by Judy Duarte
“I have to go to city hall this morning, and this afternoon I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“Is your mother going with you again?”
“Not this time.”
He seemed to think about her answer.
She felt compelled to ask if he wanted to go with her, but why would he? She wasn’t his real wife. And she wasn’t having his baby.
“I have another meeting,” he said. “This one is at Provisions. So I’d better get on the road.”
That must’ve been where his mind was just moments ago.
“I’ll talk to you later,” he added.
She nodded, but she wasn’t so sure they had any more to talk about. He’d made his feelings clear, even if he hadn’t come right out and admitted it. He liked being her friend and lover. But that was it.
And she couldn’t go on this way much longer. She’d eventually blurt out her feelings and voice her regret.
Still, just as she’d done every workday since she’d moved in with him, she followed him to the foyer, where he gave her a kiss goodbye. “I’ll see you tonight,” he told her. “Don’t worry about dinner. I’ll pick up something in town and bring it home.”
She nodded, although dinner was the last thing on her mind. And so was spending another night at the Fame and Fortune Ranch. Against all odds, she’d fallen in love with a man who considered their marriage a temporary arrangement.
It wasn’t Steven’s fault, though. They’d made a deal, and he was sticking to it. How could she be angry at him for doing everything he’d said he would do?
She was the one who’d changed the rules. But that didn’t mean she had to continue playing the game.
As she walked back to their living quarters—or rather, to Steven’s living quarters—she placed her hand on her belly. Did she really want to drag her baby into a situation like this?
No, she did not. And she’d be insane to continue the ruse. She had to end things with Steven, and the sooner she did so, the better. She’d always prided herself on her honesty. But what a laugh that was. She’d been deceiving everyone she’d come into contact with for months, but no one more than herself.
She returned to the bedroom and packed her things. Before dragging her suitcase, garment bags and canvas tote out to the car, she stopped at the small desk in Steven’s room, opened the drawer and pulled out a pen and paper.
A personal conversation was probably in order, but she could spell out her feelings on paper much easier than she could say them to his face. So she wrote a note to explain why she was leaving. Then she left it on the kitchen table, where he would be sure to see it as soon as he got home.
* * *
Tears welled in Ellie’s eyes as she drove back to town, her suitcase and bags in the trunk, her wedding dress in the back seat. As badly as she wanted to hurry home so she could vent to Daria and lick her wounds, she drove straight to her parents’ house instead.
She’d been lying to the two people who loved her more than anyone else in the world. And her mom and dad deserved better from her. They’d proven their love and loyalty for years, and it was high time she trusted them enough to admit her mistakes and share her heartache.
What was wrong with her? Why had it taken her so long to figure it out? She’d never wanted to disappoint them, but she had. And worse yet, she’d disappointed herself.
As the tears streamed down her cheeks, she swiped at them with the back of her hand and continued to drive to the one place in town where everything was familiar—the white clapboard church on the corner, the elementary school she’d attended, the park where she used to play.
She turned down the tree-lined drive and continued to the three-bedroom home in which she’d grown up. Her father’s old green pickup and her mother’s sedan were parked in the driveway, which meant she could face them both in one fell swoop.
After parking at the curb, she took a moment to study the well-manicured lawn, the colorful flowers that lined the walkway. Then she got out of the car and headed for the front porch. Birds chirped in the treetops, announcing that winter was over and spring had come to bring new life and hope.
Ellie knocked lightly on the door, then let herself in. “Mama? Papa? It’s me.”
“We’re in the kitchen,” her mother said. “We slept in this morning, so we’re having a late breakfast. Come join us.”
Ellie crossed the warm, cozy living room, taking note of the mantel over the redbrick fireplace that still displayed several framed photographs of her as a child and one of her in her cap and gown at her college graduation. That was just another sign of her parents’ deep love for her.
As she entered the kitchen, she found her mother frying bacon and scrambling eggs while her father sat at the table sipping coffee and reading the sports page.
“This is a nice surprise,” Mama said as she removed the frying pan from the flame. When she turned and faced Ellie, her smile faded, and a frown took its place. “You’ve been crying, honey. What’s the matter?”
“It’s a long, complicated story,” Ellie said. “And I need to get it off my chest.”
Her father pulled out a chair. “Have a seat, mija. Your mother and I have all day.”
Ellie wasn’t sure where to begin, but if she intended to level with her parents, she’d have to start with Mike. So she told them about the mistake she’d made in thinking he was family material, only to find out the hard way that he wasn’t. She admitted that he’d fathered her baby. And then she’d shared his coldhearted response to the news.
“Was Steven angry when he found out you were pregnant with Mike’s baby?” Mama asked. “Is that why you’re crying?”
“He knew. And it didn’t bother him.”
“Then I don’t understand why you’re upset,” Papa said. “Are you afraid the press will find out that Steven isn’t the father?”
Ellie blew out a sigh. “I don’t even care about that. Not anymore.”
