“Time out.” Steve made the appropriate gesture with his hands. “You’re doing a hell of a lot of figuring and deciding. I don’t get it. The last time I saw you, you wanted to cut my heart out with a spoon. What’s your angle?”
Nick winced at having his own words tossed back at him. “I deserve that. And more. I’ll give you one shot.”
Steve shook his head. “I’m not going to hit you. Not that you don’t deserve it.”
“You got that right,” Nick said ruefully.
“What’s going on? Why are you here?”
Nick shoved his hands into his pants pockets and stared at the floor for several moments. He looked up and there was an apologetic expression on his face. “I know everything.”
“Define ‘everything,’” Steve said suspiciously.
“Why you married Rosie. That the baby isn’t yours—”
“I see.”
“This is long overdue, buddy. But welcome to the family.” He held his hand out.
Steve hesitated. “Why should I believe you?”
Nick shifted uncomfortably. “You have every right to be ticked off. I’m the world’s biggest jerk.”
“You forgot dumbest.”
“What is it with you and Rosie? Groveling isn’t hard enough? You two have to heap on the humiliation?”
“You saw Rosie? And the baby?”
Nick nodded. “I just came from there. I overheard her telling mother everything.”
“So Mr. and Mrs. M. know, too?”
“I’m not sure about Dad, but Ma does.”
“Cheaters never prosper,” Steve muttered. He should have known this plan to help Rosie wouldn’t go off without a hitch.
“Ma used to tell us that a lot.” He met Steve’s gaze. “In this ease—”
“It’s no different. I’m a fraud. Don’t worry. The divorce will be kept quiet. I’ll support Rosie and my—” He stopped and took a deep breath. “The baby and Rosie won’t want for anything.”
“Now who’s being a dumb jerk?”
“Isn’t this what you want? Me out of her life? Ever since we were kids, you made it plain that Rosie was off limits. Any girl was fair game but her.”
Nick ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’ve thought about that a lot Rosie and I were always close. This sounds really stupid, but as a kid, I think I was jealous that she liked you better.”
“You’re right. It does sound stupid.” Then the meaning of the words sank in. “You sabotaged me?”
“That’s about the size of it. Not consciously, but—” Nick shrugged uncomfortably.
“So why would you want me in the family now? Why would you change?”
“I—we haven’t changed. The Marchetti family door was always open. You’re the one who kept shutting it.”
Suddenly Steve understood why Rosie’s don’t-leave-me-out look had always gotten to him. He understood it. He knew exactly how she felt and hated it—for himself, but especially for her. He had loved
When Steve didn’t say anything, Nick went on. “For the record, I would rather see my sister married to you than anyone. We’re as close as brothers, in some ways closer—at least we were until I screwed up. I plan to make that up to you. The point is, there’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ll take care of Rosie. I haven’t always been there for her. But you never let her down. I couldn’t be happier that you married her. You’re one of the good guys, buddy.”
Nick held out his hand. Steve knew his friend was telling the truth. The door had always been open. It still was. He could step through, or shut it forever. He grasped Nick’s hand firmly, putting everything he felt and couldn’t say into it. Then Nick pulled him into a brief backslapping bear hug.
Steve grinned. “You are a jerk.”
“Yeah, well...” Nick shuffled his feet. “I know marriage isn’t for me and I figured you felt the same way. I was wrong.” He grinned. “Better you than me.”
Steve grinned, knowing he finally had somewhere to belong. Correction, he’d always had a place, but he’d been too young and stupid and angry to see it. But he did now. He had a shot at everything he’d always wanted. If he blew it, he would be lost forever.
Steve’s smile disappeared. “I want this marriage and family, Nick. I love the baby as if she were mine. And I’m nuts about Rosie. But I’ve hurt her. Badly.” He shook his head. “I just don’t know how to convince her that I do care.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I’m a guy. Everything you’ve done says it loud and clear. But women need
“Thanks, buddy,” Steve said wryly. “I needed more pressure.”
“The words aren’t big or very many. Just three, in fact. And they’re only one syllable apiece.”
“That simple?”
“Yeah.”
Steve figured he needed something more than three words to stack the deck in his favor. He draped his arm loosely across Nick’s shoulders. “I’ve got an idea. Do you really want to make it up to me?”
“Not if it involves seminudity or screaming like a chicken in public.”
“The only requirement is an extra pair of hands and a strong back.”
Feeling only slight discomfort from the birth, Rosie sat in her hospital room chair waiting to go home. It had been two days since she’d unburdened herself to her mother. Flo Marchetti had made a convincing case for fighting for her man. Rosie smiled at the memory of her mother’s story about confronting her father. She’d always thought love was like spontaneous combustion. It just happened, then there was “happy ever after.” Her parents made it look easy. She’d never realized that there was risk involved.
She glanced covertly at Steve. He held the baby while they waited for the business office rep to come in and get the information for the birth certificate. After that, it was time to go. She had never understood the meaning of the word “bittersweet” more than she did at this moment.
She could hardly wait to get her little girl home.
