by Cindy Kirk
A knock at the door sounded just as Lia finished tossing a few essentials into a silver clutch. She’d told Shane she could meet him at the country club but he’d insisted on picking her up.
It wasn’t that she was trying to save him a trip into town—she simply wasn’t sure how he was going to react to the news that he was going to be a daddy. If things got ugly, she’d prefer to have her own transportation.
“Just a minute,” she called out when a knock sounded again. After one last quick glance in the mirror she forced herself to walk slowly across the room. Her heart was beating fast enough.
Though she was almost positive it was Shane at the door, she took a second to glance through the peephole before unfastening the security chain and flipping the dead bolt.
“Hi,” she said in welcome as she opened the door.
Shane stepped inside and glanced back at the door. “Quite the security setup you’ve got going.”
“A girl living alone in this neighborhood can’t be too careful.” Lia kept her tone light. She didn’t mean to bad-mouth her home. She was lucky she had a place to live. And she liked her neighbors, which was more than many people could say. “Let me make sure all the lights are off then I’m ready to leave.”
Since the apartment was only three rooms, that didn’t take long. She could see Shane taking in the place where she lived. Though nothing showed on his face, from the way his gaze lingered on the threadbare carpet and the walls in desperate need of repainting, it was obvious he wasn’t impressed.
“It may be small, but I have a roof over my head.” Lia knew he’d never understand the significance of the words. Until she’d gotten the job working for Sawyer, she’d worried she might have to accept her mother’s offer and move to Boston. Either that or live out of her car.
“A roof is always a good thing,” he said smoothly, opening the door for her.
Even though he was dressed much more casually than the first time they’d met, he looked just as fabulous in khaki pants and a navy blazer. His hair was perfectly cut and styled. Lia wanted to ask him if he always looked so put together.
She caught a tantalizing whiff of cologne as she strolled past him. Thankfully smells no longer made her nauseated like they had those first couple months of her pregnancy.
They discussed the weather on the way to the car—how hot it had been lately even though it wasn’t technically summer yet. Lia didn’t mind chatting about the mundane. It was as if they were attempting to find their way back to the ease they’d experienced back in his hotel suite.
It was as though this was their first “date.” Which in a way it was, she realized. When he opened the door to the sleek black Mercedes parked at the curb, she felt like a princess on her way to the ball.
“You changed jobs,” he said as the car surged away from the curb with a low purr.
“The year started out a little rocky for me,” Lia admitted.
He slanted a sideways glance in her direction. “What happened?”
Other than finding out I was pregnant on Valentine’s Day and then losing my job two weeks later?
She shrugged. “The small manufacturing company I was working for began laying off employees right after the first of the year. I survived the initial round of cutbacks but lost my job the beginning of March.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Shane sounded genuinely sincere. “How do you like working for Sawyer?”
“I like it.” Though the work wasn’t nearly as challenging as what she’d done in her past position, she was thankful to have the regular paycheck. “It’s a nice relaxed atmosphere and Sawyer is a great boss.”
She couldn’t have said what they talked about on the short drive out of town. But when he turned into the winding drive leading up to the country club, Lia felt her stomach clench.
Minute by minute it was getting close to the time when she would have to tell him her news. She wasn’t sure what he would say, how he would react.
He’d be shocked of course. She’d been stunned when she’d done the pregnancy test. In fact, she’d gone out and bought two more and taken them, too, just to be sure.
Of course, she knew that taking antibiotics for her sinus infection had lessened the pill’s effectiveness. But they’d used condoms. Each time. It had been hard for her to believe she’d gotten pregnant from that night, even after a doctor’s exam had confirmed the test results.
An older gentleman that Lia recognized from her neighborhood stood at the door, looking dapper in a perfectly pressed uniform. She smiled at him as he opened the door for her and Shane.
Lia had been in the Red Rock Country Club a handful of times, mostly for special events. She remembered the white plastered walls, all the beautiful dark wood and the extensive windows in the dining room that afforded an amazing view of the golf course.
And, of course, the flowers. They were everywhere. Large arrangements with a myriad of petals in vibrant colors that looked too perfect to be real but smelled too good to be dried.
Though Lia would have preferred a more secluded spot for her discussion with Shane, was there really a perfect time or place for what she had to say?
The question was, what kind of response would she receive to her announcement? It was sad that she didn’t know him well enough to know how he would react. She knew what she hoped he’d say. That he wanted to be a part of their child’s life. That while it wasn’t good timing, a new life was something to be celebrated.
The maître d’ led them to a table by the window. Lia was pleased that, because of the way the tables were situated, they had a surprising amount of privacy.
“The wine list, sir,” the maître d’ said as he presented it to Shane with a flourish.
“I don’t care for any wine this evening,” Lia said quickly.
Shane smiled. “Perhaps a glass of champagne?”
“You remembered.” She couldn’t help being pleased.
“Of course,” he said smoothly. “I remember everything about our time together.”
He asked again about the champagne when the waiter arrived but didn’t press when she said she’d stick with tap water.