Mama poured herself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table. “Then why are you so unhappy?”
“Steven is my friend, and he asked me to marry him so that I could save face in the community. And, like a fool, I agreed to do it, even though I knew it would end up being one more mistake in the long run.”
“You married a man you didn’t love?” Mama asked.
“I went into the agreement thinking of Steven as my friend, but then I fell in love with him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t feel the same way about me. And I can’t keep living like that, pretending that the marriage is real and that my new husband fathered my baby.” An ache settled in Ellie’s chest, and tears filled her eyes again.
“Pastor Ecklund is an ordained minister,” Papa said. “You might not feel like the marriage is real, but like it or not, you and Steven are legally wed.”
“I know, and that complicates the matter. When this stupid charade started, we agreed to get a quiet, amicable divorce after the baby was born. But under the circumstances, I think it’s best if we split up now.”
“And Steven’s okay with that?” Mama asked.
“Why wouldn’t he be? He’s not the one who will have to face the press and explain to the community that he lied to them.” Ellie shot a glance at Papa, then at Mama. “Worse than that, I lied to you. And I’m so sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“Of course we will. At least you’re being truthful now.” Mama reached out and patted the top of Ellie’s hand. “It won’t be easy being a single mom and raising a child on your own, but your father and I will stand by you every step of the way.”
“Thanks, Mama. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”
“Your mother’s right,” Papa said. “You mean the world to us, mija. And so does that little boy. Just tell us how we can best support you.”
Ellie blew out a sigh as another onslaught of tears began to slide down her
cheeks. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out. In the meantime, people are going to talk. If anyone asks why I left Steven, just tell them that it didn’t work out.”
For once, she’d be telling the truth. Things hadn’t worked out, even though Ellie wished with all her heart that they had.
Chapter Fourteen
“What a day,” Steven muttered as he drove back to the ranch. It started early and ended late, but it had been productive. The spa building had passed its final inspection, which meant the grand opening was still on track.
After leaving the office, he stopped by Peking Palace and picked up Chinese takeout. He wasn’t sure what dishes Ellie liked, so he ordered a variety from the menu. They’d end up having leftovers for days, but that didn’t matter.
By the time he arrived at the ranch, the sun had nearly set. Ellie’s car wasn’t parked in her usual spot, but he didn’t think anything of it. She probably had an unexpected meeting in town. Hopefully, she’d be home soon.
Once inside the foyer, he headed to his private quarters and stopped in the kitchen. He placed both bags on the counter, then opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. He unscrewed the top and took a big swig, quenching his thirst.
He considered taking a shower before he spotted a note on the table addressed to him.
Dear Steven,
I’m sorry, but I can’t keep living a lie. I’m not angry with you. How could I be when you’ve never been anything but good to me? But it’s time for me to go home. I need to set up a nursery and prepare for the baby.
I value our friendship and appreciate all you’ve done for me. If our marriage had been real, things might have been different. But my highest priority right now is my son. He deserves to have a loving home, and one that’s permanent.
Ellie
The words blindsided him, and he sat down to read them again.
She’d moved out? Just like that? And without talking it over with him first, without asking him how he felt about it?
Hell, how did he feel about it?
Angry came to mind. Hadn’t she cared enough about him or his feelings to tell him to his face? He was disappointed to find her gone. He was hurt, too, he supposed.
His head spun with other emotions he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Were they still friends? Had they gone back to being at political odds?
Damn. He found the whole thing confusing. And he wasn’t sure what, if anything, to do about it.
And then there was the baby. His entire family and the whole damned town thought it was his. He’d been prepared to step up to the plate, but apparently Ellie hadn’t ever considered him taking an active, paternal-type role. She’d taken her mom to one of her obstetrical appointments, and even though he’d thought she might ask him to go in Alma’s place this afternoon, she hadn’t.
At the time, he’d been afraid to ask, afraid he might be overstepping. He’d had a busy day, but he would have shuffled things around and found the time.
She clearly preferred to go alone, and that irritated him more now than it had this morning. And it shouldn’t. Hell, he wasn’t the baby’s father.
Yet, in some odd way, he’d begun to think that he was. How was that for losing his head over his friendship with Ellie?
He sat at the kitchen table for the longest time, the note in his hand, his brain scrambling to make sense of it all. It wasn’t until his cell phone rang that the fog began to clear.
Was Ellie having second thoughts? Was she on her way home?
He glanced at the lighted display and frowned. Then he swiped his finger across the screen to accept Callum’s call.
“Yeah, what is it?” he asked, anger and frustration setting a sharp edge to his tone.
“Whoa,” Callum said. “I didn’t mean to bother you. Is this a bad time?”
It sure as hell wasn’t a good one. “What’s up?”
“Nicole is cooking again tonight and asked me to find out if you and Ellie are going to join us for dinner.”
“No, Ellie’s...not home.”