Tears sprang to her eyes and she blinked furiously. She wouldn’t go to the pity place, not today, and definitely not in front of Steve. She’d had enough of his pity to last her a lifetime. If they were going to survive, it would be for love, or not at all.
A woman with a clipboard in hand appeared in the doorway. Auburn-haired, with granny glasses perched on the end of her nose, she smiled warmly at the tender sight of Steve with an infant in his arms. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. Rosie sighed. No man with fatigue written all over his face should look that good, she thought.
“I’m Marilyn Knox.” The woman cleared her throat. “Mr. and Mrs. Schafer, you’ve put this off long enough. It’s time to pick a name for this little girl.”
With her pen poised above the paper, she waited while Rosie looked at Steve. This was the moment of truth. Rosie knew he would keep silent, let her decide. She had, but wasn’t sure what he would think.
Mrs. Knox looked from one to the other, then sat on the side of the bed with a big sigh. “Let’s start with something easy, like the last name.”
“Schafer,” Steve said in a loud, clear, firm voice.
The tears Rosie had been battling were back again. In front of God and everyone, he was declaring legal
“There, that wasn’t so hard,” Mrs. Knox said. “Now, a first name would be good so we don’t have to keep calling her Baby Girl Schafer.”
Rosie took a deep breath. “Stephanie Nicole.”
“Stephanie?” Steve’s gaze snapped to hers so fast whiplash was a real possibility. “Nicole?”
Rosie nodded. “After two of the most important men in my life.”
“Stephanie Nicole Schafer.” Mrs. Knox stood and peeked at the infant in Steve’s arms. “It’s a lovely name for a beautiful little girl. Good luck, you two,” she said.
When they were alone, Steve put the baby in Rosie’s arms. “Nurse Ratchett said to pull the car around the front of the hospital and she would take you out in a wheelchair.”
“You shouldn
’t call Liz that. She’s a good nurse, protective of her patients. Just because Joey started that name—”
“She took good care of you and Stephanie. That’s all I care about.”
There he was, being sweet again. Rosie was grateful that he turned his back to pick up her suitcase. It kept him from seeing her expression. He also grabbed an armful of stuff. “You’ve only been here a couple of days. Where did all this come from?”
“Four uncles and doting grandparents who refuse to walk in the door empty-handed. My apartment is going to be filled to the rafters by the time she’s a month old.”
Steve gave her an odd look, then continued to organize everything. He managed to gather it all in one
“Stephanie Schafer, I hope you like your name. It will always remind us of your father.”
Rosie was so preoccupied watching the baby, securely belted and harnessed in the car seat behind her, she didn’t realize where they were until Steve shut off the car.
She looked around. “This is your condo.”
“I know.”
“I figured you knew. That was an invitation for an explanation. Why did you bring us here? I don’t understand, Steve.”
“Why don’t we take the baby inside first?”
Rosie’s mind whirled as Steve unhooked the car seat, gripped the handle, and lifted it out as if Stephanie were the most precious thing in the world. Why had he brought them here? Did she dare hope?
Steve lead her inside and she looked around. He’d had the place redecorated since the last time she’d been there. She wasn’t clear on how she knew that. The last time she’d found him with a woman and she figured under those circumstances observation and humiliation were mutually exclusive. It surprised her that he chose a color scheme that was her favorite—hunter green and mauve. Should she read anything into that?
“Follow me, Ro.”
She nodded and they went up a few stairs into the bedroom next to the master. It was unbelievable. Inside was a completely put together baby nursery including the furniture she’d picked out for a girl. There was a canopy crib, made of light blond wood. An
She had pointed it out to him once when they’d meandered through the baby store at the mall. She’d thought he hadn’t been paying attention. She’d been wrong. Everything she’d oohed and ahed and coveted was here. It was a dream nursery.
Stunned, she touched a trembling hand to her mouth.
“When did you do all this?”
“Wallpaper would be nice, but I didn’t have time.”
“I can’t believe you did what you did. How?”
“Nick helped.”
“He did?” Those dam tears always seemed to be right there, she thought, annoyed. She looked at him, shaking her head in wonder. “I love it. Can we try her in the swing?”
“Sure.” He looked at the tiny infant, then sheepishly back to Rosie. “If you put her in.”
She smiled at him. “Sure.”
Carefully, she picked up her wide-awake daughter and placed her in the padded seat. She buckled her in and, for good measure, tucked receiving blankets around the infant. Then she studied the digital control. After selecting “one” for the slowest speed, the seat started to sway gently.
Rosie stood on one side of the swing and Steve on the other. When she knew all was fine with the swinging baby, her gaze strayed to the man who had always made her heart beat like a teenage girl with her first crush. Now was no exception, especially when she
She’d been an idiot not to know that he had something to say to her. But after everything, she was afraid to trust that there was a chance for them. Quickly, she glanced back to the baby and watched her eyes drift shut.
“She’s sleeping like a baby.” Rosie looked at Steve. “I have a feeling this contraption is going to be a godsend.”
“We should put her to bed,” he said, and it was more question than stated fact.
“I think so,” she answered, unable to shake the feeling that there was another surprise.