“How have you been?” Lia asked when the waiter slipped away to get Shane’s glass of wine. “Did you get your family business taken care of?”
He stilled. “Family business?”
“You told me you had some family business to take care of when we were last together.” She gave a little laugh and waved a hand in the air. “Of course that was months ago. I’m sure it’s all squared away by now.”
“Actually, it’s not,” Shane replied. “But we’re making progress.”
Lia took a sip of water. Ticktock. The clock in her head ticked down the minutes until she told him her news and this pleasant interlude would come to an end. “Are you in town for long?”
“I’m relocating to Red Rock.” Shane’s expression turned brooding. “My brothers and sister are all here. We’re a close-knit group.”
“What about your parents?”
“They still live in Atlanta.”
“I bet you miss them.” Lia sighed. “My mother now lives in Boston. I can’t tell you how much I wish she was closer.”
“My parents travel a lot.” Shane’s eyes took on a distant look.
“Are you close?”
He appeared surprised by the question. Normally she’d never have asked, but there’d been a hesitancy in his voice and an almost sad look in his eyes when he mentioned them.
“Are you close to your parents?” she repeated when he didn’t answer.
“I used to be.” He shifted his gaze to the waiter as he set Shane’s wine before him and waited for his approval. Shane took a sip then nodded.
The waiter melted away and Shane returned his attention to Lia. “My mother is a wonderful woman. My father is hardheaded but I always thought he was a good man.”
Lia picked up the change in tense immediately. “You no longer think so?”
Shane took
another sip of wine then smiled. “Let’s not talk about my family tonight. Let’s talk about you. Are you still doing the beadwork?”
A ripple of pleasure traveled through her body. He remembered that, as well.
“I am,” she said. “In fact, the money I made from it kept me going during the two months I was laid off.”
“I can’t believe you couldn’t find work as an accountant.”
“Not in Red Rock. If I’d gone much longer without a position, I’d have started looking in San Antonio. But this is home and I like it here. Commuting doesn’t really appeal to me. And relocating, even when you don’t have much stuff, can be expensive.”
“Have you thought what you’re going to do when Sawyer’s bookkeeper comes back from medical leave?”
Have a baby, Lia thought.
It was something she tried not to think about. The last update she’d received was that the woman was supposed to be gone until late July.
“I’ll find another job.” Lia sounded much more positive than she felt. “Miguel Mendoza is opening a nightclub later this summer. He’s a friend of my brother Eric. He promised to keep me in mind for an office position.” Lia reached for her glass, almost knocking it over. “He’s also a marketing executive for Home Run Records. You may have met him through that position.”
“Are you and Miguel...close?”
“You mean, have we ever dated?” Lia shook her head. “He’s always been like another brother to me. Besides, he recently married Nicole Castleton—you know, the heiress to the boot company? They were high school sweethearts and got back in touch.”
“I’m so happy I ran into you again.” Shane took her hand, playing with her fingers.
His touch did strange things to her insides and brought all those feelings from that long-ago night flooding back.
“Definitely fate at work,” she said lightly, sounding breathless.
He sniffed the air appreciatively. “You’re wearing Chanel tonight.”
“I can’t believe you remembered.”
“You’re not that easy to forget.” Shane caressed her palm with his thumb. “I’m glad you accepted my invitation for dinner, because I wanted a chance to apologize for how it ended between us.”
“You don’t have—” she began, but he continued as if she hadn’t even spoken.
“I should have made it clear how much I enjoyed our time together and that I really did want to see you again.”
“You were leaving town,” she said, her voice sounding faint even to her ears. “That’s what you said. That you had business elsewhere.”
“All true,” he said, his eyes clear and very blue. “But I felt a real connection with you. I think of what I could have done, should have done, wished I’d done to make sure we kept in touch, and I’m consumed with regret.”
His words buoyed her sagging spirits. Until now, she had thought she’d been the only one who had wished things had gone differently that morning.
Lia had planned to wait until after dinner to mention the baby, but he’d opened his heart to her and bared his soul. It was time she did the same. “I have something I’ve wanted to tell you, too.”
He smiled. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re cute when you’re serious?”
A warmth crept up Lia’s neck. She moistened her dry lips with the tip of her tongue.
Heat flared in his eyes.
“This is important.”
The slight tremor in her voice brought a faint frown of concern to his forehead.
“No worries.” The gentle kindness in his tone was nearly her undoing. “You can tell me anything.”
Before Lia could get a single word past her suddenly stiff lips, his phone buzzed. Casting an apologetic look at her, he pulled the ultra-slim black phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. He grimaced. “I’m sorry but I need to take this. It shouldn’t take long.”
He stood and exited the dining room, the phone pressed against his ear.
Lia exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Perhaps she should be grateful she’d been granted a slight reprieve.
The only problem was, it was temporary. Because the news that she had for Shane was something he needed to hear. And he needed to hear it tonight.