“We can always keep a couple of plates warm for you.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll... We’ll fend for ourselves.”
“Is something wrong?” Callum asked. “You seemed okay when we left the office this afternoon, but something must have set you off.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Instead of going into any more detail than that, Steven ended the call.
He hadn’t meant to take out his anger on his brother. But he wasn’t about to share his mixed-up thoughts with anyone. He’d rather wallow in them on his own.
And that’s just what he did. He stewed over the situation all night long, tossing and turning until dawn.
The next day, at the construction trailer on the Paz job site, his brothers tiptoed around him. It hadn’t taken long for the office staff and the employees to pick up on his foul mood and to steer clear of him. And that was fine with him.
Before he left for the day, Callum and Dillon finally approached him, hands on hips, their expressions serious.
“We have no idea what happened last night,” Callum said, “but we can connect a few dots, especially since Ellie’s car wasn’t in the yard again this morning.”
Steven could have explained, starting at the beginning, but it wasn’t that simple. And he wasn’t sure why. It might help to talk it out, but he was the oldest brother. His siblings were supposed to come to him for advice, not the other way around.
“Have you talked to Ellie?” Dillon asked.
Steven couldn’t believe this. Since when was Dillon the expert on relationships? His last two hadn’t gone well. Or so he’d gathered. But Steven bit back a snappy retort. He might be angry and all kinds of mixed up, but he wasn’t so off balance that he’d intentionally hurt his younger brother.
So he shook it off the best he could. “There’s nothing to talk about, guys. Ellie and I just need some time apart.”
Then he walked out the door and strode toward his pickup. It wasn’t supposed to end this way. Nor was it supposed to hurt. For a fake marriage, the breakup felt pretty damned real.
* * *
It had been two long days since Ellie had left the ranch, and Steven still didn’t feel any better about her leaving, about that damned note she wrote, about the way his queen-size bed had grown bigger and colder without her in it.
Even when he’d holed up at Fortune Brothers Construction and tried to keep his mind on work, he felt her absence. And that didn’t make any sense.
A knock sounded at the door of the modular, drawing him from his thoughts. He would have let someone else answer, but everyone else had taken off early, no doubt chased off by his crappy mood.
“What is it?” he asked.
“It’s Alma Hernandez.”
Steven’s heart jumped to his throat then dropped to his gut. Had something happened to Ellie or the baby?
He rolled back his desk chair, got to his feet and crossed the room in three steps. He swung open the door and found Alma standing there, holding her purse in both hands.
“I don’t want to keep you from your work,” she said, “so I’ll make this quick.”
“No problem. Please, come in.” He stepped aside, and when she entered, he closed the door to give them privacy.
He strode to the chair that sat across the desk and moved a stack of files and a folded blueprint he’d piled on it.
“I’m sorry for the mess. I don’t usually get visitors here. Please. Have a seat.”
As the retired schoolteacher complied, he wheeled his chair around the desk and sat next to her. “What’s going on? Is Ellie okay?”
“She’s not sick, if that’s what you mean. But she’s not the least bit okay. She’s concerned about the divorce.”
Divorce. The harsh sound of the word slammed into him. They’d talked abou
t separating down the road, and of course, they’d planned to do it legally and file the necessary paperwork with the court. But in Steven’s mind, “down the road” hadn’t meant a week after the wedding.
“What’s she worried about? I won’t fight her, if that’s what she’s afraid of. I just wish she would have talked to me. We might have...” He sucked in a deep breath, then blew it out. “We made a deal, and I’m willing to follow through on it.”
“Is that what you want?” Alma asked. “To follow through on the agreement?”
“I don’t understand why you’re asking me that question,” he said. “Ellie’s the one who left, and I’ll admit I wasn’t happy about it. If she had something on her mind, she should’ve talked to me in person. Instead, she left a Dear John letter that didn’t shed much light on her thoughts and feelings.”
Alma studied him as if he were one of her students, as if he’d stayed on the playground after recess was over and the rest of the kids had returned to class. She seemed to be considering the proper punishment, only that wasn’t necessary. Ellie had already given him the ultimate time-out.
“Do you care for my daughter?” Alma asked.
“Yes, of course I do. I wouldn’t have married her if I didn’t.”
“Do you love her?”
The word crept into his chest and shimmied up and down his spine. He had feelings for Ellie. Deep ones. And it had hurt like the devil when she left.
“I might. I’m not sure. I...” Steven raked a hand through his hair. He sure as hell felt something for her.
“At the wedding,” Alma said, “I saw you watch Ellie as she walked down the aisle. The expression on your face didn’t seem fake. And neither did your smile or the happiness glimmering in your eyes. Unless you’re bound for the Broadway stage, I suspect you’re feeling more than friendship for her.”
She was right. His feelings ran deeper than that. “I’m not supposed to feel more than friendship. That was the deal.”
“If you love her—or if you think it might come to that one day—I suggest you fight for her.”