“Good. I can’t wait to show you this.” Without waking her, he extricated the sleeping infant from seat belt, blankets, and swing, and carried her into the master bedroom.
In the corner next to the king-size bed was the sweetest bassinet she’d ever seen. It was circular and covered in white satin, with lace curtains that draped down.
“All right.” Rosie lifted the infant and placed her in the bed. When she started to squirm, Steve rocked it until she was sleeping soundly again.
“I think she likes it here,” he said. He turned on the nursery monitor and took the other half that would allow them to hear the baby from anywhere in the condo.
Rosie took his hand and with fingers intertwined, they walked into the hall, then down to the living room. She sat on the green-and-beige plaid sofa in front of the fireplace.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, looking up at him.
He cast a sweeping glance around the room. “It’s bigger and we need more space.”
“We?” Hope bloomed in her heart like flowers waiting for the first spring sunshine after a very long winter.
He sat beside her, so close that his thigh brushed hers. She loved the tender expression in his blue eyes.
“I want you to stay. You and Stephanie.” He hesitated.
This was her chance. It was now or never. She had to fight for her man and tell him how she felt.
She let the words come out and he spoke at the same time. “I love you,” they both said together.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“I love you. What did you say?”
“I love you.”
“Really?”
She could only nod as he took her face in his hands and kissed her. The warmth of his lips was too sweet for words. Her pulse raced as he told her with his mouth and his hands what was in his heart.
Finally, Steve pulled back and let out a long, shuddering breath. “Nick was right. That wasn’t so hard.”
“My brother, the confirmed bachelor, convinced you to say that?” Rosie blinked, trying to focus after his toe-curling kiss.
“Yup.”
“That would imply that you two have buried the hatchet?”
“Yup. He helped me move all your stuff over.”
Rosie was so happy at this moment she was almost afraid to rock the boat. But she had to know. “Ma
He shrugged. “I suspected he was a sleaze, but you seemed serious about him. I needed a reason to break you up.”
“All you had to do was tell me you love me.”
“Easier said than done. The best friend I’d ever had told me a long time ago that it’s uncool to go out with your buddy’s sister. Translation, at least my interpretation—guys who have no family aren’t good enough for a Marchetti.”
Rosie put her arms around his neck and snuggled close, letting her love encompass him. “The next time I see Nick, I think I’ll use Nurse Ratchett’s method of manhandling one meddling Marchetti man. He’s—”
“It wasn’t him. My own parents hadn’t wanted me enough to stick around. Why would anyone else?”
“Because you’re a good man.”
“Maybe. But what kind of father could I be? I never had one—”
“What’s my dad? Chopped liver? You spent a lot of time with my family. Some of the Marchetti magic must have rubbed off.”
Doubtful, he shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Let’s put this to rest once and for all.” She half turned to him with a fist on her hip. “You had a choice in this family thing. You decided to stay. Good God, Steve, you moved us in here lock, stock, and baby furniture. That means you’re willing to work at being a father. As far as I’m concerned, Stephanie couldn’t ask for a better dad than you.”
He grinned. “I believe you.”
“Good.” She smiled back. “Now that you’re okay,
“I’d rather not—”
“You have your issues, I’ve got mine. What was that all about? Why
should I believe you love me when every woman you ever dated was my exact opposite?”
“That’s why.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve always loved you, Ro. But I didn’t think I could have you. And I didn’t want a cheap imitation. No reminders of you. Hence, only tall blondes.”
“So your secretary poses no threat?” she asked, feigning annoyance.
“You’re not jealous of Sandy? Is that why you got so weird after that day in my office?”
“I didn’t get weird. What a thing to say to the mother of your daughter.”
She put up weak, token resistance as he pulled her into his arms. This was a place she wanted to stay forever. In her fantasies, she had never been as happy as she was now.
“You’re jealous,” he said. “Takes one to know one. I’ve wanted to rip the heart out of every guy you’ve ever dated. I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember.”
“You’ve always had me. The first time you let me tag along with you, I knew you walked on water.”
“So your mother was telling the truth about your crush.”
“Have you ever thought about that word? An odd way to describe strong feelings for another person. But accurate. For years, I was crushed by what I felt
He silenced her with his mouth. After a long, slow, drugging kiss, he folded her in his arms and pressed her to his chest, holding her as if he never planned to let her go.
“I had a crush on you, too. I tried to fight it, but it turned into love. I will love you until the day I die.”
“For a man of few words, that was the most eloquent declaration I have ever heard.”
“Believe it.”
“I do.”
“It’s nice to know good things come in threes.”
“Huh?”
“When Nick stopped by the other day, I was thinking that bad stuff always happens in triplicate. Now there’s you, and Steph, and me. The Schafer family. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“Oh, yes.”
Rosie didn’t know how or why she’d gotten so lucky. Did she deserve this much happiness? She would do her best to be worthy. If she could have seen the future, she never would have questioned her vows that day in the wedding chapel. She’d been reluctant to commit herself to “as long as you both live.” Now she knew that only forever would be enough time to love her stand-in groom.
A Vow, a Ring, a Baby Swing Page 14