Chapter Five
Shane shoved the phone into his pocket. If it hadn’t been Jeanne Marie, he wouldn’t have taken the call. But if the woman was backing out of her agreement to come to Red Rock, he needed to know about it so he could change her mind.
Thankfully she simply wanted to tell him she’d booked her flight and to give him the itinerary.
Shane rubbed the back of his neck. Jeanne Marie was a puzzle. She seemed so darned happy to be coming to Red Rock to meet the family. Didn’t she realize his father had a wife? And that all the people she was coming to meet would view her as a home-wrecker?
He blew out a harsh breath, his good mood of a few minutes ago soured. Now that he knew the reason for her call, he wished he’d let voice mail pick up.
Shane paused at the doorway to the dining room, settling his gaze on Lia, who sat staring out the window with a pensive look on her face. She was as pretty as he remembered with her thick dark hair and those big brown eyes. Tonight she wasn’t showing nearly as much skin as she had the night they’d met and, like yesterday, her dress was loose and almost shapeless.
She had a cute figure. He’d like to see her flaunt it a bit more. Still, she appealed to him as much as she did all those months ago.
Though he didn’t know Lia well, he could tell when he picked her up that something was troubling her.
Something troubled him, too...the dump she lived in. Though he wasn’t that familiar with Red Rock, he got the impression most of the town was fairly nice. But as he’d driven closer to where she lived, the upscale community flavor had taken a dramatic turn.
On Lia’s block, small groups of men sat on porch steps or stood on street corners talking. Little kids played in the street with no adult supervision. And her apartment...
He winced. The walls in the stairwell had been soiled and an overpowering odor of garbage filled the air. He hated to see so many locks on her door, though he’d been happy to see her taking measures to protect her own personal safety.
As he crossed the dining area, he wondered if one of his siblings might know of a place for rent that would be within Lia’s price range. He made a mental note to ask them the next chance he got.
“Sorry that took so long.” He slid into his seat and dropped the linen napkin back on his lap.
While he’d been gone, the waiter had brought out their salads: mixed greens with cranberries, blue cheese crumbles and candied walnuts.
“You didn’t need to wait for me,” he said, glancing at her untouched plate.
“I’m too nervous to eat,” she said, then blushed at the admission.
That was right—she’d said she had something to tell him.
He wondered suddenly if she was in a relationship. Was that what she was finding so difficult to tell him? It made sense considering she was a beautiful woman.
Possibly she’d gotten back with her ex-boyfriend. The minute the thought crossed his mind, he discarded it. Shane prided himself on being a good judge of character. His first impression of Lia was of a strong, independent woman. He couldn’t see her going back to a man who had cheated and lied to her.
He searched her troubled gaze. “Do you think you’d feel better if you get whatever is bothering you off your chest?”
She nodded. “I’m not a big believer in secrets.”
“I’m not, either.” Shane clenched his jaw, thinking of his father and all the lies. All the pain his dad’s secrets had caused the family. All the pressure it had put on Shane as COO of JMF Financial. Unlike his siblings, he was having difficulty walking away from the company he’d been groomed to run. A company he loved.
“Shane.” She paused for a second then took a deep breath and began again. “Shane. I’m pregnant. You
’re the father.”
His eyes widened. Then he began to laugh. “Good one, Lia,” he said. “That got my attention. Now, tell me what’s troubling you.”
Her brows pulled together in confusion. “I am pregnant. You are the father.”
The look in her eyes brought his laughter to a halt. He inhaled sharply. “You can’t be serious.”
She lifted her chin. “I wouldn’t joke about something this important.”
When Shane had been ten, his brother Wyatt had deliberately jumped in front of him and he’d fallen off his bike, knocking the air from his lungs. He remembered how he’d felt. Stunned. Angry. He felt the same way now.
He hadn’t expected this from Lia. Obviously he wasn’t a good judge of character after all. A coldness swept across his body.
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing.” He gripped the edge of the table with both hands and leaned forward, pinning her with his gaze. “We both know that what you’re alleging is impossible. Even if you weren’t on the pill, we used condoms.”
He’d made sure of it that night. He always made sure. Even if a woman said she was on the pill, he wanted all bases covered. He spoke slowly and distinctly, making sure she understood he was nobody’s fool. “Explain to me how a pregnancy is possible under those circumstances.”
“I was taking antibiotics for a sinus infection, which, according to my doctor, lowered the pill’s effectiveness.” Lia stumbled over the words. “I know this is a shock. It was for me, too. When I took the test—”
“Explain to me how a pregnancy is possible under those circumstances,” he repeated.
“I can’t.” Lia ducked her head, looking miserable. “All I know is I’m pregnant and the baby is yours.”
“Are you sure it’s not Doug’s?” Did she really think he would have forgotten about her boyfriend?
Lia cocked her head, the look of confusion in her eyes Oscar-worthy. “Who’s Doug?”
“Your boyfriend.” A simmering anger fueled the sharp bite to his words. “The one you said cheated on you.”
“Oh.” Light dawned in her eyes. “You mean David.”