone, how are you really? He called last night after you fell. He was so worried, but he tends to overreact.” She laughed sardonically. “He probably got that from me. You’re okay though? Is there anything I can do for you?”

  This woman sitting across the table from Kate was nearly as prying as her own mother. Her mother, who— Crap! –would be here in only a few hours. Putting these two together would surely to cause more problems than it would solve.

  “I’m fine, Marilyn, really.” Her hands moved to the same spot they tended to go when she was nervous, her stomach. “Just a little sore, but I’m okay.”

  “Is he being good to you?” There was no doubt who the he was in her question.

  “Marilyn, I have to say that you raised a good son. Rich is a good man, better than I deserve. He doesn’t need to saddle himself with—” She waved a hand up and down herself. “—any of this.”

  “What if he wants to?” She leaned forward and took Kate’s hand in hers. “Listen, honey, I have never seen Rich so in love. When he came to visit us after spending time with you in Phoenix, I saw it even then. He loves you, and nothing’s going to change that.” Her eyes started to glisten. “Please don’t hurt him, Kate.”

  “Sometimes I think that’s unavoidable.” Kate’s voice was barely a whisper.

  “Do you love him?” the nosey woman asked. “You don’t have to answer,” she said when the silence dragged on between them. “Just promise me you’ll be honest with yourself, that you’ll listen to and follow your heart.”

  A throat was cleared from behind them, and both women looked up to see the men they loved standing in the doorway. They were posed the same, leaning against opposite sides of the jamb, arms crossed over their chests. “How long are you two going to sit in here and discuss me?” Rich asked. He was smiling but there was an anxious tone behind the nonchalant exterior.

  Marilyn winked at Kate then looked at her son. “You know you’re my favorite topic of conversation, Rich.”

  “Come on, lovely wife, we have to go check in at the hotel.” Richard stretched out his hand. The chair scrapped across the tile as Marilyn pushed away from the table and stood. Richard wrapped her in a hug and smiled over her shoulder to Kate. “It was really nice to meet you, Kate. I can see why Rich is so taken by you.”

  “Thanks,” Kate muttered, feeling the blush rise in her cheeks. “I’m kinda taken by him too.”

  Rich’s parents were beaming as they left her sitting at the table. Rich stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m just going to see them out.”

  Kate nodded and took a long pull on her hot chocolate. Meeting Rich’s parents hadn’t made any of this easier or helped her decipher her feelings. It only made her love Rich even more. His parents were so loving, so perfect. And they actually liked her.

  Her heart broke at the knowledge that it would all end. The day was quickly approaching when the baby
would come and then Rich would leave her. She didn’t want to think of it, but couldn’t force the thought from her mind. Rich was so sure that the baby was his. What would happen when it wasn’t? Because it couldn’t be. It can’t be.

  “Kate, why are you crying?” She hadn’t even realized she was until Rich asked. He sat down in the chair his mom had left. “Did my mom say something that…”

  “Your mom was wonderful, your dad too. I just…” Her voice broke. “I don’t want them to hate me.”

  His thumbs rubbed lightly on her cheeks. “They aren’t going to hate you, love.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “They’d like to bring back some lunch. Is that okay or should I call and cancel?”

  “No, lunch would be good.” Her stomach growled and Rich laughed.

  “I need to shower and change.” He ran a hand over his still bare chest, and Kate allowed herself to study the cut of each muscle. He was lean, with hardly any fat on him, but he was strong and the muscular contours of his abdomen made Kate ache to reach out and touch them. She forced herself to behave by stuffing her hands in her pockets.

  Lunch was nice. His parents had managed to humiliate Rich with stories of how he was as a child. Pranks he pulled. Even relayed a potty-training story that caused soda to spew out of Kate’s nose. Hearing Kate laugh was one the best thing in the world, but being the butt of the joke that caused that laughter was beyond painful.

  Kate’s phone rang, and she was still laughing as she answered, “Hi, Mom.” She nodded, and smiled. “Oh, good, we’ll see you in a few hours. I’ve got to go, we’ll talk when you get here. Love you.” She closed the phone and said, “Mom will be here about 4:00.”

  Then the doorbell rang, and they all looked at each other. Kate was the first to realize who it would be. She jumped to her feet and waddled to the front door. “Check the peephole first,” Rich warned, hurrying to be there if she needed him.

  “We have your delivery,” the big guy announced, holding a clipboard out to Kate. “Can I see the room where it’s going?”